[Improvement of pulse waveform detection with autoregressive model in blood oxygen saturation measurement]

Blood oxygen saturation is an important physiological parameter of human body. The accurate measurement of it is important to both physiological research and medical application. Dual-wavelength method is widely adopted in nonivasive detection of blood oxygen saturation. In this method, the calculation of blood oxygen saturation is based on the identification of pulse waveform and the extraction of peak characteristic values. But the pulse waveform obtained from this method merely has distinctive features such as the QRS complexes in ECG, so the ratio of correct detection of pulse waveform is always low. An autoregressive model of heart-beat intervals is developed. The output of the differential method is compared with that of the AR model so as to distinguish the false or missing detection. The ratio of correct detection is improved by the use of this method.

In vitro fluoride release from aesthetic restorative materials following recharging with APF gel

In this in vitro study, the fluoride ion release from three more-viscous conventional glass ionomer cements (GICs)--ChemFlex, Fuji IX GP, Ionofil Molar--four polyacid-modified resin composites (compomers)--Dyract AP, Compoglass F, Freedom, F2000--and a hybrid resin composite--Ariston pHc--were compared. The amounts of fluoride release from 3 x 2.7 mm specimens were measured over six weeks using a fluoride ion-selective electrode. After six weeks, the specimens were recharged with 2 ml of 1.23 per cent acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) gel for four minutes. The recharged specimens were then assessed for the amounts of fluoride release over another six weeks. Statistical analyses were performed using one-way and repeated measures ANOVA. The GICs and Compoglass F showed significantly higher initial fluoride release rates during the first two days (p < 0.05). After the first two days, fluoride release rates from all materials dropped quickly and became essentially stabilized within three-five weeks, in an exponential mode. The recharging of the specimens with APF gel caused a brief, but significant, increase in fluoride release for all materials (p < 0.05), before decreasing to previous comparable rates. Compoglass F released relatively more fluoride, and Ariston pHc relatively less, after APF gel application than before. The lowest total amounts over the study were released by Dyract AP and Freedom. The newer compomers, as well as the newer more-viscous GICs, appear to act as fluoride reservoirs to varying extents.

[The dynamic changes of postburn complement activation and its effects on the secretory function of macrophages in severely burned mice]

OBJECTIVE

To study the dynamic changes of postburn complement activation and its effects on the secretory function of macrophages in severely burned mice, so as to help explore the mechanism of postburn immunological disturbance.

METHODS

The mice inflicted with 18% TBSA III degree scalding were employed as the model and randomly divided into normal control, decomplementizing control, scalding and decomplementizing scalding groups. The chemotactic activity of plasma, the production of nitride oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) by peritoneal macrophages (MPhi) cultured by plasma from every groups were examined.

RESULTS

The chemotactic activity of plasma complements increased quickly within 30 min. postburn, reached the summit level at 6 postburn hour (PBH) and declined since 12 PBH. Plasma from injured mice could induce peritoneal MPhis to produce more NO and TNFalpha.

CONCLUSION

Complements were immediately activated postburn. The MPhis were activated by active complements. As a result, immunological active products increased significantly.

[A comparison between latanoprost and timolol in treatment of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the therapeutic value of latanoprost on glaucoma.

METHODS

In an open-label fashion, multicenter, randomized control clinical trial, the efficacy and adverse drug reactions of topical application of 0.005% latanoprost once daily were compared with that of 0.5% timolol twice daily for 12 weeks in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

RESULTS

The study included 128 patients (63 patients in latanoprost group and 65 patients in timolol group) and 117 patients remained at the end of the study (60 cases in latanoprost group and 57 cases in timolol group). Comparing 12 weeks with baseline diurnal intraocular pressure (IOP), the IOP reduction (mean +/- standard deviation) in latanoprost group was (7.5 +/- 0.3) mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) (32%, t = 22.73, P < 0.0001) greater than the reduction in timolol group (6.1 +/- 0.3) mm Hg (26%, t = 17.94, P < 0.0001), the difference between the two groups being significant (F = 9.54, P = 0.0026). Two patients treated with timolol and none treated with latanoprost were withdrawn from the study because of inadequate IOP control; 3 patients with latanoprost had foreign body sensation. In latanoprost group, there was one patient whose eyelashes became darker and longer at the last visit (the 12th week). No ocular and systemic adverse events related to the two drugs were found.

CONCLUSION

It is demonstrated that 0.005% latanoprost topically applied once daily is well tolerated and more effective in reducing IOP than 0.5% timolol topically applied twice daily. Thus, latanoprost has the potential to be a new first-line antiglaucoma drug.

Transduction of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV): in vitro and in vivo effects of genotoxic agents

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is an attractive tool for gene therapy. Here we investigated the in vitro and in vivo transduction of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells by an AAV vector and the efficacy of different strategies to enhance the transduction of the tumor.

METHODS

Transduction efficiency was determined by analyzing AAV-mediated beta-galactosidase gene (rAAV/lacZ) expression.

RESULTS

Adenovirus help or pretreatment of HCC cells with y-irradiation or with the topoisomerase inhibitor etoposide resulted in marked enhancement of cell transduction in vitro. In vivo studies in nude mice with subcutaneous HCC tumors showed that HCC cells were not transduced by AAV vector alone. However, co-infection of the tumor with adenovirus allowed an efficient expression of the reporter gene but only at the sites of vector injection. Previous gamma-irradiation of subcutaneous tumors with 1800 rad was able to improve transduction of HCC cells (up to 30%) using recombinant AAV. Continuous i.p. infusion of etoposide in buffalo rats harboring HCC tumors in the liver resulted in transduction of normal liver tissue and also of very small neoplastic lesions (<2 mm) but no transduction was observed in tumors bigger than 2 mm. To analyze this phenomenon we determined etoposide concentration in hepatic tissue. Our results revealed high concentrations of the drug in non-tumoral tissue but almost undetectable levels in big tumor nodules.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that while both radiotherapy and etoposide enhance transduction of tumor cells by rAAV in vitro, only radiotherapy increases tumor transduction in vivo. Our data suggest the existence of a barrier which limits in vivo the diffusion of chemotherapeutic agents to well-established HCC nodules.

[A clinical comparative study of interferon alpha-2b with mitomycin C applied in glaucoma filtering operation]

OBJECTIVE

To compare the results of interferon alpha-2b (IFN alpha-2b) with mitomycin C (MMC) treatment in trabeculectomy.

METHOD

41 cases 68 eyes with late stage of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) were randomly studied by treatment with IFN alpha-2b or MMC following trabeculectomy, each group consisting of 34 eyes. Of the cases, 27 were bilateral, one eye was designed to use IFN alpha-2b, and the other eye, apply MMC. All patients were ranged from 15 to 40 years old, and they all received the surgery the first time. The surgical procedure was similar in all eyes. The IFN alpha-2b treated eyes were subconjunctivally injected 5 x 10(5) IU at filtering bleb when the operation was finished immediately and on the postoperative day 3, 7, 10 and 14, respectively. The MMC-receiving eyes were intraoperatively administered with 0.25 mg/ml via a sponge under the conjunctival flap for 5 minutes. The follow-up was ranged from 6 to 15 months.

RESULTS

(1) The 12th month life-table success rate of functional bleb formation was (70.95 +/- 9.72)% in IFN alpha-2b-treated group and (77.01 +/- 10.51)% in MMC-received group, the difference being not statistically significant (u = 0.2165, P > 0.05). The eyes with IFN alpha-2b tended to form type II blebs were according to Kronfeld classification, whereas type I blebs were commonly seen in MMC-treated eyes (chi(2) = 6.261, P < 0.05). The percentages of intraocular pressure between 10 - 15 mmHg on postoperative month 3, 6, 9 and 12, respectively in IFN alpha-2b group were higher than that in MMC group. (2) The 12th month life-table complete and qualified success rates were (70.95 +/- 9.72)% and (94.59 +/- 5.26)% in IFN alpha-2b group, (65.15 +/- 10.51)% and (84.61 +/- 7.26)% in MMC group, respectively (u = 0.8174, 0.1011, P > 0.05). (3) Complications induced by IFN alpha-2b were rare, mainly involving transient corneal epithelial defect, whereas by MMC included thin-wall blebs, persistent hypotony and hypotonous maculopathy. The decrease of visual acuity was seen in 44.1% of the cases in MMC group, whereas only 17.6% occurred in IFN alpha-2b group (chi(2) = 5.217 4, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

IFN alpha-2b has similar effect as MMC to reduce the risk of failure of glaucoma filtration surgery, but it has more advantages over because of its fewer complications.

Combined gene therapy with suicide gene and interleukin-12 is more efficient than therapy with one gene alone in a murine model of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Gene therapy has emerged as a new form of treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We evaluate here the effect of IL-12 and the suicide gene thymidine kinase as single agents and in combination to treat experimental liver cancer.

METHODS

Recombinant adenoviruses expressing mouse interleukin-12 (AdCMVIL-12) or thymidine kinase of herpes simplex virus (AdCMVtk) or lacZ reporter gene (AdCMVlacZ) were constructed. The efficacy of the treatment was evaluated in a murine HCC model based on subcutaneous implantation of liver tumor cells (BNL).

RESULTS

Transduction of BNL cells after in vitro infection with AdCMVlacZ was very low at multiplicity of infection (moi) of 100, whereas 10-15% of cells were transduced when using moi 1,000. Similarly, production of IL-12 was detectable only in BNL cells infected with AdCMVIL-12 at moi 1,000. In vitro infection of BNL cells with AdCMVIL-12 at moi 100 did not abrogate tumorigenicity, whereas moi 1,000 resulted in inhibition of tumor growth in all mice as well as in abrogation of tumor formation in 3 out of 8 animals. In vivo studies showed that intratumor injection of AdCMVIL-12 induced a dose-dependent effect on tumor regression. However, none of the animals exhibited complete tumor elimination with this treatment. We observed that suppression of tumor growth was more intense in animals treated with the combination of AdCMVIL-12 plus AdCMVtk than in animals which received AdCMVtk or AdCMVIL-12 alone. The combined treatment resulted in a significant increase in animal survival, and 25% of treated animals were free of tumor for over 100 days without recurrence of the disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Combination of AdCMVIL-12 and AdCMVtk is more efficient than either of the two vectors alone for the treatment of the murine model of HCC used in this study.

Gene transfer to liver cancer cells of B7-1 plus interleukin 12 changes immunoeffector mechanisms and suppresses helper T cell type 1 cytokine production induced by interleukin 12 alone

To investigate the cooperative effect of B7-1 and IL-12 in the induction of antitumor activity, we have developed retroviral vectors encoding human B7-1, murine IL-12, or both B7-1 and IL-12 coordinately. Murine transformed liver cells (BNL) were engineered to stably express B7-1, IL-12, or both by infection with corresponding retroviruses. No tumor was observed in 20, 75, and 95% of mice receiving, respectively, B7-1-, IL-12-, and B7-1/IL-12-modified tumor cells after 250 days of inoculation. In contrast, injection of parental BNL or BNL/Neo cells resulted in lethal tumor progression in all mice. Protection against rechallenge with parental tumor cells was observed only in mice who had rejected BNL/IL-12, but not in animals that rejected BNL/B7-1 or BNL/B7-1-IL-12. Growth of parental tumor cells was significantly delayed by simultaneous injection in a distant site of irradiated tumor cells engineered to express IL-12 or both B7-1 and IL-12 but not B7-1 alone. BNL/B7-1 and BNL/B7-1-IL-12 showed similar efficacy in these experiments. Antitumor immunity induced by B7, with or without IL-12, was found to depend mainly on CD4+ T cells with a minor contribution of a non-T cell mechanism; whereas the effect of IL-12 was dependent on CD8+ T cells and on non-T cell effectors. Immunization of mice with IL-12-modified BNL cells induced secretion of a Thl pattern of cytokines while immunization with cells expressing both IL-12 and B7-1 resulted in inhibition of IFN-gamma production. Immunization with BNL/B7-1-IL-12 cells in the presence of anti-human B7-1 MAb resulted in restoration of IFN-gamma production to the levels found in animals injected with BNL/IL-12 cells. To summarize, in our model coexpression of B7-1 and IL-12 in tumor cells does not result in improved antitumoral activity as compared with expression of IL-12 alone. This may be related to the fact that B7-1 changes the mechanisms of antitumor immunity and inhibits IFN-gamma production induced by IL-12 in vivo.

[The effect of erycibele alkaloid on intracellular Ca2+ mobilation of cultured human ciliary muscle cells]

PURPOSE

To study the effect of erycibele alkaloid on cultured human ciliary muscle intracellular Ca2+ movement.

METHODS

Intracellular Ca2+ was studied by Fura-2 probe and muscarinic antangonist was applied.

RESULTS

Erycibele alkaloid had no any possible disturbulance on the examination system. The average resting[Ca2+]i was 79.3 +/- 28.7 nmol/Lol/L (n = 24). Erycibele alkaloid caused biphase [Ca2+]i elevation. Non-selective muscarinic antagonist Atropine (1 nmol/L) could completely block the 1 mumol/L erycibele alkaloid induced [Ca2+]i elevation; M1 antagonist Pirenzipine could not block the 1 mumol/L erycibele alkaloid induced [Ca2+]i elevation in low concentration (0.03 nmol/L) but in higher concentration (1 nmol/L). M3 antagonist 4-diphenyl acetoxy N-methy piperidine methiodide could completely block the 1 mumol/L erycibele alkaloid induced [Ca2+]i elevation in low and high concentration.

CONCLUSION

The effect of erycibele alkaloid on increasing cultured human ciliary muscle cell intracellular Ca2+ is mediated by M3 receptor subtype.

[Inhibitory effect of paeonol on experimental atherosclerosis in quails]

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of paeonol on experimental atherosclerosis in quails caused by high lipid feeding.

METHOD

The effects of oral administration of 300 and 600 mg/kg of paeonol on lipid levels in serum, hemorrheology and aortic intimal abnormalities were investigated.

RESULT

Paeonol decreased TC, TG, LDL, vLDL, APOB100 levels in serum and TC levels in aorta and liver. The ratios of HDL/TC, HDL2/HDL3, apoA1/apoB100 were elevated. In addition, the drug reduced the whole blood viscosity, Plasma viscosity and plasma fibrinogen, and inhibited erythrocyte aggregation.

CONCLUSION

Oral administration of paeonol can reduce the development of atherosclerosis.

[Studies of the mechanism of lowering intraocular pressure on Erycibele alkaloid]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the molecular pharmacological mechanism of lowering intraocular pressure of Erycibele alkaloid.

METHODS

Rabbit pupil diameter was measured by a pupillary ruler in constant illumination and the intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured by pneumatonometer. Iris contracting force was measured in an experiment of isolated rabbit iris. Radioimmune method was used to determine the content of cyclonucleotide.

RESULTS

The pD(2) value (the affinity to M-receptors of agonist) of Erycibele alkaloid's miosis is 3.60 +/- 0.15 and its IOP lowering action is 3.49 +/- 0.07. In the isolated iris contracting experiment, its pD(2) value is 6.38 +/- 0.12. M(3) receptor antagonist is the strongest antagonist in inhibiting the miosis, IOP lowering action and isolated iris pupillary contracting action of Erycibele alkaloid. 0.01% Erycibele alkaloid can cause the decrease of cAMP and the increase of cGMP in the aqueous humor.

CONCLUSIONS

The effects of miosis and IOP lowering of Erycibele alkaloid are all mediated by M(3) receptor subtype and its signal transductive mechanism is connected with cyclic nucleotide system.

[Cloning of glycoprotein B gene from strain Rispens of Marek's disease virus and construction of recombinant fowlpox virus]

Purified DNAs from Chicken Embryo Fibroblast (CEF) cultures infected with MDV strain Rispens were used as templates. Specific fragment with the size of about 2.9 kb was successfully amplified through Polymerase Chain Reaction(PCR) and identified to be gB gene of MDV by dot blot hybridization with a digoxigenin-labelled MDV gB specific oligonucleotide probe. The gB gene from strain Rispens was cloned into pUC19 and FPV insertion vector pFG1175-1 to construct plasmid pMGB and pFGBR1775-1 respectively. DOSPER liposome-mediated transfection with insertion vector DNA pFGBR1175-1 was performed on CEF monolayers infected with FPV 3-4 h earlier. Recombinant FPV was clone purified. Immunofluorescence Assay(IFA) showed that MDV gB gene had been expressed in FPV.

A recombinant fowlpox virus vaccine expressing glycoprotein B gene from CVI988/Rispens strain of MDV: protection studies in different chickens

Recombinant fowlpox virus (rFPV) was constructed to express glycoprotein B (gB) gene from CVI988/Rispens strain of Marek's disease virus (MDV). The rFPV-gB/R alone and in combination with herpesvirus of turkey (HVT) preparations were evaluated for their protective efficacy against challenge with very virulent MDV strains Md5 and RB1B in different chickens. The rFPV-gB/R alone induced protection comparable to that by HVT vaccines in both Ab- SPF chickens and Ab+ production chickens. Significant protective synergism was observed in one of these two types of commercial production chickens when rFPV-gB/R was combined with HVT of either cell-associated or cell-free preparations. Immunogenesis studies showed that rFPV-gB/R, just like conventional vaccines, significantly reduced the level of viremia, splenocytes infection and feather follicle shedding of challenge virus in vaccinated chickens.

[mRNA expression of basic fibroblast growth factor in the pulmonary tissues from rats repeatedly infected with mycoplasma pneumoniae]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate changes in mRNA expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in pulmonary tissues from rats repeatedly infected with Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP).

METHODS

Rats were infected with MP for 9 times during a period of 24 weeks by ultrasonic nebulizing inhalation to establish animal models of chronic pulmonary MP infection. In situ hybridization was performed with bFGF cDNA probe and results were quantitatively analysed to measure the changes of bFGF mRNA expression in lung tissues.

RESULTS

(1) MP polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests showed positive results in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from MP infected animals (n = 4) while results were negative for BALF from the control rats (n = 4) and rats infected with MP but treated with erythromycin (n = 4). Bacterial cultures of the bronchial and the lung tissues were negative in all three groups. Observation with transmission electron microscope showed that interalveolar septa were widened with increased amount of collagen in the MP infected rats while there were no obvious abnormalities in the other two groups. (2) Positive expression of bFGF mRNA were found in alveolar walls of MP infected rats. No expression of bFGF mRNA was found in control animals. In the rats infected with MP but treated with erythromycin positive expression of bFGF mRNA was found to be scarcely distributed in alveolar walls. Quantitative analysis showed that the optical densities of bFGF mRNA expression were 41.32 +/- 10.44 in the MP infected rats (n = 4), which were significantly higher than those in the control group (0.30 +/- 0.13, n = 4, P < 0.01) and those in the MP infected and erythromycin treated rats (6.03 +/- 2.41, n = 4, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Repeated pulmonary infection with MP can lead to up-regulation of bFGF mRNA expression, which suggests that bFGF might play a role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary interstitial fibrosis after repeated MP infection.

An experimental study on homoharringtonine liposome and glaucoma filtration surgery

PURPOSE

To observe the inhibitory action of homoharringtonine liposome during the healing process of wounds in the filtering sites.

METHODS

Posterior sclerectomies were performed in 14 rabbits. Postoperatively one eye of each rabbit received subconjunctival injections of HH liposome and fellow eye received saline injection in a randomized masked fashion.

RESULTS

Fourteen days after operation the IOP of experimental eyes reduced significantly (P < 0.01) as compared with the controlled eyes, and the number of remaining filtering blebs increased noticeably (P < 0.05). Pathohistological examination revealed that the number of fibroblasts per square micron in the filtering sites and the thickness of the scars in the center of the filtering sites of the experimental eyes were less than those of the controlled eyes. No serious ocular toxic and side effects were found.

CONCLUSION

This experiment suggest that homoharringtonine liposome can markedly inhibit the scar formation of filtering sites after glaucoma filtering surgery, promote the formation of filtering blebs, and provide an experimental evidence for its clinical use in future.

Preliminary observation of one-site combined trabeculectomy and phacoemulsification in the management of cataract patients with drug-controllable glaucoma

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effect of one-site combined phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy in the management of cataract patients with drug-controllable glaucoma.

METHODS

Twenty-four cases (25 eyes) of cataract patients with glaucoma whose intraocular pressure could be controlled by drugs were observed. All had undergone one-site combined phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy. Intraocular pressure and visual acuity were observed.

RESULTS

The follow-up was 1-21 months. Postoperative visual acuity was 0.4-0.6 in 9 eyes, 0.7-0.9 in 7 eyes and 1.0 or better in 9 eyes. Postoperative intraocular pressure was 2.17 +/- 0.764 kPa (16.28 +/- 5.73 mmHg), 1.83 +/- 0.90 kPa (13.74 +/- 6.77 mmHg) lower than that before surgery (t = 11.89, P < 0.01). Only one eye needed one drug to control intraocular pressure after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

One-site combined phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy is a safe, effective and convenient technique for the management of cataract patients with drug-controllable glaucoma.

[Apolipoprotein E polymorphism and plasma lipid, lipoprotein, apolipoprotein levels in 291 children of Changsha]

In order to investigate the distribution of apolipoprotein (Apo) E polymorphism and effect of ApoE genotypes on plasma lipid, lipoprotein, apolipoprotein levels in children of Changsha, we determined ApoE genotypes in 291 children by means of PCR-RFLP. ApoE allele frequencies in the population were epsilon 2 = 0.081, epsilon 3 = 0.857, epsilon 4 = 0.062. There were no difference in the ApoE genotypes distribution between sexes. The children with Apo epsilon 2 allele had higher levels of ApoE, ApoA1 and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol together with lower levels of total cholesterol, ApoB100 and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol than those with other ApoE alleles. These changes were opposite in children with Apo epsilon 4 allele. The levels of plasma triglyceride, lipoprotein(a) were not affected significantly by ApoE alleles. Moreover, the effect of ApoE genotypes on levels of plasma lipids was different between sexes. These results suggest that ApoE polymorphisms could affect plasma lipids metabolism in children.

[The study of acute clinical electrophysiological effects of propafenone on paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia using transesophageal atrial pacing technique]

Trans-esophagus atrial pacing (TEAP) was employed to evaluate the acute electrophysiological effects of propafenone administrated intravenously in 50 patients with SVT. Forty three of the subjects are patients with atrial ventricular reciprocating tachycardia (AVRT). Seven of them were involved in atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT). The results indicate that propafenone exerts an obvious inhibitory effect on both the dual atrioventricular node pathways and the accessory pathways, with the latter one being markedly affected. In addition, propafenone can deter the antegrade and retrograde conduction and prolong the refractory period of the accessory pathways. Still more, it results in preceding of the Wenchebach and 2 to 1 block point of the atrioventricular node conduction. All these promise the potential terminating effect on tachycardia. Propafenone has little effects on sinus node. Prolongation of sinus node recovery time (SNRT) to 3600 ms following drug administration was observed in only one patient who has a history of sinus bradycardia.

[Interferon-alpha 2b inhibits proliferation of human tenon capsule fibroblasts]

PURPOSE

To evaluate the potential effect of interferon-alpha 2b(IFN alpha-2b) as antifibrotic treatment after glaucoma filtering surgery.

METHODS

The MTT method was used to study the inhibitory effect of IFN alpha-2b on human Tenon capsule fibroblasts in vitro. The antimetabolites including 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), homoharringtonine(H.H) and mitomycin C(MMC) were also assessed.

RESULTS

The IC50 values of IFN alpha-2b, 5-FU, H.H and MMC on fibroblasts at 48 hours were 60.578 mg/L, 5.447 mg/L, 0.531 mg/L, 1.329 mg/L respectively.

CONCLUSION

The effect of IFN alpha-2b to inhibit proliferation of fibroblast was less than that of antimetabolites. Further investigation of other aspects of suppress(suppress) wound healing as a possible antifibrotic agent should be deserved.

[Study on the dynamic examination of anterior chamber angle by ultrasound biomicroscopy]

PURPOSE

To study the factors that influence ultrasound biomicroscopy(UBM) examination on anterior chamber angle, and explore a dynamic differentiating method.

METHOD

To compare the UBM morphologic characters of the anterior chamber angle of the high-risk chamber angle and adhered angle groups under different illumination.

RESULT

Under routine working condition, some eyes of the high-risk-group (9/12) displayed bombing iris with extremely narrowly-opened angle; but 3/12 cases and the control group showed bombing iris and closed angle. Under bright circumstances, all angles of the high-risk group showed widely-opened, but the control group remained closed.

CONCLUSION

Different illumination influences the UBM examination of the anterior chamber angle significantly, we should differentiate the angle morphologic characters under different illumination if it seems to be closed. Factors that affect the UBM examination were also discussed.

[A randomized control clinical trial of glaucoma filtering surgery with homoharringtonine]

OBJECTIVE

To study the antiproliferative effects of homoharringtonine (Hh) on glaucoma filtering surgery.

METHODS

In a randomized control clinical trial, 78 patients (88 eyes) with refractory glaucoma underwent trabeculectomy with and without Hh. In the Hh-treated eyes (n = 46), the therapeutic dose of Hh was: intraoperative application of Hh 0.4 mg and postoperative subconjunctival injections of Hh 0.62 +/- 0.20 mg (ranged 0.53 - 0.75 mg). In the control eyes (n = 42), Hh was not used. The follow-up period was 18 to 48 months, and the data were analyzed by using the life-table method of Kaplan-Meier.

RESULTS

The cumulative success probability in Hh group was 84.5% and that in control group was 50.9%, the difference being significant (P < 0.05). The cumulative percentage of functioning bleb in Hh group was 84.2% and that in control group was 52.9% (P < 0.05). The rates of corneal erosion were 23.9% and 7.1%, and the rates of conjunctival wound leak were 6.5% and 2.4% in Hh and control group respectively. There was no significant change in corneal endothelial density following the use of Hh (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The study indicates that Hh is a safe and effective antiproliferative agent for the use in glaucoma filtering surgery, it not only can increase the success probability considerably, but also maintain at least the postoperative IOP at relatively low normal level for 3 years.

[Study on human eye ciliary muscule cell culture and biologic characteristics]

PURPOSE

We cultured human ciliary muscle [HCM] cells to study their growth, ultrastructure, immunohistochemistry and functional characters.

METHODS

HCM cells from 10 young donor eyes were cultured with collagenase IV digestion procedures in vitro, the cells were identified by eletronmicroscope and immunohistochemistry assay, their function were studied by single-cell-contraction assay.

RESULTS

The cells were passed and grew in Hill-Valley pattern after conflunet; abundant filaments were presented under electronmicroscope. In Desmin protein immunohistochemistry study, the cultured cells were stained positive; in tissue sections, HCM cells stained positive, vascular smooth muscle stained positive weakly, but fibroblast cells and endothelial cells stained negative. 10(-3) M Carbachol could induce the cultured cells contract, this effect was antagonized by 10(-3) M Atropine.

CONCLUSION

We successfully cultured HCM cells, which were able to contract.

[Study on quality evaluation of Chinese traditional patent medicine with chemical patterm recognition (I)]

In this paper, the quality of Wuji Baifeng pills was comprehensively evaluated by a method of chemical pattern recognition, all the samples were divided into three grades (good, middling and poor). This method can be popularized and applied to evaluate quality of other Chinese traditional patent medicines.

The constitutive heat shock protein-70 is required for optimal expression of myelin basic protein during differentiation of oligodendrocytes

To further elucidate the role of the constitutive heat shock protein-70 (HSC70) as a chaperone for the synthesis of myelin basic protein (MBP), HSC70 content was decreased in oligodendrocyte precursor cells prior to MBP expression either by transfection with an antisense oligonucleotide specific for HSC70, or by exposure to low levels of quercetin, a bioflavonoid known to decrease synthesis of HSC70. As these cells underwent differentiation in vitro, antisense treatment decreased HSC70 levels to 66% of controls. At the same time, a sharp induction resulted in the stress-inducible heat shock protein-70 (HSP70). Levels of two other stress proteins increased as well, namely, the 25-kDa heat shock protein (HSP25) and the 78-kDa glucose regulated protein (GRP78). MBP synthesis proceeded over a normal time course, but at only 50% of control values. As HSC70 content returned to normal, MBP synthesis was also restored to normal levels. Quercetin reduced the expression of HSC70 to an even greater extent than transfection, and prevented the induction of HSP70. In contrast to antisense-treated cells, MBP synthesis was essentially blocked in quercetin-treated cells even though levels of HSP25 and GRP78 increased. Taken together, these observations (a) indicate that HSP70 partially compensates for decreased chaperoning of nascent MBP by HSC70 (HSC70 and HSP70 are closely related and perform similar functions); (b) preclude the involvement of HSP25 and GRP78 in MBP synthesis; and (c) emphasize the requirement of HSC70 for optimal synthesis of MBP.

The expression of PDGF-B chain mRNA in lung tissue from rats repeatedly infected with mycoplasma pneumoniae

In order to investigate the role played by platelet derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) in the pathogenesis of pulmonary interstitial fibrosis in rats repeatedly infected with mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP), a rat MP infection model was developed by infecting rats with MP for 9 times during a period of 24 weeks with a technique of ultrasonic nebulizing inhalation. Then in situ hybridization was performed with PDGF-B chain cDNA probe and the results were quantitatively analyzed to measure the changes in PDGF-B chain mRNA expression in the lung tissue. The results showed that: (1) MP polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests showed positive results in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from all of the MP-infected rats (n = 4) while they were all negative in BALF from the control animals (n = 4, P < 0.05) and in BALF from those rats both infected with MP and, at the same time, treated with erythromycin (n = 4, P < 0.05). Bacterial cultures of the bronchial and lung tissue were negative in all three groups. The observation under a transmission electron microscope indicated that the interalveolar septa were widened with increased amount of collagen in the MP-infected rats while there were no obvious abnormalities in the other two groups. (2) Strong positive expression of PDGF-B chain mRNA was found in the plasma of monocytes and macrophages located in the locally widened interalveolar septa and alveolar spaces in the lung tissue from the MP-infected animals with the integral optical densities being 37.42 +/- 9.05 (n = 4) which was significantly higher than the values of control group (0.42 +/- 0.08, n = 4, P < 0.01) and of the group with MP-infection plus erythromycin treatment (1.62 +/- 0.40, n = 4, P < 0.01). These results suggest that PDGF-BB may be involved in the process of the development of pulmonary interstitial fibrosis caused by the repeated MP-infection. It may be an important growth factor for mediating the roles of monocytes and macrophages to promote the aggregation and proliferation of fibroblasts which can then secrete collagen in large quantity in the pulmonary interstitium.

Heterogeneous expression of neurofilament proteins in forebrain and cerebellum during development: clinical implications for spinocerebellar ataxia

Using quantitative immunoblotting, we have measured the level of two mammalian neurofilament proteins, the 68-kDa NF-L and the 66-kDa NF-66 (alpha-internexin), in the rat CNS during development. NF-66 is localized in neurons and neuronal processes in both embryonic and postnatal brain. Importantly, NF-66 is more abundant than NF-L in both forebrain and cerebellum during development. The prevalence of NF-66 over NF-L is most pronounced in brain gray matter. The expression of both NF-66 and NF-L increases continuously during the first month after birth. In situ hybridization demonstrated that NF-66, but not NF-L is, expressed in the cerebellar granule cells. Our findings suggest that the neurofilaments are heterogeneous in developmental expression, among neuronal subtypes and in composition. Human NF-66 neurofilament has recently been mapped to chromosome 10q24. Careful analysis of the human genome map indicates NF-66 gene lies within the critical region of infantile-onset spinocerebellar ataxia (IOSCA). The characteristic developmental expression and spatial localization of the NF-66 gene suggests it as a candidate gene for the disease.

[Pharmacological studies on Chinese bone extract granules]

The Chinese Bone Extract Granules could enhance the immunity of mice with spleen-deficiency, increase the serum calcium content of rats with bone loose, inhibit the gastrointestinal movement of mice with spleen-deficiency and improve the absorption of D-xylose in small intestine of rats with spleen-deficiency. The maximal tolerance dose for mice to take orally twice a day was greater than 50 g/kg. The subacute toxicologic test for 6 weeks of continuous feeding to rats did not show any obvious toxicity.

[An observation of the percutaneous absorption of total alkaloids and terpenoid lactones of Tripterygium wilfordii]

The main ingredients of Tripterygium wilfordii are total alkaloids and terpenoid lactones. The authors studied the percutaneous absorption of these compounds on mice by means of ultravillet spectrophotometry. The results showed that these alksloids and lactones could pass through the skin of the mice. The rate of 12-hour percutaneous absorption was 13.40% for the former and 17.60% for the latter. After the application of Tripterygium wilfordii adhesive plaster to the human skin for 12 hours, the two ingredients were absorbed 17.34% and 22.13% respectively. This suggests that Tripterygium wilfordii can really be administered through the skin.

[Senility-preventing effect of erlingcankang decoction]

Experiments with Erlingcankang Decoction showed that when given to silk worms it could noticeably prolong the growth period of larvae and raise an average of 10-day survival of the male moths; when given to mice it could prolong their life; and when given to on old rats it could markedly raise the contents of SOD in the liver and red cells, lower the content of MAO-B in the brain, LF in the brain and adrenal gland and also LPO in the liver.

[Argon laser peripheral iridoplasty and laser iridectomy for plateau iris glaucoma]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the therapeutic effects of a combined laser technique for plateau iris glaucoma.

METHODS

20 cases (37 eyes) of early plateau iris glaucoma were treated by a laser technique that included argon laser peripheral iridoplasty and argon + Nd:YAG laser iridectomy.

RESULTS

The postoperative follow-up ranged from 8 months to 4 years and 7 months (30 eyes for more than 2 years, mean 2.7 years). 17 cases (32 eyes) obtained satisfactory effects, no acute-attacks were seen in the follow-up, intraocular pressure decreased from 5.8 +/- 1.04 kPa to below 2.74 kPa, peripheral anterior chamber depth increased, angle widened, the iris retracted away from the trabecular meshwork, thus further synechiae of chamber angle were prevented effectively, and the dark room provocative test results turned to negative in 86.7% of cases.

CONCLUSION

Argon laser peripheral iridoplasty combined argon + Nd:YAG laser iridectomy may be a safe and effective method for treatment of plateau iris glaucoma.

Lack of corneal toxicity of interferon Alpha-2b administered subconjunctivally after sclerectomy

PURPOSE

To evaluate the corneal toxicity of subconjunctival injection interferon alpha-2b at filtering bleb after sclerectomy in white rabbits.

METHODS

Eight rabbits which had been performed sclerectomy were randomly divided into two groups. Each group consisted of four rabbits. Eight eyes in group 1 were subconjunctivally received interferon alpha-2b 5 x 10(5) IU/0.2 ml into filtering bleb from the edge of the filtering site immediately after operation and every postoperative day. The other eight eyes in group 2 were injected with 0.2 ml normal saline. All of the eyes underwent daily examination by slip-lamp microscopy and direct ophthalmoloscopy. Sodium fluorescein was used to assess corneal epithelial integrity. On day 3, 4, 7 and 14, every two rabbits (group 1 and 2 each, respectively) were killed and removed cornea immediately to take examination of the viability of corneal endothelium by dual staining with typan blue and alizanin red S.

RESULTS

No sign of toxicity in corneal epithelium and endothelium were found following continuously injection interferon alpha-2b at filtering bleb 3-14 days totally for selected doses.

CONCLUSION

Subconjunctivally administered interferon alpha-2b at filtering bleb after glaucoma filtering surgery may be a safe drug-applied method.

The internal open reading frame within the nucleocapsid gene of mouse hepatitis virus encodes a structural protein that is not essential for viral replication

The coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) contains a large open reading frame embedded entirely within the 5' half of its nucleocapsid (N) gene. This internal gene (designated I) is in the +1 reading frame with respect to the N gene, and it encodes a mostly hydrophobic 23-kDa polypeptide. We have found that this protein is expressed in MHV-infected cells and that it is a previously unrecognized structural protein of the virion. To analyze the potential biological importance of the I gene, we disrupted its expression by site-directed mutagenesis using targeted RNA recombination. The start codon for I was replaced by a threonine codon, and a stop codon was introduced at a short interval downstream. Both alterations created silent changes in the N reading frame. In vitro translation studies showed that these mutations completely abolished synthesis of I protein, and immunological analysis of infected cell lysates confirmed this conclusion. The MHV I mutant was viable and grew to high titer. However, the I mutant had a reduced plaque size in comparison with its isogenic wild-type counterpart, suggesting that expression of I confers some minor growth advantage to the virus. The engineered mutations were stable during the course of experimental infection in mice, and the I mutant showed no significant differences from wild type in its ability to replicate in the brains or livers of infected animals. These results demonstrate that I protein is not essential for the replication of MHV either in tissue culture or in its natural host.

[Corneal astigmatism following trabeculectomy]

OBJECTIVE

The study was designed to investigate the change of corneal astigmatism following trabeculectomy.

METHODS

Before and after the operation at different periods, the corneal astigmatism of 42 eyes was evaluated by Topcon-OM-3 keratometer.

RESULTS

Almost the corneal astigmatism of all the cases was with-the-rule in the early stage after trabeculectomy. Among them, the astigmatism in 41.03% of cases was more than 2.00D, 3 months post-operatively 17.50% shifted towards against-the-rule, and 9.50% remained more than 2.00D which was induced by the surgery.

CONCLUSION

Trabeculectomy may cause certain with-the-rule corneal astigmatism. The corneal astigmatism in most of the cases may decrease as time passes by.

Combined argon and Nd: YAG laser peripheral iridectomy: A new approach in clinical practice

PURPOSE

To evaluate the therapeutic effect of combined argon and Nd: YAG laser peripheral iridectomy.

METHODS

151 cases (200 eyes) of primary angle-closure glaucoma and combined glaucoma were treated by combined procedure. Argon laser was the first used to create partial iridectomy in 2/3-3/4 thickness without penetrating pigmented epithelium, and then Nd: YAG laser was required to complete a patent iridectomy.

RESULTS

A successful iridectomy was achieved in all patients independent of any type of irides (100%). Iris penetration rate in one session presented in 95.0%. Complications appeared to be less common in our patients: iris bleeding was only seen in 5.0% cases; the postoperative inflammation was mild; corneal burns, localized lenticular opacities and closure of iridectomies were less frequent. The follow-up ranged from 3m to 6.5 years. The success rate in controlling IOP with/without medications were 99.0% except 2 eye failure. No attack occurred in 129 eyes with prophylactic laser therapy during the periods of follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Combined procedure had much more advantage over either the argon or Nd: YAG laser iridectomy. It tended to be more preferable for Asian patients with heavily pigmented and thick irides.

Anti-epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibody 225 up-regulates p27KIP1 and induces G1 arrest in prostatic cancer cell line DU145

Autocrine production of transforming growth factor alpha and overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) may contribute to androgen-independent prostatic cancer growth at both primary and metastatic sites. Previously, we showed that human EGFR-blocking monoclonal antibody mAb225 inhibited the growth of DU145 human prostatic cancer cells. Here we explore the hypothesis that mAb225 may act by interfering with cell cycle traversal in these cells. Treatment with mAb225 induced G1 arrest, which was accompanied by a marked decrease in CDK2-, cyclin A-, and cyclin E-associated histone H1 kinase activities, and a sustained increase in cell cycle inhibitor p27KIP1. The increased p27KIP1 levels were attributable to elevation of both transcription and translation. CDK2 associated with p27KIP1 was increased in mAb225-treated DU145 cells. The retinoblastoma-related protein p130 remained hypophosphorylated in these retinoblastoma-negative cells. These studies demonstrate that the antiproliferative effect of EGFR blockade in DU145 cells may be mediated by up-regulation of p27KIP1 at both the mRNA and protein levels.

[The role of thermal injury on nitric oxide (NO) production by mouse macrophages and its possible mechanism]

To study the production NO by macrophages (M phi) after burn injury and the possible mechanism, we determined the NO production and the iNOS (inducible NO synthase) activity of peritoneal M phi (PM phi) in scald mouse, and the effect of iNOS specific blocker NMMA. Actinomycin D (AD) and protein tyrosine kinase (PTK), special inhibitor Genisteinon them in vitro. It was found that PM phi produced excessive NO in the early postburn phase and the iNOS activity was increased significantly, and there was a positive correlation between them. NMMA, AD as well as Genistein could inhibit the NO production, the activity of iNOS was decreased by both AD and Genistein. The results suggested that M phi was activated after thermal injury and it could produce NO excessively through initiating iNOS synthesis. PTK signal system was involved in the NO production by M phi via affecting the iNOS synthesis after burn injury.

Expression and activity of L-Myc in normal mouse development

To determine the role of L-Myc in normal mammalian development and its functional relationship to other members of the Myc family, we determined the normal patterns of L-myc gene expression in the developing mouse by RNA in situ hybridization and assessed the phenotypic impact of L-Myc deficiency produced through standard gene targeting methodology. L-myc transcripts were detected in the developing kidney and lung as well as in both the proliferative and the differentiative zones of the brain and neural tube. Despite significant expression of L-myc in developing mouse tissue, homozygous null L-myc mice were found to be viable, reproductively competent, and represented in expected frequencies from heterozygous matings. A detailed histological survey of embryonic and adult tissues, characterization of an embryonic neuronal marker, and measurement of cellular proliferation in situ did not reveal any congenital abnormalities. The lack of an apparent phenotype associated with L-Myc deficiency indicates that L-Myc is dispensable for gross morphological development and argues against a unique role for L-Myc in early central nervous system development as had been previously suggested. Although overlapping expression patterns among myc family members raise the possibility of complementation of L-Myc deficiency by other Myc oncoproteins, compensatory changes in the levels of c- and/or N-myc transcripts were not detected in homozygous null L-myc mice.

Analysis of glial fibrillary acidic protein, neurofilament protein, actin and heat shock proteins in human fetal brain during the second trimester

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), the 66 kDa neurofilament protein (NF-66), actin, the 27 kDa heat shock protein (HSP27) and the 70 kDa constitutive heat shock protein (HSC70) were analyzed in human fetal brain during the second trimester, from 10 to 24 gestational weeks (GW). By immunohistochemistry, cell-type specific localization of GFAP and NF-66 in astrocytes and neurons, respectively, was confirmed. HSP27 was expressed mostly in the nuclear region of neurons and non-neuronal cells, and HSC70 was widely distributed throughout the tissue. By quantitative immunoblotting, GFAP was not detectable in gray matter of prefrontal cortex prior to 16 GW. Between 16 and 21 GW, the content of GFAP rose slowly. Thereafter, GFAP accumulated rapidly. The content of GFAP in different brain regions (prefrontal, parietal, and occipital cortices) differed significantly at 22 GW. In contrast, NF-66 was already highly expressed at 10 GW, slowly rose to maximal values by 18 GW, and thereafter remained stationary. In contrast to GFAP, the content of NF-66 was similar in different brain regions at 22 GW. Although actin was abundant throughout the second trimester, a sharp drop in its content in the prefrontal cortex was detected at 17 GW. To explain such a decrease, two heat shock proteins were analyzed. HSP27, known to modulate actin polymerization, was found to increase sharply at 16-17 GW. In contrast, HSC70 remained constant during the second trimester and was highly expressed in the fetal brain, at a level comparable to that in the adult brain.

[Combined argon and neodymium: yttrium aluminum garnet laser peripheral iridectomy: a new approach in clinical practice]

Laser peripheral iridectomy was performed on 200 eyes (151 cases) with primary acute or chronic angle-closure glaucoma and partly with mixed glaucoma. Following argon laser creating an iridectomy in 2/3-3/4 iris thickness, neodymium: yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd: YAG) laser shot was required to complete a patent iridectomy. This kind of procedure is simple and tends to be more preferable to Asian people with heavily pigmented and thick irides for which a perforation is difficult to be performed. The successful rate of performing a patent iris perforation was 100.0% and 95.0% of them were completed by once of shot. The intraoperative and postoperative complications of this combined procedure appeared to be significantly less than those of either one of them. 161 eyes were followed for more than 2 years. The objective criteria demonstrate that the long-term therapeutic effects of this combined technique are very good. It is recommended to use the procedure extensively in the out-patient clinics.

Experimental studies of the effect of Forskolin on the lowering of intraocular pressure

PURPOSE

To determine the effect of domestic Forskolin on lowering of intraocular pressure (IOP) in rabbits.

METHODS

Measure the normal IOP and ocular hypertension by water load in rabbits using Perkins tonometer. Measure the adenylate cyclase (AC) activity by Ho & Sutherland's method.

RESULTS

The results show that Forskolin significantly lowered the normal IOP of rabbits and blocked the ocular hypertension induced by water load in rabbits (P < 0.01). The maximum decrease value of 2%, 1% and 0.5% of the Forskolin was 0.59, 0.36 and 0.19 kPa (1kPa = 7.5 mmHg), which showed the noticeable dose-effect relationship. Topical ocular application of Forskolin lowered IOP in half an hour, reached to a peak in 2-3 hours and remained significantly for 10 hours. The pupillary diameter did not change when IOP was reduced. The Forskolin had potent stimulative properties to AC. The greater the ability of the Forskolin to stimulate AC, the stronger the effect of IOP lowering.

CONCLUSIONS

The Forskolin had the effect on lowering the IOP of rabbits. The mechanism of IOP reduction by Forskolin is related to its AC activation.

Construction of murine coronavirus mutants containing interspecies chimeric nucleocapsid proteins

Targeted RNA recombination was used to construct mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) mutants containing chimeric nucleocapsid (N) protein genes in which segments of the bovine coronavirus N gene were substituted in place of their corresponding MHV sequences. This defined portions of the two N proteins that, despite evolutionary divergence, have remained functionally equivalent. These regions included most of the centrally located RNA-binding domain and two putative spacers that link the three domains of the N protein. By contrast, the amino terminus of N, the acidic carboxy-terminal domain, and a serine- and arginine-rich segment of the central domain could not be transferred from bovine coronavirus to MHV, presumably because these parts of the molecule participate in protein-protein interactions that are specific for each virus (or, possibly, each host). Our results demonstrate that targeted recombination can be used to make extensive substitutions in the coronavirus genome and can generate recombinants that could not otherwise be made between two viruses separated by a species barrier. The implications of these findings for N protein structure and function as well as for coronavirus RNA recombination are discussed.

Analysis of second-site revertants of a murine coronavirus nucleocapsid protein deletion mutant and construction of nucleocapsid protein mutants by targeted RNA recombination

The Alb4 mutant of the coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) is both temperature sensitive and thermolabile owing to a deletion in the gene encoding its nucleocapsid (N) protein. The deletion removes 29 amino acids that constitute a putative spacer region preceding the carboxyl-terminal domain of the protein. As a step toward understanding the structure and function of the MHV N protein, we isolated multiple independent revertants of Alb4 that totally or partially regained the ability to form large (wild-type-sized) plaques at the nonpermissive temperature. The N proteins of these revertant viruses concomitantly regained the ability to bind to RNA in vitro at a temperature that was restrictive for RNA binding by Alb4 N protein. Sequence analysis of the N genes of the revertants revealed that each contained a single second-site point mutation that compensated for the effects of the deletion. All reverting mutations were clustered within a stretch of 40 amino acids centered some 80 residues on the amino side of the Alb4 deletion, within a domain to which the RNA-binding activity of N had been previously mapped. By means of a targeted RNA recombination method that we have recently developed, two of the reverting mutations were introduced into a wild-type MHV genomic background. The resulting recombinants were stable and showed no gross phenotypic differences from the wild type. A detailed analysis of one, however, revealed that it was at a selective disadvantage with respect to the wild type.

[Evaluation of accuracy of measuring intraocular pressure by handheld non-contact applanation tonometer]

PURPOSE

To evaluate the accuracy of measuring intraocular pressure by handheld non-contact applanation tonometer.

METHOD

58 patients' (113 eyes) intraocular pressure were measured by Keeler, non-contact tonometer and R 900 Goldmann applanation tonometer and the results of measurement of intraocular pressure by the two kinds of tonometers were compared.

RESULT

The mean intraocular pressure measured by non-contact is 16.31 +/- 5.59 mmHg and 17.49 +/- 6.13 mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.1333 kPa) by Goldmann applanation tonometer, respectively. There was no statistical significance to be found (P > 0.05) between the two methods. By linear correlation and regression analysis, a positive correlation was found between the two methods (r = 0.8942, b = 0.8154).

CONCLUSION

The handheld non-contact tonometer has the same accuracy and reliability of measurement of intraocular pressure comparing with Goldmann applanation tonometer, and it can be used in glaucoma clinic and screening.

[An experimental study on homoharringtonine and glaucoma surgery]

PURPOSE

To test the inhibiting effect of a Chinese herbal drug. Homoharringtonine (HH) on the wound healing process at the filtering site in an experimental model.

METHODS

Posterior sclerectomies were performed in 20 rabbits. Postoperatively one eye of each rabbit received subconjunctival injections of HH and fellow eye received saline injections in a randomized masked fashion.

RESULTS

14 days after operation, intraocular pressure decreased significantly compared with that of control (P < 0.05). The number of filtration blebs was greater than that of control (14/6). On pathological examination, the number of fibroblasts per square measure of cross section of tissue cut from filtration region that was diminished significantly compared with that of control (P < 0.01). There were no serious and permanent ocular toxic and side effects.

CONCLUSIONS

The study suggests that the HH can inhibit cicatrization at the glaucoma filtering site, promote the formation of filtering blebs and provide a sufficient evidence for the further clinical use of HH.

[The inhibitory effect of intraperitoneal hyperthermic and hypotonic chemotherapy on ascites cancer cells in mice]

To study the effect of inhibition of intraperitoneal hyperthermic hypotonic chemotherapy on the ascites cacer cells, LACA mice were given intraperitoneal injection of H22 cancer cells (2 x 10(7) tumor cell, each mouse). At 24 hours after the cancer injection, intraperitoneal simple hyperthermic (43 C) hypotonic fluid group (I), isotonic fluid group (II), cis-Diamminodichloroplatinum (DDP) group (IV) and hyperthermic hypotonic fluid perfusion combined with DDP group (V) were processed. The results showed that cancer cells in LACA mice peritoneal cavity were seriously damaged, the ascites growing was obviously inhibited, and the survival days of LACA mice were prolonged in all groups; however, the intraperitoneal hyperthermic hypotonic fluid perfusion with DDP group (V) presented greater effect compared with the other groups. This might be a new therapeutic procedure for the prevention and treatment of cancer ascites in the patients with digestive tract malignancies.

Mutagenesis of the genome of mouse hepatitis virus by targeted RNA recombination

Our laboratory has described a method for introducing site-specific mutations into the genome of the coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) by RNA recombination between cotransfected genomic RNA and a synthetic subgenomic mRNA. By using a thermolabile N protein mutant of MHV as the recipient virus and synthetic RNA7 (the mRNA for the nucleocapsid protein N) as the donor, engineered recombinant viruses were selected as heat-stable progeny resulting from cotransfection. We have recently reported an optimization of the efficiency of targeted recombination in this process by using a synthetic defective interfering (DI) RNA in place of RNA7. The frequency of recombination is sufficiently high that recombinants can often be directly identified without employing a thermal selection. We present here a progress report on our use of this system to map MHV mutants and to construct N gene mutants which include (1) a mutant in which the internal open reading frame within the N gene (the I gene) has been disrupted, and (2) a series of recombinants in which portions of the MHV N gene have been replaced by the homologous regions from the N gene of bovine coronavirus. We also report on some mutants we have not been able to construct.

Effects of the seed sludge on the performance of UASB reactors for treatment of toxic wastewater

A comparative study of different sludges (anaerobic sewage sludge and anaerobic sewage sludge cultivated for 30 days) as the seed of UASB reactors for treatment of synthetic resin production wastewater was carried out on a laboratory scale. Significant differences in reactor performance were observed. With anaerobic sewage sludge seed, the reactor obtained a 71% COD removal efficiency and produced 2.94 dm3 biogas per dm3 wastewater under an organic loading rate of 4.5 kg COD m-3 day-1. The sludge in the reactor was diffuse and possessed poor settling ability, which led to effluent SS as high as 1200 mg dm-3. However, with anaerobic sewage sludge cultivated with synthetic substrate for 30 days as a seed, the same reactor gave 78% COD removal efficiency and produced 3.5 dm-3 biogas per dm3 wastewater at the same loading rate. Moreover, the sludge in the reactor was completely granulated and possessed good settling ability, which resulted in effluent SS as low as 200 mg dm-3. The granular sludge produced less biomass per gram COD removed than the diffused sludge. Anaerobic sewage sludge cultivated for a short time could form the nuclei of granules for the reactor, allowing granulation to proceed smoothly. Therefore, sludge nuclei are a prerequisite of sludge granulation in UASB reactors for treatment of toxic wastewater.

[A comparative study of homoharringtonine with 5-fluorouracil in filtering surgery]

With a prospective, randomized and double-masked control method, homoharringtonine(H.H) and 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) were used in filtering surgery. We compared the effect and side effect of H.H with those of 5-FU. 24 eyes were in H.H group and 23 eyes in 5-FU group. An average follow-up of 18 months revealed: (1) the cumulative percentage of functioning bleb in H.H group (84.9%) was significantly higher than that in 5-FU group (62.2%) (P < 0.05); (2) the cumulative surgical success rate in H.H group (85.7%) was significantly higher than that in 5-FU group (61.1%) (P < 0.05); (3) the rate of corneal erosion in H.H group (20.8%) was significantly lower than that in 5-FU group (52.2%) (P < 0.05), the difference of other complications between H.H group and 5-FU group was not significant.