[Correlation between the increase in corneal higher-order aberrations and the control of children's myopic anisometropia after wearing orthokeratology lenses]

Objective: To explore the interocular differences in both the increase of corneal higher-order aberrations (HOAs) and axial length elongation, and the correlation between them after orthokeratology lens (OK lens) wear in children with myopic anisometropia. Methods: It was a prospective cohort study. From 2018 to 2019, 31 children with myopic anisometropia who were fitted with OK lenses initially in the Department of Ophthalmology of Peking University Third Hospital were enrolled, including 15 males (30 eyes) and 16 females (32 eyes). The age was (10.7±1.4) years. Before (baseline) and 12 months after wearing OK lenses, corneal aberrations, corneal relative refractive power (corneal RRP, the difference between peripheral corneal refraction and central corneal refraction) and axial length were measured using the Sirius combining a corneal topographer and a tomographer and an IOL-Master intraocular lens biometer in two eyes. Interocular differences in corneal aberrations, corneal RRP and axial length were analyzed by the paired t test and Wilcoxon rank sum test. The Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses were used to explore the correlation between the increase in corneal HOAs, corneal RRP and axial length elongation. Results: At 12 months after wearing OK lenses, 6 children were lost for follow-up, and the data of the remaining 25 children (50 eyes) were evaluated. With 3.0- and 6.0-mm measuring zones of the total cornea and the anterior surface, the increases in total corneal HOAs, coma, spherical aberration of higher myopic eyes were significantly more than fellow lower myopic eyes (all P<0.05). The corneal RRP with 2.0-mm and 2.5-mm radius in the upper cornea and 2.5-mm radius in the inferior cornea of higher myopic eyes were more than fellow lower myopic eyes (t=-2.06, -2.07, -2.42; P=0.05, 0.049, 0.023), but there was no significant interocular difference in corneal RRP in the horizontal meridian direction of the cornea (both the nasal and temporal sides of the cornea) (both P>0.05). The axial length elongation in higher myopic eyes was 0.14 (0.08, 0.20) mm, which was significantly less than that in the contralateral eyes [0.18 (0.14, 0.35) mm] (Z =-3.21, P= 0.001). The interocular difference in axial length decreased from 0.40 (0.34, 0.54) mm at baseline to 0.33 (0.24, 0.54) mm (Z =-3.21, P = 0.001). The increases in HOAs, coma and spherical aberration of the anterior corneal surface with 3.0-mm measuring zone and the increase in coma of the anterior corneal surface with 6.0-mm measuring zone were all negatively correlated with axial length elongation (r=-0.493, -0.606, -0.500, -0.307; P<0.05). But the corneal RRP had no significant correlation with axial length elongation (r=-0.092, -0.104, -0.230, -0.061; P>0.05). Conclusion: After 12 months of OK lens wear, interocular difference in axial length reduced significantly in children with myopic anisometropia, which was related to the larger increase in corneal HOAs of higher myopic eyes than fellow lower myopic eyes, especially coma.

[Evaluation of safety of two inactivated COVID-19 vaccines in a large-scale emergency use]

Objective: To evaluate the safety of two inactivated COVID-19 vaccines in a large-scale emergency use. Methods: Based on the "Vaccination Information Collection System", the incidence data of adverse reactions in the population vaccinated with the inactivated COVID-19 vaccines developed by Beijing Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd and Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd, respectively, in emergency use were collected, and the relevant information were analyzed with descriptive epidemiological and statistical methods. Results: By December 1, 2020, the vaccination information of 519 543 individuals had been collected. The overall incidence rate of adverse reactions was 1.06%, the incidence rate of systemic adverse reactions was 0.69% and the incidence rate of local adverse reactions was 0.37%. The main systemic adverse reactions included fatigue, headache, fever, cough and loss of appetite with the incidence rates of 0.21%, 0.14%, 0.06%, 0.05% and 0.05%, respectively; the main local adverse reactions were injection site pain and injection site swelling with the incidence rates of 0.24% and 0.05%, respectively. Conclusion: The two inactivated COVID-19 vaccines by Beijing Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd and Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd showed that in the large-scale emergency use, the incidence rate of general reactions was low and no serious adverse reactions were observed after the vaccinations, demonstrating that the vaccines have good safety.

[Clinical significance and cost-benefit analysis of serum calcitonin assay in diagnosis and treatment of medullary thyroid carcinoma]

Objective: To study the clinical significance of serum calcitonin in the diagnosis and treatment of medullary thyroid carcinoma and to analyze its cost-benefit. Methods: One hundred and forty one patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma who undertook calcitonin test and frozen pathological examination were enrolled in this study from Oct 2012 to Mar 2018. Using the method of χ(2) test, the positive rate of calcitonin test and frozen pathological examination in diagnosis of medullary thyroid carcinoma(MTC) were compared. Firstly, we compared the correct checkout cost of calcitonin test and that of frozen pathological examination (total number of patients×cost of examination/the correctly detected number of patients) . Secondly, we calculated whether calcitonin test help patients save money(average cost of treatment in hospital for MTC×number of patients who were evaluated to be candidate for surgery-cost of calcitonin test×total number of patients)/total number of patients. Results: 139 patients were positive in calcitonin test among 141 patients, and the positive rate was 98.58%. 91 patients were positive in frozen pathological examination, and the positive rate was 64.54% (χ(2)=97.821, P<0.000 1) . Cost-benefit analysis showed that the correct checkout cost of calcitonin test and frozen pathological examination were 71.01 yuan and 426.10 yuan, also,1 371 938.64 yuan could be saved totally and 9 730.06 yuan could be saved per patient because of calcitonin test. Conclusion: Serum calcitonin test had a significant effect on the diagnosis and treatment of medullary thyroid carcinoma and was economical and practical.

[Short-term outcomes of minimally invasive Sweet esophagectomy for Siewert type Ⅱ esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma]

Objective: To describe the technique for minimally invasive Sweet esophagectomy and to evaluate the feasibility, safety and the short-term clinical outcomes of this approach in the treatment of Siewert type Ⅱ esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma. Methods: The clinical data of 122 patients with Siewert type Ⅱ esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma who received Sweet esophagectomy between October 2013 and June 2015 in Department of Thoracic Surgery, Anhui Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Anhui Medical University was analyzed retrospectively. The study group consisted of 87 men and 35 women, and the ages ranged from 48 to 78 years (median: 67 years). Of those 122 patients, 47 underwent minimally invasive approach and 75 underwent open left transthoracic sweet esophagectomy. This study included 16 stage Ⅰa patients, 35 stage Ⅰb patients, 32 stage Ⅱa patients, 28 stage Ⅱb patients, and 11 stage Ⅲa patients. The clinicopathologic factors, operational factors and postoperative complications of the two groups were compared by t test and χ² test. Results: The two groups were similar in terms of gender, age, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade, preoperative staging and incidence of comorbidities (P>0.05). The minimally invasive approach was associated with significant increase in the number of total lymph nodes dissected or the stations of the total lymph nodes dissected (18.1±2.7 vs. 15.0±2.5, t= 6.612, P=0.001; 8.9±1.1 vs. 6.7±1.2, t=9.960, P=0.003), significant decrease in surgical blood loss ((88±32) ml vs. (120±34) ml, t=5.052, P=0.001), chest tube duration ((8±4) d vs. (10±4) d, t=3.110, P=0.002) and postoperative stay ((9±5) d vs. (12±4) d, t=3.167, P=0.002) relative to the open approach. The postoperative in-hospital mortality and total morbidity did not differ between the two groups (P>0.05). The minimally invasive approach was associated with significantly fewer respiratory complications than the open approach (8.5% vs. 22.7%, χ²=4.063, P=0.044). Conclusion: Minimally invasive technique for Siewert type Ⅱ esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma can be safely and effectively performed for intrathoracic anastomosis with favorable early outcomes.

Development and characterization of novel microsatellite markers in the rock bream fish Oplegnathus fasciatus

The rock bream fish Oplegnathus fasciatus is one of the most popular aquaculture species in China. In the present study, 15 novel polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized from a wild population of O. fasciatus from the Zhoushan coast of China. The number of alleles per polymorphic locus ranged from 4 to 9 in a sample of 30 individuals. Observed and expected heterozygosities per locus varied from 0.267 to 0.767 and from 0.395 to 0.859, respectively. Eleven of the 15 microsatellite loci conformed to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. No significant linkage disequilibrium between pairs of loci was detected. The present microsatellite markers could provide a useful tool for the genetic analyses of O. fasciatus.

Therapeutic Effects of Intravenous Infusion of Hyperoxygenated Solution on Acute Haemorrhagic Shock in Rabbits

Tissue anoxia is the main mechanism of the shock reaction. Here, the effect of hyperoxygenated solution (HOS) on acute haemorrhagic shock was studied in rabbits. At 60 min after shock, rabbits were infused intravenously with hyperoxygenated solution at 10 (HOS1 group) or 20 ml/kg (HOS2 group) or with Ringer's solution at 10 ml/kg (RS group). Compared with values before shock, values after shock were lower for mean arterial pressure (MAP), more negative for base excess (BE) and higher for blood lactate (BL) and blood viscosity. After infusion, MAP declined more slowly in the HOS1 and HOS2 groups than in the RS group. At 30 and 60 min after infusion, arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) and oxygen saturation (SaO2) were higher and BE was less negative in the HOS1 and HOS2 groups than in the RS group, BL was lower in the HOS1 and HOS2 groups than in the RS group, and PaO2 and SaO2 were higher in the HOS2 group than in the HOS1 group. It was concluded that HOS infusion can rectify changes in vital signs more effectively than Ringer's solution after acute haemorrhagic shock in rabbits.

Alternative splicing of the eag potassium channel gene in Drosophila generates a novel signal transduction scaffolding protein

The Drosophila eag gene has been shown to regulate neuronal excitability, olfaction, associative learning and larval locomotion. Not all of the roles of this gene in these processes can be explained by its function as a voltage-gated potassium channel. In this study, we show that the eag gene is spliced in a PKA- and PKC-regulated manner to produce a protein lacking channel domains. This protein, in the context of activated PKA, can engage cellular signaling pathways that alter cell structure. Nuclear localization is necessary for C-terminal-mediated effects, which also require MAPK. The requirement for PKA/PKC activation in the synthesis and function of this novel protein suggests that it may couple membrane events to nuclear signaling to regulate neuronal function on long time scales.

The eag Potassium Channel Binds and Locally Activates Calcium/Calmodulin-dependent Protein Kinase II

Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) has been implicated in the regulation of neuronal excitability in many systems. Recent studies suggest that local regulation of membrane potential can have important computational consequences for neuronal function. In Drosophila, CaMKII regulates the eag potassium channel, but if and how this regulation was spatially restricted was unknown. Using coimmunoprecipitation from head extracts and in vitro binding assays, we show that CaMKII and Eag form a stable complex and that association with Eag activates CaMKII independently of CaM and autophosphorylation. Ca(2+)/CaM is necessary to initiate binding of CaMKII to Eag but not to sustain association because binding persists when CaM is removed. The Eag CaMKII-binding domain has homology to the CaMKII autoregulatory region, and the constitutively active CaMKII mutant, T287D, binds Eag Ca(2+)-independently in vitro and in vivo. These results favor a model in which the CaMKII-binding domain of Eag displaces the CaMKII autoinhibitory region. Displacement results in autophosphorylation-independent activation of CaMKII which persists even when Ca(2+) levels have gone down. Activity-dependent binding to this potassium channel substrate allows CaMKII to remain locally active even when Ca(2+) levels have dropped, providing a novel mechanism by which CaMKII can regulate excitability locally over long time scales.

Regulation of the Ca2+/CaM-responsive pool of CaMKII by scaffold-dependent autophosphorylation

CaMKII is critical for structural and functional plasticity. Here we show that Camguk (Cmg), the Drosophila homolog of CASK/Lin-2, associates in an ATP-regulated manner with CaMKII to catalyze formation of a pool of calcium-insensitive CaMKII. In the presence of Ca(2+)/CaM, CaMKII complexed to Cmg can autophosphorylate at T287 and become constitutively active. In the absence of Ca(2+)/CaM, ATP hydrolysis results in phosphorylation of T306 and inactivation of CaMKII. Cmg coexpression suppresses CaMKII activity in transfected cells, and the level of Cmg expression in Drosophila modulates postsynaptic T306 phosphorylation. These results suggest that Cmg, in the presence of Ca(2+)/CaM, can provide a localized source of active kinase. When Ca(2+)/CaM or synaptic activity is low, Cmg promotes inactivating autophosphorylation, producing CaMKII that requires phosphatase to reactivate. This interaction provides a mechanism by which the active postsynaptic pool of CaMKII can be controlled locally to differentiate active and inactive synapses.

CaMKII, an Enzyme on the Move: Regulation of Temporospatial Localization

Calcium-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is an important regulator of neuronal and behavioral plasticity. Studies in which the subcellular distribution of CaMKII has been altered argue that targeting of this enzyme to specific subcellular compartments is crucial to many of its roles. Understanding how a very abundant enzyme can achieve specificity of action over time and space requires an understanding of the functional diversity of the enzyme and its distribution. In this review we will discuss how structurally distinct isozymes, splice isoforms, and autophosphorylation states of CaMKII can affect kinase activity and localization. We will focus on the fast activity-dependent synaptic localization of the kinase and its association with postsynaptic proteins. The ability of enzyme activation to regulate protein-protein interactions with these binding partners and the potential for such binding interactions to regulate CaMKII activity in novel ways may represent new paradigm for CaMKII regulation.

The protective effects of melatonin from oxidative damage induced by amyloid beta-peptide 25-35 in middle-aged rats

This work investigated the ability of melatonin to prevent oxidative damage in brain tissue induced by injection of beta-amyloid peptide 25-35 (Abeta25-35) in middle-aged rats. The Morris water maze was used to evaluate the cognitive function of the rats. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and antioxidative enzymes (superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase) activities were measured. It was found that injection of (Abeta25-35) (20 microg) into the rat hippocampus caused an increase in the latency (the time to find the platform), the total swimming distance to the platform, and the starting angles in (Abeta25-35)-treated rats. Furthermore, a significant rise in lipid peroxidation and decrease in antioxidative enzyme activities in brain tissue were found. Melatonin (0.1, 1, and 10 mg/kg, i.g. x 10 days) improved the spatial resolution of amnesic rats in the Morris water maze test. Meanwhile, melatonin antagonized the lipid peroxidation in both the mitochondria (P < 0.01) at the doses of 0.1, 1.0, and 10 mg/kg and in the cytoplasm at the doses of 0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg. Also in the amnesic rats, melatonin (0.1, 1.0, and 10 mg/kg. i.g. x 10 days) stimulated the antioxidative enzyme activities. The results show that melatonin effectively reduced lipid peroxidation and enhanced the antioxidative enzyme activities in Abeta(25-35)-treated rats, which may contribute to the improvement of rats' learning and memory impaired by Abeta(25-35).

Chiral derivatization reagents for drug enantioseparation by high-performance liquid chromatography based upon pre-column derivatization and formation of diastereomers: enantioselectivity and related structure

Structures and related enantioselectivities of the respective chiral derivatization reagents (CDRs) for drug enantioseparation by high-performance chromatography based upon pre-column derivatization and diastereomeric formation are reviewed. The elution order of diastereomers caused reaction of some CDRs with enantiomeric amino acids and carboxylic acids. The development of new CDRs available for indirect HPLC methods is also discussed. (c) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

[Experimental study on preventive and therapeutic effect of bushen huoxue recipe on autoimmune premature ovarian failure model]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the mechanisms of Bushen Huoxue Recipe (BSHXR), a Chinese herbal medicinal preparation for tonifying Kidney and invigorating blood circulation, to prevent and treat autoimmune premature ovarian failure (POF) model.

METHODS

Female 8-10 weeks old BAL B/c mice were immunized by intracutaneously injecting porcine ovum zona pellucida (ZP), isolated by immuno-chromatography, in multiple points of two hind footpads to establish the POF model and treated with BSHXR started from early stage of immunization (prevented group) or after 3 times of injection (treated group). Changes in vaginal smears, serum estradiol (E2), antibody titer against ZP, response of splenic lymphocyte to ZP stimulation of different concentrations, and numbers of ovarian follicles and corpus luteum were analyzed.

RESULTS

Serum E2 level in the prevented and treated mice was all higher than that in the non-treated immunized model mice (the control group), P < 0.01 and P < 0.05 respectively. But the anti-ZP titer lowered significantly after BSHXR administration, as compared with that in the control group. Level of antibodies in the treated group was lower than that of the control, and it was also lower in the prevented group than that in the control. The histo-morphological examination showed that the developing follicles and corpus luteum after BSHXR medication in both prevented and treated group increased significantly as compared with that of the control group (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01 respectively). Splenic lymphocyte in the immunized model showed a higher antigen-specific proliferation reaction than that in non-immunized animal, and the reaction was ameliorated by BSHXR medication.

CONCLUSION

BSHXR could recover part of the ovarian function in POF mice mainly through inhibiting specific immune injury to revive the remnant follicles in ovary. The preventive effect of BSHXR was superior to the therapeutic effect of it.

Contributions of protein disulfide isomerase domains to its chaperone activity

Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), a member of the thioredoxin (Trx) superfamily, consists of five consecutive domains, a-b-b'-a'-c. Domain combinations, AB, A'C, B'A'C and AB-C, and hybrids of PDI domains with Trx, Trx-C and Trx-B'A'C, have been constructed and expressed in Escherichia coli to examine the contributions of PDI domains to its enzyme and chaperone activities. All the combination and hybrid products are considerably less active than intact PDI in their enzyme activities. Recombinant products containing C, at low concentrations, inhibit the reactivation of lysozyme in HEPES buffer, while those without C do not. Only the intact PDI molecule and the hybrid molecule, Trx-B'A'C, but to a much lower level, show general chaperone activity in assisting the reactivation of denatured D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. It is suggested that all domains of PDI contribute to the binding of target protein for its chaperone activity.

The N-terminal sequence (residues 1-65) is essential for dimerization, activities, and peptide binding of Escherichia coli DsbC

Limited proteolysis of DsbC with trypsin resulted in a compact and stable C-terminal fragment (residues 66-216), fDsbC, which retains the active site sequence, -Cys(98)-Gly-Tyr-Cys(101)-, and shows only minor differences in conformation compared with that of the intact molecule. The pK(a) of active site thiol and the K(SS) with glutathione are very close to that of DsbC, respectively; however, fDsbC is inactive as an isomerase in catalyzing the formation of correct disulfide bonds in scrambled RNase A and denatured and reduced bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor and shows only 13% thiol-protein oxidoreductase activity (TPOR) of DsbC. In contrast to the dimeric DsbC, fDsbC exists as a monomer and has no chaperone activity in assisting the reactivation of denatured d-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. The heterodimer of DsbC with the inactive DsbC carboxymethylated at both active site thiols shows about 50% TPOR activity of DsbC but no isomerase activity, indicating that the DsbC subunit in the heterodimer displays full TPOR activity but little, if any, isomerase activity. It is concluded that the N-terminal sequence (residues 1-65) is essential for dimer formation and chaperone activity of DsbC. The active sites in both subunits of the dimeric DsbC appear to be essential for its isomerase activity.

[Investigation and application of auto-circulative washing and sterilization cabinet for catheters]

The structure, working principle, and operation of a sterilizing cabinet with autocircle washing for catheters was introduced in this article, 100 catheters were tested. The result revealed that no incrustation, rusty spot or thrombus existed after washing, and that hepatitis virus had been killed thoroughly. This cabinet can save the operator's time, make the operation easy, and prevent cross infection.

[Experimental study on cell cycle in rabbits' aortic smooth muscle cell culture in vitro with tongmai jiangzhi liquor]

The effects of Tongmai Jiangzhi Liquor (TMJZL) on the cell cycle kinetics in smooth muscle cell (SMCO of rabbits' midlayer of aortic wall was observed. It was showed that TMJZL could extend the time of cell culture, lower the percentage of SMC in G0/G1 phase and elevate the percentage of SMC in S phase gradually. The higher the concentration, the stronger the effect. The experiment showed that TMJZL had a marked inhibition of SMC of rabbits' midlayer of aortic wall cultured in vitro.

[Anti-free-radical damaging action of panaxadiol saponins and panaxatriol saponins on the myocardial contractibility of the isolated rat working heart]

Rats were free-radical-damaged by xanthine 6.4 mg.100g-1.d-1 and xanthine oxidase 0.1U.100g-1d-1 to cause significant decrease in the cardiac functional parameters. Panaxatriol saponins 10mg.100g-1.d-1 converted all the indices toward normal without exception. Panaxadiol saponins were more effective than panaxatriol saponins.

Effects of copper and selenium on electric parameters of cultured myocardial cells damaged by xanthine-xanthine oxidase

Addition of xanthine 0.42 mmol.L-1 and xanthine oxidase 5.3 nmol.L-1 (X-XO) to the culture medium increased the amplitude of ESR spectra of myocardial cells, demonstrating an increase in free radical contents; diminished the action potential parameters significantly and reduced the input impedances from 0.34 +/- 0.11 to 0.24 +/- 0.1 M omega, expressing a typical electrical appearance of membrane damage. Supplying Cu 62.5 ng.ml-1 and/or Se 173 ng.ml-1 to the medium brought all of the electric parameters and the free radical content of myocardial cells back to normal. The results indicate that both the two trace elements are able to scavenge free radicals, thus antagonizing X-XO, which induces damage to myocardial cells.

[Determination of lead in urine by differential potentiometric stripping analysis]

In the determination of lead in urine by differential potentiometric stripping analysis (DPSA) urine samples are acidified with hydrochloric acid to a total concentration equal to 0.2 mol/L without prior digestion with mineral acids. The sample is pre-electrolyzed at -1.2V (Vs SCE) for 80 seconds by glassy-carbon electrode coated with mercury. The lead concentrations are evaluated by means of standard addition. Detection limit of the method is 2ppb. The linear relationship occurs in the range of 0-150ppb. The relative standard deviations are 1.6% and the recovery of lead in urine samples is 89.5-110.0%. Compared with dithizone method, this method shows no significant difference in the results obtained.