Impact on Quality of Life Following the Implantable Miniature Telescope Procedure

The purpose is to examine the impact of the Implantable Miniature Telescope procedure on the level of treatment satisfaction and quality of life of individuals with end-stage age-related macular degeneration. Six individuals who had undergone the Implantable Miniature Telescope procedure were recruited. The participants completed two survey instruments about their overall quality of life and level of treatment satisfaction post intervention. In-depth interviews were also conducted to gain a perspective of the participant’s lived experience. A moderately high quality-of-life and treatment satisfaction rating was reported by participants post intervention. Qualitative themes included loss of independence, realistic perspective about the procedure, importance of rehabilitation following the procedure, and high treatment satisfaction despite lack of improvement in visual functioning. Moderately high quality-of-life ratings and treatment satisfaction were reported despite reports of limited improvements in participants’ visual function and ability to utilize the Implantable Miniature Telescope. However, qualitative responses revealed a negative impact on quality of life in relation to their diagnosis of end-stage age-related macular degeneration, but not in direct relation to the Implantable Miniature Telescope procedure.     

芒针对脊髓损伤大鼠运动功能和炎症水平的影响

目的探究芒针深刺秩边穴对大鼠脊髓损伤后运动功能的影响及可能作用机制。方法选择健康雄性Wister大鼠81只,随机分为正常组、模型组和芒针组(正常组9只,其余两组各36只),采用改良Allen's造模法制备大鼠脊髓中度损伤模型,模型组不做特殊处理,芒针组采用芒针深刺秩边穴,每日1次,每次30 min。分别于术后1 d、3 d、5 d、7 d行BBB(Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan)运动功能评分;术后1 d、3 d、5 d、7 d取受损段脊髓组织行酶联免疫吸附测定(ELISA)、实时荧光定量PCR(RT-qPCR)和苏木素-伊红染色(HE染色)。结果术后5 d和7 d,芒针组大鼠BBB评分高于模型组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);脊髓损伤后,模型组和芒针组大鼠脊髓组织中高迁移率族蛋白B1(HMGB1)、核转录因子kB(NF-kB)、白介素-6(IL-6)含量及HMGB1mRNA、NF-kBmRNA、IL-6mRNA水平显著升高(P<0.05);受损的脊髓组织松散,灰质中有许多空洞形成,伴有炎性细胞浸润。芒针治疗后,芒针组大鼠脊髓组织中HMGB1、NF-kB、IL-6含量及HMGB1mRNA、NF-kBmRNA、IL-6mRNA水平较模型组降低,且在3 d、5 d、7 d差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);受损部位的空洞及炎性细胞逐渐减少。结论脊髓损伤后,炎症因子的大量聚集引起级联性炎症反应,影响大鼠运动功能的恢复。芒针的抗炎机制可能包括抑制HMGB1的表达,降低NF-kB信号通路的传导,下调促炎因子IL-6的分泌。     

养阴清热化瘀方对急性放射性肺炎大鼠TLR-4/NF-κB信号通路的影响

目的:探讨养阴清热化瘀方对大鼠急性放射性肺炎的防护作用及可能机制。方法:采用随机数字表法将48只雌性Wistar大鼠随机分为空白对照组(NC)、模型组(MD)、养阴清热化瘀方提前干预组(YHF-EI)及养阴清热化瘀方组(YHF-ST),分别于照射后4周时采集血清及取出右肺。观察大鼠的一般情况,应用HE染色观察肺组织病理改变,ELISA法检测血清中含量, RT-PCR和Western-blotting法分别检测肺组织内TLR4、NF-κB p65 mRNA和蛋白的水平。结果:养阴清热化瘀方能显著减轻大鼠放射性肺炎的炎症表现; 与空白对照组比较,血清中TNF-α、IL-6、TGF-β的含量升高,TLR4和NF-κB p65 mRNA转录活性增强,肺组织中TLR4和NF-κB p65的蛋白表达水平升高; 与模型组比较,两组养阴清热化瘀方组血清中TNF-α、IL-6、TGF-β的含量降低,TLR4和NF-κB p65 mRNA转录活性下降,肺组织中TLR4和NF-κB p65的蛋白表达水平降低。结论:养阴清热化瘀方可能通过抑制“TLR4/NF-κB”信号通路,从而抑制TNF-α、IL-6、TGF-β的产生,起到抵抗放射性肺炎的发生,从而发挥放射防护作用。     

脑梗死合并肺部感染患者TNF-α、HMGBl、TLR4-NF-κB信号通路改变研究

目的探究脑梗死合并肺部感染患者的肿瘤坏死因子-α(Tumor necrosis factor-α,TNF-α)和高迁移率族蛋白Bl(High mobility group protein Bl,HMGBl)水平及其临床价值研究。方法2018年1月-2019年2月儋州市人民医院收治的急性脑梗死患者作为研究对象,其中急性脑梗死合并肺部感染患者30例作为感染组,急性脑梗死无肺部感染患者80例作为非感染组,选择同期于此医院体检的健康者30名作为对照组。采用酶联免疫吸附法(Enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay,ELISA)检测血清HMGB1和细胞因子IL-6、TNF-α水平,采用Western Blot法检测血清Toll样家族受体-4(Toll like receptor-4,TLR4)、核因子κB(nuclear factor kappa-B,NF-κB)、髓样分化因子(myeloiddifferentiationfactor88,MyD88)表达水平。结果感染组的血清HMGB1、TLR4、NF-κB、MyD88表达及细胞因子IL-6、TNF-α水平均高于非感染组和对照组(P<0.05);感染组患者大梗死灶、中等梗死灶、小梗死灶各指标总体水平差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。大梗死灶、中等梗死灶两亚组患者的血清HMGB1、TLR4、NF-κB、MyD88表达及细胞因子IL-6、TNF-α水平均高于小梗死灶亚组(P<0.05);急性脑梗死合并肺部感染患者的血清HMGB1和TNF-α水平呈正相关(r=0.523,P<0.001)。结论脑梗死合并肺部感染患者伴随TNF-α、HMGBl、TLR4-NF-κB信号通路的明显改变,且与梗死灶大小具有相关性,其机制有待进一步研究。     

Human apolipoprotein A-I Gly26Arg stimulation of inflammatory responses via NF-kB activation: Potential roles in amyloidosis?

The cascade of molecular events leading to Human apolipoprotein A–I (apoA–I) amyloidosis is not completely understood, not even the pathways that determine clinical manifestations associated to systemic protein deposition in organs such as liver, kidney and heart. About twenty natural variants of apoA–I were described as inducing amyloidosis, but the mechanisms driving their aggregation and deposition are still unclear. We previously identified that the mutant Gly26Arg but not Lys107-0 induced the release of cytokines and reactive oxygen species from cultured RAW 264.7 murine macrophages, suggesting that part of the pathogenic pathway could elicit of an inflammatory signal. In this work we gained deep insight into this mechanism and determined that Gly26Arg induced a specific pro-inflammatory cascade involving activation of NF-κB and its translocation into the nucleus. These findings suggest that some but not all apoA–I natural variants might promote a pro-oxidant microenvironment which could in turn result in oxidative processing of the variants into a misfolded conformation.