RKI-1447, a Rho kinase inhibitor,causes ocular hypotension,actin stress fiber disruption,and increased phagocytosis

Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology - This study investigated the hypotensive effect of RKI-1447, a Rho kinase inhibitor, in a porcine ex vivo pigmentary glaucoma...     

Expression of aryl hydrocarbon receptor,inflammatory cytokines,and incidence of rheumatoid arthritis in Vietnamese dioxin-exposed people

Many Vietnamese citizens have been and continue to be inadvertently exposed to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds deposited in the country during the Vietnam War. Dioxins may be involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases in part via by affecting expression of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr) and inflammatory cytokines in animal models. As the role of the Ahr in dioxin-exposed people is not well defined, a study was conducted to examine gene expression levels of Ahr, inflammatory cytokines, and the incidence of diseases in dioxin-exposed citizens who had/still resided near a heavily dioxin-contaminated area in Vietnam. Whole blood from citizens at/around Da Nang airbase and control individuals living in unsprayed areas was collected. Serum levels of dioxins were analyzed by using a dioxins-responsive chemical-activated luciferase gene expression bioassay. Gene expression of Ahr, interleukin (IL)-1β, TNFα, IL-6, and IL-22 in whole blood was examined by quantitative real-time PCR. The results showed levels of dioxins and expression of Ahr, IL-1β, TNFα, and IL-6 were up-regulated while IL-22 expression was down-regulated in dioxin-exposed people. Various disease incidences in the study subjects was also examined. Interestingly, the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in these individuals was increased compared to the estimated prevalence of this disease in the general Vietnamese population. Analyses also showed that expression levels of Ahr correlated to those of IL-6 and IL-22 in the dioxin-exposed people. Taken together, dioxins might be involved in an up-regulated expression of Ahr that might possibly relate to changes in level of inflammatory cytokines and, ultimately, in the incidence of select diseases in residents of Vietnam who had/continue to live near a dioxins-contaminated site.     

Rare Case of Dysphagia

Wound botulism is exceedingly rare and occurs almost exclusively among injection drug users. In 2008 there was a case of wound botulism in a noninjecting drug user reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We report a case of a Caucasian male developing dysphagia due to wound botulism after having a motorcycle accident that left him with open fractures. The CDC was contacted and the patient was transferred to medical intensive care unit to be emergently started on hepatavalent Clostridium botulinum antitoxin. Early suspicion of wound botulism is essential for effective therapy with antitoxin in this life-threatening disease. If not suspected, this patient would likely have died. Nevertheless, the delay in diagnosis and treatment resulted in the patient’s suffering dysphagia and neurological deficits. The patient required a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube and months of dysphagia therapy, supportive care, and rehabilitation. Our aim is to increase the awareness for wound botulism when a patient presents with dysphagia and diplopia after suffering open wounds. If suspected early, the morbidity and mortality from this disease can be prevented.     

组织工程化静脉瓣的研究现状与发展趋势

目的：综述国内外组织工程静脉瓣的研究现状，分析组织工程化静脉瓣在临床应用的发展趋势。 方法：应用计算机检索2000-01/ 2009-08 PubMed、ProQuest Health& Medical Complete数据库、Springer英文期刊全文数据库、Elsevier全文数据库相关文章，检索词为“tissue engineering venous valve”，并限定文章语言种类为English。同时计算机检索2000-01/2009-08重庆维普科技期刊数据库、清华同方学术期刊数据库、中国生物医学文献数据库相关文章，检索词为“组织工程静脉瓣”，并限定文章语言种类为中文。此外还手工查阅相关专著数部。 结果：综合分析，可归纳总结出一种比较理想的组织工程化静脉瓣构建方法是将内皮祖细胞和多能成体祖细胞联合应用，分批种植在同种异体来源的脱细胞静脉支架上，在三维立体培养系统上不断加压灌注，最大程度模拟体内环境，使种子细胞能很好的在支架材料上生长成有功能的组织工程化静脉瓣。为组织工程化静脉瓣的临床应用提供实验基础。 结论：目前组织工程化静脉瓣的研究取得了相当大的进展和令人鼓舞的成绩，为深静脉功能不全患者带来了曙光，在深静脉功能不全治疗领域有广泛的应用前景。     

Green synthesis of highly stable zero-valent iron nanoparticles for organic dye treatment using Cleistocalyx operculatus leaf extract

Zero-valent iron nanoparticles are considered promising nanomaterials for wastewater treatment. However, the use of highly toxic and expensive chemicals such as sodium borohydride during synthesis has significantly limited the broad application of zero-valent iron. In this study, zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) were facilely and friendly synthesized using Cleistocalyx operculatus leaf extract as a reducing agent. The morphology and structure of the as-prepared nanomaterials were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. The obtained product was spherical with an average diameter of approximately 100 nm. The prepared nZVI exhibited remarkably stable stability, which remained in the nZVI form for more than one month in open air. The removal efficiency of rhodamine B (RhB) by nZVI reached over 95% in 30 min, proving that the nZVI nanomaterials exhibited a high and quick degradation performance toward RhB. The RhB removal efficiency of nZVI, which was proportional to the amount of nZVI and influenced by pH conditions, was determined using the visible ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy.     

疾病对药物体内代谢过程的影响

疾病可影响药物在体内的吸收、分布、代谢和排泄过程。本文基于Medline发表的相关研究,重点介绍短肠综合征、囊性纤维化和肝胆疾病等对药物体内代谢过程的影响。短肠综合征和囊性纤维化都显著影响药物的吸收和肠肝循环,而肾病、胆囊炎或胆囊手术可能影响药物的排泄。肝病影响药物代谢的肝药酶(P450同工酶)。疾病对药物代谢的影响,可能导致药物治疗无效或者中毒,引起严重后果。因此临床应该了解疾病对药物代谢影响的基本知识,治疗中主动调整给药方法和剂量,提高药物治疗效率,减少药源性的损害。     

MicroRNA‐137 promoter methylation in oral lichen planus and oral squamous cell carcinoma

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a common oral mucosal disease, which is generally considered a potentially malignant lesion. To identify efficiently prognostic biomarker, we investigated the microRNA‐137 (miR‐137) promoter methylation in OLP and compared with the samples from healthy volunteers and patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). A total of 20 OLP and 12 patients with OSCC as well as 10 healthy subjects were subjected to miR‐137 promoter methylation analysis using methylation‐specific PCR (MSP). To address the malignancy prediction potential from miR‐137 promoter methylation status, methylation of the p16 gene, a well‐known tumor suppressor, was investigated in the same samples. The p16 methylation and miR‐137 promoter methylation were found to be 25% and 35% in patients with OLP, 50% and 58.3% in patients with OSCC, and 0% and 0% in healthy subjects, respectively. The differences between miR‐137 and p16 methylation levels were statistically significant between healthy controls and patients. Methylation levels of the two promoters were also influenced by age, gender, and lesion duration. Interestingly, aberrant promoter methylation of the p16 and miR‐137 genes was only found in the epithelium but not in the connective tissue from patients with OLP. This raises the possibility to use miR‐137 methylation as a biomarker for malignant prediction in patients with OLP.     

红毛五加总甙的抗炎作用

目的：研究红毛五加总甙（TGA）的抗炎作用。方法：采用多种致炎剂引起大、小鼠炎症模型。结果：TGA对二甲苯、蛋清、角叉菜胶、甲醛致肿、琼脂肉芽肿增生、乙酸致毛细血管通透性增加及多形核白细胞游走均有明显抑制作用，同时使炎症组织PGE、组胺含量减少。结论：TGA具有抗急、慢性炎症作用。