Effect of corneal stromal pocket irrigation in small-incision lenticule extraction

ObjectivesTo investigate the effect of corneal stromal pocket irrigation after small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) on visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), corneal parameters and complications after surgery.MethodsA total of 242 eyes of 121 patients undergoing SMILE were enrolled in this prospective controlled study, and it was designed for one eye to randomly undergo SMILE with balanced salt solution irrigation of the corneal stromal pocket, while the other eye was not. The uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) and slit lamp examination were recorded at 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month. Postoperative corneal density, corneal biomechanical, corneal endothelial cell number, and anterior OCT images were compared at 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month.ResultsCompared with the nonirrigation group, the irrigation group showed significantly higher UDVA at 1 day postoperatively (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference during the rest of the postoperative period (1 hour, 1 week, and 1 month). In addition, no significant differences were found in IOP, corneal density, corneal biomechanics, corneal endothelial cells, and corneal morphology. No visual decline or severe postoperative complications were found in the patients in this study.ConclusionsInterlamellar irrigation did not affect IOP, corneal parameters, morphology, complications, or UDVA at 1 hour, 1 week, and 1 month after the operation, but it may promote UDVA 1 day after the operation.Subject terms: Refractive errors, Outcomes research, Surgery     

Role of macrophages in peripheral nerve injury and repair

Resident and inflammatory macrophages are essential effectors of the innate immune system. These cells provide innate immune defenses and regulate tissue and organ homeostasis. In addition to their roles in diseases such as cancer, obesity and osteoarthritis, they play vital roles in tissue repair and disease rehabilitation. Macrophages and other inflammatory cells are recruited to tissue injury sites where they promote changes in the microenvironment. Among the inflammatory cell types, only macrophages have both pro-inflammatory(M1) and anti-inflammatory(M2) actions, and M2 macrophages have four subtypes. The co-action of M1 and M2 subtypes can create a favorable microenvironment, releasing cytokines for damaged tissue repair. In this review, we discuss the activation of macrophages and their roles in severe peripheral nerve injury. We also describe the therapeutic potential of macrophages in nerve tissue engineering treatment and highlight approaches for enhancing M2 cell-mediated nerve repair and regeneration.     

Loss of function,missense, and intronic variants in NOTCH1 confer different risks for left ventricular outflow tract obstructive heart defects in two European cohorts

Loss of function variants in NOTCH1 cause left ventricular outflow tract obstructive defects (LVOTO). However, the risk conferred by rare and noncoding variants in NOTCH1 for LVOTO remains largely uncharacterized. In a cohort of 49 families affected by hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a severe form of LVOTO, we discovered predicted loss of function NOTCH1 variants in 6% of individuals. Rare or low-frequency missense variants were found in 16% of families. To make a quantitative estimate of the genetic risk posed by variants in NOTCH1 for LVOTO, we studied associations of 400 coding and noncoding variants in NOTCH1 in 1,085 cases and 332,788 controls from the UK Biobank. Two rare intronic variants in strong linkage disequilibrium displayed significant association with risk for LVOTO amongst European-ancestry individuals. This result was replicated in an independent analysis of 210 cases and 68,762 controls of non-European and mixed ancestry. In conclusion, carrying rare predicted loss of function variants in NOTCH1 confer significant risk for LVOTO. In addition, the two intronic variants seem to be associated with an increased risk for these defects. Our approach demonstrates the utility of population-based data sets in quantifying the specific risk of individual variants for disease-related phenotypes.     

A novel DDC gene deletion mutation in two Chinese mainland siblings with aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase deficiency

Background

Aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency (OMIM #608643) is a rare and severe disorder of biogenic amine synthesis caused by mutations in the DDC gene. The phenomenology of the movement disorder includes intermittent oculogyric crises and limb dystonia, generalized athetosis, and impaired voluntary movement.

肛肠疾病手术前后肛管直肠压力测定的应用

目的:探讨肛肠疾病手术前后肛管直肠压力测定的应用。方法:将2018年5月-2019年5月在上海市松江区方塔中医医院及上海中医药大学附属曙光医院肛肠科行手术治疗的826例肛肠疾病患者作为研究对象,其中,选择性痔上黏膜吻合术246例、单纯外剥内扎术115例、外剥内扎结合内痔套扎术(Automatic Ligation of Hemorrhoids,RPH)153例、低位肛瘘切除术177例、高位肛瘘切开挂线术135例,分别于术前及术后1个月测定肛管直肠压力。结果:选择性痔上黏膜吻合术后直肠静息压、肛管静息压明显低于术前,肛管舒张压高于术前(P<0.05),但肛管最大收缩压与术前相比无明显差异(P>0.05);单纯外剥内扎术术后直肠静息压、肛管静息压明显低于术前,肛管舒张压、肛管最大收缩压明显高于术前(P<0.05);外剥内扎结合内痔套扎术术后直肠静息压、肛管静息压明显低于术前,肛管舒张压、肛管最大收缩压明显高于术前(P<0.05);低位肛瘘切除术术后直肠静息压、肛管静息压、肛管舒张压均高于术前(P<0.05),而肛管最大收缩压与术前相比无明显差异(P>0.05);高位肛瘘切开挂线术术后直肠静息压高于术前,肛管静息压、肛管舒张压低于术前(P<0.05),而与肛管最大收缩压术前相比无明显差异(P>0.05)。结论:肛肠疾病手术前后肛管直肠压力测定的应用效果显著,能准确判断手术效果及患者恢复情况,为医师的进一步诊治奠定了良好基础。     

Analysis of Risk and Burden of Dysentery Associated with Floods from 2004 to 2010 in Nanning,China

This study aimed to examine the association between floods and the morbidity of dysentery and to quantify the burden of dysentery due to floods in Nanning, China. A generalized additive mixed model was conducted to assess the relationship between monthly morbidity of dysentery and floods from 2004 to 2010. The years lived with disability (YLDs) of dysentery attributable to floods were then estimated based on the WHO framework of the burden of disease study for calculating the potential impact fraction. The relative risk (RR) of floods on the morbidity of dysentery was 1.44 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.18–1.75). The models suggest that a potential 1-day rise in flood duration may lead to 8% (RR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.04–1.12) increase in the morbidity of dysentery. The average attributable YLD per 1,000 of dysentery caused by floods were 0.013 in males, 0.005 in females, and 0.009 in persons. Our study confirms that floods have significantly increased the risk and the burden of dysentery in the study area. Public health action should be taken to prevent and control the potential risk of dysentery after floods. Vulnerable groups such as males and children should be paid more attention.     

Dexamethasone treatment attenuates early seawater instillation-induced acute lung injury in rabbits.

There is very little evidence on the value of giving corticoids in cases of seawater drowning induced acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether dexamethasone treatment can attenuate seawater instillation-induced acute lung injury in rabbits. Seawater (4 ml/kg body weight) was instilled into the lower trachea of ventilated, anesthetized rabbits. Then these rabbits were assigned randomly 20 min later to receive intravenous injection of 1mg/kg body weight of dexamethasone (dissolving in 2 ml of normal saline) or 2 ml of normal saline. All animals demonstrated immediate drops in arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) and the total thoracic compliance, which were significantly improved after 2 h of dexamethasone treatment. Histopathological study also indicated that dexamethasone treatment markedly attenuated lung histopathological changes, alveolar hemorrhage and inflammatory cells infiltration with evidence of decreasing of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) concentration in lung tissue. In addition, dexamethasone treatment reduced extravascular lung water and lung epithelial-endothelial barrier permeability, up-regulated the expression of surfactant protein-A (SP-A) and alpha-epithelial Na+ channel, and increased Na+/K+-adenosine triphosphatase (Na+/K+-ATPase) activity and Na+/K+-ATPase-alpha1 protein abundance. Thus, these data indicate that dexamethasone treatment might be of benefit in patients with seawater aspiration-induced ALI.     

Bacteroides forsythus ATCC43037菌体蛋白与人类唾液酸性富脯蛋白的相互作用

目的：探讨福赛类杆菌与人类唾液富脯蛋白相互作用的蛋白分子。方法：Western—blot方法。将人工合成唾液富脯蛋白用生物素标记，福赛类杆菌全菌蛋白凝胶电泳，半干转移至纤维膜上，观察二者的相互作用。结果：富脯蛋白能与分子量为85KD、65KD、60KD、以及49KD的福赛类杆菌蛋白发生结合。结论：福赛类杆菌存在与人类唾液富脯蛋白相互结合的粘附素。