Contextual influence on the tilt after-effect in foveal and parafoveal vision

A sensory stimulus can only be properly interpreted in light of the stimuli that surround it in space and time. The tilt illusion(TI) and tilt after-effect(TAE) provide good evidence that the perception of a target depends strongly on both its spatial and temporal context. In previous studies, the TI and TAE have typically been investigated separately, so little is known about their co-effects on visual perception and information processing mechanisms. Here, we considered the influence of the spatial context and the temporal effect together and asked how centersurround context affects the TAE in foveal and parafoveal vision. Our results showed that different center-surround spatial patterns signifi cantly affected the TAE for both foveal and para-foveal vision. In the fovea, the TAE was mainly produced by central adaptive gratings. Cross-oriented surroundings significantly inhibited the TAE, and iso-oriented surroundings slightly facilitated it; surround inhibition was much stronger than surround facilitation. In the para-fovea, the TAE was mainly decided by the surrounding patches. Likewise, a cross-oriented central patch inhibited the TAE, and an iso-oriented one facilitated it, but there was no significant difference between inhibition and facilitation. Our findings demonstrated, at the perceptual level, that our visual system adopts different mechanisms to process consistent or inconsistent central-surround orientation information and that the unequal magnitude of surround inhibition and facilitation is vitally important for the visual system to improve the detectability or discriminability of novel or incongruent stimuli.     

Therapeutic Potentials of Oroxylum indicum Bark Extracts

AIM:Diverse therapeutic potentials of methanolic and aqueous extracts of Oroxylum indicum(L.)Vent.bark,includ- ing antioxidant property,cytotoxicity and protection against oxidative DNA damage were investigated in this study.METHODS:Total phenolics in the extracts were determined by spectrophotometric method.Ferric reducing antioxidant property(FRAP),free radical (DPPH·and ·OH)scavenging activities,as well as inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation have been investigated.Cytotoxicity of the extracts was inv...     

西安地区一株TT病毒的基因克隆及序列分析

目的 对TTV阳性扩增产物进行克隆及测序，以了解西安地区TTV基因及基因结构的特点。方法 采用巢式PCR从转氨酶活性异常增高的患者血清中，得到TTV阳性扩增产物，将其插入pGEM-T easy载体，进行克隆及序列分析。结果 获得1个pGEM-TTV重组载体。序列分析表明，插入片段为196bp。该序列与AF065400株等对应位置的核苷酸同源性分别为：AF065400（中国株）94．9％、AF351132（中国株）98．0％和NC－002076（日本株）99．0％。结论 西安地区TTV阳性扩增序列与报道的AF065400株、AF351132株和NC－002076株的序列具有高度的同源性，属同个基因型别。     

三氧化二砷对小鼠肾组织RNA的损伤

目的:通过检测活性氮族引起的核酸损伤标志物8-硝基鸟嘌呤在砷暴露小鼠肾脏组织中的表达情况,分析三氧化二砷对肾组织RNA损伤的作用途径。方法:实验于2005-11/2006-01在大连医科大学毒理学实验室完成。选用昆明种健康小鼠40只,按体质量随机分为4组,即正常对照组、5μmol/L、10μmol/L和20μmol/L三氧化二砷染毒组,每组10只。各染砷组小鼠通过饮用含不同剂量三氧化二砷自来水的方式使小鼠暴露砷,连续染砷60d。正常对照组每天摄入相同剂量的生理盐水。染砷60d后处死各组小鼠,立即取肾脏皮质,应用苏木精-伊红染色法进行肾皮质组织病理学观察;应用免疫组织化学及图像分析的方法检测肾组织内8-硝基鸟嘌呤的表达,根据8-硝基鸟嘌呤表达的吸光度值进行定量分析。结果:40只小鼠全部进入结果分析,无脱失。①各染砷组小鼠肾脏皮质区肾小管细胞出现肿胀,胞质内有空泡变性,核固缩、溶解等明显的病理学变化;而正常对照组小鼠的肾脏细胞未见上述病理变化。②5μmol/L、10μmol/L和20μmol/L三氧化二砷染毒组小鼠肾组织细胞的抗8-硝基鸟嘌呤免疫染色平均吸光度显著大于正常对照组(0.027±0.014,0.039±0.015,0.043±0.014,0.004±0.002,P<0.05),20μmol/L三氧化二砷染毒组与5μmol/L三氧化二砷染毒组相比,吸光度明显增加(P<0.05)。结论:活性氮族可能参与了砷对肾脏细胞核酸的损伤作用,8-硝基鸟嘌呤可能是砷致肾损伤的标志物。     

结直肠癌中PTEN的缺失表达及临床意义

目的:研究PTEN在结直肠癌中的表达及其与结直肠癌病理特征的关系．方法:应用免疫组化SP法分别检测65例癌组织和癌旁组织及13例腺瘤组织PTEN蛋白的表达．结果:PTEN主要在细胞核或细胞质中表达,在结直肠癌组织中阳性表达率显著低于癌旁组织阳性表达率(56．92% vs 86．15％,P<0．01)．中、高分化腺癌阳性表达率显著高于低、未分化腺癌阳性表达率(75．76% vs 37．50％, P<0．01)．Dukes A、B期阳性表达率显著高于Dukes C、D期阳性表达率(73．33％vs 42．86％, P<0．05)．此外,PTEN的表达与淋巴转移有关(P<0．01),而与性别、年龄、同期的肿瘤大小无关．结论:PTEN在结直肠癌组织中的表达下调,其表达水平可作为反映结直肠癌进展和预后的生物学指标之一．     

Pretransplant and perioperative predictors of early heart transplantation outcomes

Aim

To identify predictors of 3-month mortality after heart transplantation in a Croatian academic center.

Methods

A retrospective review of institutional database identified 117 heart transplantations from January 2008 to July 2014. Two children <14 years were excluded from the study. The remaining 115 patients were dichotomized into survivors and non-survivors adjudicated at 3-months postoperatively, and their demographic, clinical, and longitudinal hemodynamic data were analyzed.

Results

3-month survival after heart transplantation was 86%. Non-survivors were older (59 ± 8 vs 50 ± 14 years, P = 0.009), more likely to have previous cardiac surgery (44% vs 19%; odds ratio [OR] 3.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-9.90; P = 0.029), lower body mass index (BMI) (25 ± 4 vs 28 ± 2 kg/m², P = 0.001), and be diabetics (44% vs 23%; OR 2.57, 95% CI 0.86-7.66; P = 0.083). Creatinine clearance was marginally superior among survivors (59 ± 19 vs 48 ± 20 mL/min, P = 0.059). Donor age and sex did not affect outcomes. Non-survivors were more likely to have had ischemic cardiomyopathy (69% vs 32%, P = 0.010). Postoperative utilization of epinephrine as a second line inotropic agent was a strong predictor of mortality (63% vs 7%; OR 21.91; 95% CI 6.15-78.06; P < 0.001). Serum lactate concentrations were consistently higher among non-survivors, with the difference being most pronounced 2 hours after cardiopulmonary bypass (9.8 ± 3.5 vs 5.2 ± 3.2 mmol/L, P < 0.001). The donor hearts exhibited inferior early hemodynamics in non-survivors (cardiac index 3.0 ± 1.0 vs 4.0 ± 1.1 L/min/m², P = 0.001), stroke volume (49 ± 24 vs 59 ± 19 mL, P = 0.063), and left and right ventricular stroke work indices (18 ± 8 vs 30 ± 11 g/beat/m², P < 0.001 and 5 ± 3 vs 7 ± 4 g/beat/m², P = 0.060, respectively). Non-survivors were more likely to require postoperative re-sternotomy (50% vs 12%; OR 7.25, 95% CI 2.29-22.92; P < 0.001), renal replacement therapy (RRT) (69% vs 9%; OR 22.00, 95% CI 6.24-77.54; P < 0.001), and mechanical circulatory assistance (MCS) (44% vs 5%; OR 14.62, 95% CI 3.84-55.62; P < 0.001). Binary logistic regression revealed recipient age (P = 0.024), serum lactates 2 hours after CPB (P = 0.007), and epinephrine use on postoperative day 1 (P = 0.007) to be independently associated with 3-month mortality.

Conclusion

Pretransplant predictors of adverse outcome after heart transplantation were recipient age, lower BMI, ischemic cardiomyopathy, reoperation and diabetes. Postoperative predictors of mortality were inferior donor heart hemodynamics, epinephrine use, and serum lactate concentrations. Non-survivors were more likely to require re-sternotomy, MCS, and RRT. Heart failure (HF) presents a major public health burden, and its management consumes a large proportion of the health care budget (1,2). While the clinical syndrome of HF is multifactorial in origin, its cardinal symptoms are remarkably similar irrespective of the diverse underlying cardiac pathology. The adverse impact of HF on the quality of life and overall mortality has brought the issue into focus of the contemporary medical community. The already high financial burden of HF will likely increase in parallel to increasing age of the general population. Contrariwise, the number of orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) worldwide has plateaued over the past decade (3). The unmatched need for donor organs has served as a strong impetus for the development of alternative lines of management, including mechanical circulatory assistance. While we have witnessed both an accelerated evolution of ventricular assist devices and their wider dissemination within the HF population, the high incidences of associated complications reduce the effectiveness of this line of management. The contemporary armamentarium for HF management also includes pharmaceutical modulation of multiple targets and biventricular pacing. This complex array of management tools notwithstanding, OHT remains the unchallenged gold standard when it comes to long-term outcomes for patients with end-stage HF (4). The importance of effective utilization of available organs is paramount in the setting of a pronounced shortage of suitable allografts. The aim of this study was to identify the predictors of adverse 3-month outcome following heart transplantation in a tertiary-care academic center.     

Endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux in children with subureteral dextranomer/hyaluronic acid injection: a single-centre, 7-year experience

Background

The goals of medical intervention in patients with vesicoureteral reflux are to allow normal renal growth, prevent infections and pyelonephritis, and prevent renal failure. We present our experience with endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux in children by subureteral dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer injection.

Methods

Under cystoscopic guidance, dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer underneath the intravesical portion of the ureter in a subureteral or submucosal location was injected in patients undergoing endoscopic correction of vesicoureteral reflux.

Results

A total of 282 patients (120 boys and 162 girls) underwent the procedure. There were 396 refluxed ureters altogether. The mean age of patients was 4.9 years. The mean overall follow-up period was 44 months. Among the 396 ureters treated, 76% were cured with a single injection. A second and third injection raised the cure rate to 93% and 94%, respectively. Twenty-two (6%) ureters failed all 3 injections, and were converted to open surgery.

Conclusion

Endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux can be recommended as a first-line therapy for most cases of vesicoureteral reflux, because of the short hospital stay, absence of complications and the high success rate.