Clinical efficacy of Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation combined with 23-gauge vitrectomy for medically uncontrolled neovascular glaucoma with proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

AIM: To describe the clinical results of combined Ahmed valve implantation and 23-gauge vitrectomy for medically uncontrolled neovascular glaucoma (NVG) secondary to proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). METHODS: The medical records of medically uncontrolled NVG patients with PDR who underwent Ahmed valve implantation and 23-gauge vitrectomy between March 2016 and December 2018 were reviewed. Enrolled patients had at least 6-month follow-up. Panretinal photocoagulation (PRP), anti-vascular endothelial growth factor, surgery and medication history were documented. RESULTS: Eleven eyes of 11 patients were included in our study. The visual acuity improved in 8 eyes and remained unchanged in 3 eyes. The preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) was significantly decreased at the last follow-up (48.8±4.3 to 17.0±1.5 mm Hg, P<0.001). All eyes needed three topical anti-glaucomatous medications before surgery, but the number was significantly reduced to 0.72±0.19 at the last visit (P<0.001). Four eyes had choroidal detachment and 3 eyes had minor hyphemia, all of which gradually resolved without treatments in one week. CONCLUSION: Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation combined with 23-gauge vitrectomy might be a safe and alternative treatment for NVG with PDR.

Interferon-γ suppresses the proliferation and migration of human placenta-derived mesenchmal stromal cells and enhances their ability to induce the generation of CD4+CXCR5+Foxp3+Treg subset.

We investigate the effects of interferon (IFN)-γ on human placenta-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hPMSCs), in particular, their adhesion, proliferation and migration and modulatory effects on the CD4+CXCR5+Foxp3+Treg subset. And we compared hPMSCs ability to induce the generation of different Treg subsets in response to treatment with IFN-γ. We found that IFN-γ suppressed the proliferation and migration for hPMSCs. The ability of hPMSCs to induce the generation of CD4+CXCR5+Foxp3+Treg subset was enhanced by IFN-γ. And maximal effectiveness of IFN-γ treated hPMSCs upon inducing the generation of Treg subsets was for CD4+CXCR5+Foxp3+Treg subset as compared with that of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+, CD8+CD25+Foxp3+, CD4+IL-10+ and CD8+IL-10+Treg subsets. These results have important implications for the development and application of hPMSCs in clinical use.

WSKY, a traditional Chinese decoction, rescues cognitive impairment associated with NMDA receptor antagonism by enhancing BDNF/ERK/CREB signaling.

Warm­supplementing kidney yang (WSKY) is an herbal prescription that has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for the treatment of psychiatric conditions. A previous study by our group found that WSKY significantly improved cognitive function of schizophrenia patients. In the present study, the effects of WSKY on cognitive function and their underlying mechanisms were investigated. WSKY was administered to an MK­801­induced rat model of chronic schizophrenia for 14 days. Memory performance was assessed using the Morris water maze (MWM) test. The expression of brain­derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), activation of cAMP response element binding protein (pCREB/CREB) and activation of extracellular signal­regulated kinase (pERK/ERK) in the hippocampus was detected using western blot analysis. In the acquisition phase of the MWM test, the escape latency was significantly increased in the MK­801­treated group compared with the normal control group (P<0.01). Treatment with WSKY for 14 days at doses of 100 or 250 mg/kg rescued this cognitive impairment (P<0.05). In the probe test, 250 mg/kg WSKY treatment increased the time spent in the target quadrant (P<0.05) and number of platform crossings (P<0.01). Western blot analysis demonstrated that the levels of BDNF expression in the hippocampus of rats without behavioral tests were elevated following 14 days of WSKY treatment, and the effect of WSKY treatment on hippocampal BDNF expression was presented in an inverted U­shaped dose­response pattern. The pERK1/2 in the hippocampus was significantly enhanced following 100 mg/kg (P<0.01) and 250 mg/kg (P<0.01) WSKY treatment, while only 250 mg/kg WSKY increased the phosphorylation of CREB (P<0.01). The results of the present study indicated that WSKY enhances cognitive performance via the upregulation of BDNF/ERK/CREB signaling, and that WSKY has potential therapeutic implications for cognitive impairment of schizophrenia.

[Effects of angiotensin-(1-7) on oxidative stress and functional changes of isolated rat hearts induced by ischemia-reperfusion].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of angiotensin (Ang)-(1-7) on oxidative stress and functional changes in isolated rat hearts with myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. METHODS: IR injury was induced in isolated rat hearts with the Langendorff' apparatus. The left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) of the rat heart was measured using a pressure transducer. Malondialdehyde (MDA) level and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the myocardium were detected using commercial kits. RESULTS: Myocardial ischemia (15 min) and reperfusion (30 min) significantly increased myocardial levels of MDA, and reduced the SOD activity and LVSP (P<0.05). Pretreatment with Ang-(1-7) at 1.0 nmol/L 30 min before ischemia obviously inhibited IR-induced MDA increment and lowering of SOD activity and LVSP. Pretreatment of the rats with intraperitoneal injection of 5 mg/kg indomethacin 1 h before isolation of the heart markedly antagonized the effect of Ang-(1-7) on MDA production, SOD activity and LVSP. CONCLUSION: Angiotensin-(1-7) can inhibit IR injury-induced oxidative stress and decrease in cardiac contractile function in isolated rat hearts. The mechanism underlying the effect of Ang-(1-7) may be associated with increased secretion of prostaglandin.

[Study on the preparation of resveratrol chitosan nanoparticles with free amino groups on the surface].

OBJECTIVE: To prepare resveratrol chitosan nanoparticles with free amine groups on the surface so as to conjugate ligands, which will actively target to special tissues or organs. METHOD: The chitosan nanoparticles with free amine on the surface was prepared by sodium chloride precipitation. Nanoparticles with different solidification degrees were studied on turbidity, in vitro release, encapsulation efficiency, drug loading and diameter. RESULT: The turbidity of nanoparticles with various solidification degrees decreased at different rates after ultrasonic or water bath heating treatment. All nanoparticles mentioned above obviously shew sustained release. The rate of release was slowed down with the increase of solidification agents. Solidification had no obvious effects on the encapsulation efficiency and drug loading. The diameter of chitosan nanoparticles with 200 microL solidification agents was 487 nm. The polydispersion was 0.144. CONCLUSION: The diameter of the prepared nanoparticles was relatively small. The amine on the surface was free, which offered the possibility of designing the acive target drug delivery system.

[Transgenic cotton plants of chitinase and glucanase genes and their performance of resistance to Verticillium dahliea].

The two disease-resistance genes chitinase and glucanase, which were respectively directed by commelina yellow mottle virus promoter (CoYMV, vascular specific) and CaMV35S promoter, were introduced into cotton genome via Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Transgenic plants were obtained from two popularly cultivated varieties Jihe321 and CRIC35. After screening by spraying kanamycin over unfolding leaves, the kanamycin resistance (KmR) plants were tested by PCR and Southern blot. The results showed that there were one or two inserts of transgenes in cotton genome. Performance test of resistance of T3 families in field and greenhouse showed that seven lines were resistant or tolerant to Verticillium dahliea. Meanwhile, the resistance at seedling stage in greenhouse was in accordance with that at the boll-setting stage in field. Among the seven lines, D9910, D9915 and D9919 had a disease resistance index of 6.5, 9.4 and 9.5, respectively in field, which showed a high resistance level. Genetics analysis of the three lines showed a classical Mendelian pattern of one pair of genes, which meant that each of the three lines contains one copy of transgene. Southern blotting also confirmed the copy number of inserts.

[A study on introduction of chitinase gene and beta-1,3-glucanase gene into restorer line of dian-type hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.) and enhanced resistance to blast (Magnaporthe grisea)].

Plasmid pBLGC containing chitinase gene from Phaseolus limensis and beta-1,3-glucanase gene from Nicotiana tabacum was bombarded into the restorer line "Nan29" of Dian-type hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L. ssp. japonica) from Yunnan province of South-west China. 93 regenerants were obtained from the calli that were resistant to G418 (100 to 150 mg/L) on NB medium. Using beta-1,3 glucanase gene as the probe, 17 of the regenerants were identified to be transgenic lines by dot blotting and the foreign genes construction were integrated into the genomes of T1 lines by Southern blotting hybridization. Two foreign genes were inherited stably to T4 generation according to PCR results of the lines. The resistance to rice blast of six transgenic lines were evaluated by inoculating four violent biological races of Magnaporthe grisea from Yunnan province and inducing the disease in the field. The results indicated that the resistance to rice blast of transgenic lines were enhanced to varying degrees compared with the receptor line and the transgenic lines could be used in rice blast resistant breeding.

Chloroplast transformation in oilseed rape.

The chloroplast transformation vector pNRAB carries two expression cassettes for the spectinomycin resistance gene aadA and the insect resistance gene cry1Aa10. The two cassettes are sited between the rps7 and ndhB targeting fragments. Biolistic delivery of the vector DNA, followed by spectinomycin selection, yielded chloroplast transformants at a frequency of four in 1000 bombarded cotyledon petioles. PCR analysis and Southern blot of PCR products confirmed the site-specific integration of aadA and cry1Aa10 into the chloroplast genomes of transgenic oilseed rape. When transgenic oilseed rape leaves were fed to second instar Plutella xylostera larvae, 47% mortality was observed against this insect and the surviving larvae had significantly lower weight than the control. This is the first report of chloroplast transformation in oilseed rape and the introduction of novel genes between the rps7 and ndhB genes in the chloroplast genome. This offers an opportunity for improvement of oilseed rape by chloroplast genetic engineering.

[Recent advances in research on disease resistance genes in defence system of plant].

This review comments on recent advances in research of disease resistance genes(R Genes) in defence system of plants. The R genes cloned up to date are summarized and classified roughly into four classes listed in the Table 1. The location and the function of the R proteins, i.e., the expressed products of different R genes in the cells are reviewed. In addition, the polymorphism of coding region of R genes, the different fashions of R gene arrangement on the chromosomes, and the evolution and origin of R genes are discussed.