Histopathological changes in salivary glands after radioactive iodine treatment for thyroid diseases.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the histopathological alterations in human salivary glands after radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment for thyroid diseases. STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively selected patients with a history of RAI treatment for thyroid diseases from a database of patients who underwent surgery for oral and maxillofacial diseases and had specimens of salivary glands at Peking University School of Stomatology between December 2012 and July 2023. The patients' clinical records and histopathological slides of the salivary glands were carefully reviewed. RESULTS: Sixteen patients were included. Three symptomatic patients showed duct cell cytoplasmic vacuolization and increased numbers of disordered duct cell layers (3/3), severe duct stenosis and dilation (2/3), and exfoliated epithelial cells in the duct lumen (1/3). The glandular parenchyma showed severe acinar atrophy (2/2), fat content enhancement (2/2), and severe periductal fibrosis (3/3). Thirteen asymptomatic patients showed duct cell cytoplasmic vacuolization (5/13), acinar atrophy and increased fat content in the parenchyma (5/13), and periductal fibrosis (5/13). CONCLUSION: Main histopathologic changes in the salivary glands after RAI treatment for thyroid diseases are cytoplasmic vacuolization of duct cells, acinar atrophy, fat content enhancement, and periductal fibrosis. These changes were evident in symptomatic cases, and were also seen in some asymptomatic patients.

Comparison of epidermal growth factor expression and secretion in human salivary glands.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression and secretion of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in major and minor salivary gland tissues of human subjects and to examine the potential influence of sex and age on EGF expression and secretion. DESIGN: Saliva samples from the oral cavity at rest and after citric acid stimulation, as well as serum samples, were collected from 150 healthy subjects, and the concentrations of EGF were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and compared. The expression of EGF mRNA and protein in normal salivary gland tissues was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blot (WB), and immunohistochemistry (IHC). RESULTS: The EGF concentration in acid-stimulated saliva was significantly higher than that in resting saliva (P < 0.001), and significantly higher than that in serum (P < 0.001). No sex difference was observed in EGF levels of whole saliva and serum, whereas the EGF levels in saliva and serum were decreased with age (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). The EGF concentration and compound secretion rate (CSR) in resting submandibular glands saliva were significantly higher than those in resting parotid glands saliva (P = 0.002 and P < 0.001, respectively). The EGF was expressed in all major and minor salivary glands and ranked in order of submandibular, parotid, sublingual, and labial glands. CONCLUSION: All salivary glands have the function of secreting EGF, and the submandibular gland is the main source of salivary EGF. Aging is a factor influencing the expression and secretion of EGF.

A Review of Traditional Use, Constituent Analysis, Bioactivity, and Application of Volatile Oils from Elsholtzia.

BACKGROUND: Elsholtzia belongs to the Labiatae family, which consists of herbaceous subshrubs and shrubs. Among them, volatile oils are an important chemical component in Elsholtzia, which have various bioactive medicinal and developmental values. METHODS: The references about volatile oils of Elsholtzia in this review were obtained from Web of Science, SciFinder, PubMed, Willy, Elsevier, SpringLink, ACS publications, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, Scopus, and CNKI. The other information about Elsholtzia was obtained from classical works or ancient books. RESULTS: Traditionally, the volatile oils from Elsholtzia were used in Chinese medicine to treat cholera, abdominal pain, vomiting, and scattered edema. Relevant research revealed that Elsholtzia contains many different types of volatile oils, and most of them display bioactivities, including anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, hypolipidemic, insecticidal, and antiinflammatory activities, treating spleen and stomach. Furthermore, the applications of volatile oils were summarized and analyzed in this paper. CONCLUSION: The contents of traditional use, constituent analysis, bioactivity, and application of volatile oils from Elsholtzia were reviewed in this paper. This will provide important research value and a scientific basis for the in-depth study of the plants of Elsholtzia in the future.

Phyllanthus emblica Linn: A comprehensive review of botany, traditional uses, phytonutrients, health benefits, quality markers, and applications.

Phyllanthus emblica Linn is not only an edible fruit with high nutritional value, but also a medicinal plant with multiple bioactivities. It is widely used in clinical practice with functions of clearing heat, cooling blood, digesting food, strengthening stomach, promoting fluid production, and relieving cough. This review summarized a wide variety of phytonutrients, including nutritional components (mineral elements, amino acids, vitamins, polysaccharides, unsaturated free fatty acids) and functional components (phenolic acids (1-34), tannins (35-98), flavonoids (99-141), sterols (142-159), triterpenoids (160-175), lignans (176-183), alkaloids (184-197), alkanes (198-212), aromatic micromolecules (213-222), other compounds (223-239)). The isolated compounds and the various extracts of P. emblica Linn presented a diverse spectrum of biological activities such as anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, anti-atherosclerosis, neuroprotective, enhancing immunity, anti-fatigue, anti-myocardial fibrosis. The quality markers of P. emblica Linn were predicted and analyzed based on traditional medicinal properties, traditional efficacy, plant genealogy and chemical component characteristics, biogenic pathway of chemical components, measurability of chemical components, transformation characteristics of polyphenolic components, homologous characteristics of medicine and food, compound compatibility environment, and clinical applications. This review also summarized and prospected applications of P. emblica Linn in beverages, preserved fruits, fermented foods, etc. However, the contents of mechanism, structure-activity relationship, quality control, toxicity, extraction, processing of P. emblica Linn are not clear, and are worth further studies in the future.

Application of Botulinum Toxin at the Yonsei Point for the Treatment of Gummy Smile: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Demand for less-invasive procedures for treating gummy smile, such as botulinum toxin A injections, has increased substantially over the years. Meanwhile, the optimal injection site for botulinum toxin A injection is debated. The authors aimed to investigate the efficacy of botulinum toxin A injection at the Yonsei point for treating gummy smile. METHODS: In this double-blind, single-site, randomized clinical trial, healthy participants with a gummy smile (anterior gingival exposure of ≥3.0 mm) were enrolled and randomized (1:1 ratio) into two groups. The experimental group was administered 6 U of botulinum toxin A at the Yonsei point (a single-site injection of 3 U to the right Yonsei point and 3 U to the left Yonsei point), and the control group received the same dose in the bilateral levator labii superioris alaeque nasi muscle sites. The patients were assessed at baseline and 4, 12, 24, and 48 weeks after the first injection using a digital vernier caliper. RESULTS: A total of 49 participants were enrolled. Anterior and bilateral posterior gingival exposure were reduced at 4, 12, and 24 weeks ( P ≤ 0.05) and returned to baseline at 48 weeks in both groups; there was no difference between the groups at these time points. The increase in satisfaction among patients was significant, and few adverse events were observed. CONCLUSION: Both the Yonsei point and the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi muscle site can be used as botulinum toxin A injection sites for treating gummy smile. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, I.

Analysis of full and empty ratio of EV71 virus by using capillary zone electrophoresis.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a serious public health problem, and the main pathogen is enterovirus 71 (EV71). Its capsid assembly mechanism including capsid protein processing has been widely studied. Full and empty capsids have different immunological efficacy. Therefore, tracking full/empty capsid ratio throughout the EV71 production process is important to ensure consistent product quality and proper dosing response. The analysis of full/empty capsid ratio of intact virus has been widely reported as well. A variety of techniques have been employed to evaluate the full/empty capsid ratios. However, there has not been a rapid, reproducible, and robust assay to determine the full/empty capsid ratios of final and in-process products. In this study, a novel assay based on capillary zone electrophoresis was established. The separation of full and empty species could be achieved within 10 min and the ratio of peak areas was used to calculate the full/empty capsid ratio directly. The results showed good reproducibility and linearity for the determination of full/empty capsid ratios.

Multiple miRNA Detection through a Suspended Microbead Array Encoded by Triple-Color Upconversion Luminescent Nanotags via Bi-Beam Splitter Hybrid-Multitrap Optical Tweezers.

In recent years, optical tweezers have become a novel tool for biodetection, and to improve the inefficiency of a single trap, the development of multitraps is required. Herein, we constructed a set of hybrid multitrap optical tweezers with the balance of stability and flexibility by the combination of two different beam splitters, a diffraction optical element (DOE) and galvano mirrors (GMs), to capture polystyrene (PS) microbeads in aqueous solutions to create an 18-trap suspended array. A sandwich hybridization strategy of DNA-miRNA-DNA was adopted to detect three kinds of target miRNAs associated with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), in which different upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) with red, green, and blue emissions were applied as luminescent tags to encode the carrier PS microbeads to further indicate the levels of the targets. With encoded luminescent microbeads imaged by a three-channel microscopic system, the biodetection displayed high sensitivity with low limits of detection (LODs) of 0.27, 0.32, and 0.33 fM and exceptional linear ranges of 0.5 fM to 1 nM, 0.7 fM to 1 nM, and 1 fM to 1 nM for miR-343-3p, miR-155, and miR-199a-5p, respectively. In addition, this bead-based assay method was demonstrated to have the potential for being applied in patients' serum by satisfactory standard addition recovery experiment results.

Characteristics and management of vascular compromise after an organ transplantation surgery of the head and neck region: Analysis of 220 submandibular glands with autologous transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Microvascular submandibular gland transplantation (SMGT) for severe dry eye disease (DED) has rarely been reported in the literature. The aim of this study was to report a case series of SMGT with the special focus on monitoring and management of postoperative vascular compromise. METHODS: Using a retrospective single-cohort study design, the investigators enrolled a sample of DED patients undergoing SMGT in a Chinese university hospital during 1999 and 2021. The main outcomes were baseline and surgical data, post-operative manifestations, and surgical results. Descriptive, uni- and bivariate statistics were computed with the significant P < 0.05. RESULTS: During the study period, 220 DED patients (55.9% female) with a mean age of 32.66±14.47 years underwent SMGT. Vascular compromises occurred in 27 grafted glands (12.3%; 22 venous compromises and 5 arterial compromises) at a median of 27 h(range, 3.3 to 288 h) after surgery. Harden texture and swelling of the covering skin flap of the donor indicated venous compromises, while some specific sign was absent for arterial compromise. The accompanying vein of the facial artery (FAV) as a donor's vein was associated with less vascular compromise compared to the anterior facial vein (AFV). Timely reexploration was performed in 25 glands (92.6%), with a salvaged rate of 48%, and more venous compromises were salvaged compared to artery compromises (54.6% vs. 0%, P = 0.047). Temporary hypersecretion on postoperative 2-5 days was noticed in the grafted glands with no or salvaged vascular compromise (Schirmer's test, 35 mm/5 min and 37 mm/5 min, respectively, P = 0.749), while they were absent for the 15 surgically failed grands (Schirmer's test 0 mm/5 min, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Vascular compromise appears to be a common complication of SMGT. Postoperative hypersecretion of the grafted glands may indicate good circulation, and the use of FAV as the donor's vein could help to decrease the risk of vascular compromise.

Establishment of a Beagle Dog Model of Dry Eye Disease.

Purpose: To establish a Beagle dog model of dry eye disease (DED). Methods: DED models were induced by surgical removal of orbital lacrimal glands and entire resection of third eyelids in the left eyes of six Beagle dogs. Intact right eyes served as self-controls. Non-anaesthetized Schirmer test (STT), tear break-up time (TBUT), and fluorescein staining grading were performed monthly after operation. Interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-8, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were detected in tears and conjunctiva tissues. Six months after surgery, conjunctiva and cornea were collected and histopathologically analyzed. Results: Signs of DED appeared within one month after surgery and then remained stable. STT values were significantly reduced by 88% within 3 weeks after operation and remained stable over months with 1.6 ± 0.4 mm. Mean TBUT decreased significantly within two months after operation and maintained 5.2 ± 1.1 seconds. The mean fluorescein staining score was highest at the first month and then was reduced, eventually reaching a balance with 11.0 ± 1.3 points. Elevated levels of IL-1ß, IL-8, IL-10, and TNF-α were detected in tears and conjunctivas of operated eyes. Hematoxylin and eosin staining showed cornea neovascularization in the corneal stroma with thickened stroma layer and disorganized collagen bundles. Periodic acid-Schiff staining revealed a reduced function of conjunctival goblet cells. Conclusions: A combined type of DED model on the Beagle dog was established by removal of the orbital lacrimal gland and resection of the third eyelid. This DED model is easily accessible and is stable at six-month observation. Translational Relevance: The surgery-induced Beagle dog DED model is easily accessible and stable over a relatively long time.

Relationship between Iron Metabolic Parameters and Platelet Counts in Blood Donors / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the correlation of iron metabolic parameters with platelet counts in blood donors.@*METHODS@#A total of 400 blood donors who met requirements of apheresis platelet donation were collected, and their hematological parameters were analyzed. The donors were divided into low ferritin group and normal group, the differences of hematological parameters between the two groups were compared, and the correlation of iron metabolic parameters and routine hematology parameters with platelet counts were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#Whether male or female, low ferritin group had higher platelet counts than normal group (P < 0.01). Among the iron metabolic parameters, the platelet counts was negatively correlated with serum ferritin (SF), serum iron (SI), and transferrin saturation (TSAT) (r =-0.162, r =-0.153, r =-0.256), and positively correlated with total iron binding capacity (TIBC) and unsaturated iron binding capacity (UIBC) (r =0.219, r =0.294) in female blood donors. Platelet counts was also negatively correlated with SF, SI and TSAT (r =-0.188, r =-0.148, r =-0.224) and positively correlated with UIBC (r =0.220) in male blood donors. Among the routine hematology parameters, platelet counts was negatively correlated with mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent (Ret-He) in female blood donors (r =-0.236, r =-0.267, r =-0.213, r =-0.284). Platelet counts was also negatively correlated with MCH, MCHC and Ret-He in male blood donors (r =-0.184, r =-0.221, r =-0.209).@*CONCLUSION@#In blood donors with low C-reactive protein level, the lower the iron store capacity, the lower the iron utilization, and the platelet counts tends to rise.

Mechanism of Gentisic Acid on Rheumatoid Arthritis Based on miR-19b-3p/RAF1 Axis / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the therapeutic effect of gentisic acid (GA) on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) based on the miR-19b-3p/RAF1 axis.@*METHODS@#The cell counting kit-8 method was used to detect the growth inhibitory effect of different concentrations of GA on MH7A cells, and the drug concentration of GA was determined in the experiment. The quantificational real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of miR-19b-3p and RAF1. RAF1, extracellular regulated protein kinases1/2 (ERK1/2) and phospho-ERK1/2 (p-ERK1/2) were examined by Western blotting. Three methods (dual-luciferase assay, qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis) were used to verify miR-19b-3p targeting RAF1. Flow cytometry was performed to detect MH7A cell apoptosis. Transwell and wound healing assays were used to determine the invasion and migration capacities of MH7A cells.@*RESULTS@#The growth of MH7A cells was gradually inhibited with increasing GA concentration. When the GA concentration exceeded 80 mmol/L, GA was significantly cytotoxic to MH7A cells, so the half maximal inhibitory concentration of GA for MH7A cells was calculated as 67.019 mmol/L. GA upregulated miR-19b-3p expression, downregulated RAF1 expression, inhibited ERK1/2 phosphorylation, induced MH7A cell apoptosis and suppressed MH7A cell invasion and migration (P<0.05 or P<0.01). RAF1 was identified as the target of miR-19b-3p and reversed inhibitory effects on miR-19b-3p expression (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The miR-19b-3p inhibitor upregulated RAF1 expression and ERK1/2 phosphorylation, suppressed MH7A cell apoptosis and induced MH7A cell invasion and migration (P<0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#GA regulated miR-19b-3p/RAF1 axis to mediate ERK pathway and inhibit the development of RA.

Utility of microcytic anemia factor and low hemoglobin density in the diagnosis of iron deficiency in blood donors / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective:The study was planned to evaluate the clinical utility of microcytic anemia factor (MAF) and low hemoglobin density (LHD%) in the screening of iron deficiency in blood donors.Methods:A total of 400 blood donors, 200 male and 200 female, were randomly admitted to Fujian Blood Center from January1, 2022 to February 28, 2022 by the way of stratified sampling. According to the fourth edition of Diagnostic and therapeutic criteria for hematological diseases, the patients were divided into three groups: normal group (N=299), iron depletion group (ID, n=54) and iron deficient erythropoiesis group (IDE, n=47), Blood routine indexes including hemoglobin (HGB), mean corpuscular volume hemoglobin (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin content (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and iron metabolism indexes including serum ferritin (SF), serum iron (SI), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), transferrin saturation (TS) and unsaturated iron binding capacity (UIBC) were measured, MAF and LHD% were calculated by formula.One-way ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis H tests were used to analyze the differences among three groups. Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between MAF and LHD% and iron metabolism indexes.The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluated the diagnostic value of MCH, MCHC, MAF and LHD% for iron deficiency in blood donors. Results:MAF in ID group which was 11.81±0.81 were higher than the IDE group which was 10.69±0.95 and lower than the healthy group which was 13.17±1.24, the total difference among the three groups was statistically significant ( F=110.784, P<0.001), the difference between two groups was statistically significant ( P<0.01); LHD% in ID group which was 2.61 (1.87, 3.91)% were lower than the IDE group which was5.60(2.99, 8.02)% and higher than the healthy group which was1.74 (1.22, 2.73)%, the total difference among the three groups was statistically significant ( H=62.166, P<0.001), the difference between two groups was statistically significant ( P<0.01).In 101 iron deficiency blood donors, Spearman correlation analysis showed that MAF was positively correlated with SF, SI and TS ( r=0.426, P<0.01; r=0.547, P<0.01; r=0.566, P<0.01);contrarily, LHD% was negatively correlated with SF, SI and TS ( r=-0.397, P<0.01; r=-0.400, P<0.01; r=-0.479, P<0.01).The areas under the ROC curve of MCH, MCHC, MAF and LHD% diagnostic ID were 0.745, 0.646, 0.819 and 0.646, respectively;the cut-off value of MAF was 12.56, with a sensitivity of 67.90% and a specificity of 83.30%.While the areas under the ROC curve of MCH, MCHC, MAF and LHD% diagnostic IDE were 0.901, 0.834, 0.941 and 0.834, respectively; the cut-off value of MAF was 11.73, with a sensitivity of 87.60% and a specificity of 87.20%. Conclusions:MAF performed a high diagnostic value of iron deficiency, especially IDE, and can be used as a marker in the diagnosis of iron deficiency in blood donors.

Effect of High-Concentration Uric Acid on Nitric Oxide / 中国医学科学院学报

Uric acid (UA) is the final product of purine metabolism in human body,and its metabolic disorder will induce hyperuricemia (HUA).The occurrence and development of HUA are associated with a variety of pathological mechanisms such as oxidative stress injury,activation of inflammatory cytokines,and activation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.These mechanisms directly or indirectly affect the bioavailability of endogenous nitric oxide (NO).The decrease in NO bioavailability is common in the diseases with high concentration of UA as an independent risk factor.In this review,we summarize the mechanisms by which high concentrations of UA affect the endogenous NO bioavailability,with a focus on the mechanisms of high-concentration UA in decreasing the synthesis and/or increasing the consumption of NO.This review aims to provide references for alleviating the multisystem symptoms and improving the prognosis of HUA,and lay a theoretical foundation for in-depth study of the correlations between HUA and other metabolic diseases.

Analysis of hematological parameters in male plateletpheresis donors / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To investigate the variation of hematological parameters in male plateletpheresis donors. 【Methods】 A total of 194 male plateletpheresis donors from Fujian Blood Center were divided into two groups according to the frequency of blood donation: Group 1 (n=107), with the number of plateletpheresis donation less than or equal to 12 per year; Group 2 (n=87), with the number of plateletpheresis donation more than 12 per year. Serum ferritin (SF) and related iron metabolism indexes, red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit(Hct), platelet count (Plt) and other blood routine indexes, as well as percentage of reticulocyte counts (RET%), immature reticulocyte fraction(IRF) and other reticulocyte indexes were measured before blood donation and analyzed by statistical methods. 【Results】 Compared with Group 2, the RBC, Hb, Hct, SF in Group 1 were significantly higher, while Plt, RET%and IRF were significantly lower(P<0.05), and the probability of ferritin decrease in Group 1 was lower, with significant difference(P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 As the number of donation increased, male plateletpheresis donors were prone to iron deficiency, and the bone marrow hematopoiesis were obviously enhanced. We should be more concerned about male plateletpheresis donors who donated more than 12 times per year, further more, SF monitoring should be conducted and the blood donation interval should be appropriately extended.

Recent advances on pharmacological effect and safety of Ampelopsis grossedentata / 中国药房

Ampelopsis grossedentata as a traditional medicinal plant， has many pharmacological effects. Pharmacological effects and possible mechanisms are summarized in this paper based on the research progress of A. grossedentata at home and abroad in recent years， involving digestive system （treating liver injury and improving intestinal flora imbalance）， endocrine system （treating hyperglycemia， hyperlipidemia and hyperuricemia）， cardiovascular system （treating hypertension， vascular injury， myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and myocardial hypertrophy）， immune system （anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor） and nervous system （adjuvant treatment for chronic degenerative diseases）. By summarizing the animal acute toxicity test， long-term toxicity test and cell test results of A. grossedentata in the literature， it is confirmed that its safety is good.

Kurarinone alleviates hemin-induced neuroinflammation and microglia-mediated neurotoxicity by shifting microglial M1/M2 polarization via regulating the IGF1/PI3K/Akt signaling.

Cerebral hemorrhage is a fatal disease that causes severe damage to local nerve function. The purpose of this research is to analyze the effect of kurarinone on hemin-induced neuroinflammation and neurotoxicity. In our study, according to the results of bioinformatics analysis, we hypothesized that kurarinone might modulate cerebral hemorrhage advancement via the insulin-like growth factor 1/phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (IGF1/PI3K/Akt) signaling. Kurarinone promoted M2 microglia polarization, and curbed M1 polarization and inflammation in human microglial cells (HMC3) cells with hemin treatment. Besides, kurarinone upregulated IGF1 expression and activated the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in hemin-treated HMC3 cells. In addition, downregulation of IGF1 or inhibition of the PI3K/Akt signaling weakened the effects of kurarinone on microglia polarization and inflammation in HMC3 cells with hemin treatment. Kurarinone alleviated apoptosis and oxidative damage of SH-SY5Y cells co-cultured with hemin-treated HMC3 cells. In conclusion, kurarinone lessened hemin-induced neuroinflammation and microglia-mediated neurotoxicity by regulating microglial polarization through modulating the IGF1/PI3K/Akt signaling. These results delivered a new prospective therapeutic drug for the treatment of cerebral hemorrhage.

Submandibular Gland Transplantation vs Minor Salivary Glands Transplantation for Treatment of Dry Eye: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: To compare submandibular gland (SMG) transplantation with minor salivary gland (MSG) transplantation for the treatment of different dry eye diseases (DED). DESIGN: Retrospective clinical cohort study. METHODS: A total of 73 refractory DED eyes were divided into 3 groups. Group A comprised 35 end-stage DED eyes that underwent SMG transplantation. Group B comprised 20 end-stage DED eyes with MSG transplantation. Group C comprised 18 non-end-stage DED eyes with MSG transplantation. Schirmer test (ST), tear break-up time (TBUT), corneal fluorescein staining (FL), and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were measured before and after surgery. RESULTS: Hospital length of stay, length of operation, and hospital fee were significantly higher in group A than in group B or C. Eyes in group A showed the most severe DED disease, with preoperative ST, TBUT, FL, and BCVA of 0.36 mm per 5 minutes, 0.03 seconds, 10.97, and 0.11, respectively, which improved significantly to 20.23 mm per 5minutes, 1.74 seconds, 7.58, and 0.2 at >2-year follow-up. Group B had similar baseline data, and significant but limited improvement only in the ST (0.55 mm per 5 minutes to 3.79 mm per 5 minutes) and FL (11.10 to 9.58) after the operation. Group C had better baseline ST, TBUT, FL, and BCVA of 0.89 mm per 5min, 3.49 seconds, 1.83, and 0.81, respectively, which improved significantly (except for BCVA) to 9.35 mm per 5min, 9.08 s, 0.53, and 0.89 after MSG transplantation. CONCLUSION: SMG transplantation could be recommended to treat end-stage refractory DED. MSG transplantation may provide satisfying results for refractory DED with relatively less severe impairment of the eye.

Mechanisms of the end-plate potential noise and its implication for the neuromuscular junction anatomy.

We construct a compact model to mimic the membrane voltage response to the concentration of acetylcholine ([ACh]) which is mediated by the stochastic gating of acetylcholine (ACh) receptors. The patterns of the voltage depolarization against [ACh] as well as the accompanying voltage noises are presented. The mechanism of the voltage fluctuation that caused by the stochastic gating of receptors is explained. We consider that our results explain the frequently observed "end-plate (potential) noise" in physiology and electromyographic literature. These results, together with the requirements of evolution pressure on the motor units, explain reasonably the anatomical structure of the neuromuscular junction.

The preparation of polyclonal antibody against chlordimeform and establishment of detection by indirect competitive ELISA.

Objective: Chlordimeform is a chemical pesticide that is highly carcinogenic and toxic. The purpose of this study was to establish an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method for the detection of chlordimeform in aquaculture and fish farming. METHODS: Chlordimeform was coupled with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and ovalbumin (OVA) as carrier proteins. A chlordimeform-BSA conjugate was used as an immunogen, and chlordimeform-OVA was used as a coating antigen. Chlordimeform-BSA was used to immunize rabbits, and a polyclonal antibody was prepared. An indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (IC-ELISA) was established to detect chlordimeform. RESULTS: The working range of the established IC-ELISA method for chlordimeform detection was 1-20 ng/mL. The IC50 was 3.126 ng/mL, and the lower limit of detection (LOD) of chlordimeform was 0.637 ng/mL. The recovery of chlordimeform from spiked water samples ranged from 81% to 107%. CONCLUSION: An anti-chlordimeform polyclonal antibody was successfully developed, and a novel IC-ELISA was established to detect chlordimeform in aquaculture.