Clinical observation of macular grid photocoagulation before cataract surgery for diabetes patients with diffuse macular edema

AIM: To explore the effects and reliability of macular grid photocoagulation before cataract surgery for diabetes patients with diffuse macular edema.<p>METHODS: A total of 30 patients(40 eyes)were enrolled in the study. All the patients were randomly divided into two groups: group A: 20 eyes were treated with macular grid photocoagulation before cataract surgery; group B: 20 eyes were treated with cataract surgery only. <p>RESULTS: The patients treated with macular grid photocoagulation before cataract surgery. Postoperative visual acuity was improved, the edema of macular decreased. The patients treated with cataract surgery only, visual acuity showed no evident change and macular edema remained stable or creased. <p>CONCLUSION: Macular grid photocoagulation before cataract surgery for diabetes patients can improve the outcome and vision of the patients

(E)-1-(4-Bromo­phen­yl)-3-(2-fur­yl)prop-2-en-1-one

In the title compound, C13H9BrO2, the benzene and furan rings form a dihedral angle of 44.35 (14)°. The crystal packing exhibits no significantly short inter­molecular contacts

Expression of CD147 on monocytes/macrophages in rheumatoid arthritis: its potential role in monocyte accumulation and matrix metalloproteinase production

Monocytes/macrophages play an important role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis. They can activate fibroblasts through many molecules, including IL-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, but there have been very few reports on the role of CD147 in RA. In our study, the results of flow cytometry reveal that the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of CD147 expression on CD14+ monocytes of peripheral blood from RA patients was higher than that in normal control and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients. The MFI of CD147 expression on the CD14+ monocytes in RA synovial fluid was higher than that in RA peripheral blood. Immunohistochemical staining shows that CD147 expression in RA synovium correlated with matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 expression. A double immunofluorescent assay shows that CD147 was expressed on CD68+ cells in RA synovium. The potential role of CD147 in cyclophilin A (CyPA)-mediated cell migration was studied using a chemotaxis assay in vitro and it was found that the addition of anti-CD147 antibody or a CD147 antagonistic peptide significantly decreased the chemotactic index of the mononuclear cells. The role of CD147 in MMP production and cell invasion in vitro were studied through the co-culture of human CD14+ monocytes or monocytic line THP-1 cells and human fibroblasts, as well as by gel zymography and an invasion assay. Significantly elevated release and activation of MMP-9 and/or MMP-2 were seen in the co-culture of human monocytes/THP-1 cells and fibroblasts compared with cultures of the cells alone. An increased number of cells invading through the filters in the invasion assays was also observed in the co-cultured cells. The addition of CD147 antagonistic peptide had some inhibitory effect, not only on MMP production but also on cell invasion in the co-culture. Our study demonstrates that the increased expression of CD147 on monocytes/macrophages in RA may be responsible for elevated MMP secretion, cell invasion and CyPA-mediated cell migration into the joints, all of which may contribute to the cartilage and bone destruction of RA. These findings, together with a better understanding of CD147, CyPA and RA, will help in the development of innovative therapeutic interventions for RA

Progressive decay of Ca2+ homeostasis in the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND: Cardiac dysfunction in diabetic cardiomyopathy may be associated with abnormal Ca(2+) homeostasis. This study investigated the effects of alterations in Ca(2+) homeostasis and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-associated proteins on cardiac function in the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy. METHODS: Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups (n = 12, each): a control group, and streptozotocin-induced rat models of diabetes groups, examined after 4, 8, or 12 weeks. Evaluations on cardiac structure and function were performed by echocardiography and hemodynamic examinations, respectively. Cardiomyocytes were isolated and spontaneous Ca(2+) spark images were formed by introducing fluorescent dye Fluo-4 and obtained with confocal scanning microscopy. Expressions of Ca(2+)-associated proteins were assessed by Western blotting. RESULTS: Echocardiography and hemodynamic measurements revealed that cardiac dysfunction is associated with the progression of diabetes, which also correlated with a gradual but significant decline in Ca(2+) spark frequency (in the 4-, 8- and 12-week diabetic groups). However, Ca(2+) spark decay time constants increased significantly, relative to the control group. Expressions of ryanodine receptor 2 (RyR2), sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-2ATPase (SERCA) and Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger (NCX1) were decreased, together with quantitative alterations in Ca(2+)regulatory proteins, FKBP12.6 and phospholamban progressively and respectively in the diabetic rats. CONCLUSIONS: Ca(2+) sparks exhibited a time-dependent decay with progression of diabetic cardiomyopathy, which may partly contribute to cardiac dysfunction. This abnormality may be attributable to alterations in the expressions of some Ca(2+)-associated proteins

2-(4-Dimethyl­amino-2-hydroxy­benzoyl)benzoic acid methanol solvate

In the title compound, C16H15NO4·CH4O, the dihedral angle between the benzene rings is 75.21 (5)°. The structure is stabilized by an intra­molecular O—H⋯O inter­action [O⋯O = 2.589 (2) Å]. The solvent mol­ecule links symmetry-related mol­ecules of the complex via hydrogen bonds with O⋯O separations of 2.631 (2) and 2.815 (2) Å. C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds are also present

A Deafness Mechanism of Digenic Cx26 (\u3cem\u3eGJB2\u3c/em\u3e) and Cx30 (\u3cem\u3eGJB6\u3c/em\u3e) Mutations: Reduction of Endocochlear Potential by Impairment of Heterogeneous Gap Junctional Function in the Cochlear Lateral Wall

Digenic Connexin26 (Cx26, GJB2) and Cx30 (GJB6) heterozygous mutations are the second most frequent cause of recessive deafness in humans. However, the underlying deafness mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we created different double Cx26 and Cx30 heterozygous (Cx26+/−/Cx30+/−) mouse models to investigate the underlying pathological changes and deafness mechanism. We found that double Cx26+/−/Cx30+/− heterozygous mice had hearing loss. Endocochlear potential (EP), which is a driving force for hair cells producing auditory receptor current, was reduced. However, unlike Cx26 homozygous knockout (Cx26−/−) mice, the cochlea in Cx26+/−/Cx30+/− mice displayed normal development and had no apparent hair cell degeneration. Gap junctions (GJs) in the cochlea form two independent networks: the epithelial cell GJ network in the organ of Corti and the connective tissue GJ network in the cochlear lateral wall. We further found that double heterozygous deletion of Cx26 and Cx30 in the epithelial cells did not reduce EP and had normal hearing, suggesting that Cx26+/−/Cx30+/− may mainly impair gap junctional functions in the cochlear lateral wall and lead to EP reduction and hearing loss. Most of Cx26 and Cx30 in the cochlear lateral wall co-expressed in the same gap junctional plaques. Moreover, sole Cx26+/− or Cx30+/− heterozygous mice had no hearing loss. These data further suggest that digenic Cx26 and Cx30 mutations may impair heterozygous coupling of Cx26 and Cx30 in the cochlear lateral wall to reduce EP, thereby leading to hearing loss

Medical personnel to the implementation of patient care integration management pattern recognition

目的  调查医护人员对实施医护一体化共同管理病人模式的认可程度，寻找实施过程中存在的问题，以更好的提高病人的管理质量，得到患者的认可。方法  对本院各抽取2个科所有医、护、技术人员共63名医护人员进行问卷调查。结果  100%的医护人员知晓科室目前开展了医护一体化工作模式，医护一体化小组的成员组成，熟悉医护一体化工作模式的流程，人员的岗位职责及认为实施医护一体化工作模式后医、护、技工作配合更加默契。98.7%医护人员认为实施医护一体化工作模式后病人的医疗护理质量得到明显提高。98%的医护人员认为实施医护一体化管理病人模式后自我效能感得到明显提高。97.8%自我管理病人的能力得到提高且认同实施医护一体化工作模式。结论  医护一体化管理病人模式的实施提高了医护人员的工作积极性，拓展了知识，提高了临床思维能力，得到了广大医护人员的认可。同时还应加大宣传、培训的力度，使更多的医护人员了解医护一体化的益处。Objective: To Investigate the implementation of management mode among the medical personnel, to find the existing problems in the implementation process, to manage better quality accepted by patients. Methods: Set a total of 63 questionnaires for all the medical technical personnel. Results: 100% staffs know that now integration mode is carried out in the department, member of medical integration group, familiar with the medical work pattern of the integration process, the post responsibility, and the implementation of medical integration of medical integration made. Doctors and nurses technicians work with more understanding. 98.7% staff believes that the quality of medical care of the patient was obviously improved after the implementation of medical integration work mode. 98% the medical staff believes that self-efficacy has been improved obviously. 97.8% the medical staff think that self-management ability of patients is improved and the implementation of the medical integration mode identification. Conclusion: The implementation model of integrated management of patient care improves the medical staffs’ activeness, expanding knowledge, improving the clinical thinking ability, the majority of doctors and nurses recognition. At the same time publicity and training should be enhanced so that more medical personnel understand the medical integration efforts

WC@meso-Pt core–shell nanostructures for fuel cells

We developed a facile method to synthesize core–shell WC@meso-Pt nanocatalysts by carburizing ammonium tungstate and copper nitrate via gas–solid reactions, followed by a Pt replacement reaction. The mesoporous nanocomposite displays higher activity and stability towards methanol electrooxidation than commercial Pt/C catalysts