Comparison of form-deprived myopia and lens-induced myopia in guinea pigs

<b>AIM:</b> To study the efficacy difference between form-deprived myopia (FDM) and lens-induced myopia (LIM), the degree of myopia, axial length and pathological changes of the posterior sclera from guinea pigs were evaluated.<b>METHODS:</b> Four-week pigmented guinea pigs were randomly assigned into 3 groups, including normal control (<i>n</i>=6), FDM group with monocular cover (<i>n</i>=11) and LIM group with monocular -7D lens treatment (<i>n</i>=11). FDM group was form-deprived while LIM group was lens-induced for 14 d. Refractive error and axial length were measured prior to and post treatment, respectively. Morphological changes of sclera were examined using both light and electronic microscopes.<b>RESULTS:</b> After 14d treatment, refractive errors for FDM group and LIM group were -3.05±0.71D and -2.12±1.29D, respectively, which were significantly more myopic than that of normal controls and fellow control eyes (<i>P</i>&lt;0.01). As for axial length, it was 7.93±0.03 mm for FDM group and 7.89±0.06 mm for LIM group, which were significantly longer than both normal and fellow controls (<i>P</i>&lt;0.01). With respect to both refractory error and axial length, the differences between FDM group and LIM group were not significant (<i>P</i>&gt;0.05). Under light microscope, both FDM group and LIM group showed thinned sclera, disarrangement of fibrosis and enlarged disassociation between fibers. Consistently, ultrastructural examination showed degenerated fibroblasts and thinned fibers in posterior sclera.<b>CONCLUSION:</b>Following two weeks of myopia induction in guinea pigs, with regard to the degree of myopia, axial length and pathological alterations, there was no significant difference between FDM and LIM models. Therefore, FDM and LIM are equally effective and useful as a model of experimental myopia and guinea pigs are ideal animals for induction of experimental myopia because their high sensitivity to both form-deprivation and lens-induction

Characterization of a new feather-degrading bacterium from Calotes versicolor feces

A total of 842 spore-forming strains were isolated from 221 animal feces samples, in which a new feather-degrading bacterium identified as Bacillus sp. 50-3 based on morphological, biochemical and 16S rDNA tests was isolated from Calotes versicolor (an agamid lizard) feces. The bacterium can degrade native feather completely at mild conditions and in much shorter time (36 h) when using chicken feather as the sole carbon and nitrogen source. It presented optimum growth and maximum keratinase activity (680±25 U/ml, 36 h) at 37°C and pH 7.0 in feather meal medium. The keratinase of Bacillus sp. 50-3 was active on feather keratin as substrate and presented optimum additive quantity of 1.0% (w/v). So the high efficiency of Bacillus sp. 50-3 on feather-degradation suggested its potential use in biotechnological processes, especially in decreasing the environment pollution.Keywords: Animal feces, Bacillus, chicken feathers, keratinase, optimum conditions

Pretreatment of microcrystalline cellulose in organic electrolyte solutions for enzymatic hydrolysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previous studies have shown that the crystalline structure of cellulose is negatively correlated with enzymatic digestibility, therefore, pretreatment is required to break down the highly ordered crystalline structure in cellulose, and to increase the porosity of its surface. In the present study, an organic electrolyte solution (OES) composed of an ionic liquid (1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([AMIM]Cl)) and an organic solvent (dimethyl sulfoxide; DMSO) was prepared, and used to pretreat microcrystalline cellulose for subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis; to our knowledge, this is the first time that this method has been used.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Microcrystalline cellulose (5 wt%) rapidly dispersed and then completely dissolved in an OES with a molar fraction of [AMIM]Cl per OES (χ _[AMIM]Cl) of greater than or equal to 0.2 at 110°C within 10 minutes. The cellulose was regenerated from the OES by precipitation with hot water, and enzymatically hydrolyzed. As the χ _[AMIM]Clof the OES increased from 0.1 to 0.9, both the hydrolysis yield and initial hydrolysis rate of the regenerated cellulose also increased gradually. After treatment using OES with χ _[AMIM]Clof 0.7, the glucose yield (54.1%) was 7.2 times that of untreated cellulose. This promotion of hydrolysis yield was mainly due to the decrease in the degree of crystallinity (that is, the crystallinity index of cellulose I).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>An OES of [AMIM]Cl and DMSO with χ _[AMIM]Clof 0.7 was chosen for cellulose pretreatment because it dissolved cellulose rapidly to achieve a high glucose yield (54.1%), which was only slightly lower than the value (59.6%) obtained using pure [AMIM]Cl. OES pretreatment is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly technique for hydrolysis, because it 1) uses the less expensive OES instead of pure ionic liquids, 2) shortens dissolution time, 3) requires lower energy for stirring and transporting, and 4) is recyclable.</p

Observation on health quality of life before and after the injection of antiangiogenic drug in vitreous cavity to patients with wet age-related macular degeneration

AbstractObjectiveTo explore the vision related health quality-of-life before and after the injection of antiangiogenic drug in vitreous cavity to patients with wet-AMD.MethodsThe 2000 edition of Visual Functioning Questionnaire-25 issued by National Eye Institute is applied, and the VRQL evaluation is conducted on the initial diagnosed patients with wet-AMD before and after the injection of ranibizumab drugs in vitreous cavity.ResultsAmong the wet-AMD patients, patients with better distance visual acuity before the intravitreal injection get lower VFQ-25 score; while after the vitreous cavity injection, the VFQ-25 questionnaire score is related to the explanation and nursing of doctors and nurses towards patients, the better the nursing, the higher the score.ConclusionBefore vitreous cavity injection, the degree of distance visual acuity is an important factor affecting VRQL of wet-AMD patients, in addition, the explanation and nursing of doctors and nurses toward patients during pre-operation, intra-operation and post-operation of intravitreal injection are also the import factors affecting VROL

Flow around an oscillating circular disk at low to moderate Reynolds numbers

Direct numerical simulations of the flow induced by a circular disk oscillating sinusoidally along its axis are performed. The aspect ratio of the disk is 10. The Reynolds number , based on the maximum speed and the diameter of the disk, is in the range of . The Keulegan-Carpenter number is in the range of . Five flow regimes are observed in the considered-space: (I) axisymmetric flow (AS), (II) planar symmetric flow in the low-region (PSL), (III) azimuthally rotating flow in the low-region (ARL), (IV) planar symmetric flow in the high-region (PSH) and (V) azimuthally rotating flow in the high-region (ARH). The critical boundaries between different flow regimes are identified based on the evolutions of the magnitude and direction of transverse force acting on the disk. For the non-axisymmetric flow regimes, the flow is one-sided with respect to the axis of the disk and is associated with a non-zero mean value of the transverse force acting on the disk

1-Methyl-3-n-tetra­decyl­imidazolium bromide monohydrate

In the title ionic liquid salt hydrate, C18H35N2 +·Br−·H2O, the side chain in the cation has an extended conformation. The crystal structure is stabilized primarily by O—H⋯Br hydrogen bonds. C—H⋯O and C—H⋯Br inter­actions are also present

The multitasking Fasciola gigantica Cathepsin B interferes with various functions of goat peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro

Cathepsin B, a lysosomal cysteine protease, is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of Fasciola gigantica infection, but its exact role remains unclear. In the present study, a recombinant F. gigantica cathepsin B (rFgCatB) protein was expressed in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. Western blot analysis confirmed the reactivity of the purified rFgCatB protein to serum from F. gigantica-infected goats. The effects of serial concentrations (10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 μg/ml) of rFgCatB on various functions of goat peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were examined. We demonstrated that rFgCatB protein can specifically bind to the surface of PBMCs. In addition, rFgCatB increased the expression of cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-17, TGF-β, and IFN-γ), and increased nitric oxide production and cell apoptosis, but reduced cell viability. These data show that rFgCatB can influence cellular and immunological functions of goat PBMCs. Further characterization of the posttranslational modification and assessment of rFgCatB in immunogenicity studies is warranted

N-Cyclo­hexyl-2-(5-fluoro-1H-indol-3-yl)-2-oxoacetamide

In title compound, C16H17FN2O2, the cyclo­hexane ring adopts a chair conformation.. The crystal packing is stabilized by weak π–π stacking inter­actions [centroid–centroid distance = 3.503 (5) Å] and inter­molecular C—H⋯O, N—H⋯O and N—H⋯F hydrogen-bond inter­actions

Protein Kinase B (Akt) Promotes Pathological Angiogenesis in Murine Model of Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy

Akt, or protein kinase B, is an important signaling molecule that modulates many cellular processes such as cell growth, survival, and metabolism. However, the vivo roles and effectors of Akt in retinal angiogenesis are not explicitly clear. We therefore detected the expression of Akt using Western blotting or RT-PCR technologies in an animal model of oxygen-induced retinopathy, and investigated the effects of recombinant Akt on inhibiting vessels loss and Akt inhibitor on suppressing experimental retinal neovascularization in this model. We showed that in the hyperoxic phase of oxygen-induced retinopathy, the expression of Akt was greatly suppressed. In the hypoxic phase, the expression of Akt was increased dramatically. No significant differences were found in normoxic groups. Compared with control groups, administration of the recombinant Akt in the first phase of retinopathy markedly reduced capillary-free areas, while the administration of the Akt inhibitor in the second phase of retinopathy significantly decreased retinal neovascularization but capillary-free areas. These results indicate that Akt play a critical role in the pathological process (vessels loss and neovascularization) of mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy, which may provide a valubale therapeutic tool for ischemic-induced retinal diseases