Clinical features of neovascular glaucoma treated with multi-wavelength laser photocoagulation

AIM: To observe clinical features of neovascular glaucoma(NVG)treated with multi-wavelength laser photocoagulation(PRP). <p>METHODS: Totally 21 patients(25 eyes)with NVG were performed actively anti-glaucoma treatment, at the same time, they were also performed multi-wavelength laser photocoagulation. Photocoagulation characteristics and complications were observed.<p>RESULTS: The PRP was completed successfully on alleyes. Red photocoagulation was used more offen. Three cases(5 eyes)had obvious pain, 2 cases(3 eyes)had iris inflammation reaction, 4 cases(4 eyes)had anterior chamber and vitreous hemorrhage. Choroidal retinal detachment was not found. IOP was decreased at different degree, eye pain and headache symptoms were relieved. <p>CONCLUSION: Multi-wavelength laser is conducive to the successful completion of pan retinal photocoagulation in neovascular glaucoma. It is safe and effective

Vasculoprotective effects of rosiglitazone through modulating renin-angiotensin system in vivo and vitro

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) agonist rosiglitazone has been suggested to exert cardiovascular protection through the improvement of lipid metabolism, anti-inflammation, anti-proliferation etc. However, whether renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is involved in the vascular protective effects of PPARγ agonists is not fully understood. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of the renin-angiotensin system in vascular protection mediated by PPARγ agonists.</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To investigate the actions of the renin-angiotensin system in vascular protection mediated by activation of PPARγ in vivo and in vitro.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Rats were fed a regular diet (n = 8), a cholesterol-rich diet plus methylthiouracil (80 mg/Kg/day, n = 10), a cholesterol-rich diet plus methylthiouracil and rosiglitazone (4 mg/kg/day, n = 10). The rosiglitazone treatment was started from one month after the start of cholesterol-rich diet plus methylthiouracil, and lasted five months. Cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were pretreated with 1 μmol/L angiotensin II (ANG II) for 6 h and randomly divided into the control group; the ANG II group (1 μmol/L ANG II); the groups respectively treated with different concentration rosiglitazone (20, 30, 50) μmol/L for 12 h; the groups treated with 30 μmol/L rosiglitazone for (6, 12, 24) h. Morphology changes of the aortic tissues were observed by hematoxylin and eosin stain. The VSMC growth was detected by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric assay. Angiotensin II and expression of angiotensin receptors were determined by radioimmunoassay, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blot, and immunohistochemistry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After 6 months, lipid deposition, VSMC proliferation and migration toward intima were observed in aortic tissues in the rats on a cholesterol-rich diet plus methylthiouracil, while these pathological changes induced by the cholesterol-rich diet were significantly suppressed by rosiglitazone. In addition, VSMC proliferation induced by ANG II was markedly inhibited by rosiglitazone. Rosiglitazone markedly down-regulated expression of angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT₁R) and up-regulated expression of angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT₂R) in the aortic tissues and ANG II-treated VSMCs.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The present study demonstrated that PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone suppressed ANG II-induced VSMC proliferation in vitro and early atherosclerotic formation evoked by cholesterol-rich diet in vivo. These vasculoprotective effects of rosiglitazone were mediated at least partially by reduction in local tissue ANG II concentration, down-regulation of AT₁R expression and up-regulation of AT₂R expression both at the mRNA and protein levels.</p

Reducing the aerodynamic drag of high-speed trains by air blowing from the nose part: Effect of blowing speed

To reduce the aerodynamic drag of high-speed trains, this work proposes an air blowing configuration on the head and tail cars of high-speed trains. The variation in the aerodynamic drag and slipstream velocity is analyzed under different blowing velocities, and the flow mechanism for train aerodynamic performance alteration is explained. The results show that under the blowing speeds of Ub = 0.05Ut, 0.10Ut, 0.15Ut, and 0.20Ut, where Ut is the train speed, the total drag coefficient (Cd) decreases by 5.81%, 10.78%, 13.70%, and 15.43% compared to the without-blowing case, respectively. However, with the increase in the blowing speed, the reduction trend of Cd tends to be smoother; namely, the decrement ratio compared to the previous blowing speed for the head car is 9.08%, 0.11%, 0.60%, and 1.14% for Ub = 0.05Ut, 0.10Ut, 0.15Ut, and 0.20Ut, respectively. The blowing measure generates an air gap between the coming flow and train surface, consequently causing a reduction in the viscous and pressure drag. In addition, the structure size and strength of the wake flow under different blowing cases show a decreasing trend from Ub = 0.00Ut to 0.10Ut and then an increasing trend from Ub = 0.10Ut to 0.20Ut. Thus, considering the blowing cost, efficiency, and flow structure evolution comprehensively, the case of Ub = 0.10Ut is recommended. Under this blowing speed, the reduction ratio of the aerodynamic drag is 9.18%, 12.77%, 10.90%, and 10.78% for the head, middle, tail car, and total train, respectively

Theory of control of optomechanical transducers for quantum networks

We present a scheme of control for the arbitrary optical interface mediated by a nanoscale mechanical oscillator between flying qubits and optical nonactive solid-state qubits. This quantum interface lays the foundation for many key functions of a quantum network, such as transferring, swapping, and entangling qubits between distant nodes of a quantum network. Numerical simulations of the quantum interface operations show high fidelities and robust tolerance under realistic experimental conditions. Compared with a previous scheme, it may significantly increase the speed of state transfer operation of high fidelity