Orthokeratology compliance, digital device use, and myopia control among children with myopia during COVID-19 home confinement in Taiwan

Purpose: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID?19) pandemic profoundly impacts lifestyle habits and myopia control in children worldwide. This study investigated the changes in eyecare habits, orthokeratology compliance, axial length, and time interval of follow?up visits during home confinement in the COVID?19 pandemic in Taiwan. Methods: This investigation was part of a prospective study undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile application. A semi?structured telephone interview was conducted with parents retrospectively to document eyecare habits and myopia control during the COVID?19 home confinement. Results: Thirty?three children with myopia participated in the follow?up of orthokeratology lenses for 2 years. The children’s time viewing digital devices such as tablets and televisions significantly increased during the COVID?19 pandemic (P < 0.05). An analysis using McNemar’s test found that the proportional growth of axial length <0.2 mm in 2021 was significantly higher than that in 2020 (77.42% vs. 58.06%, P < 0.05). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, onset <10 years of age (P = 0.001) and parents with high myopia (P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for the growth of axial length ?0.2 mm in 2021. Conclusion: The suspension of face?to?face classes and after?school tutorials benefited myopic axial elongation in children during COVID?19 home confinement. The use of digital devices and staying indoors may not be the exclusive reasons for myopia progression. Educating parents about the influence of extra learning classes after school on myopia progression would be prudent.

Observation on the effect of adoptive immunotherapy with activated autologous lymphocytes in the treatment of primary hepatocellular carcinoma / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@#[摘 要] 目的：评价活化自体淋巴细胞过继性免疫治疗（adoptive immunotherapy，AIT）是否有助于改善原发性肝细胞癌的临床疗效。方法：选取2016年8月至2018年12月在中国人民解放军总医院第五医学中心确诊的64例原发性肝细胞癌患者，通过分层随机法分为免疫治疗组（n=29）和对照组（n=35）。免疫治疗组患者取60 ml外周血分离制备单个核细胞并在含OKT-3和IL-2的培养基中活化培养，回输前进行质控检测。免疫治疗组中的Ⅰ~Ⅲ期患者（n=14）于一线治疗后接受自体淋巴细胞输注（3个月内输注6次），Ⅳ期患者（n=15）仅接受自体淋巴细胞输注；对照组患者接受肝细胞癌相关的其他治疗。疗效评估的主要终点是2年无复发生存（relapse-free survival，RFS）率，次要终点为无进展生存期（progression-free survival，PFS）和总生存期（overall survival，OS）。结果：入组患者中位随访时间为2.8年（0.2~4.2年）。免疫治疗组29名患者共接受了167次（计划174次，完成率96%）预定淋巴细胞输注（平均每人次回输9.30×109个细胞，其中CD3+HLA-DR细胞约占63%），治疗期间未观察到3级或4级不良反应发生。与对照组相比，免疫治疗组患者2年RFS率显著升高（62.1% vs 22.9%，OR=0.181，95%CI：0.06~0.54，P=0.002），中位PFS（28 vs 8个月，P=0.004）和中位OS（38 vs 34个月，P=0.915）均显著延长。在Ⅰ~Ⅲ期患者中，免疫治疗组（n=14）2年RFS率较对照组（n=18）显著升高（92.9% vs 33.3%，OR=0.38，95%CI：0.004~0.368，P=0.005），中位PFS明显延长（38 vs 14.5个月，P=0.005），而两组OS间无显著差异；Ⅳ期患者两组间PFS（P=0.077）及OS（P=0.994）均未见显著差异。结论：活化自体淋巴细胞AIT为安全可行的肝细胞癌辅助性治疗方法，可提高Ⅰ~Ⅲ期肝细胞癌一线治疗后RFS率、延长患者RFS时间，而对进展期肝细胞癌患者的PFS和OS无明显影响。

Long-term efficacy of dendritic cell vaccines combined with cytokine-induced killer cells in the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@# Objective: To evaluate the long-term clinical efficacy and follow-up of dendritic cell (DC) vaccines in combination with cytokine-induced killer cell (CIK) treatment in metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Methods: From January 2011 to December 2013, 29 patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (pathologically confirmed as renal clear cell carcinoma) were treated by DC vaccines-CIK at the Department of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital. The 29 patients included 24 male and 5 female, with a median age of 57(32-81) years old. Mature DC vaccine was obtained by gene transfection technology and CIK cells were obtained by i n v i t r o culture; and DC vaccine-CIK was infused back to patients through lymphatic drainage area and vein by each course. Twelve patients received first line treatment, 6 patients received second line treatment after the disease progression by targeted drug therapy or cytokine therapy, and 11 patients received third-linetreatment or above. The long-term clinical efficacy and overall survival rate were evaluated. Results: The median follow-up time was 5 (1-7) years. Treatment cycle was over 2 (2-23) cycles. One case (3.4%) achieved complete remission, 9 cases (31%) achieved partial responses, 13 cases (44.8%) demonstrated stable disease over 3 months and 6 patients (20.7%) developed progressive disease. The objective response rate was 34.4%,and the disease control rate was 79.2%. Stable disease for more than one year realized in 19 cases (65.5%). The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 93.1% (27/29), 65.5% (20/29) and 51.7% (15 / 29), respectively. Neither the median progression-free survival (PFS) nor the median survival time was achieved. No adverse reactions above grade 3 were observed during treatment. Conclusion: DC vaccines-CIK therapy for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma is affirmative; it achieved good disease control and long-term survival with controllable safety, and prolonged the survival time for advanced renal cell carcinoma patients.

Impacts of DES on the expressions of related genes in the gubernaculums testis of newborn mice / 中华男科学杂志

Objective@#To investigate the influence of diethylstilbestrol (DES) on the mRNA expressions of the androgen receptor (AR), estrogen receptor α (ERα), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and actin alpha 1 (ACTα1) in the gubernaculums testis of newborn mice and explore their action mechanisms.@*METHODS@#A total of 140 male Kunming mice were randomly divided into a blank control, a dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) control, and 5 experimental groups to be treated subcutaneously with normal saline, DMSO, and DES at 0.02, 0.1, 0.5, 10 and 50 μg per kg of the body weight per day, respectively, at gestation days 9－17. On the first day after birth, the animals were sacrificed and the gubernaculums testis collected for detection of the mRNA expressions of AR, ERα, PCNA and ACTα1 by RT-PCR.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the DMSO control, the experimental groups, particularly the DES 10 and 50 μg groups, showed significant increases in the mRNA expression of ERα (RE2 = 0.825, P <0.05), but remarkable decreases in those of AR, PCNA and ACTα1 (RA2 = 0.713, RP2 = 0.946, RT2 = 0.960, P <0.01), all in a dose-dependent manner.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The AR, ERα, PCNA, and ACTα1 mRNA are expressed in the gubernaculum testis of normal newborn mice, and their expression levels may be influenced by intervention with different concentrations of DES during the gestation. Exogenous estrogens may affect the proliferation and contraction of gubernaculum testis cells and consequently the normal development of the testis or even the whole male reproductive system by influencing the metabolism of ER and/or AR.

Detection of fungi in liquor workers with tinea corporis and tinea cruris using arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the method of rapid detection of skin fungi and the significance of conventional diagnosis liquor worker tinea corporis and tinea cruris using arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction AP-PCR.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Among liquor workers who were 50 tinea corporis patients, 58 tinea cruris patients and 50 health persons, we amplified the DNAs of the dermatophytes were amplified using AP-PCR and random primers OPD18 5'-GAGAGCCAAC-3' and OPAA11 5'-ACCCGACCTG-3', at the same time, the dermatophytes with microscope were detected and cultured.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>AP-PCR analysis detected fungal DNA in 45 patients(90.00%) among 50 liquor worker patients with tinea corporis, 31 patients(62.00%) had the positive results of microscope detection, and 41 patients(82.00%) had the positive results of standard culture. Among these workers who suffered from tinea corporis, T.rubrum, T.mentagrophyte, M. canis and E.floccosum were detected by AP-PCR. T.rubrum, T.mentagrophyte and M.canis were detected by standard culture. AP-PCR analysis detected fungal DNA in 53 patients(91.38%) among 58 liquor worker patients with tinea cruris, 37 patients(63.79%) had the positive results of microscope detection, and 48(82.76%) had the positive results of standard culture. Among the 58 workers who had tinea cruris, T.rubrum, E.floccosum and T.mentagrophyte were detected by AP-PCR and standard culture. Among 50 health persons, AP-PCR analysis detected fungal DNA in 3 persons(6.00%). The detection result with AP-PCR indicated that the kinds of fungi were T.rubrum and T.mentagrophyte. No one health person had the positive result in detection of fungi using microscope detection. Only one(2.00%) health person was detected to be infected by fungus with cultural way. The kind of fungus was T.rubrum.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>AP-PCR is a rapid, sensitive and specific detection method for occupational dermatophyte patients. It can be used to detect and diagnose professional dermatophytosis.</p>

Significance and effects of emodin hypo-acid on regulating nitricoxide synthase of melanocyte in skin / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: Among multiple signals which affect the function of melanocyte, nitrogen monoxide (NO) has been thought as an important signal molecule. Emodin hypo-acid, effective component of rhubarb, can affect proliferation of melanocyte and regulate activity of tyrosinase in cells. OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of emodin hypo-acid on expression of nitricoxide synthase (NOS) of melanocyte in skin of guinea pig and definite the effective concentrations and mechanism of melanocyte in synthesizing melanin in living skin.DESIGN: Completely randomized grouping design and controlled study.SETTING: Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hospital of Luzhou Medical College.MATERIALS: The experiment was completed at the Infection Laboratory of Affiliated Hospital of Luzhou Medical College and Laboratory of Histology and Embryology of Luzhou Medical College from January to June 2004. A total of 24 adult healthy male guinea pigs were randomly divided into 6 groups: control group, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg/L emodin hypo-acid groups with 4 in each group.METHODS: ① Emodin hypo-acid was diluted with dimethyl-sulfoxide into 2, 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg/L, then guinea pigs in emodin hypo-acid groups were injected subcutaneously with relevant dosages of emodin hypoacid which was provided by National Institute for the Control of Pharmaceutical and Biological Products into local skins of haunch and back, and the injected volume was 1 mL. Twenty-four hours later, 1 mL emodin hypo-acid of the same concentration was injected once again into one of the places which was injected before. Skin samples were selected after 48 hours and routine paraffin section was made. Skins which were not injected with any drugs were selected from control group and emodin hypoacid groups to regard as experimental control group. ② Expression of NOS was assayed with immunohistochemical method and melanocyte was identified under high-times optic microscope to observe stain and characteristic of cytoplasm. Five sections were randomly selected from each group. Every 20 cells on each section were measured with MLAS-1000 imaging analyzer and computer processing system was used to calculate average absorbency (A) of positive immune product in melanocyte. ③ Measurement data were compared with analysis of variance, and differences among groups were compared with SNK-q.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Expression of NOS in melanocyte was assayed with immunohistochemical method and results were obtained with optic microscope and imaging analyzer.RESULTS: Average A value of positive immune product in melanocyte was lower in 2, 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg/L emodin hypo-acid groups than that in experimental control group (0.126±0.118, 0.103±0.082, 0.118±0.097,0.122±0.095, 0.112±0.078, 0.196±0.066, P ＜ 0.05). There was no significant difference among emodin hypo-acid groups at various concentrations.CONCLUSION: ① Emodin hypo-acid can regulate expression of NOS in melanocyte through NO signal transduction pathway. ② Expression of NOS is not changed as the mass concentration of emodin hypo-acid varied from 2 to 40 mg/L.

A simple and repeatable model of subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>To build a simple and repeatable animal model of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>SAH was produced by passing a nylon thread up through the right internal carotid artery and piercing a hole in the right anterior cerebral artery. At 12 h and 24 h after SAH operation, the rats were evaluated with rotarod test and the behavior scale (5-point scale).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The rats were trained through rotarod test and then randomly divided into three groups, including vehicle group treated with vehicle after SAH, nimodipine treated group (i.p. 0.25 mg x kg(-1), 5 min, 6 h, 12 h after SAH) and sham group. At the point of the perforation there was usually a capping clot. There was always blood in the basal cisterns with some spread over the hemisphere. After 12 h and 24 h of SAH operation, the time of rotarod test of rats decreased significantly and the rats had serious neurological deficit. Nimodipine could alleviate the neurological deficit after 24 h of SAH.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>To present a simple and reliable model of SAH in the rats, which allows evaluating novel compounds and new drugs for treatment of SAH.</p>