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AIM: To comparatively analyze the application of laser confocal microscopy and corneal smear in the diagnosis of fungal keratitis.METHODS: Totally 77 patients (77 eyes) diagnosed as fungal keratitis were selected.Laser confocal microscopy and corneal smear examination were performed to observe the characteristics of the images, and the detection rate of fungus were compared between the two methods.RESULTS: Of the 77 patients, 66 eyes (86%) were positive and 11 eyes were negative detected by laser confocal microscopy;51 eyes (66%) were positive and 26 eyes were negative detected by corneal smear examination, the difference was statistically significant compared between two group (P<0.05).CONCLUSION: Laser corneal confocal microscopy is relatively safe and sensitive.If combined the application of laser corneal confocal microscopy and corneal smear examination in clinical, the diagnosis rate of fungal keratitis may be improved.
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AIM: To discuss the protective effects and possible mechanisms of quercetin in oxidative damage of human retina pigment epithelium ( RPE) cells induced by H2 O2 .METHODS: RPE cells were subculture, and they were divided into negative control group: cultured with normal culture medium;oxidative injury group:100 μmol/L H2 O2 treated for 12h; quercetin low dose group: 100 μmol/L quercetin incubated for 24h then treated with 100 μmol/L H2 O2 for 12h; and quercetin high dose group:100 μmol/L quercetin incubated for 24h then treated with 100 μmol/L H2 O2 for 12h. Cell viability were tested by MTT colorimetric detection, apoptosis rate was detected by flow cytometry, apoptotic cell morphology was observed by Hochest33258 staining, expression of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase ( SOD) and glutathione peroxidase ( GSH-Px) were tested by colorimetric detection. RESULTS: Quercetin inhibited H2 O2 - induced cell viability decreased in RPE cells, after treated with different concentrations of quercetin, RPE cells activity increased to (79. 67±4. 98)% and (83. 00±3. 60)%, which had statistical significance difference compared with oxidative damage group (48. 93±3. 39)% (P CONCLUSION:Quercetin effectively inhibited H2 O2 -induced RPE cells damage by improving cell antioxidant enzyme activity, which provide reliable experimental basis for the treatment of injuries in RPE cells.
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant kind of astrocytic tumors and is associated with a poor prognosis. In this retrospective study, we assessed the clinical, radiological, genetic molecular and treatment factors that influence clinical outcomes of patients with GBM.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 116 patients with GBM who received surgery and radiation between January 2006 and December 2007 were included in this study. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression analysis were used to find the factors independently influencing patients' progression free survival (PFS) time and overall survival (OS) time.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Age, preoperative Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score, KPS score change at 2 weeks after operation, neurological deficit symptoms, tumor resection extent, maximal tumor diameter, involvement of eloquent cortex or deep structure, involvement of brain lobe, Ki-67 expression level and adjuvant chemotherapy were statistically significant factors (P < 0.05) for both PFS and OS in the univariate analysis. Cox proportional hazards modeling revealed that age <or= 50 years, preoperative KPS score >or= 80, KPS score change after operation >or= 0, involvement of single frontal lobe, non-eloquent area or deep structure involvement, low Ki-67 expression and adjuvant chemotherapy were independent favorable factors (P < 0.05) for patients' clinical outcomes.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Age at diagnosis, preoperative KPS score, KPS score change at 2 weeks postoperation, involvement of brain lobe, involvement of eloquent cortex or deep structure, Ki-67 expression level and adjuvant chemotherapy correlate significantly with the prognosis of patients with GBM.</p>
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Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Glioblastoma , Pathology , Radiotherapy , General Surgery , Kaplan-Meier Estimate , Multivariate Analysis , Prognosis , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Bevacizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor, has shown promising activity in recurrent malignant gliomas. We reported the treatment response for the combination of bevacizumab and chemotherapy in a series of six patients with recurrent malignant glioma and investigated the molecular alterations in cancer pathways using the surgical biopsies from these patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Standard therapy with primary resection followed by adjuvant chemoradiotherapy had failed in all patients. Bevacizumab was administered at a dose of 10 mg/kg every 2 weeks. Concomitantly, four patients received temozolomide (50 mgxm(-2)xd(-1)), one patient irinotecan (125 mg/m(2) every 2 weeks) and one patient topotecan (1.2 mgxm(-2)xd(-1)). Response to therapy was mainly determined by magnetic resonance imaging. The expression of Ras, phosphorylated mitogen activated protein kinase (p-MAPK), phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT), phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) and phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-STAT3) were semiquantitatively assessed by immunohistochemistry using surgical biopsies before the initial treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Five of the six patients had a radiographic response. Three were complete response, and two were partial response. Only one patient had progressive disease. The 6-month progession-free survival (PFS) was 33% and the median PFS was 15 weeks, with a range of 6 to more than 60 weeks. Of the three core pathways analyzed in this study, the Ras/MAPK and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mTOR pathways were more likely to be associated with the treatment response to bevacizumab. In two younger patients (ages < 50) with complete response, simultaneous overexpression of p-MAPK, p-AKT and p-mTOR might be the crucial feature.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Bevacizumab in combination with chemotherapeutic agents may be an effective strategy for patients with recurrent malignant glioma. Activated MAPK and AKT might be possible biomarkers for selecting suitable patients for this targeted therapy.</p>