Effect of LASIK using Ziemer LDV Z6 femtosecond laser for creating corneal flaps / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM:To evaluate the clinical effects of femto-LASIK using new Ziemer LDV Z6 femtosecond laser machine (Z6). METHODS: Two - hundred cases ( 400 eyes ) was randomly separated into two groups: Group A included 200 eyes which corneal flaps were made by Z6, and Group B included rest of 200 eyes which corneal flaps were examined by a traditional Ziemer LDV CrystalLine femtosecond laser machine (CrystalLine). Visual acuity, slit lamp, refraction, Sim-K average, intraocular pressure (IOP), non-invasive tear break-up time (NIAvg-BUT), operation difficulty and complications were compared between two groups preoperatively and postoperatively.RESULTS:There was no significant differences between two groups in visual acuity, refraction, Sim-K average, IOP and NIAvg - BUT either preoperatively or 6mo postoperatively (P>0. 05). Although there were significant differences in operation difficulty and complications were found between two groups ( P CONCLUSION:More careful and strict requirements are needed when using the new Z6 femtosecond laser for corneal flaps.

Kallikrein-binding protein promotes axonal regeneration and protect rat retinal ganglion cells following optic nerve injury / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of kallikrein-binding protein (KPB) in protecting retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and promoting axonal regeneration following optical nerve injury in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Crush injury of the optic nerve at 0.5-1.0 mm from the eyeball was induced in rats, which received subsequent KBP injection into the vitreous cavity (experimental group) and PBS injection (control group). At 7, 14 and 21 days after the injury, the rats were sacrificed and frozen sections of the eyeball were prepared to observe the structure and thickness of the retina and count the number of survival RGCs with HE staining. The optic nerves were collected for Western blotting to assess the effect of KBP on the RGCs and axonal regeneration.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>RGC counts and retinal thickness showed significant differences between the two groups. Western blotting also demonstrated a significant difference in the expression of the nerve regeneration marker protein GAP-43 between the two groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>KBP offers protection on RGCs and promotes regeneration of the optic nerve axons after optic nerve injury in rats.</p>

Changes in glial fibrillary acidic protein and growth-associated protein-43 expressions in retinal ganglial cells during axonal regeneration / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the changes in the expressions of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and growth- associated protein-43 (GAP-43) in retinal ganglial cells after neural transplantation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-nine rats were randomized into normal control group, nerve amputation group and nerve amputation with peripheral nerve transplantation group. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the changes in the expressions of GFAP and GAP-43 at different time points after the operations, and real-time PCR was employed to detect the mRNA expressions of 13 genes in the retinal ganglial cells of the rats.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Immunohistochemistry showed obviously increased GFAP expressions in the retina following the nerve amputation. GFAP expression was down-regulated while GAP-43 expression upregulated in the retinal ganglial cells after peripheral nerve transplantation. Real-time PCR results showed that 5 days after the operations, retinal GFAP and GAP-43 expressions increased significantly in the nerve amputation group and peripheral nerve transplantation groups as compared with those in the control group, but GAP-43 expression decreased significantly in the former two groups afterwards.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The regenerated retina may adjust the production of GFAP. The retinal ganglial cells express GAP-43 during retinal regeneration. Up-regulation of the expression of GAP-43 provides the evidence for nerve regeneration following the nerve transplantation.</p>

A rare thalassemia intermedia case caused by co-existence of Hb H disease (--(SEA)/-alpha(4.2)) and beta-thalassemia major (beta (CD17A)>T/beta (IVS2-654C)>T): implications for prenatal diagnosis / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the relation between the genotype and phenotype in a Chinese patient with thalassemia intermedia and its implications for prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling of thalassemia intermedia caused by co-existence of Hb H disease and beta; thalassemia major.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Phenotypic analysis was performed using standard hematological tests to measure red blood cell parameters and Hb concentration. Genotyping of beta thalassemia mutations and alpha thalassemia deletion were conducted using reverse dot-blot (RDB) assay and gap-PCR, respectively. We investigated the pathogenesis of this case by genotype-phenotype correlation analysis based on screening of the patient's family members. Prenatal diagnosis for a high-risk fetus in this family was performed by amniotic fluid DNA analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The proband was identified as a patient with severe thalassemia intermedia caused by co-existence of Hb H disease (--(SEA)/-alpha (4.2)) and beta-thalassemia major (beta (CD17A)>T/beta (IVS2-654C)>T), whose father was heterozygous for beta thalassemia (beta (CD17A)>T/beta (N)) and alpha-thalassemia trait (--(SEA)/) and the heterozygous for beta thalassemia (beta (IVS2-654C)>T / beta (N)) and silent alpha-thalassemia (-alpha (4.2)/). The result of prenatal diagnosis showed co-existence of beta thalassemia major and silent alpha thalassemia in the high-risk fetus, and the parents requested termination of pregnancy after genetic counseling.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>We report for the first time a rare thalassemia intermedia case resulting from 4 complex alpha/beta thalassemia combination and the molecular pathogenesis of thalassemia intermedia is updated in the Chinese population. The practice of prenatal diagnosis in this case may also provide reference for diagnosis of similar cases.</p>

A community-based genetic screening of large-scale population and prenatal diagnosis for alpha and beta thalassemia in Zhuhai city of Guangdong province / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To describe a community-based model for prevention and control of severe alpha and beta thalassemias in Zhuhai city of Guangdong province.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Couples for premarital medical examination or regular healthcare examination in pregnancy were enrolled in this prospective screening program, which was supported by the two-level network composed of 6 local hospitals for testing thalassemias and follow-up for genetic counseling. A conventional heterozygote screening strategy was used to determine alpha and beta thalassemia traits in women and their partners according to the standard procedures of hematological phenotype analysis. Then confirmative diagnosis of alpha and beta thalassemia was performed on those couples suspected at-risk for severe thalassemia by using the PCR-based molecular diagnostic assays. The couples at-risk for severe thalassemia were counseled and offered prenatal diagnosis and termination of pregnancy in case of an affected fetus.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>During the period between January 1998 and December 2005, the screened records included 85522 young females and their partners for premarital screening and 10439 pregnant women for prenatal screening, with 71.38% coverage of total population recorded in this city for premarital screening. Six thousands five hundreds and sixty-three individuals in total were found to be the carriers of thalassemias, with 4312 for alpha thalassemia (4.5%) and 2251 for beta thalassemia (2.3%), respectively. One hundred and forty-eight couples were diagnosed to be at-risk for thalassemias, including 103 for alpha thalassemia and 45 for beta thalassemia, respectively. Successful prenatal diagnosis was made for 142 (98 for alpha thalassemia and 44 for beta thalassemia) out of 148 (95.9%) pregnancies at-risk for severe thalassemias. Twenty-three cases of hydrops fetalis, 4 of Hb H diseases and 14 of beta thalassemia were identified. All 41 pregnancies with affected fetuses were voluntarily terminated. Thus, this has led to a marked decrease of severe thalassemia syndrome since the program started.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>We presented the first community-based prospective screening program in China for control of alpha and beta thalassemia in Zhuhai city with a population of 1.29 million through premarital or prenatal screening. This model could be used for control of thalassemias and other hemoglobinopathies in other regions of China and also in other developing countries.</p>

Morphological and histological studies on the telencephalon of the salamander Onychodactylus fischeri / 神经科学通报·英文版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To probe into the morphological and histological characteristics of the telencephalon of Onychodactylus fischeri, and to enrich the comparable neurobiology.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>HE-staining method was used to describe the characters of the telencephalon of Onychodactylus fischeri.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The olfactory bulb of Onychodactylus fischeri locates in the rastral and lateral to the cerebral hemisphere, and six distinct layers can be identified from the lateral to the medial, quite similar to Batrachuperus tibetanus and Hynobius leechii. In the cerebrum, the primordial hippocampus developed better than the primordial piriform. The former belongs to archipallium and the latter is paleopallium. Ventral to the primordial hippocampus there is a septal area which cannot be divided into medial and lateral parts. In the ventrical wall, there is neither medial limiting sulcus nor lateral limiting sulcus to separate the primordial hippocampus and the septal area, or the primordial piriform and the corpus striatum. The corpus striatum of Onychodactylus fischeri is paleostriatum. There is choroids plexus anterior in the lateral ventricle. The cell group that located at two sides of the third ventricle is the amygdale. Besides, the shape and size of neurons within the telencephalon are poorly differentiated.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Onychodactylus fischeri is a relatively primitive type in the amphibian. The present data will help us to further understand the nerve system of tailed amphibian.</p>

Rapid diagnosis of non-deletion alpha-thalassemias by reverse dot blot / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish a rapid and convenient method of reverse dot blot (RDB) analysis for detecting the point mutations of non-deletion alpha-thalassemia in Chinese.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Label biotin to primers and amplify human alpha2 globin gene selectively, then hybridize PCR products with a set of oligonucleotide probes immobilized on strips, and develop colour to detect non-deletion alpha-thalassemia defects.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The PCR system using biotin-labeled primers could specifically amplify a 1085 bp fragment of human alpha2 globin gene which encompasses all six alpha-thalassemia mutations. After being hybridized with sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes and colour development, it could simultaneously identify all six types of non-deletion alpha-thalassemias encountered in Chinese.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This method does not need semi-nested PCR, and the products amplified by biotinylated primers can be used directly to hybridize with the probes on strips under the identical conditions of hybridization. So, it is a specific and multiplex detection assay for screening non-deletion alpha-thalassemia defects in Chinese.</p>