Résumé
@#AIM: To observe and quantitatively analyze the thickness of macular ganglion cell inner plexiform layer(GCIPL)and the characteristics of superficial retinal capillaries vessel density in different stages of diabetic retinopathy(DR)by optical coherence tomography(OCT)and optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA).<p>METHODS: A retrospective case-control study. Thirty-three patients with diabetic(54 eyes)were selected as the DR group from December 2019 to May 2020. Among them, six patients(8 eyes)as non-diabetic retinopathy(NDR)group, eighteen patients(28 eyes)as non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy(NPDR)group and nine patients(18 eyes)as proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR)group according to fundus conditions. Eighteen healthy volunteers(26 eyes)without eye disease were selected as the normal group. The macular GCIPL thickness and the values of vascular linear density(vascular density, VD)and density of vascular perfusion(perfusion density, PD)in the superficial retinal capillaries vessels in each quadrant of macular region were observed and quantitatively analyzed in DR patients with different stages. <p>RESULTS: The VD, PD and minimum thickness of GCIPL in each quadrant of DR group was lower than that of the healthy control group(<i>P</i><0.05). The minimum thickness of GCIPL in macular area and the VD of superficial retinal capillaries in each quadrant decreased significantly in patients with different stages of diabetic retinopathy(<i>P</i><0.01). The inferior VD of superficial retinal capillaries vessels had the highest diagnostic value for DR(AUC=0.807, optimal diagnostic threshold value of 18.60 mm-1, sensitivity of 0.923, specificity of 0.648). The minimum thickness of GCIPL in macular area of DR patients was positively correlated with VD of superficial retinal capillaries vessels in each quadrant(<i>r</i>=0.342, 0.480, 0.384, 0.342, all <i>P</i><0.05). <p>CONCLUSION: OCT combined with OCTA can provide repeatable and quantifiable detection methods and monitoring indicators for early assessment and regular follow-up of DR progress.
Résumé
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To screen and identify differentially expressed genes in the hippocampus of the offsprings of lead exposed female rats in order to provide a theoretical basis for identifying learning and memory deficits related genes.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>RNA was extracted from the hippocampus of young rats with learning and memory deficits due to maternal lead exposure. Suppression subtractive hybridization was used to identify the differentially expressed genes in the hippocampus.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>An effective subtracted library was constructed which consisted of approximately 200 clones. Sequencing for the library identified 93 clones harboring insertion fragments which included 43 different genes and 4 unknown genes. These genes might be related to learning and memory deficits due to maternal lead exposure.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The up-regulated genes in the hippocampus of young rats from pregnant rats under lead exposure include some housekeeping genes and some proteins involved in cellular protein folding, signal transduction, stress response and DNA methylation. These proteins might be directly related to a significant reduction in learning and memory abilities in the young rats.</p>