[Development of a quality of life questionnaire for adults with anisometropic amblyopia].

Objective: To develop and validate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) questionnaire for adult patients with anisometropic amblyopia. Methods: Cross-sectional study. A total of 170 adult patients with anisometropic amblyopia, 100 adult patients with other eye diseases and 80 healthy adults with normal vision were recruited at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, and 20 healthy adults with normal vision were recruited at Qinhuai Medical District of Easter Theater General Hospital of PLA from December 2019 to February 2020. Individual interviews of 30 adult patients with anisometropic amblyopia generated 80 questionnaire items. For item reduction, 40 adult patients with anisometropic amblyopia were asked to complete the 80-item questionnaire and responses were analyzed. Then factor analyses were performed to identify prominent factors (subscales). The reliability of the questionnaire was evaluated by Cronbach's α coefficient. The overall and sub-scale scores were the average scores of all included items, ranging from 0 (worst HRQOL) to 100 (best HRQOL). The final 20-item questionnaire was administered to additional 100 adult patients with anisometropic amblyopia, 100 adult patients with other eye diseases and 100 visually normal adults. Mean overall and subscale scores were compared across groups using one-way analysis of variance. Results: The final adult anisometropic amblyopia questionnaire (AAAQ) consisted of a function subscale and a psychosocial subscale, each containing 10 items. The Cronbach's α coefficients of the overall, function subscale and psychosocial subscale were 0.88, 0.78 and 0.78. There were 55 males and 45 females in 100 adult anisometropic amblyopia patients, with a median age of 26 years (range, 18 to 43 years). The age and gender distribution were matched with 100 adult patients with other eye diseases and 100 healthy adults with normal vision (all P>0.05). The mean overall score (28.63±9.18), function subscale score (27.69±9.88) and psychosocial subscale score (29.53±9.90) for adult patients with anisometropic amblyopia were significantly lower compared to adult patients with other eye diseases (71.28±8.14, P<0.01; 65.56±7.81, P<0.01; 76.85±10.76, P<0.01) and visually normal adults (84.54±9.13, P<0.01; 81.70±9.27, P<0.01; 87.38±10.06, P<0.01). Conclusion: The AAAQ meets the requirements for validity and reliability of a HRQOL questionnaire, and can be used to assess the HRQOL of adult patients with anisometropic amblyopia. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2021, 57: 341-347).

Genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from domestic animals in central China.

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that has a remarkable ability to infect almost all warm-blooded animals, including humans. This study was aimed to determine the genetic characteristics of T. gondii isolates from domestic animals in Henan Province, central China. A total of 363 DNA samples, including 208 from hilar lymph nodes of pigs, 36 from blood samples of cats, 12 from tissues of aborted bovine fetuses and 107 from blood samples of dams with history of abortion in Henan Province, were examined for the presence of T. gondii by nested PCR based on B1 gene. The positive DNA samples were further genotyped by PCR-RFLP at 11 markers, including SAG1, (3'+ 5') SAG2, alt.SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, and Apico. DNA samples from 9 pigs, 5 cats, and 4 dairy cows were T. gondii B1 gene positive. Nine samples were successfully genotyped at all genetic loci, of which 5 samples from pigs, and 2 from cats were identified as ToxoDB genotype #9, and 2 samples from cows belonged to ToxoDB genotype #225. To our knowledge, the present study is the second report of genetic typing of T. gondii isolates from cattle in China, and the first report of T. gondii ToxoDB#225 from cattle.

Genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from domestic animals in central China

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that has a remarkable ability to infect almost all warm-blooded animals, including humans. This study was aimed to determine the genetic characteristics of T. gondii isolates from domestic animals in Henan Province, central China. A total of 363 DNA samples, including 208 from hilar lymph nodes of pigs, 36 from blood samples of cats, 12 from tissues of aborted bovine fetuses and 107 from blood samples of dams with history of abortion in Henan Province, were examined for the presence of T. gondii by nested PCR based on B1 gene. The positive DNA samples were further genotyped by PCR-RFLP at 11 markers, including SAG1, (3’+ 5’) SAG2, alt.SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, and Apico. DNA samples from 9 pigs, 5 cats, and 4 dairy cows were T. gondii B1 gene positive. Nine samples were successfully genotyped at all genetic loci, of which 5 samples from pigs, and 2 from cats were identified as ToxoDB genotype #9, and 2 samples from cows belonged to ToxoDB genotype #225. To our knowledge, the present study is the second report of genetic typing of T. gondii isolates from cattle in China, and the first report of T. gondii ToxoDB#225 from cattle.

The mechanism of COX-2 regulating HERG channel in gastric cancer cells.

OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the signal transduction pathway, by which cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) regulates human erg-related gene (HERG) current in gastric cancer cells. METHODS: The HERG mRNA, protein and current in gastric cancer cells transfected with or without COX-2 antisense vector were measured by RT-PCR, Western blot and patch-clamp, respectively. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) concentration in gastric cancer cells transfected with or without COX-2 antisense vector was measured by ELISA. RESULTS: Transfection with COX-2 antisense vector did not alter the expression of HERG mRNA and protein, but it diminished the amplitude of HERG current in gastric cancer cells (p < 0.05). The cAMP concentration in gastric cancer cells transfected with COX-2 antisense vector was lower than that in parental gastric cancer cells (p < 0.05). COX-2 inhibitor and PGE2 had influence on the HERG current in gastric cancer cells. COX-2 inhibitor reduced the amplitude of HERG current in gastric cancer cells and PGE2 enhanced the amplitude. However, in gastric cancer cells transfected with HERG mutant deleting cAMP-binding domain, both COX-2 inhibitor and PGE2 did not show significant effects on HERG current. cAMP agonist enhanced the amplitude of HERG current and cAMP antagonist reduced the amplitude in gastric cancer cells. Both agonist and antagonist of cAMP had no significant effect on HERG current in gastric cancer cells transfected with HERG mutant deleting cAMP binding domain. PKA inhibitor did not influence the HERG current whether in parental gastric cancer cells or in gastric cancer cells transfected with HERG mutant.