Vision-related quality of life and emotional impact in children with strabismus: a prospective study.

The potential impact of the surgical correction of strabismus on vision-related quality of life (VRQOL) and the symptoms of anxiety and depression in children with strabismus remain unclear. The present study included 60 children with strabismus: 30 with heterophoria and 30 with heterotropia. A healthy age- and gender-matched control group (n = 60) was also recruited. The psychological instruments that were used were the short-form 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The results demonstrated that eight of the 12 NEI-VFQ-25 subscales were significantly impaired in children with strabismus compared with matched controls. Compared with pre-operative values, significant improvements were noted after surgery in the NEI-VFQ-25 summary score, and the anxiety and depression scores. This study demonstrated that the NEI-VFQ-25 instrument can be used in strabismus children and that surgical interventions can improve VRQOL, anxiety and depression in strabismus patients.

Chemical synthesis and cloning of the human growth hormone releasing factor gene.

Human growth hormone releasing factor (hGRF) gene has been synthesized and cloned. The sequence of the synthetic hGRF gene, consisting of preferred codons for expression in E. coli, was designed with the aid of computer programs. Six segments with lengths ranging from 39 to 51 nucleotides were synthesized by solid-phase phosphoramidite method. The entire gene of 141 base pairs was constructed by enzymatic ligation of all synthetic segments and then cloned into plasmid pUC-19. The positive colonies were confirmed by the screening of ampicillin resistance, inactive beta-galactosidase, and analyzing by use of restriction enzymes and dot-blot hybridization. The cloned gene was sequenced by M13 dideoxynucleotide chain termination method and proven correct.