Correlation Analysis of Ocular Symptoms and Signs in Patients with Dry Eye.

. To analyze the correlations between the ocular surface signs and symptoms in patients with dry eye. In this observational study, 176 dry eye patients, including 60 males and 116 females, were enrolled and their dry eye symptoms and ocular signs were observed.

Prevalence of diabetic retinopathy among 13473 patients with diabetes mellitus in China: a cross-sectional epidemiological survey in six provinces.

Objective: To describe the prevalence and severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and sight-threatening DR (STDR) among Chinese adults with diabetes.

Design, Setting And Participants: A cross-sectional epidemiological survey across Mainland China (N=13 473). Participants were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus by physicians and transferred to our screening clinics (1/3 from hospital patients, 1/3 from city residents, the other 1/3 from rural residents).

Long-Term Effects of Xerophytic Shrub Haloxylon ammodendron Plantations on Soil Properties and Vegetation Dynamics in Northwest China.

The xerophytic desert shrub Haloxylon ammodendron (C. A. Mey.

Isolation, Characterization, and Bioinformatic Analyses of Lytic Salmonella Enteritidis Phages and Tests of Their Antibacterial Activity in Food.

Salmonella Enteritidis remains a major threat for food safety. To take efforts to develop phage-based biocontrol for S. Enteritidis contamination in food, in this study, the phages against S.

Evaluation of the Effects of Conjunctivochalasis Excision on Tear Stability and Contrast Sensitivity.

Conjunctivochalasis (CCh) disrupts tear flow and damages tear film stability. This study sought to evaluate the tear stability and contrast sensitivity of patients with CCh on whom CCh excision was performed. The study included 39 eyes from 39 patients; all patients had eyes with grade 2 or 3 CCh, underwent CCh excision, and were evaluated before and three months after the surgery.

Evaluation of the Safety and Effectiveness of Intense Pulsed Light in the Treatment of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.

Purpose. This study aims to explore the safety and efficacy of a novel treatment-intense pulsed light (IPL) in MGD eyes. Methods.

Astaxanthin preparation by fermentation of esters from Haematococcus pluvialis algal extracts with Stenotrophomonas species.

Natural astaxanthin (Ax) is an additive that is widely used because of its beneficial biochemical functions. However, the methods used to produce free Ax have drawbacks. Chemical saponification methods produce several by-products, and lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis methods are not cost effective.

Mobilization of Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells by dl-3-n-Butylphthalide in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients.

Objective: The research aim was to investigate the effects of dl-3-n-butylphthalide (NBP) on the level of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and clinical outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

Materials And Methods: A total of 170 patients were included and randomly assigned to NBP group and control group. All patients were administrated a basic antiplatelet and lipid-lowering therapy.

Effects of Senegenin against hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced injury in PC12 cells.

Objective: To investigate the effect and the potential mechanism of Senegenin (Sen) against injury induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) in highly differentiated PC12 cells.

Methods: The cultured PC12 cells were treated with H/R in the presence or absence of Sen (60 μmol/L). Four groups were included in the experiment: control group, H/R group, H/R+Sen group and Sen group.

Stability, Pharmacokinetics, Biodistribution and Safety Assessment of Folate-Conjugated Pullulan Acetate Nanoparticles as Cervical Cancer Targeted Drug Carriers.

It is recognized that the stability and journey in the body of nanoparticles are important issues for drug formulations. In this study, we prepared folate-conjugated pullulan acetate nanoparticles (FPANs) and epirubicin loaded FPANs (FPA/EPI) using dialysis method. The storage stability of FPANs and FPA/EPI at 4 degrees C could be up to 3 months.

Facile Synthesis of Lithium Sulfide Nanocrystals for Use in Advanced Rechargeable Batteries.

This work reports a new method of synthesizing anhydrous lithium sulfide (Li2S) nanocrystals and demonstrates their potential as cathode materials for advanced rechargeable batteries. Li2S is synthesized by reacting hydrogen sulfide (H2S) with lithium naphthalenide (Li-NAP), a thermodynamically spontaneous reaction that proceeds to completion rapidly at ambient temperature and pressure. The process completely removes H2S, a major industrial waste, while cogenerating 1,4-dihydronaphthalene, itself a value-added chemical that can be used as liquid fuel.

The Functions of BMP3 in Rabbit Articular Cartilage Repair.

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) play important roles in skeletal development and repair. Previously, we found fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) induced up-regulation of BMP2, 3, 4 in the process of rabbit articular cartilage repair, which resulted in satisfactory repair effects. As BMP2/4 show a clearly positive effect for cartilage repair, we investigated the functions of BMP3 in rabbit articular cartilage repair.

Intraocular Pressure Changes during Accommodation in Progressing Myopes, Stable Myopes and Emmetropes.

Purpose: To investigate the changes of intraocular pressure (IOP) induced by 3-diopter (3 D) accommodation in progressing myopes, stable myopes and emmetropes.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Participants: 318 subjects including 270 myopes and 48 emmetropes.

Thermodynamically Favorable Conversion of Hydrogen Sulfide into Valuable Products through Reaction with Sodium Naphthalenide.

Hydrogen sulfide (H S) is an extremely hazardous chemical waste that is generated at large scale in many industries; its abatement has long been an energy-extensive and cost-ineffective liability due to the thermodynamic limitations of the selected approaches and low value of the final products, sulfur and water. Here we introduce an attractive method for H S abatement that yields value-added products via a thermodynamically favorable process. Specifically, sodium naphthalenide (Na-NAP) is used to capture H S to produce anhydrous Na S nanocrystals and 1,4-dihydronaphthalene, which are important materials for batteries and liquid fuels, respectively.

[Changes in human meibum with meibomian gland dysfunction].

Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is a common ocular surface disease, characterized by terminal duct obstruction and (or) qualitative and quantitative changes in the glandular secretion. Meibomian lipids are a mixture consisting of various lipids, and they form the lipid layer of tear film and play important roles in preventing the evaporation and maintaining the stability of tear film. Patients with MGD may have different compositions of meibomian lipids, which could be an important indicator for diagnosis of MGD.

Efficiency and safety of subconjunctival injection of anti-VEGF agent - bevacizumab - in treating dry eye.

Purpose: Dry eye is a chronic inflammatory ocular surface disease with high prevalence. The current therapies for dry eye remain to be unspecific and notcomprehensive. This study aims to explore safety and efficacy of a novel treatment - subconjunctival injection of bevacizumab - in dry eye patients.

Association between glutathione S-transferases M1 and T1 gene polymorphisms and esophageal cancer prognosi.

Objective: To investigate the independent factors affecting the prognosis of patients after resection of esophageal cancer, and to inquire into the relationship between GSTM1, GSTT1 gene polymorphisms and esophageal cancer prognosis.

Methods: The clinical data of 273 patients with esophageal cancer were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were followed-up after their surgery, and the gene polymorphisms of GSTM1 and GSTT1 in each individual were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Activation of G-protein-coupled receptor 30 increases T-type calcium currents in trigeminal ganglion neurons via the cholera toxin-sensitive protein kinase A pathway.

G protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR30) is a seven transmembrane domain G protein coupled receptor. In our study, GPR30 expression was found in trigeminal ganglia (TG) in mice, detected by RT-PCR and western blotting. We examined the effects of GPR30 activation on T-type calcium channels using GPR30-specific compound 1 (G-1), a GPR30-selective agonist, in TG neurons and demonstrated that G-1 induced an increase in T-type calcium channel currents (T-currents) in TGs.

Potent and Nontoxic Chemosensitizer of P-Glycoprotein-Mediated Multidrug Resistance in Cancer: Synthesis and Evaluation of Methylated Epigallocatechin, Gallocatechin, and Dihydromyricetin Derivatives.

We are interested in developing novel natural product-derived P-gp inhibitors to reverse cancer drug resistance. Here, we have synthesized 55 novel derivatives of methylated epigallocatechin (EGC), gallocatechin (GC), and dihydromyricetin (DHM). Three EGC derivatives (23, 35, and 36) and three GC derivatives (50, 51, and 53) are significantly better than epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) with a relative fold (RF) ranging from 31.

The squid ink polysaccharides protect tight junctions and adherens junctions from chemotherapeutic injury in the small intestinal epithelium of mice.

Gastrointestinal mucositis and infection by chemotherapy treatment are associated with alterations in the functioning of the intestinal barrier, due to the potential damage induced by anticancer drugs on the epithelial tight junctions and adheren junction. We aimed to study the protective effect of dietary polysaccharides on chemotherapy-induced injury in the epithelial cells. In the current study, using mice that were intraperitoneally injected with 50 mg/kg cyclophosphamide for 2 days, we reveal that polysaccharides from the ink of Ommastrephes bartrami (OBP) enhanced the mRNA and protein expression levels of Occludin, zonulae occluden (ZO)-1, and E-cadherin.

Significant improvement in dynamic visual acuity after cataract surgery: a promising potential parameter for functional vision.

Purpose: Dynamic visual acuity (DVA) is a relatively independent parameter for evaluating the ability to distinguish details of a moving target. The present study has been designed to discuss the extent to which age-related cataract impacts DVA in elderly individuals and to determine whether it could be restored after bilateral phacoemulsification combined with intraocular lens implantation surgery.

Methods: Twenty-six elderly cataract patients scheduled for binocular cataract surgery and 30 elderly volunteers without cataract were enrolled in the study.

Dietary fucoidan of Acaudina molpadioides and its enzymatically degraded fragments could prevent intestinal mucositis induced by chemotherapy in mice.

Mucositis is a common problem that results from cancer chemotherapy and is a cause of significant morbidity and occasional mortality. Its prevention and successful treatment can significantly enhance the quality of life of patients and improve their survival. Sea cucumber is a traditional aquatic food that has both nutritional and medicinal value.

Senegenin Inhibits Hypoxia/Reoxygenation-Induced Neuronal Apoptosis by Upregulating RhoGDIα.

Neuronal apoptosis is an important event in hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced neuronal injury. Senegenin (Sen), the predominant and most active component in Radix Polygalae root extracts, displays anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidative properties. Sen protects against H/R-induced neuronal apoptosis of highly differentiated PC12 cells and primary cortical neurons.

Dietary squid ink polysaccharide could enhance SIgA secretion in chemotherapeutic mice.

Secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) is a non-inflammatory antibody that shields internal body surfaces, such as in the intestine to neutralize pathogens in the lumen of the intestine. As chemotherapy seriously damages the mucosal immune system, we herein demonstrated that polysaccharide from the squid ink of Ommastrephes bartrami (OBP) activated intestinal SIgA secretion to prevent chemotherapeutic injury. Using a mouse model of chemotherapy induced intestinal injury by intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg kg(-1) cyclophosphamide, our results showed an enhanced SIgA concentration in intestinal mucosa by OBP administration and the higher production of SIgA relied on the greater expression of IgA, J chain and pIgR.

Lithium silicide nanocrystals: synthesis, chemical stability, thermal stability, and carbon encapsulation.

Lithium silicide (LixSi) is the lithiated form of silicon, one of the most promising anode materials for the next generation of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In contrast to silicon, LixSi has not been well studied. Herein we report a facile high-energy ball-milling-based synthesis of four phase-pure LixSi (x = 4.