Implementation of a free cataract surgery program in rural China: a community-based randomized interventional study.

Purpose: To identify effective methods to increase the number of cataract surgeries in a rural setting in Pucheng County of Shaanxi Province, northwestern China.

Design: Community-based randomized interventional study.

Participants: Four hundred thirty-two patients 50 years of age or older with operable cataract who had not undergone surgery 3 months after participation in a cataract outreach screening program.

[Adenovirus-mediated delivery of bcl-2 gene attenuates cisplatin-induced degeneration of cultured spiral ganglion cells.].

Objective: To assess the protection against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity by adenovirus-mediated overexpression of the bcl-2 gene in cultured spiral ganglion cells (SGC).

Methods: SGC from P3 rats were cultured in vitro and exposed to adenovirus vector carrying green fluorescent protein gene (Ad-GFP), followed by immunocytochemical analysis for expression of the neuron-specific marker Neurofilament 200 (NF200) and detection under laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscope. Then, SGC were transduced by Ad-bcl-2 and the expression of human bcl-2 protein was evaluated by Western Blot.

Identification and characterization of pannexin expression in the mammalian cochlea.

The gap junction in vertebrates is encoded by the connexin gene family. Recently, a new gene family termed pannexin (Panx) has been identified in vertebrates and found to encode gap junctional proteins as well. To date, three pannexin isoforms (Panx1, 2, and 3) have been cloned from mouse and human genomes.

Cellular characterization of Connexin26 and Connnexin30 expression in the cochlear lateral wall.

Gap junctions in the cochlear lateral wall, which consists of the stria vascularis (SV) and spiral ligament (SPL), are important for generating a positive endocochlear potential and high potassium concentration in the endolymph. In this study, the cellular expression of connexin 26 (Cx26) and Cx30 in the cochlear lateral wall of rats and guinea pigs was examined by immunofluorescent staining and confocal microscopy. Co-labeling for Kir4.

Gene transfer into primary cultures of fetal neural stem cells by a recombinant adenovirus carrying the gene for green fluorescent protein.

Objective: To evaluate the transduction efficiency of a recombinant adenovirus carrying the gene for green fluorescent protein (Ad-GFP) into the primary cultures of fetal neural stem cells (NSCs) by the expression of GFP.

Methods: The Ad-GFP was constructed by homologous recombination in bacteria with the AdEasy system; NSCs were isolated from rat fetal hippocampus and cultured as neurosphere suspensions. After infection with the recombinant Ad-GFP, NSCs were examined with a fluorescent microscopy and a flow cytometry for their expression of GFP.

Corneal endothelial cell density and morphology in healthy Chinese eyes.

Purpose: To describe corneal endothelial cell density and morphology in healthy Chinese eyes.

Methods: Specular microscopy was performed in 1329 eyes of 700 healthy volunteers (M:F, 311:389), 10 to 98 years of age. Parameters studied included endothelial cell density (CD), cell area (CA), coefficient of variation (CV) in cell area, and percent hexagonality.

[Inhibitory effects of small interfering RNA specific to protein kinase CK2a on the growth of laryngeal carcinoma cells].

Objective: To assess the effect of small interfering RNA (siRNA) specific to protein kinase CK2a on proliferation and apoptosis of Hep-2 cell line.

Methods: siRNA expression plasmid psiRNA-hH1neo-CK2 specific to protein kinase CK2a and non-specific siRNA expression plasmid psiRNA-hH1neo-cont were constructed respectively, and then were transfected into Hep-2 cells by lipofectamine methods. Protein kinase CK2a mRNA and protein of the transfected cells were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western Blot, respectively.

[Construction of recombinant adenovirus containing human Bcl-2 and its expression in the spiral ganglion cells].

Objective: To construct the adenoviral vector containing human Bcl-2 gene and to study the expression of the gene in the spiral ganglion cells (SGC) in vitro.

Methods: Human Bcl-2 cDNA obtained from the plasmid pUC-CAGGS/Bcl-2 was cloned into the plasmid pAdTrack-CMV. Then, pAdTrack/Bcl-2 was cotransferred with adenoviral backbone vector into E.