Lipid metabolism and hearing loss: association of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (NHHR) with adolescent hearing health.

Background: The ratio of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (NHHR) is a novel lipid measure for assessing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Lipid metabolism disorders are reportedly associated with hearing impairment. This study aimed to investigate the potential association between NHHR and hearing.

ROS-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction: a possible mechanism responsible for noise-induced ribbon synaptic damage.

Evidence suggests that damage to the ribbon synapses (RS) may be the main cause of auditory dysfunction in noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathophysiology of synaptic damage. However, the relationship between oxidative stress and RS damage in NIHL remains unclear.

Yacon as an alternative host plant for Encarsia formosa mass-rearing: validating a multinomial theorem for bootstrap technique in life table research.

Background: Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) is a broadleaf host plant suitable for rearing the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood). Here, the possibility of using yacon as an alternative host plant for production of the parasitoid, Encarsia formosa Gahan, one of the most important natural enemies of whiteflies, was explored. Data on the demographic characteristics, parasitism rate, and host-feeding rate were collected and analyzed using the TWOSEX-MSChart, CONSUME-MSChart, and TIMING-MSChart computer programs, and then contrasted with comparable data from the more commonly utilized host plant, tobacco.

[F4.8 visual miniature nephroscope for the diagnosis and treatment of hematospermia].

Objective: To explore the practicability and safety of the F4.8 visual miniature nephroscope in the diagnosis and treatment of hematospermia.

Methods: This study included 12 cases of refractory hematospermia accompanied by perineal or lower abdominal pain and discomfort.

Radiation-induced expression of is dose-dependent and not associated with the clinical outcomes of radiotherapy in cervical cancer.

This study aimed to investigate the expression of the immediate-early response 5 (IER5) gene in cervical cancer tissues and explore the association between the expression of IER5 and the clinical outcomes of radiotherapy. We collected specimens by surgery or biopsy and obtained 53 specimens from tissues after radiotherapy and 16 specimens from tissues before radiotherapy. Immunohistochemistry and western blotting were used to assess the protein expression levels of IER5.

Characteristics and evaluation on heavy metal contamination in Changchun municipal waste landfill after closure.

In the present study, comprehensive investigation on the spot and typical investigation method were used to assess Mn, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, As and Cu level, pH value, organic matter, total nitrogen and total phosphorus contents in soil of Changchun municipal waste landfill. The results showed that soil in the closure area of Changchun municipal waste landfill was alkaline in nature and the average value of organic matter, total nitrogen and total phosphorus contents were lower than that in normal black soil in Changchun City of Jilin Province. Single factor indices of As, Pb and Cr content was > 1, where P(As) was 1.

[Health risk assessment of coke oven PAHs emissions].

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) produced by coke oven are with strong toxicity and carcinogenicity. Taken typical coke oven of iron and steel enterprises as the case study, the dispersion and migration of 13 kinds of PAHs emitted from coke oven were analyzed using AERMOD dispersion model, the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks at the receptors within the modeling domain were evaluated using BREEZE Risk Analyst and the Human Health Risk Assessment Protocol for Hazardous Waste Combustion (HHRAP) was followed, the health risks caused by PAHs emission from coke oven were quantitatively evaluated. The results indicated that attention should be paid to the non-carcinogenic risk of naphthalene emission (the maximum value was 0.

[Expressions of immunogenic molecules in low-dose radiotherapy-treated human renal clear cell carcinoma 786-0 cells].

Objective: To explore the effects of low-dose radiation on the expression of immunogenic membrane molecules calreticulin (CRT) and MHC-I/II on the surface of human renal clear cell carcinoma 786-0 cells.

Methods: The inhibitory activity of low-dose radiation on cell line 786-0 was examined by CCK-8 assay. And the post-radiation membrane expressions of CRT, MHC-I and MHC-II were measured by flow cytometry while CRT was visualized by immunofluorescence photography.

Conductive keratoplasty: an approach for the correction of residual hyperopia in post-lasik pseudophakia.

Although there are many formulae for the calculation of intraocular lens power in the eyes with previous kerato-refractive surgeries, unexpected refractive bias still exists. Hyperopic bias is particularly disliked because it affects both uncorrected distance and near visual acuity. Surgical treatment of the residual hyperopia for the eyes with both laser in situ keratomileusis and cataract surgery remains to be a big problem.

[Clinical evaluation on the coaxial 1.8 mm microincision cataract surgery].

Objective: To study and compare the outcomes of coaxial 1.8 mm microincision phacoemulsification with conventional coaxial 3 mm small-incision cataract surgery.

Methods: A randomized prospective study was conducted on 89 patients with age-related cataract: coaxial 1.

[Conductive keratoplasty for presbyopia and two years follow-up].

Objective: To investigate the effect of conductive keratoplasty (CK) for presbyopia and 2 years follow-up.

Methods: This study is prospective clinical trial. CK was performed on 34 patients for presbyopia, in which 26 hyperopic patients underwent binocular operations and 8 emmetropic patients underwent monocular operation.

Correction of extreme hyperopia: artisan iris-fixated intraocular lens implantation for pseudophakia after clear lens extraction.

A 22-year-old patient suffering from both-side extreme hyperopia with amblyopia was corrected with an Artisan iris-fixated intraocular lens (IOL) implantation followed to clear lens extraction (CLE) with posterior chamber (PC)-IOL implantation. The preoperative refraction values were +17.75DS -1.

[Bone marrow stem cell-derived astrocytes are involved in glia limitans formation in rats after brain injury].

Objective: To investigate the involvement of bone marrow stem cell-derived astrocytes (BMDSCs) in the formation of glia limitans after brain injury.

Methods: In a female SD rat model of brain injury, green fluorescence protein (GFP)-labeled BMDSCs from male SD rats were transplanted via the caudal vein 24 h after the injury. The rats were sacrificed at 2, 4 and 8 weeks after the transplantation, and immunohistochemistry for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was performed to observe the astrocytes.

RNA interference mediated silencing of alpha-synuclein in MN9D cells and its effects on cell viability.

Objective: To silence the expression of alpha-synuclein in MN9D dopaminergic cells using vector mediated RNA interference (RNAi) and examined its effects on cell proliferation and viability.

Methods: We identified two 19-nucleotide stretches within the coding region of the alpha-synuclein gene and designed three sets of oligonucleotides to generate double-stranded (ds) oligos. The ds oligos were inserted into the pENTR/H1/TO vector and transfected into MN9D dopaminergic cells.

Astrocytes protect MN9D neuronal cells against rotenone-induced oxidative stress by a glutathione-dependent mechanism.

Astrocytes maintain homeostasis of neuronal microenvironment, provide metabolic and trophic support to neurons and modulate neuronal responses to injury. Rotenone specifically inhibits mitochondrial complex I, and long exposure to rotenone may increase the risk for Parkinson's disease (PD) and cause Parkinsonism. However, little is known about the role of astrocytes in the process of rotenone-induced dopaminergic neuron injury.

[Overexpression of alpha-synuclein in SH-SY5Y cells partially protected against oxidative stress induced by rotenone].

Both genetic and environmental factors are involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinsonos disease (PD). Epidemiological studies showed that environmental factors shared with the common mechanisms of resulting in alpha-synuclein aggregation by inhibiting complex I of mitochondria and leading to oxidative stress. To investigate the relationship between alpha-synuclein and oxidative stress, we used human dopaminergic SH-SY5Y cells transfected with alpha-synuclein-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP).

[Protective effect of maternal immunoglobulin G against NMDA-induced neurotoxicity on hippocampus neurons].

Objective: To investigate possible protective effect of maternal immunoglobulin G (IgG) against N-methyl-D-aspartate-mediated neurotoxicity on primary-cultured rat hippocampal neurons and the mechanism of the effect.

Methods: An in vitro system had been developed for the study of hippocampal neurons. Intracellular lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) release was used as a marker to measure the rates of neuronal damage.

[Maternal factors affecting development of early mouse embryos].

In vertebrates, oocytes undergo a series of maturation steps, arresting at metaphase II, and can then be fertilized by a sperm. Fertilization initiates molecular events that lead to the activation of early embryonic development. Fertilized oocytes or activated reconstituted embryos then activate the zygotic genome, a crucial event that initiates early embryonic development.

The assays of activities and function of TH, AADC, and GCH1 and their potential use in ex vivo gene therapy of PD.

In the past decades, there have been numerous studies in the gene therapy for Parkinson's disease (PD), especially in delivering genes of enzymes for dopamine (DA) synthesis. Gene therapy in PD appears to be at the brink of the clinical study phase. However, there are many questions that need to be solved before this approach can be contemplated clinically, especially the question about the control of DA production because too much DA could cause toxicity.

[Gene therapy of tyrosine hydroxylase, aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase, and GTP cyclohydrolase genes in rat model of Parkinson's disease].

Objective: To detect the expression and function of enzyme genes involved in biosynthetic pathway for dopamine in vitro and assess their effect in rat model of Parkinson's disease.

Methods: Cos7 cells were transfected with separate adeno-associated virus (AAV) expressing tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) gene, aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) gene and GTP cyclohydrolase I (GCH-I) gene. The expression and function of the three genes were detected by methods of immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization and high performance liquid chromatograph and electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD).

[Differentiation of bone marrow-derived stem cells in injured rat brain tissue].

Objective: To investigate the differentiation of bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMDSCs) migrated from blood circulation and resided in the injured brain tissue.

Methods: Brain injury model was established by iridectomy in the right cerebral cortex of female SD rats. Twenty-four hours after brain injury, the female rats received the implantation of green fluorescence protein (GFP)-labeled BMDSCs from male SD rats and were sacrificed at 2, 4 and 8 weeks after the implantation.

[Expression and assessment of double genes of tyrosine hydroxylase gene and aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase gene in vitro].

The characteristic pathological changes of Parkinson s disease (PD) include a severe loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra and a severe decrease in dopamine in the striatum. Since the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) in the biosynthetic pathway for dopamine are low, a promising approach to the gene therapy of PD is to augment the gene expression of the enzymes in the biosynthetic pathway for dopamine. In the present study, human TH and AADC genes were reconstructed into retrovirous vectors pLHCX and pLNCX(2) respectively.

[Identification of bone marrow stromal cells and expression of tyrosine hydroxylase gene in them].

The study is to establish the method of isolation and identification of bone marrow stromal cells and to investigate the ability of bone marrow stromal cells to accept and express TH gene. Cells were isolated by a density gradient (lymphocytes separation) and identified by BrdU labeling and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) technology using CD11b, CD45 and CD90 antibodies. TH and lacZ gene were transfected to rBMSCs with an adeno-associated virus vector.