The Scope and Impact of Perinatal Loss: Current Status and Future Directions.

The loss of an expected child can be devastating and traumatizing for parents, placing them at risk for postloss mental health complications, such as complicated or traumatic grief. The authors review the psychological and social impacts of perinatal loss and describe the standard care provided in the hospital. The authors review studies that examine the efficacy of standard care and highlight the need for empirical evidence confirming the efficacy of these current interventions. The authors provide recommendations for health care professionals in contact with the perinatally bereaved and suggest areas for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Glucose Variability: How Does It Work?

A growing body of evidence points to the role of glucose variability (GV) in the development of the microvascular and macrovascular complications of diabetes. In this review, we summarize data on GV-induced biochemical, cellular and molecular events involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. Current data indicate that the deteriorating effect of GV on target organs can be realized through oxidative stress, glycation, chronic low-grade inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, platelet activation, impaired angiogenesis and renal fibrosis. The effects of GV on oxidative stress, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and hypercoagulability could be aggravated by hypoglycemia, associated with high GV. Oscillating hyperglycemia contributes to beta cell dysfunction, which leads to a further increase in GV and completes the vicious circle. In cells, the GV-induced cytotoxic effect includes mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress and disturbances in autophagic flux, which are accompanied by reduced viability, activation of apoptosis and abnormalities in cell proliferation. These effects are realized through the up- and down-regulation of a large number of genes and the activity of signaling pathways such as PI3K/Akt, NF-κB, MAPK (ERK), JNK and TGF-β/Smad. Epigenetic modifications mediate the postponed effects of glucose fluctuations. The multiple deteriorative effects of GV provide further support for considering it as a therapeutic target in diabetes.     

Potential of Vasoprotectives to Inhibit Non-Enzymatic Protein Glycation,and Reactive Carbonyl and Oxygen Species Uptake

Reactive carbonyl species (RCS) such as methylglyoxal (MGO) or glyoxal (GO) are the main precursors of the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs are a major factor in the development of vascular complications in diabetes. Vasoprotectives (VPs) exhibit a wide range of activities beneficial to cardiovascular health. The present study aimed to investigate selected VPs and their structural analogs for their ability to trap MGO/GO, inhibit AGE formation, and evaluate their antioxidant potential. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with an electrospray ionization mass spectrometer (UHPLC-ESI-MS) and diode-array detector (UHPLC-DAD) was used to investigate direct trapping capacity and kinetics of quenching MGO/GO, respectively. Fluorimetric and colorimetric measurements were used to evaluate antiglycation and antioxidant action. All tested substances showed antiglycative effects, but hesperetin was the most effective in RCS scavenging. We demonstrated that rutin, diosmetin, hesperidin, and hesperetin could trap both MGO and GO by forming adducts, whose structures we proposed. MGO-derived AGE formation was inhibited the most by hesperetin, and GO-derived AGEs by diosmetin. High reducing and antiradical activity was confirmed for quercetin, rutin, hesperetin, and calcium dobesilate. Therefore, in addition to other therapeutic applications, some VPs could be potential candidates as antiglycative agents to prevent AGE-related complications of diabetes.     

Astaxanthin is responsible for antiglycoxidative properties of microalga Chlorella zofingiensis

The antiglycoxidative properties of microalga Chlorella zofingiensis were investigated for the first time in this study. Algal extracts containing different contents of astaxanthin were prepared. Through the comparison, it was shown that the extract rich in astaxanthin exhibited higher antioxidant abilities as well as stronger antiglycative capacities, including the inhibition of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) formation, glucose autoxidation as well as glycation-induced protein oxidation. The extract was further fractionated using TLC. Among all fractions obtained, the fraction of astaxanthin in diester form was found to contain the strongest inhibitory effects on the glycation cascade. Its tentative structure was subsequently identified by LC–MS analysis. These results clearly ascertained the antiglycoxidative properties of astaxanthin derived from C. zofingiensis and supported the possibility of using natural antioxidants as glycation inhibitors. The microalga C. zofingiensis, therefore, might be the beneficial food and preventive agent choice for diabetic patients.     

屈光性角膜手术26743例的临床分析

目的总结准分子激光屈光性角膜手术10年的临床效果。方法1993年5月至2003年5月包括行PRK,LASEK及LASIK的患者共26743例,44580眼,应用数学模式建立数据库,进行数据统计分析。结果男14691眼,女29889眼;年龄9～57岁平均27.2岁;左22443眼,右22137眼。术前裸眼视力0.10±0.07;矫正视力0.98±0.37,其中≥0.543794眼,占98.2%,≥1.041066眼,占92.1%,≥1.52218眼,占5%;眼压15.76±7.25;屈光度球镜-0.75～-18.00D(-5.65±3.24D),柱镜-0.25～-5.00D(-0.051±0.77D);角膜曲率(K)值K143.94±3.57,K242.98±3.50。筛选圆锥角膜0.99%,亚临床圆锥角膜0.93%;眼底病变及视网膜周边变性0.39%,排除系统疾病及不宜行激光手术者。术后裸眼视力0.98±0.34,其中≥0.544580眼,占100%,≥1.044031眼,占98.8%,≥1.54732眼,占10.61%;矫正视力1.03±0.33;眼压14.87±7.06;屈光度球镜-0.001±0.058D,柱镜-0.000±0.027D;K值K138.07±9.83、K237.20±10.84。实际矫正度在预期矫正度±1.00范围内98.7%。临床、亚临床圆锥角膜及眼底病变者不手术;视网膜周边变性眼底激光1月后可手术,以LASEK为主。3种手术长期效果没有统计学差异。PRK1周内基质细胞明显减少,10d、1月基质细胞数量增加,3月减少,6月后逐渐恢复正常;LASIK各时间点角膜细胞变化     

University students fail to comply with contact lens care

PurposeTo assess the level of compliance related to contact lens (CL) wear in university students in Spain.MethodsA web-based questionnaire was distributed to university students through their representatives to assess general demographic information, questions related to CL history, level of compliance with CL care and CL-related complications.ResultsA total of 266 participants with an average age of 22 (±4.5) years completed the online questionnaire. Only 39.1 % of respondents indicated that they always replace their CLs within the recommended schedule, and 63.6 % indicated that they usually wear their CLs more hours per day than recommended. Surprisingly, 64.9 % of participants reported that they had not been informed about the potential risks of CL wear, and only 20 % indicated that they always comply with follow-up visits, whereas 42.1 % of respondents expose their CL to water frequently. Participants who received proper CL education were more likely to attend aftercare visits (X²(2) = 9.104, p < 0.05). Participants with a longer history of CL wear had a greater tendency to expose their CLs to water (X²(6) = 18.768, p < 0.05) and suffer CL-related problems (X²(3) = 12.183, p < 0.05). There was also a relationship between an increased frequency of CL exposure to water and an increased tendency to experience CL-related adverse events (X²(2) = 10.864, p < 0.05).ConclusionA relatively high percentage of university CL wearers displayed some degree of non-compliance, which emphasises the importance of providing accurate and comprehensive CL care guidelines and attending aftercare visits to minimise potential CL-related complications. CL wearers should be provided with clear and unambiguous guidelines to avoid any exposure of CL’s and CL cases to water.     

《生物技术药物生产》课程改革实践的问题与对策探讨

高职教学改革是高职教育发展的源动力,项目化教学改革,为我们高职教学改革,提供了切入点。我们在实施《生物技术药物生产》课程项目化教学改革的过程中收获远多于挫折。探讨了在项目化教学改革的实施过程中遇到的实际问题,并初步探讨相关对策。     

醛糖还原酶cDNA的克隆和表达

醛糖还原酶能促使葡萄糖转化成山梨醇,是多元醇代谢通路的限速酶,与糖尿病并发症的发生和发展有密切关系.用RT-PCR扩增醛糖还原酶基因,将扩增产物克隆到大肠杆菌表达载体pET22b(+),构建重组表达载体pET22b(+)-AR.经PCR、双酶切和序列测定鉴定后,转化E.coli BL21(DE3),经IPTG诱导表达,SDS-PAGE和Western blotting对重组蛋白进行分析和鉴定后,利用Ni-NTA琼脂糖亲和层析纯化获得重组蛋白AR-(His)6.紫外分光光度法对AR-(His)6进行酶活检测,其比活力为0.45 U/mg,为下一步筛选具有抑制醛糖还原酶活性的化合物及开发有临床应用价值的醛糖还原酶抑制剂提供参考.