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Objective: To explore the effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), NO and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in the cerebrum of rats subjected to cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)., Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: a sham group, an I/R group,an HGF1 group, an HGF2 group, and an HGF3 group. The latter 3 groups were respectively injected 15, 30 and 60 μg/kg HGF. The focal cerebral I/R model was established by sutureoccluded method. After 1.5 h ischemia followed by 24 h reperfusion, the iNOS activity and NO content in the ischemic cerebral tissue were assessed. The expression of iNOS mRNA and IL-1β mRNA was detected. The level of iNOS protein and IL-1β content were determined. In addition, cultured cerebral cortical neurons in vitro were exposed to I/R. Then the expression of iNOS and IL-1β protein in the neurons was detected, and NO content was assessed., Results: The iNOS activity and NO content in the ischemic cerebral tissue were increased. The expression of iNOS mRNA and IL-1β mRNA was upregulated. The level of iNOS protein and IL- 1β content were increased. Administration of HGF decreased the iNOS activity and NO content, and downregulated the expression of iNOS mRNA, IL-1β mRNA, iNOS protein and IL-1β content in the ischemic cerebral tissue. HGF decreased the expression of IL-1β, iNOS protein and NO content in the cortical neurons exposed to I/R in vitro., Conclusion: HGF can inhibit the expression of IL-1β and decrease the expression of iNOS and content of NO, which is probably one of the mechanisms mediating the protection of HGF against cerebral ischemia injury.

To develop potent dual EGFR/HER-2 inhibitors with improved druggability, a series of new lapatinib analogs were designed and synthesized. Compared with lapatinib, L-2, L-4 and M-6 were more active against BT-474 or NCI-N87 cells. In vivo efficacy studies indicated that L-2 significantly suppressed tumor growth in NCI-N87 (94.8% inhibition) or SK-OV-3 xenograft (85.7% inhibition) without causing significant loss of body weight. And the inhibition rates of lapatinib in the two xenograft models were 89.7% and 78.8%, respectively. Moreover, further studies revealed that the potent in vivo activities of L-2 may be mainly attributed to its superior aqueous solubility and oral bioavailability. In addition, a high-yielding one-pot procedure was developed for the synthesis of lapatinib and its analogs., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Rupture of splenic artery aneurysm remains an uncommon cause of hypovolemic shock although it is the third most common intra-abdominal aneurysms. It is difficult to diagnosis timely and entails a significant morbidity and mortality. We present three uncommon cases of bleeding from upper gastrointestinal tract as a result of rupture of splenic artery aneurysm to stomach in patients with liver cirrhosis or infectious endocarditis. We also reviewed the literature and these case reports highlighted that rapid resuscitation, diagnostic imaging, surgical consultation, and alternatively transarterial embolization were the priorities in the management. Early diagnosis and intervention for ruptured splenic artery aneurysm are crucial for patient's survival; therefore, it must be kept in mind as feasible etiology of life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding, especially in patients with underlying liver cirrhosis or infective endocarditis.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy, safety and clinical value of calculating the posterior chamber phakic intraocular lens (ICL) length according to the corneal horizontal diameter., Methods: This was a retrospective study. A Staar Visian implantable contact lens (ICL) was implanted in 32 patients (64 eyes) with high myopia in the Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University between November 15, 2005 and January 15, 2011. The lens length was calculated according to the corneal horizontal diameter measured by Orbscan II. Patients were followed up postoperatively at 1 day, 1 week, 1, 3, 6 and 12 months and every 6 months thereafter. The evaluations included visual acuity, manifest refraction, applanation tonometry, endothelial cell count, slit-lamp microscopy to detect cataract, and UBM to assess the degree of ICL tilt and distances between the corneal endothelium, the ICL, and the crystalline lens. All of the preoperative and 12-month follow-up observations were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 software., Results: No anterior subcapsular cataracts were found in any of the eyes after surgery. Pigmentary dispersion was observed on the anterior and posterior surface of the ICL, but the difference was not statistically significant (χ(2) = 2.24, P = 0.13). The intraocular pressure changed from (15.67 ± 3.23) mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) to (15.78 ± 3.23) mm Hg, but the difference was not significant (t = 0.24, P = 0.38). The corneal endothelium-lens (central section) distance measured by UBM postoperatively was (2.97 ± 0.25) mm and the corneal endothelium-ICL (central section) distance was (2.24 ± 0.27) mm; the difference between them was statistically significant (t = 15.77, P < 0.01). The degree of ICL tilt measured by UBM was 1.20° ± 1.05 °. The percentage of eyes with a trabecular-iris angle (TIA) greater than 30°, between 21° and 30°, between 11°and 20°, and smaller than 10° were 29.1%, 50.0%, 11.6%, and 9.3%, respectively. The angle opening distance at 500 micron (AOD500) measured by UBM postoperatively was (0.32 ± 0.15) mm. The contact distance between the iris and the ICL measured by UBM postoperatively was (0.85 ± 0.46) mm and the ICL-lens central distance was (0.47 ± 0.25) mm. The Pearson's correlation coefficients between the ICL-lens central distance and the corneal horizontal diameter, sulcus diameter, anterior chamber depth(ACD) and ICL length were 0.11, 0.16, 0.04 and 0.19, respectively; none were statistically significant. The ICL-lens peripheral distance measured by UBM postoperatively was (0.25 ± 0.20) mm., Conclusion: Selecting the length of the ICL according to the corneal horizontal diameter is appropriate, and assures the safety, effectiveness and predictability of ICL implantation.