Sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) refers to the percentage of DNA strand breaks in the total sperm. Many studies suggest that elevated DFI can lead to male infertility and early spontaneous abortion. High-DFI patients are more likely to fail in assisted reproduction and preliminary treatment or prevention methods have been developed for this population. This review focuses on the impact of DFI on clinical pregnancy outcomes and progress in the studies of its treatment.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; Chromatin ; DNA Fragmentation ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Spermatozoa

Objective To investigate the suppression effect of RNA interference(RNAi) on the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR) of ovarian cancer SKOV3 cell line. Methods SKOV3 cells were transfected with synthetic EGFR sequence-specific dsRNA by lipofectamin 2000.The expression level of EGFR mRNA and protein were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting,respectively.The proliferation of transfected SKOV3 cells was detected by WST-1 cell proliferation assay.The abilities of adhesion,migration and invasion were detected by cell adhesion assay,cell migration assay and Matrigel invasion assay,respectively. Results The suppression rates on EGFR mRNA and protein by sequence-specific dsRNA-EGFR were 73.65% and 58.94%,respectively.The cell proliferation was inhibited by 22.54%,35.76% and 31.07%,respectively at 24,48 and 72 h after transfection.The adhesion of sequence-specific dsRNA transfected SKOV3 cells for 30 min and 90 min were reduced by 12.11% and 18.66%,respectively.The migration and invasion of SKOV3 cells were decreased by 25.47% and 22.08%,respectively. Conclusion The down-regulation of EGFR expression of ovarian cancer by sequence-specific dsRNA can lead to the suppression of proliferation,adhesion,migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells.

Objective To assess the regional left ventricular (LV) rotation motion in the patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) with velocity vector imaging (VVI).Methods This study included 38 patients with isolated MS (mild,moderate and severe) and 55 healthy control subjects.Short-axis parasternal views at the basal and apical level of LV were taken.Peak value of rotation angle and rotation velocity,as well as time to peak value were measured by VVI workplace offline respectively.Results ①In the healthy control subjects LV rotates clockwisely at the base and counterclockwisely at the apex,the same as the patients with MS.② In th patients with MS,rotaion angle and rotation velocity were significantly reduced at the apical level(P ＜0.001),rotation velocity were significantly reduced at some segments of basal level (anterior,lateral,septal) (P ＜ 0.05).③Compared with the healthy control,the difference of time to peak roation angle between base and apex was significantly longer in patients with MS (P ＜0.05).④ There were no significant differences among mild,moderate and severe MS (P ＞0.05).Conclusions The patients with MS may suffer from systolic dysfunctin even in the early stage identified by the alteration of LV rotation motion,which is independent of the hemodynamic severity of MS.

Objective: To investigate the short-term efficacy and safety of recombinant human endostatin YH-16 combined with navelbine and cisplatin in the first line treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its effect on the survival. Methods: Eighty patients with advanced NSCLC were recruited from May, 2007 and May, 2010, and they were randomly divided into study group (n=40, treated with YH-16 combined with navelbine and cisplatin) and conrol group (n=40, treated with navelbine plus cisplatin). The short-term efficacy and adverse effects were evaluated every six weeks (one chemotherapy cycle was given every 3 weeks). The survival was calculated. Results: Thirty-nine patients in the study group and 36 patients in the control group were evaluable. The stable disease rate in the study group was higher than that in the control group (53.8% vs 27.8%, χ2=5.25, P=0.022), and the clinical benefit rate was also higher (76.9% vs 55.6%, χ2=3.85, P=0.050). The progressive disease rate in the study group was lower than that in the control group (23.1% vs 44.4%, χ2=3.85, P=0.050). There were no significantly differences in time to progression and overall survival between the two groups (P>0.05). Most adverse effects were hematologic toxicities and digestive reactions, and the incidence rate was not significantly different between the two groups. The incidence rate of abnormal electrocardiogram in asymptomatic person was higher in the study group than that in the control group (χ2=16.27, P=0.001). Conclusion: YH-16 combined with navelbine and cisplatin as the first line treatment for advanced NSCLC can improve the stable disease rate, and the clinical benefit rate, decrease the progressive disease rate, and increase the rate, of cardiac electrophysiological abnormality, but the overall safety is acceptable.

The kinetics of batch and fed-batch cultures of recombinant Escherichia coli to produce humanlike collagen were investigated. Through examining the density of substrate and the amount of mushrooms and the density of products during the process of fermenting, a set of kinetic models are set up. The influence of cell without plasmid was considered. The results show that the kinetic model may well simulate the fermenting process.

On the base of element and metabolism balancing,the mathematic model of the human-like collagen expression phase with recombinant Escherichia coli BL21 was developed and the unknown parameters in the model were estimated with the method of nonlinear optimization.The model was in agreement with the growth kinetics and the metabolic kinetics,and the key calculated parameters of ?h,?p and mx were 1.173 mol?C-mol-1,293.814 mol?C-mol-1 and 17.878 mol?C-mol-1?h-1 respectively.This model could preferably predict the macroscopic reaction rates,and in the synthesis phase of human-like collagen,the specific growth rate should be controlled at 0.04 h-1 with controlling glucose feeding rate to gain the highest specific production rate of human-like collagen.

Background Clinical effectiveness of intavitreal injection of glucocorticosteroid for macular edema has been verified,especially triamcinolone acetonide(TA).However,the efficacy and safety of combination of TA with macular laser grid photocoagulation for macular edema is concerned. Objective This clinical trial was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravitreal injection of TA combined with macular laser grid photocoagulation in the treatment of macular edema. Methods A case-cohort study was designed.One hundred and twenty eyes of 120 patients with macular edema from diabetes or retinal vein occlusion were included in this study.The patients were randomized into trial group and control group,with the matched age,course,visual acuity,intraocular pressure (IOP).The patients of the trial group received intravitreal injection of TA combined with macular laser grid photocoagulation,and those of the control group were managed with macular laser grid photocoagulation only.Best corrected visual acuity ( BCVA),optical coherence tomography(OCT),fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA) and IOP were examined before TA injection and 1 week,1 month,3 months,6 months after treatment and compared among different time points between two groups.Written informed consent was obtained from each patient prior to entering this trial. Results Compared with TA injection before,the BCVA was significantly elevated in the trial group 1 week,1 month,3 months and 6 months after TA injection( all P=0.000),however,no obvious improvement of visual acuity was found in the control group before and after treatment at any time point (P＞0.05 ).At various time points,the visual acuity was significantly improved in the trial group than the control group (P =0.037,0.000,0.002,0.046 ).Macular thickness was significantly decreased at various time points after TA injection in comparison with before TA injection in the trial group(all P=0.000),but no significant change in macular thickness in the control group between before and after treatment at any time point( P＞0.05 ).Macular thickness was lower in the trial group compared with the control group at various time points after treatment ( P＜0.05 ).Recurrence of macular edema was seen in 7 eyes ( 1 1.67％ ) 4-6 months,and the IOP raise( ＞21 mmHg)was found in 11 eyes( 14.1％ )after TA injection in the trial group.Conclusions Intravitreal injection of TA combined with macular laser grid photocoagulation can be an effective method in the treatment of macular edema.However,recurrence of macular edema or increase of IOP may occur in a few patients within 6 months after TA injection.A long-term follow-up should be performed for the evaluation of efficacy and safety after intravitreous injection of TA.

Objective To explore the effect of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-α receptor Ⅱ:IgG Fc fusion protein injection (rhTNFR:FC) on the expression of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) in the synovial fluid and peripheral blood of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA); and to explore the clinical significance of COMP for JIA and the relationship between rhTNFR:FC and COMP in JIA.Methods Thirty-five patients with JIA (JIA group),30 patients with traumatic arthritis (trauma group) and 30 patients with indirect inguinal hernia hernioplasty (normal group) were included.Peripheral blood from all enrolled patients and synovial fluid from 15 JIA and 10 trauma arthritis were obtained for COMP detection before the treatment.Fifteen JIA (group A) patients were treated with combined rhTNFR:FC,diseasemodifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs),20 JIA (group B) were treated with combined DMARDs and NSAIDs.After three to six months' treatment and when the disease were in remission,peripheral blood from group A and B were drawn for COMP detection.In group A,the synovial fluid from 5 patients were obtained for COMP detection after treatment.At the same time,such as tender joint count (TJC),swollen joint count (SJC),time for morning stiffness,blood routine,erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR),and C-reactive protein (CRP) and other parameters before and after treatment were measured.The level of COMP was tested by double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The measurement data were tested for variance and independent sample t-test; and the enumeration data were tested by chi-squared or Fisher's exact test.Pearson's correlation analysis was adopted to analyze the association among the variables.Results ① The blood COMP level before treatment was (0.77±0.29) ng/ml in the JIA group,(1.00±0.28) ng/ml in the traumatic arthritis group,and (1.33±0.37) ng/ml in the normal control group.The level in the former two groups was obviously lower than that in the normal control group.The variation was statistically significant (F=25.345,P＜0.05).The comparison between any two groups was statistically significant (P＜0.05).② The COMP level in the synovial fluid before treatment were (14.8±1.6) ng/ml in the JIA group,(15.1±1.0) ng/ml in the traumatic arthritis group.The variation was not stati-stically significant (t=0.523,P=0.606).③ The serum COMP level of the systemic JIA group was obviously lower than that of the oligoarticular JIA patients,and patients with enthesitis-related arthritis and polyarticular JIA (0.26± 0.03 vs.0.87±0.17,0.89±0.22 and 0.70±0.35 ng/ml,respectively; F=9.244,P＜0.05).④ The serum COMP level of JIA at the acute phase was negatively correlated with white blood cells count (WBC),CRP and ESR (r=-0.556,-0.582 and-0.684,respectively; P all＜0.05).By contrast,no correlation was detected between the serum COMP level and joint tenderness index,joint swelling index,morning stiffness duration,hemoglobin level and platelet count(r=0.06,-0.206,-0.107,0.15 and-0.185,respectively; P all ＞0.05).⑤ The serum COMP level was obviously lower in the JIA with joint destruction than that without joint destruction (0.52±0.22 vs.0.92±0.22 ng/ml; t=5.207,P＜0.05).⑥After treatment,the blood COMP level in group A was (1.33±0.21) ng/ml and (0.96±0.22) ng/ml in group B,which was obviously higher than that in the JIA group before treatment (0.77±0.29) ng/ml.In addition,the level in group A was higher than that in group B.The variation was statistically significant (F=24.681,P＜0.05).⑦ After treatment,the COMP level in the synovial fluid (18.4± 1.1) ng/ml (n=5) was higher than that before the treatment was (14.8± 1.6) ng/ml (n =15).The variation was of statistical significant (t=4.565,P＜0.05).Conclusion The COMP level in blood and synovial fluid declines before treatment and increases after treatment.The increase is more obvious after combined with rhTNFR:FC treatment.The serum COMP level is remarkably decreased in JIA at the acute phase,systemic JIA,and the JIA with destruction of joint,and showes a negative correlation with WBC,CRP and ESR.Serum COMP may be a useful marker of active disease,destruction of joint and growth inhibition for patients with JIA.rhTNFR:FC treatment for JIA can facilitate the recovery of COMP.

Adult ; Causality ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Efficiency ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupations ; Social Support ; Stress, Psychological ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Objective To investigate the expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and its role in incisional pain in the rat model.Methods Incisional pain rat model was established by a longitudinal incision in right plantar hind paw of isoflurane-anesthetized rats.Spinal cords were removed at various postoperative times (1,6,24,72 h).The gene expression of IL-6 in the spinal cord was determined by a Real-time PCR.Immunohistochemistry and double-labeling immunofluorescence were performed to determine the expression of IL-6 after incision.Intrathecal injection of IL-6 antibodies was performed to modulate the spinal IL-6 after surgical incision,and the mechanical hypersensitivity was assessed by paw withdrawal thresholds from mechanical stimuli of von Frey filaments.Results After hind-paw incision,the IL-6 mRNA level was upregulated in the ipsilatcral lumbar spinal cord.The immunoreactivity of IL-6 in spinal cord was increased after hind-paw incision at 6 hours after incision.The upregulated spinal IL-6 was mainly localized in the neurons and endothelial cells.Intrathecal injection of IL-6 antibodies dramatically inhibited the surgical incision that evoked pain hypersensitivity.Conclusions The present study showed that the upregulated IL-6 in the spinal cord contributed to the pain hypersensitivity after surgical incision,inhibiting the upregulated IL-6 in the spinal cord may be a possible new therapeutic target for the treatment of postoperative pain.