The folate metabolic pathway plays important roles in cellular physiology by participating in nucleotide synthesis, DNA repair and methylation, and maintenance and stability of the genome. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is a key regulatory enzyme involved in folate metabolism. Polymorphisms of MTHFR may change the level of homocysteine and affect DNA synthesis and methylation, leading to an increased oxidative stress and disturbed methylation reactions and consequently affecting reproductive function. This article presents an overview on MTHFR gene polymorphisms, proposing that multicentered, large-sample and long-term prospective studies are needed to reveal the relationship between MTHFR gene polymorphisms and infertility.
DNA ; biosynthesis ; DNA Methylation ; DNA Repair ; Folic Acid ; metabolism ; Homocysteine ; metabolism ; Humans ; Infertility ; enzymology ; genetics ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Prospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prognosis of patients with vulnerable plaque indicated by coronary CT angiography (CCTA). METHODS: Totally 1963 patients underwent CCTA from February 2nd 2015 to September 13th 2015, and 2728 coronary borderline lesions (stenosis of 50%-70%) were detected. Among them 804 patients had vulnerable plaques and 1159 patients had stable plaques. The primary endpoint was major cardiac adverse events (MACE), including cardiac death, acute myocardial infarction and target lesion revascularization. RESULTS: Patients were followed up for a mean follow-up of 27.4±2.3 months. The incidence of MACE in the vulnerable plaque group was significantly higher than that in the stable plaque group (10.8%vs 2.3%, < 0.01). After adjusting for age, gender, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, the MACE hazard ratio () in the vulnerable plaque group was 5.022 (95% :3.254-7.751, < 0.01).Subgroup analysis showed that in the vulnerable plaque group, the incidence of MACE in patients taking antiplatelet and statin ≤3 months and those taking antiplatelet and statin > 3 months was 17.0%and 5.8%, respectively (=3.149, 95% :1.987-4.992, < 0.01); but the difference did not seen in stable plaque group (=1.721, 95% :0.798-3.712, >0.05). CONCLUSIONS This study confirmed the risk of MACE in patients with vulnerable plaque detected by CCTA and the drug treatment may reduce the risk for patients with vulnerable plaque.
Computed Tomography Angiography ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; diagnostic imaging ; Coronary Stenosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Infant ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the application of biological mesh in laparoscopic anti-reflux procedure for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

METHODSThe clinical data of 20 consecutive GERD patients underwent anti-reflux surgery in Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital from December 2012 to April 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. The laparoscopic hiatal repair with 360 fundoplicaiton was performed and the biological mesh (BiodesignTM, Surgsis) was implanted for reinforcement of hiatal repair.

RESULTSAll laparoscopic procedures were successful, no conversion and no intra-operative complications occurred. The pre-operative complains were relieved in all patients, and no recurrence was observed during 3-18 month of follow-up. Six patients got dysphagia after operation; 5 of them were controlled through medication and psychological induction; 1 received esophageal dilatation by bougie.

CONCLUSIONThe application of biological mesh in laparoscopic anti-reflux procedure for gastroesophageal reflux disease is satisfactory.

Fundoplication ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; surgery ; Hernia, Hiatal ; surgery ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Mesh

OBJECTIVETo study regulative action of mica monomer granule preparation on gastrin (GAS), somatostatin (SS) and G cells as well as D cells of gastric mucosa in experimental chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) rat.

METHODCAG rats were treated with mica monomer granule preparation with three different dosages--high, moderate and low level respectively. Changes of blood serum GAS, blood plasma SS and G cells as well as D cells of gastric mucosa in CAG rats were observed and detected with ELISA method, RIA method and immunocytochemistry method.

RESULTMica monomer granule of three different dosages could increase the quantity of G cells as well as D cells of gastric mucosa and the concentration of blood serum GAS and decrease the content of blood plasma SS in CAG rat at different level respectively. It was more effective in high and moderate dosage groups.

CONCLUSIONMica has the pharmacological action of protecting gastric mucosa, promoting the palingenesis of gastric gland and enhancing blood stream of gastric mucosa consequently to abate the inflammation reaction of gastric mucosa. Its effective mechanism is associated with the neuroendocrine regulative mechanism of promoting the secretion of gastric acid and gastric pepsin by increasing the amount of G cells as well as D cells and the concentration of blood serum GAS, and reducing inhibiting action on GAS secretion and enhancing the secretion of GAS by decreasing the content of SS.

Aluminum Silicates ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Gastric Mucosa ; pathology ; Gastrin-Secreting Cells ; drug effects ; Gastrins ; blood ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; blood ; pathology ; Materia Medica ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Somatostatin ; blood ; Somatostatin-Secreting Cells ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Tangke Decoction (TD) on the expression of TGF-beta1/Smad4 of rats with early diabetes and to explore the effect and mechanism of TD against the renal injury induced by diabetes.

METHODSSD rats were randomly divided into the normal control group (n = 12), the model group (n = 10), the Chinese herbs prevented group (n =10), the Chinese herbs treated group (n = 10), and the Western medicine control group (n = 10). TD (18 mg/kg) was given by gastrogavage to rats in the Chinese herbs prevented group immediately after successful modeling for 12 weeks, once daily. At the 4th week of successful modeling, rats in the rest 4 groups were administered by gastrogavage. Equal volume of normal saline was given to rats in the model group and the normal control group. Benazepril suspension (1 mg/kg) was administered by gastrogavage to rats in the Western medicine control group for 8 weeks, once daily. TD (18 mg/kg) was given by gastrogavage to rats in the Chinese herbs treated group for 8 weeks, once daily. The body weight, kidney weight, index of kidney weight, fasting blood sugar, 24 h urinary albumin excretion rate were examined after experiment. The pathological changes of the renal tissue were observed by HE staining, Masson staining, and electron microscope. The expression of renal transforming growth factor-beta1, (TGF-beta1) and Smad4 were detected using immunohistochemical assay.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, the body weight of rats decreased significantly; the kidney weight, index of kidney weight, blood sugar, 24 h urinary protein excretion, the urinary albumin excretion rate,TGF-beta1 and Smad4 expression increased significantly in the model group (all P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the aforesaid indices were improved in each treatment group with statistical difference (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with the Western medicine control group, the kidney weight, index of kidney weight, blood sugar, 24 h urinary protein excretion, and the urinary albumin excretion rate were obviously improved in the Chinese herbs prevented group (P < 0.01). The renal pathological changes were most obvious in the model group significantly, but they were improved in all treatment groups.

CONCLUSIONTD could obviously improve the symptoms of diabetes and down-regulate the expression of renal TGF-beta1 and Smad4 of early diabetic nephropathy rats, which suggested that TD had certain preventive effect on early diabetic nephropathy.

Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Kidney ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Smad4 Protein ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the relationship of c-myc protein expression in skin hemangioma of infant with different stage,cell proliferative activity and apoptos is.Methods Proliferating cell nudear antigen(PCNA) and c-myc were detected by immunohistoc hemical staining,and apoptosis was detected using in situ cell death detection( TUNEL method) in 58 skin hemangioma specimens of infant.Results Among the 58 hemangiomas,the positive rate of c-myc protein was significantly higher in involuting hemangiomas than that in proliferative hemangiomas(P

Administration, Inhalation ; Animals ; Female ; Male ; Pesticides ; analysis ; toxicity ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objective: To analyze the relationship between hemoglobin ( Hb ) and serum uric acid ( SUA ), so as to provide basis for preventing hyperuricemia ( HUA ) . Methods: As the research subjects, people who underwent physical examination in Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital from January 1, 2017 to October 31, 2020 for 4 years in a row and who were non-HUA in 2017 were selected. The physical examination data were collected, including body mass index, blood pressure, blood routine, blood biochemical tests, etc. The subjects grouped by quartiles of Hb level in 2017. The occurrence of SUA elevation ( SUA increased ≥60 μmol/L from baseline ) , significantly SUA elevation ( SUA increased ≥120 μmol/L from baseline ), HUA ( SUA>420 μmol/L ) and severe HUA ( SUA ≥480 μmol/L ) in the next 3 years were taken as end events. The incidence, occurrence time and risk of end events in different Hb groups were analyzed. Results: A total of 4 073 subjects were selected and divided into 4 groups according to the Hb level from low to high, with 969 subjects in group A, 907 subjects in group B, 1 109 subjects in group C and 1 088 subjects in group D. SUA elevation was in 745 patients ( 18.29% ); significantly SUA elevation was in 105 patients ( 2.58% ); HUA was in 514 patients ( 12.62% ); severe HUA was in 94 patients ( 2.31% ). The incidence of SUA elevation and significantly SUA elevation showed a decreasing trend with the increase of Hb level ( P<0.05 ). The occurrence time of SUA elevation in group A to D was 2.788, 2.817, 2.860 and 2.814 years, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05 ). There were no statistically significant differences in the occurrence time of other end events ( P>0.05 ). The multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed that compared with group A, other Hb groups had lower risk ( HR=0.498-0.776, 95%CI:0.253-0.981 ) of SUA elevation, significantly SUA elevation and severe HUA after adjusting for gender, age, ALT, Scr, body mass index, etc. Conclusions With the increase of Hb level, the incidence of SUA elevation may decrease and the occurrence time is prolonged. Compared with the lowest Hb group, the higher Hb groups had lower risk of SUA elevation, significantly SUA elevation and severe HUA.

Meckel diverticulum (MD), a congenital gastrointestinal anomaly, is often involved in pediatrics, but less in the adult population. The patient in this report was a 69-year-old female presented with massive gastrointestinal bleeding causing hemorrhagic shock due to MD containing ectopic pancreatic tissue. A review of the literature revealed that gastrointestinal bleeding from MD containing ectopic pancreatic tissue is rare in adults and difficult to be identified preoperation. MD should be considered as one of the differential diagnosis for lower gastrointestinal bleeding, although scarce in adults, especially when the patient has massive painless bleeding.
Aged ; Choristoma ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Humans ; Meckel Diverticulum ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Pancreas ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanisms of muscovite gastric mucosal protective effect.

METHODRat model of chronic gastritis were used. After gastric mucosal injury was induced, the rats were divided into 6 groups and were treated with different drugs. 2 weeks later, the tissue and blood samples were obtained and measured.

RESULTThe general conditions, the observations under macroscopy, microscope and electron microscope of the middle and high dose of muscovite groups resembled those of the normal group. Their PH levels were higher than those of the model group, and the rates of intestinal metaplasia were lower, but the PGE2 level of the middle dose of muscovite group was the highest.

CONCLUSIONMuscovite can be adsorbed on the surface of the gastric mucosa. It has gastric mucosal protective effect by improving excretion of mucus and synthesis of PGE2 in gastric mucosa, restraining gastric acid, reversing of intestinal metaplasia and decreasing inflammation cells.

Aluminum Compounds ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Dinoprostone ; blood ; Gastric Juice ; chemistry ; Gastric Mucosa ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Gastritis ; blood ; chemically induced ; pathology ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Materia Medica ; pharmacology ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Potassium Compounds ; pharmacology ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Silicates ; pharmacology ; Sodium Salicylate