Objective To explore the relationship between sperm DNA fragmentation rates and male infertil-ity.Methods Case -control study was used .Sperm DNA fragmentation rates were compared between the primary infertile males for unknown reasons (n=126) and the males whose spouses undergoing delivery in three months (n=100).Results Sperm DNA fragmentation rate of the research group was (11.95 ±4.89) %.Sperm DNA fragmenta-tion rate of the control group was (10.07 ±3.56) %.Significant difference was found between the two groups on sperm DNA fragmentation rate(t=-3.326,P=0.001).The 226 men were divided into group A with sperm DNA fragmentation rates<10%(n=130) and group B with sperm DNA fragmentation rates≥10%(n=96).The percent-age of male infertility in group A was significantly lower than that in group B (50.00%vs 61.62%) (χ2 =4.105, P=0.043).Conclusion Correlation is found between sperm DNA fragmentation rates and male infertility .

Objective The factors influencing the dose distribution of intracavitary brachytherapy for moderately advanced and advanced uterine cervical cancer was studied.Methods Ninty-five patients with cervical cancerⅡ～Ⅲb who received radical radiation therapy in our department from Aug,2004 to Nov,2005,were treated with after-loading brachytherapy using,first,the self-designed“Mutipurpose Hori- zontal Transit Table”(MPHTT) for locating and treatment before the intracavitaray brachytherapy proper. The deviation of isodose curve based on A-B reference system,and the dose of deviation was defined by measuring in a practical standard phantom.Results There were significant influence on the deviation of i- sodose curve in pathology and para-metrial infiltration of cervical cancer and operating skill,but negative to clinical stage.The degree of deviation of isodose curve could not be lowered with the increase in sessions of intracavitary brachytherapy.Conclusions It is necessary to perform the locating,by use of mphtt,before the proper brachytherapy for patients with cervical cancer,not only for the identification of the deviation of i- sodose curve,but also to provide the evidence for revising the plan for dose adjustment of conformal radiation therapy in the pelvic cavity.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of cognitive impairment in the patients with asymptomatic unilateral severe internal carotid artery stenosis (ICAS). Methods A total of 80 patients with unilateral severe carotid stenosis (stenosis rate ≥70%)and 40 patients without carotid stenosis (control group)diagnosed by digital substract angiography (DSA)were analyzed retrospectively. According to the stenotic sides,the patients with severe ICAS were divided into a left stenosis group and a right stenosis group (n = 40 in each group). The North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial (NASCET)criteria were used to grade the degree of stenosis. Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA)was used to evaluate the cognitive function of the patients,and then the cognitive function of the patients in 3 groups was assessed. Results The MoCA total scores,visuospatial and executive functions,and language ability,and delayed memory scores of the patients in both left and right groups were lower than those of the control group. There were significant differences (21. 8 ± 3. 1,3. 4 ± 1. 3,1. 8 ± 0. 6,and 1. 6 ± 1. 3,respec-tively in the left stenosis group;22. 6 ± 2. 5,3. 5 ± 1. 1,1. 9 ± 0. 6,and 1. 7 ± 1. 4,respectively in the right stenosis group;and 26. 4 ± 1. 8,4. 2 ± 0. 9,2. 7 ± 0. 6,and 3. 8 ± 1. 0,respectively in the control group;all P < 0. 01). There were no significant differences in naming,attention,abstract ability,orientation ability scores compared with the control group (all P > 0. 05). There were no significant differences in the MoCA total scores and each single test score of the patients between the left stenosis and the right stenosis groups (P > 0. 05). Conclusion The patients with asymptomatic unilateral severe ICAS have cognitive impairment generally;it is characterized by delay memory,visuospatial and executive functions,and language dysfunction.

Objective To investigate the relationship between the evaluation of cerebral perfusion with CT perfusion (CTP)imaging and cognitive impairment in patients with asymptomatic severe internal carotid stenosis. Methods A total of 104 patients with asymptomatic severe unilateral internal carotid artery origin stenosis (the unilateral stenosis rate ≥70% and the contralateral stenosis rate < 30%)were enrolled respectively. After conducting Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)scores,they were divided into a non-cognitive impairment group (n = 24;MoCA ≥26)and a cognitive impairment group (n = 80;MoCA <26). All patients were performed digital subtraction angiography (DSA)and / or CT angiography (CTA)examinations. Their unilateral severe stenosis was confirmed,and they underwent brain CTP examinations. The relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF),relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV),relative mean transit time (rMTT),and relative time to peak (rTTP)were calculate by CTP. The presence rate of collateral circulation in 96 patients was calculated by DSA. The presence rate of collateral circulation,and relative perfusion parameters of the 2 groups were compared. Results (1)The MoCA score in patients of the non-cognitive impairment group was 27. 8 ± 1. 7,and the MoCA score in patients of the cognitive impairment group was 21. 4 ± 3. 1. There was significant difference between the 2 groups (t = 17. 959, P <0. 05). (2)The rate of 96 patients having collateral circulation was 68. 4% (52 / 76)in the cognitive impairment group,and in the non-cognitive impairment group was 60. 0% (12/ 20). There was no significant difference (P >0. 05). The CTP parameters rMTT,rTTP,rCBV,and rCBF in the non-cognitive impairment group were 1. 074 ± 0. 066,1. 103 ± 0. 032,1. 045 ± 0. 021 and 1. 066 ± 0. 040,respectively;the CTP parameters rMTT,rTTP,rCBV,and rCBF in the cognitive impairment group were 1. 241 ± 0. 169, 1. 328 ± 0. 248,1. 046 ± 0. 030,and 1. 093 ± 0. 058,respectively. The rTTP and rMTT of the cognitive impairment were longer than those of the non-cognitive impairment group. There were significant differences in rTTP and rMTT between the 2 groups (P < 0. 05),but there were no significant differences in rCBF and rCBV between the 2 groups (P >0.05). Conclusion Most of the patients with asymptomatic severe internal carotid stenosis has cognitive impairment,and cerebral perfusion caused by stenosis is significantly slower in patients with cognitive impairment than in those with noncognitive impairment.

Objective To investigate the related factors of the prognosis of arterial embolectomy of acute cardiogenic cerebral embolism caused by atrial fibrillation.Methods The clinical data of using vein thrombolysis bridging artery embolectomy or arterial embolectomy alone for the treatment of patients with acute cardiogenic cerebral embolism of cerebral large artery occlusion due to atrial fibrillation were analyzed retrospectively.From January 2015 to December 2016,22 consecutive inpatients with cardioembolic cerebral embolism caused by paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation were enrolled,including 10 patients with the 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score 0-2 (good recovery group) and 12 patients with mRS scores 3-6 (poor recovery group).The clinical features,imaging data,and treatment of the patients in both groups were compared.The factors such as age,gender,preoperative international standardization ratio (INR),embolism position,whether bridging vein thrombolysis before thrombectomy,National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at the onset,time of onset to reperfusion (TOR),whether using tirofiban,times of thrombectomy,modified Thrombolysis In Cerebral Infarction (mTICI) blood flow grade,and postoperative intracranial symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage were analyzed.Results There were no significant differences in age,gender,preoperative INR,embolism position,the number of intravenous thrombolysis before thrombectomy,the number of using tirofiban in surgery,the proportion of the above mTICI 2b grade,and the proportion of symptomatic cerebral hemorrhage after surgery of the patients between the two groups (P>0.05).The NIHSS score 15.2±2.0 at the onset in the good recovery group was lower than 22.9±8.4 in the poor recovery group.There was significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05).The TOR time (307±86 min) in the good recovery group was less than that of the poor recovery group (426±145 min).There was significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05).Embolectomy was performed 1.5 (0.5,3.0) times in the good recovery group,which was less than the poor recovery group (4.0 [2.0,7.0] times).There was significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05).Conclusions Shortening the time of reperfusion and reducing the number of embolectomy during operation are the important factors for improving the prognosis of patients when atrial fibrillation causes arterial embolectomy in patients with acute cerebral embolism.However,a study of larger sample is needed for further exploration.

Adult ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; immunology ; mortality ; therapy ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Hepatic Artery ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 ; therapeutic use ; Liver Neoplasms ; immunology ; mortality ; therapy ; Male ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology

Objective To investigate the frequency of CD4~+CD25~+FOXP3~+Treg cells in the peripheral blood of systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE)patients and its association with disease activity.Methods Pe- ripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC)from 28 patients(including 18 active SLE)and 22 healthy controls were counted and stained for CD4,CD25 and intracellular FOXP3.Cells were examined by 3-color staining on the Epics XL-MC and data were analyzed using EXPO32 software.Disease activity was assessed by systemic lupus erythematousus activity index(SLEDAI).Results The frequency of CD4~+CD25~+FOXP3~+Treg cells was significantly decreased in patients with active SLE compared with patients with inactive SEE and controls [(1.08?0.43)%,(1.58?0.45)% and(1.66?0.34)%,P

OBJECTIVETo observe the angiogenesis promoting effects of clinical common used Chinese herbal medicines (CHM) for activating blood circulation to remove stasis on chick embryo chorio-allantoic membrane (CAM).

METHODSChicken CAM model was established and mice blood serum containing different kinds of medicines, including Radix Peaoniae rubra, Radix Angelicae sinensis, Flos Carthami, Rhizoma Chuanxiong, Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae, Astragalus membranaceus, and their complex prescriptions, Danggui Buxue Decoction, Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction, Xiongshao Capsule, was applied on it respectively to observe the condition of angiogenesis 72 hrs after incubation. Besides, the normal saline group, blank serum group, blank group and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) group were set up for control.

RESULTSAll the CHM applied and bFGF had the CAM angiogenetic promoting effect, among them, Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae and the three complex prescriptions showed better effects than the three negative control groups in capillary formation and count, with the efficacy similar to that of bFGF. The effect of complex prescriptions was superior to that of single herb except Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae.

CONCLUSIONRadix Salviae miltiorrhizae, Danggui Buxue Decoction, Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction and Xiongshao Capsule have good angiogenesis promoting effect on CAM. This study elucidated, from a certain aspect, the mechanism of action of CHM on ischemic diseases, and unfolded the scientific evidence of applying complex prescription.

Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Chick Embryo ; Chorioallantoic Membrane ; blood supply ; Chorion ; blood supply ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Random Allocation ; Salvia miltiorrhiza

OBJECTIVETo investigate the intestinal absorption characteristics of gastrodigenin.

METHODIn vitro everted gut sac model and in situ rat single-pass intestinal perfusion model were used to evaluate the absorption characteristics of gastrodigenin in the different intestinal segments. The concentrations of gastrodigenin in the samples were determined by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) method, and the relevant absorption parameters were calculated.

RESULTIn the everted gut sac tests, no significant difference of absorption among the four segments was observed. A positive correlation was found between drug concentration and the accumulated absorption amount (Q). At the concentration of 400 mg x L(-1), the Q of gastrodigenin in the duodenum, jejunum, ileum and colon were 224.33, 225.81, 233.18 and 189.25 microg, respectively. The in situ rat single-pass intestinal perfusion tests showed that there was also no significant difference of absorption among the four segments. The absorption rates (A) of gastrodigenin in the duodenum, jejunum, ileum and colon were 45.8%, 48.39%, 47.00%, 54.35%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONGastrodigenin can be well absorbed via passive diffusion in the intestine. The absorption rates of gastrodigenin in the different intestinal segments show no regioselectivity.

Animals ; Benzyl Alcohols ; pharmacokinetics ; Chromatography, Liquid ; methods ; Intestinal Absorption ; Intestines ; metabolism ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Models, Biological ; Perfusion ; methods ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo investigate the pathological characteristics of HCV infection after liver transplantation.

METHODSThis is a retrospective analysis of the clinico-pathological changes of 73 liver biopsies obtained from 61 patients who had HCV infection (including HCV recurrence and reinfection) after liver transplantation in our center from September 2000 to September 2006.

RESULTSAbnormal enzyme test results due to HCV infection happened on the 9th to the 1553rd post-transplantation surgery day. The serum HCV RNA level was higher than 10(5) copies/ml in 19 cases and between 10(2)-10(5) copies/ml in the other 42 cases. The histological changes in the transplanted livers were hepatocellular degeneration, necrosis and apoptosis, portal infiltrations and fibrosis. They were classified into two stages (early stage and late stage) according to the onset of fibrosis which appeared within 90 days or later after their transplantation in our study. The incidence of predominant portal infiltrates and liver fibrosis in early stage and late stage was 5.7% (2/35) and 94.7% (36/38) (chi2=54.34, P<0.01) and 2.9% (1/35) and 97.4% (37/38) (chi2=61.47, P<0.01) respectively.

CONCLUSIONSPathological features of early stage and late stage hepatitis C infection in transplanted livers are different and they are also different from that in native livers. Liver biopsies are important in clinical staging, evaluation of the severity, and differential diagnosis of post-transplantation HCV infection.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hepatitis C ; etiology ; pathology ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; RNA, Viral ; Retrospective Studies