Objective:To observe the effects of acupuncture at the follicular phase on ovarian blood supply and pregnancy outcomes in patients who received in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection-embry transfer (IVF/ICSI-ET) of assisted reproductive technology (ART).Methods:A total of 169 IVF/ICSI-ET female recipients from the Reproductive Center of Xiehe Hospital,Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science & Technology were randomized into an observation group (57 cases),a placebo group (54 cases) and a control group (58 cases).The observation group received acupuncture during the follicular phase,meanwhile the placebo group received placebo-acupuncture,and the control group did not receive acupuncture.The hemodynamic index,biochemical pregnancy rate and clinical pregnancy rate of each group were observed,respectively.Results:As to the ovarian arterial hemodynamic index,the pulsatility index (PI),resistance index (RI),and the systolic-to-diastolic peak velocity ratio (S/D) of the observation group were (0.819±0.131),(0.552±0.055) and (2.306±0.512),respectively,obviously lower than those in the placebo group and the control group,and the differences were statistically significant (all P＜0.05),but there were no statistically significant differences between the placebo group and the control group (all P＞0.05).As to the biochemical pregnancy rate and clinical pregnancy rate,the biochemical pregnancy rate in the observation group was 64.9％ and the clinical pregnancy rate was 52.6％,which were significantly higher than those in the placebo group and the control group,and the differences were statistically significant (all P＜0.05),while there were no significant differences between the placebo group and the control group (both P＞0.05).Conclusion:Acupuncture treatment during the follicular phase can improve ovarian blood supply and pregnancy rate in those receiving IVF/ICSI-ET.

The epitope-G1 gene of Bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) glycoprotein was synthesised by PCR and cloned into expression vector pPIC9K to construct recombinant plasmid pPIC9K-G1. Then the pPIC9K-G1 was linearized and transformed into Pichia pastoris GS 115. The recombinant P. pastoris strains were selected by a G418 transformation screen and confirmed by PCR. After being induced with methanol, an expressed protein with 26 kDa molecular weight was obtained, which was much bigger than the predicted size (15.54 kDa). Deglycosylation analysis indicated the recombinant G1 was glycosylated. Western blot and ELISA tests, as well as rabbit immunization and specificity experiments indicated that the target protein had both higher reaction activity and higher immunocompetence and specificity. The recombinant G1 protein could be used as a coating antigen to develop an ELISA kit for bovine ephemeral fever diagnosis.

AIM : To construct and analyze eukaryotic expression plasmid inserted by Cx50 with V64G mutation through bioinformatics software.METHODS: The full coding domain sequence of Cx50 with V64G mutation was acquired from the blood of patients with cataract and was cloned into pcDNA3.1 /Amp (+).The constructed plasmid was identified with PCR , enzyme digestion and sequencing. The analysis of Cx50 with V64G mutation was performed with bioinformatics software.RESULTS : Cx50 with V64G mutation was successfully amplified and its eukaryotic expression plasmid was constructed. Valine-64 is well conserved in the first extracellular loop of connexin 50 in different species and also in different human α -type gap junctional proteins.CONCLUSION : The successive reconstruction and verification of eukaryotic expression plasmid containing Cx50 with V64G mutation established the foundation for further studying the mechanism of cataract.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based smoking prevention and control intervention program among elementary school students.

METHODSThrough two phase cluster sampling, 566 pupils in grade 4 and grade 5 of two schools were assigned to intervention group and control group. One year comprehensive smoking intervention was conducted in the intervention group. The assessment was carried out through three questionnaires: pre- and post-intervention, 6-month after intervention.

RESULTSAfter one year intervention, pupils in the intervention group significantly improved their knowledge and attitudes related to tobacco use. The rate of attempting smoking decreased form 7.8% to 2.6% and the rate of passive smoking from 53.6% to 41.8%. The difference between the intervention and control groups was statistically significant. However, several index started to decline at 6-month follow up survey.

CONCLUSIONThe result demonstrated the effectiveness and feasibility of tobacco control in elementary school and the positive effect must be developed.

Case-Control Studies ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Schools ; statistics & numerical data ; Smoking ; epidemiology ; Smoking Prevention ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution ; statistics & numerical data

Objective To explore the possibility of basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF)and epidermal growth factor(EGF)combined with striatal conditioned medium promoting the directional differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMMSCs)into dopaminergie neurons.Methods 1.Separation and culture of BMMSCs:BMMSCs were harvested from healthy adult Wistar rats for serial subcultivation.2.Preparation of Striatal conditioned medium:newborn Wistar rats within 24 hours were selected,and their brain tissues were removed to prepare striatal conditioned medium.3.Induced differentiation of BMMSCs:the 5th passage BMMSCs were collected and pre-induced in low glucose-Dulbecco's modified eagle medium(L-DMEM)containing bFGF and EGF.Twenty-four hours later,pre-induction liquor was replaced with striatal conditioned medium for further induced differentiation.4.Result assessment:the morphological changes of stem cells were observed under inverted phase microscope.The expression of neuron specific enolage(NSE)and tyrosine hydmxylage(TH)were identified by immunocytochemical technique.Results The cell body of rat BMMSCs contracted into round and spindle shape after induction by bFGF and EGF combined with striatal conditioned medium.Partial neuron-like cells with prominence could be found.Immunocytochemieal detection showed that the percentages of NSE and TH positive cells were(72.70±14.81)% and(34.50±15.93)%,respectively.Conclusion BMMSCs can be induced directionally into dopaminergiC neurons by bFGF and EGF combined with striatal conditioned medium in vitro.

Objective To investigate the mental health of the frequent hit-and-run driver,and to explore its relationship with their life events and personality.Methods Stratified cluster sampling method was used to draw 870 motor vehicle drivers,and chose the 620 met the study conditions.They were investigated by the demographic questionnaire,life event scale,symptom check list-90(SCL-90)and eysenck personality questionnaire (EPQ).Results (1)The SCL-90 total score and the factor scores of the accident group were significantly higher than the non-accident group(respectively,65.17±39.68 vs 18.65±13.85,9.24±5.44 vs 3.48±2.84,6.96±4.81 vs 1.83±2.11,10.19±7.19 vs 2.53±2.74,7.00±4.96 vs 1.48±1.77,4.68±3.66 vs 1.24±1.48,3.51±3.58 vs 0.62±1.29,3.84±3.36 vs 1.00±1.33,5.34±4.17 vs 1.27±1.72,8.93±6.54 vs 2.96±2.97,6.08±4.81 vs 2.11±2.18),the differences were significant(P＜0.01).(2)The related analysis showed there existed the statistically positive relation between the total scores of SCL-90 and the factors of the life event scale and EPQ expect for the sense of concealing factor(r=0.146～0.393,P＜0.05).(3)Analysis of regression showed the factors of life event and personality had different influences on total scores and factor scores of SCL-90,and negative life events were the most important predictor of SCL-90 total score of frequent hit-and-run driver.Conclusion There are many mental problems among the frequent hit-and-run drivers.Life events,mood and psychoticism factors of personality are important influencing factor to their mental health.

Acute Disease ; Adult ; Animals ; Brucellosis ; transmission ; Cattle ; blood ; Female ; Food Handling ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Diseases ; etiology ; Sheep ; blood

AIM: To investigate the immunologic mechanism of CXC chemokine ligand 10(CXCL10) and its receptor CXC chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3 ) involved in the process of endometriosis (EM). METHODS: Serum samples were collected from 3 groups; EM patients without operation (n = 76) , EM patients with operation (n = 10) and the normal control persons (n =76). CXCL10 and CA12S concentrations were detected by means of ELISA and chemilumino-metry. Cell surface antigens on the activated PBMC - CD3 and CXCR3, as well as CXCR3 subgene - CXCR3A and CX-CR3B were tested by flow cytometry (FC) and RT - PCR when PBMC was separated from women with EM ( n = 10) and without EM (n = 10), and then activated. RESULTS: Serum CXCL10 concentrations between three groups were signifi-canly different (P < 0.05). Compared to normal control group, although the supernatant CXCL10 concentration and CD3~+ /CXCR3~+ PBMC number in EM group has no significant difference (P >0.05) , highly expressed CXCR3B in EM group rather than CXCR3A was observed. CONCLUSION: CXCL10 in women with EM is low, indicating that it plays a vital role in the process of EM and immune system of the women with EM is defected and impaired. The immunoreactivity of PBMC from both EM patients and normal person is same to activated signal, but the productions are different: PBMC in EM group mainly express CXCR3B but PBMC in normal person mainly express CXCR3A after activation, which may be one of the immune mechanisms that EM escapes from immunological lethal effect of the infected host.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of gene radiotherapy combining injection of recombinant plasmid pNEgr-mIL-12 with local X-irradiation on cancer growth and to elucidate the mechanisms of tumor inhibition.

METHODSAlkaline lysis was used to extract the plasmid and polyethylene glycol 8000 (PEG 8000) was applied for further purification of plasmids. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the expression of IL-12 protein. C57BL/6J mice were subcutaneously inoculated with B16 melanoma cells and the plasmid was injected directly into the tumor. Gene-radiotherapy combining pNEgr-mIL-12 recombinant plasmid with X-irradiation was given three times to C57BL/6J mice bearing B16 melanoma. Changes in immunologic parameters of tumor-bearing mice were detected with relevant immunologic assays.

RESULTSResults showed a significant decrease in tumor growth rate (P<0.05-0.001) after 3 times of gene-radiotherapy with IL-12 and X-irradiation. Immunologic studies showed a significant increase in CTL and NK cytolytic activity (P<0.05-0.001) and an up-regulated secretion of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha (P<0.01-0.001). Moreover, the expression of mIL-12 in B16 melanoma cells of the treated tumor-bearing mice was found to be higher than that of control.

CONCLUSIONpNEgr-mIL-12 plasmid combined with X-irradiation can increase tumor control and the mechanism of increased tumor inhibition is related to the enhancement of anticancer immunity in tumor-bearing mice.

Animals ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Genetic Therapy ; Interferon-gamma ; immunology ; Interleukin-12 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; therapeutic use ; Killer Cells, Natural ; immunology ; Macrophages ; immunology ; Melanoma, Experimental ; immunology ; radiotherapy ; therapy ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Plasmids ; Spleen ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; immunology ; X-Rays

Objective To conduct a pilot study on genome-wide in vivo protein-RNA interactions in E.coli.Methods Bacterial lysate was treated with RNase before the RNA fragments protected by proteins were extracted from treated lysate and used to construct cDNA library that was applied to high-throughput sequencing .Finally, the transcripts bound by proteins were obtained by bioinformatics analysis .Results A total of 3193 transcripts were obtained , including 2234 mRNAs, 47 sRNAs, 39 tRNAs, 11 rRNAs, and 862 intergenic regions .Conclusion Some information of transcripts interacting with proteins in E.coli is acquired , which will facilitate further studies of protein-RNA interactions .