OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between serum testosterone levels and the plaque formation of the carotid artery in a population-based cohort of independently living healthy women above 60 years of age.

METHODSAnalysis of the healthy elders from a population-based cohort study in 9 communities of Beijing. Carotid intima-media thickness and atherosclerotic plaques were determined ultrasonographically. Serum testosterone levels were measured by immunoassay. The data were analyzed with ANOVA and logistic regression analysis.

RESULTSThere was an inverse correlation between testosterone and plaque formation in old females (P < 0.01), while no association was found in males. Female with testosterone levels in the lowest quartile (< 0.49 nmol/L) had more risk of plaque formation (OR = 3.805, P < 0.01) after adjusted with age and other traditional factors of atherosclerosis.

CONCLUSIONTestosterone concentrations are negatively associated with carotid artery atherosclerosis in old women in Beijing, experimental and prospective studies are needed to determine the possible therapeutic role of testosterone in atherosclerosis.

Aged ; Atherosclerosis ; blood ; Carotid Arteries ; pathology ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; Carotid Stenosis ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Prospective Studies ; Testosterone ; blood

Objective To study the relationship of urine RBC morphology between UF-100 urine sediment analytic instrument andphase contrast microscope.Methods The UF-100 urine sediment analytic instrument to analyze 500 urine specimens and study the relation-ship of urine RBC morphology between urine sediment analytic instrument and phase contrast microscope.Results The according perceptionof Normocytic,Microcytic and Non-classified RBC between phase contrast microscope and UF-100 urine sediment analytic instrument RBC-info are 91.4%,94.4%,83.3% respectively,the according perception between phase contrast microscope and RBC-P70Fsc are 94.9%,95.7%,94.7% respectively,and the according perception between phase contrast microscope and RBC Fsc-DW are 84.4%,86.8%,90.5% respectively,the specificity of UF-100 and phase contrast microscope in glomerular hematuria and non-glomerular hematuria are84.3%,88.1% and 83.3%,87.9% respectively.Conclusion The results show that the UF-100 urine sediment analytic instrument issimply operating,fast and high accurate,and which can instruct clinical dignose,therapy and prognosis judgement.

OBJECTIVETo explore the functional brain localization with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after acupuncturing the Yuan-Source and He-Sea acupoints of Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming (ST).

METHODSThe study was performed in 30 healthy volunteers who underwent acupuncture at Yuan-Source acupoint (Chongyang, ST42) and He-Sea acupoint (Zusanli, ST36) (ST group). Ten of these were also underwent acupuncture at the non-acupoints as the control group. Blood oxygenation level dependent functional MRI was performed.

RESULTSIn the ST group, signal increasing areas were demonstrated in bilateral superior temporal gyri (Broadmann 22), bilateral supramarginal gyri (Broadmann 40), bilateral cerebellar hemispheres, bilateral cingulate gyri and isthmus of cingulate gyri (Broadmann 32, 30), bilateral superior parietal lobules (Broadmann 7); signal decreasing areas were shown in bilateral orbital gyri (Broadmann 11), bilateral temporal pole (Broadmann 38), right inferior frontal gyrus (Broadmann 47) and right medial occipitotemporal gyrus (Broadmann 36). In the control group, signal increases areas were demonstrated in superior temporal gyri, precentral gyri, cingulate gyri, thalamus, insula and cerebellum. The size, signal intensity and number of increasing areas in control group are less than in ST group.

CONCLUSIONCombined acupuncture of Yuan-Source and He-Sea acupoints of ST can activate and decrease the multiple brain regions of "splanchnic brain" and thus reach a new functional balance to relieve pain.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Brain ; physiology ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Meridians ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the value of multi-b value DWI combined with PSA evaluation on the effect of endocrinotherapy for prostate cancer (PCa), and to study the correlation between the signal intensity(SI), apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC) with PSA.Methods Forty patients with PCa diagnosed by pathology or biopsy were tested for serum PSA levels before and after endocrine therapy.All patients underwent DWI at b-value of 300,800 and 1 000 s/mm2 by using a GE Signa HDx 3.0T MRI scanner.The serum PSA,the value of SI and ADC at different b values before and after endocrine therapy,and their correlation with PSA were observed and measured, respectively.Results (1)The serum PSA before and after endocrine therapy were (35.63±20.91) ng/mL and (5.98±3.84) ng/mL, respectively.The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).(2)On the condition of different b values, ADC values were (1.06±0.06)×10-3 mm2/s, (0.83±0.04)×10-3 mm2/s, (0.73±0.03)×10-3 mm2/s, respectively before endocrine therapy, and (1.33±0.09)×10-3 mm2/s, (1.16±0.09)×10-3 mm2/s, (1.10±0.08)×10-3 mm2/s, respectively after endocrine therapy.There were significant difference between the ADC values before endocrine therapy and those after endocrine therapy (P<0.05).SI were 809.09±79.06, 417.42±26.65 and 327.42±25.26 in 40 patients with Pca before the endocrine therapy, and 780.10±78.52,409.33±33.93 and 320.00±31.10 after endocrine therapy.The difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05).(3)Pearsoncorrelation analysis showed that ADC value was negatively correlated with serum PSA (r300=-0.58,P<0.01;r800=-0.60,P<0.01;r1 000=-0.66,P<0.01) before endocrine therapy.ADC value was also negatively correlated with serum PSA (r300=-0.55,P<0.01;r800=-0.52,P<0.01;r1 000=-0.61,P<0.01) after endocrine therapy.In addition,SI was negatively correlated with serum PSA (r300=-0.09,P<0.01;r800=-0.18,P<0.01;r1 000=-0.28,P<0.01) before the treatment, as well.Conclusion ADC value at different b values increased after endocrine therapy in Pca, and is negatively correlated with serum PSA.The correlation is the most significant at b value of 1 000 s/mm2.The combination of DWI and serum PSA could be used to monitor and evaluate the effect of endocrinotherapy for Pca, and better guide the clinical treatment of Pca.

Objective To explore the changes of S - 100? protein in cerebrospinal fluid and serum of children with viral encephalitis and its clinical significance. Methods The levels of S - 100? protein of cerebrospinal fluid and serum of 36 children with viral encephalitis and 20 lumbar anesthesia children without central nervous system diseases were measured by enzyme - linked immunosor bent assay. Differences in the levels of cerebrospinal fluid and serum S-100? protein between children with and without coma, with and without convulsion, with and without sequelae in the case group were compared. Results S-100? protein levels of cerebrospinal fluid in the case group and control group were (0.641?0.390) and (0.037 ? 0.014) ?g/L( P

AIM: To investigate the ocular complication after radiation therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC).METHODS: The authors performed a previous study on keratopathy in 213 NPC patients who received first stage radiation and had at least 10 months of follow-up. These patients were categorized into three groups depending on NPC clinic stages. Rates and proportions of keratopathy occurring in these groups were compared and analyzed with Chi-square Test and Spearman rank correlation coefficient.RESULTS: Radiation keratopathy developed in 19 patients, about 8.9% (19/213). The latency value was 3 to 30days. The effect of NPC clinic stages and radiation did on the development of keratopathy was not statistically significant (P＞0.05).CONCLUSION: The NPC clinic stages and radiation doses plays few effects on the development of keratopathy. It may play a key role that corneal nerves damage induced ocular surface diseases. It can not be excluded that individuals have different sensitivities to radiation.

Twin pregnancy with mosaic partial hydatidiform mole (PHM) and survival of two healthy fetuses following in vitro fertilization and embryos transfer (IVF-ET) is a rare situation and is considered a challenge for management. A 32-year-old Chinese woman conceived twin pregnancy following IVF-ET. At 22 weeks' gestation, an additional intrauterine echogenic mass with features of PHM were shown by successive ultrasound examinations. At 35 weeks' gestation, two live male infants and two placentas were delivered by caesarean section (CS). Histologic examination of the abnormal placenta confirmed mosaic PHM. Genetic study showed the abnormal placental mosaicism (expressed in molar-69XXY and normal vili-46XY), co-existing with a hypospadia new-born (46XY) in one amniotic sac. However, the other one was normal. Serial serum β-hCG levels showed a declining trend and serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) were undetectable at 6 months after delivery. The case demonstrated that it is possible to prolonged gestation by PHM under close surveillance during the entire pregnancy.
Adult ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Hydatidiform Mole ; genetics ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Mosaicism ; Placenta ; metabolism ; pathology ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Twin ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo construct recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vector containing angiopoietin-1 (ANG-1) gene and to express the ANG-1 in targeting cells.

METHODSANG-1 cDNA was obtained from human spleen by RT-PCR and was inserted into AAV vectors to form rAAV ANG-1, the virus stocks in high titer were harvested. The rAAVANG-1 and rAAV GFP were transferred into pig mesenchymal stem cells and the expression of ANG-1 was detected by Western blot.

RESULTSThe cloned ANG-1 cDNA was 1515bp in length which was in accordance with that reported previously. Titration of rAAVANG-1 stock was 9 X 10(11)v.g/ml. The expression of ANG-1 gene was detected in transfected cells. Forty-eight hours after rAAV GFP was transfected into mesenchymal stem cells, 55% cells expressed GFP.

CONCLUSIONThe constructed rAAV ANG-1 vector has successfully transfered and expressed in pig mesenchymal stem cells.

Angiopoietin-1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Animals ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Dependovirus ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Swine ; Transfection

BACKGROUNDThe DFNB1 locus, which contains the gap junction beta-2 (GJB2) and gap junction beta-6 (GJB6) genes, plays a key role in the nonsyndromic and sporadic hearing impairment. Mutations of DFNB1 result in autosomal recessive nonsyndromic hearing impairment (ARNSHI). Previous researches have identified mutations in GJB2 and GJB6, but single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of DFNB1 locus have not been studied. So we chose five SNPs to evaluate whether there is difference between deafness people and normal-hearing people in Han Chinese.

METHODSFive SNPs in the DFNB1 region were examined using a case-control association study between cases with sporadic hearing impairment and controls with normal hearing. The HWEsoft and SHEsis softwares were used to analyze the results.

RESULTSSingle-locus association analysis showed a positive association for three SNPs: rs9315400, rs2274084 and 235delC. When we compared the distributions of the haplotypes, we also found significant differences between cases and controls in the haplotype combination of rs2274084 and rs2274083 (chi(2) = 12.978, df = 3, global P = 0.004719).

CONCLUSIONSThe haplotypes composed of rs2274084 and rs2274083 suggested that C-C may be a risk haplotype for the sporadic hearing impairment while T-T may be protective against hearing impairment. From that point of view, we can conclude that the SNPs of DFNB1 locus also plays an important role in sporadic hearing impairment cases.

Adolescent ; Child ; Connexin 26 ; Connexin 30 ; Connexins ; genetics ; Female ; Haplotypes ; Hearing Loss ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

OBJECTIVETo prepare a transgenic tumor cell vaccine transfected the fusion gene of murine granulocyte-monocyte colony stimulating factor (mGM-CSF) and human interleukin-2 (hIL-2) using H22 cells, and explore its specific antitumor immunity against hepatocellular carcinoma.

METHODSThe eukaryotic vector expressing the fusion gene mGM-CSF/hIL-2 was transfected into H22 cells followed by radiation exposure to construct the tumor cell vaccine, which was used to immunize Balb/c mice by subcutaneous inoculation. The mice inoculated subcutaneously with H22 cells, cells transfected with the empty vector pcDNA(+), or with PBS served as the controls. A week later, H22 cells were injected peritoneally into Balb/c mice for establishing the tumor-bearing model, and their serum levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with the survival of the mice recorded. The spleen cells were obtained from the mice immunized with the tumor cell vaccine, the tumor-bearing mice and the normal control mice to assess their cytotoxicity against the parental H22 cells in vitro using (51)C(r)-release assay.

RESULTSThe transgenic H22 cell vaccine transfected with mGM-CSF/hIL-2 fusion gene was successfully constructed. The killing rate of H22 cells by the spleen cells from the mice immunized with the transgenic cell vaccine was significantly higher than those by the spleen cells from the tumor-bearing mice or normal control mice (38.3% vs 13.6% and 7.5%, P<0.05). Serum IFN-gamma in the tumor-bearing mice immunized with the transgenic cell vaccine was significantly higher, and serum IL-10 significantly lower than those of the control groups (P<0.01). The survival time of the tumor-bearing mice injected with the transgenic cell vaccine was also significantly prolonged.

CONCLUSIONSyngeneic tumor cell vaccine genetically modified by mGM-CSF/hIL-2 fusion gene transfection can elicit specific cellular immune response and enhance the host antitumor immune response to extend the survival time of tumor-bearing mice.

Animals ; Cancer Vaccines ; genetics ; immunology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; immunology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Genetic Vectors ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-10 ; blood ; Interleukin-2 ; genetics ; immunology ; Liver Neoplasms ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Spleen ; cytology ; immunology ; Transfection