Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Facial Neoplasms ; pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Rabbits

OBJECTIVETo explore the association of 8-hydroxyguanine glycosidase OGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism with semen quality and the risk of male infertility.

METHODSThis case-control study included 620 idiopathic infertile patients and 385 normal fertile controls. We determined their genotypes by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and analyzed their semen quality by computer-aided semen analysis (CASA).

RESULTSThe individuals with OGG1 326 Cys/Cys showed significantly lower sperm motility and concentration ([52.1 +/- 26.7]% and (3.75 +/- 0.91) x 10(6)/ml, ln transformed value) than the Ser/Ser carriers ([59.0 +/- 21.8] % and (4.12 +/- 0.88) x 10(6)/ml, ln transformed value) (P < 0.05). The risk of male infertility increased 69% in the OGG1 326Cys allele carriers as compared with the Ser carriers (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.24 -2.31).

CONCLUSIONOGG1 326 Ser/Cys polymorphism might contribute to the risk of male infertility in the southern Chinese population.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; DNA Glycosylases ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Semen Analysis ; Young Adult

On account of the dense cuticles of the fresh stem and the light, hard and pliable texture of the dried stem, Dendrobii Caulis is difficult to dry or pulverize. So, it is very important to the ancient doctors that Dendrobii Caulis should be properly treated and applied to keep or evoke its medicinal effects. The current textual research results about the preliminary processing, processing and usage methods of Dendrobii Caulis showed that: (1) In history the clinical use of fresh or processed Dendrobii Caulis as teas and tinctures were very common. (2) Its roots and rhizomes would be removed before using. (3) Some ancillary approaches were applied to shorten drying times, such as rinsing with boiling mulberry-ash soup, washing or soaking with liquor, mixing with rice pulp and then basking, etc. (4) According to the ancients knowledge, the sufficient pulverization, by means of slicing, rasping, hitting or pestling techniques, was necessary for Dendrobii Caulis to take its effects. (5) The heat processing methods for Dendrobii Caulis included stir-baking, stir-frying, steaming, decocting and stewing techniques, usually with liquor as an auxiliary material. Among above mentioned, steaming by pretreating with liquor was most commonly used, and this scheme was colorfully drawn in Bu Yi Lei Gong Pao Zhi Bian Lan (Ming Dynasty, 1591 CE) ; moreover, decocting in advance or long-time simmering so as to prepare paste products were recommended in the Qing Dynasty. (6) Some different processing programs involving stir-baking with grit, air-tightly baking with ondol (Kangs), fumigating with sulfur, which appeared in modern times and brought attractive outward appearance of the drug, went against ancients original intentions of ensuring drug efficacy.
Dendrobium ; History, Ancient ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; history ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; history

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical effect and indication of bone graft and impaction on posterior interbody fusion for lumbar instability.

METHODSFrom January 2001 to July 2008, 95 patients with lumbar instability were treated by bone graft and impaction on posterior interbody fusion. Including 41 males and 54 females, the age from 45 to 76 years old with an average of 59 years. There were 68 cases with single level, 22 cases with two-level, 5 cases with three-level in patients, which were 127 intervertebral space altogether. The neural canal and affected side nerve root were decompressed thoroughly during operation. Resected the disc from the affected side and erased the cartilage to plate extensively combined with pedicle screw fixation, and impaction on interbody fusion with the excisional vertebral plate bone was achieved. To assess the improvement of the patients' symptom, sign, and JOA scores pre and post operatively. Meanwhile, the changes of intervertebral height from the lumbar radiographs were measured and the degrees of interbody bone fusion were evaluated according to SUK method.

RESULTSAll the 95 patients were followed up from 12 to 90 months with the mean of 44.8 months. All the clinical symptom were improved significantly or disappeared completely. All the 127 intervertebral space achieved good bone fusion. There was no displacement of bone graft and severe complication happened. According to the radiograph, all the intervertebral heights were increased obviously. The mean JOA score improved from 11.3 +/- 3.3 preoperative to 25.1 +/- 2.8 at 8 weeks postoperative; achieved 24.8 +/- 3.2 with followed up at the last time (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONBone graft and impaction on posterior interbody fusion was one of the most effective methods for the lumbar instability. It has extensive range of application, and it's suitable for senile lumbar degeneration instability especially.

Aged ; Bone Transplantation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; surgery ; transplantation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Spinal Fusion ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of Bisphenol A in adult rats and its possible mechanisms.

METHODSBPA (in corn oil) was administered orally to 9-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats for 14 days (0, 1 and 5 g/kg bw), and incubated primary Sertoli cells from pubertal SD rats with 0, 10(-7), 10(-6), 10(-5), 10(-4) mol/L BPA.

RESULTSAfter oral administration, a significant decrease in right testis weight was observed in 5 g/kg dose group, but not in the 1 g/kg bw dose group. Germ cells were detached from basement membrane of seminiferous tubules and Sertoli cells in BPA-treated groups. Administration of BPA at 1 g/kg bw and 5 g/kg bw produced both nucleus pycnosis and vacuolized nucleus in germ cells and Sertoli cells. A marked loss in vimentin staining in Sertoli cells from testis of BPA-treated rats was detected. No change in levels of serum estradiol and testosterone was observed after two-week exposure to BPA. In Sertoli cell primary culture, BPA destroyed the cytoskeleton and cell-cell junctions, and elongated Sertoli cells.

CONCLUSIONThese results suggest that BPA may injure reproductive function of male rats by destroying the cytoskeleton and changing the form of Sertoli cells.

Animals ; Benzhydryl Compounds ; Cells, Cultured ; Cytoskeleton ; drug effects ; Male ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Phenols ; toxicity ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sertoli Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Testis ; anatomy & histology ; cytology ; drug effects ; Vimentin ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo compare the diagnostic value of gadolinium diethylenetriaminepenta-acetic acid (Gd-DTPA)-enhanced MRI with ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO)-enhanced MRI in differentiating reactive hyperplastic lymph nodes from metastatic lymph nodes in rabbit models.

METHODSReactive hyperplastic cervical lymph node model was established in 18 rabbits as hyperplasia group, and tumor-bearing lymph node model was established in another 18 rabbits as tumor group. For Gd-DTPA-enhanced MRI, T1WI and T2WI were performed on 9 animals of each model, and T1WI was acquired 80 seconds after administration of Gd-DTPA. For USPIO-enhanced MRI, T1WI, T2WI and T2*WI were performed on another 9 animals of each model before and 24 hours after administration of USPIO. MRI images were analyzed and correlated with surgical specimens and pathological results.

RESULTSIn the tumor group, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of Gd-DTPA-enhanced MRI were 62.5%, 91.3%, 88.2%, 70.0% and 76.6%, respectively. The corresponding values of USPIO-enhanced MRI were 95.0%, 90.9%, 90.5%, 95.2% and 92.9%, respectively. The sensitivity and accuracy of USPIO-enhanced MRI differ significantly from those of Gd-DTPA-enhanced MRI. In the hyperplasia group, the accuracy of Gd-DTPA-enhanced MRI was 74.2%, while 87.1% for USPIO-enhanced MRI.

CONCLUSIONUSPIO-enhanced MRI has higher accuracy in diagnosing metastatic lymph nodes than Gd-DTPA-enhanced MRI.

Animals ; Contrast Media ; Dextrans ; Female ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Image Enhancement ; methods ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; pathology ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Magnetite Nanoparticles ; Male ; Neck ; Pseudolymphoma ; pathology ; Rabbits

OBJECTIVETo explore the correlation of sperm polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)-DNA adducts with semen quality and sperm apoptosis.

METHODSWe collected semen samples from 433 infertile Chinese men, detected sperm PAH-DNA adducts using immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry, and determined the rate of sperm apoptosis by TUNEL.

RESULTSMultiple linear regression analysis showed that the level of sperm PAH-DNA adducts was correlated negatively with sperm concentration (beta = -0.632), total sperm count (beta = -0.830) and sperm motility (beta = -9.647), but positively with the rate of sperm apoptosis (beta = 0.130).

CONCLUSIONSperm PAH-DNA adducts are evidently correlated with semen quality and sperm apoptosis, and play an important role in the evaluation of male productivity.

Adult ; Apoptosis ; DNA Adducts ; analysis ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ; analysis ; Semen ; chemistry ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Count ; Spermatozoa ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of adenosine A2A receptor knockout (A(2A)RKO) on relationship between continuous activation of phospho-c-Jun N-terminal kinase (P-JNK) and expression of nerve cell apoptosis in hippocampus CA1 domain of newborn mice after hypoxia/ischemia brain damage(HIBD) and its potential mechanism.

METHODSA(2A)RKO mice and adenosine A2A receptor wildtype (A(2A)RWT) littermates (n = 80) were divided into Sham operation group (S) and model group (M), 1, 3 and 7 day after HIBD, totally 8 groups. HIBD was developed with 7 day-old neonatal mice according classical Rice-Vannucci method. It was tested the effect of A(2A)RKO on short-term neurofunctional outcomes consisted of three developmental reflexes (righting, geotaxis and cliff aversion), the changes of brain pathology with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Nissl staining, the expressions of nerve cell apoptosis with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling(TUNEL) staining and P-JNK were observed by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThe neurological behavior injuries and brain histopathological damages and nerve apoptosis cells were aggravated in A(2A)RKO newborn mice after HIBD. The positive expressions of P-JNK were significantly higher in the ischemic hippocampus CA1 domain after HIBD than ones in group S respectively (P < 0.01), reaching to peak at 1 day and then began gradually decreasing. P-JNK expression in model knockout(MKO) at 1, 3 and 7 day increased greatly compared to those in the previous time point of corresponding model wildtype (MWT) (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, P > 0.05); there was a positive correlation between the expressions of P-JNK and nerve cell apoptosis after HIBD in newborn mice(r = 0.837, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONEarly continuous activation of P-JNK might be involved in the aggravated nerve apoptosis cells and brain damage induced by A(2A) RKO newborn mice after HIBD.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Apoptosis ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Neurons ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Receptor, Adenosine A2A ; genetics

Objective To investigate the change of 14-3-3 protein in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in different types of meningoencephalitis in children and its value in judging brain injury.Methods CSF 14-3-3 protein bands were detected by means of Western blot in 22 patients with viral meningoencephalitis and 20 cases of purulent meningoencephalitis and with 15 cases of febrile seizures as the control group from Jul.2009 to Jun.2010,and in addition,the quantitative detection of 14-3-3 protein was done by way of ELISA.Correlation was analyzed between the clinical manifestations,prognosis,EEG,head CT or MRI and the changes of 14-3-3 protein.Results The positive rate of 14-3-3 protein in cases of purulent meningitis was 65.0(13/22 cases),higher than viral meningoencephalitis group(27.3％,6/22 cases),and the difference was significant.In the quantitative detection,14-3-3 protein was increased in both the purulent meningitis [(5.6 + 0.2) μg/L] and viral encephalitis groups[(3.2 + 0.3) μg/L] compared with the control group [(0.9 + 0.1) μg/L].After treatment,14-3-3 proteins were less than before in the purulent meningitis and viral meningoencephalitis groups.In the cases with severe clinical manifestations and severe injury brain suggested by imaging and EEG,the 14-3-3 protein in cerebrospinal fluid was elevated;and the prognosis of the cases with increased 14-3-3 protein was poor,as a result of epilepsy,death and so on.Conclusions 14-3-3 protein in the CSF increases with disease severity,so to a certain extent,it can be used to identify viral meningitis and purulent meningitis.

Objective To investigate the effect of seafood intake on the urinary iodine level in women for exploring an alternative to iodine supplementation.Methods Healthy pregnant women and non-pregnant women, aged 20～40 years,were selected during their health examination in local women'S health care in 2006.The types of seafood and its intake frequency were recorded from these women.and urine and kitchen salt samples were collected for iodine determination.Results A total of 198 women including 148 pregnant and 50 non-pregnant women were recmitod for this study;they had a median level of urine iodine of 87.51 mg/L.The median levels of urine iodine of83.49,91.52,166.45μg/L in three group women classified as hardly,seldom and often intake of see food showed significant difference(X2=6.202,P<0.05).Urine iodine level in non-pregnant women taking seafood (90.94μg/L)was higher than that in pregnant women(84.79μg/L),the difference being statistically significant (U=3318.00,P<0.05).The urine iodine in pregnant women with seldom intake of seafood(94.46 μg/L)was significantly higher than that in the hardly intake women(83.28 μg/L),the difference being statistically significant (U=1257.5,P<0.05).During late period of gestation,the urinary iodine in the women ofthree statUS of hardly. Seldom and often intake of seafood were 81.93,97.97 and 140.18 μg/L,respective,with significant differences among them.Conclusions A certain amount of seafood taken every week Can increase urine iodine levels,and a direct relationship Was observed.Therefore,we suggest that it is necessary to advocate taking seafood to pregnant women for prevention of cretinism,particularly in the air.as where iodized salt was difficult to implement.