OBJECTIVETo examine the effect and mechanism of artesunate (Art) on embryo development.

METHODSRat embryo and placental glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px)and malondialdehyde (MDA) were identified by using DTNB (dithionitrobenzene) direct method and TBA (thiobarbituric acid). We investigated the damage of decidual cells caused by Art using cell culture techniques.

RESULTSSubcutaneous administration of Art in rats on d 6 approximate, equals d 10 of gestation induced developmental toxicity. Absorption increased when progressively increased doses were given (r=0.996,P<0.01). Twenty four hours post injection, GSH-Px in embryo decreased significantly while MDA content was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). GSH Px: study group was(43.7+/-10.7)micromol/min.mg(-1)Hb, control group was(54.5+/-10.1)micromol/min.mg(-1)Hb; MDA:study group was(230.2+/-19.8)nmol/g tissue, control group was(150.4+/-44.1)nmol/g tissue. Placental GSH-Px activity was significantly higher than that in the control group(P<0.01). After cultured human decidual cells were exposed to Art for 24 h, the LC50 was (25.2+/-3.5)mg/L.

CONCLUSIONArt may induce developmental toxicity in rat embryo and placenta by neutralizing the antioxidant defense mechanism.

Animals ; Antimalarials ; toxicity ; Artemisinins ; toxicity ; Embryo, Mammalian ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Female ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Male ; Placenta ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sesquiterpenes ; toxicity

OBJECTIVETo summarize the features and treatment of male infertility induced by autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), and compare the outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for infertile men with ADPKD and those with congenital bilateral absence of vas deferens (CBAVD).

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed 21 cases of ADPKD-induced infertility, 15 treated by ICSI (group A), and another 164 cases of strictly matched CBAVD-induced infertility (group B). We compared the two groups in the couples' age, the number of ICSI oocytes, and the rates of fertilization, transferrable embryos, good embryos, embryos implanted, clinical pregnancy, biochemical pregnancy, early abortion, singleton and twins in the first cycle.

RESULTSAfter 28 cycles of ICSI, 10 of the 15 ADPKD-induced infertility patients achieved clinical pregnancy, including 7 cases of live birth, 1 case of spontaneous abortion, and 2 cases of pregnancy maintenance. No significant differences were observed between groups A and B in the couples' age, the wives' BMI, or the numbers of ICSI oocytes and embryos transplanted (P >0.05), nor in the rates of ICSI fertilization (72.64% vs 76.17%), transferrable embryos (51.28% vs 63.24%), quality embryos (38.46% vs 49.83%), embryo implantation (17.64% vs 38.50%), abortion (0 vs 9.23%), singleton (50% vs 81.54%) and twins (50% vs 18.46%). However, the rates of clinical pregnancy (13.33% vs 42.68%, P = 0.023 <0.05) and biochemical pregnancy (13.33% vs 39.63%, P = 0.032 <0.05) were significantly lower in group A than in B.

CONCLUSIONICSI is effective in the treatment of male infertility induced by either ADPKD or CBAVD, but the ADPKD cases have a lower success rate than the CBAVD cases in an individual cycle. The affected couples should be informed of the necessity of prenatal genetic diagnosis before embryo implantation and the inevitable vertical transmission of genetic problems to the offspring.

Abortion, Spontaneous ; Embryo Implantation ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; therapy ; Male ; Male Urogenital Diseases ; therapy ; Oocytes ; Polycystic Kidney, Autosomal Dominant ; complications ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Vas Deferens ; abnormalities

BACKGROUND:The immunomodulatory ability of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs)gives it a promising future in treating graft-versus-host disease(GVHD),especially with previous success in treating patients with acute GVHD.However,there are fewer reports concerning BMSCs in treating chronic GVHD,particularly for sclerodermatous chronic graft-versus-host disease(ScGVHD).OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of treatment of BMSCs for ScGVHD,and to primarily explore the immunological mechanism of clinical efficacy.METHODS:Four ScGVHD patients at the Affiliated Hospital of Academy of Military Medicine Science,between September 2006 and August 2008,were enrolled for this trial.The median patient age was 41 years,1 female and 3 male.The patients received BMSCs infusion at a dose of(1.0～2.0)×10~7 cells every time by intrabone marrow injection from the anterosuperior iliac spine and BMSCs from the same donor for the same patient were infused more than once.Concomitant medications for ScGVHD were individualized for each patient,but all were current standard medicines and the doses were significantly tapered.RESULTS AND CONCLUTION:After BMSCs infusion,the ratio of Th1 to Th2 was dramatically overturned,with an increase of Th1 and a decrease of Th2 reaching at a new balance.Correspondingly,symptoms of all the four patients gradually improved.During the course of BMSCs treatment,the life signs and laboratory results from the recipients remained normal.By the time of this report,there has been no recurrence of leukemia in the four patients.Although this study alone cannot guarantee the application of BMSCs in ScGVHD,the results are strongly in favor of the idea that the BMSCs treatment for ScGVHD patients is therapeutically practical without any detectable side effects,which may provide a new insight into the matter of treating ScGVHD clinically,thus will greatly increase the survival rate of leukemia after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

Low-dose computed tomography (CT) reconstruction has become the focus of X-ray CT imaging study. In this paper, we propose an improved prior image constrained compressed sensing (PICCS) reconstruction approach. A penalized weighted least-squares approach was adopted to realize the line integral projection (sinogram) data restoration, followed by filtered back-projection (FBP) of the restored sinogram data for image reconstruction. Finally, the FBP image as the prior image was used for PICCS approach for dose reduction. Qualitative and quantitative evaluations were carried out with computer simulation. The results showed that the present approach yielded noticeable gains over the original PICCS approach for dose reduction in terms of noise-induced artifacts suppression and edge detail preservation.

Low-dose computed tomography (CT) reconstruction has become the focus of X-ray CT imaging study. In this paper, we propose an improved prior image constrained compressed sensing (PICCS) reconstruction approach. A penalized weighted least-squares approach was adopted to realize the line integral projection (sinogram) data restoration, followed by filtered back-projection (FBP) of the restored sinogram data for image reconstruction. Finally, the FBP image as the prior image was used for PICCS approach for dose reduction. Qualitative and quantitative evaluations were carried out with computer simulation. The results showed that the present approach yielded noticeable gains over the original PICCS approach for dose reduction in terms of noise-induced artifacts suppression and edge detail preservation.

Molecular detection of enterovirus (EV)71 RNA based on PCR methods is a quick and sensitive approach. At present, different PCR-based methods for EV71 RNA detection are available, but comparisons of results obtained using different approaches are limited. This study is to compare the analytical sensitivity and specificity of different real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) and conventional reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (cRT-PCR) assays for enterovirus and EV71 detection, Altogether, three rRT-PCR assays and one cRT-PCR assay targeting the 5'UTR gene for universal detection of enterovirus; two rRT-PCR assays andone cRT-PCR assay targeting the VP1 gene for specific detection of EV 71 were examined. All assays showed good specificity. The detection sensitivity ranged from 8.19 x 10 to 8.19 x 10(5) copy equivalents. In general, rRT-PCR assays were more sensitive than cRT-PCR assays. All rRT-PCR assays showed 100% sensitivity for clinical specimens.
Enterovirus A, Human ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Enterovirus Infections ; diagnosis ; virology ; Humans ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Low-dose computed tomography (CT) reconstruction has become the focus of X-ray CT imaging study. In this paper, we propose an improved prior image constrained compressed sensing (PICCS) reconstruction approach. A penalized weighted least-squares approach was adopted to realize the line integral projection (sinogram) data restoration, followed by filtered back-projection (FBP) of the restored sinogram data for image reconstruction. Finally, the FBP image as the prior image was used for PICCS approach for dose reduction. Qualitative and quantitative evaluations were carried out with computer simulation. The results showed that the present approach yielded noticeable gains over the original PICCS approach for dose reduction in terms of noise-induced artifacts suppression and edge detail preservation.
Algorithms ; Computer Simulation ; Data Compression ; methods ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Least-Squares Analysis ; Phantoms, Imaging ; Radiation Dosage ; Signal-To-Noise Ratio ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

Objectives:To study the expression of GST-pi and MDR1 genes in operative specimens of ovarian cancer,and to analyze the possible clinical role of GST-pi and MDR1. Methods:Eighteen frozen specimens of ovarian carcinoma and ten specimens of normal ovarian tissues from patients were examined for the expression of GST-pi and MDR1 genes by means of RT-PCR, and quantitative analysis was performed using β-actin as internal contrast.Results: Positive expression rate of GST-pi and MDR1 in ovarian carcinoma were 61.1% and 33.3%,respectively,and in contrast, 20% and 10% in normal ovarian tissues respectively. The level of GST-pi gene expression in ovarian carcinoma was obviously higher than that in normal ovarian tissue (P<0.05)and MDR1 gene also had high level expression in ovarian carcinoma, but had no statistical significantance. Four patients with ovarian carcinoma had GST-pi and MDR1 coexpression. Expression levels of GST-pi mRNA were lower than that of protein. Conclusions: (1) GST-pi and MDR1 had higher level expression in ovarian carcinoma than in normal ovarian tissues. (2) GST-pi and MDR1 may have same regulating factors but different mechanisms of action. (3)Processing after transcription and/or regulation of translation level may exist in GST-pi expression.

This report presents an overview of human enterovirus B species in Henan Province. A total of 14 isolates of HEV-B species isolated under HFMD surveillance network during the six months in 2010 were examined. Based on molecular typing results targeting VP1 region, 14 isolates were classified into 6 serotypes of HEV-B. Furthermore, comparison of these 14 isolates with reference strains and strains in mainland China was conducted. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that E25, E11 and E6 showed homology with those from Shandong Province which adjoins Henan Province. E1 and E13 showed homology with those from Yunnan Province, and E30 showed homology with Henan strain isolated in 2008. Cocirculation of two lineages of echovirus 6 was observed.
China ; epidemiology ; Enterovirus B, Human ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Enterovirus Infections ; epidemiology ; virology ; Feces ; virology ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny

To reveal the genetic features and recombination of enterovirus 71 isolates between 2008 and 2010. A total of 5 enterovirus 71 isolates were sequenced completely and phylogenetic analysis and recombination were performed. Phylogenetic analysis based on VP1 regions revealed that the Henan enterovirus 71 between 2008 and 2010 belonged to C4a in subgenotype C4. Bootscan analyses and phylogenetic analysis based on the 5'UTR, P1, P2, P3 genomic regions revealed the recombinations between EV71 genotypes B and C at the 2A-2B junction, and between EV71 genotype B and CA16 strain G-10 at the 3B-3C junction. Henan enterovirus 71 isolates between 2008 and 2010 belonged to C4a in subgenotype C4 which was the predominant virus genotype circulating in mainland China since 2004, a combination of intratypic and intertypic recombination were found in EV71 subgenotype C4.
Capsid Proteins ; genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Enterovirus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Enterovirus Infections ; epidemiology ; virology ; Feces ; virology ; Genome, Viral ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infant ; Phylogeny ; Recombination, Genetic