Cervical Ripening ; Female ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; Pregnancy

The G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER), also known as G protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR30), was identified in the recent years as a functional membrane receptor different from the classical nuclear estrogen receptors. This receptor is widely expressed in the cortex, cerebellum, hippocampus, heart, lung, liver, skeletal muscle, and the urogenital system. It is responsible for the mediation of nongenomic effects associated with estrogen and its derivatives, participating in the physiological activities of the body. The present study reviews the molecular structure, subcellular localization, signaling pathways, distribution, and function of GPER in the male reproductive system.
Estrogens ; metabolism ; Genitalia, Male ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Molecular Structure ; Organ Specificity ; Receptors, Estrogen ; chemistry ; physiology ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; chemistry ; physiology ; Reproduction ; physiology ; Signal Transduction

Objective To investigate the relative factors of insulin resistance(IR)during elective abdominal surgery and the mechanism of IR induced by surgery.Methods Fourteen patients underging elective abdominal surgery were studied.Fasting blood glucose(FBG),fasting plasma insulin(FPI),plasma TNF-α,IL-6 and CRP were tested for elective surgery patients on the day before,during operation and on one day after surgery.Insulin resistance index(HOMA-IR)and the index of insulin secretion(HOMA-β)were ealculated with homeostasis model assessment(HOMA).Insulin receptor and GLUT4 mRNA expression in skeletal muscle were assessed before operation and at the end of operation by use of RT-PCR.Results Significant differences were found in fasting blood glucose (5.95±1.08)mmol/L vs(8.92±2.41)mmol/L,fasting plasma insulin(19.95±3.33)mU/L vs(25.44±5.36)mU/L,IL-6(33.98±5.01)ng/L vs(45.29±7.81)ng/L and plasma TNF-α(86.70±9.27)ng/L vs(114.46±15.33)ng/L during and after operation(P＜0.01).A significant elevation of HOMA-IR levels was found after operation compared with that before operation[(9.59±2.89)vs(4.111.86)](P＜0.001).However there wag no significant difference in HOMA-β among three points(groups)of time(P=0.103).The result of RT-PCR showed that the expression of GLUT4 in muscle of patients at the end of operation reduced significantly compared with preoperation(t=12.488,P＜0.001)but there was no significance in INSR mRNA expression(P=0.165).ISI showed negative correlation with opermive time(r=-0.736、P＜0.001),blooding during operating (r=-0.594、P=0.032)and post-operative TNF-α(r=-0.641、P=0.018).Conclusion Insulin resistance occurs in elective abdominal surgery patients.The defective site is at postreceptor.To shorten the operation time,control the intensity of surgery and reduce the bleeding is helpful for decreasing IR.

Objective To survey symptom occurrence degree of maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients,and its related factors,and to provide a basis for clinical symptom management. Methods A total of 142 MHD patients were selected with convenience sampling method from a hospital in Ningxia from July 2015 to September 2015 and investigated with the Dialysis Symptom Index ,the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the family Adaptation,Partnership,Growth,Affection and Resolve(APGAR)Scale. Results The occurrence rate of various symptoms ranged from 53.5%to 92.3%. Fatigue(92.3%),itching(86.6%)and dry skin(85.9%)were the top three prevalent symptoms. Fatigue (30.3%),difficulty falling asleep (27.5%),hyposexuality (27.5%) and trouble in sleeping deeply(27.5%)were the most serious symptoms.Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that gender,nationality,sleep quality,combining with hypertension and arrhythmia had significant influence on the occurrence degree of symptom in MHD patients(P < 0.05). Conclusion Symptoms in MHD patients are preva-lent. Efficient symptom management should be performed to improve the quality of life of MHDpatients.

The influence of MRI on severity grading and activity staging in thyroid associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) was evaluated.The results showed that MRI had a higher detection rate in abnormal extraocular muscle than NOSPECS scores(χ~2 = 19.37,P = 0.000).MRI had higher sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy in detection of active TAO than clinical activity score (100% vs 95.7%,88.2% vs 35.3%,96.9% vs 79.7%,respectively).Therefore,MRI improves early detection of atypical grade 4 cases.Signal intensity elevation in adipose suppressed T2WI is helpful to define active stage.

0.05).Conclusions ATP-TCA could be used to individualize chemotherapy by selecting agents for particular patients of cervical cancer.The expression of GST-? and TS protein might be useful biomarkers to predict the resistance to DDP and 5-FU in patients with cervical cancer.

AIM: To investigate the role of autophagy in the apoptosis of human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (HPAECs) induced by cigarette smoke extract (CSE).METHODS: HPAECs were cultured routinely.HPAECs were treated with CSE at different concentrations, and the cell viability was detected by MTT assay.HPAECs were divided into control group, CSE group, 3-methyladenine (3-MA) group and 3-MA+CSE group.The autophagy was observed under fluorescence microscope with monodansylcadaverine (MDC) staining.Annexin V/propidium iodide staining and Hoechst 33342 staining were employed to detect apoptosis.In addition, the protein levels of LC3, beclin-1 and cleaved caspase-3 were determined by Western blot.RESULTS: MDC staining showed the increased production of autophagic vacuoles was observed in CSE group.The results of Western blot showed that the expression levels of autophagy-related proteins LC3 and beclin-1 were increased, while 3-MA pretreatment inhibited the expression of these proteins and the production of autophagic vacuoles.Observation with Annexin V/propidium iodide staining and Hoechst 33342 staining showed that the apoptotic rate in CSE group was significantly higher than that in control group, and pretreatment with 3-MA induced further increase in the cell apoptosis.The protein level of cleaved caspase-3 in CSE group was significantly higher than that in control group (P<0.05), and 3-MA+CSE treatment induced the further increase in the protein level of cleaved caspase-3.CONCLUSION: CSE induces autophagy and apoptosis in the HPAECs.Inhibition of autophagy promotes the apoptosis induced by CSE in HPAECs, which can be achieved through activation of caspase-3.

Objective To investigate the dynamic changes of serum levels of neuron-specific enolase(NSE),endothelin(ET)and calcitonin gene-related peptide(CGRP)and their clinical significance in the elderly patients with acute cerebral infarction.Methods One hundred and twenty elderly patients with acute cerebral infarction(ACI),60 elderly patients with lacunar infarct,60 elderly patients with hypertension and 60 elderly patients with cerebral artherosclerosis were enrolled. The areas of infarction were measured and the venous blood samples at different times were collected after cerebral infarction to determine the concentrations of NSE,ET and CGRP by radioimmunoassay. Results There were dynamic changes of the plasma levels of NSE,ET and CGRP.In the early time the plasma levels of NSE and ET of the elderly patients with acute cerebral infarction were significantly higher than those of the elderly patients with cerebral artherosclerosis,or with hypertension,or with lacunar infarct(P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P＜0.05,respectively),and were gradually declined along with timing.In ACI group,the level of NSE began to increase gradually after 24 hours,reached the highest in 2 days,and decreased to normal after 14 days,but the level of ET was always higher than those in the cerebral artherosclerosis and hypertension groups.The ET levels in lacunar infarct and hypertension groups were also significantly higher than in the cerebral artherosclerosis group(P＜0.01).However,when compared with the cerebral artherosclerosis and hypertension groups,the plasma concentrations of CGRP in cerebral infarction and lacunar infarct groups were obviously lower(P＜0.01),and increased gradually.We also found the larger the infarction area,the lower the level of CGRP.Conclusions The NSE,ET and CGRP concentrations are associated closely with acute cerebral infaction.Monitoring the level of NSE is applicable for early diagnosis of cerebral infarction.

Arsenic ; urine ; Arsenicals ; analysis ; Environmental Monitoring ; methods ; Humans ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spectrometry, Fluorescence ; methods

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; virology ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Genes, Viral ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Viral Load ; Young Adult