Objective To analysis the MRI features of cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL), to improve the understanding of MRI manifestations of this disease. Meth?ods The clinical manifestations, neuroimaging analysis and genetic analysis were performed in the CADASIL pedigree proband and his families. Results Five of six cases were confirmed with C2182T mutation on exon 14 of the NOTCH3, of which three cases were diagnosed by MRI. Brain MRI findings included bilateral symmetric distributed confluent lesions in the subcortical and periventricular white matter in the frontal lobe, hypointensity on T1WI and hyperintensity on both T2WI and T2 FLAIR imaging in four cases. The external capsule was involved in three cases, with hyperintensity on T2WI. Subcortical lacunar lesions (SLLs) were shown in three cases. Lacunar infarction in the basal ganglia and thalamus were presented in four cases. T2WI hyperintensity at the brain stem was found in two cases. Cerebral microbleeds were re?vealed in three cases. There was no O’Sullivan sign in all the six cases. Conclusions There is characteristic change of MRI in CADASIL patients, which may play a very important role in screening these cases.

Objective To evaluate the role of early cleavage embryo in combination with embryo growth rate and morphology scoring in embryo selection in in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) cycles. Methods Six hundred and ten IVF/ICSI cycles were randomly assigned to group A(269 cycles) and group B(341 cycles). In group A, transferred embryos were chosen according to embryo growth rate and morphology scoring by 72 h(D3) after fertilization, while early cleavage embryo was added to the selecting system in group B. The pregnancy rate and implantation rate were compared between two groups, and the clinic outcomes were compared between transfers with early cleavage embryos and without early cleavage embryos in group B. Results The pregnancy rate and implantation rate in group B were significantly higher than those in group A (P < 0.05). Transfers with early cleavage embryos also achieved much higher pregnancy rate and implantation rate in group B (P < 0.01). Conclusion Compared with embryo growth rate and morphology scoring, early cleavage embryo in combination with embryo growth rate and morphology scoring can improve the clinical outcomes in IVF/ICSI cycles.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the intervention effect and mechanism of compound Ginkgo biloba (CGB) preparations on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

METHODThe C57BL/6 mouse NAFLD model was induced with high fat diets. Since the 2nd week after modeling, the mice were orally administered with 600 and 200 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) CGB for eight weeks. The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (CHOL) and LPS in serum, as well as pathological changes and expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in hepatic tissues were observed. Changes in intestinal tight junction proteins ZO-1, Occludin, Claudin-1 in intestinal tissues were determined under microscopy.

RESULTCompared with the normal group, the model group showed obvious fatty degeneration in rat livers, with notable increase in TNF-alpha expression (P < 0.01), significant increases in ALT, AST, TG, CHOL and LPS in serum (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), injury in intestinal tight junction proteins, and remarkable declines in ZO-1, Occludin and Claudin-1 (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, CGB high and low dose groups showed obvious relieves in fatty degeneration in rat livers and injury in intestinal tight junction proteins, significant reductions in TNF-alpha expression (P < 0.01, P < 0.05) and AST, TG, CHOL and LPS in serum (P < 0.01, P < 0.05) and remarkable increases in ZO-1 and Occludin expressions (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCGB can protect intestinal tight junction proteins, reduce intestinal leakage, relieve fatty degeneration and inflammations in livers and prevent NAFLD occurrence and development.

Alanine Transaminase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cholesterol ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Fatty Liver ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; genetics ; metabolism ; Ginkgo biloba ; chemistry ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Triglycerides ; metabolism

Human xanthine oxidase is considered to be a target for therapy of hyperuricemia. Cichorium intybus is a Chinese plant medicine which widely used in Xinjiang against various diseases. In order to screen the inhibitors of xanthine oxidase from C. intybus and to explore main pharmacological actions of cichory a compound collection of C. intybus was built via consulting related references about chemical research on cichory. The three-dimensional crystal structure of xanthine oxidase (PDB code: 1N5X) from Protein Data Bank was downloaded.. Autodock 4.2 was employed to screen the inhibitors of xanthine oxidase from cichory 70 compounds were found to possess quite low binding free energy comparing with TEI (febuxostat). C. intybus contains constituents possessing potential inhibitive activity against xanthine oxidase. It can explain the main pharmacological actions of cichory which can significantly lower the level of serum uric acid.
Chicory ; chemistry ; Databases, Protein ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; chemistry ; Humans ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Molecular Structure ; Xanthine Oxidase ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism

The existence of RNA has been confirmed in human mature sperm, including mRNA and some members of the microRNA family. Different expressions of sperm mRNA have been found to be correlated with sperm motility and male reproduction. Some sperm specific mRNA and microNA play important roles in the regulation of sperm-oocyte fusion and early embryogenesis. Many published results indicate the variety of sperm RNA in composition and quantity as well as its indispensability for embryogenesis. Further researches on the function of sperm RNA will promote the progress in such fields as male infertility, human assisted reproduction technology and nuclear transfer.
Humans ; Male ; MicroRNAs ; physiology ; RNA, Messenger ; physiology ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of cigarette smoking on human sperm DNA integrity.

METHODSTotally, 784 cases of male infertility were selected from our case database and grouped according to whether they were smokers or nonsmokers, how much they smoked (< or = 10, 11-19 and > or = 20 cigarettes/d) and how long they smoked (< or = 5, 6-9 and > or = 10 yr). Sperm DNA integrity was measured using sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) and flow cytometry. DNA fragmentation and immature spermatozoa were expressed by the DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and high DNA stainability (HDS) respectively. Conventional sperm parameters and sperm DNA integrity were compared among different groups.

RESULTSThe total semen volume and percentage of grade a + b sperm were lower and the sperm morphological abnormality was higher in the > or = 20 cigarettes/d and > or = 10 yr groups than in the others (P < 0.05). DFI and HDS were significantly higher in the smokers than in the nonsmokers (P < 0.05). HDS was negatively correlated with the percentage of grade a + b sperm (r = -0.18, P < 0.05) and both DFI and HDS were positively correlated with the rate of sperm malformation (r = 0.31 and r = 0.39, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSmoking more than 20 cigarettes a day or longer than 10 years has deleterious effects on the semen volume, percentage of grade a + b sperm and sperm morphology of the smokers. Cigarette smoking decreases sperm DNA integrity and nuclear maturation.

Adult ; DNA Damage ; drug effects ; DNA Fragmentation ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Smoking ; adverse effects ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; Young Adult

Objective To develop the microtrauma therapy for thyroid benign lesion.to evaluate efficacy of sonographically guided percutaneous ethanol injection for therapy of thyroid benign lesion.Methods Thirty-two patients with thvroid benign lesion were treated in Cancer Hospital.tlle patients had thyroid disease with cystic or cystic and solid nodule without heart and lung disease.and no allergy to ethanol,but the most diameter was below 3 cm for the solid disease.These patients were divided into two groups,the first group were 14 patients(from June 2002 to August 2003),the second group was 18 patients (from September 2003 to March 2006).The mean injeetion times was four (1-6) in the first group.the volume of each ethanol iniection made the absolute ethanol well-distributed and kept slight compression intra.lesion for five minutes for solid disease.Paaial liquid was extracted for cystic disease first.and 2-10 ml ethanol was injected into cyst,the internal time between two punctures was one week.Each patient received six times ethanol injection in the second group,ethanol injection wag 8ame with the first group.The mean follow-up was 29 (12-57) months.Results The efficacy rate was 100.O%,the cure rate was 69.2%in the first group.The efficacy rate was 100.0%,the cure rate was 77.8% in the second group.There was no significant difference in the cure rate between the groups(X2=0.0258,P>0.05).During follow-up,ultrasound revealed no recurrence for the cured patients and no growth for tlle remnant lesion.Its complications were transient after the procedure,no severe eomplications occurred. Conclusions Sonographically guided percutaneous ethanol injection should be simple,effective,and safe for the thyroid benign lesion,it is easy popularized and may has the effect of cosmetology and microtrauma.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical features and genetic cause for a family affected with cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL).

METHODSClinical manifestations, neuroimaging, and genetic analysis were performed.

RESULTSThe main clinical features have included stroke, emotional disturbance and history of migraine without progressive memory impairment. A positive family history was confirmed. Cranial MRI has revealed multi-infarct lesions and white matter hyperintensity involving bilateral basal ganglia, subcortex and brain stem. All such features were in keeping with the diagnosis of CADASIL. A rare 2182C>T mutation in exon 14 of the NOTCH3 gene was identified in all available cases.

CONCLUSIONBoth clinical and molecular features suggested that the family has been affected with CADASIL.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Migraine Disorders ; genetics ; Receptor, Notch3 ; Receptors, Notch ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo use the snail survey data of Yugan, Jiangxi Province as an example to evaluate the effects and advantages of global positioning system integrated with digital maps and remote sensing data in order to manage and analyze the whole country's surveillance data of schistosomiasis by using geographic information system.

METHODSThe data of geographic information and snail information of 20 marshlands in Yugan, Jiangxi Province were collected, and by the correction of remote sensing images based on the digital maps and index extraction, the snail current situation and trend were analyzed and expressed.

RESULTSA series of specific procedure images of these 20 marshlands was established and the effects of Yugan surveillance platform based on geographic information system were validated.

CONCLUSIONThe whole country's surveillance data of schistosomiasis might be successfully integrated with geographic information system by global positioning system and be managed and expressed, which supplies a successful platform in using the surveillance data effectively.

Animals ; Environmental Monitoring ; Epidemiological Monitoring ; Geographic Information Systems ; Humans ; Schistosomiasis ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Snails ; Spacecraft

BACKGROUNDAlthough some certain infectious pathogens could be detected in the patients with coronary artery disease, the roles of these infectious factors in the development of coronary artery diseases remain largely unknown. Since the number of infectious pathogens has been argued to be relative to the coronary artery diseases, we therefore examined whether there is a link between the number of infections and the incidence of in-stent restenosis after stent implantation.

METHODSOne hundred and eighty-one patients were enrolled in this study. Infectious pathogens including serum anti-Chlymydia pneumoniae, cytomegalovirus, Helico pylori, human herpes simplex virus-1, human herpes simplex virus-2 antibodies and hepatitis B virus antigen were measured in all patients before coronary stent implantation. Coronary angiography was performed before, immediately after and 6 months after stent implantation.

RESULTSRestenosis rate 6 months post stent implantation was similar in patients with low pathogen burden (< 3 pathogens, 33.3%) to those with high pathogen burden (> or = 3 pathogens, 29.1%).

CONCLUSIONSPrevious infections with Chlymydia pneumoniae, cytomegalovirus, Helico pylori, human herpes simplex virus-1, human herpes simplex virus-2 and hepatitis B virus do not contribute to the incidence of restenosis after stent implantation.

Adult ; Aged ; Coronary Disease ; therapy ; Coronary Restenosis ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infection ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stents ; adverse effects