The folate metabolic pathway plays important roles in cellular physiology by participating in nucleotide synthesis, DNA repair and methylation, and maintenance and stability of the genome. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is a key regulatory enzyme involved in folate metabolism. Polymorphisms of MTHFR may change the level of homocysteine and affect DNA synthesis and methylation, leading to an increased oxidative stress and disturbed methylation reactions and consequently affecting reproductive function. This article presents an overview on MTHFR gene polymorphisms, proposing that multicentered, large-sample and long-term prospective studies are needed to reveal the relationship between MTHFR gene polymorphisms and infertility.
DNA ; biosynthesis ; DNA Methylation ; DNA Repair ; Folic Acid ; metabolism ; Homocysteine ; metabolism ; Humans ; Infertility ; enzymology ; genetics ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Prospective Studies

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Hypoxia, Brain ; metabolism ; Ischemic Preconditioning ; methods ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

Objective To construct mouse model of acute myeloid leukemia and detect the expression of ANGPT 1 ,ANGPT2 and VEGF gene on the cells its as well as the clinical significance .Methods The HL‐60 cells were transfected to NOD/SCID mouse through abdominal injection to construct mouse model of acute myeloid leukemia .Then identify mouse model by histopathology and Flow Cytometry .The expression of ANGPT2 ,ANGPT1 and VEGF mRNA in the tumor tissues of mouse model was detected by real‐time fluorescence quantitative PCR .The expression of ANGPT2 will be analyzed on the survival time of mouse model by Spearman′s correlation method .Results Mouse model has been successfully identified by histopathology and Flow Cytometry .The expression of ANGPT2 and VEGF in mouse mode was significantly detected ,which was that of higher than normal group (P<0 .05) .The expression of ANGPT1 was lower than that of ANGPT2 and VEGF ,there was no significant difference between AN‐GPT1 and normal groups (P>0 .05) .The higher expression of ANGPT2 in mouse model had a short survival time in mouse with acute myeloid leukemia .Conclusion This study showed that ANGPT2 mRNA was over‐expressed in acute myeloid leukemia .The increasing expression of ANGPT2 mRNA may lead to poor prognosis in mouse with acute myeloid leukemia .

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate therapeutic efficacy and ADR of amphotericin B in the treatment of AIDS combined with fungal infections retrospectively. METHODS:The cases of amphotericin B in the treatment of AIDS combined with fungal in-fections were collected our hospital. Total therapeutic efficacy,distribution of pathogenic bacteria,clearance rate and ADR were evaluated. RESULTS:89 patients were involved totally,among which 45 cases were marked effect,32 cases improved and 12 cas-es failed,with effective rate of 86.5%. The fungus were found or cultured in 76 cases,among which 64 strains were cleared,but 12 strains were not,with total clearance rate of 84.2%. There were 41 ADR cases(46.1%),while all completed the treatment ex-cept 2 developing severe renal failure(2.2%). CONCLUSIONS:Domestic amphotericin B could effectively treat AIDS complicat-ing with fungal infections,and the ADRs were acceptable.

Background The accurate calculation of intraocular lens (IOL) power is essential for attaining the desired refractive outcome after cataract surgery,especially for patients with high myopia and posterior scleral staphyloma.Objective This study was to evaluate the clinical feasibility of IOL Master compared with contact A-scan in cataract patients with high myopia and posterior scleral staphyloma,then compare the accuracy of different IOL power calculation formulas.Methods This was a prospective case control clinical research.Fourty-one eyes with age-related cataract of 28 patients underwent phacoemulsification with monofocal foldable IOL implantation in Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital were involved,who were all high myopia with posterior scleral staphyloma.Preoperative measurement was measured with IOL Master as well as with contact A-scan and manual keratometry.IOL power was calculated according to the SRK-Ⅱ,SRK-T,Haigis,Hoffer Q,Holladay 1 formulas.The refractive outcome was followed-up 3 months after operation.Results The difference was significant between the 2 methods in axial length (AL) and anterior chamber depth (ACD) measurement (P =0.005,0.000) ; In corneal curvature measurement,there was no significant difference between them (P =0.398).When mean absolute refractive error (MAE) was divided by ±1.00 D,The SRK/T and Haigis formula performed better than other formulas measured by IOL Master;The Holladay 1,Hoffer Q and Haigis formula performed better than other formulas measured by contact A-scan combined with manual keratometry,respectively.Conclusions For cataract patients with high myopia and posterior scleral staphyloma,SRK/T and Haigis formula were recommended when employing IOL Master; whereas when using contact A-scan combined with manual keratometry,we prefer Holladay 1,Hoffer Q or Haigis formula.

Objective To explore the effect of Jinmaitong (JMT) on expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 in hippocampal neurons culturedwith high glucose. Methods Hippocampal neurons were primarily cultured and purified from the hippocampus of new-born SpragueDawley rats. Neuron-specific enolase immunocytochemical method was adopted for the identification of the neurons. They were divided intonormal control group, high glucose group, high-dose JMT (JH) group, middle-dose JMT (JM) group, low-dose JMT (JL) group and a positivecontrol group. 72 hours later, Western blotting was adopted to detect the expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3. Results Comparedwith the normal control group, the expression of Bax and Caspase-3 in the high glucose group significantly increased (P<0.01), and the expressionof Bcl-2 significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the high glucose group, the expression of Caspase-3 and Bax in the positivecontrol group and JH, JM, and JL groups significantly decreased (P<0.01), and the expression of Bcl-2 significantly increased (P<0.05).Compared with the positive control group, the expression of Caspase-3 and Bax significantly decreased in JH, JM, and JL groups (P<0.05),and the expression of Bcl-2 significantly increased in JH and JM groups (P<0.05). Conclusion JMT may reduce apoptosis by inhibiting theexpression of Bax and Caspase-3 and promoting the expression of Bcl-2.

Hydrolytic amino acids were extracted by acid hydrolysis method, then derivatized with phenyl isothiocyanate (PITC). And the samples were analysed by HPLC on an Ultimate Prime C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) column with gradient elution of 0.1 mol x L(-1) sodium acetate buffer solution (adjusted to pH 6. 5)-acetonitrile (93:7) (A) and acetonitrile-water (8:2) (B) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1). Column temperature was 40 degrees C and the detected wavelength was 254 nm. Amino acids derivative solution remained stable in 36 hours. The response was linear for 16 amino acids with a correlation coefficient r > 0.999 5. The average recoveries were 98.01% -101.8%. The method is reliable with good accuracy and repeatability, which is useful for the determination of amino acids in Galli Gigerii Endothelium Corneum.
Amino Acids ; analysis ; Animals ; Chickens ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chromatography, Reverse-Phase ; Endothelium ; chemistry ; Gizzard, Avian ; chemistry

BACKGROUND: Implantation of artificial joint of bone cement can result in long-term blocking of recipient site medullary canal and blood vessel lesion, and lead to changes in intraosseous pressure and bone blood flow of distal femoral shaft.OBJECTIVE: To explore the changes in the intraosseous pressure and bone blood flow of distal femoral shaft after blockage of the proximal and middle femoral medullary canal by bone cement.DESIGN: Controlled observation.SETTING: People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.MATERIALS: The experiment was performed at the Experimental Animal Center of Chongqing Medical University between July 2002 and April 2003. Thirty-two healthy adult New Zealand rabbits were selected and randomly divided into model group (n=24) and control group (n=8). Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) TJ bone cement was provided by Tianjin Synthetic Materials Research Institute.METHODS: The rabbit model was established by infusing femoral medullary canal of left side with PMMA. The lateral greater trochanter of anesthetized rabbits were resected below the third trochanter through spatium intermusculare by posterior lateral femur approach, but the neck of femur was remained to expose intertrochanteric fossa and entry of medullary canal following by intramedullary reaming to 1/2 length of femur. The wound was washed repeatedly to remove the destroyed myeioid tissues, and was dried with gauze. Bone cement was prepared by manually stirring powder with solution at a ratio of 2:1, until dough shape formed. A small piece of dough-shaped bone cement was filled in middle femoral stenosis as cavity blocker. Ten minutes later, the solidified bone cement was re-blended until dough shape and implanted into medullary canal fully. When the bone cement was completely solidified, the incision was sutured. The 24-modeled rabbits were randomly divided into 4 subgroups according to the following observation time points (n=6): postoperative 0 day (T0),4th week (T4), 8th week (T8) and 16th week (T16).MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ①Physiological pressure-measuring instrument was used to detect and compare the intraosseous pressure of bilateral distal femoral medullary canal of the model and control groups. ②Radionuclide bone imaging was used to detect and compare the dynamic and static images of bilateral distal femoral of the rabbit models at different time points.RESULTS: Thirty-two rabbits were all included in final analysis with no loss. ①There were no significant differences in the intraosseous pressure between the distal femurs in normal rabbits (P＞0.05); the pressure of the experimental side increased significantly compared with control side (P＜0.01). In model group, there were no significant differences in the intraosseous pressure between the control sides of rabbits at different time points (P＞0.05), but the experimental sides presented continuous high intraosseous pressure state. The pressure of T4 was higher than that of T16 (P＜0.05); there were no significant differences between any other two time points (P＞0.05). ②Compared with the dynamic and static images at different time-points, the counting of nuclide in the experimental sides was markedly lower than the control sides at T0 and T4 while higher at T8 and T16; the count reached the peak at T16. There were no significant differences in the nuclide counting ratio between T0 and T8, T0 and T16, T4 and T16, T8 and T16, T4 and T8, respectively except T0 and T4 (P＜0.05). The dynamic and static radionuclide bone imaging showed the same changes.CONCLUSION: The intraosseous and intramedullary blood circulation is severely damaged after blocking of the proximal and middle femoral medullary canal with bone cement, resulting in local alterations of hymodynamics, a series of changes in intraosseous pressure and bone blood flow in the distal femur, which causes continuous and a long-term high intraosseous pressure.

BACKGROUND:There are so many researches on the complication of artificial joint of bone cement on clinics, but the effect of implanting artificial joint of bone cement on the structure of distal joint is unclear.OBJECTIVE:To explore the structural changes of distal joint after blocking the proximal and middle femoral medullary cavity with bone cement.DESIGN:Controlled observation.SETTING:The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.MATERIALS:A total of 26 healthy adult New Zealand rabbits, of clean grade and both genders,weighing 2.6-3.5 kg,were offered by the Experimental Animal Center of Chongqing Medical University.Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) TJ bone cement,16# antrum needle for puncture (outer diameter 1.6 mm,inner diameter 1.05 mm,length 80 mm), light microscope of Japan Olympus Company (BH-2), and transmission electron microscope of Japan Hitachi Company (H-600).METHODS:The experiment was completed in the Experimental Animal Center of Chongqing Medical University from July 2005 to April 2006.Eighteen rabbits were randomly selected as model group,while other 8 ones ware served as control group.The rabbit model was established by infusing femoral medullary cavity of left side with PMMA.Due to the specific anatomic structure of appearing the third trochanter, the anesthetized rabbits were adopted to incise the lateral greater trochanter below the third trochanter through spatium intermusculare of posterior lateral femur, remaining the neck of femur, so as to expose intertrochanteric fossa and entry of medullary cavity,which was expanded to 1/2 length of femur by using cavity file of different thickness repeatedly. Then wound surface was washed fob many times to remove the destroyed myeloid tissues, and was dried with strips. Bone cement was prepared by manually stirring powder with solution at a ratio of 2:1, until it demonstrated dough shape. In order to control the depth of bone cement into femoral medullary cavity, a small piece of dough-shaped bone cement was filled in middle femoral stenosis as cavity blocker.Ten minutes later,the solidified bone cement was re-blended as dough shape and implanted into medullary cavity fully.Afterwards, the bone cement was completely solidified and the incision was sutured. At the 4th, 8th and 16th weeks postoperatively,6 rabbits of each model group and all controlled rabbits were killed respectively to obtain the samples of distal femoral articular synovium, cartilage and subchondral bone. The histological examinations included hematoxyiin-eosin (HE) staining, toluidine blue (TB) staining and immunohistochemistry. Transmission electron microscope was used to detect the changes of cartilage and subchondral bone in distal joint of left femur.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ①The structural changes of distal femoral articular synovium, cartilage and subchondral bone by HE staining,TB staining,immunohistochemistry.②The histological changes of distal articular cartilage and subchondral bone in left femur by transmission electron microscope.RESULTS:①HE staining:The damages to articular cartilage,synovial tissues and subchondral bone aggravated with time.At the 16th week of modeling,the articular cartilage was destructed,the bone structure was severely damaged,with the synovial tissue proliferation and swelling;TB staining (the 16th week):All the layers of articular cartilage appeared loss of stain; Immunohistochemistry (the 16th week): Collagen Ⅱ of the chondrocytes was positively stained. And transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 staining of articular synoviocytes and chondrocytes appeared positive.②Transmission electron microscope: The lesions to articular chondrocytes and bone cells aggravated progressively with time, part of which presented necrosis and collapse at the 16th week.CONCLUSION: The intramedullary blood circulation is severely damaged after blocking the proximal and middle femoral medullary cavity with bone cement. Conversely, the bone metabolism disorders in dista0 femur. which results in the degeneration or necrosis of distal femur, cartilage and synovial tissue.