Anemia, Aplastic ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Benzene ; poisoning ; Expert Testimony ; Humans ; Male ; Occupational Diseases ; diagnosis

OBJECTIVETo search for the optimal strategies for sperm collection from the patient with temporary penile erectile dysfunction (ED) on the day of oocyte pick-up ( OPU) in in vitro fertilization embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed 93 cases of temporary ED on the OPU day of IVF-ET from January 2011 to May 2014, with fresh semen for 45 cases (group A), cryopreserved sperm before oocyte retrieval for 30 cases (group B), and frozen oocytes for 18 cases (group C). Group A was again subdivided into A1 (n = 18) and A2 n = 27) , the former intervened with oral sildenafil while the latter left untreated. We compared the rates of fertilization, high-quality embryo, and pregnancy among different groups.

RESULTSNo statistically significant differences were found among groups A, B and C in the age of the males and females, duration of infertility, numbers of obtained and mature oocytes, and rates of cleavage, or in the percentages of normal fertilization (80.78% vs 80.43% vs 84.77%), high-quality embryo (53.27% vs 52.97% vs 47.69%) and pregnancy (60.00% vs 56.77% vs 44.44%) (all P > 0.05). The rate of 3PN was markedly lower in group C (0.63%) than in A (9. 61%) and B (4.34%) (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between groups A1 and A2 in the age of the males and females, duration of infertility, numbers of obtained and mature oocytes, and the rates of fertilization, cleavage, high-quality embryo, and pregnancy (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONOn the OPU day of IVF-ET, oral sildenafil can help temporary ED men to achieve penile erection and ejaculation without affecting the outcomes of assisted reproduction. Cryopreserved sperm can be used in case of predicted temporary ED and frozen oocytes can also be employed if sperm retrieval fails. However, to avoid puncture injury to the epididymis or testis, fresh semen should be the first choice.

Cryopreservation ; Embryo Transfer ; Erectile Dysfunction ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Female ; Fertilization ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Male ; Oocyte Retrieval ; Oocytes ; Penis ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Sildenafil Citrate ; therapeutic use ; Sperm Retrieval ; Spermatozoa

Objective:To study short-term effects of PM10(particulate matter of aerodynamic diameter

Objective To observe the impacts of the method of fortifying the spleen and supplementing Qi on the cellular immunity of chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV)carriers.Methods Asymptomatic HBV carriers group(ASC group,n=60)with HBV DNA positive were randomly divided into Fortifying the Spleen and Supplementing Qi decoction group(A group,n=30)and conventional treatment group(B group,n=30),the peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets were detected with flow cytometey and compared with those of the healthy people(The normal control group,n=18).All the patients were treated,and 24 weeks after treatment the indexes were measured again.Results As compared with those of normal controls,the numbers of CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells were decreased significantly in HBV carriers(P＜0.01);There was a statistical significance between the values before and complete the treatment with the decoction of fortifying the spleen and supplementing Qi(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),and compared with conventional treatment group,there Was a statistical significance(P＜0.05).Conclusion T-cell subset function was disturbed in the HBV carriers.The method of fortifying the spleen and supplementing Qi could improve the cellular immunity of carriers with chronic hepatitis B.

Female ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; complications ; pathology ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; pathology ; Wilms Tumor ; complications ; pathology ; Young Adult

It is often necessary to construct more than one recombinant plasmids when investigating the characteristics, physchemical features and functional mechanisms of genes or proteins. Repeated sub-cloning procedures including design of primers, enzyme digestion, ligation and verification of recombinant plasmids, have to be involved with. For this reason, it has become a tendency to developing new genetic vectors which can be used in multitude of experiments. Therefore, by using pIRES vector as a backbone, here we reported the construction of a mammalian expression vector: pCMV-Myc-IRES-EGFP which contains the N-terminal c-Myc epitope tag and the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) translated in an IRES-dependent manner. This novel vector can be used to testify the efficiency of cell transfection, to collect successfully transfected cell population via cytometry, to conduct transcription and translation in vitro, to purify target proteins or to trap their interactional proteins. The availability of this vector can facilitate function study of genes.
Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Base Sequence ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Line ; Cloning, Molecular ; Gene Expression ; Genes, myc ; genetics ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection

BACKGROUNDAsthma is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by reversible bronchial constriction, pulmonary inflammation and airway remodeling. Current standard therapies for asthma provide symptomatic control, but fail to target the underlying disease pathology. Furthermore, no therapeutic agent is effective in preventing airway remodeling. A substantial amount of evidence suggests that statins have anti-inflammatory properties and immunomodulatory activity. In this study, we investigated the effect of rosuvastatin on airway inflammation and its inhibitory mechanism in mucus hypersecretion in a murine model of chronic asthma.

METHODSBALB/c mice were sensitized and challenged by ovalbumin to induce asthma. The recruitment of inflammatory cells into bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and the lung tissues were measured by Diff-Quik staining and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. ELISA was used for measuring the levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and TNF-α in BALF. Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining was used for mucus secretion. Gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor (GABAAR) β2 expression was measured by means of immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting.

RESULTSRosuvastatin reduced the number of total inflammatory cells, lymphocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, and eosinophils recruited into BALF, the levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and TNF-α in BALF, along with the histological mucus index (HMI) and GABAAR β2 expression. Changes occurred in a dose-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONSBased on its ability to reduce the inflammatory response and mucus hypersecretion by regulating GABAAR activity in a murine model of chronic asthma, rosuvastatin may be a useful therapeutic agent for treatment of asthma.

Animals ; Asthma ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Chronic Disease ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Fluorobenzenes ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; GABA-A Receptor Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Lung ; chemistry ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mucus ; secretion ; Pyrimidines ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Receptors, GABA-A ; analysis ; Rosuvastatin Calcium ; Sulfonamides ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

Background:As a congenital malformation that results in infertility and an inability to have vaginal intercourse,Mayer-RokitanskyKüster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome places a considerable psychological burden on patients,which results in anxiety symptoms.However,only single case studies or a few small to medium-sized cross-sectional studies were identified to focus on anxiety symptoms in MRKH patients.Thus,the aim of this study was to explore the status of anxiety symptoms and the related factors in patients with MRKH syndrome.Methods:This cross-sectional study involving 141 patients with MRKH syndrome and 178 healthy women was conducted from January 2018 to December 2018.All participants were required to complete a demographic questionnaire and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7),Patient Health Questionnaire-9,Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised,Short Scale for Chinese,and Chinese Version of the Female Sexual Function Index.The main outcome was the anxiety symptoms measured by the GAD-7.Main outcome was compared between the MRKH syndrome group and the healthy control group.Then,we explored the related factors by comparing patients with and without anxiety symptoms.Results:Of the respondents,24.1％ experienced moderate to severe anxiety symptoms.Patients with MRKH syndrome manifested more severe anxiety symptoms than healthy women.Negative self-evaluation of femininity (odds ratio [OR] 2.706,95％ confidence interval [CI] 1.010-7.247),neurotic personality traits (OR 1.100,95％ CI 1.029-1.175),and coexisting depressive symptoms (OR 4.422,95％ CI 1.498-13.049) were more prevalent in anxious patients.Conclusion:The findings stress the importance of anxiety symptom screening in MRKH patients and identify patients at risk of anxiety symptoms,providing a possible basis for future intervention.

OBJECTIVETo establish and assess the Caco-2 cell in vitro absorption model.

METHODSCaco-2 cells were cultured on the millipore filters fixed in Snapwell transport chamber. The cell morphology, transepithelial electrical resistance, mannitol efflux rate and alkaline phosphatase activities were monitored during culture.

RESULTSAfter 21 days of in vitro culture, formation of tight junction was observed between the cells. The transepithelial electrical resistance reach a relatively stable value of 620-/+47 Omega.cm(2), the mannitol efflux rate was lower than 0.3%.h(-1).cm(-2), and the alkaline phosphatase activity in the apical side was significantly higher than that in the basolateral side.

CONCLUSIONThe established Caco-2 cell model shows similar morphology to intestinal epithelial cells with formation of polarity, and can be used as an in vitro model for absorption studies.

Caco-2 Cells ; Cell Culture Techniques ; methods ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Intestinal Absorption ; Intestines ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo assess the ability of tetrandrine (Tet) to enhance the sensitivity to irradiation and its mechanism in cell lines of human breast cancer p53-mutant MCF-7/ADR, p53-wild-type MCF-7 and human colon carcinoma p53-mutant HT-29 as well as in C26 colorectal carcinoma-bearing BALB/c mice.

METHODSMCF-7/ADR, HT-29 and MCF-7 cells were exposed to irradiation in the absence or presence of tetrandrine. The effect of Tet on the cytotoxicity of X-irradiation in these three cells was determined and the effect of tetrandrine on cell cycle arrest induced by irradiation in its absence or presence was studied by flow cytometry. Moreover, mitotic index measurement determined mitosis of cells to enter mitosis. Western blotting was employed to detect cyclin B 1 and Cdc2 proteins in extracts from irradiated or non-irradiated cells of MCF-7/ADR, HT-29 and MCF-7 treated with tetrandrine at various concentrations. Tumor growth delay assay was conducted to determine the radio-sensitization of tetrandrine in vivo.

RESULTSClonogenic assay showed that tetrandrine markedly enhanced the lethal effect of X-rays on p53-mutant MCF-7/ADR and HT-29 cells and the sensitization enhancement ratio (SER) of tetrandrine was 1.51 and 1.63, but its SER was only 1.1 in p53-wt MCF-7 cells. Irradiated p53-mutant MCF-7/ADR and HT-29 cells were only arrested in G2/M phase while MCF-7 cells were arrested in G1 and G2/M phases. Radiation-induced G2 phase arrests were abrogated by tetrandrine in a concentration-dependent manner in MCF-7/ADR and HT-29 cells, whereas redistribution within MCF-7 cell cycle changed slightly. The proportion of cells in M phase increased from 1.3% to 14.7% in MCF-7/ADR cells, and from 1.5% to 13.2% in HT-29 cells, but 2.4% to 7.1% in MCF-7 cells. Furthermore, the levels of cyclin B 1 and Cdc2 expression decreased after X-irradiation in MCF-7/ADR and HT-29 cells, and the mitotic index was also lower. Tet could reverse the decrease and induce the irradiated cells to enter mitosis (M phase). Endosomatic experiment showed that tetrandrine caused tumor growth delay in irradiated mice.

CONCLUSIONTetrandrine boosts the cell killing activity of irradiation both in vitro and in vivo. Tetrandrine is a potent abrogator for G2 checkpoint control and can sensitize the cells to radiation.

Animals ; Benzylisoquinolines ; pharmacology ; CDC2-CDC28 Kinases ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cyclin B ; metabolism ; Cyclin B1 ; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor ; G2 Phase ; drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Radiation Tolerance