Objective From the perspective of making full use of database comparison function, giving certain guidelines to analyze mixed DNA profile,compare database,screen comparison results. Methods Using CPI to describe the identification of mixed DNA profile.Using CPBI to estimate reliability of individual samples being included. Results When CPI is less than 10-7, mixed DNA Profile is worth to be compared in database.When the number of alleles at one locus is more than 2, retain an additional allele will not reduce identification too much. According to the CPBI of the included samples,we can find the most reliable sample.

AIM:To investigate the therapeutic and preventive effects of paeoniflorin ( PF) on APP/PS1 mice, and to explore the possible mechanism. METHODS:Fifteen male 5-month-old APP/PS1 non-dominant mice were chosen as normal control group, 15 male 5-month-old APP/PS1 double transgenic mice were used as model group, and 15 male 5-month-old APP/PS1 double transgenic mice treated with 5 mg/kg PF by intraperitoneal injection were allocated in administation group. The learning and memory ability of the mice in each group was detected by Morris water maze. The apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL fluorescence staining. The protein expression of PI3K, Akt, p-PI3K, p-Akt, caspase-3, caspase-9, Bcl-2 and Bax in cerebral cortex and hippocampus was detected by Western Blot. The protein expression levels and distribution of caspase-3 and caspase-9 were detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS:(1) Compared with nor-mal control group, the learning and memory ability declined in APP/PS1 model group. Compared with APP/PS1 model group, PF obviously improve the ability of learning and memory in mice. (2) Compared with normal control group, the ap-optosis of nerve cells in APP/PS1 model group significantly increased and distributed in wider areas, while that in PF group was reduced (P<0.05). (3) Compared with APP/PS1 model group, PF could significantly lower pro-apoptotic factors, caspase-3, caspase-9 and Bax (P<0.05), and increase the expression of anti-apoptotic factors, p-PI3K, p-Akt and Bcl-2 (P<0.05). CONCLUSION:PF can up-regulate the expression of Bcl-2 and down-regulate the expression levels of caspase-9, caspase-3 and Bax via the activation of PI3K/Akt pathway, thereby inhibiting the nerve cell apoptosis and pro-tecting the nerve cells, so as to treat neurodegenerative diseases.

Hepatic encephalopathy is a common metabolic neuropsychiatric syndrome in the development of end-stage liver disease. Since the concept of intestinal-liver-brain axis was proposed, the relationship between the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy and the gut microbiota has been a hot research topic. In recent years, studies have confirmed that gut microbiota is involved in and affects various pathological processes of hepatic encephalopathy. This article combines the latest research progress at home and abroad to elaborate on the research status of regulating gut microbiota and thus interfering with the pathological process of hepatic encephalopathy, hoping to provide new ideas and methods for the intervention of hepatic encephalopathy based on the regulation of gut microbiota.

BACKGROUNDPrenatal lead and cadmium exposure will not only influence the mother' organ systems, but also will provide an environment that may influence the fetus and neonate in a harmful way.In the present study, we detected the blood lead levels (BLLS) and cadmium levels for the duration of pregnancy and 6-12 weeks after delivery and to analyze the influencing factors of BLLs in healthy pregnant women.

METHODSA cohort study survey was carried out. We recruited 174 healthy pregnant women without pregnancy or obstetric complications or abnormal pregnancy outcomes as the gravida group, and 120 healthy non-pregnant women as the control group.

RESULTSThe lead concentrations in the three pregnancy trimesters and in the postpartum period were: (5.98 ± 2.43), (5.54 ± 2.01), (5.59 ± 1.97), and (6.76 ± 1.74) µg/dl; and (6.75 ± 2.13) µg/dl in the control group. The cadmium concentrations in the three pregnancy trimesters and postpartum period were 1.61 ± 0.45, 1.63 ± 0.46, 1.64 ± 0.49, and 1.67 ± 0.57. We found that the BLLs in the gravida group were lower than in the control group during all three trimesters. Occupations, supplement nutritional elements (dietary supplements and nutritional (food) elements), and the time of house painting could affect BLLs in pregnant women. Lead-related occupations, using cosmetics, and living in a house painted more recently than one year previously are risk factors of high BLLs among pregnant women, while calcium, iron, zinc, and milk supplements are protective factors.

CONCLUSIONSThese findings may help people, especially pregnant women, to reduce lead exposure via supplements of calcium, iron, zinc, and milk or avoiding contacting risk factors.

Adult ; Cadmium ; blood ; China ; Cohort Studies ; Environmental Monitoring ; Female ; Humans ; Lead ; blood ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis

OBJECTIVETo explore the improvement effect and the regulating mechanism of electroacupuncture with "Shuanggu Yitong" prescription methods on learning memory and immunosenescence in aging rats with yang deficiency.

METHODSForty female Sprague-Dawley rats, 5-month-old, were randomly divided into a normal control (NC) group, an aging yang deficiency model (M) group, an electroacupuncture with Shuanggu Yitong prescription methods (EA) group and an electroacupuncture control (EAC) group, 10 rats in each group. The aging model rats with yang deficiency were established by hypodermic injection of D-galactose for 40 days and then intramuscular injection of Hydrocortisone for 7 days in the latter three groups except the NC group The EA group was treated with electroacupuncture at "Guanyuan" (CV 4), "Housanli" (ST 36) and "Baihui" (GV 20), and the EAC group was treated with electroacupuncture at "Zhongji" (CV 3), "Yinlingquan" (SP 9) and "Yintang" (EX-HN 3), six times per week for 4 weeks. The escape latency was examined by Morris water maze from the first day of the 4th week. After completion of electroacupuncture treatment, the rate of spleen lymphocyte apoptosis and the serum content of tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-alpha) were examined by flow cytometry and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique respectively, the differences among all the groups above were compared.

RESULTSIn comparison with the NC group, the escape latency [(25.4 +/- 3. 6)s vs. (16.23 +/- 2.3)s], the rate of spleen lymphocyte apoptosis [(27.25 +/- 3.3)% vs. (13.2 +/- 3.1)%] and the serum content of TNF-alpha [(15.54 +/- 3.56) pg/mL vs (7.35 +/- 2.89) pg/mL] in the M group those were all significantly increased (all P < 0.01). In the EA group, the escape latency of (17.42 +/- 3.9)s, the rate of spleen lymphocyte apoptosis of (17.2 +/- 3.25)% and the serum content of TNF-alpha of (9.51 +/- 3.53) pg/mL were all significantly lower than those in the M group (all P < 0.01) and the EAC group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture with "Shuanggu Yitong" prescription can significantly improve the spatial learning and memory. The protective mechanism is related with the action of electroacupuncture in lowering the rate of spleen lymphocyte apoptosis and the serum content of TNF-alpha, and the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture at "Guanyuan" (CV 4), "Housanli" (ST 36) and "Baihui" (GV 20) is superior to that of electroacupuncture at "Zhongji" (CV 3), "Yinlingquan" (SP 9) and "Yintang" (EX-HN 3).

Acupuncture Points ; Aging ; immunology ; psychology ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; cytology ; immunology ; Memory ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spleen ; cytology ; immunology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; immunology ; Yang Deficiency ; immunology ; physiopathology ; psychology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo study the impact of the chloride channel dysfunction of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) on the cytoskeleton of Sertoli cells in the mouse.

METHODSTM4 Sertoli cells were cultured and treated with CFTR(inh)-172 at the concentrations of 1, 5, 10 and 20 μmol/L for 48 hours. Then the cytotoxicity of CFT(inh)-172 was assessed by CCK-8 assay, the expressions of F-actin and Ac-tub in the TM4 Sertoli cells detected by immunofluorescence assay, and those of N-cadherin, vimentin and vinculin determined by qPCR.

RESULTSCFTR(inh)-172 produced cytotoxicity to the TM4 Sertoli cells at the concentration of 20 μmol/L. The expressions of F-actin and Ac-tub were decreased gradually in the TM4 Sertoli cells with the prolonging of treatment time and increasing concentration of CFTR(inh)-172 (P < 0.05). The results of qPCR showed that different concentrations of CFTR(inh)-172 worked no significant influence on the mRNA expressions of N-cadherin, vimentin and vinculin in the Sertoli cells.

CONCLUSIONThe CFTR chloride channel plays an important role in maintaining the normal cytoskeleton of Sertoli cells. The reduced function and expression of the CFTR chloride channel may affect the function of Sertoli cells and consequently spermatogenesis of the testis.

Actins ; metabolism ; Animals ; Benzoates ; pharmacology ; Chloride Channels ; physiology ; Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Cytoskeleton ; drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Sertoli Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Spermatogenesis ; Thiazolidines ; pharmacology ; Time Factors

AIMTo evaluate the fertilization competence of spermatozoa from ejaculates and testicle when the oocytes were matured in vitro following intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

METHODSFifty-six completed cycles in 46 women with polycystic ovarian syndrome were grouped according to the semen parameters of their male partners. Group 1 was 47 cycles that presented motile and normal morphology spermatozoa in ejaculates and Group 2 was the other nine cycles where male partners were diagnosed as obstructive azoospermia and spermatozoa could only be found in testicular tissue fragment. All female patients received minimal stimulation with gonadotropin. Immature oocytes were matured in vitro and inseminated by ICSI. The spermatozoa from testes were retrieved by testicular fine needle aspiration.

RESULTSA total of 449 and 78 immature oocytes were collected and cultured for 48 hours, 75.5 % (339/449) and 84.6 % (66/78) oocytes were matured in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. The percentage of oocytes achieving normal fertilization was significantly higher in Group 1 than that in Group 2 (72.9 % vs. 54.5 %, P 0.05). There were no significant differences in the rates of oocytes cleavage and clinical pregnancies in these two groups [87.4 % (216/247) vs. 88.9 % (32/36); 21.3 % (10/47) vs. 44.4 % (4/9)]. A total of 15 babies in the two groups were healthy delivered at term.

CONCLUSIONIt appears that IVM combined with ICSI using testicular spermatozoa can produce healthy infants, while the normal fertilization rate of in vitro matured oocytes after ICSI using testicular spermatozoa was significantly lower than using the ejaculated spermatozoa.

Adult ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; methods ; Humans ; Infertility, Female ; therapy ; Infertility, Male ; therapy ; Male ; Oocytes ; growth & development ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Semen ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Spermatozoa ; Testis ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo compare cell suspension examination with histopathology in detecting spermatozoa in the testicular tissue of non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) patients, and to investigate the reliability of sperm retrieval and appropriate therapeutic options when the results of the two methods are inconsistent.

METHODSA total of 1 112 NOA patients underwent testicular sperm extraction (TESE), their testicular tissues subjected to cell suspension examination and histopathology, respectively.

RESULTSThe consistency rate of the two methods was 92.63%, with the sperm detection rate of 41.82% and non-sperm detection rate of 50.81%. Sperm were retrieved from 96.0% (24/25) of the patients on the day of oval retrieval, in whom sperm were found in cell suspension examination but not in histopathology. After intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), pregnancy was achieved in 8 cases (33.33%), abortion occurred in 4 (16.67%), and non-pregnancy in 12 (50.0%).

CONCLUSIONCell suspension examination combined with histopathology for detecting sperm in the testicular tissue of NOA patients gives instant, accurate, reliable and consistent results, and therefore insures successful sperm retrieval for NOA patients during the IVF cycle. In case of inconsistency between the results of the two methods, cell suspension examination is more helpful for clinical therapeutic option.

Adult ; Azoospermia ; pathology ; Biopsy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Sperm Retrieval ; Spermatozoa ; pathology ; Suspensions ; Testis ; pathology ; Young Adult

Adult ; Carbolines ; Erectile Dysfunction ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Piperazines ; therapeutic use ; Purines ; therapeutic use ; Semen ; Sildenafil Citrate ; Specimen Handling ; Sulfones ; therapeutic use ; Tadalafil

Clinical experiences of acupuncture treatment on ophthalmic diseases over the years are summarized and analyzed to study the therapeutic capacity of acupuncture. Ophthalmic disorders are categorized into diseases with acupuncture treatment as the predominant or supplementary therapy, or as the therapeutic or prevention regimen. At the same time, various treating courses are designed for different phases of the diseases. And effects of acupuncture on different categories of ophthalmic disorders are discussed so as to improve the level of clinical application of acupuncture.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Eye Diseases ; therapy ; Humans