OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on mouse sperm in vivo.

METHODSA total of 64 six-week-old male Kuming mice were randomly divided into eight groups of equal number to be treated with normal saline (negative control), Cyclophosphamide (CP) at 30 mg/kg (positive control), and CP followed by EGCG (experimental) at 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg, respectively, given every other day for 10 days. At 4 and 5 weeks after treatment, the bilateral testes of the mice were harvested for examination of sperm abnormality.

RESULTSEGCG did not increase the rate of CP-induced sperm abnormality in the mice, but reduced it instead with the prolonged time of treatment.

CONCLUSIONEGCG protects mouse sperm in vivo.

Animals ; Catechin ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Cyclophosphamide ; toxicity ; Male ; Mice ; Mutagens ; toxicity ; Random Allocation ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; Time Factors

Ras is best known for its ability to regulate cell growth, proliferation and differentiation. Mutations in Ras are associated with the abnormal cell proliferation which can result in incidence of all human cancers. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) is a downstream effector of Ras and plays important roles in prognosis of tumors. Recently, evidence has gradually accumulated to demonstrate that there are other effectors between Ras and ERK, these proteins interact each other and constitute the thorough Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway. The pathway has profound effects on incidence of esophageal carcinoma and clinical applications of some chemotherapeutic drugs targeting the pathway. Further understanding of the relevant molecular mechanisms of Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway can be helpful for the development of efficient targeting therapeutic approaches which contribute to the treatment of esophageal cancer. In this article, roles of Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway in esophageal carcinoma as well as pharmacological targeting point in the pathway are reviewed.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Enzyme Activation ; drug effects ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; pathology ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Humans ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; ras Proteins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism

Objective The embryonic development is usually observed for 5-6 days during the process of embryo culture in most embryonic laboratories.The article aimed to explore the application of D 6+D7 frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer in patients with di -minished ovarian reserve(DOR). Methods Retrospective analysis was conducted on 285 patients with DOR who were treated with in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) in our center from 2015 to 2017.Frozen embryos were harvested from the natural cycle , mini-stimulation protocol, ovulation induction during the luteal phase , followed by frozen-thawed embryo transfer with a total of 442 cycles. The frozen embryos were divided into cleavage embryo group and blas -tocyst group according to different life stages , and comparison was made in general data and pregnancy outcome between the two groups .The blastocyst transfer group was subdivided into Day 5 group and Day6+Day7 group followed by the comparison of different pregnancy outcome between the two groups . Results Patients with DOR were treated with frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer with 291 cycles in cleavage embryo group and 151 cycles in blastocyst group.The implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and ongoing pregnancy rate of blastocyst group were significantly higher than those of cleavage embryo group ( 44.62％ vs 22.46％, 50.33％ vs 33.33％, 37.75％ vs 21.65％, P<0.05) and the abortion rate of blastocyst group was significantly lower than that of cleavage embryo group (35.05％ vs 25％, P<0.05).As to the frozen blastocyst transplantation cycle , the number of D5 blastocysts was 69, and D6+D7 blastocyst was 76. The embryo planting rate, clinical pregnancy rate, continued pregnancy rate and abortion rate of D 6+D7 group were higher than those of D5 group(39.74％ vs 50％, 44.93％ vs 55.26％, 34.78％ vs 39.47％, 22.58％ vs 28.57％), but the difference was of no statistical significance(P>0.05). Conclusion In patients with DOR, the transplanted blastocyst can significantly improve the pregnancy out -come, increase the clinical pregnancy rate and reduce the abortion rate .The embryo planting rate and clinical pregnancy rate of the transplanted D6+D7 blastocyst were higher than those of D 5 blastocyst, but the difference was not statistically significant .The abortion rate was also increased.Therefore, when the number of embryos is limited, patients with DOR may consider transplanting D 6+D7 high-quality blastocysts in order to get a certain clinical pregnancy rate .

Objective To analyze the correlation between smoking and occurrence of intracranial artery stenosis.Methods From June 2015 to May 2016,a total of 10 711 inpatients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) or ischemic stroke from 20 basel hospitals of nationwide were enrolled using a cross-sectional study,76 patients with unknown smoking and smoking cessation years were excluded.Finally,a total of 10 635 patients were enrolled.Transcranial color coded sonography and/or transcranial Doppler were used evaluate the intracranial artery stenosis lesions.The basic risk factors for cerebrovascular disease (age,sex,smoking and smoking years,whether smoking cessation and years,hypertension,diabetes,hyperlipidemia,atrial fibrillation,and family history of stroke) were recorded.According to the different smoking years,the smoking years were divided into five groups:non-smoking,smoking time ≤10-year,11 to 20-year,21 to 30-year,and >30-year groups for trend chi square test.According to the different smoking cessation years in the smokers,the smoking cessation years were divided into four groups:non-cessation,cessation time 1 to 10-year,11 to 20-year,and >20-year groups for trend chi square test.The effects of different smoking years and different smoking cessation years on the occurrence of intracranial arterial stenosis were analyzed.Results The incidence of intracranial artery stenosis in the smokers (40.4%[1 433/3 547]) was significantly higher than that in the non-smoking patients (29.4%[2 085/7 088]).There was significant difference (χ2=128.850,P<0.01),and the incidence of cerebral infarction in the smokers (91.6%[3 250/3 547]) was significantly higher than the non-smokers (85.0%[6 027/7 088]).There was significant difference (χ2=92.328,P<0.01).Smoking was an independent risk factor for intracranial artery stenosis (OR,1.603;95%CI 1.456-1.765;P<0.01).With the increase of smoking years,the detection rate of intracranial arterial stenosis increased gradually (trend χ2=115.437,P<0.01).Whether giving up smoking had no significant effect on the incidence of intracranial artery stenosis in patients with ≥20 years of smoking (trend χ2=1.043,P=0.307).Conclusions Smoking is an independent risk factor for affecting intracranial artery stenosis;the risk of disease increases with the number of smoking years.Long-term smokers (≥20 years) cannot reduce the effect on intracranial artery stenosis,even if they give up smoking.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk factors for cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) among infants through a multicenter clinical study. METHODS: A total of 1 829 infants, aged 1-12 months, who attended the outpatient service of the pediatric department in six hospitals in Shenzhen, China from June 2016 to May 2017 were enrolled as subjects. A questionnaire survey was performed to screen out suspected cases of CMPA. Food avoidance and oral food challenge tests were used to make a confirmed diagnosis of CMPA CMPA. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the risk factors for CMPA. RESULTS: Among the 1 829 infants, 82 (4.48%) were diagnosed with CMPA. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that maternal food allergy (OR=4.91, 95%CI: 2.24-10.76, P<0.05), antibiotic exposure during pregnancy (OR=3.18, 95%CI: 1.32-7.65, P<0.05), and the introduction of complementary food at an age of <4 months (OR=3.55, 95%CI: 1.52-8.27, P<0.05) were risk factors for CMPA, while exclusive breastfeeding (OR=0.21, 95%CI: 0.08-0.58, P<0.05) and the introduction of complementary food at an age of >6 months (OR=0.38, 95%CI: 0.17-0.86, P<0.05) were protective factors. CONCLUSIONS The introduction of complementary food at an age of <4 months, maternal food allergy, and antibiotic exposure during pregnancy are risk factors for CMPA in infants.
Animals ; Cattle ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Milk Hypersensitivity ; Milk Proteins ; Pregnancy ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Objective We aimed to elucidate the prevalence and the antibiotic resistance spectrum of nasal coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) colonization among HIV infectors in Guangzhou. Method After isolation and identification, all CoNS isolates were tested for the antibiotic susceptibility, and the antibiotic resistance genes. Result Among the 1 001 HIV infectors, the prevalence of CoNS and MRCoNS were 57.44% and 48.15%, respectively. The three predominant resistant antibiotics of MRCoNS isolates were penicillin, erythromycin and trimethoprim-sulfame thoxazole, while predominant detection rates of genes were Aac(6’)-aph(2’)、ermC and linA genes. The multidrug resistance rate of MRCoNS isolates were significantly higher than methicillin-susceptible coagulase-negative staphylococci (MSCoNS) isolates (80.69% versus 39.66%, P<0.001, OR=6.36). Conclusions The prevalence and multidrug resistant rates of nasal colonization CoNS and MRCoNS are high among HIV infectors in Guangzhou. MRCoNS isolates were 6.36 times more likely to be of multidrug resistance than MSCoNS isolates.

This study was aimed to investigate the genetic characteristics of human acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line Molt-4, and evaluate its application in measuring telomere length by Flow-FISH. Molt-4 cell line was cultured in suspension and subcultured regularly. Eight different passages of Molt-4 cells in exponential stage were selected.The growth curves were drawn by cell counting method, meanwhile calculating the population doubling times of cells,DNA ploidies were determined by flow cytometry,karyotypes were analyzed by G-banding and telomere lengths were measured by Southern blot. The results showed that the population doubling time of Molt-4 cell line was (1.315 ± 0.062) d, DNA ploidy index was (2.085 ± 0.0093) , and the telomere length was (32.05 ± 5.27) kb. There were no significant difference among different passages (P = 0.931,0.888 and 0.935 separately). The karyotypes showed that the chromosome numbers of Molt-4 cell line were from 91 to 99 in different metaphases, and the majority of them were hypertetraploid, and stable and recurrent structural abnormalities of chromosomes could be kept. It is concluded that the stable genetic characteristics and the longer telomere length of Molt-4 cell line makes it be a feasible control cells in measurement of telomere length by Flow-FISH.
Cell Line, Tumor ; DNA, Neoplasm ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; Ploidies ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; genetics ; Telomere ; genetics

Osteoporotic thoracolumbar fracture in the elderly will seriously reduce their quality of life and life expectancy. For osteoporotic thoracolumbar fracture in the elderly, spinal reconstruction is necessary, which should comprehensively consider factors such as the physical condition, fracture type, clinical characteristics and osteoporosis degree. While there lacks relevant clinical norms or guidelines on selection of spinal reconstruction strategies. In order to standardize the concept of spinal reconstruction for osteoporotic thoracolumbar fracture in the elderly, based on the principles of scientificity, practicality and progressiveness, the authors formulated the Clinical guideline for spinal reconstruction of osteoporotic thoracolumbar fracture in elderly patients ( version 2022), in which suggestions based on evidence of evidence-based medicine were put forward upon 10 important issues related to the fracture classification, non-operative treatment strategies and surgical treatment strategies in spinal reconstruction after osteoporosis thoracolumbar fracture in the elderly, hoping to provide a reference for clinical treatment.

Objective:To summarize the patient profiles and therapeutic efficacies of ABO-incompatible living-related kidney transplantations at 19 domestic transplant centers and provide rationales for clinical application of ABOi-KT.Methods:Clinical cases of ABO-incompatible/compatible kidney transplantation (ABOi-KT/ABOc-KT) from December 2006 to December 2009 were collected. Then, statistical analyses were conducted from the aspects of tissue matching, perioperative managements, complications and survival rates of renal allograft or recipients.Results:Clinical data of 342 ABOi-KT and 779 ABOc-KT indicated that (1) no inter-group differences existed in age, body mass index (BMI), donor-recipient relationship or waiting time of pre-operative dialysis; (2) ABO blood type: blood type O recipients had the longest waiting list and transplantations from blood type A to blood type O accounted for the largest proportion; (3) HLA matching: no statistical significance existed in mismatch rate or positive rate of PRA I/II between two types of surgery; (4) CD20 should be properly used on the basis of different phrases; (5) hemorrhage was a common complication during an early postoperative period and microthrombosis appeared later; (6) no difference existed in postoperative incidence of complications or survival rate of renal allograft and recipients at 1/3/5/10 years between ABOi-KT and ABOc-KT. The acute rejection rate and serum creatinine levels of ABOi-KT recipients were comparable to those of ABOc-KT recipients within 1 year.Conclusions:ABOi-KT is both safe and effective so that it may be applied at all transplant centers as needed.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; Bendamustine Hydrochloride/therapeutic use* ; Etoposide ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Lymphoma/therapy* ; Melphalan ; Transplantation Conditioning ; Transplantation, Autologous