OBJECTIVE: A case of half sibling was determined with multiple genetic markers, which could be potentially applied for determination of half sibling relationship from same father. METHODS: Half sibling relationship was detected by 39 autosomal STR genetic markers, 23 Y-chromosomal STR genetic markers and 12 X -chromosomal STR genetic markers among ZHAO -1, ZHAO -2, ZHAO -3, ZHAO -4, and ZHAO-5. RESULTS: According to autosomal STR, Y-STR and X-STR genotyping results, it was determined that ZHAO-4 (alleged half sibling) was unrelated with ZHAO-1 and ZHAO-2; however, ZHAO-3 (alleged half sibling), ZHAO-5 (alleged half sibling) shared same genetic profile with ZHAO-1, and ZHAO-2 from same father. CONCLUSION It is reliable to use multiple genetic markers and family gene reconstruction to determine half sibling relationship from same father, but it is difficult to determination by calculating half sibling index with ITO and discriminant functions.
Alleles ; Chromosomes, Human, Y/genetics* ; Discriminant Analysis ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Loci/genetics* ; Genetic Markers ; Genotype ; Humans ; Paternity ; Siblings

ObjectiveTo investigate the quality of life (QOL) of the epilepsy patients and the factors affected the QOL.Methods200 cases were investigated using the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory 10 (QOLEI-10) and the Washington Psychosocial Seizure Investigate (WPSI). 200 healthy persons were chosen as normal control group. ResultsThe QOL of the patient group were significantly poor as compared with that of normal control group(P<0.01). The factors that the patients always faced with were disability in the attack control, short in money, unemployment, restriction of movement, disability in intercommunication, psychological disorder (depress, strain, anxiety, dread, shame feel, cognitional dysfunction, etc.), as well as the difficult to get professional curtains, taking medicine improperly and side effects of the medicine. Conclusions The factors mentioned, which were usually neglected by many doctors, do affect the QOL of epilepsy patients, and hinder the epilepsy treatment effectively.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of Kuntai capsule on the gonadotrophin releasing hormone agonist(GnRH-a)-induced perimenopaus symptoms and the sex hormone levels.METHODS: A total of 99 patients with uterine fibroids,adenomyosis or moderate to severe endometriosis who needed the treatment of GnRH-a at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from June 2015 to March 2016 were collected and randomly divided into research group(Kuntai capsule)and control group(Tibolone). GnRH-a was injected once every 28 days and first injection of GnRH-a was administered on the 2 nd to 4 th day of menstrual period or retraction bleeding after surgery.Kuntai capsule or Tibolone was orally taken beginning from the first GnRH-a injection,and the co-administration of Caltrate D-600 and alfacalcidol was given in both groups.The Kupperman scores,sex hormone levels including folliclestimulating hormone(FSH)and estrogen(E_2),and adverse events were recorded.RESULTS: Kuntai capsule kept the perimenopause symptoms at mild level with the slow increase of Kupperman scores,whose effect was significantly superior to Tibolone(P<0.05)after 8 weeks of treatment,especially in paresthesia,nervousness,and formication.The FSH and E_2 levels in both Kuntai and Tibolone groups were obviously decreased when compared with the pre-treatment(P<0.05),and these hormone levels in Kuntai group were comparable to those in Tibolone group.No adverse events occurred in either group. CONCLUSION: In the short-term treatment of GnRH-a,Kuntai capsule exhibits significant alleviating effects on perimenopause symptoms caused by GnRH-a with high safety and few adverse reactions.

BACKGROUNDThe form deprivation (FD) reduces spatial contrasts and induces myopia. Nitric oxide and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) are involved in visual signal transmission. This study investigated changes in nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and cGMP concentration in ocular tissues in acute and chronic form deprivation myopia.

METHODSGuinea pigs had one eye covered by translucent glass for 7, 14 or 21 days. Untreated litter mates were used as controls. NOS activity and cGMP concentrations in the retinal, choroidal and scleral tissues of FD eyes and control eyes were analyzed by radioimmunoassay after various durations of FD. The expression of NOS subtypes was identified by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSMyopia was successfully induced in FD eyes after 14 days. Compared with control groups, the retinal NOS activity and cGMP concentrations in the FD eyes significantly increased after 14 and 21 days while the retinal NOS activity in the FD eyes was transiently suppressed by 7 days of FD. The NOS activity and cGMP concentrations of choroid and sclera in the FD eyes were higher than in the control groups at 21 days. The three isoenzymes of nitric oxide synthase were detected in the ocular tissues of guinea pigs.

CONCLUSIONSThe NOS activity and cGMP concentrations were upregulated after chronic FD and the retinal NOS activity was transiently suppressed at acute FD. The function of elevated NOS activity may be mediated by cGMP.

Animals ; Cyclic GMP ; analysis ; Guinea Pigs ; Immunohistochemistry ; Myopia ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; physiology ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; Refractive Errors ; Retina ; metabolism

ObjectiveTo investigate the morphological characteristics of mitral valve annulus in patients with degenerative mitral valve prolapse with severe regurgitation. MethodsA total of 18 patients with mitral valve prolapse complicated with severe regurgitation and 36 patients with normal mitral valve were selected and analyzed using Philips Epic7C echocardiography equipped with transesophageal 3D probe X7-2T and QLAB MVN software. ResultsThe anterolateral and posterio-medium diameter， anterior-posterior diameter， circumference and area of mitral annulus in patients with mitral prolapse complicated with severe regurgitation were larger than those in the control group （P<0.05）. In addition， the annulus parameters in the middle and late systole were higher than those in the early systole （P<0.05）， while the height of the mitral annulus and the non-planar angle showed no difference between the two groups or among different cardiac cycles （P>0.05）. ConclusionsThe three-dimensional morphology and functional of mitral valve annulus changed dynamically with different phases of cardiac cycle. Three-dimensional esophageal echocardiography could provide accurate and detailed information for degenerative mitral valve prolapse with regurgitation.

OBJECTIVETo assess the association between leptin gene promoter methylation and serum leptin concentrations in patients with impaired glucose regulation (IGR) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODSMethylation status of leptin gene promoter was determined with methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. Serum leptin concentrations were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTSAmong three groups of individuals with different levels of glucose, the methylation rates of leptin gene in IGR and T2DM groups were 43.6 % and 31.5 %, respectively, which were significantly lower than that of healthy subjects (59.2%; Chi-square=22.499 and 5.109, respectively, P<0.05). A lower methylation rate was also observed in T2DM group compared with IGR group (Chi-square=3.962, P<0.05). Leptin levels in both T2DM and IGR groups were elevated compared with normoglycemic subjects, but only T2DM group was significantly higher (q=6.81, P<0.01). Linear regression analysis indicated that serum leptin concentrations has increased along with declining of DNA methylation rate (r=-0.95, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONLower levels of leptin gene promoter DNA methylation and serum leptin concentrations are associated with the development of diabetes. Measurement of the methylation status of leptin gene promoter and expression can facilitate early intervention of the disease.

DNA Methylation ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Glucose ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Leptin ; blood ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Promoter Regions, Genetic

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of THY1 protein expression in epithelial ovarian cancer.

METHODSImmunohistochemistry (IHC) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) staining were used to detect the protein expression of THY1, Ki67 and cell apoptosis in 76 epithelial ovarian cancers by tissue microarray. The correlation between THY1 expression and patients' clinical features was analyzed.

RESULTSOf the 76 epithelial ovarian cancer samples, 64 were informative for IHC and TUNEL assays and 42 (65.6%) among them showed down-regulated/loss expression of THY1 protein. A significant positive correlation of THY1 protein expression with clinical stage and distant metastasis was observed in this ovarian cancer cohort (P < 0.05). The more advanced the tumor stage, the more frequency of loss expression of THY1 protein. In addition, the mean positive rate of Ki67 staining in tumors with down-regulated/loss expression of THY1 was 33.7% +/- 3.5%, significantly higher than that in the tumors with normal expression of THY1 (17.3% +/- 6.1%, P = 0.0027). However, no significant correlation was observed between THY1 protein expression and tumor cell apoptosis as well as patients' survival in this series (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONDown-regulated/loss expression of THY1 protein in epithelial ovarian cancer is significantly correlated with cancer cell proliferation and metastasis in the epithelial ovarian cancer, and it may be used as one of the new molecular biomarkers to predict the disease progression in patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Apoptosis ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous ; metabolism ; pathology ; Down-Regulation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Ki-67 Antigen ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Survival Rate ; Thy-1 Antigens ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) phosphorylation in HepG(2) cells in relation to HepG(2) cell survival under continuous low dose-rate irradiation.

METHODSHepG(2) cells were exposed to equivalent irradiation doses delivered at either a continuous low dose-rate (7.76 cGy/h) or a high dose-rate (4500 cGy/h), and the phosphorylated ATM proteins and surviving fraction of HepG(2) cells after the exposures were compared.

RESULTSThe phosphorylation of ATM protein was maximal at 0.5 Gy irradiation delivered at either a high doserate or a continuous low doserate. As the radiation dose increased, ATM protein phosphorylation decreased under continuous low dose-rate irradiation, but remained stable under high dose-rate irradiation. With comparable ATM protein phosphorylation induced by continuous low dose-rate irradiation and high dose-rate irradiation, there was no significant difference in the surviving fraction of HepG(2) cells (P>0.05), but at a significantly lower ATM protein phosphorylation level than that induced by high dose-rate irradiation, continuous low dose-rate irradiation resulted in increased cell killing (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONContinuous low dose-rate irradiation increases HepG(2) cells radiosensitivity as compared with high dose-rate irradiation. Increased cell killing following continuous low dose-rate irradiation is associated with reduced phosphorylated ATM protein, and inhibition of ATM phosphorylation may increase the radiosensitivity of HepG(2) cells.

Animals ; Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins ; Cell Cycle Proteins ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival ; radiation effects ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation ; Humans ; Mice ; Phosphorylation ; radiation effects ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism ; Radiation Tolerance ; radiation effects ; Time Factors ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; metabolism

The megakaryocyte and platelet lineage may be one of the major sites of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection. However, whether HCMV aggravates apoptosis in normal megakaryocytes was not well investigated. Megakaryocytic cell line CHRF-288-11 and HCMV AD 169 strain were co-cultured in this study. PCR was used to detect the direct infection of the cells by HCMV IEA expression. The apoptotic cells were analyzed by morphologic observation, DNA ladder formation, annexin V/PI and PI assay with flow cytometry. The results showed that HCMV significantly inhibited the growth of CHRF cells in three different concentrations of viral infection groups (10(-3), 10(-2), 10(-1)). The viability levels in each infection groups were 77%, 73% and 68% respectively after incubation for 7 days, compared with 98% in the control group. Using annexin V/PI with flow cytometry, it was shown that the percentages of apoptotic cells viral infection in groups (10(-3), 10(-2), 10(-1)) were (21.3 +/- 2.49)%, (25.8 +/- 3.65)% and (31.4 +/- 3.91)% at 7 days after infection, while the control was (3.68 +/- 1.47)%. The apoptotic cells were further confirmed by morphologic observation and DNA ladder formation. Furthermore, PCR detection also showed the direct infection by identification of HCMV IEA expression in CHRF cells. This study suggested that HCMV could directly infect megakaryocytes and aggravated apoptosis in HCMV-infected megakaryocytes.
Apoptosis ; Cell Survival ; Cells, Cultured ; Cytomegalovirus ; pathogenicity ; DNA, Viral ; analysis ; Humans ; Megakaryocytes ; cytology ; virology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

AIMTo detect the expression of HSP25 in rat dental follicles both in vivo and vitro, and explore the underlying mechanism of HSP25 on the proliferation and differentiation of rat dental follicle cells (DFCs).

METHODOLOGYImmunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expression of HSP25 in mandibles of postnatal rats on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 in vivo. In vitro, the expression of HSP25 in DFCs was detected by an indirect immunofluorescence assay. Thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, flow cytometry and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assay were used to identify the time-course effect mediated by different concentrations of recombinant murine HSP25 of 0, 1, 10, 50 and 100 ng/mL on rat DFCs.

RESULTSExpression of HSP25 was not detected in dental follicles of the rats until day 5 after birth, but became up-regulated in a time-dependent manner till day 11. HSP25 was detected in the cytoplasm of cultured rat DFCs. No significant difference could be observed in the proliferation of DFCs after stimulation with different concentrations of HSP25 on days 1, 2 and 3 (P > 0.05). HSP25 at concentrations of 50 ng/mL and 100 ng/mL up-regulated the ALP activity of DFCs on day 9 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONHSP25-immunoreactivity increased chronologically during the development of dental follicles. The protein had no significant effect on cell proliferation but may play a role in cementoblast/osteoblast differentiation of DFCs.

Alkaline Phosphatase ; analysis ; Ameloblasts ; cytology ; Animals ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Differentiation ; physiology ; Cell Proliferation ; Coloring Agents ; Cytoplasm ; ultrastructure ; Dental Sac ; cytology ; growth & development ; Flow Cytometry ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins ; analysis ; physiology ; Odontoblasts ; cytology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tetrazolium Salts ; Thiazoles ; Tooth Germ ; cytology ; Up-Regulation ; physiology