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

Cognitive deficits are considered to be core features of schizophrenia These deficits are an important predictor of poor functional outcome by negatively influencing patients' ability to perform activities of daily living or maintain stable social relationships.Much of this evidence has come from studies suggested that cognitive deficits may be related to neuronal plasticity.Cognitive training designed according to the principle of neural plasticity may be an effective treatment for patientsin schizophrenia.This review introduces the main principles of cognitive training and its development prospects are discussed.

Representative pioneer tree root systems in the subtropical area of South China were examined with regard to their structure, underground stratification and biomass distribution. Excavation of skeleton roots and observation of fine roots of seven species including the Euphorbiaceae, Theaceae, Melastomataceae, Lauraceae and Fagaceae families was carried out. The results showed that: (1) Pioneer tree roots in the first stage of natural succession were of two types, one characterized by taproot system with bulky plagiotropic branches; the other characterized by flat root system with several tabular roots. The late mesophilous tree roots were characterized by one obvious taproot and tactic braches roots up and down. Shrub species roots were characterized by heart fibrous root type featured both by horizontally and transversally growing branches. Root shapes varied in different dominant species at different stages of succession. (2) Roots of the different species varied in the external features-color, periderm and structure of freshly cut slash. (3) In a set of successional stages the biomass of tree roots increased linearly with the age of growth. During monsoon, the total root biomass amounted to 115.70 t/ha in the evergreen broad-leaved forest; 50.61 t/ha in needle and broad-leaved mixed forest dominated by coniferous forest; and 64.20 t/ha in broad-and needle-leaved mixed forest dominated by broad-leaved heliophytes, and are comparable to the underground biomass observed in similar tropical forests. This is the first report about roots characteristics of forest in the lower sub-tropical area of Dinghushan, Guangdong, China.
Biomass ; China ; Magnoliopsida ; growth & development ; Plant Roots ; growth & development ; Time Factors ; Trees ; growth & development ; Tropical Climate

Cells, Cultured ; Claudin-1 ; Dexamethasone ; pharmacology ; Electric Impedance ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Glaucoma ; chemically induced ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; Trabecular Meshwork ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo develop a method for the treatment of facial depression without incision scar.

METHODSIn repairing the facial depression, the ruptured subdermal adipocellular tissue was approximated and reunite with the buried-guided-suture method through an intraoral or a concealed skin incision.

RESULTS17 patients with facial depressions from trauma were treated. Postoperative follow-up of 10 patients for one year showed satisfactory results without recurrence.

CONCLUSIONThe buried-guided-suture method for repair of facial depression from trauma is simple, reliable and worth recommendation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Face ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Surgery, Plastic ; methods ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDTrabeculectomy has become a mainstream treatment in intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction for primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG); combined trabeculectomy and cataract surgery was reported to reduce IOP and simultaneously improve vision for patients with PACG and coexisting cataract. This study was specialized to compare the efficacy and safety of combined phacotrabeculectomy with that of trabeculectomy only in the treatment of PACG with coexisting cataract.

METHODSThis is a comparative case series study. Thirty-one patients (31 eyes) with PACG and coexisting cataract were enrolled. Of these, 17 underwent phacotrabeculectomy and 14 underwent trabeculectomy alone. IOP, filtering blebs, and complications were compared at the final follow-up. Complete success was defined as a final IOP less than 21 mmHg without IOP-lowering medication.

RESULTSAfter 10 months of postoperative follow-up, the phacotrabeculectomy and trabeculectomy groups showed no significant differences regarding IOP reduction ((20.59 ± 7.94) vs. (24.85 ± 14.39) mmHg, P = 0.614), complete success rate (88% vs. 71%, P = 0.370), formation rate of functioning blebs (65% (11/17) vs. 93% (13/14), P = 0.094), and complications (41% (7/17) vs. 57% (8/14), P = 0.380). IOP-lowering medication was not required for most of the patients in both groups. Additional surgery interventions, including anterior chamber reformation and phacoemulsification, were needed in the trabeculectomy group, whereas no surgery was needed postoperatively in the phacotrabeculectomy group.

CONCLUSIONPhacotrabeculectomy and trabeculectomy treatments exhibit similar IOP reduction, successful rates, and complications when it comes to treating PACG patients with coexisting cataract, although additional surgery intervention may be needed for a few cases with cataract and complications after trabeculectomy.

Aged ; Cataract Extraction ; Female ; Glaucoma, Angle-Closure ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phacoemulsification ; adverse effects ; methods ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Trabeculectomy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Visual Acuity

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical treatment results of male infertility caused by Y chromosome azoospermia factor c region(AZFc) deletion after synchronous micro-dissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and to guide the treatment of infer- tile patients caused by AZFc deletion. METHODS: The clinical data of infertile patients with AZFc deletion who underwent synchronous micro-TESE in Peking University Third Hospitalfrom January 2015 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical outcomes of ICSI in the patients who successfully obtained sperm were followed up and we compared the outcomes between the first and second synchronous procedures, including fertilization rate, high-quality embryo rate, clinical pregnancy rate, abortion rate and live birth rate. RESULTS: A total of 195 male infertile patients with AZFc deletion underwent micro-TESE. Fourteen patients were cryptozoospermia and their sperms were successfully obtained in all of them during the operation, and the sperm retrieval rate (SRR) was 100%(14/14). The remaining 181 cases were non obstructive azoospermia, and 122 cases were successfully found the sperm, the SRR was 67.4%(122/181). The remaining 59 patients with NOA could not found mature sperm during micro-TESE, accounting for 32.6% (59/181). We followed up the clinical treatment outcomes of the patients with successful sperm retrieved by synchronous micro-TESE and 99 patients were enrolled in the study. A total of 118 micro-TESE procedures and 120 ICSI cycles were carried out. Finally 38 couples successfully gave birth to 22 male and 22 female healthy infants, with a cumulative live birth rate of 38.4% (38/99). In the fresh-sperm ICSI cycle of the first and second synchronous operation procedures, the high-quality embryo rate, clinical pregnancy rate of the fresh embryo transfer cycle and live birth rate of the oocyte retrieve cycle were 47.7% vs. 50.4%, 40.5% vs. 50.0%, and 28.3% vs. 41.2%, respectively. The second operation group was slightly higher than that of the first synchronous operation group, but there was no significant difference between the groups. CONCLUSION Male infertility patients caused by AZFc deletion have a high probability of successfully obtaining sperm in testis through micro-TESE for ICSI and give birth to their own offspring with their own biological characteristics. For patients who failed in the first synchronous procedure, they still have the opportunity to successfully conceive offspring through reoperation and ICSI.
Azoospermia/therapy* ; Chromosome Deletion ; Chromosomes, Human, Y ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility, Male/therapy* ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Semen ; Sex Chromosome Aberrations ; Sex Chromosome Disorders of Sex Development ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic/methods* ; Sperm Retrieval ; Spermatozoa ; Testis

Adult ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Infertility, Male/therapy* ; Klinefelter Syndrome/genetics* ; Male ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Sperm Retrieval

Objective: To explore the protective effects of dexmedetomidine (Dex) against high glucose-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in HK-2 cells and relevant mechanisms. Methods: HK-2 cells were exposed to either glucose or glucose+Dex for 6 h. The production of ROS, morphology of HK-2 cells, and cell cycle were detected. Moreover, the expression of AKT, p-AKT, ERK, p-ERK, PI3K, E-Cadherin, Claudin-1, and α-SMA were determined and compared between HK-2 cells exposed to glucose and those exposed to both glucose and Dex with or without PI3K/AKT pathway inhibitor LY294002 and ERK pathway inhibitor U0126. Results: Compared with HK-2 cells exposed to high level of glucose, the HK-2 cells exposed to both high level of glucose and Dex showed: (1) lower level of ROS production; (2) cell morphology was complete; (3) more cells in G1 phase; (4) lower expression of p-AKT, p-ERK and α-SMA, higher expression of E-Cadherin and Claudin-1. PI3K/AKT inhibitor LY294002 and ERK inhibitor U0126 decreased the expression of p-AKT, p-ERK and α-SMA, and increased the expression of E-Cadherin and Claudin-1. Conclusion Dex can attenuate high glucose-induced HK-2 epithelial-mesenchymal transition by inhibiting AKT and ERK.
Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Dexmedetomidine ; pharmacology ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; drug effects ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Humans ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; drug effects ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

Many studies have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) play vital roles during the spermatogenesis. However, little is known about the altered miRNA profiles of testicular tissues in nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA). Using microarray technology, the miRNA expression profiles of testicular biopsies from patients with NOA and of normal testicular tissues were determined. Bioinformatics analyses were conducted to predict the enriched biological processes and functions of identified miRNAs. The microarray data were validated by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), the results of which were then validated with a larger sample size. Correlations between the miRNA expression levels and clinical characteristics were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic ability of miRNAs for azoospermia. Hierarchical clustering showed that 129 miRNAs were significantly differentially expressed between the NOA and control groups. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that the differentially expressed miRNAs were involved in spermatogenesis, cell cycle, and mitotic prometaphase. In the subsequent qRT-PCR assays, the selected miRNA expression levels were consistent with the microarray results, and similar validated results were obtained with a larger sample size. Some clinical characteristics were significantly associated with the expression of certain miRNAs. In particular, we identified a combination of two miRNAs (miR-10b-3p and miR-34b-5p) that could serve as a predictive biomarker of azoospermia. This study provides altered miRNA profiles of testicular biopsies from NOA patients and examines the roles of miRNAs in spermatogenesis. These profiles may be useful for predicting and diagnosing the presence of testicular sperm in individuals with azoospermia.
Adult ; Azoospermia/genetics* ; Biopsy ; Cluster Analysis ; Computational Biology ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Luteinizing Hormone/metabolism* ; Male ; MicroRNAs/metabolism* ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Spermatogenesis/genetics* ; Testis/metabolism* ; Testosterone/metabolism* ; Tissue Array Analysis