Objective:To investigate the influencing factors and to build a model for predicting successful labor induction with cervical ripening balloon (CRB) in primipara.Methods:312 cases of primipara in late trimester of pregnancy induced by CRB between January 2018 and April 2019 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University were reviewed retrospectively. Factors including gravidity, age, body height, body weight, body mass index (BMI), the cervical Bishop score, neonatal birth weight, pregnant complication and other factors were collected to analyze the effect on successful labor induction.Results:Pregnancy times, cervical Bishop score and height in primipara were positively correlated with the success rate of induced labor, while BMI and neonatal weight were negatively correlated with the success rate of induced labor. The area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.849 and diagnostic threshold was 0.725, with a sensitivity of 80.7% and a specificity of 75.7%.Conclusions:Among the primipara, the gravidity and cervical Bishop score are the most significant factors influencing the successful labor induction. These factors can be used as the predictive indexes for the outcome of labor induction along with pregnancy times, height, BMI and neonatal birth weight, which is beneficial to reduce the artificial interventions and improve the success rate of labor induction.

Objective To determine the urinary polypeptide patterns of glomerulonephritis by magnetic bead separation and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) technology. Methods Urinary samples of 29 healthy volunteers and 34 patients with glomerulonephritis, including 10 cases of IgA nephropathy (IgAN), 10 cases of membranous nephropathy (MN), 9 cases of minimal change disease (MCD) and 5 cases of lupus nephritis (LN), were collected and separated by magnetic bead,and were screened for polypeptide patterns with a novel high throughput method, MALDI-TOF MS. Results Under the relative molecular weights 10 000 Da, 85 protein peaks were detected in healthy controls group and 109 protein peaks were detected in glomerulonephritis group. Six peaks of 3371.5 Da, 4026.35 Da, 4085.32 Da, 4116.96 Da, 4126.32 Da and 9527.31 Da were up-regulated,while 8 peaks of 861.28 Da, 1205.41 Da, 1642.52 Da, 1913.15 Da, 1976.52 Da, 2087.74 Da, 2193.47 Da and 3015.57 Da were down-regulated by more than 2 folds (P<0.01) in glomerulonephritis group as compared to healthy controls. Urinary polypeptide patterns in different diseases differed significantly from each other, indicating specific disease pattern of polypeptide excretion. Conclusions MALDI-TOF MS is a fast, convenient and high throughput analyzing method capable of screening some relative specific, potential biomarkers from the urine of glomerulonephritis patients thus it possesses better clinical value.

OBJECTIVETo establish a simple but effective method of laser scanning confocal microscopic imaging for Ca2+ oscillations of pancreatic acinar cells in adult mice.

METHODSPancreatic acinar cells from adult Kunming mice were isolated acutely with collagenase, and then loaded with fluo-4-AM, a Ca2+ indicator. A laser scanning confocal microscope armed with 488 nm laser was employed to record the dynamic fluorescent signals in-time and synchronously while acetylcholine (ACh) was added in the pancreatic acinar cells.

RESULTS(1) The classic pancreatic acinar cell Ca2+ oscillations were induced by a certain concentration of ACh (100 nmol/L) successfully and steadily, which could be blocked by atropine completely. (2) Plasmic Ca2+ oscillations from different parts of one acinar cell were usually with different amplitudes and almost the same frequencies. But both of amplitudes and frequencies were different among different cells. (3) The acinar cell Ca2+ oscillations were induced by ACh in a concentration-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONThe laser scanning confocal microscopic imaging for adult mouse pancreatic acinar cell Ca2+ oscillations was established successfully. The features of being easy to use, direct to see lively, high efficiency and good flexibility make it a popular tool for researchers to choose.

Acinar Cells ; chemistry ; Animals ; Calcium ; analysis ; Calcium Signaling ; Cells, Cultured ; Mice ; Microscopy, Confocal ; methods ; Pancreas ; cytology

Objective:To clone and express the Staphylococcus aureus Efb(extracellular fibrinogen-binding protein) protein in Escherichia coli, to purify the expression product and prepare its functional antibody and to detect the functions of Efb protein for further studies on S.aureus infection.Methods: Efb gene was amplified by PCR using S.aureus NCTC-8325 genome DNA as template and cloned into the recombinant expression vectors pET28a. E.coli BL21(DE3) with the plasmid was induced with IPTG for protein production. The protein was purified by Ni~(2+) affinity chromatography. The function of Efb protein was determined by complement activity assay and inhibition ELISA.The polyclonal antibodies were prepared by immunizing the animals. Results: The purified recombinant Efb was obtained, which could inhibit the CH50 and AH50 effectively. The functional poly-antibodies of Efb were prepared.Conclusion:Efb could inhibit the classical pathway and alternative pathway of complement activation, and the antibodies against to Efb could block the inhibition of the classical pathway of complement activation induced by Efb.

Objective To discuss the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of sleep related rhythmic movement disorder ( SRMD).Methods We studied the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of 3 patients diagnosed as SRMD in the Electroencephalography Monitoring Center of Xijing Hospital, Xi′an, China.The 3 patients accorded with diagnostic criteria of SRMD that international classification of sleep disorders-3 edition recommended and were followed up for more than 1 year.Results These 3 male patients were ranging from 6 to 27 years old.The onset age of the patient 1 was 13 years,and the others were 1 year old.The patient 2 became symptom-free at the age of 7.The patient 3 relieved at 2-year-old, but recurred at the age of 21. There was no epileptic seizure discharge in video-electroencephalography of the 3 patients, but synchronous electromyography changes during the attack were mistaken for slow wave.Video-polysomnography showed that numbers of awakenings and arousals index were high.Two patients were treated with clonazepam.One had an obvious curative effect, the other had marked efficacy until added trazodone.Conclusions SRMD can occur not only in infants, but also in adolescents and adults.Patients who have the problems of the sleep quality should be treated.Clonazepam can obviously relieve symptoms and improve sleep quality.Patients who do not have a good effect with clonazepam can try to add trazodone.Video-electroencephalography monitoring and interpreting it correctly are important to the diagnosis of paroxysmal disease.

Objective To study the dosimetry for copper compensator in IMRT.Methods 10 patients (3 nasopharyngeal carcinoma,4 esophageal cancer,3 colorectal cancer) from IMRT plans made in Oncentra Planning System enrolled in this study.The fluence matrices of each plan were converted into compensator thickness matrices based on attenuation coefficient of copper under 6 MV radiation ray which was measured with ion chamber.While irradiating the homogenous phantom with the intensity modulated plans performed by copper compensator,film was used to measure the planar dose.In the end,γanalysis was carried out between the measured and calculated planar doses with the criteria of 3％ DD/3 mm DTA.Paired t test to MU differences of MLC plans and copper compensator plans.Results The γanalysis results showed the planar dose pass rates of 10 plans lie between 90.2％ and 98.2％,which means the IMRf technique based on copper compensator can meet the clinical needs.The MU for copper compensator IMRT plans is less than the MLC IMRT plans (873.9 vs.975.1,P =0.005).Conclusions Compared to conventional IMRT based on MLC,copper compensator has the advantage of lower requirement of hardware and lower scattering dose in patient.Copper compensator can meet the needs of clinical practice.

Objective To identify the pathogens of 50 cases of fungal corneal ulceration by using semi-nested PCR amplification of ITS2 region.Methods Fifty isolates of fungal corneal ulceration and 3standard fungal strains cultures were collected and their DNAs were extracted.Their ITS2 regions were amplified by semi-nested PCR and sequenced.The results were compared with the nucleotide sequences in the NCBI GenBank.The pathogens of the fungi were identified and their distribution were analysed.Results The sequences results of the 3 standard fungal strains were consistent with the information in the GenBank.The pathological microorganisms of 50 cases of fungal corneal ulceration were:24 Fusarium (48％),including 17 Fusarium solani,6 Fusarium oxysporum and 1 Fusarium verticillioide; 10 Aspergillius (20％),including 5 Aspergillius flavus,3 Aspergillius sydowii and 2 Aspergillius nidulans; 6 Penicillium (12％),including 2 Penicillium citreo-viride,2 Penicillium multicolor and 2 Penicillium oxalicum ;5 Candida (10％),including 3 Candida albicans and 2 Candida parapsilosis; 3 Cladosporium (6％),including 2 Cladosporium herbarum and 1 case of Cladosporium cladosporioides ; 1 case of Neurospora crassa (2％) ;1 Alternaria alternata(2％).Conclusion Semi-nested PCR amplification of ITS2 region was proved to be a fast,simple and accurate method to identify pathogens of fungal corneal ulceration,and may be useful for personalized treatment and epidemiological investigation of local fungi.

Objective To investigate the changes in endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) number in peripheral blood of patients with acute cerebral infarction and after Naoxintong treatment.Methods Sixty patients were selected as subject and randomly divided into aspirin group and aspirin (30 patients) + Naoxintong group (30 patients).Meanwhile 30 patients without cerebral infarction were served as control group The number of peripheral blood EPCs were detected by flow cytometry at different time point.NIH-NINDS stroke score was used to elevate the neurological function.Results Compared with the control group,number of peripheral blood EPCs significantly decreased in the early stage of acute cerebral infarction (P ＜ 0.05),and then gradually increased until 7th day,which was back to the normal level.There was a positive correlation between improvement of NIHSS and number of peripheral blood EPCs in acute cerebral infarction.Compared with aspirin group,the number of peripheral blood EPCs in Naoxintong group increased sigrificanfly [41.40 ±0.18/million cells vs 41.40 ±0.18/million cells] at 14th day in patients treated with aspirin and Naoxintong.Conclusion The number of peripheral blood EPCs showed a U shape dynamic change in acute cerebral infarctior.Increase the number of peripheral blood EPCs might improve prognosis in patients with acute cerebral infarction.On the basis of routine treatment of aspirin,Naoxintong plus aspirin treatment might improve the number of peripheral blood EPCs in acute cerebral infarction.

OBJECTIVETo determine the expression of Skp2 in different prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines and tissues, and explore its influence on the androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathway and development of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

METHODSThe expression levels of Skp2 and AR in different PCa cell lines were detected by Western blot. After knockdown of Skp2 in the C4-2 and 22RV1 cells transfected with shRNA, the expressions of AR and P27 were determined and the activity of ARR3-Luc measured by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay following treatment with dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The expressions of AR and Skp2 in human naïve PCa or CRPC specimens were detected by immunohistochemical staining followed by analysis of their differences and correlation.

RESULTSThe Skp2 protein expression level was significantly higher in the C4-2 or 22RV1 cells than in the LNCaP cells. DHT treatment increased the expression of Skp2 in the C4-2 cells, but knock-down of Skp2 significantly up-regulated the expression of the well-known downstream protein P27 and down-regulated that of AR. Consistently, DHT treatment increased the activity of ARR3-Luc, while knockdown of Skp2 remarkably decreased it in the C4-2 and 22RV1 cells (P < 0.05). In addition, significantly higher expressions of Skp2 and AR were observed in the CRPC than in the naïve specimens (P < 0.05), with a positive correlation between the two proteins (r = 0.658 1, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSkp2 can enhance the expression and transcription activity of the AR protein in CRPC cells or tissues and is promising to be a critical molecular therapeutic target.

Androgens ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Dihydrotestosterone ; pharmacology ; Disease Progression ; Gene Knockdown Techniques ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant ; metabolism ; Receptors, Androgen ; genetics ; metabolism ; S-Phase Kinase-Associated Proteins ; physiology ; Transcriptional Activation ; Up-Regulation

Objective To investigate the diagnostic technique of Alport syndrome(AS)by immunohistochemical staining of type Ⅳ collagen ? chains on paraffin-embedded renal sections.Methods Renal biopsies were obtained from 2 patients with autosomal recessive form of AS,2 female patients and 2 male patients with X-linked dominant form of AS and 2 patients with hematuria(1male and 1 female).AS was diagnosed according to symptoms,family history,pathology,immunofluorescence staining of type Ⅳ collagen ? chains on renal and skin biopsies and gene analysis.Normal portions of nephrectomized kidneys from 2 patients with renal tumor were used as controls.Type Ⅳ collagen ? chains were stained by two-step immunohistochemistry staining method on paraffin-embedded renal sections.Three antigen retrieval methods including autoclave heating,pepsin digestion and proteinase were investigated to find the best antigen retrieval method for type Ⅳ collagen ? chains.The findings were compared with those examined by immunofluorescence staining on fresh frozen sections.Results By immunohistochemistry staining,type Ⅳ collagen ?3 and ?5 chains showed continuous linear pattern along glomerular basement membrane on sections from the controls and the hematuria patients,intermittent linear pattern for X-linked dominant female AS patients,negative for X-linked dominant male AS patient.For patients with autosomal recessive AS,the staining of type Ⅳ collagen ?3 and ?5 chains were negative on glomerular basement membrane,but ?5 chain was positive on glomerular capsules and partial tubular basement membrane.The results were the same as those examined by immunofluorescence staining.Conclusion AS can be diagnosed by immunohistochemistry staining of type Ⅳ collagen on paraffin-embedded renal sections,which is a new technique for diagnosis of AS in China.