58 embryos at 1, 2, 3 and 4 cell and morula stage were recovered from the oviduct and the uterine horn of the Ha-bai, Du-ha and Du-chang-ha pigs, 24 hours, 2 or 3 days of pregnancy, and were observed with SEM and TEM. The zona pellucida of 1 cell embryo was removed by treatment with 2.5％ pronase for visualization of the cell surface structure.The findings are as follows:1. The surface of the 1 cell stage embryo was densely populated with microvilli and sperm can be found on the surface with its head and tail surrounded by the microvilli and its plasma membrane of the equatorial segment of acrosome intact.2. Many spermatozoa were observed both on the surface and inside the zona pellucida of the 2 celled embryo.3. By the 4 cell stage, some of the spermatozoa had penetrated through the zona and got into the perivitelline space. 4. There were still some spermatozoa on the zona surface of the morula.5. The TEM observation revealed that the heads of supernumerary sperm were located within the cytoplasm of the blastomeres of the embryos from 1 to 4 cell stages and still not decondensed. Some of these sperm heads were actually found within the phagocytic vacuoles of the 4 celled embryos. The ultrastructure of these polyspermic embryos was normal.These results showed that polyspermy in the pig did not intefere with the cleavage of the embryo and the embryo possessed the ability to dispose the excessive sperms.

Objective To study the ultrasonic characteristics of fetal cutaneous hemangioma and the association with perinatal outcomes.Methods Five fetuses with cutaneous hemangioma were detected by gray-scale and color Doppler ultrasound,compared with the result of pathology and hematology examinations after birth.Results Of the 5 cases diagnosed by ultrasound,3 had arteriovenous fistulas.In these 3 cases two fetuses developed high-output cardiac failure,and one developed cardiac insufficiency and thrombocytopenia.Finally one fetus was induced,one fetus died in the uterus and one neonate survived.The other two fetuses who had small tumors diagnosed by ultrasound did not develop any perinatal complications, and the neonates had favourable prognosis.Conclusions Massive hemangiomas are frequently associated with life-threatening complications such as high-output heart failure,thrombocytopenia and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy(Kasabach-Merritt syndrome).

On 10 days of pregnancy the blastocysts of 3 mm and 9 mm in diameters wereflushed out from the uterine horns of the Du-Chang-Ha and Dong-Bei-Min pigs.The blastocysts were divided into four parts,that is the embryonic disc,the animalpole,the lateral part and the vegetal pole.The outer and inner surface of the fourparts were observed with SEM and the findings are as follows:1,The 3 mm blastocystsThe outer surface of the embryonic disc was still covered with trophoblasticcells.Three kinds of cells can be discerned:the cell with round prominences andlong microvilli(MV);the cell with thin and long MV,the cell with smooth sur-face.The trophoblast cells in other areas of the blastocyst were similar but slightlyflat.The inner surface of the blactocyst consists of endoderm cells which weredifferent in the four parts.From the embryonic disc to the vegetal pole,the surfacestructure of the endoderm cells changed regularly from small to large from dome-shaped to flat and the distance between nuclei increased gradually.The MVs on thecell surface:became less.These findings suggested that endoderm cells weremoving from the center of the embryonic disc to the vegetal pole.There weremany holes on the marginal area of the cells.The edge of the cell on the innersurface of the vegetal pole forms a network.Many round granules can be seen inthe holes of the network.Their function may be for the transport of nutrients.2,The 9 mm blastocystsThe outer surface of the embryonic disc was not covered with trophobla-stic cells but covered with ectoderm cells.The ectoderm cells in the primitivestreak had long MV on their surface but short ones on other areas of the disc.The inner surface of the embryonic disc was endoderm cells.The MVs on theendoderm cells was much more numerous than the MVs on the ectoderm cells.Thedifferentiation of the cells in the pig blastocyst was also discussed.

Objective To compare the rDNA-ITS differentiation and its regulation between Morinda (officinalis) and its counterfeit species, and provide DNA molecular markers for the fingerprint identification of them. Methods The rDNA-ITS regions of M. officinalis and its counterfeit species were amplified and sequenced, then analyzed by means of CLUSTRAL X and MEGA softwares. Results The internal transcribed spacers (ITS) including ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2, and partial 18S and 26S were determined. In DNA DIST analysis, the range of diversity among M. officinalis and M. shughuaeusis, M. umbellata was (2.9%-)5.8% and 2.9%-4.2% based on ITS1 and ITS2; the range of diversity between M. officinalis and Damnacanthus indicus was 21.2% and 18.9% based on ITS1 and ITS2. Phylogenetic tree based on ITS and 5.8S sequence data indicated the M. umbellata and M. shuanghuaensis were closely related then with M. officinalis, while D. indicus was monophyletic group. Conclusion The rDNA-ITS sequence is a better molecular marker for idertification of M. officinalis and its counterfeit species.

Objective:To determine PRA and PRB expressions at mRNA and protein levels in endome-trial carcinomas,and to correlate the PRA and PRB expressions in tumours with clinical features inclu-ding grading,surgical stage,degree of myometrial invasion,and lymph node status.Methods:Sixty-sixendometrial carcinomas were investigated with Western blot assays and reverse-transcription polymerasechain reaction.The corresponding clinical information was collected.Spearman's rank correlation wasused to test for association between expressions of total PR and PR isoforms in endometrial carcinomas andclinical features.Results:At protein level,expressions of PRA and PRB were significantly inversely re-lated to grade(r=-0.343,r=-0.310,P

Insulin receptor substrate(IRS)-1 and IRS-2 expression levels of liver tissues and skeletal muscle in intrauterine growth retarded(IUGR)rats were investigated by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry.An IUGR animal model was established by maternal nutrition restriction during pregnancy.IRS-2 expression level of liver tissue and IRS-1 expression level of skeletal muscle in IUGR rats at 0 and 3 weeks old were significantly lower than those in normal rats at the same age respectively,and insulin resistance was induced in IUGR,and these findings might be the molecular mechanisms susceptible to metabolic syndrome in IUGR rats.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus and autoimmune thyroid disorders are the most common combination of autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type Ⅲ(APS Ⅲ). However, APS Ⅲ combined with myasthenia gravis is rare. We described a male patient with myasthenia gravis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and Hashimoto thyroiditis, who was diagnosed as APS Ⅲ. The human leukocyte antigen (HLA)type was analyzed in this patient. We subsequently reviewed 11 cases of APS Ⅲ combined with myasthenia gravis. This review revealed that HLA-DR9/DQ9 might be a specific HLA subtype associated with APS Ⅲ and complicated with myasthenia gravis .

Cardiovascular Diseases ; drug therapy ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Hypolipidemic Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Risk Reduction Behavior

Coronary Disease ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Hypolipidemic Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anti-Infective Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Cross Infection ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoconiosis ; microbiology ; Pneumonia ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Retrospective Studies