Objective To explore the diangostic value of serumhigh sensitive C-reaction prtein (hsCRP) serum amyloid a (SAA) and C-reaction protein (CRP) in patients who had HBV hepatopathy.Method 127 subjects with hepatopathy caused by HBV infection and 50 control subjects were incorporated in this research,and 47 cases with HBV hepatitis,35 cases with HBV cirrhosis and 45 cases with hepatic failure and SAA and CRP hsCRP of every sample was detected.Results ①Levels of CRP and hsCRP in cases were significantly higher than controls (Mann-Whitney U test,Z=-2.792,-8.458,P＜0.01).②The hsCRP levels in the three different groups of cases were different (Kruskal-Wallis test,x2=11.625,P＜ 0.01).③The hsCRP level of group 2 and 3 was significantly higher than group 1 in the hepatic damage groups (Mann-Whitney U test,Z=-2.849,-2.902,P＜0.01).④But the level of SAA had no statistically significant in any group.⑤The seropositivity of hsCRP in cases group was 76.29 ％ and it was higher than CRP (11.34 ％) and SAA(26.80 ％).Conclusion The diangosic value of CRP and hsCRP may better than SAA in the patients who got HBV hepatic damage which maybe caused by detection method as hsCRP is better than CRP.

OBJECTIVETo explore the procedures of dynamic infusion cavernosometry and cavernosography (DICC) and their application in the diagnosis and classification of venous erectile dysfunction (VED).

METHODSThis study included 103 ED patients, aged 20 to 43 years, highly suspected of VED, with disease courses of 4 months to 6 years. DICC was performed and analyses were made on the results, especially the parameters of flow-to-maintain (FTM) and pressure decay (PD) in the corpus cavernosum.

RESULTSBased on the parameters of FTM and PD, 21 of the patients were normal, 5 were suspected of VED, 39 had mild VED, 25 had moderate VED, and 13 had severe VED. Penile subcutaneous hematoma was found in 4 of the patients, all recovered after 3 to 5 days, with no other complications.

CONCLUSIONDICC is a reliable, safe and minimally invasive method for the diagnosis and classification of VED.

Diagnostic Techniques, Urological ; adverse effects ; Hematoma ; etiology ; Humans ; Impotence, Vasculogenic ; classification ; diagnosis ; Male ; Penile Diseases ; etiology ; Penis ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; Radiography ; Veins

Adolescent ; Colon, Ascending ; pathology ; Colonic Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Colonic Polyps ; pathology ; surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Follow-Up Studies ; Ganglioneuroma ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male

OBJECTIVETo compare the effects and complications of subinguinal microscopic ligation, laparoscopic transperitoneal varicocelectomy, laparoscopic retroperitoneal varicocelectomy, open retroperitoneal high ligation, and interventional embolotherapy in the treatment of varicocele.

METHODSWe conducted a retrospective study that included 632 varicocele patients treated by subinguinal microscopic ligation (group A, n = 79), laparoscopic transperitoneal varicocelectomy (group B, n = 120), laparoscopic retroperitoneal varicocelectomy (group C, n =137), open retroperitoneal high ligation (group D, n = 283), and interventional embolotherapy (group E, n = 13). We compared the baseline and 3-month postoperative semen parameters, postoperative complications, and pregnancy rate among the five groups of patients.

RESULTSThe operation time was longer in groups A ([2.02 ± 1.25] h) and E ([2.17 ± 1.02] h) than in the other three groups, while the postoperative hospital stay was the shortest in group E ([1.1 ± 0.1] d). Intestinal injury or incision bleeding occurred intraoperatively in 2 cases in group B and 1 case in group E. Postoperative scrotal edema developed in 3.7, 17, 10, and 19% of the patients in groups A, B, C, and D, respectively, but not in group E. The rate of 1-year recurrence was the lowest in group A (1.6%) and highest in group E (22%). Sperm concentration and the percentages of progressively motile sperm and morphologically normal sperm were improved postoperatively in all the patients (P < 0. 05), but there were no statistically significant differences among the five groups either in the above three parameters or in the postoperative pregnancy rate (P > 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONIn the surgical treatment of varicocele, laparoscopic retroperitoneal approach involves short operation time and few complications, subinguinal microscopic ligation has the advantages of little injury, rapid recovery, and few complications but requires specialized microsurgical techniques, and interventional embolotherapy leaves no incision scar and needs only local anesthesia and 1-day postoperative hospital stay, which is uitable for those with a contraindication to anesthesia.

Embolization, Therapeutic ; adverse effects ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Length of Stay ; Ligation ; adverse effects ; methods ; Male ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; Postoperative Hemorrhage ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Recurrence ; Retroperitoneal Space ; Retrospective Studies ; Sperm Count ; Urogenital Surgical Procedures ; adverse effects ; Varicocele ; surgery ; Vascular Surgical Procedures ; adverse effects ; methods

OBJECTIVETo study the impact of left varicocele (VC) and varicocelectomy (VCT) on the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells and the levels of nitrogen monoxidum (NO) and interleukin 1 (IL-1) in the rat testis.

METHODSWe randomly divided 60 adolescent male SD rats into four groups of equal number: sham operation control, VC model 1 (VC1), VC model 2 (VC2), and VCT. We determined the semen quality and levels of NO and IL-1 in the testis tissue, detected the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells by TUNEL, and compared the indexes obtained among different groups.

RESULTSAn experimental VC model was successfully established by partially ligating the left renal vein of the rats. Sperm concentration and motility were significantly decreased in the VC1 ([1.54 ± 1.16] x 10⁶/ml and [44.23 ± 15.46]%) as compared with those in the sham operation group ([2.80 ± 1.62] x 10⁶/ml and [72.34 ± 12.62]%) (P < 0.05), but remarkably higher in the VCT ([1.82 ± 1.34] x 10⁶/mI and [51.21 ± 12.62]%) than in the VC2 group ([1.04 ± 1.21] x 10⁶/ml and [39.23 ± 13.21]%) (P < 0.05). The levels of NO and IL-1 in the left testes were markedly elevated in the VC1 ([0.172 ± 0.030] ng/ml and [1.468 ± 0.080 ] mg/ml) in comparison with those in the sham operation group ([0.134 ± 0.021] ng/ml and [0.782 ± 0.079 ] mg/ml) (P < 0.05), and significantly higher in the VC2 ([0.198 ± 0.020] ng/ml and [1.994 ± 0.090] mg/ml) than in the VCT group ([0.141 ± 0.010] ng/ml and [0.781 ± 0.036] mg/ml) (P < 0.05). However, the NO and IL-1 levels in the right testis showed no statistically significant differences between the two groups, and the two levels were positively correlated (r = 0.492, P < 0.01). The rats of the VC1 group exhibited remarkable apoptosis of spermatogenic cells in the bilateral testes, with significant differences in the apoptosis index ( AL) between the two sides (P < 0.05) as well as in the same side in comparison with the sham operation group (P < 0.01). The Als of spermatogenic cells in the bilateral testes showed statistically significant differences in the VCT (P < 0.05) but not in the VC2 group (P > 0.05), and those in the same side manifested dramatic differences between the VCT and VC2 groups (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONVaricocele induces changes of the NO and IL-1 levels in the testis tissue and increases the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells, which might be one of the causes of testis damage and spermatogenic dysfunction.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Germ Cells ; pathology ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Interleukin-1 ; analysis ; Ligation ; Male ; Nitrogen ; analysis ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Semen Analysis ; Spermatogenesis ; Testis ; chemistry ; Varicocele ; complications ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of lycopene against cryopreservation injury of post-thawing human sperm and its mechanism.

METHODSSemen samples were collected from 25 volunteers, each sample equally divided into four parts to be cryopreserved with cryoprotectant only (Ly0 control) or cryoprotectant + lycopene at the concentrations of 2 (Ly2), 5 (Ly5), and 10 µmol/L (Ly10), respectively. Before and after thawing, the semen samples were subjected to computer-assisted semen analysis ( CASA) for sperm kinematics, flow cytometry for sperm apoptosis, thiobarbituric acid assay for malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, and JC-1 fluorescent staining for the sperm mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP).

RESULTSAfter cryopreservation, sperm motility was markedly decreased in all the groups (P < 0.01). The rate of sperm apoptosis was significantly lower in the Ly5 group than in the Ly0 control ([25.68 ± 4.36]% vs [33.26 ± 4.78]%, P < 0.05), while sperm MMP remarkably higher in the former than in the latter ([66.18 ± 14.23]% vs [55.24 ± 12.31]%, P < 0.05). The Ly2, Ly5 and Ly10 groups showed no statistically significance differences in the MDA level from the Ly0 control (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAddition of lycopene at a proper concentration to cryoprotectant may reduce oxidative damage to sperm mitochondria in the freezing-thawing process, attenuate oxidative stress injury induced by reactive oxygen species to sperm plasma membrane, and improve the anti-apoptosis ability of sperm.

Apoptosis ; Carotenoids ; pharmacology ; Cryopreservation ; Cryoprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; analysis ; Oxidative Stress ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Semen Analysis ; Semen Preservation ; adverse effects ; methods ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinicopathologic features of small intestinal hemangioma and vascular malformation.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was performed on 51 cases of hemangioma and vascular malformation involving the duodenum, jejunum and ileum in the past 30 years.

RESULTSThe patient's age ranged from 1.4 to 75.0 years, with an average/median age of 40 years for the 51 cases. The ratio of male and female was almost equal. In most cases, the lesions were located in the ileum (18 cases) and jejunum (16 cases) accounting for 66.7%. The predominant symptoms and signs were either intestinal hemorrhage or obstruction. Grossly, the lesions appeared as polyp-like, ulcerative, varices, solitary mass, diffuse infiltration or in an occult status. Histologically, arteriovenous hemangioma also called arteriovenous malformation was more common seen accounting for 86.3%. Other less common vascular lesions included cavernous hemangioma, capillary hemangioma, Rendu-Osler-Weber syndrome and Dieulafoy disease.

CONCLUSIONSHistologic classification and denomination for hemangioma and vascular malformation of small intestine are still controversial. It is very important to correlate clinical manifestations with arteriography findings in histologic diagnosis of hemanigoma and vascular malformation of the small intestine.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Angiography ; Arteriovenous Malformations ; pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Hemangioma ; pathology ; Humans ; Infant ; Intestinal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Intestine, Small ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of Yufeining, a traditional Chinese medicine, on induced sputum interleukin-8 (IL-8) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at the stable phase.

METHODSThirty-six patients with COPD were divided into trial group (18 cases) and control group (18 cases) randomly. The trial group was treated with Yufeining pills taken orally for half a year; the control group was not given any medicine. Routine lung function was recorded before and after treatment. Total cell count (TCC), differential cell counts (DCCs) and IL-8 in induced sputum were determined at the baseline and 6 months later.

RESULTSThe indices of lung function improved significantly after 6 months' treatment in trial group (P < 0.05); TCC and absolute neutrophil count decreased significantly compared with baseline in the trial group (P < 0.05); Sputum IL-8 concentration dropped significantly after 6 months' treatment, from a mean of 5.216 +/- 2.914 microg/L to 4.222 +/- 2.140 microg/L (P < 0.05). There were insignificant changes in the parameters in the control group between baseline and 6 months later.

CONCLUSIONYufeining could improve lung function, decrease sputum TCC, absolute neutrophil count and IL-8 concentration, and relieve airway inflammation in patients with COPD in the stable phase.

Aged ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-8 ; analysis ; immunology ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Sputum ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo study the preparation of recombinant house dust mite group 1 allergen vaccine (chitosan-pVAX1-Derp1 nanoparticles, pVAX1-Derp1/CS) and to investigate the efficacy and mechanism of intranasally given chitosan-pVAX1-Derp1 nanoparticles on mouse model with allergic rhinitis (AR).

METHODSThe chitosan-pVAX1-Derp1 nanoparticles was prepared by complex coacervation, and its nature was identified and analysed. A total of 40 BALB/c rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: the normal group (group A), the AR model group (group B), the chitosan (CS) prevention group (group C), the pVAX1-Derp1 prevention group (group D), and the pVAX1-Derp1/CS prevention group (group E). The nasal cavity of rats in the group B, C, D and E were dripped with phosphate buffered saline (20 µl), CS (20 µl), pVAX1-Der p1 (20 µl), pVAX1-Derp1/CS nanoparticles (20 µl) on the first day and day 8, once daily. Rats in the latter 4 group were sensitized with Der p1 and Al(OH)3 in day 15 and day 22, and challenged with Der p1 to establish AR model from day 36 to day 43, while rats in group A were treated with PBS. Then the level of cytokines in serum was assayed by ELISA, inflammatory reactions in nasal mucosa were analyzed by haematoxylin and eosin staining.

RESULTSpVAX1-Derp1/CS nanoparticles was successfully constructed, the mean grain size of pVAX1-Derp1/CS was (205.3 ± 12.8) nm, and the zeta potential was (30.5 ± 5.6) mV. In nasal mucosa tissue, group B and C showed significant allergic inflammation, while group D and E showed lighter allergic inflammation. Compared with the group B, the group D and E could effectively reduced serum IgE level and IL-4 level [group B: (120.0 ± 8.8) ng/ml, (248.7 ± 10.6) pg/ml; group D: (109.6 ± 14.5) ng/ml, (192.5 ± 10.2) pg/ml; group E: (88.1 ± 8.3) ng/ml, (165.7 ± 9.7) pg/ml; IgE: t value were 3.5, 6.9, all P < 0.01; IL-4: t value were 10.0, 15.2, all P < 0.01], and increased IFN-γ level [group B: (709.0 ± 26.5) pg/ml; group D: (856.3 ± 37.4) pg/ml; group E: (904.8 ± 37.7) pg/ml; t value were 8.2, 10.8, all P < 0.01)]. IL-10 level of group D [(129.9 ± 16.1) pg/ml] and E [(107.1 ± 11.8) pg/ml] was lower than IL-10 level of group B [(160.6 ± 24.2) pg/ml]. The difference were significantly (t value were 2.9, 5.5, all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSChitosan can effectively encapsulate pVAX1-Derp 1 and inhibit nuclease degradation of the plasmid, the DNA vaccine has some preventive effect on AR animal model by nasal immunization.

Administration, Intranasal ; Animals ; Antigens, Dermatophagoides ; immunology ; Chitosan ; administration & dosage ; Cytokines ; blood ; Immunization ; methods ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Nanoparticles ; administration & dosage ; Nasal Mucosa ; immunology ; Plasmids ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; prevention & control ; Vaccines, DNA ; genetics ; immunology

Silent information regulator factor 2-related enzyme 1 (Sirtuins 1, SIRT1) is a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent deacetylase, which can deacetylate histone and non-histone proteins and other transcription factors, and is involved in the regulation of many physiological functions, including gene transcription, energy metabolism, cell senescence and oxidative stress. Recent studies show that through adjusting the activity of endothelial nitric oxide syntheses (eNOS), p53, forkhead box class O (FOXO) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB), SIRT1 can protect the functions of vascular endothelia and nerves in a variety of pathological conditions. Therefore, SIRT1 may be used as a potential therapeutic target of these diseases, particularly erectile dysfunction, which are associated with endothelial dysfunction.
Endothelium, Vascular ; physiology ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Forkhead Box Protein O1 ; Forkhead Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; NAD ; metabolism ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Sirtuin 1 ; physiology ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism