OBJECTIVETo investigate the incidence of depression and its etiological factors in patients with cryptorchidism 6-16 years after surgical treatment.

METHODSUsing Self-Rating Depression Scale and Correlation Factor Questionnaire, we investigated the incidence of depression symptoms among 70 patients with cryptorchidism 6-16 years after surgical treatment and another 70 healthy males as controls, and analyzed the related factors of depression symptoms.

RESULTSThe incidence rate of depression symptoms was 50% in the cryptorchidism patients postoperatively, extremely significantly higher than 4.3% in the control group (χ2 = 23.5, P <0.01). Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that the main risk factors of depression symptoms were worries about natural fertility (F = 15.8992, P <0.01), dissatisfaction with scrotal appearance (F = 4.6003, P <0.05), and the status of being married (F = 4.1002, P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONSymptoms of depression often occur in cryptorchidism patients after operation, and the major etiological factors are infertility, dissatisfaction with scrotal appearance, and the status of being married.

Adult ; Body Image ; psychology ; Case-Control Studies ; Cryptorchidism ; psychology ; surgery ; Depression ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infertility, Male ; psychology ; Male ; Marital Status ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Scrotum ; pathology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of three antithrombotic agents on venous thromboembolism (VTE) after unilateral total knee arthroplasty.

METHODSFrom November 2011 to March 2014, 149 patients undergoing unilateral total knee arthroplasty for knee osteoarthritis were reviewed. Among them, there were 66 males and 83 females, ranging in age from 48 to 76 years old. All the cases were randomly divided into three groups including Aspirin group, low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) group, and rivaroxaban group, according to antithrombotic agents. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE) and bleeding complication (including wound ecchymosis, hematoma and other local complications, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, urinary hemorrhage and other major bleeding events) of antithrombotic agents were observed and analyzed statistically at the 6 week, 8 week, and 12 week after operation.

RESULTSAmong patients who received Aspirin (48 cases), 4 patients had DVT, in 1 patient had PE, and 2 patients had bleeding complication. Among 54 patients in low-molecular-weight heparin group, 3 patients had DVT, 1 patient had PE, and 3 patients had bleeding complication. While among those patients received the rivaroxaban (47 cases), 3 patients had DVT, 0 patient had PE, and 11 patients had bleeding complication. There were no statistically differences among three groups on DVT, and PE (P>0.05). The incidence of bleeding complication in rivaroxaban group was higher than the other two antithrombotic agents, and the difference among the three groups was statistically significant (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAspirin, low-molecular-weight heparin, and rivaroxaban could effectively reduce the incidence of VTE after total knee arthroplasty, and their efficacy was similar. Rivaroxaban has a higher incidence of bleeding complication and further clinical trials are required to be conducted to assess the safety of rivaroxaban in clinical.

Aged ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; adverse effects ; Aspirin ; therapeutic use ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Fibrinolytic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Rivaroxaban ; therapeutic use ; Venous Thromboembolism ; prevention & control

OBJECTIVE: To construct eukaryotic expression plasmid of porcine CCK gene pIRES2-EGFP/CCK and express it in COS-7 cells and hamsters. Methods The aimed segments were obtained from intermediate vector pMD18-T/CCK and were inserted into an eukaryotic expression plasmid pIRES2-EGFP to construct a recombinant expression plasmid pIRES2-EGFP/CCK. The recombinant expression plasmid was transfected into COS-7 cells by liposome-mediated gene transfer method and was observed through fluorescence microscope. The plasmid was injected into the skeletal muscle of hamsters directly to detect the expression of the recombinant plasmid in vivo. RESULTS: A recombinant eukaryotic expression plasmid pIRES2-EGFP/CCK was successfully constructed. Green fluorescent protein could be detected in the transfected COS-7 cells 24, 48, and 72 hours after the transfection. On the 4th day postinjection into the skeletal muscle of hamsters, the protein could be detected at the injection site and the fluorescence intensity became much stronger on the 14th day than that on the 4th day. On the 42nd day the protein level increased. The green fluorescence protein was never expressed in the untransfected cells. CONCLUSION The porcine CCK gene eukaryotic expression plasmid pIRES2-EGFP/CCK is constructed successfully, and is expressed in mammal COS-7 cells and hamsters in vivo. The research paves the way for the cross immunity therapy of hamster pancreatic carcinoma.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; COS Cells ; Cancer Vaccines ; therapeutic use ; Chlorocebus aethiops ; Cholecystokinin ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Cricetinae ; Eukaryotic Cells ; metabolism ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Muscle, Skeletal ; metabolism ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; therapy ; Plasmids ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Swine ; Transfection

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of α-naphthyl isothiocyanate (ANIT) inducing cholestatic hepatitis. MethodsA total of 60 healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal control group (N group with 30 rats) and model group (ANIT group with 30 rats), and each group was further divided into three subgroups according to different time phases after gavage (at 24, 48, and 72 hours after gavage), with 10 rats in each group. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), and total bilirubin (TBil) were measured, and the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the liver was measured. A light microscope was used to observe the pathological changes in the liver, and a transmission electron microscope was used to observe the changes in the ultrastructure of the bile canaliculus. A confocal laser scanning microscope was used to analyze the mean fluorescence intensity of phalloidine labeled by fluorescein isothiocyanate in order to determine the change in the level of fibrous actin (F-actin). ResultsAfter the administration of ANIT by gavage, the model group showed significant increases in the serum levels of ALT, AST, GGT, and TBil and the level of MDA in liver tissue compared with the normal control group. The model group also showed damage in the structure of the hepatic lobules, hyaline degeneration of hepatocytes, spotted, patchy, and focal necrotic lesions, and neutrophil infiltration mostly confined to the hepatocytes around the bile duct, proliferation of biliary epithelial and fibrous tissues, widened perisinusoidal spaces, dilation of the bile canaliculi, extensive shedding of microvilli, and formation of bile thrombi in the bile capillaries, as well as a low fluorescence intensity of F-actin. The above changes were the most obvious at 48 hours; recovery began at 72 hours, but significant differences were still seen between the two groups. ConclusionANIT can cause lipid peroxidation in liver tissue and lead to degeneration and necrosis of liver cells, damage of microvilli of the bile canaliculi, and formation of bile thrombi, as well as reduction in the expression of F-actin in the bile canaliculi. Therefore, it affects the function of the liver to secrete bile and causes cholestatic hepatitis.

Objective:To screen radiosensitive lipid metabolites in rat small intestine and analyze their metabolic pathways, in order to provide scientific basis for radiation enteropathy biomarkers.Methods:The total body irradiation of 60Co γ rays was performed to rats with different doses of 0, 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8 Gy. The changes of lipids in small intestine were studied by targeted lipidomics method based on liquid chromatography coupled mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Results:Fifteen lipids in small intestine were screened as radiosensitive metabolites at 3 d after irradiation, including 4 up-regulated lipids and 11 down-regulated lipids( t=-6.395, 5.998, 5.836, -5.503, -5.449, -5.422, 4.841, 4.802, 4.621, 4.457, 4.426, 4.373, 4.110, 3.945, 3.902, P< 0.05 and FDR < 0.05). The metabolic pathways of sphingolipid, glycerophosphoplipid were significantly enriched. Four phosphatidyl serines (PS)increased while 1 phosphatidic acid(PA), 2 sphingomyelins(SM) and 4 fatty acids(FA)decreased in a good dose-response manner( R2> 0.80, P< 0.05), which were more potential radiation enteropathy biomarkers. Conclusions:Lipid metabolites in rat small intestine were significantly changed after the rat was total body irradiated with 60Co γ-rays.Eleven lipids with good dose-response relationship were more potential to be radiation enteropathy biomarkers.

OBJECTIVETo explore relationship between HBV DNA level and peripheral blood follicular helper T lymphocyte (Tfh) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and its significance.

METHODSHBV DNA levels of 179 cases of CHB patients with positive HBV DNA, positive HBeAg and positive human leukocyte antigen(HLA)-A2 were tested with real time fluorescent quantitative PCR. Tfh and HBV specific CTL were tested with flow cytometry. IL-21 was also tested. 179 cases of CHB patients were divided into group A and group B based on HBV DNA levels, 86 cases in group A, HBV DNA levels were 10(4)-10(5) copies/ml, 93 cases in group B, HBV DNA levels were 10(6)-10(7) copies/ml. Above testing indexes of the two groups were compared.

RESULTSHBV DNA levels of group A were (4.85 +/- 0.37) log10 copies/ml, HBV DNA levels of group B were (6.83 +/- 0.31 ) log10 copies/ml, t = 27.31, P < 0. 001; Tfh of group A was (5.96 +/- 1.59)%, higher than that of group B (3.71 +/- 2.15)%, t = 4.92, P < 0.01; IL-21 of group A was (42.61 +/- 15.11)ng/L, higher than that of group B (14.91 +/- 3.15) ng/L, t = 8.62, P < 0.01; HBV specific CTL of group A was (0.36 +/- 0.08)%, higher than that of group B (0.18 +/- 0.06)%, t = 19.99, P < 0.001.

CONCLUSIONSerum HBV DNA level of CHB patients is related to the level of peripheral blood Tfh level: patients with low HBV DNA level have high Tfh level, high IL-21 level and high HBV specific CTL level. Patients with high HBV DNA level have low Tfh level, low IL-21 level and low HBV specific CTL level. The mechanism of baseline HBV DNA level affecting anti-viral therapy may be related to Tfh level.

Adult ; CD4 Lymphocyte Count ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; genetics ; Female ; HLA-A2 Antigen ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; immunology ; virology ; Humans ; Interleukins ; immunology ; Male ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo study the signal roles of protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) on proliferation and collagen synthesis of fibroblasts derived from hypertrophic scar(HS-FB) and normal skin (NS-FB) by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) or transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1).

METHODSHS-FB and NS-FB were cultured and passaged in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium(DMEM). The PTK activity in unstimulated or IFN-gamma or TGF-beta1-stimulated HS-FB and NS-FB (10,30,60 and 120 min) were assayed by phosphorus (32P) incorporation. Cell proliferation was determined with MTT stain. The type III procollagen was measured by radioimmunoassay.

RESULTSTGF-beta1 did not change PTK activity but it increased predominately proliferation and collagen synthesis of HS-FB and NS-FB in time-dependent fashion. Genistein, an inhibitor of PTK, inhibited HS-FB and NS-FB to proliferate and synthesize collagen but it could not change the roles on proliferation and collagen synthesis by TGF-beta1. IFN-gamma activated transiently PTK (P < 0.05) and increased proliferation and collagen synthesis of both fibroblast (P < 0.05, at 30 min, 60 min). As the recovery of PTK activity, the proliferation and collagen synthesis were inhibited by IFN-gamma at 120 min. Furthermore, Genistein abrogated the transient increased roles and partly reversed the longterm inhibitory functions by IFN-gamma (P < 0.05) . There were no difference on PTK activity, proliferation and collagen synthesis between HS-FB and NS-FB.

CONCLUSIONSPTK did not mediate the signal of TGF-beta1 but transduced the signal of transient increased roles of IFN-gamma. Inhibited or activated PTK might mediate the signal of decreasing or increasing proliferation and collagen synthesis of fibroblast.

Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Collagen ; biosynthesis ; Dermis ; metabolism ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; pharmacology ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; pharmacology ; Wound Healing

The social and behavioral research in promoting human health and the impact on human social relations and structures has been confirmed .With the development of social and behavioral science , the importance of ethics review for the research is also increased .Despite its uniqueness , the basic principles of ethics in social and behavioral research are consistent with other biomedical studies .This paper introduces ethics review points of social and behavioral research from the research design , risk and benefits , informed consent , deception and debriefing , expedited review , exemption of ethics review, privacy and confidentiality .This paper also introduces the relevant experiences from Europe and America giving references for the domestic professionals .

Objective To investigate the neuroimaging features in mitochondrial encephalomyopatbies with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes(MELAS).Methods Twenty-two clinically diagnosed patients who came from department of neurology,Huashan hospital in October 2003 to July 2006 were analyzed for CT,MRI,MRI contrast,MRA and MRS.Results In all 22 patients,the neuroimaging results of 21 were positive.There were 9 patients lying in hemisphere,12 in both cerebral hemispheres,including occipital,parietal,temporal and frontal lobe.The abnormal areas showed low signal intensity on T_1-weighted MRI,high signal intensity on T_2-weighted MRI and fluid attenuated inversion recovery(FLAIR)images.The lesions of 12/16 patients on MR contrasted images were enhanced.The lesions of one patient showed malacoma-like changes,one showed Fahr syndrome' s change and another showed high signal intensity on MR contrasted images.Conclusion Although the neuroimaging features of MELAS are complicated,the specific ones could help to make the diagnosis.

Acute-on-chronic kidney disease (ACKD) increases the risk of progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study aimed to evaluate the ability of a novel criteria of reference change value of the serum creatinine optimized criteria for acute kidney injury in CKD (cROCK) to detect ACKD patients. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study with a 3-year follow-up. All included patients with CKD stage 3 were evaluated using cROCK, Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO), and their combined criteria. The renal composite endpoints, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), and all-cause mortality were recorded as clinical outcomes. Results: A total of 812 patients was enrolled. The cROCK criteria detected more ACKD events than did the KDIGO (68.0% vs. 59.5%, p < 0.001). Compared to KDIGO (−) & cROCK (−) group, ACKD patients diagnosed by cROCK had significantly higher hazard ratio [HR] for renal composite endpoints (HR, 3.591; p < 0.001), MACEs (HR, 1.748; p < 0.001), and all-cause mortality (HR, 2.985; p < 0.001). The patients in KDIGO (+) & cROCK (+) group had the lowest survival probability when considering renal composite endpoints, MACEs, and all-cause mortality (all p < 0.001). Furthermore, cROCK resulted in the largest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for predicting renal composite endpoints, and the combined criteria led to the largest AUC for predicting MACEs and allcause mortality. Conclusion: Compared to the KDIGO, the cROCK detected more ACKD events. Combining both cROCK and KDIGO criteria might improve the predictive ability for long-term outcomes in ACKD patients.