Men with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) can achieve fertility by testicular sperm extraction (TESE) coupled with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), the key to which is the successful retrieval of sperm from the testis. Although improved testicular sperm extraction techniques have increased the chances of sperm retrieval, to predict preoperatively the success of sperm retrieval from NOA patients remains challenging. A non-invasive diagnostic technique predicting the presence of sperm in the testis would be useful for avoiding possible surgical intervention. At present, some preoperative variables, such as serum FSH, inhibin B level, testis volume, genetic analysis, histopathology on diagnostic biopsy, Raman Spectroscopy, and molecular and protein markers, have provided new insights into the chances of successful sperm retrieval in NOA males. This review aims to evaluate the preoperative factors currently available for predicting the outcomes of sperm retrieval from NOA patients.
Azoospermia ; therapy ; Biomarkers ; Biopsy ; Genetic Testing ; Humans ; Inhibins ; blood ; Male ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Sperm Retrieval ; Spermatozoa ; cytology ; Testis ; cytology

In order to obtain the fungicides with minimal impact on efficiency of mycorrhizal symbiosis, the effect of five fungicides including polyoxins, jinggangmycins, thiophanate methylate, chlorothalonil and carbendazim on the growth of medicinal plant and efficiency of mycorrhizal symbiosis were studied. Pot cultured Glycyrrhiza uralensis was treated with different fungicides with the concentration that commonly used in the field. 60 d after treated with fungicides, infection rate, infection density, biomass indexes, photosyn- thetic index and the content of active component were measured. Experimental results showed that carbendazim had the strongest inhibition on mycorrhizal symbiosis effect. Carbendazim significantly inhibited the mycorrhizal infection rate, significantly suppressed the actual photosynthetic efficiency of G. uralensis and the most indicators of biomass. Polyoxins showed the lowest inhibiting affection. Polyoxins had no significant effect on mycorrhizal infection rate, the actual photosynthetic efficiency of G. uralensis and the most indicators of biomass. The other three fungicides also had an inhibitory effect on efficiency of mycorrhizal symbiosis, and the inhibition degrees were all between polyoxins's and carbendazim's. The author considered that fungicide's inhibition degree on mycorrhizal effect might be related with the species of fungicides, so the author suggested that the farmer should try to choose bio-fungicides like polyoxins.
Fungi ; drug effects ; growth & development ; physiology ; Fungicides, Industrial ; pharmacology ; Glycyrrhiza uralensis ; chemistry ; growth & development ; microbiology ; physiology ; Mycorrhizae ; drug effects ; growth & development ; physiology ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; Symbiosis ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo examine the reliability and validity of the 66-item version on the gross motor function measure (GMFM-66) to assess the gross motor functions of children below 3 years oldwith cerebral palsy.

METHODS298 valid samples were obtained from 171 children with cerebral palsy (male 126, female 45 with mean age 19 months, age range 3-36 months) measured with GMFM-88. Then a 73-item version of GMFM (GMFM-73) special for these children was obtained by Rasch analysis. Both GMFM-66 and GMFM-73 scores of to each sample were obtained. The reliability and validity of GMFM-66 were evaluated through analyzing the correlation between the scores and between the changed scores of these two GMFM versions. The relative precision of GMFM-73 versus GMFM-66 was also analyzed.

RESULTSSignificant correlations were found between the scores and between the changed scores of these two versions of GMFM. A 14% less gain in relative precision was achieved when using GMFM-73 versus GMFM-66.

CONCLUSIONResults indicated that the GMFM-66 had good reliability and validity in assessing the gross motor functions of children below 3 years old with cerebral palsy.

Cerebral Palsy ; physiopathology ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Motor Skills ; classification ; Reproducibility of Results ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Objective To establish a method for content determination of total flavones and polysaccharides in Hedysari Radix in different producing areas in Gansu Province.Methods The contents of total flavones and polysaccharides in Hedysari Radix in different producing areas in Gansu Province were determined by ultraviolet spectroscopy with calycosin-7-glucoside and glucose as reference substance, and the wavelength was set at 260 nm and 484 nm.Results The contents were from 2.82 mg/g to 6.79 mg/g for total flavones and from 106.14 mg/g to 746.40 mg/g for total polysaccharides in Hedysari Radix in different producing areas in Gansu Province. The recoveries of total flavones and total polysaccharides were 97.96％ and 102.90％, respectively.Conclusion There was difference in contents of total flavones and polysaccharides of Hedysari Radix in different producing areas in Gansu Province, and the method of using ultraviolet spectroscopy is simple, reproducible, accurate and reliable, which can be preferably used as the method for content determination of total flavones and polysaccharides in Hedysari Radix.

BACKGROUNDTo reveal the characteristics of genotype and phenotype of HIV strains in blood and some tissues of AIDS patients.

METHODSThe virus was isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC),cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)and lymph nodes of 3 AIDS patients by coculture with PBMC stimulated by PHA for 72 hours from uninfected donor. The cytopathic effect of the HIV isolates was determined in cultured MT2 cell line. The env gene sequences form proviral DNA were analyzed by GCG software.

RESULTSIn one patient,there were differences between the strains from blood and different tissues both in genotype and phenotype. The biological phenotypes of two strains from CSF were non syncytium (NSI) type, their env sequences were similar to standard CNS tropic strain (SF162).

CONCLUSIONSThe viral heterogeneity exists in different body compartments within an infected individual. The neurotropic isolate which is similar to international standard strain exists in some AIDS patients in China.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; virology ; Adult ; Coculture Techniques ; Female ; Genetic Heterogeneity ; Genotype ; HIV ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; virology ; Lymph Nodes ; virology ; Male ; Phenotype

BACKGROUNDWhile intra-articular injection of sinomenine hydrochloride has a therapeutic effect on osteoarthritis, it has a short half-life, and is thermolabile and photolabile. The aim of this research was to evaluate the sustained-release of sinomenine hydrochloride from an injectable sinomenine hydrochloride and sodium hyaluronate compound (CSSSI) and its therapeutic effect in a rabbit model of osteoarthritis following intra-articular injection.

METHODSAn injectable compound consisting of 1% sodium hyaluronate and 2.5% sinomenine hydrochloride was prepared and kept as the experiment group, and 2.5% sinomenine hydrochloride was prepared and kept as the control group. The cumulative mass release was measured at different time points in each group in vitro. Sixty-five male Zelanian rabbits were randomly divided into five groups: 15 (30 knees) each for the control, sodium hyaluronate, sinomenine hydrochloride, and CSSSI groups respectively, and five (10 knees) for the modeling group. Papain was injected into both knees of each rabbit for model establishment. Subsequently, 0.2 ml of the corresponding drugs was injected into the articular cavities of the remaining experiment groups, while the control group was treated with 0.2 ml normal saline. All groups were treated once a week for 4 weeks. Seven days after the last treatment, knees were anatomized to perform pathological observations and Mankin's evaluation of the synovium. Four groups were compared using the SPSS 13.0 software package.

RESULTSIn the in vitro sustained-release experiments, 90% of the drug was released in the experiment group 360 minutes following the injection. Comparison of the Mankin's evaluations of the four groups illustrated statistical discrepancies (P < 0.05). In further paired comparisons of the CSSSI group vs. modeling control/sodium hyaluronate/sinomenine hydrochloride groups, statistical significance was uniformly obtained. Moreover, sodium hyaluronate and sinomenine hydrochloride treatments showed significant improvement over the modeling control (P < 0.05), whereas sodium hyaluronate vs. sinomenine hydrochloride comparison failed to reach significance (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCSSSI has a sustained-release effect on sinomenine hydrochloride. Intra-articular injection of CSSSI was significantly better than the sole sodium hyaluronate or sinomenine hydrochloride for the treatment of osteoarthritis in a rabbit model.

Animals ; Hyaluronic Acid ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Injections, Intra-Articular ; Male ; Morphinans ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Osteoarthritis ; drug therapy ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation

OBJECTIVETo study the differential expression of four TRAIL receptors on bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNC) from multiple myeloma (MM) patients and myeloma cell line KM3 cells, to compare their altered expressions after chemotherapy and to explore the mechanisms by which TRAIL selectively kills tumor cells.

METHODSSemi-quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and flow cytometry were used to investigate the expression of four TRAIL receptors on BMMNCs in 23 MM patients, KM3 cells and 15 controls, and the changes of their expression pattern after chemotherapy and after incubation of KM3 cells with sub-clinical concentration of doxorubicin.

RESULTSDR4 and DR5 were highly expressed on KM3 cells with no expression of DcR1 and DcR2. Expressions of DR4 and DR5 on BMMNCs from MM patients were higher and expression of DcR1 and DcR2 were lower than that of controls (P < 0.05). The expression of DR5 on MM and KM3 cells was up-regulated after chemotherapy and exposure to doxorubicin (P < 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONSThe expressions of four TRAIL receptors on myeloma cells and normal controls were different, which might account for the selective killing effect of TRAIL on MM cells. Up-regulated DR5 on KM3 cells after incubating with doxorubicin and after chemotherapy suggests the cytotoxic agents might enhance the apoptosis of MM cells.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cells, Cultured ; Doxorubicin ; pharmacology ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; drug therapy ; genetics ; pathology ; Receptors, TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo detect the expression of MAP3K5 and miR-BART22 encoded by Epstein-Barr virus and explore their relationship in nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPCs).

METHODSFifty-three archived specimens of NPCs and 30 nasopharyngitis specimens were collected for detecting the expression of EBERs and miR-BART22 by in situ hybridization, and the expression of MAP3K5 was detected using immunohistochemistry. Ten fresh NPC and 10 fresh nasopharyngitis specimens were also obtained for determining the protein expression of MAP3K5 by Western blotting.

RESULTSEBERs were positive in all the 53 NPC specimens, and miR-BART22 was positive in 49 specimens; all the 30 nasopharyngitis specimens were negative for EBER or miR-BART22. In the 53 NPC tissues, 50 were negative for MAP3K5 expression in the cancer areas but positive in the adjacent mucosal areas, with the other 3 specimens showing a weak positivity (+). In the 30 nasopharyngitis specimens, 25 showed strong MAP3K5 positivity, 3 showed weak positivity and 2 were negative for MAP3K5 (P<0.001). Western blotting showed that the expression of MAP3K5 protein was significantly higher in nasopharyngitis than in NPC tissues (P=0.029). The expression of MAP3K5 and miR-BART22 was inversely correlated (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONCompared with the adjacent mucosal tissues, NPC tissues have a lower expression of MAP3K5 but a higher expression of miR-BART22. The expression of MAP3K5 and miR-BART22 is inversely correlated, suggesting the possibility of MAP3K5 to serve as target gene of EBV miR-BART22. miR-BART22 may inhibit the expression of MAP3K5, thus reducing the protein phosphorylation of MAPK pathway downstream genes, inhibiting NPC cell apoptosis, preventing their differentiation and promoting their escape from immune surveillance.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Viral ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; genetics ; Humans ; MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 5 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; virology ; Tumor Escape ; Viral Matrix Proteins ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study aberrant expression of cell cycle control genes in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

METHODSReverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to investigate the expression of cell cycle control genes (cyclin D2, cyclin D3, cyclin A1, cyclin E, CDK2, CDK4, CDK6, p21, p27, p57, Rb and E2F1) in bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) from 29 normal control, 27 MDS and 19 de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

RESULTSThe expression levels of cyclin D3 (0.65 +/- 0.17, P < 0.05) and cyclin A1 (0.48 +/- 0.04, P < 0.05) in MDS were higher than those in normal control and significantly lower than those in AML. The expression rates and levels of cyclin D2 (40.7% and 0.78 +/- 0.21) and cyclin E (51.9% and 0.52 +/- 0.10) in MDS were statistically higher than those in normal control and AML. The expression level of CDK2 in MDS (0.66 +/- 0.19, P < 0.01) was higher than that in normal control (0.42 +/- 0.04) and the expression rate of CDK6 in MDS (25.9%) higher than in normal control (3.4%, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference of the expression rates and levels of CDK4 in MDS, AML and normal control. The expression rates and levels of p21 (77.8% and 1.18 +/- 0.21) and p27 (48.1% and 1.14 +/- 0.40) in MDS were statistically higher than those in normal control and AML. The expression level of p57 in MDS (0.69 +/- 0.06) was higher than that (0.53 +/- 0.05, P < 0.01) in normal control but lower than in AML (0.96 +/- 0.16, P < 0.01). The expression rate (55.6%) and level (0.85 +/- 0.17) of Rb in MDS were significantly higher than those in normal control and AML. The expression rate (7.4%) and level (0.39 +/- 0.04) of E2F1 in MDS were comparable to those in normal control but lower than those in AML.

CONCLUSIONMDS clones have aberrant mechanism of cell cycle control: high expressions of cyclin family members, CDK2 and CDK6 may lead to high proliferation; high expression of p21 and p27 may cause the G1 phase arrest.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cell Cycle Proteins ; genetics ; Child ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor Proteins ; genetics ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinases ; genetics ; E2F1 Transcription Factor ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; genetics ; pathology ; Retinoblastoma Protein ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Young Adult

In order to analyze the prognosis and related factors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), 53 newly diagnosed ALL patients were enrolled in this study. The therapeutic efficacy and prognosis of 53 cases of ALL were analyzed, the remission, relapse, overall survival and event-free survival were studied, and relation between different factors and prognosis of ALL were investigated by comparison of cases in same stage. The results showed that the complete remission was achieved in 36 out of 53 patients, the total remission rate was 67.9%, the total relapse rate was 37.7%, the median relapse duration was 6 months after remission. Median overall survival (OS) and median event-free survival (EFS) time were 4 and 1 months after remission respectively, OS and EFS rate of 18 month was 35.1% and 14.2%. The patients with different gender had significantly different EFS. Age was an independent risk factor of CR rate. White blood cell count and hemoglobin level of newly diagnosed patients were significantly correlated with OS and EFS. Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) at the end of the induction chemotherapy was an independent related factor of OS, the higher ANC, the lower risk of death. The patients with or without chemotherapy related infection had different relapse rate. The patients with bleeding after chemotherapy had lower OS when compared with those without bleeding. Serum glucose level was a significant negative prognostic factor. It is concluded that there is higher relapse rate, poor prognosis in adult ALL in comparison with children. In order to decrease the relapse rate and prolong the EFS, individual therapeutical regimens and prophylaxis of complicating diseases should be applied to ALL patients.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; prevention & control ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Prognosis ; Young Adult