Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; therapy ; Integrative Medicine ; methods ; Life Style ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects

Hematologic Diseases ; diagnosis ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans

In recent years, the incidences of male infertility and recurrent abortion are increasing. The causes of the conditions are varied and complex, but the affected stability of the genetic material in the sperm is an important etiological factor. Environmental pollutants may invade the body through respiration, diet and other channels, resulting in infertility and abortion or even affecting the reproductive system development of the offspring by changing the epigenetics of sperm DNA. In this paper, we propose the idea of using traditional Chinese medicine to prevent environmental pollutant-induced epigenetic changes of sperm DNA, hoping to provide a new insight into the protection against genetic material damage, male infertility, and recurrent abortion caused by environmental pollutants.
DNA Damage ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Environmental Pollutants ; toxicity ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; chemically induced ; prevention & control ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects

Objective:To investigate the structural alterations of mitochondria and its role in neutrophil death induced by ONO-AE-248.Methods:Human neutrophils were cultured in vitro with ONO-AE-248(5?10-5 mol/L)and medium alone. Transmission electron microscopy(TEM) was used to detect the structural alterations of mitochondria and the level of mitochondria membrane potential by flow cytometry using mitocapture dying.Results:ONO-AE-248 resulted in extremely swollen mitochondria within 6 hours. Meanwhile, a rapid loss of mitochondrial membrane potential of neutrophils occurred, especially in 3 hours and 6 hours. There were obviously differences between spontaneous apoptosis and non-apoptosis programmed cell death induced by ONO-AE-248.Conclusion:The experiment results suggest that changes of mitochondrial structure and function be typically morphological, physiological and biochemical features in this unique form of neutrophil death, and that the mitochondrial pathway might play a more important role in ONO-AE-248-induced death of neutrophils.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of the rate of morphologically normal sperm (MNS) on the clinical outcomes of conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) in patients with one retrieved oocyte.

METHODSFrom January 2013 to January 2015, a total of 256 couples with one retrieved oocyte underwent conventional IVF in our center. According to the rate of MNS, the patients were divided into two groups: MNS < 4% (134 cycles) and MNS ≥ 4% (122 cycles). We compared the rates of no transferrable embryo cycles, fertilization, cleavage, normal fertilization, abnormal fertilization, high-quality embryo and transferrable embryo between the two groups. A total of 75 fresh embryo transfer cycles were performed, 43 in the MNS < 4% group and the other 32 in the MNS ≥ 4% group. We also compared the rates of implantation, clinical pregnancy and abortion between the two groups.

RESULTSThere were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in the rates of no transferrable embryo cycles, fertilization, cleavage, normal fertilization, abnormal fertilization, high-quality embryo and transferrable embryo (P > 0.05). The rates of implantation, clinical pregnancy and abortion exhibited no remarkable differences either in the fresh embryo transfer cycles between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe rate of MNS does not affect the clinical outcomes of conventional IVF in patients with one retrieved oocyte.

Abortion, Spontaneous ; Cleavage Stage, Ovum ; Embryo Implantation ; Female ; Fertilization ; Fertilization in Vitro ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Male ; Oocyte Retrieval ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Single Embryo Transfer ; statistics & numerical data ; Sperm Count ; Spermatozoa ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship of the common Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndrome pattern of chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) with the contents of substance p and beta endorphin in the plasma, and provide reference data for the clinical diagnosis, differentiation and treatment of CPPS by TCM.

METHODSWe observed 98 cases of CPPS, which were classified into a lower-part damp-heat invasion group (group A, n = 32), a blood stasis-induced collateral obstruction group (group B, n = 34), and a damp-heat stagnation group (group C, n = 32) according to the TCM syndrome differentiation. Another 35 normal healthy young men were enrolled as controls. We measured the contents of substance p and beta endorphin in the plasma by immunoradiometry and ELISA, and analyzed their relationship with the TCM syndrome pattern.

RESULTSThe contents of plasma substance p were significantly higher in groups A ([1135.76 +/- 166.45] pg/ml), B ([1 337.84 +/- 170.81] pg/ml), and C ([1 210.01 +/- 162.27] pg/ml) than in the control ([574.99 +/- 113.09] pg/ml) (all P < 0.01), while the contents of plasma beta endorphin in groups A ([212.70 +/- 29.49] pg/ml), B ([157.99 +/- 24.01] pg/ml), and C ([180.81 +/- 20.20] pg/ml) were remarkably lower than that in the control ([274.73 +/- 27.64] pg/ml) (all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONIn the plasma of CPPS patients, the content of substance p is significantly elevated and that of beta endorphin markedly reduced, which suggests that they may be involved in the inflammatory reaction of CPPS. The levels of plasma substance p and beta endorphin can be used as valuable reference for the TCM classification of chronic prostatitis.

Case-Control Studies ; Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; adverse effects ; Pelvic Pain ; blood ; classification ; Prostatitis ; blood ; classification ; Substance P ; blood ; Syndrome ; beta-Endorphin ; blood

OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy difference in the treatment of chronic pelvic pain syndrome of Sev-damp-heat stagnation pattern between acupoint catgut embedding therapy and western medication.

METHODSenty cases were randomized into a catgut embedding group (40 cases) and a western medication group (30 cases) at the ratio of 4 : 3. In the catgut embedding group, the catgut embedding therapy was applied to Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Quchi (LI 11), Huiyin (CV 1), Zusanli (ST 36), Zhongji (CV 3), Shenshu (BL 23), etc. The treatment was given once every two weeks, the treatment for 4 weeks was as one session and totally 2 sessions were required. In the western medication group, tamsulosin hydrochloride capsules 0. 2 mg, oral administration, once a day, and Indometacin sustained release tablets, 75 mg, once a day, 3 tablets each time were prescribed. The symptom score of TCM, score of NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI), lecithin body number in prostatic fluid, (SAS) score of Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and score of Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) were compared before and after treatment in the patients of the two groups. The efficacy was evaluated in the two groups.

RESULTS(1)The total effective rate was 91. 9% (34/37) in the catgutembedding group and was 86. 2% (25/29) in the western medication group. The efficacy in the catgutembedding group was better than that in the western medication group (P<0. 05). (2) The symptom score of TCM was all reduced significantly after treatment in the two groups (both P<0.01), and the result in the catgut embedding group was superior to the western medication group (6.42 +/-2. 81 vs 10. 99+/-3. 11 ,P<0. 01). (3) Lecithin body number was increased apparently in the two groups after treatment (both P<0.01), and the result in the catgut-embedding group was superior to the western medicine group (33.56+/-5.88 vs 29. 78+/-7. 06,P<0. 05). (4) Total score of NIH-CPSI, score of pain, score of SAS and score of SDS were all improved apparently after treatment in the two groups (all P<0. 01), and the results in the catgut embedding group were superior to the western medication group (P<0. 01, P<0. 05).

CONCLUSIONThe acupoint catgut embedding therapy achieves the superior efficacy on chronic pelvic pain syndrome of damp-heat stagnation pattern as compared with conventional western medicine. This therapy relieves clinical symptoms, improves the states of anxiety and depression and increases lecithin body number obviously.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Catgut ; utilization ; Chronic Disease ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pelvic Pain ; therapy ; Prostatitis ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) belong to pattern recognition receptors, which perform significant roles in antiviral responses. RLRs can initiate a cascade of signaling transduction that induces the production of type I interferon and activates the interferon signaling pathway, ultimately resulting in antiviral responses. In the course of evolution, viruses have been constantly counteracting host immune systems to facilitate their own survival and replication, and have developed a set of antagonistic strategies. These mainly comprise elusion, disguise and attack strategies to eliminate the activation of RLRs. In virus-infected cells, RLRs recognize viral RNA and then induce antiviral responses. A better understanding of viral antagonistic strategies against RLRs will provide insights into the development of new antiviral medicines. This mini-review concludes that there are three main antagonistic strategies by which RNA viruses can counteract the activation of the RLRs pathway. It aims to provide references and insights for similar studies on viral antagonism in an array of RNA viruses.
DEAD Box Protein 58 ; DEAD-box RNA Helicases ; genetics ; immunology ; Host-Pathogen Interactions ; Humans ; RNA Viruses ; genetics ; immunology ; physiology ; RNA, Double-Stranded ; genetics ; immunology ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; immunology ; Virus Diseases ; genetics ; immunology ; virology

OBJECTIVETo explore the operative skills and effect of unilateral pedicle screw combined with contralateral percutaneous transfacet screws fixation in treating degenerative low lumbar disease.

METHODSFrom January 2009 to December 2011,22 patients with degenerative low lumbar disease were treated with transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion, during the operations, unilateral pedicle screw and contralateral percutaneous transfacet screw fixation were performed. There were 16 males and 6 females, aged from 32 to 71 years old with an average of (51.1 ± 10.6) years, including single segment in 20 cases and two segments in 2 cases. Clinical effects were evaluated according to visual analogue score (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI).

RESULTSAll patients were followed up from 1 to 2.5 years with an average of 18 months. One case complicated with leakage of cerebrospinal fluid after operation and 1 case with lower limb pain of decompression-side on the 3rd day after operation. Twenty-two patients got bony fusion. There were no instability and evidence of instrument failure during follow-up. The VAS and ODI score decreased from preoperative 8.24 ± 0.72, 36.72 ± 6.84 respectively to 3.18 ± 0.66, 4.36 ± 1.12 at the final follow-up (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONUnilateral pedicle screw combined with contralateral percutaneous transfacet screw fixation is safe and feasible surgical technique in treating low lumbar degenerative disease. It has advantages of little trauma, rigid fixation, high fusion rate, and less complication. etc.

Adult ; Aged ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pedicle Screws ; Spinal Fusion ; methods

Objective To review the surgical managements of patients with traumatic false aneu- rysms in the extremities.Methods From January 1990 to April 2006,17 patients with traumatic false aneurysms in the extremities were admitted into our hospital.Fourteen patients were treated by vascular repair including vascular repair in seven cases,end to end anastomosis in one,synthetic grafting in one, autogenous vein grafting in one,and direct ligation in four.Three patients were treated nonoperatively, but with local compressive dressing.Results There were no deaths or gangrenes in all cases.The clinical manifestations vanished after the treatment.The mean follow-up period was 13.2 months.The function of the injured extremities recovered satisfactorily.Conclusion Different types of traumatic false aneurysms should be managed by different therapeutic procedures after the diagnoses is made.