Cervical Ripening ; Female ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; Pregnancy

FANCD2 is involved in DNA damage repair and maintenance of chromosome stability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of FANCD2 in sporadic breast cancer tissues and its association with clinicopathological features. A total of 162 Chinese women with invasive breast carcinoma who had no family history in first-degree relatives and 12 normal breast tissues were examined. The expression of FANCD2 was detected by immunohistochemical staining based on a tissue microarray technique. SAS system was used to analyze the data. Twenty-one out of the 162 invasive breast cancers (13%) were negative for FANCD2. The mean percentage of FANCD2 positive cells was significantly lower in breast cancers than in controls (P<0.05). FANCD2 expression was significantly inversely associated with histological grade and TNM stage (P<0.05), but not with axillary lymph node status or other conventional prognostic markers such as ER, PR, Her-2 and PCNA (P>0.05). It was suggested that FANCD2 may play a critical role in breast carcinogenesis. It may become a valuable and independent marker for identifying women with sporadic breast cancer and evaluating the prognosis.

Objective To apply MR diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to quantitatively analyze cervical spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (CSCIWORA). Methods 15 patients with CSCIWORA and 20 healthy controls were scanned with MRI of conventional scans and DTI. The fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were measured. Results FA and ADC of the patients were (0.475±0.109) and (1.438±0.252)×10-3 mm2/s, respectively. Whereas, they were (0.604±0.096) and (1.371±0.280)×10-3 mm2/s in the controls. Compared with the controls, the FA was less (P<0.05) in the patients, but the ADC was not significantly different (P=0.267). The fiber tracking (FT) showed the abnormality of white matter fiber tracts of cervical spinal cord in the patients. Conclusion DTI can detect the CSCIWORA, and FT can directly display the injuries of white matter fiber tracts of cervical spinal cord, which provide more information to evaluate the clinical severity of CSCIWORA.

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical efficacy and action mechanism of acupuncture for premature ovarian failure (POF).

METHODSAccording to prospective cohort study design, 30 cases were included. Based on theory of regulating Chong and Conception Vessels as well as soothing the liver and calming the nerves, acupuncture at Guanyuan (CV 4), Dahe (KI 12), Taixi (KI 3), Taichong (LR 3), Baihui (GV 20) was applied, three times per week and 3 months were considered as one session. Totally two sessions were performed. The menstruation condition, estradiol (E2), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and scores of the clinical perimenopausal symptoms were taken as treatment outcomes.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 86.7% (26/30) and the cured rate was 16.7% (5/30). The recovery rate of menstruation was 16.7% (5/30) and the regain rate of menstruation was 56.7% (17/30). After the treatment, the level of E2 was significantly increased from (45.41 +/- 18. 09) pmol/L to (59.07 +/- 24.21) pmol/L (P < 0.05), and the score of perimenopausal symptoms was obviously reduced from 14.28 +/- 8. 30 to 4.04 +/- 3.28 (P < 0.01). However, no statistical differences could be seen in FSH before and after treatment (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture has certain effect on improving menstruation and perimenopausal symptoms in POF patients, which is likely to he related with increasing the level of E2.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Estradiol ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Luteinizing Hormone ; metabolism ; Primary Ovarian Insufficiency ; metabolism ; therapy ; Prospective Studies ; Young Adult

Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood samples of 3 patients from 1 pedigree with congenital nephrogenie diabetes insipidus (NDI) and their 12 family members.The whole coding region of the arginine vasopressin receptor 2 (AVPR2) gene was amplified by PCR and then directly sequenced,A mutation of AVPR2 gene [g1236T→C (L292P)]was found in 3 patients.The patients' mothers were found to have both mutant and normal alleles.

Objective: To evaluate the dietary quality of residents in Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, so as to provide the basis for future health education and nutrition intervention programs. Methods: A stratified multi-stage random sampling method was used to select residents aged 18 years and older in 6 counties (cities, districts) of Wenzhou City as the study subjects, “24-hour dietary review for 3 consecutive days” was adopted to collect dietary intake, and the diet balance index (DBI_16) scoring method was applied to evaluate the dietary quality. Results: This study analyzed the dietary quality of 406 residents in Wenzhou City, including 197 males (48.52%) and 209 females (51.48%). The majority of the residents were aged 18-44 years (254 residents, 62.56%). The median DBI total score was -31 (interquartile range, 8), and 404 residents had insufficient dietary intake, accounting for 99.51%. The median DBI positive score was 5 (interquartile range, 6), and 288 residents had appropriate dietary intake, accounting for 70.94%. The median DBI negative score was 37 (interquartile range, 6), and 210 residents had a high level of insufficient dietary intake, accounting for 51.72%. Five dietary patterns, namely A, B, C, E and F, were identified, with pattern B being the most dominant, accounting for 75.62% of the total (307 individuals). Patterns D, H, I and G were not observed. Conclusions The dietary quality of the residents surveyed indicates the existence of dietary imbalances, mainly manifesting as inadequate intake. It is recommended to strengthen nutritional and health guidance.

OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism of learning and memory dysfuction in the transgenic mouse expressing human tau 40 isoform with P301L mutation (F10).

METHODSThe human tau protein expression and phosphor-tau protein levels were detected with Western blot method. The neurofibrillary tangles were observed with Bielshowsky silver stain. The behavior changes of learning and memory were observed by open field test and passive avoidance test. Acetyleholine level, activities of acetycholinesterase and choline acetyltransferase of whole brain was detected by colorimetry method. The nitric oxide level of whole brain was detected by nitrate enzyme reduction method.

RESULTSExogenous human tau gene was expressed and an elevation of phosphor-tau protein level in 7 and 3-month transgenic mice's hippocampus andcerebrocortex was observed. The neurofibrillary tangles were observed in cerebrocortex of 7-month transgenic mice; the 7-month transgenic mice also presented an evident reduction of learning and memory ability and nitric oxide level of the whole brain, but not changes in acetylcholine level, acetycholinesterase activity, choline acetyltransferase activity and expression in whole brain.

CONCLUSIONTau transgenic mice (F10) can still inherit their parents' biologiccal characters, and develop learning and memory dysfunction awnodh san obvious decrease in nitric oxide level of whole brain in the 7-month old mice, suggesting a decrease of nitric oxide level of whole brain would be involved in the mechanism of learning and memory dysfunction in these transgenic mice.

Acetylcholine ; metabolism ; Acetylcholinesterase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Brain ; physiopathology ; Choline O-Acetyltransferase ; metabolism ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; Memory Disorders ; genetics ; physiopathology ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic ; Mutation ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism

ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibitity of detecting S100A6 expression at mRNA level in endoscopic ultrasonography guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) specimens and its diagnostic value in PDA.MethodsA total of 18 PDA specimens and 22 normal pancreatic specimens were collected. RNA was extracted for reverse transcription.The expression of S100A6 gene was examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction.The cut-off value of S100A6 expression at mRNA level in PDA diagnosis was established through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. 28 patients with pancreatic head masses were selected for EUS-FNA examination,and the value of S100A6 mRNA expression level in PDA diagnosis was prospectively evaluated. The expression of S100A6 protein in PDA tissue was determined by immunohistochemistry staining.ResultsS100A6 mRNA expression in EUS-FNA and surgical PDA specimens (0.05023±0.10120,0.02083 ± 0.02848) was significantly higher than that of normal pancreatic tissues (0.00164±0.00202),both P＜0.01.The expression of S100A6 in 22 EUS-FNA PDA specimens was significantly higher than that of 6 pancreatic benign disease biopsy specimens (0.00193 ± 0.00278,P =0.0009). There was no significant difference in S100A6 expression between 6 pancreatic benign disease biopsy specimens and normal surgical pancreatic samples (P=0.6143).When S100A6 mRNA expression in EUS-FNA specimens over 0.00525 was taken as positive diagnostic value,the sensitivity,specificity and accuracy in prospective pancreatic cancer diagnosis were 90.01％,100 ％ and 92.85 ％,respectively.ConclusionThe high expression of S100A6 mRNA in EUS-FNA specimens of PDA has good preoperative diagnostic value.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of traditional Chinese herbs Fuzheng Yiliu Granule (FYG)-contained serum from tumor bearing mice on apoptotic rate, free radicals content and mitochondrial membrane potential of hepatoma cell lines H22 in vitro.

METHODSThe effect of FYG drug-serum on apoptosis of hepatoma cell line H22 was determined using flow cytometry. The changes of DNA RNA, free radicals and mitochondrial membrane potential (delta psi m) in H22 cell were detected through laser scanning confocal microscope.

RESULTSFYG-contained serum can induce the apoptosis of H22 cell, enhance the free radicals content, and reduce the content of DNA RNA and delta psi m of H22 cell in vitro.

CONCLUSIONThe apoptosis of hepatoma cell line H22 induced by FYG is probably correlated to the change of free radicals content and delta psi m.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Flow Cytometry ; Free Radicals ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; blood ; metabolism ; pathology ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; drug effects ; Mice ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Serum

Cannabinoid receptors are one of the most expressed G protein-coupled receptors in the central nervous system, which are potential drug targets for inflammation, pain and drug abuse. Cannabinoid receptors are composed of type 1 receptor (CB1R), type 2 receptor (CB2R) and other receptors, of which CB1R plays a vital role in regulating central memory, cognition, and motor function. Therefore, screening CB1R agonists has potential value in treating nervous system diseases. In this study, the intracellular loop 3 (ICL3) domain of CB1R was replaced with a circular-permutated enhanced green fluorescent protein (cpEGFP). After infecting HEK 293T cells with lentivirus particles, we obtained a stable cell line that was overexpressed human CB1R-cpEGFP after puromycin selection. The interaction between receptor agonists and CB1R led to the change of receptor conformation, resulting in de-protonation of the EGFP, and enhancing the fluorescence intensity. Therefore, active CB1R compounds could be verified by measuring the fluorescence intensity. Using CB1R agonist arachidonyl-2′-chloroethylamide (ACEA) as a positive control to evaluate the reliability of this model, studies have shown that ACEA could induce receptor activation and increase fluorescence intensity, while antagonist rimonabant inhibited receptor activation with unchanged fluorescence intensity. In conclusion, this study successfully constructed a fluorescent probe screening model for CB1R agonists.