OBJECTIVETo investigate the progressive motility, (PR), total motility (progressive + non-progressive motility, PR + NP), and acrosin activity of sperm from normal and infertile men at different time points after sperm activation.

METHODSBased on the 5th edition of the WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen and the results of modified Papanicolaou staining, we divided the semen samples into groups A (normal, n = 28), B (oligoasthenoteratospermia, n = 30), and C (asthenoteratospermia, n = 32). At 1, 24, and 48 hours after sperm activation, we detected sperm PR and PR + NP by CASA and chemical colorimetry, and determined sperm acrosin activity using the modified Kennedy method.

RESULTSSperm PR and PR + NP were significantly decreased in all the three groups at 1-24 hours and even more significantly at 24-48 hours after sperm activation as compared with the baseline (P < 0.05). Sperm acrosin activity showed remarkable reduction in group A (P = 0. 013) , even more significant at 1-24 hours than at 24-48 hours after sperm activation, but not in groups B and C (P = 0.519 and 0.979).

CONCLUSIONSperm PR, PR + NP, and acrosin activity are all decreased with the extension of time after sperm activation, each in a specific manner. Examination of sperm acrosin activity should be applied as a routine tool in the assessment of male fertility.

Acrosin ; metabolism ; Asthenozoospermia ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Biomarkers ; metabolism ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Male ; Semen ; Sperm Motility ; physiology ; Spermatozoa ; metabolism ; physiology ; Time Factors

Objective To explore the effect of the thyroid morphologic change,the initiating treatment time and the thyroid function(serum FT_4,TSH)on mental development in children with congenital hypothyroidism (CH).Methods After diagnosed,52 cases of CH were orally administrated with L-T_4,then their mental and physical development were monitored and thyroid morphologic changes were observed by thyroid imaging(~(99m)TcO_4) and type B ultrasonography.The Bayley test was performed at the age of 10 to 30 months and expressed as mental developmental index(MDI)and psychomotor developmental index(PDI).Analysis was conducted upon treatment timing and thyroid morphologic changes.Results The MDI in those cases with morphologic abnormalities treated within 90 days was significantly lower than that with normal morphology(91?20 vs 105?15,P

Objective: To observe the effect of different moxibustion durations on rats with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to evaluate the relationship between moxibustion amount and moxibustion efficacy.Methods: Eight rats were randomly selected as a normal group from the 40 male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, and the other 32 rats were used to establish typeⅡ collagen-induced RA models. After successful modeling, the 32 rats were randomly divided into a model group, a moxibustion for 20 min group, a moxibustion for 40 min group and a moxibustion for 60 min group, with 8 rats in each group. Rats in the normal group did not receive modeling and moxibustion intervention; rats in the model group did not receive moxibustion after modeling; rats in the moxibustion for 20 min group, the moxibustion for 40 min group and the moxibustion for 60 min group were treated with moxibustion at Shenshu (BL 23) and Zusanli (ST 36) for 20 min, 40 min and 60 min, respectively. Six days were a course of treatment, with a total of 3-course treatments and a 1-day rest between the courses of treatment. After treatment, the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, arthritis index (AI) scores, toe volumes and pathological score of synovitis were evaluated in the rats.Results: Compared with the normal group, the serum IL-1β and TNF-α levels, and the toe volumes in the model group were increased, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.01), before the treatment. Compared with the model group, the serum IL-1β and TNF-α levels, toe volumes and arthritis index (AI) scores were significantly decreased in the moxibustion for 20 min group, the moxibustion for 40 min group and the moxibustion for 60 min group (P<0.05 orP<0.01 ). Compared with the moxibustion for 20 min group and the moxibustion for 60 min group, serum IL-1β and TNF-α levels, toe volumes and AI scores were decreased more significantly in moxibustion for 40 min group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05 orP<0.01). There were no significant differences in serum IL-1β and TNF-α levels, AI scores and toe volumes between the moxibustion for 20 min group and the moxibustion for 60 min group (allP>0.05). The synovial histopathological improvement was the most obvious in the moxibustion for 40 min group, when the synovial histopathological changes were compared among the moxibustion for 20 min group, moxibustion for 40 min group and moxibustion for 60 min group.Conclusion: The therapeutic efficacy of moxibustion for 40 min in RA rats was more significant than that of moxibustion for 20 min and moxibustion for 60 min, indicating that the duration of moxibustion is the main factor affecting its therapeutic efficacy.

To ensure the quality and safety of Panax notoginseng, a method for the simultaneous determination of 10 mycotoxins in Panax notoginseng was developed using ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The sample was extracted with acetonitrile and purified by HLB multifunction cleanup column. The separation was performed on a Phenomenex Kinetex XB-C18 column by gradient elution using methanol and 5 mmol·L(-1) ammonium acetate as mobile phase. The targeted compounds were detected in MRM mode by mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization (ESI) source operated in both positive and negative ionization modes. The linear relationships of the 10 mycotoxins were good in their respective linear ranges. The correlation coefficients (r) ranged from 0.9981 to 1.0000. The LOQs of the 10 mycotoxins were between 0.15 and 8.6 μg·kg(-1). The average recoveries ranged from 73.8% to 107.0% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 0.10%-10.9%. The results demonstrated that the proposed method was sensitive and accurate, and suitable for the mycotoxins quantification in Panax notoginseng.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Drug Contamination ; Mycotoxins ; analysis ; Panax notoginseng ; chemistry ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Objective To explore the effect of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), OSAS-like intermittent hypoxia (IH)on the expression levels of P-YAP and YAP in A549 lung cancer cell lines. Methods A549 cells were treated with IH exposure ( exposed to 5%O2 for 300 seconds and 21%O2 for 300 seconds) for 1, 3 and 6 h (IH1, IH3, IH6) or normoxia exposure (N group). Quantificational real-time PCR was used to measure the mRNA expression levels of YAP. Western blot assay was used to detect the protein expression levels of YAP and P-YAP. Results The mRNA expression levels of YAP were significantly increased with the increase of IH exposure time points in IH1 (2.50±0.18), IH3 (4.07±0.25) and IH6 (9.18 ± 0.58) groups than those in N group (1.00 ± 0.01) (all P<0.05). The protein expression levels of YAP were significantly increased with the increase of IH exposure time points in IH1, IH3 and IH6 groups than those in N group. The protein expression levels of P-YAP were significantly decreased with the increase of IH exposure time points in IH 1, IH3 and IH6 groups than those in N group. Conclusion YAP cell signaling plays an important role in the process of OSAS-like IH induced tumor development.

OBJECTIVETo discuss the best strategy in tympanoplasty for cholesteatoma in pediatric patient. Both intact canal wall mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty (ICW) and canal wall down mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty (CWD) were the basic technique for cholesteatoma in pediatric patient. The outcomes of ICW and CWD as comparisons of different surgical technique were assessed.

METHODSA retrospective analysis of all cases of pediatric primary acquired cholesteatoma aged 4-14 years old between April, 1997 and October, 2003 was conducted. The follow-up information was completed. Forty-two patients (45 ears) were treated and followed from 1 to 7 years [ the average is (3.6 +/- 2. 6) years].

RESULTSICW was the primary surgical treatment in 20 patients (20 ears) initially, the recidivism rate was 30% ( 6/20), the achieved rate of pure-tone threshold average (PTA) was 77% (13/17); Twenty-five (two) patients (45 ears) underwent CWD, the recidivism rate was 4% (1/25), the achieved rate of PTA was 72% (18/25).

CONCLUSIONSICW had the advantage which could preserve the physical structure of the external acoustic meatus and had more profits for the treatment of cholesteatoma in pediatric patients, but it should be done for planned second stage surgery as a routine method that could get over the defect of recrudescence . If the function of eustachian tube was still not normal when planned second stage surgery operation was done, the CWD was suggested instead.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Tympanoplasty ; methods

To establish an EDTA complexation extraction pretreatment combining with GFAAS method for the determination of residual aluminium ion in Huoxiang zhengqi pellets without digestive treatment, systematical investigation was made on sample preparation, and EDTA was used for the complexation extraction of residual aluminium ion in samples. The pH, concentration and volume of extraction solution, the temperature and time of microwave extraction, and graphite furnace temperature program were investigated. The results were compared with the microwave digestion. It was showed that, 0.1 g of sample weight was added in 20 mL 0.05 mol x L(-1) EDTA solution (pH 3.5), followed by heating at 150 degrees C for 10 min in the microwave extraction device. The determination of GFAAS was performed at optimized detection wavelength (257.4 nm) as well as graphite furnace temperature program, the detection limits and quantification limits were 2.37 μg x L(-1) and 7.89 μg x L(-1), respectively. The precision (RSD) was less than 2.3%. The average recovery was 96.9% -101%. The present method is easy, rapid and accurate for the determination of residual aluminium ion in Huoxiang zhengqi pellets.
Aluminum ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Drug Contamination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Edetic Acid ; chemistry ; Graphite ; chemistry ; Spectrophotometry, Atomic ; methods ; Temperature

HER2, a member of epidermal growth factor receptor family proteins, is overexpressed in about 30% of human breast cancer. Increased levels of HER2 are associated with poor patient prognosis and enhanced metastasis. RNA interference (RNAi) is developed recently as a new technique which can inhibit gene expression specifically in mammalian cells. On the basis of previous study,in which two target sequences with favorable RNAi effect on HER2 were identified, a series of dual promoter siRNA-expressing vectors containing two opposing U6 and H1 promoters were constructed. After transfection of HER2-overexpressing SKBR3 breast cancer cells with the siRNA-expressing vectors, downregulation of HER2 was identified quantitatively. Subsequently, the siRNA-expressing cassettes were subcloned into lentiviral vectors by LR recombination reaction and lentivirus was prepared successfully. The results from infection of SKBR3 cells with siRNA-expressing lentivirus demonstrated that lentiviral-mediated RNAi could downregulate HER2 expression efficiently through fluorescent quantitative PCR (FQ-PCR), western blot, and FACS analysis. Furthermore, cell growth was inhibited in cell proliferation assay after treatment with siRNA lentivirus.A new tool for clarifying the function of HER2 in cancer metastasis and developing the gene therapy drug was offered.

Objective To investigate the clinicopathology and immunophenotype of primary non- Hodgkin lymphoma(NHL)of the female genital system,and to analyze the prognosis of such tumors. Methods Clinicopathologic features of 43 cases of primary NHL of the female genital system were studied retrospectively,with the histological classification based on the Classification of Haematopoietic and Lymphoid Tumors(WHO,2001).Immunochemistry technique,in-situ-hybridization and polymerase chain reaction methods were used to detect the immunophenotype,epstein barrvirus(EB)virus infection status and immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement,respectively.Results(1)Primary lesions:there were 24 cases of lymphoma originating in the ovary,3 cases in the endometrium,10 cases in the cervix,2 cases in the vagina and 4 cases in the vulva.(2)Staging:12 cases(28%)were in stage Ⅰ,9 cases (21%)in stage Ⅱ,and 22 cases(51%)in stage Ⅲ.(3)Histological classification:37 cases(86%)were diffuse large B cell lymphoma(DLBCL),3 cases were Burkitt lymphoma and the remaining 3 cases were unspecified peripheral T-cell lymphoma according to biopsy,immunophenotype analysis,in-situ- hybridization technique and IgH gene rearrangement detection.(4)Prognosis analysis:increase in the level of lactic acid dehydrogenase,stage Ⅲ,DLBCL and single operation suggest poor prognosis.Conclusions Establishment of the diagnosis of primary NHL of the female genital system is based on biopsy, immunophenotype analysis,in-situ-hybridization technique and IgH gene rearrangement detection,which play important roles in diagnosis and differential diagnosis of the tumor.Combined therapy is the first choice of therapeutic regimens.

Objective To explore human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)colonization in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy(HIE)rats brain.Methods Models of 7-day-old newborn rats with HIE brain injury were established.Meanwhile,on the same day,MSCs were transplanted with Hoechst 33258 for 24 hours into rats models marked by flurescent nucleotide dye injected through caudal vein or with stereotactic instrument.After 15-30 days,then MSCs were detected with fluorescene microscope.Results With the improved rice methods,HIE animal model was successfully attained.Majority of MSCs were distributed in the cortex,hippocampus of the lesioned hemisphere,especially in the forehead.And abtained a good fusion with HIE rats brain tissue.Conclusion Human umbilical cord blood MSCs can be cultured,when transplanted into the HIE rats model,they can move into intracranial,and integer with rats brain tissue.