Aim To further research into the antithrombotic mechanism of scorpion venom active peptides (SVAP). Methods Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were cultured with enzyme digestive method. After the cultured HUVC was incubated in conditioned media for 1 hour, the effects of SVAP on the concentration of 6-Keto-PGF 1? and NO of HUVEC were determined with radioactive-immunolygic and nitrate reduction enzyme method respectively. Results As compared with control, SVAP in the doses of 1,5,10, 20 mg?L -1 had the distinctive increase of 54%, 68%,72%,79% of the concentration of 6-Keto-PGF 1? and SVAP in the doses of 10, 20 mg?L -1 had the significantly increased of 27%, 46% of the concentration of NO. Regression anylysis showed that the release levels of PGI 2 and NO in HUVEC induced by SVAP was of positive correlation. Conclusion Antithrombotic mechanism of SVAP is related to the increase of PGI 2 and NO released from HUVEC and synergistic and mediating action between NO and PGI 2.

Adult ; Altitude ; Female ; Heart ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Occupational Health ; Railroads ; Tibet

OBJECTIVETo investigate the factors influencing the prognosis of penis-sparing surgery (PSS) for early-stage penile cancer.

METHODSWe retrospectively studied the clinical data about 45 cases of early-stage penile cancer treated by PSS from January 2007 to December 2014. We calculated the rate of local recurrence-free survival by the Kaplan-Meier method, and conducted univariate and multivariate COX regression analyses on the relevant factors including the patient's age, marital status, tumor location, tumor size, postoperative sexual life, histological grade, and TNM stage.

RESULTSOne-year and three-year local recurrence-free survival rates were 95.5% and 52.2%, respectively. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the histological grade (P = 0.039) and postoperative sexual life (P = 0.049) were independent factors for the prognosis of PSS. Logistic regression showed the patients age to be significantly associated with histological grade (P = 0.014).

CONCLUSIONHistological grade and postoperative sexual life are important independent prognostic factors of PSS for early-stage penile cancer, and the patients age is associated with the prognosis of PSS through its influence on the tumor grade.

Age Factors ; Disease-Free Survival ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Grading ; Organ Sparing Treatments ; Penile Neoplasms ; surgery ; Penis ; surgery ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Quality of Life ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation of the deleted azoospermia (DAZ) gene copy related to gr/gr and b2/b3 deletions in the AZFc region with male spermatogenic impairment.

METHODSThis study included 121 infertile men with different de- grees of spermatogenic impairment and 95 healthy donors from the sperm bank. Using PCR, PCR-RFLP, and Y chromosome specific sequence tagged sites (STS) , we analyzed the association of DAZ gene copy deletions related to gr/gr and b2/b3 deletions in the AZFc region with spermatogenic impairment.

RESULTSThere were 15 cases of gr/gr deletion (12. 40% ) and 6 cases of b2/b3 deletion (4.96%) in the infertility group as compared with 13 cases of gr/gr deletion (13.68%) and 1 case of b2/b3 deletion (1.05%) in the control. Analysis of the DAZ-specific single nucleotide variant (SNV) loci revealed 11 gr/gr-DAZI/DAZ2 deletions (9.09%), 4 gr/gr-DAZ3/DAZ4 deletions (3.31%), and 6 b2/b3-DAZ1/DAZ2 deletions (4.96%) in the infertile men in comparison with 3 gr/ gr-DAZ1/DAZ2 deletions (3.16%), 10 gr/gr-DAZ3/DAZ4 deletions (10.53%), and 1 b2/b3- DAZ3/DAZ4 deletion (1.05%) in the control.

CONCLUSIONPartial deletions of gr/gr and b2/b3 exist in both healthy men and male patients with different degrees of spermatogenic impairment and cannot be considered as a risk factor for spermatogenesis impairment. However, deletions of different DAZ duplicons in gr/gr and b2/b3 deletions have different effects on spermatogenesis. DAZ1/DAZ2 instead of DAZ3/DAZ4 deletions might be associated with spermatogenesis impairment.

Deleted in Azoospermia 1 Protein ; Gene Deletion ; Gene Dosage ; Humans ; Male ; RNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Spermatogenesis ; genetics

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common malignant tumors as well as a frequent cause of cancer-related mortality in men worldwide. The test of serum markers has dramatically improved the early diagnosis of PCa, but its underlying molecular mechanisms are not yet completely identified. Long noncoding RNA (IncRNA) is emerging as a new player in the PCa paradigm demonstrating its potential roles in both oncogenic and tumor suppressive pathways. LncRNA is frequently aberrantly expressed in the majority of PCa cases. This review highlights recent findings of the aberrant expression of lncRNA in PCa and discusses its novel roles in the diagnosis, prediction, prognosis, metastasis, and potential clinical treatment of PCa.
Humans ; Male ; Prognosis ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; RNA, Long Noncoding ; metabolism

The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating effects of sense of coherence and social support in the relationship between uncertainty and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in elderly patients who underwent with total knee arthroplasty. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted with 186 patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty. Data were collected from September 17 to October 16, 2019 through structured questionnaires and analyzed with descriptive statistics, the independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and a parallel redundant mediated model in the PROCESS macro using SPSS version 27.0. Results: The mean scores of uncertainty, sense of coherence, social support, and HRQoL were 100.72, 49.77, 93.77, and 41.61. The direct effect of uncertainty on HRQoL and the indirect effect of uncertainty, mediated by sense of coherence and social support, on HRQoL were statistically significant. Conclusion: These results indicate that in order to increase the HRQoL of elderly patients who undergo total knee arthroplasty, it is necessary to develop an intervention program that focuses both on reducing uncertainty and on improving patients’ sense of coherence and social support.

OBJECTIVETo compare therapeutic effects between arthroscopic medial retinaculum plication and plaster external fixation for the treatment of acute patellar dislocation.

METHODSFrom February 2006 to October 2012,29 patients with acute patellar dislocation were divided into two groups: operation group and non-operation group. The patellar dislocation duration was 2 weeks. In operation group, there were 7 males and 10 females, with an average age of (16.2 ± 6.2) years old, and the patients were treated with arthroscopic medial retinaculum plication. In non-operation group, there were 5 males and 7 females,with an average age of (16.3 ± 5.0) years old,and the patients were treated with plaster external fixation. The Kujala scores, patellar tilt angle measured on CT film, apprehension test and recurrence rate of patellar instability were observed before and 1 year after treatment.

RESULTSIn operation group, the pre-treatment and post-treatment patellar tilt angles had no statistical difference, but the post-treatment Kujala score was lower than that of pre-treatment; while in non-operation group, the post-treatment patellar tilt angle was larger than that of pre-treatment, and the post-treatment Kujala score was lower than that of pre-treatment. At 1 year after treatment, the patellar tilt angle (21.2 ± 5.3) of patients in non-operation group was larger than (13.5 ± 3.5) of operation group, and the Kujala score 73.3 ± 10.5 of patient in non-operation group was lower than 84.1 ± 5.6 of operation group.

CONCLUSIONDuring 1 year after operation, arthroscopic medical retinaculum plication is a more effective treatment for acute patellar dislocation compared with plaster external fixation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Arthroscopy ; Case-Control Studies ; Casts, Surgical ; Child ; Female ; Fracture Fixation ; Humans ; Male ; Patellar Dislocation ; surgery ; therapy ; Patellar Ligament ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo determine the expression of Skp2 in different prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines and tissues, and explore its influence on the androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathway and development of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

METHODSThe expression levels of Skp2 and AR in different PCa cell lines were detected by Western blot. After knockdown of Skp2 in the C4-2 and 22RV1 cells transfected with shRNA, the expressions of AR and P27 were determined and the activity of ARR3-Luc measured by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay following treatment with dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The expressions of AR and Skp2 in human naïve PCa or CRPC specimens were detected by immunohistochemical staining followed by analysis of their differences and correlation.

RESULTSThe Skp2 protein expression level was significantly higher in the C4-2 or 22RV1 cells than in the LNCaP cells. DHT treatment increased the expression of Skp2 in the C4-2 cells, but knock-down of Skp2 significantly up-regulated the expression of the well-known downstream protein P27 and down-regulated that of AR. Consistently, DHT treatment increased the activity of ARR3-Luc, while knockdown of Skp2 remarkably decreased it in the C4-2 and 22RV1 cells (P < 0.05). In addition, significantly higher expressions of Skp2 and AR were observed in the CRPC than in the naïve specimens (P < 0.05), with a positive correlation between the two proteins (r = 0.658 1, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSkp2 can enhance the expression and transcription activity of the AR protein in CRPC cells or tissues and is promising to be a critical molecular therapeutic target.

Androgens ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Dihydrotestosterone ; pharmacology ; Disease Progression ; Gene Knockdown Techniques ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant ; metabolism ; Receptors, Androgen ; genetics ; metabolism ; S-Phase Kinase-Associated Proteins ; physiology ; Transcriptional Activation ; Up-Regulation

Animals ; Humans ; MicroRNAs ; physiology ; RNA, Small Interfering ; physiology ; RNA, Untranslated ; physiology

Background Bulbar conjunctiva tissue appears to be thinning,elasticity declined,tension reduced and fascia atrophied in conjunctivochalasis.Histopathological examination of conjunctivochalasis shows decrease of elastic fibers and melt of collagen fibers.But there are fewer studies on the ultrastructure of conjunctiva of conjunctivochalasis up to now.Objective This study was to investigate the ultrastructure change of conjunctiva tissue in conjunctivochalasis.Methods Five loose conjunctiva samples of conjunctivochalasis and 5 normal conjunctival tissue samples were collected and ultra-microstructure changes of these samples were observed under the transmission electron microscope.Results The number of fibroblasts in conjunctivochalasis lamina was progressively decreased.The shape of fibroblasts was long and fusiform.Somatic synapse was slim.Nucleus-cytoplasm ratio was increased.Disorder,scattered and broken of the collagen fibril were seen,and some areas were dissolved or lacunae.Normal conjunctival fibroblasts were oval or polygonal,with wieners and long somatic synapse,and intercellular matrix was full of collagen fibril and dense arranged fibers.Fibroblasts in fascia of eonjunctivochalasis were linear,and collagen fibril was seriously defected.Fascia fibroblasts of normal bulbar conjunctiva were spindleshaped and bigger than conjunctivochalasis fibroblasts.There were full of collagen fibrils in intercellular matrix.Conclusions The collagen fibril is decreased and fibroblast cells are degenerated in lamina and fascia of conjunctivochalasis.