OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of male age on the pregnancy outcomes of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed 7,533 cycles of IVF-ET performed between January 1, 2009 and October 31, 2013. We divided the samples into three groups according to the female age (< 30, 30-34, and 35-38 yr), each again subdivided into six groups based on the male age (< 30, 30-32, 33-35, 36-38, 39-41, and ≥ 42 yr). We compared the rates of implantation, pregnancy, miscarriage, and live birth among different age groups.

RESULTSThere were no statistically significant differences in basal E2, FSH, endometrium thickness on the day of hCG administration, number of oocytes retrieved, and days of embryo transfer among different male age groups (P > 0.05). The implantation rate showed an age-dependent decrease in the < 30, 30-32, 33-35, 36-38, 39-41, and ≥ 42 yr male groups, 41.1, 42.0, 39.5, 31.3, 40.7, and 48.6% among the women aged < 30 years (P < 0.05), 40.3, 36.4, 35.1, 35.3, 29.4, and 37.3% among the women aged 30-34 years (P < 0.05), and 48.2, 17.8, 25.3, 23.5, 22.1, and 23.8% among the women aged 35-38 years (P < 0.05). The miscarriage rate was significantly higher in the ≥ 39 yr than in the 30-32 and 33-35 yr male age groups among the women aged 30-34 years (P < 0.05), but showed no remarkable differences among the other male age groups in the women aged < 30 and 35-38 years (P > 0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed in the rates of pregnancy and live birth among different male age groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMale age has some influence on the rates of implantation and miscarriage but not on the rates of pregnancy and live birth in IVF-ET.

Abortion, Spontaneous ; epidemiology ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Embryo Implantation ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Male ; Oocyte Retrieval ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy Rate ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Factors

Objective To study the anti-neuroglioma effect of methyl-mercuric chloride(MMC) by observing the morphological changes of apoptotic neuroglioma cells induced with MMC in rats with brain neuroglioma.Methods The rat models of neuroglioma were established,and divided into two groups.The rats in experimental group were lavaged with MMC 1 week after injected with C6 glioma cells,10 mg?kg-1every day,the rats in control group were treated with sodium chloride at the same dose.24 d after inoculation all rats were sacrificed except natural death,the brain tissues were obtained,and the pathohistological changes were observed under light microscope and transmission electron microscope.Results The macropathological result showed that the tumor volume in experimental group was smaller than that in control group.Under light microscope,in experimental group the growth density of C6 ghioma cells was lower than that in control group,and the apoptotic cells with smaller volume and karyopyknosis were found.The result of transmission electron microscope showed that in experimental group,the glioma cells had some changes such as karyopyknosis,chromoplasm margination,nuclear fragmentation and vacuolar degeneration and so on.Conclusion MMC has inhibitory effect on the proliferation of C6 glioma in rats in vivo,its mechanism may be related to inducing the apoptosis of neuroglioma cells.

This study was aimed to establish a fast determination method of main components in honey. Honey samples from difference production bases were used as study objects. Transmission and reflection spectra of different honey samples were collected with the Fourier transform near infrared spectrometer. The main components in honey (moisture content, fructose content, glucose content and reducing sugar content) were detected by the near infrared quantitative analysis technique. The near infrared quantitative analysis models of moisture content, fructose content, glucose content and reducing sugar content in honey were established by the partial least squares (PLS). The results showed that the correlation coefficient (r) of the moisture content, fructose content, glucose content and reducing sugar content in honey were 0.997 25, 0.973 90, 0.927 94 and 0.952 68, respectively. The root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) were 0.165 (%), 0.564 (%), 1.300 (%) and 1.270 (%), respectively. It was concluded that determination of main components in honey by the near-infrared spectroscopy technology was a fast and nondestructive determination method with high accuracy, which can be used in the quantitative detection of main components in honey.

AIM:By analyzing optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) characteristics of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and comparing the differences of CSC between OCTA and indocyanine green angiography(ICGA), to explore if OCTA can substitute ICGA for diagnosis of CSC patients, and guide the treatment of photodynamic therapy (PDT).METHODS: We reviewed 30 eyes of 30 patients with CSC, who were diagnosed by fluorescein angiography (FFA) and ICGA at Beijing Tongren Eye Center from November 2015 to March 2016.All patients underwent best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measurement, intraocular pressure, slit-lamp examination, indirect ophthalmoscope, color fundus photography, FFA, ICGA and OCTA.FFA and ICGA were captured by Spectralis HRA + OCT (Spectralis HRA + OCT;Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany).OCTA was performed by RTVue XR Avanti device (OptovueInc, Fremont, CA) with 6mm×6mm Angio Retina mode.The software (version 2017.100.0.1;OptovueInc) automatically segmented the tissue into four layers, the characteristics of choriocapillaris layer were analyzed.At the same time, the differences between OCTA and ICGA images were compared among CSC patients.The maximum diameters and areas of both choroidal hyperperfusion in ICGA and high flow signal in OCTA were measured.Then, the paired t test was used to analyze the differences between the maximum diameter and area of OCTA and ICGA measurement.RESULTS: Among 30 cases, high blood flow signals of OCTA were clearly visible in 27 cases, namely the coarse grain region;the inner low flow signals surrounded by high blood flow signals were seen in 21 cases;the outer low flow signals surrounding high blood flow signals were seen in 7 cases.High blood flow signals of OCTA were corresponded with the choroidal hyperperfusion of ICGA images;among these 30 cases, there were low reflection shadows in choroidal hyperperfusion with ICGA for 22 cases, for 21 cases out of these 22 cases, low flow signals inside of high flow signals of OCTA could be seen;9 out of 30 cases, there were low reflection halo outside of choroidal hyperperfusion of ICGA, and 7 out of these 9 cases, low flow signals outside of high flow signals of OCTA could be seen;still for those 30 cases, leakage point in late ICGA could be seen with 14 cases, however, special flow signals in OCTA could not be seen for them.For ICGA, the maximum diameter of choroidal hyperperfusion was 1.589±0.295mm, whose area was 0.705±0.131mm2;while for OCTA, the maximum diameter of high flow signal was 1.576±0.293mm, whose area was 0.745±0.138mm2.By using paired t test, there was no statistical difference between the maximum diameter of choroidal hyperperfusion in ICGA and the maximum diameter of high flow signal in OCTA, nor difference between the area of ICGA and OCTA.CONCLUSION: The high flow signals can be clearly visible in OCTA, which are corresponded with choroidal hyperperfusion in ICGA.OCTA can substitute ICGA for diagnosis of CSC patients, and guide the treatment of PDT.

Objective To explore the change of S-100? and glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)in serum after seizure and medication in children with epilepsy.Methods Serum protein level of S-100? and GFAP were determined by double antibody sandwish enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)in 41 cases with epilepsy and 30 healthy children.The specimen of venous blood were taken by 24 hours after seizure,4 weeks,12 weeks after medicine and their supernate preserved at-80 ℃ after centrifugat.Results Twenty-four hours after seizure,protein level of S-100?,GFAP in serum was significantly higher than that of control group(Pa0.05).Four weeks after medication,protein level of S-100?,GFAP in serum of epileptic group decreased,but still higher than that in control group,and the difference was significant(P

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Zhibai Dihuang Decoction (ZDD) on mRNA and protein expressions of transient receptor potential family vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1) and transient receptor potential family vanilloid subtype 5 (TRPV5) in Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU)-infected rat semens and spermatogenic cells, and to explore the pathomechanism of UU-infected infertility and the intervention of ZDD.

METHODSTotally 45 were randomly selected from 60 4-5 months old SD rats. UU testicular infected animal models were set up after bladder inoculation of UU suspension. The remaining 15 rats were simultaneously injected with normal saline as a normal control group. After a successful modeling, UU infected model rats were randomly divided into the model group, the azithromycin group, and the ZDD group, 15 in each group. Rats in the ZDD group were administered with ZDD at the daily dose of 1 g/kg by gastrogavage. Rats in the azithromycin group were administered with azithromycin suspension at the daily dose of 0. 105 mg/kg by gastrogavage. Equal volume of normal saline was administered to rats in the normal control group and the model group. All medication was performed once daily for 21 successive days. Testes and epididymis were extracted after rats were killed and UU positive rates were compared among all groups. Sperm cells were separated using a mechanical separation technique. Sperm motility parameters were detected using color sperm motion detection system. mRNA and protein expressions of TRPV1 and TRPV5 in spermatogenic cells were determined by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot.

RESULTSThe UU positive rate was obviously higher in the model group than in the normal control group [(86.7% (13/15 cases) vs. 0] P < 0.05). It was lower in the ZDD group [33.3% (5/15 cases)] and the azithromycin group [26.7% (4/15 cases)] than in the model group (P < 0.05). Compared with the normal control group, class A and B sperms were reduced, the linear velocity and the average velocity were significantly lowered, mRNA and protein expressions of TRPV1 and TRPV5 in spermated genic cells significantly decreased in the model group (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, class A and B sperms were increased, linear and curve velocities and the average velocity were significantly elevated, mRNA and protein expressions of TRPV1 and TRPV5 significantly increased in the ZDD group and the azithromycin group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with azithromycin group, class A and B sperms were increased, the linear velocity and the average velocity were significantly elevated, mRNA and protein expressions of TRPV1 and TRPV5 significantly increased in the ZDD group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONZDD could fight against UU infection and elevate semen quality, which might be associated with up-regulating mRNA and protein expressions of TRPV1 and TRPV5 in spermatogenic cells.

Animals ; Calcium Channels ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Infertility ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; TRPV Cation Channels ; metabolism ; Testis ; Ureaplasma Infections ; Ureaplasma urealyticum

This article proposes the "Efficacy Theory" hypothesis of the traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs): TCMs take effects and weaken toxicities through the additive effects of numerous effective forms (including their constituents or/and metabolites) on a same target, the synergistic effects based on the overall action of the additive effects on individual targets and their toxicities scattering effects. A TCM may include approximately 1000 constituents and each constituent may produce about 100 metabolites in vivo after oral administration. Numerous effective forms of incalculable constituents and their metabolites could work like a "army group" together. When the quantity of a specific target molecule is larger than the pharmaceutical molecules, the molecules of different kinds of effective forms could combine with the target molecules successively, to exert the additive effects. When the target molecules are mostly occupied ("target most spaces occupied"), this TCM begins to work. The additive effects maybe exert not only in concentration but also in a time order way, which gives a sustained efficacy of TCM. The additive effects and the toxicities scattering effects are resulted from the same effective groups and not identical toxic groups among different effective form molecules. The "toxicities scattering effect" can be used to explain the non-toxic TCMs, but not fit for toxic TCMs. The efficacy theory showed that the variety of constituents and metabolites may participate in the process of pharmacodynamic actions, including the additive effects, synergy effects and toxicities scattering effects, which may be useful for explaining and developing the characteristic advantage of the TCMs. The questions we need to study or confirm are as follows: What are the TCMs' pharmacodynamic substance basis and mechanism made up of Why are toxicities of most TCMs' smaller How is the TCMs' "Efficacy Theory" which reflects characteristic advantage of TCMs applied in the research and development of new drugs.
Animals ; Drug Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Pharmaceutical Preparations ; chemistry

Objective Through constructing prokaryotic expression vector pET-30a-GPI-B7-1, to gain purified GPI-B7-1 fusion protein so as to confirm the tumor immune effect. Methods The DNA fragment encoding the signal for GPI-anchor attachment of hPLAP-1 and the cDNA encoding the human costimulatory molecule CD80 ( BT-1 ) were cloned from fresh placenta and human peripheral blood monocytes (PBMC) respectively. The two fragment were annealed to form a fusion gene (GPI-BT-1) by PCR. Then the fusion gene was inserted into the prokaryotic expression vector pET-30a, resulting in pET-30a-GPI-BT-1. Transfer to E. coli BL21, purified fusion protein were analysed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. Results Agarose gel electrophoresis map of GPI and BT-1 PCR products show that GPI goal gene strap was seen at 133bp region and BT-1 goal gene strap at 792 region. Identification of recombinant pET-30a-GPI-B7-1 by restriction enzyme and PCR illustrate two goal fragment for 5000 bp and 900 bp, to realize the expression of fusion gene ( GPI-B7-1 ) at the E. coli BL21. The fusion protein was successfully produced in the pET expression system induced by IPTG and purified by Ni2 + -NTA agarose column. By SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis, the observed molecular weight of the fusion protein was 38 kDa. Conclusion The purified GPI-B7-1 fusion protein can be obtained from E. coli BL21 transfered by prokaryotic expression vector pET-30a-GPI-B7-1, which will prove useful tool for the study of tumor immune therapy.

This study aims to investigate the biotransformation of Epimedium brevicornu flavonoids under the effect of hydrolytic enzymes in vitro. Snailase was mainly used to hydrolyze E. brevicornu flavonoids, and HPLC was used to determine the content of the main flavonoids in E. brevicornu flavonoids. The data results showed that the main known flavonoids included icariin, epimedin A, epi-mendin B and epimendin C, which were completely transformed into baohuoside I, sagittatoside A, sagittatoside B and 2"-O-rhamnosyl-icariside II in 1-2 h, respectively. Their transformed products were continuously hydrolyzed over time. In conclusion, snailase could transform E. brevicornu flavonoids into secondary glycoside or aglycone under 37 degrees C in pH 6.0 HBSS balanced salt solution in 2 h. Moreover, its enzymatic hydrolysates were consistent with intestinal metabolites.
Biotransformation ; Epimedium ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; metabolism ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hydrolases ; metabolism ; Hydrolysis ; Temperature