Anaplasmosis ; complications ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Lyme Disease ; complications

Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Dose Fractionation ; Female ; Humans ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; adverse effects ; Neoplasm Staging ; Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Radiotherapy, Conformal ; methods ; Respiration ; Seroma ; etiology ; pathology ; Surgical Instruments ; Tumor Burden

The diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer are being improved due to the popularized screening of prostate specific antigen. Advanced prostate cancer, in spite of its response to androgen deprivation therapy, may finally develop into castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and shorten the overall survival of the patients. Many efforts have been made by worldwide researchers for new approaches to the management of CRPC, including new hormonal therapy, cytotoxic chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and bone metastasis-targeted therapy. This paper reviews the emerging agents undergoing clinical evaluation and drugs that have received approval for the treatment of CRPC in order to provide doctors and patients with more treatment options for CRPC and improve the overall survival rate and quality of life of the patients.
Androgen Antagonists ; Bone Neoplasms ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Male ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant ; therapy ; Quality of Life

Bicuspid ; Dental Pulp Cavity ; pathology ; Humans ; Mandible ; Root Canal Therapy

OBJECTIVETo observe the characteristics of sperm single-stranded DNA breaks (SSB) and double-stranded DNA breaks (DSB) in infertile men, explore the association of DSB with male infertility, and provide a new observation index and idea for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

METHODSThis study involved 60 infertile men (infertility group) and 30 normal healthy males with infertile wives (control group). We comparatively analyzed the seminal parameters of the two groups, determined sperm concentration and viability using the computer aided sperm analysis system, measured the sperm survival rate by hypoosmotic swelling (HOS) test, examined sperm morphology by Diff-Quick staining, and detected sperm DNA damage by two-tail comet assay.

RESULTSNine two-tail comet models were established for detecting sperm DNA integrity. Comparisons between the fertility and control groups showed that the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) was (33.8 ± 13.1) vs (16.3 ± 7.9)% (P < 0.01), the SSB-DFI was (19.2 ± 11.4) vs (14.9 ± 7.6)% (P > 0.05), the SSB-DFI/DFI was (56.8 ± 32.4) vs (91.4 ± 27.8)% (P < 0.01), the DSB-DFI was (23.9 +13.4) vs (6.1 ± 2.7)% (P < 0.01), and the DSB-DFI/DFI was (70.8 ± 19.5) vs (37.4 ± 11.3)% (P < 0.01). The optimal cut-off value of DSB-DFI/DFI in the diagnosis of male infertility was 39.5%, with the AUG, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.969, 98.3%, and 90%; that of DSB-DFI was 15.85%, with the AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.912, 86.7%, and 80%; and that of DFI was 18.65%; with the AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.861, 90%, 70%, respectively. In the infertile men, neither SSB-DFI nor SSB-DFI/DFI exhibited any correlation with semen parameters (P > 0.05); DFI was correlated negatively with the percentage of progressively motile sperm, sperm survival rate, and the percentage of morphologically normal sperm (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), but not correlated with sperm concentration (P > 0.05); both DSB-DFI and DSB-DFI/DFI showed a negative correlation with sperm concentration, sperm survival rate, and the percentages of progressively motile sperm and morphologically normal sperm (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONDouble-stranded, rather than single-stranded DNA breaks, may be a factor inducing male infertility. The type of sperm DNA strand damage is of much reference value for the assessment of male fertility.

Case-Control Studies ; Comet Assay ; DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded ; DNA Breaks, Single-Stranded ; DNA Fragmentation ; Fertility ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Male ; Semen Analysis ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sperm Count ; Spermatozoa ; Staining and Labeling

OBJECTIVETo observe the correlation between constitution of yin deficiency syndrome (YDS) and polymorphism of HLA-DQA1/treatment response of Peg-lFNalpha therapy in HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, and to explore constitution of Chinese medicine (CM) in response of interferon therapy.

METHODSTotally 120 HBeAg positive CHB patients who were treated with Peg-IFNalpha were enrolled, and assigned to YDS group (59 cases) and non-YDS group (61 cases) according to classification of CM constitutions. All patients were subcutaneously injected with Peg-IFNalpha-2b (1.0 microg/kg body weight) or Peg-IFNalpha-2a (180 microg), once per week. Effective efficacy was primarily judged when complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) was obtained at month 6. Those with CR or PR completed 1 year therapeutic course. HLA-DQA1 gene types were detected by polymerase chain reaction sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP). The distribution difference of CM constitutions in patients with CR or PR and their inter-group HLA-DQA1 allele frequency were compared.

RESULTSDifferent treatment responses of Peg-IFNalpha were observed in CHB patients of two different CM constitutions. The ratio of CR + PR was 61.0% (36/59) in YDS group, obviously lower than that in NYDS group [78.7% (48/61), P < 0. 05]. Patients with CR had a lower allele frequency of HLA-DQA1 * 0501 than those with no-response [14.8% (8/54) vs. 30.6% (22/72)] with statistical difference (P < 0.05). Patients with CR had a higher allele frequency of HLA-DQA1 * 0601 than those with no-response [18.5% (10/54) vs. 5.6% (4/72)] with statistical difference (P < 0.05). The allele frequency of HLA-DQA1 * 0301 was lower in YDS group than in non-YDS group [2. 5% (3/118) vs. 9.8% (12/122)] with statistical difference (P < 0.05). The allele frequency of HLA-DQA1 * 0501 was higher in YDS group than in non-YDS group [33.9% (40/118) vs. 18.9% (23/122)] with statistical difference (P < 0.05). Yet statistical significance was lost after adjustment (Pc > 0.05 for both).

CONCLUSIONSBoth constitutions of CM and HLA-DQA1 gene polymorphism af- fect HBeAg positive CHB patients' response to Peg-INFalpha. Constitutions of YDS and HLA-DQA1 * 0501 was not favorable to response, their association needed to be further studied.

Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Gene Frequency ; HLA-DQ alpha-Chains ; genetics ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; therapeutic use ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Polyethylene Glycols ; therapeutic use ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use ; Remission Induction ; Yin Deficiency ; genetics

Adult ; Disease Outbreaks ; Humans ; Metapneumovirus ; Paramyxoviridae Infections ; epidemiology ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; epidemiology ; virology ; Students

Adult ; Air Pollutants, Occupational ; adverse effects ; Chemical Industry ; Female ; Humans ; Insecticides ; adverse effects ; Male ; Maximum Allowable Concentration ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Diseases ; chemically induced ; diagnosis ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; adverse effects ; Phosphorus Compounds ; adverse effects ; Sulfides ; adverse effects

Objective To investigate the spatial learning and memory ability,the changes of indicators of oxidative stress,and their relationship in transgenic APP/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease(APP/PS1 mice). Methods The spatial learning and memory ability were assessed by Morris water maze test,and the activity or content of SOD, GSH-PX, MDA, and protein carbonyl in brain tissues were measured by ELISA in the APP/PS1 and wild type (WT) mice. Furthermore, the relationship between the learning and memory performances and the indicators of oxidative stress was examined. Results No significant difference in the spatial learning was observed between the APP/PS1 and WT mice (P ＜0. 05). The spatial memory which was measured as the percentage of time traveling in the targeted quadrant to the total traveling time was significantlydeclined in the APP/PS1 mice(29. 02 ± 4. 27) % as compared with the WT mice(47. 39 ± 6. 01) %(t =0. 000 ,P ＜0. 05). The percentage of length of traveling in the targeted quadrant to the total length traveled was significantly lower in the APP/PS1 mice(28. 85 ±3.77)% compared with the WT mice(46. 70 ±5.60)% (t =0. 000,P ＜0. 05). These findings indicated that the spatial learning and memory ability of APP/PS1 mice was significantly decreased compared to WT mice. There was no significant difference in activity or content of SOD,GSH-PX,and MDA in brain tissues between the APP/PS1 and WT mice (P ＜ 0. 05), while the content of protein carbonyl was significantly elevated in the APP/PS1 mice (2. 67 ±0. 19) than in the WT mice (2. 38 ±0. 15)(t = 0. 008, P ＜ 0. 05). Correlation analysis revealed that the elevated protein carbonyl was negatively correlated with the percentage of length traveled in the targeted quadrant(r = - 0. 639, P ＜ 0. 05) and the percentage of time traveled in the targeted quadrant(r = - 0. 636 ,P ＜ 0. 05). Conclusion The spatial memory impairment was negatively correlated with the elevated protein carbonyl in the APP/PS1 mice, suggesting that protein carbonylation caused by oxidative stress might play an important role in the development of memory impairment in the early stage of Alzheimer's disease.

OBJECTIVETo compare the difference in strength degradation and morphology damage of two dental ceramic materials after Hertzian contact cyclic fatigue.

METHODSHertzian contact technique was used to investigate the response of Empress II glass ceramic and GI- II glass-infiltrated alumina ceramic to cyclic fatigue. Critical loads of specimens after different fatigue cycles were recorded.

RESULTSFor Empress II glass ceramic, critical load had significantly difference between specimens after 10(5) cycles loading. No significant difference of critical load was found in GI- II glass-infiltrated alumina ceramic after cycles loading.

CONCLUSIONGI- II glass-infiltrated alumina ceramic has better capability in resistance to cyclic loading. It may attribute to microstructure of material. Empress II glass ceramic shows a brittle damage model.

Aluminum Oxide ; Aluminum Silicates ; Ceramics ; Dental Porcelain ; Glass ; Humans ; Materials Testing