Objective To explore the relationship between sperm DNA fragmentation rates and male infertil-ity.Methods Case -control study was used .Sperm DNA fragmentation rates were compared between the primary infertile males for unknown reasons (n=126) and the males whose spouses undergoing delivery in three months (n=100).Results Sperm DNA fragmentation rate of the research group was (11.95 ±4.89) %.Sperm DNA fragmenta-tion rate of the control group was (10.07 ±3.56) %.Significant difference was found between the two groups on sperm DNA fragmentation rate(t=-3.326,P=0.001).The 226 men were divided into group A with sperm DNA fragmentation rates<10%(n=130) and group B with sperm DNA fragmentation rates≥10%(n=96).The percent-age of male infertility in group A was significantly lower than that in group B (50.00%vs 61.62%) (χ2 =4.105, P=0.043).Conclusion Correlation is found between sperm DNA fragmentation rates and male infertility .

AIM: To study the difference in glucose and lactate levels between brain extracellular fluid (ECF) and plasma in rabbits in the different blood glucose levels. METHODS: Using intracerebral microdialysis technology, brain ECF levels of glucose and lactate were measured in every 10 min under basal conditions and during a hyperglycemia-hypoglycemia clamp study. RESULTS: Under basal condition, brain ECF glucose levels were markedly lower than ambient plasma levels (30% of plasma), whereas ECF lactate levels were substantially higher (165% of plasma). During the hyperglycemia-hypoglycemia clamps, the relationship between plasma and ECF levels of glucose remained similar, but changes in ECF glucose lagged about 30 min. There were no substantially changes in ECF levels of lactate during dynamical study. CONCLUSION: There are striking differences in glucose and lactate levels between brain ECF and plasma. Lactate may involve in the metabolic process of central nervous system.

Objective To investigate the efficacy of HLA-matched ABO-incompatible sibling al- logeneic peripheral blood stern cell transplantation(allo-PBSCT)in treatment of hematologic malig- nancies.Methods Between June 2001 and September 2005,68 patients with hematologic malignancies received allo-PBSCT from HLA-identical sibling donors.Among them,38 were ABO-compatible (ABO-compatible group),30 ABO-incompatible(ABO-incompatible group).Conditioning regimen of all patients:BU/CY used as conditioning regimen in AML,MDS and CML patients;TBI/CY used in ALL and NHL patients.TBI/CY/Melphan used in MM patients.GVHD prophylaxis:A combination of cyclosporine(CsA)and mycophenolate mofetil(MMF)and methotrexate(MTX)was administered for GVHD prophylaxis.Results (1)Sixty-seven patients were all engrafted,and only one patient was graft failure.The median time(range)to neutrophils≥0.5?10~9/L and platelets≥20?10~9/L was +12(+9～+15)and+21(+15～+40)days post-transplant respectively.The time to neutrophil and platelet engraftment had no significant difference between ABO-incompatible group and ABO-com- patible group(P＞0.05);(2)Thirty patients with ABO-incompatible allo-PBSCT had no evidence of hemolysis.In ABO-incompatible group,the onset of erythropoiesis after allo-PBSCT was delayed. Three of 7 patients with blood group“O”receiving a group“A”developed pure red cell aplasia (PRCA).The blood type of 30 patients would transfer to the type of donors in 60 days(24～153 days)after transplantation.(3)Following up to 30th,Sep.2005,the incidence of aGVHD was high- er in ABO-incompatible group(20.0%)than that in ABO-compatible group(2.6%,P=0.019). The incidence of cGVHD,VOD,HC,CMV infection,disease relapsed rates and mortality had no sig- nificant difference between ABO-incompatible and ABO-compatible recipients(P＞0.05).(4)Kaplan- Meier survival analysis revealed the rates of survival had no significant difference between ABO-incom- patible and ABO-compatible recipients(P＞0.05).Conclusions ABO-incompatible allo-PBSCT is fairly safe if there is indication.Although the incidence of aGVHD was higher in ABO-incompatible group than that in ABO-compatible group,but there was no effect on engraftment,incidence of cGVHD or prognosis.

This study was performed to investigate the chemical constituents in the twigs and leaves of Harrisonia perforate. Six compounds were isolated from the 95% EtOH extract of the twigs and leaves of Harrisonia perforate by silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographies and preparative HPLC. On the basis of chemical properties and spectra data, these compounds were identified as harriperfin E (1), kihadanin A (2), kihadanin B (3), 6α-acetoxyobacunol acetate (4), gardaubryone C (5), and β-sitosterol methyl ether (6), respectively. Compound 1 is a new chromone, and compounds 2-6 are isolated from this plant for the first time.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Phytochemicals ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Simaroubaceae ; chemistry

Objective To study the auditory perception and speech ability outcomes after cochlear implantation in prelingually deaf children with extremely severe neurosensory hearing loss and comorbid leukoencephalopathy.Methods Our study included 14 prelingually deaf children with leukoencephalopathy (confirmed by preoperative MRI scanning) who were treated with cochlear implantation in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery of Hainan Provincial People''s Hospital, including 8 males and 6 females of 1~6 yr with a mean age of 3.8 yr.Sixteen synchronous prelingually deaf children without central nervous system (CNS) diseases were also included as the control group, including 11 males and 5 females of 1~6 yr with a mean age of 4.4 yr.All the patients underwent pre-surgical assessments of audiology, radiology, speech ability and intelligence before cochlear implantation via transmastoid facial nerve recess approach was done, after which rehabilitation was provided at the Hainan Rehabilitation Center for Deaf Children.Categories of auditory performance (CAP) and speech intelligibility rate (SIR) were employed as the assessment criteria for the outcome of surgery, the scores of which at different timepoints after surgery were statistically compared through paired t-test between the two groups.Results All the patients gained post-surgical hearing and speech abilities to different degrees, whereas CAP and SIR scores both chronologically improved in the both groups.No statistical difference was revealed either in CAP or in SIR scores between the two groups at 6, 12 and 24 months after surgery (P>0.05).Conclusion Children with extremely severe neurosensory hearing loss can be reated with cochlear implantation even if they have comorbid leukoencephalopathy.The effects of auditory and speech rehabilitation for the same age patients with leukoencephalopathy are similar to those without leukoencephalopathy in 2 years after surgery.

OBJECTIVETo discuss the clinical effects of using rotating hinge prosthesis in treating primary malignant tumor of the proximal tibia.

METHODSAfter the malignant tumor of the proximal tibia was extensively resected or radically resected, rotating hinge prosthesis replacement was performed for reconstruction, while neoadjuvant chemotherapy was used in treating the osteosarcoma.

RESULTSThe average follow-up period was 4.2 years. There was no local recurrence and metastasis in 22 patients, though there was recurrence in 8 patients. The MSTS functional scores of all different items 4 years after the operations were above 3, which showed the clinical results were satisfactory.

CONCLUSIONSIt is an efficacious method for the treatment of malignant tumor of the proximal tibia by using rotating hinge prosthesis. It has the advantage of early recovery of joint function.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; methods ; Bone Neoplasms ; surgery ; therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee Prosthesis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tibia ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo explore and analyze the cognitive quality of professional divers.

METHODS165 professional divers were tested with Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM), 80.8 Neural Type Measuring Form, etc. with 230 common people, 49 sailors and 66 trainee divers as control.

RESULTSThere were significant difference among professional divers of different ages in the type of nerve activity, cognitive style, action stability, memory span, time reaction, the perception of space, act of attention and dark adaptation (P < 0.05); Over all, the cognitive quality of professional divers did not differ significantly in education level or working years (P < 0.05); Professional divers were superior to the common people in depth perception, cognitive style, act of attention, action stability, the perception of space and dark adaptation, but inferior to them in intelligence, memory span and time reaction (P < 0.05); There were significant difference in such cognitive indicators as the type of nerve activity, depth perception, kinesthetic memory, cognitive style, the perception of space and dark adaptation (P < 0.05); Compared with the trainee divers, professional divers were significantly better in the type of nerve activity, cognitive style, act of attention, action stability and the perception of space (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAs a specified profession, diving needs some particular cognitive quality, while the profession itself would affect professional divers' cognitive ability to a certain extent.

Adult ; Cognition ; Diving ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Military Personnel ; psychology ; Occupations ; Perception ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prognostic factors of young, middle-age and old-age colorectal cancer patients in order to improve the treatment in the future.

METHODSColorectal cancer patients (n = 842) who had undergon curative resection were divided into three groups according their age: young group (< or = 40 years), middle-age group (41 to 64 years) and old group (> o = 65 years). Thirty-five clinical factors in the three groups were analyzed and compared by univariate survival and multivariate analysis. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used with SPSS statistic software.

RESULTSThe overall 5-, 10- and 15-year survival rates were 66.3%, 54.2% and 48.5% respectively. The 5- and 10-year survival rates were 53.0% and 42.7% in the young group, which were lower than those in the other two groups. Cox proportional hazards regression model demonstrated that Dukes stage and family history of cancer were common prognostic factors in both young and middle-age groups; chronic constipation was an independent prognostic factor in middle-age group; bowel obstruction, length of operating time and number of metastatic lymph nodes were prognostic factors in the older group. In the young group, the symptomatic duration was not demonstrated as a prognostic factor. The 5- and 10-year survival rates were 82.6% and 64.5% in Dukes A stage; 73.3% and 67.4% in B stage; 37.3% and 27.0% in C stage; 33.3% and 22.2% in D stage. The survival rates in Dukes A and B stages were similar, but in Dukes C and D stages they were lower than those of the middle-age and older groups if the patient had the same stage of disease. In the young colorectal cancer patients with family cancer history, the 5- and 10-year survival rates were 73.1% and 64.5%, which were better than those of patients without it (48.1% and 37.3%).

CONCLUSIONIn young colorectal cancer patients, the survival rate is lower than those in the middle-age and old patients. Family cancer history and/or advanced Dukes stage are poor prognostic factors, whereas the symptomatic duration is not demonstrated as a poor prognostic factor. The prognostic factors affecting the survival after surgical treatment may be different in different age groups of colorectal cancer patients.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; mortality ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of acitretin on the expression of signaling pathway-related genes in an epidermal squamous-cell carcinoma cell line.

METHODSThe mRNA expression levels of STAT3, cyclin D1 and p42/44MAPK were detected in a human epidermal carcinoma cell line A431 by RT-PCR. Their expressions at protein level were studied by Western blot. The expression levels were studied in cells treated with or without 10(-5) mol/L acitretin at different time intervals.

RESULTS(1) Acitretin could significantly inhibit the expression of STAT3 and cyclin D1 mRNA in a time-dependent manner (P < 0.05). The STAT3 and cyclin D1 protein expression levels were down-regulated. Acitretin could also down-regulate the p42/4MAPK mRNA expression. (2) After incubation with acitretin, the mRNA level of cyclin D1 cells was positively correlated with that of STAT3 (P < 0.05). The cyclin D1 protein level was also positively correlated with that of STAT3 (P < 0.05). However there was no correlation of mRNA levels between cyclin D1 and p42/44MAPK.

CONCLUSIONRegulation of the Jak/STAT3 signaling pathway may play an important role in the effect of acitretin on epidermal squamous-cell carcinoma cells. The abnormal expression of STAT3 can be regarded as a prerequisite for acitretin treatment effect.

Acitretin ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cyclin D1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Down-Regulation ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Signal Transduction

To study the effect of interleukin-15 (IL-15) on the proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of MDS CD34(+) cells, CD34(+) cells of high enrichment were separated by MACS system, and cultured in liquid media with different concentration of IL-15 in treated group and without IL-15 in the control group. Apoptosis of hematopoietic precursors was assayed by propidium iodine staining and cell by FCM, and the other MDS CD34(+) cells were stained by cytochemical staining after culture. The results showed that after culture with IL-15 the proliferation and differentiation of MDS CD34(+) cells were obviously promoted. It was found the every lineage of mature cells developed, the expressions of cell surface antigens CD71, CD33 and CD19 all increased in the MDS CD34(+) cell treated with IL-15. It is suggested that IL-15 stimulates the proliferation and differentiation of MDS CD34(+) cells, and partly shows anti-apoptosis effects which may be applicable to the therapy MDS.
Antigens, CD ; immunology ; Antigens, CD19 ; immunology ; Antigens, CD34 ; immunology ; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic ; immunology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Bone Marrow Cells ; drug effects ; immunology ; pathology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Interleukin-15 ; pharmacology ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; blood ; immunology ; pathology ; Receptors, Transferrin ; immunology ; Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 3