OBJECTIVE: To investigate the quantity and species distribution of diatoms in Chuanyang River of Pudong new area of Shanghai and provide references for the invesitigation of water body in forensic practice. METHODS: The water samples collected from 15 areas in Chuanyang River of Pudong new area in September 2012 were examined by microscope to identify the species of diatoms. RESULTS: Cyclotella and Pinnularia were found to be the dominant species within the 12 species of diatoms in Chuanyang River, which showed differences in species among the sections of Huangpu River, the center and the East China Sea. CONCLUSION The differences in subsectional distribution of diatom species in Chuanyang River may provide a new foundation for forensic identification in drowning cases especially in the determination of falling location.
China ; Diatoms ; Drowning ; Forensic Medicine ; Fresh Water ; Rivers

Twenty-four-month-old male C57BL/6 mice with low serum testosterone levels were used as a late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) animal model for examining the effects of velvet antler polypeptide (VAP) on sexual function and testosterone synthesis. These mice received VAP for 5 consecutive weeks by daily gavage at doses of 100, 200, or 300 mg kg-1 body weight per day (n = 10 mice per dose). Control animals (n = 10) received the same weight-based volume of vehicle. Sexual behavior and testosterone levels in serum and interstitial tissue of testis were measured after the last administration of VAP. Furthermore, to investigate the mechanisms of how VAP affects sexual behavior and testosterone synthesis in vivo, the expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), cytochrome P450 cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc), and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) in Leydig cells was also measured by immunofluorescence staining and quantitative real-time PCR. As a result, VAP produced a significant improvement in the sexual function of these aging male mice. Serum testosterone level and intratesticular testosterone (ITT) concentration also increased in the VAP-treated groups. The expression of StAR, P450scc, and 3β-HSD was also found to be enhanced in the VAP-treated groups compared with the control group. Our results suggested that VAP was effective in improving sexual function in aging male mice. The effect of velvet antler on sexual function was due to the increased expression of several rate-limiting enzymes of testosterone synthesis (StAR, P450scc, and 3β-HSD) and the following promotion of testosterone synthesis in vivo.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between the serum HBV DNA loads normalized to hepatic parenchyma cell volume and the liver histopathologic inflammation gradings in the immune clearance phase during the natural history of hepatitis B.

METHODSSerum HBV DNA loads were detected by fluorescence polymerase chain reaction and normalized to hepatic parenchyma cell volume. The association between normalized HBV DNA loads and liver inflammation histopathologic grade were analyzed.

RESULTSThe serum HBV DNA loads in patients with liver inflammation histopathologic grading 1, 2, 3 and 4 were 8.20*10(5)+/-9.11*10, 1.36*10(6)+/-5.96*10, 8.12*10(5)+/-8.01*10 and 2.08*10(6)+/-3.69*10 copies/ml, respectively (P more than 0.05). But the serum HBV DNA loads normalized to hepatic parenchyma cell volume in their located fibrosis stage were 9.24*10(8)+/-935, 5.33*10(9)+/-756, 1.06*10(10)+/-1770 and 3.31*10(11)+/-518 copies/ml, respectively (P less than 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe serum HBV DNA load normalized to hepatic parenchyma cell volume in patients with different fibrosis stages is associated with liver histopathologic inflammation gradings.

Adult ; Automatic Data Processing ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; immunology ; pathology ; virology ; Humans ; Inflammation ; pathology ; virology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; pathology ; virology ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Severity of Illness Index ; Viral Load ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo probe into eliminating action of mild moxibustion combined with cupping therapy on athletic fatigue.

METHODSObserve changes of serum creatine kinase activity in gym-athletes with once great intensity training or periodic great intensity training, and the interfering effect of mild moxibustion combined with cupping therapy.

RESULTSThe mild moxibustion combined with cupping therapy has a significant promoting action on recovery of the increased serum creatine kinase activity induced by once great intensity training or periodic great intensity training in gym-athletes.

CONCLUSIONThe method has a better action of eliminating athletic fatigue.

Acupuncture Points ; Adolescent ; Child ; Creatine Kinase ; blood ; Female ; Gymnastics ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Moxibustion

Abstract: Our previous work revealed berberine can significantly enhance the susceptibility of fluconazole against fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans, which suggested that berberine has synergistic antifungal activity with fluconazole. Preliminary SAR of berberine needs to be studied for the possibility of investigating its target and SAR, improving its drug-likeness, and exploring new scaffold. In this work, 13-substitutited benzyl berberine derivatives and N-benzyl isoquinoline analogues were synthesized and characterized by 1H NMR and MS. Their synergetic activity with fluconazole against fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans was evaluated in vitro. The 13-substitutited benzyl berberine derivatives 1a-1e exhibited comparable activity to berberine, which suggested that the introduction of functional groups to C-13 can maintain its activity. The N-benzyl isoquinolines, which were designed as analogues of berberine with its D ring opened, exhibited lower activity than berberine. However, compound 2b, 2c, and 4b showed moderate activity, which indicated that berberine may be deconstructed to new scaffold with synergistic antifungal activity with fluconazole. The results of our research may be helpful to the SAR studies on its other biological activities.
Antifungal Agents ; pharmacology ; Berberine ; pharmacology ; Candida albicans ; drug effects ; Drug Resistance, Fungal ; Drug Synergism ; Fluconazole ; pharmacology ; Isoquinolines ; pharmacology ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests

BACKGROUNDAspermia caused by exogenous testosterone limit its usage in late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) patients desiring fertility. Saikokaryukotsuboreito (SKRBT) is reported to improve serum testosterone and relieve LOH-related symptoms. However, it is unclear whether SKRBT affects fertility. We aimed to examine the effects of SKRBT on spermatogenesis and fertility in aging male mice.

METHODSThirty aging male mice were randomly assigned to three groups. Mice were orally administered with phosphate-buffer solution or SKRBT (300 mg/kg, daily) or received testosterone by subcutaneous injections (10 mg/kg, every 3 days). Thirty days later, each male mouse was mated with two female mice. All animals were sacrificed at the end of 90 days. Intratesticular testosterone (ITT) levels, quality of sperm, expression of synaptonemal complex protein 3 (SYCP3), and fertility were assayed.

RESULTSIn the SKRBT-treated group, ITT, quality of sperm, and expression of SYCP3 were all improved compared with the control group (ITT: 85.50 ± 12.31 ng/g vs. 74.10 ± 11.45 ng/g, P = 0.027; sperm number: [14.94 ± 4.63] × 106 cells/ml vs. [8.79 ± 4.38] × 106 cells/ml, P = 0.002; sperm motility: 43.16 ± 9.93% vs. 33.51 ± 6.98%, P = 0.015; the number of SYCP3-positive cells/tubule: 77.50 ± 11.01 ng/ml vs. 49.30 ± 8.73 ng/ml, P < 0.001; the expression of SYCP3 protein: 1.23 ± 0.09 vs. 0.84 ± 0.10, P < 0.001), but fertility was not significantly changed (P > 0.05, respectively). In the testosterone-treated group, ITT, quality of sperm, and expression of SYCP3 were markedly lower than the control group (ITT: 59.00 ± 8.67, P = 0.005; sperm number: [4.34 ± 2.45] × 106 cells/ml, P = 0.018; sperm motility: 19.53 ± 7.69%, P = 0.001; the number of SYCP3-positive cells/tubule: 30.00 ± 11.28, P < 0.001; the percentage of SYCP3-positive tubules/section 71.98 ± 8.88%, P = 0.001; the expression of SYCP3 protein: 0.71 ± 0.09, P < 0.001), and fertility was also suppressed (P < 0.05, respectively).

CONCLUSIONSKRBT had no adverse effect on fertility potential in aging male mice.

Aging ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Fertility ; drug effects ; Hypogonadism ; drug therapy ; Male ; Mice ; Nuclear Proteins ; analysis ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects ; Testis ; drug effects ; pathology ; Testosterone ; blood

Two new labdane diterpenoids were isolated from 95% ethanol extract of the leaves of Callicarpa formosana Rolfe by using silica gel column, MCI column, ODS column and HPLC. Their structures were elucidated by HR-ESI-MS, NMR and ECD spectral data. All of them are new compounds, named 13E-6β-hydroxylabda-8(17),13-dien-15-oic acid (1) and 13E-7α-hydroxylabda-8(17),13-dien-15-oic acid (2). Compounds 1 and 2 were tested for antioxidant activity, and none of them had obvious activity.

Objective To evaluate the clinical application of laparoscopic local resection for gastric tumors.Methods Twenty-three patients with gastric tumors who were performed laparoscopic gastric local resection were retrospectively analyzed with the size of tumor,location of tumor,operative time,blood loss during the operation,time for passage of flatus,post-operative hospital stay,operative complications,post-operative pathological findings and result of follow-up.Results Twenty-three patients were successfully performed laparoscopic local resection,including 8 laparoscopic wedge resection(LWR)and 15 intragastric mucosal resections(IGMR),with no conversion to open surgery.The mean size of gastric tumor was(2.8?1.3)cm,the mean operative time was(82.2?35.5)min,the mean blood loss was(26.5?15.3)mL,the length of incision was(3.1?1.1)cm,the time for passage of flatus was(2.1?0.9)d,and the mean post-operative hospital stay was(7.8?2.0)d.Two patients(8.7%)were found with postoperative gastric mucosal blee-ding and were recovered well through non-operative treatment.The median time of follow-up was 12 months(2-45 months),and no recurrent tumor was observed.Conclusion Laparoscopic local resection is a feasible,safe,effective and less invasive procedure for gastric tumors.

OBJECTIVETo investigate JAK2 exon 12 mutations in patients with Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) and the clinical characteristics of patients with JAK2 exon 12 mutants.

METHODSAllele-specific PCR (AS-PCR) was applied to identify JAK2 V617F mutation. Genomic DNA corresponding to exon 12 of JAK2 gene and epigenetic regulator gene (TET2, ASXL1, EZH2) were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Identification of mutants was by direct sequencing and classification of mutation types by sequencing followed by plasmid cloning. SNP genotyping of two 46/1 tag SNPs, rs12340895 and rs10974944, was analyzed using commercially available Taqman assays on the 7500HT real-time PCR instrument according to standard protocols.

RESULTSNo JAK2 exon 12 mutation was detected in patients with ET, PMF or JAK2 V617F positive PV. Among 13 JAK2 V617F negative PV patients, JAK2 exon 12 mutation was detected as N542-E543del in 2(15.4%) patients who presented with a phenotype of predominant erythrocytosis and erythroid colonic grown from their bone marrow samples in the absence of exogenous EPO, reduced serum erythropoietin (EPO) level, and no mutations in TET2, ASXL1 or EZH2 genes. One of the affected patients was heterozygous for 46/1 but the second was negative for this haplotype.

CONCLUSIONThere was no need to detect JAK2 exon 12 mutation in ET, PMF or MPN-U patients without JAK2 V67F mutation. Ph negative MPN patients with JAK2 exon 12 mutations had somewhat unique clinical and laboratory features.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Marrow Neoplasms ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Exons ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Janus Kinase 2 ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myeloproliferative Disorders ; genetics ; Philadelphia Chromosome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the etiology and individualized treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) in young adult men.

METHODSIncluded in the investigation were 110 young adult men with ED, at the mean age of 28 (ranging from 22 to 39) and with the average disease course of 24 months (ranging from 6 to 48). The etiology of ED was determined for each patient by history inquiry, medical examination, laboratory investigation and erectile function test, and then individualized therapies were administered accordingly.

RESULTSOf all the diagnosed cases of ED, 42 (38.2%) were psychogenic, 36 (32.7%) organic and 32 (29.1%) of the mixed type. Four cases of schizophrenia were transferred elsewhere, 4 pelvic fracture induced cases gave up treatment, and the other 102 received individualized therapies, with the average effectiveness rate of 88.2%.

CONCLUSIONDetermination of the etiology of ED and the corresponding individualized treatment is the linchpin for improving the therapeutic effect of ED in young adult men.

Adult ; Clinical Laboratory Techniques ; Erectile Dysfunction ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Physical Examination ; Surveys and Questionnaires