OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Zhibai Dihuang Pill (ZBDHP) on urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and sperm quality in ureaplasma urealyticum (Uu) infection infertile patients.

METHODSRecruited were 80 infertility patients with Uu infection at Andriatrics Clinics and Department of Reproduction, including 130 cases of positive Uu semen and 50 cases of negative Uu semen. Patients with positive Uu semen were randomly assigned to the observation group (72 cases) and the control group (58 cases) according to the visit sequence. All patients took antibiotics for 2 weeks. Patients in the observation group additionally took ZBDHP, 6 g each time, twice daily. Those in the control group additionally took Vit E (100 mg each time, twice per day) and ATP (40 mg each time, twice per day). The therapeutic course for all was 90 days. Semen parameters and uPA contents of the sperm membrane were detected and comparatively analyzed.

RESULTSThe sperm membrane uPA content, the sperm motility, the sperm viability, and the percentage of normal morphology sperm in Uu positive infected patients were lower than those in Uu negative infected patients with statistical difference (P < 0.05), but with no significant difference in the sperm density between the two groups (P > 0.05). There was no statistical difference in pre-treatment sperm membrane uPA contents and sperm parameters between the two groups (P > 0.05). Compared with before treatment in the same group, the sperm membrane uPA content, the sperm motility, the sperm viability, and the percentage of normal morphology sperm obviously increased in the two groups with statistical difference (P < 0.05). After treatment, the sperm membrane uPA content increased more obviously in the observation group, with statistical difference when compared with the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSInfection with Uu leads to decreased uPA content of sperm membrance and the sperm motility. ZBDHP could effectively treat Uu infected infertility possibly through fighting against Uu damaged sperm membrane and make the sperm membrane uPA content return to normal, and elevate the fertilizability of sperms.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Communicable Diseases ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Infertility ; Infertility, Male ; Male ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; Ureaplasma Infections ; drug therapy ; Ureaplasma urealyticum ; drug effects ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator ; metabolism

To evaluate the visual performance of the patients with traumatic corneal astigmatism, after the treatment of topography guided off-flap epipolis laser in situ keratomileusi (off-flap Epi-LASlK).
●METHODS: This prospective clinical study was comprised of 21 eyes of 21 patients with irregular corneal astigmatism caused by trauma, they were treated by off-flap Epi - LASlK from July 2012 to December 2013. The data included uncorrected visual acuity ( UCVA), best spectacle - corrected visual acuity ( BSCVA ), contrast sensitivity 1, 6mo before and after surgery; the healing area percentage of corneal epithelia, the healing time of corneal epithelia and pain score at 3d after surgery.
●RESULTS: Postoperative 1mo both UCVA and BSCVA were improved significantly than that before surgery (t =15. 703, 4. 351, P< 0. 05); Compared with the 1mo after surgery, UCVA at 6mo after surgery raised significantly (t= 6. 867, P <0. 05). There was no statistical significance between 6 and 1mo after surgery about BSCVA (t= 1. 497, P = 0. 140 ). After surgery, mean spherical equivalent (SE) was reduced from -2. 43±3. 02D to -0. 23±0. 49D (P<0. 05), and the mean cylinder was reduced from -1. 86± 2. 23D to - 0. 46 ± 1. 03D (P< 0. 05). Postoperative 1mo,4 kinds of spatial frequency and contrast sensitivity had no significant difference compared with the preoperative (P>0. 05 ). Postoperative 6mo except the 3c/ d spatial frequency, the remaining 3 spatial frequency contrast sensitivity compared with those before operation were significantly improved ( P < 0. 05 ). The healing area percentage of corneal epithelia was 92. 46% ±8. 24% (80% -100%) at 3d after surgery; The healing time of corneal epithelia was 3. 50 ± 1. 56d; Pain scores at 3 and 7d after surgery was 1. 54±1. 32 and 0. 04±0. 64, respectively.
●CONCLUSlON: Topography-guided off-flap Epi-LASlK is safe and effective in treating the patients with traumatic corneal irregular astigmatism. The operation can improve both the contrast sensitivity and the visual performance.

A sample pretreatment method combining column clean-up with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (CCU-DLLME) for determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in oil-field water was proposed. With this method,most organic interferences in matrix were cleaned up,and PAHs were purified, enriched and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry directly. The influences on extraction efficiency including the kinds of column packing,weight ratio between column packing and sample, column flow rate,type and volume of extraction solvent, type and volume of disperser solvent and extraction time were investigated, respectively. Finally, 12 g of H103 macroporous resin was selected as column packing,12﹕5 of weight ratio between column packing and sample and 4 BV/h of column flow rate were selected in CCU. The resulting eluate was added with 1.00 mL of acetone (disperser solvent) and 15 μL of carbon tetrachloride (extraction solvent),followed by DLLME for 2 min. Under the optimum conditions,the enrichment factor of PAHs was 730-1579,the limits of detection (S/N=3) were 1.1-5.3 ng/L, the linear range was 0.01-50 μg/L,the RSDs(n=5) were 0.6%-3.4% and the recoveries were 82.6%-104.6%. This method could greatly reduce the influence of organic interferences in matrix, and was fit for the rapid analysis of pollutants in oil-field water especially.

Direct DNA delivery procedures (include biolistics method) often resulted in multiple copies of the transgenes in transformants and certain copies of them were rearranged. Integration of multiple copies of the introduced genes was the main reason of gene silencing which meant inhibition or loss of foreign gene expression in filial generations of transformants. In the present work, we compared the influences of maize Ubi-1 promoter and other promoters on copy number of transgenes in maize transgenic plants. Immature embryos from Zea mays L. plants of sib-pollinated of A188 x H99 genotype were used as initial materials. Type- I embryonic calluses derived from preculture of immature embryos were treated on N6 medium containing 0.6 mol/L sucrose for 3 approximately 5 hours and transformed via particle bombardment with PDS1000/He delivery system (Bio-Rad). Bombarded calluses were treated with hyperosmotic N6 medium for 16 approximately 20 hours continuously. Then the cultures were transferred onto normal N6 medium and incubated at 26 degrees C in dark for two weeks and subsequently selected on N6 medium supplemented with 2 or 5 mg/L phosphinothricin (PPT) but without casamino acid for another two weeks. The calluses after selective culture were transferred onto hormone-free MS medium containing 2 or 5 mg/L PPT but without casamino acid, and incubated at 24 degrees C under 16 h illumination for plant regeneration. Regenerated plantlets over 2 cm in height were transferred to Magenta box containing 1/2 hormone-free MS medium. Plantlets over 8 cm in height were transplanted to soil. After growing for one week in greenhouse, the plants were sprayed with 250 mg/L PPT solution. Fertile transgenic maize plants were regenerated and confirmed by Southern blotting and histochemical localization of beta-glucuronidase (GUS) activity. Relations between promoter and copy number of transgenes in transformants were analyzed. Maize transgenic plants possessing an intact copy and another incomplete copy of beta-glucuronidase gene (gus) were obtained in case gus gene under the control of maize Ubi-1 promoter (pUbi:GUS). Simultaneously the co-transformed phosphinothricin acetyltransferase gene (bar) controlled by CaMV 35S promoter in another plasmid (p35S:BAR) also existed with only one copy. When pDB1 and (pUbi:in2) were cobombarded, the regenerated transgenic maize plant exhibited with only one copy of in2 gene too. It suggested that the copy number of transgenes in maize transformants was low if the transgenes controlled by maize Ubi-1 promoter. The possible reason might be that the foreign genes were integrated site-specifically via homologous recombination between Ubi-1 promoter and its endogenous sequences in maize genome, and two cotransformed plasmids had reconstructed as one intact molecule before integrating into maize chromosome. On the contrary, if p35S:BAR was cobom-barded with plasmid pAct:In1 containing rice Act-1 promoter (without maize Ubi-1 promoter), the transgenic maize plants had 4 approximately 8 copies of bar gene. These results reflected that utilization of self gene promoter could reduce the copy number of the transgenes in transgenic plants of certain species itself and avoid the occurrence of gene silencing. T2 seeds have been harvested.
Gene Dosage ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; Plants, Genetically Modified ; genetics ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Ubiquitin C ; genetics ; Zea mays ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo find out the mechanisms of redifferentiation and reversion of malignant human gastric cancer cells induced by ascorbic acid.

METHODSHuman gastric cancer cells grown in the laboratory were used. The Trypan blue dye exclusion method was used to determine the cell doubling time. The electrophoresis rate and colonogenic potential were the indices used to measure the rate of redifferentiation. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured using the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) method. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and the content of H202 were evaluated by spectrophotography.

RESULTSSix mmol/L ascorbic acid was used as a positive control. Human gastric cancer cells were treated with 75 microm hydrogen peroxide, which alleviated many of the malignant characteristics. For example, the cell surface charge obviously decreased and the electrophoresis rate dropped from 2.21 to 1.10 microm x s(-1) x V(-1) x cm(-1). The colonogenic potential, a measure of cell differentiation, decreased 90.2%. After treatment with ascorbic acid, there was a concentration- and time-dependent increase in hydrogen peroxide (H202) and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD). However, the activity of catalase (CAT) resulted in a concentration- and time-dependent decrease. SOD and 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (AT) exhibited some effects, but there were statistically significant differences between the SOD and AT group and the H202 group.

CONCLUSIONSAscorbic acid induces growth inhibition and redifferentiation of human gastric cancer cells through the production of hydrogen peroxide.

Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Ascorbic Acid ; pharmacology ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Carotid Artery, Internal/surgery* ; Carotid Stenosis/surgery* ; Endarterectomy, Carotid ; Humans ; Treatment Outcome

Objective Carotid atherosclerotic plaque is regarded as an important risk factor for ischemic cerebrovascular disease.This study analyzed the factors influencing the number of carotid atherosclerotic plaques in patients with ischemic stroke.Methods We selected 194 patients with crerbral infarction admitted to the Department of Neurology of Second Hospital Affiliated to Lanzhou University from December 2015 to December 2016.Neck vascular color Doppler ultrasound test was performed,and the number of carotid atherosclerotic plaques in each patient was counted.According to the number,we divided them into three groups:single,double and multiple.The patients'sex,age,hypertension,hyperlipemia,diabetes and history of ischemic stroke were recorded. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the factors influencing plaques.Results Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that gender,hypertension,hyperlipidemia,and history of cerebral infarction were risk factors for single carotid artery plaque;hyperlipidemia and diabetes mellitus were risk factors for double carotid artery plaque;and gender,diabetes,and history of cerebral infarction were risk factors for multiple carotid artery plaque.Conclusion Different numbers of plaques may have common risk factors but different numbers of plaque morphology have their own risk factors.

OBJECTIVETo identify the distribution and differentiation of ABL kinase domain mutation in the Chinese Han nationality imatinib resistant chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph(+)ALL).

METHODSBone marrow or peripheral blood samples of 112 imatinib resistant CML patients and 21 Ph(+)ALL patients were obtained from the first affiliated hospital of Soochow university according to local law. Total RNA was extracted from the mononuclear cells using a TRIzol reagent. ABL kinase domain (KD) mutation was detected by direct sequencing.

RESULTSOf the 112 imatinib resistant CML patients, 54.46%(61 cases) had ABL KD mutation. Twenty-three mutants were identified in 20 amino acid sites and 23.21% (26 cases) ABL KD mutations were in P-loop region. ABL KD mutations were also detected in 71.43% (15 cases) imatinib resistant Ph(+)ALL patients, with 10 mutations in 8 amino acid sites. The most frequent mutation was T315I (28.57%), followed by E255K/V (19.05%) and Y253F/H (14.29%). The frequency of T315I was much higher in imatinib resistant Ph(+) ALL than that in imatinib resistant CML (P = 0.001). Ph(+)ALL with additional chromosomal aberrations also had a higher rate of ABL KD mutation than that of CML (P = 0.010). Ph(+)ALL gained ABL KD mutation faster than CML (P < 0.010).

CONCLUSIONChinese imatinib resistant CML and Ph(+)ALL patients had different characteristics in ABL KD mutation. The rate of ABL KD mutation in Ph(+)ALL with additional chromosomal aberrations was much higher than that of CML with additional chromosomal aberrations.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Benzamides ; pharmacology ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Imatinib Mesylate ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Philadelphia Chromosome ; Piperazines ; pharmacology ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; genetics ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-abl ; genetics ; Pyrimidines ; pharmacology ; Young Adult

Objective To observe effects of Heyutai Fuzhu Jiangtang Tablets combined with metformin in insulin resistance (IR); To discuss its mechanism of action. Methods 6–7 week old male ZDF (fa/fa) rats were randomly divided into model group,metformin group,Heyutai Fuzhu Jiangtang Tablets group(Jiangtang Tablets group),and metformin combined with Heyutai Fuzhu Jiangtang Tablets group.ZDF(fa/+)rats were chosen as normal group.Each medication group was given relevant medicine for gavage for 6 weeks. Body weight, FBG, TG, TC, FFA, FINS, HOMA-IR, OGTT and HE staining were tested. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of skeletal muscle. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect skeletal muscle corresponding gene and protein expression. Results Compared with Jiangtang Tablets group and metformin group, TC, FFA, FBG, and HOMA-IR in metformin combined with Heyutai Fuzhu Jiangtang Tablets group decreased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01). Blood glucose level and AUC significantly decreased at each time point in OGTT. HE staining of skeletal muscle fibers arranged in order; nucleus increased and internal movement was not significant, without obvious infiltration of inflammatory cells. Expressions of skeletal muscle InsR, Akt, and Glut4 mRNA expression increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). Expressions of skeletal muscle p-InsR, p-Akt, and Glut4 protein expression increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). Conclusion Heyutai Fuzhu Jiangtang Tablets combined with metformin can improve IR in type 2 diabetic rats, and the effect is better than single-application.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the sex chromosomes and the expression of insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) on activated human unfertilized oocytes after intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI) with calcium ionophore A23187 and puromycin.

METHODSAll 95 discarded oocyes that showed no evidence of fertilization at 16-18 h after in vitro maturation and intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles (IVM-ICSI)/conventional ICSI were exposed to calcium ionophore A23187 (5 micromol/L) for 5 min and then were incubated with puromycin (10 microg/mL) for 4 h. After activation, the oocytes were cultured in vitro for 3-5 days. The sex chromosome analysis was performed by dual color fluorescence in situ hybridization. The expression of IGF-II on the activated embryos, normal embryos, and parthenotes was examined.

RESULTSThe combination of calcium ionophore A23187 with puromycin could activate the unfertilized oocytes 22 h after ICSI. The activated rate, cleavage rate, and quality of activated embryos of the IVM-ICSI group were similar to those of ICSI group, respectively. Sex chromosome analysis indicated that 8 male and 5 female embryos had been derived from two pronucleus and a second polar body. The expression of IGF-II on activated embryos and normal embryos was high and similar, which was much stronger than that of parthenotes.

CONCLUSIONThe combination of calcium ionophore A23187 with puromycin could effectively activate unfertilized oocytes 22 h after ICSI. Moreover, the unfertilized oocytes activated by calcium ionophore A23187 and puromycin had normal sex chromosomes and expression of IGF-II like the normal embryos. These suggest that oocyte activation may be considered as a remedial measure in the presence of total or nearly total fertilization failure in ICSI.

Calcimycin ; pharmacology ; Chromosomes, Human, X ; genetics ; Chromosomes, Human, Y ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor II ; metabolism ; Ionophores ; pharmacology ; Oocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Puromycin ; pharmacology ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; methods