OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation of the deleted azoospermia (DAZ) gene copy related to gr/gr and b2/b3 deletions in the AZFc region with male spermatogenic impairment.

METHODSThis study included 121 infertile men with different de- grees of spermatogenic impairment and 95 healthy donors from the sperm bank. Using PCR, PCR-RFLP, and Y chromosome specific sequence tagged sites (STS) , we analyzed the association of DAZ gene copy deletions related to gr/gr and b2/b3 deletions in the AZFc region with spermatogenic impairment.

RESULTSThere were 15 cases of gr/gr deletion (12. 40% ) and 6 cases of b2/b3 deletion (4.96%) in the infertility group as compared with 13 cases of gr/gr deletion (13.68%) and 1 case of b2/b3 deletion (1.05%) in the control. Analysis of the DAZ-specific single nucleotide variant (SNV) loci revealed 11 gr/gr-DAZI/DAZ2 deletions (9.09%), 4 gr/gr-DAZ3/DAZ4 deletions (3.31%), and 6 b2/b3-DAZ1/DAZ2 deletions (4.96%) in the infertile men in comparison with 3 gr/ gr-DAZ1/DAZ2 deletions (3.16%), 10 gr/gr-DAZ3/DAZ4 deletions (10.53%), and 1 b2/b3- DAZ3/DAZ4 deletion (1.05%) in the control.

CONCLUSIONPartial deletions of gr/gr and b2/b3 exist in both healthy men and male patients with different degrees of spermatogenic impairment and cannot be considered as a risk factor for spermatogenesis impairment. However, deletions of different DAZ duplicons in gr/gr and b2/b3 deletions have different effects on spermatogenesis. DAZ1/DAZ2 instead of DAZ3/DAZ4 deletions might be associated with spermatogenesis impairment.

Deleted in Azoospermia 1 Protein ; Gene Deletion ; Gene Dosage ; Humans ; Male ; RNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Spermatogenesis ; genetics

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common malignant tumors as well as a frequent cause of cancer-related mortality in men worldwide. The test of serum markers has dramatically improved the early diagnosis of PCa, but its underlying molecular mechanisms are not yet completely identified. Long noncoding RNA (IncRNA) is emerging as a new player in the PCa paradigm demonstrating its potential roles in both oncogenic and tumor suppressive pathways. LncRNA is frequently aberrantly expressed in the majority of PCa cases. This review highlights recent findings of the aberrant expression of lncRNA in PCa and discusses its novel roles in the diagnosis, prediction, prognosis, metastasis, and potential clinical treatment of PCa.
Humans ; Male ; Prognosis ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; RNA, Long Noncoding ; metabolism

Aged ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Cadherins ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Merkel Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Melanoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; metabolism ; Synaptophysin ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the factors influencing the prognosis of penis-sparing surgery (PSS) for early-stage penile cancer.

METHODSWe retrospectively studied the clinical data about 45 cases of early-stage penile cancer treated by PSS from January 2007 to December 2014. We calculated the rate of local recurrence-free survival by the Kaplan-Meier method, and conducted univariate and multivariate COX regression analyses on the relevant factors including the patient's age, marital status, tumor location, tumor size, postoperative sexual life, histological grade, and TNM stage.

RESULTSOne-year and three-year local recurrence-free survival rates were 95.5% and 52.2%, respectively. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the histological grade (P = 0.039) and postoperative sexual life (P = 0.049) were independent factors for the prognosis of PSS. Logistic regression showed the patients age to be significantly associated with histological grade (P = 0.014).

CONCLUSIONHistological grade and postoperative sexual life are important independent prognostic factors of PSS for early-stage penile cancer, and the patients age is associated with the prognosis of PSS through its influence on the tumor grade.

Age Factors ; Disease-Free Survival ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Grading ; Organ Sparing Treatments ; Penile Neoplasms ; surgery ; Penis ; surgery ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Quality of Life ; Retrospective Studies

ObjectiveTo introduction of perforator flaps,muscle flaps pedicled by descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery,method and their clinical application that multiple soft tissue defects of hand are repaire by muliplefoliated tissue flap only branch lateral circumflex femoral artery.MethodsFifteen patients with multiple soft tissue defects of hand were repaired muliplefoliated tissue flap only pedicled bydescending branch lateral circumflex femoral artery.At first,the anterolateral thigh perforator flap was designed and harvested according to the soft tissue defects of hand, then the descending branch lateral circumflex femoral artery was dissected at the same time the segmented perforator flap,fascia lata flap,rectus femoris muscle flap, vastus lateralis muscle flap, vastus intermedius muscle flap and distal spatium intermusculare flap were harvested in need according to distance among soft tissue defects.The muliplefoliated tissue flap was harvested only pedicled by descending branch lateral circumflex femoral artery, at last muscle flaps and fascia lata flaps were covered by skin graft, so the multiple soft tissue defects of hand were repaired in one time.ResultsNo vascular crisis happened. All skin grafts survived well, the contour of all repaired soft tissue defects was good and protective feeling was recovered by skin grafts of all flaps. All cases were got follow-up and the range was from 6 to 20 months(the average was 8.7 months).Wound of donor site healed well, muscle strength of quadriceps and motion of knee were normal. Three cases were excellent,nine cases were well and 3 cases were good, according to upper extremity function evaluation criteria of Chinese Medical Society for the Surgery of the Hand, the rate of good was 80 percent.ConclusionMultiple soft tissue defects of hand can be repaired by muliplefoliated flap only pedicled by descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery. Its advantages included reduction of operation time and treatment, good recovery of hand contour and function. It is a good method to repair multiple soft tissue defects of hand.

Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating ; administration & dosage ; Child ; Humans ; Intravitreal Injections ; Male ; Melphalan ; administration & dosage ; Neoplasm Seeding ; Retinal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Retinoblastoma ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Vitreous Body ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), especially those in the urinary storage phase, following transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), and to improve the postoperative management and patients' quality of life after TURP.

METHODSA total of 86 patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) underwent TURP, and were interviewed on urinary symptoms at 1, 3, 7, 15 and 30 days after removal of the catheter. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether they had preoperative detrusor instability and/or compliance of the bladder (Group A) or not (Group B), and observed for the changes in IPSS scores and urinary storage symptoms after removal of the catheter.

RESULTSComplete follow-ups were achieved in 71 cases, 28 with detrusor instability and/or compliance of the bladder and the other 43 without. Their IPSS scores on the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 15th and 30th day after removal of the catheter were 8.1 +/- 2.5, 7.2 +/- 3.1, 6.3 +/- 3.8, 5.3 +/- 4.2 and 2.4 +/- 3.4, respectively, with statistically significant differences between the 7th and the 1st as well as the 30th and the 15th day (P < 0.05), but not between the 1st and the3rd nor the 15th and the 7th day (P > 0.05). On the 1st day, the cardinal symptoms in the urinary storage phase were urinary frequency, urgency and incontinence; the scores on IPSS and urinary storage symptoms were 10.4 +/- 3.3 and 9.3 +/- 3.8 in Group A and 6.2 +/- 2.8 and 5.2 +/- 2.7 in Group B, with significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.05). After treatment with tolterodine and alpha-adrenoreceptor inhibitor, neither IPSS scores nor the scores on urinary storage symptoms showed any significant differences between Groups A and B on the 15th and 30th day (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe lower urinary tract symptoms following TURP, especially those in the urinary storage phase, are correlated with preoperative bladder function, and getting improved gradually after surgery.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Period ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Quality of Life ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate ; Treatment Outcome ; Urinary Incontinence ; etiology

Aggregation and accumulation of beta-amyloid peptide (Abeta) in brain tissues contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, the promotion of Abeta clearance is one of the key targets for preventing and treatment Alzheimer's disease. Studies proved that some traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) compounds and extracts could impact the activity of degrading enzyme in amyloid peptide, the transport of hemato encephalic barrier and the phagocytosis of microglial cells, promote Abeta clearance, and improve learning and memory of animal models with Alzheimer's disease. In this review, we made an summary for the relations between Abeta and Alzheimer's disease, the Abeta clearance mechanism and the clearance effect of traditional Chinese medicines.
Alzheimer Disease ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Animals ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Microglia ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Protein Multimerization ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo explore the correlation of the mutation of MTCYB and MTATP6 genes in sperm mitochondria with asthenospermia.

METHODSWe extracted mtDNA from 80 semen samples of asthenospermia and 20 of normal sperm motility, amplified the MTCYB and MTATP6 genes by PCR, and analyzed their mutation by sequencing and BLAST matching.

RESULTSThe deletion of both MTCYB and MTATP6 were detected in 20 of the 80 asthenospermia samples, MTCYB deletion in 16 and MTATP6 deletion in 4, accounting for 20% and 5% respectively. Sequencing and BLAST matching revealed G8887A mutation in the MTATP6 gene in the asthenospermia samples, with a mutation rate of 20%, while no regular mutation was noted in MTCYB. Neither significant deletion nor mutation was observed in any of the 20 samples of normal sperm motility.

CONCLUSIONBoth the deletion and mutation of MTCYB and MTATP6 genes in sperm mitochondria might affect sperm motility in adults.

Adult ; Asthenozoospermia ; genetics ; pathology ; Base Sequence ; Cytochromes b ; genetics ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Mitochondrial Proteins ; genetics ; Mitochondrial Proton-Translocating ATPases ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid ; Sperm Count ; Spermatozoa ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo perform the detection of spermatozoal gene expression in order to accelerate the study of spermatozoal molecular biology.

METHODSTo collect the healthy adults sperm and lymphocytes respectively, and then to extract the total RNAs from them by RNeasy mini kit (QIAGEN) or Trizol reagent. Corresponding cDNAs were produced, digested, ligated, finally labeled with Cy3 (sperm) and CyS (lymphocyte) in the course of RD amplifying reactions. Hybridization with self-made microarrays contained 560 probes was carried out after the labeled cDNAs pured by PCR Product Purification Kit.

RESULTSAmong the 560 probes, 72 genes were up-regulated, 321 genes were down-regulated, the others had no different expression. Furthermore, genes associated with replication, transcription, translation and regulative functions were non-different expression or down-regulated, and those belonged to the spermatogenesis associated, sperm associated antigen were up-regulated, but those involved in the glycolysis were up-regulated, in the oxidative phosphorylation were down-regulated.

CONCLUSIONIt had successfully confirmed that there were a plenty of genes expressed in sperm, furthermore the genes expressed were accorded to spermatozoal functions and characteristics.

Adult ; Down-Regulation ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA ; isolation & purification ; Spermatozoa ; metabolism ; Up-Regulation