Correlation between follicular fluid metabolic markers and oocyte quality in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome / 解剖学报

Objective To investigate whether the metabolites in follicular fluid can be used as indicators for predicting oocyte quality and embryos early development in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods The study subjects were divided into four groups: lean control (LC) 30 cases, overweight (OW) 13 cases, lean PCOS (LP) 26 cases, and overweight PCOS (OP) 26 cases based on the Chinese criteria for body mass index (BMI) categories. The metabolic variance of follicular fluid from PCOS and controls was performed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and clinical characteristics, oocyte outcomes and differences of metabolites in follicular fluid of those patients have been compared by ANOVA. Furthermore, Pearson's correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between oocyte fertilization rate, top-quality embryos rate and follicular metabolites. Results Compared to the LC group, oocytes retrieved and top-quality embryos rate were significantly increased, while the mature oocytes rate and fertilization rate decreased significantly in the OP group. A total of 236 metabolites were identified and quantified by metabolomics in follicular fluid. Compared with LC and OP groups, 19 metabolites showed statistically significant differences in PCOS group. Additionally, 7 metabolites were significant correlated with the fertilization rate or top-quality embryo rate respectively, most of which were lysophospholipids. Conclusion Several metabolites in the follicular fluid are significantly different between PCOS and healthy women. Among these, lysophospholipids are crucial for oocyte quality and early embryonic development, may serve as potential markers to evaluate the oocyte quality in PCOS patients.

Mechanism of inhibitory effect of catalpol on TNF-α induced HAECs cell damage / 中国中药杂志

Catalpol is an iridoid glycoside extracted from the root of Rehmannia glutinosa. It has been reported to have antioxidant stress effects. Adenosine 5' monophosphate-activated protein kinase( AMPK) plays an important role in inhibiting oxidative stress. This study was designed to investigate the protective effects of catalpol on TNF-α-exposed human aorta epithelial cells( HAECs) via inhibit oxidative stress,and the relationship between catalpol and AMPK was detected by RNA interference technique. Levels of superoxide dismutase( SOD),malonaldehyde( MDA),glutathione( GSH) and lactate dehydrogenase( LDH) were measured with a colorimetric assay kit. The level of ROS was measured with FACS calibur. Western blot was employed to detect the protein expression of AMPK,phosphorylated-AMPK and NOX4. Finally,RNA interference technique was used to investigate the role of AMPK in catalpol-induced protective effects. TNF-α treatment decreased the expression of phosphorylated-AMPK protein level,however,catalpol could reverse the decreased phosphorylated-AMPK level. Catalpol could inhibit NOX4 protein expression and decrease ROS overproduction. After using AMPK siRNA that effects of catalpol on ROS overproduction and NOX4 protein expression inhibition were attenuated. The above results suggest that catalpol inhibits oxidative stress in TNF-α-exposed HAECs by activating AMPK.

Impact of mobile phone radiation on the quality and DNA methylation of human sperm in vitro / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the influences of mobile phone radiation on the quality and DNA methylation of human sperm in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>According to the fifth edition of the WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen, we randomly selected 97 male volunteers with normal semen parameters and divided each semen sample from the subjects into two equal parts, one exposed to mobile phone radiation at 1950 M Hz, SAR3. 0 W/kg for 3 hours while the other left untreated as the control. We obtained routine semen parameters as well as the acrosomal reaction ability, apoptosis and DNA methylation of sperm, and compared them between the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the control, the radiation group showed significantly decreased progressive sperm motility ([36.64 ± 16.93] vs [27.56 ± 16.92]%, P < 0.01) and sperm viability ([63.72 ± 16.35] vs [54.31 ± 17.35]%, P < 0.01) and increased sperm head defects ([69.92 ± 4.46] vs [71.17 ± 4.89]%, P < 0.05), but no significant differences in sperm acrosomal reaction ([66.20 ± 6.75] vs [64.50 ± 3.47]%, P > 0.05). The early apoptosis rate of sperm cells was remarkably higher in the radiation group ([6.89 ± 9.84]%) than in the control ([4.44 ± 5.89]%) (P < 0.05). However, no statistically significant differences were found between the control and radiation groups in the DNA methylation patterns of the paternal imprinting gene H19 ICR ([0.60 ± 0.02] vs [1.40 ± 0.03]%, P > 0.05) or the maternal imprinting gene KvDMR1 ([0.00 ± 0.00] vs [1.80 ± 0.031%, P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Mobile phone radiation reduces the progressive motility and viability of human sperm and increases sperm head defects and early apoptosis of sperm cells.</p>

Research progresses of pharmacokinetics of traditional Chinese medicine / 药学学报

With the deepening of modernization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and continuing emergence of new theories, methods and techniques, a very rapid and significant development has been achieved in the pharmacokinetics (PK) of TCM. This paper reviews the main research progresses of PK of TCM, including integrated PK of multiple effective components of TCM, fingerprint PK of TCM, novel dosage form PK of TCM, polysaccharide PK of TCM and drug interactions of TCM; and further sets up the prospects.

Long-term outcome of tension-free hernioplasty for inguinal hernia complicated with liver cirrhosis and ascites / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To review tension-free repairing for the patients with inguinal hernia complicated with cirrhosis and ascites.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Tension-free herniorrhaphy was performed in 16 cases with inguinal hernia complicated with cirrhosis and ascites from November 1999 to November 2003. The laboratory data before and after the operation were compared and analyzed in this group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the patients, 13 cases were male and 3 were female, the mean age was (64 ± 12) years (range, 37 - 85 years). The liver function was classified as A degree in 4 case, B degree in 10 cases and C degree in 2 patients by using Child score. The operation was successfully carried out in all patients without complications and post-operative hepatoencephalopathy. There was no significant change in the plasma total protein, bilirubin, prothrombin activity and international normalized ratio (INR) after the operation. And the levels of albumin, globulin and white blood cell count changed remarkably after the operation (all P < 0.05). Plasma albumin level was obviously effected by the operation and treatment (P = 0.006). The mean follow-up time was 72.5 months (57 - 102 months). No recurrence occurred during the follow-up. There was no patient died in 30 days after the operation. Seven cases (43.8%) died in the later period of follow-up.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The tension-free repairing is feasible for the inguinal hernia complicated with cirrhosis and ascites. More attention should be paid to the level of plasma albumin and it should be corrected in time. The liver cirrhosis and its complications will progress after the operation with a poor prognosis.</p>