Clinical observations of sequential therapy with Chinese medicine and hysteroscopic mechanical stimulation of the endometrium in infertile patients with repeated implantation failure undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To investigate the clinical effect of sequential therapeutic intervention Yupei Qisun [compensating for weakness by invigorating Kidney (Shen) and Spleen (Pi) in advance] in Chinese medicine (CM) and hysteroscopic endometrial mechanical stimulation on the treatment of infertile patients with repeated implantation failure (RIF); and to study the differences in patients' endometrial thickness and type on the day of embryo transfer, serum hormone levels on embryo transfer day and clinical pregnancy outcomes.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In the clinical study, 168 frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles for couples with RIF conforming to the research protocol were randomly divided into three groups: a CM group with 56 cycles (CM combined with FET), a hysteroscopy group with 55 cycles (hysteroscopic endometrial mechanical stimulation), and a control group with 57 cycles (conventional FET). Differences in endometrial thickness on the embryo transfer day, levels of serum estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) on the embryo transfer day, the E2/P ratio on the embryo transfer day, biochemical and clinical pregnancy rates, implantation rate, abnormal pregnancy rate and other indices were compared among the three groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Endometrial thickness, E2 and P levels, and the E2/P ratio on embryo transfer day and other factors had no significant differences among groups. The biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, and implantation rates of the CM and hysteroscopy groups were significantly higher than the control group (P<0.05), and there were no significant differences between these two groups. The abnormal pregnancy rate had no significant difference among the three groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Sequential therapy of Yupei Qisun could significantly improve the clinical outcomes of rif-fet cycles, being equivalent to hysteroscopic endometrial mechanical stimulation, and provided a reliable method to treat such infertile couples.</p>

Effects of Zengmian Yiliu Recipe combined cisplatin on the tumor inhibition rate in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effects of Zengmian Yiliu Recipe (ZYR) combined cisplatin on the growth of subcutaneous tumor in nude mice with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, and to explore its possible mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The model of ovarian cancer subcutaneous tumor was established in nude mice using platinum-resistant ovarian cancer line COC1/DDP. The mice were randomly divided into six groups, i. e., the high Chinese materia medica (CMM) group, the medium CMM group, the low CMM group, the cisplatin group (DDP), the combined treatment group (with DDP combined CMM), and the control group (with normal saline). The medication lasted for 3 successive weeks. The tumor weight and the tumor inhibition rate were calculated. The expressions of Bcl-associated x protein (Bax) and B-cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 (Bcl-2) were detected using quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemical assay. The ultra-structure of tumor cells was observed by electron microscopy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The tumor inhibition rate was the highest in the combined treatment group, being (59. 26 +/- 6.86) %, showing statistical difference when compared with the rest groups (P < 0.01). Results of RT-PCR showed the Bax mRNA expression was the highest in the combined treatment group and the lowest in the control group (P < 0.01). Anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2 mRNA expression was the highest in the control group and the lowest in the high CMM group (P < 0.01). The Bcl-2 mRNA expression was lower in the combined treatment group than in the cisplatin group (P < 0.01). Immunohistochemical results showed the Bax protein expression was the highest and the expression of Bcl-2 was the lowest in the combined treatment group, showing statistical difference when compared with the rest groups (P < 0.01). The middle- and late-stage manifestations of apoptosis could be seen in each CMM group and the combined treatment group under electron microscope.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>ZYR combined with chemotherapy could reverse the cisplatin-resistance of resistant ovarian cancer nude mice, and enhance its tumor inhibitory effect. Its mechanisms were correlated with up-regulating the expression of Bax, down-regulating the expression of Bcl-2, and promoting cisplatin resistant ovarian cancer cell apoptosis.</p>

Anti-angiogenic effects of zengmian YiIiu granule on ovarian carcinoma xenograft / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the anti-angiogenic effects and mechanisms of Zengmian Yiliu Granule (ZMYLG) on ovarian carcinoma xenograft.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The SKOV3 ovarian carcinoma bearing mouse model was established. The tumor-bearing mice were randomly divided into the control group, the paclitaxel group, the high, medium, and low dose ZMYLG group, 8 in each group. The medication was lasted for ten days. The microvessel density (MVD) in the xenograft was calculated by the method of using cell membrane differentiation antigen 34 (CD34) antibody marking new vascular endothelial cells. The protein and mRNA expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor fetal liver kinase-1 (FLK-1), hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) in the tumor were determined using immunohistochemical assay and RT-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The MVD of ovarian carcinoma xenografts in the paclitaxel group, the high, medium, and low dose ZMYLG group obviously decreased, showing statistical difference when compared with the control group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Each ZMYLG dose group could down-regulate the protein and mRNA expressions of VEGF, FLK-1, and HIF-1alpha (P < 0.01, P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>ZMYLG could inhibit neogenesis of tumor vessels. Its mechanisms might be associated with down-regulating the expression of HIF-1alpha, modifying the hypoxic state, inhibiting the expressions of VEGF and FLK-1, and exerting its anti-angiogenic effects.</p>

Separation and Preliminary Identification of Spoilage Organisms in Transmutative Soy Milk / 微生物学通报

In this paper, three spoilage organisms were separated from five transmutative soy milks, and all the three spoilage bacteria could survive condition of both 1?105Pa,30min and 300mg/kg Nisin. Morpha character, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and a phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA gene sequences reveal that these three strains are Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus pumilus and Brevibacillus borstelensis respectively. GenBank accessions for these three strains are EF439666-EF439668。