Internal quality control products for computer-assisted sperm analysis: Research and application / 中华男科学杂志

Objective@#To investigate the application of the self-made semen quality control (QC) product in internal QC of computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA).@*METHODS@#CASA was calibrated with high- and low-concentration commercially available semen QC product and meanwhile 15 samples of self-made mixed semen QC product were placed in 75 cryotubes containing liquid nitrogen, followed by CASA of the concentration, motility, curvilinear velocity (VCL), straight line velocity (VSL), average path velocity (VAP), linearity (LIN), wobble (WOB) and straightness (STR) of the sperm using standard procedures and 50 days of continuous monitoring. The Makler counting plate was used to measure the concentration and motility of the self-made sperm.@*RESULTS@#The coefficients of variation (CV) of the commercially available semen QC product at high and low concentrations were 6.18% and 7.85%, respectively. CASA showed that the concentration of the self-made QC product was (25.97 ± 1.41) ×10⁶/ml, with a CV of 5.42%, and the sperm motility, VCL, VSL, VAP, LIN, WOB and STR were (22.15 ± 1.75)% (CV = 7.9%), (59.18 ± 2.05) μm/s (CV = 3.46%), (26.79 ± 1.2) μm/s (CV = 4.48%), (34.98 ± 1.4) μm/s (CV = 4.01%), 46.81 ± 1.55 (CV = 3.3%), 60.52 ± 1.3 (CV = 2.15%) and 76.46 ± 1.98 (CV = 2.59%), respectively. The concentration and motility of the self-made sperm detected with the Makler counting plate were (34.39 ± 2.37) ×10⁶/ml (CV = 6.89%) and (38.04 ± 1.69)% (CV = 4.44%), respectively. Levey-Jennings QC charts were plotted for the indicators using the means and standard deviation.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The self-made internal QC product by liquid nitrogen cryopreservation is feasible and effective for monitoring the accuracy and precision of CASA-derived sperm concentration and motion parameters, and it has a smaller CV than the commercially available QC product in measuring sperm concentration.

Comparative study between single dose dexmedetomidine and fentanyl in the management of emergence agitation in adult patients after general anesthesia / 临床麻醉学杂志

Objective To investigate the effects of single dose of dexmedetomidine and fentynyl on treatment of emergence agitation in adult patients after general anesthesia.Methods Sixty patients suffering from emergence agitation after general anesthesia were divided into two groups randomly(n=30 each):dexmedetomidine group (group D)and fentaynl group (group F).Patients in group D received dexmedetomidine at a dose of 0.5μg/kg,and those in group F received fentanyl at a dose of 1μg/kg respectively.If patients still agitate after above treatment,intermission infusion of propofol at bolus of 1.0 mg/kg was used for further treatment till patients attain peaceful state.Results Twen-ty-nine paients in group D had no agitation,only one patient had mild agitation after administration of dexmedetomidine,while four patients had severe agitation,four patients had moderate agitation and 9 patients had mild agitation after administration of fentanyl(P<0.05);the time from first treatment to no agitation in group D was (11±3)min,shorter than that in group F (27±9)min (P<0.05);the dose of propofol used in group D was (50±0)mg,less than accumulative doses of propofol in group F (270±40)mg (P<0.05);21 (70%)patients in group D had radycardia and 9 (30%)patients in group F had respiratory depression(P<0.05).Conclusion Intravenous dexmedetomidine at a dose of 0.5 μg/kg attainted was effective in treating emergence agitation in adult patients after general anes-thesia as compared with fentanyl.

High altitude adaption: Advance in genetics / 第二军医大学学报

The indigenous populations of high altitude, physiologically with lower concentration of hemoglobin and higher level of nitric oxide, can be well-adapted to hypoxia and cold environment. Recent studies have revealed that these adaptive highland population possessed genetic bases, which involved a number of genes, such as EPAS1, EGLN1, CBARA1, VAV3, PPARA, and eNOS, associating with hypoxia-inducible pathway, production of red blood cells and vasodilator substances, etc. These findings provided new insights and strategies from genetics to uncover the unique natural environment selection, to understand the mechanisms of plateau diseases, finally to better prevent and treat them.

Rhein induces apoptosis of human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells via an intrinsic mitochondrial pathway

Rhein is a primary anthraquinone found in the roots of a traditional Chinese herb, rhubarb, and has been shown to have some anticancer effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of rhein on the apoptosis of the human gastric cancer line SGC-7901 and to identify the mechanism involved. SGC-7901 cells were cultured and treated with rhein (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 µM) for 24, 48, or 72 h. Relative cell viability assessed by the MTT assay after treatment was 100, 99, 85, 79, 63% for 24 h; 100, 98, 80, 51, 37% for 48 h, and 100, 97, 60, 36, 15% for 72 h, respectively. Cell apoptosis was detected with TUNEL staining and quantified with flow cytometry using annexin FITC-PI staining at 48 h after 100, 200 and 300 µm rhein. The percentage of apoptotic cells was 7.3, 21.9, 43.5%, respectively. We also measured the mRNA levels of caspase-3 and -9 using real-time PCR. Treatment with 100 µM rhein for 48 h significantly increased mRNA expression of caspase-3 and -9. The levels of apoptosis-related proteins including Bcl-2, Bax, Bcl-xL, and pro-caspase-3 were evaluated in rhein-treated cells. Rhein increased the Bax:Bcl-2 ratio but decreased the protein levels of Bcl-xL and pro-caspase-3. Moreover, rhein significantly increased the expression of cytochrome c and apoptotic protease activating factor 1, two critical components involved in mitochondrial pathway-mediated apoptosis. We conclude that rhein inhibits SGC-7901 proliferation by inducing apoptosis and this antitumor effect of rhein is mediated in part by an intrinsic mitochondrial pathway.

Expression of caspase-8 after brain injury from fluid percussion in rats / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To provide the evidence of the relationship between brain injury and the time of injury.@*METHODS@#Rats were contused on brain by fluid percussion, then were killed after injury for 15 min, 30 min, 1,3,6,12 h, and 1,4,7,14 d respectively. The expression of caspase-8 were detected by immunohistochemical technology on rat brain section and the results were assessed by image analysis system in the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and hippocampus.@*RESULTS@#The expression of caspase-8 in cortex and hippocampus could be detected in 30 min after injury, increased significantly in 3h, reached apex in 1d after injury, remained 4d before decreased. In addition, the expression of caspase-8 can be detected in 1h after injury and reached apex in 1d after injury, and remained 4d then reduced.@*CONCLUSION@#It seems that the expression of caspase-8 should be a useful target for diagnosis of early brain injury.

Epidemiology of assaultive injuries in areas of Sichuan province, China / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To scrutinize the epidemiological characteristics of assaultive injuries in Sichuan province, China.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A survey of all cases of assaultive injuries reported by police was performed during 8 years in eight counties of Sichuan province, China. A total of 2862 victims and 2856 offenders were registered.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The majority of victims and offenders were young men at the age of 20-39 and only received an education at secondary school or primary school. The largest fraction of these cases took place at farm or by-place during 10.00-11.00 o'clock, 16.00-17.00 o'clock and 20.00-21.00 o'clock. The tangles caused by trifles were the most common factors inducing assaultive injuries and accounted for 42.1 percent of the causes of assaults. Blunt injuries were mainly caused by punching (40%) and kicking (17.2%). About 37.3% of the lesions seriously happened in the regions of face and head. Open wounds accounted for 40.3% of these different injuries.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>It is valuable to take some specific measures to prevent and control assaultive injuries according to their territorial characteristics.</p>

The latest research progress on CGRP and its potential application in forensic medicine / 法医学杂志

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) play a key role in some physiological and pathological progresses. The latest studies indicate that CGRP might involve in some disease progress and has a close relation with wound healing. It is significant to further investigate and then apply it to clinical diagnosis and therapy as well as forensic pathology.