Treatment of Thin Endometrium in Infertility Based on Thought of "Blood Being Basis of Women" / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Infertility is commonly seen but difficult to treat in the department of obstetrics and gynecology. The incidence of infertility in women of childbearing age has reached as high as 25% in China， which seriously affects social harmony and people's happiness. As the lifestyle of modern women changes， thin endometrium has gradually become an important reason for infertility and embryo transfer failure. Such factors as repeated operations in uterine cavity and oral intake of hormones have resulted in destructed blood vessels and reduced blood flow in endometrium， impaired growth of glandular epithelial cells， insufficient local blood supply， retarded development of endometrium， reduced receptivity， and therefore poor acceptance of endometrium to the implanted gestational sac， which is not conducive to the implantation of fertilized eggs. As a result， the infertility will occur. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has a long history of treating infertility. During the long-term clinical practice， physicians of ancient and modern times have gained rich experience in the diagnosis and treatment of infertility. The idea of "blood being the basis of women" sprouted in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods and determined in the Song Dynasty as an important guiding principle that can be applied in various physiological periods of women. It emphasizes "blood regulation" for gynecological diseases to ensure sufficient blood in blood vessels and its normal circulation， thus allowing the thoroughfare and conception vessels and endometrium to be nourished and the pregnancy to be facilitated. With blood as the basis， the paper explored the physiopathological correlations of five zang organs and thoroughfare and conception vessels with blood， pointed out the preference for "blood harmonization" in ancient literature based on the differentiation of infertility into blood stasis， blood cold， blood heat， and blood deficiency syndromes， reviewed the key methods of modern physicians in assisting pregnancy including tonifying kidney and nourishing blood， tonifying kidney and activating blood， tonifying kidney and invigorating spleen， as well as invigorating kidney and soothing liver， and summarized the efficacy of integrated TCM and western medicine in promoting ovulation， regulating hormones， improving blood supply， and nourishing endometrium to assist pregnancy. All these would contribute to the clinical treatment and scientific research of thin endometrium in infertility from multiple angles.

Treatment of Perimenopausal Anovulatory Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding Based on Thought of Liver Being Innate Basis of Women / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Perimenopausal anovulatory dysfunctional uterine bleeding （ADUB） is a severe acute disease that is difficult to be dealt with in gynecology， accounting for about 70% of abnormal uterine bleeding. The significant differences in bleeding patterns make it particularly challenging to treat. The main manifestations of perimenopausal ADUB are prolonged menstrual period， inexhaustible menstrual bleeding， or heavy inter-menstrual vaginal bleeding， which allow it to be classified into the category of metrorrhagia and metrostaxis in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. After conducting in-depth research on this disease， physicians of the past dynasties have figured out its etiology and pathogenesis and accumulated rich experience in its differentiation and treatment， thus forming a relatively systematic theoretical system. The existing literature mainly focuses on four types of its pathogenesis， namely blood heat， blood stasis， spleen deficiency， and kidney deficiency， and there are few discussions on liver. However， patients with metrorrhagia and metrostaxis due to liver dysfunction are commonly seen in clinical practice. The theory of liver being innate basis of women explores the special physiological and pathological characteristics of women and emphasizes the important role of liver in the treatment of this disease based on its characteristic functions and meridian circulation. Considering the close relationship of liver Qi and blood with spleen， kidney， and thoroughfare and conception vessels， this paper discussed the TCM treatment of perimenopausal ADUB from the following four aspects： soothing liver Qi and nourishing liver blood， liver and kidney sharing the same source， simultaneous regulation of liver and spleen， and liver meridian circulation， so as to broaden the clinical treatment options. Perimenopause is a unique physiological period when women tend to suffer from Qi stagnation and blood deficiency. Liver， characterized by Yin in property and Yang in function， governs the free flow of Qi， induces ovulation， stores blood， and regulates blood volume. Therefore， the liver should be emphasized in the treatment of perimenopausal ADUB， which contributes to correcting the hormone disorder caused by abnormal ovulation， stopping bleeding， and alleviating perimenopausal symptoms. This paper has provided a new direction for the clinical treatment of perimenopausal ADUB .

Response of lymphocytes to radiation in untreated breast cancer patients as detected with three different genetic assays / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To detect the response of lymphocytes to radiation in untreated breast cancer patients with three different genetic assays.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Blood samples were collected from 25 untreated patients and 25 controls. Each blood sample was divided into two parts: one was irradiated by 3-Gy X-ray (irradiated sample), the other was not irradiated (non-irradiated sample). The radiosensitivity of lymphocytes was assessed by comet assay, cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay and 6-TG-resistant cells scored (TG) assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The baseline values of micronucleated cell frequency (MCF) and micronucleus frequency (MNF) in the patients were significantly higher than those in the controls (P < 0.01), and 3-Gy X-ray induced genetic damage to lymphocytes in the patients increased significantly as compared with that in the controls as detected with the three genetic assays (P < 0.01). The proportion of radiosensitive cases in the patient group was 48% for the mean tail length (MTL), 40% for the mean tail moment (MTM), 40% for MCF, 44% for MNF, and 48% for mutation frequencies of the hprt gene (Mfs-hprt), respectively, whereas the proportion of radiosensitive cases in the control group was only 8% for all the parameters.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The difference in the lymphocyte radiosensitivity between the breast cancer patients and the controls is significant. Moreover, there are wide individual variations in lymphocyte radiosensitivity of patients with breast cancer. In some cases, the radiosensitivity of the same patient may be different as detected with the different assays. It is suggested that multiple assays should be used to assess the radiosensitivity of patients with breast cancer before therapy.</p>

Relation between the angiotensin II type 2 receptor polymorphism and essential hypertension in men / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of the angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AGTR2) gene, and to determine whether the AGTR2 polymorphisms are associated with essential hypertension in a male Chinese population.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Direct DNA sequencing was performed in 20 subjects. 96 male hypertensive patients and 107 normal controls were included to assess the contribution of the SNP of AGTR2 gene to hypertension.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Seven SNP of the AGTR2 gene were identified, of which 4 were reported for the first time. A case-control study including two polymorphisms (A1675G and T1334C) showed a significant increase in the A1675 allele frequency among male hypertensive subjects as compared with normotensive subjects (49.0% vs 34.6%, P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The AGTR2 A1675G polymorphism might be involved in the development of essential hypertension in male Chinese.</p>

Localization and screening of autosomal dominant coralliform cataract associated gene / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To identify the genetic defect for the autosomal dominant coralliform cataract affecting a four-generation Chinese family.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Genomic DNA from the family members was typed for whole genomic linkage analysis. Two-point LOD scores were calculated using the LINKAGE program package (version 5.1). Mutation analysis of candidate genes was performed by direct sequencing.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Thirteen of the 38 individuals had congenital cataracts. The maximum two point LOD score, 3.5 at theta=0.1 was obtained for the marker D2S325. Mutation analysis of the gamma-crystallin gene cluster identified a C --> A mutation in exon 2 of gamma-D crystallin gene (CRYGD) associated with cataracts in this family. This mutation resulted in a substitution of threonine for proline at amino acid 23 (P23T) of the protein.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results suggest that the coralliform cataract phenotype is due to a mutated gamma-D gene, and the sequence change is identical with that recently reported to be related with lamellar cataract, a distinct clinical entity, thus providing evidence that the same genetic defect may be associated with different opacity location. The pathogenesis needs further investigation.</p>

Autosomal dominant coralliform cataract related to a missense mutation of the gammaD-crystallin gene / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Congenital cataract is a sight-threatening disease that affects about 1 - 6 cases per 10000 live births and causes 10% - 30% of all blindness in children. About 25% of all cases are due to genetic defects. We identified autosomal dominant congenital coralliform cataracts-related genetic defect in a four-generation Chinese family.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Complete ophthalmological examinations were performed prior to lens extraction. Lens samples were then studied by electron microscopy. Genomic DNA from family members were examined using whole-genomic linkage analysis, with two-point logarithm of odds (LOD) scores calculated using the Linkage program package (version 5.1). Mutation analysis of candidate genes was performed by direct sequencing. Finally, a three-dimensional protein model was predicted using Swiss-Model (version 2.0).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Eleven of the 23 examined individuals had congenital cataracts. Ultrastructure studies revealed crystal deposits in the lens, and granules extensively dispersed in transformed lens fiber cells. The maximum two-point LOD score, 3.5 at theta = 0.1, was obtained for the marker D2S325. Mutation analysis of the gamma-crystallin (CRYG) gene cluster identified a mutation (P23T) in exon 2 of gammaD-crystallin (CRYGD). Protein structure modeling demonstrated that the P23T mutation caused a subtle change on the surface of the gammaD protein.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The results suggest that the coralliform cataract phenotype is due to a mutated CRYGD gene, and that this sequence change is identical to one reported by Santhiya to be related to another distinct clinical condition, lamellar cataract. This study provides evidence that this same genetic defect may be associated with a different phenotype. This is the first report identifying the genetic defect associated with an autosomal dominant congenital coralliform cataract.</p>

An investigation on the chromosomal damage in nurses occupationally exposed to antineoplastic drugs / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate their genotoxic risk in nurses occupationally exposed to antineoplastic drugs with chromosomal aberration test and cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) test.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixteen nurses in the exposure group were selected from the oncology department of the same hospital, with an average length of exposure of 5.5 years and daily making 8.25 chemotherapeutic preparations in average. The controls were students from a nursing school. Peripheral blood from both groups was cultured at 37 degrees C for 48 h and 72 h, respectively, and then slides were prepared for conventional chromosomal aberration test and CBMN test. One hundred blood cells in metaphase and 1 000 binuclear lymphocytes in each sample were observed under microscope.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The results showed that the mean chromosomal aberration rate in the exposure group was (6.38 +/- 3.30)%, significantly higher than that in the controls (1.25 +/- 0.93)% (P < 0.01). And, the mean micronucleated cell rate in the exposure group was (15.06 +/- 5.30) per thousand, very significantly higher than that in the controls (4.56 +/- 1.67) per thousand (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The investigation indicated that chromosome damage rate in the nurses from oncology department was higher than that in the controls, which may be related to their occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs.</p>