Increased tumor-associated mast cells facilitate thyroid cancer progression by inhibiting CD8+ T cell function through galectin-9

As an important component of solid tumors, mast cells show specific phenotypes in various tumor microenvironments. However, the precise mechanism of mast cell accumulation and the phenotypic features of thyroid cancer (TC) remain largely unknown. Here, we found that mast cells were obviously recruited to tumor tissue by TC-derived stem cell factor (SCF). With tumor progression, mast cell levels increased gradually. In addition, intratumoral mast cells expressed higher levels of the immunosuppressive molecule galectin-9, which effectively suppresses CD8+ T-cell antitumor immunity in vitro. Blocking galectin-9 on tumor-infiltrating mast cells reversed the immunosuppression of CD8+ T cells. In conclusion, our data elucidated novel protumorigenic and immunosuppressive roles of mast cells in TC. In addition, our results indicated that blocking mast cells may impede tumor progression and ameliorate the prognosis of TC patients.

Application of functional training on physical fitness in basketball / Aplicação do treinamento funcional sobre a aptidão física no basquetebol / Aplicación del entrenamiento funcional en la aptitud física en el baloncesto

ABSTRACT Introduction: Basketball is a predominant competitive sport among the masses. Its practice requires scoring as many points as possible within a specific time limit, manifesting a short-duration, high-intensity intermittent training session. To meet the sport's requirements, the athlete must have ample directional control, rapid changes in speed, and good jumping ability. Objective: Verify the effects of functional training on basketball players aiming to improve explosive power, stability, and agility. Methods: 18 college basketball players were randomly selected as volunteers for the investigation. They were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. Only to the experimental one was functional physical training added during routine training. The trial lasted for eight weeks. All participants were tested for agility, strength, speed, endurance, power, and cartilage repair before and after the experiment. Finally, a comprehensive statistical data analysis was performed. Results: There were significant differences between the experimental group and the control group in push-ups, 3200-meter run, physical acuity detection, 17 sidelines, and running items, and touch height (P<0.05). In the experimental group, there was no significant difference in high school grades (P>0.05). There was significant statistical significance in the supine project, the 3200-meter athletics project, the 17 sideline projects, and the touchdown project (P<0.05). Conclusion: The physical fitness of the experimental group improved significantly after functional physical training. After routine physical training, the control group athletes had significantly positive absolute strength and endurance results. Overall, functional fitness training is superior to conventional fitness training. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.

RESUMO Introdução: O basquetebol é um esporte de competição predominante entre as massas. Sua prática requer o maior número possível de pontos dentro de um limite de tempo específico, manifestando uma sessão de treinamento intermitente de curta duração e de alta intensidade. Para atender aos requisitos esportivos, é necessário que o atleta tenha um amplo controle direcional, mudanças rápidas de velocidade e boa capacidade de salto. Objetivo: Verificar os efeitos do treinamento funcional em jogadores de basquetebol visando melhorar o poder explosivo, estabilidade e agilidade. Métodos: Foram selecionados aleatoriamente 18 jogadores universitários de basquetebol como voluntários para a investigação. Divididos aleatoriamente em grupos experimental e controle. Apenas ao experimental foi adicionado o treinamento físico funcional durante o treinamento de rotina. O ensaio durou oito semanas. Todos os participantes foram testados quanto a agilidade, força, velocidade, resistência, potência e reparo de cartilagem antes e depois do experimento. Finalmente, efetuou-se uma abrangente análise estatística de dados. Resultados: Verificou-se diferenças significativas entre o grupo experimental e o grupo de controle em flexões, 3200 metros de corrida, detecção de acuidade física, 17 itens de linha lateral e itens de corrida e altura de toque (P<0,05). No grupo experimental, não houve diferença significativa nas notas do ensino médio (P>0,05). Houve significância estatística significativa no projeto de supino, no projeto de atletismo de 3200 metros, nos 17 projetos de linha lateral, e no projeto de retoque (P<0,05). Conclusão: A aptidão física do grupo experimental melhorou significativamente após o treinamento físico funcional. Após o treinamento físico de rotina, os atletas do grupo de controle tiveram resultados significativamente positivos sobre força e resistência absolutas. Em geral, o treinamento de aptidão física funcional é superior ao treinamento de aptidão física convencional. Nível de evidência II; Estudos terapêuticos - investigação dos resultados do tratamento.

Resumen Introducción: El baloncesto es un deporte de competición predominante entre las masas. Su práctica requiere el mayor número posible de puntos dentro de un límite de tiempo específico, manifestando una sesión de entrenamiento intermitente de corta duración y alta intensidad. Para cumplir con los requisitos deportivos, es necesario que el atleta tenga un amplio control direccional, rápidos cambios de velocidad y una buena capacidad de salto. Objetivo: Verificar los efectos del entrenamiento funcional en jugadores de baloncesto con el objetivo de mejorar la potencia explosiva, la estabilidad y la agilidad. Métodos: 18 jugadores de baloncesto universitario fueron seleccionados al azar como voluntarios para la investigación. Se dividieron aleatoriamente en grupos experimentales y de control. Sólo al experimental se le añadió el entrenamiento físico funcional durante el entrenamiento rutinario. La prueba duró ocho semanas. Todos los participantes fueron sometidos a pruebas de agilidad, fuerza, velocidad, resistencia, potencia y reparación del cartílago antes y después del experimento. Por último, se realizó un exhaustivo análisis estadístico de los datos. Resultados: Hubo diferencias significativas entre el grupo experimental y el grupo de control en las flexiones de brazos, la carrera de 3200 metros, la detección de la agudeza física, los 17 elementos de la banda y la carrera y la altura del toque (P<0,05). En el grupo experimental, no hubo diferencias significativas en las calificaciones de la escuela secundaria (P>0,05). Hubo una significación estadística significativa en el proyecto de decúbito supino, el proyecto de 3200 metros de atletismo, los 17 proyectos de banda y el proyecto de touchdown (P<0,05). Conclusión: La aptitud física del grupo experimental mejoró significativamente tras el entrenamiento físico funcional. Tras el entrenamiento físico rutinario, los atletas del grupo de control obtuvieron resultados significativamente positivos en cuanto a fuerza y resistencia absolutas. En general, el entrenamiento de aptitud física funcional es superior al entrenamiento de aptitud física convencional. Nivel de evidencia II; Estudios terapéuticos - investigación de los resultados del tratamiento.

Fibrolipomatous hamartoma of the median nerve: a case report and literature review / Hamartoma fibrolipomatoso del nervio mediano: reporte de un caso y revisión de la literatura

Abstract Fibrolipomatous hamartoma (FLH) of the nerve, also known as lipomatosis of the nerve, neurofibrillary lipomatous lesion, or intraneural lipoma, is a rare benign soft tissue tumor which mainly occurs in the nerves of the upper limb, especially in the median nerve. In April 2021, a 30-year-old male patient was secondly admitted to our hospital and underwent his third surgery, due to the recurrence of a mass and pain in the right palm, noticeable swelling and numbness of the right index and ring fingers, and limited flexion and extension activities of the right ring finger. He first visited our hospital in December 2017 due to a mass and pain in the right palm and swelling and numbness of the right index and ring fingers. When the clinician asked for the patient medical history, his parents stated that his right middle finger was swollen after birth. When the patient was ten years old; he was diagnosed with "macrodactyly" at the local county hospital, not in our hospital, and subsequently, the middle finger was amputated at the metacarpophalangeal joint level at the local county hospital. The postoperative pathological examination was not performed at that time, which was the first surgery the patient received. FLH is clinically rare, and its exact epidemiology and etiology are poorly understood. FLH is highly suspected in cases where a painless mass is present in the wrist, combined with macrodactyly. Magnetic resonance imaging and pathological examination are helpful in clarifying the diagnosis. Although FLH is a benign tumor, an individual treatment plan is the best choice according to the severity of the patient's symptoms. Therefore, further exploration and understanding of this disease by clinicians radiologists, and pathologists is necessary.

Resumen El hamartoma fibrolipomatoso (FLH) del nervio, también conocido como lipomatosis del nervio, lesión neurofibrilar lipomatosa, o lipointraneural, es un tumor benigno de tejido blando poco frecuente, que se presenta principalmente en los nervios del miembro superior, especialmente en el nervio mediano. En abril de 2021, un paciente masculino de 30 años fue ingresado por segunda vez en nuestro hospital y sometido a su tercera cirugía debido a la recurrencia de una masa y dolor en la palma derecha, evidente hinchazón y entumecimiento de los dedos índice y anular derecho y limitadas actividades de flexión y extensión del dedo anular derecho. En diciembre de 2017, visitó por primera vez nuestro hospital debido a una masa y dolor en la palma derecha, y a la hinchazón y entumecimiento de los dedos índice y anular derecho. Cuando el clínico preguntó la historia clínica del paciente, sus padres declararon que su dedo medio derecho estaba hinchado después del nacimiento, y cuando el paciente tenía 10 años, fue diagnosticado con "macrodactilia" en el hospital local del condado, no en nuestro hospital Posteriormente, el dedo medio fue amputado a nivel de la articulación metacarpofalángica en el hospital comarcal local, pero no se realizó la patología postoperatoria en ese momento, siendo ésta la primera cirugía a la cual se sometió el paciente. La FLH es clínicamente rara, y su epidemiología y etiología exactas no se entienden bien. En los casos que presentan una masa indolora en la muñeca, combinada con macrodactilia, se sospecha de FLH. La resonancia magnética y la patología son útiles para aclarar el diagnóstico. Aunque la FLH es un tumor benigno, el plan de tratamiento individual es la mejor opción de acuerdo con la gravedad de los síntomas del paciente. Por lo tanto, es necesaria una mayor exploración y comprensión de esta enfermedad por parte de médicos, radiólogos y patólogos.

Transepithelial phototherapeutic keratectomy for post-traumatic recurrent corneal erosions

Purpose: To evaluate the outcomes of transepithelial phototherapeutic keratectomy (transepithelial PTK) for treatment of posttraumatic recurrent corneal erosions. Methods: Twenty?four eyes of 22 patients with posttraumatic recurrent corneal erosions who were treated with transepithelial PTK from April 2018 to July 2020 were included in this retrospective study. The rates of recurrent erosions and complications were evaluated during the follow?up after surgery. Visual acuity and refraction were recorded preoperatively and 1 year after surgery. Total corneal astigmatism, total corneal irregular astigmatism, and total corneal spherical aberrations were recorded using corneal tomography preoperatively and 1 year after surgery. Results: Mean postoperative follow?up was 13 months (range: 12� months). None of the patients suffered from any complications or further erosions. Uncorrected distance visual acuity, best?corrected distance visual acuity, spherical equivalent, and cylinder remained stable at 1?year postoperatively compared with the baseline (P = 0.214, P = 0.461, P = 0.084, and P = 0.879, respectively). Moreover, there was no significant difference in total corneal astigmatism, total corneal irregular astigmatism, and total corneal spherical aberrations between baseline and 1?year postoperative visit (P = 0.938, P = 0.136, and P = 0.981, respectively). Conclusion: Transepithelial PTK was an effective treatment for patients with posttraumatic recurrent corneal erosions.

A case report of infection of Mycobacterium senegalense after abdominal liposuction / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: Mycobacterium senegalense is one of the major pathogens causing bovine farcy, and reports of its infection in human are rare. Here is a report on a woman who had been taking hormones and immunosuppressants for a long time for SLE and underwent abdominal soft tissue infection with Mycobacterium senegalense after abdominal liposuction, to provide reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment. The patient, female, 32 years old, has a history of SLE for more than 2 years, and currently takes "methylprednisolone, hydroxychloroquine, and mycophenolate mofetil" regularly. Nine months before the patient was admitted to the hospital, she once performed abdominal, waist and buttock liposuction in a medical beauty institution. One month after the operation, several masses gradually appeared on the abdominal wall, accompanied by tenderness, one of the masses had obvious fluctuation on palpation and purulent fluid could be drawn out. The location of the abdominal wall mass was consistent with the insertion site of the liposuction needle. After the onset of the disease, the patient went to the medical beauty institution for puncture of the abdominal wall mass, and 5 mL of purulent fluid was pierced and sent for bacterial culture, and cultured "Mycobacterium Senegalense", after 3 days of treatment with "cephalosporin" antibiotics (specifically unknown), the symptoms did not improve, so she went to the second affiliated hospital of hainan medical college. After completing the relevant examinations during the hospitalization in our hospital, in order to clarify the etiology, another abdominal puncture to extract pus was performed, the mycobacterial culture + identification results: Mycobacterium senegalense. Consistent with the out-of-hospital results, the diagnosis of Mycobacterium senegalense infection was confirmed. After 3 months of treatment with "cefoxitin, azithromycin, amikacin, and levofloxacin", the patient's abdominal wall soft tissue infection was cured. Trauma or invasive procedures can lead to skin, muscle, or bone infection with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), which can manifest as chronic painless nodules that progress to purulent folliculitis and abscesses. NTM infection should be suspected when the patient's wound has been exposed to water, there is a history of surgery, and empirical anti-infection is ineffective. This is the first case of Mycobacterium senegalense infection caused by medical beauty, which tell people that they should be cautious when choosing medical aesthetic projects and medical aesthetic institutions.

Risk factors for children s blood lead levels in one city of Jiangsu / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To understand the level and risk factor of lead exposure among children in one city of Jiangsu.@*Methods@#In northern Jiangsu Province, 373 children from 2 primary schools were enrolled and were tested for blood lead and heavy metal exposure. Lead exposure was tested in household dust of 46 children. A multivariate Logistic regression was used for lead exposure risk analysis. Spatial distribution of lead contamination in household dust was conducted and compared with the location of industrial enterprises.@*Results@#The geometric mean of blood lead in 373 children was 25.80 mg/L,the blood lead of 3 children (0.8%) was more than 100 mg/L. Pencil biting ( OR=4.26, 95%CI=1.61-10.68, P <0.05) and lead contamination in surrounding environment ( OR=2.93, 95%CI=1.24-7.34, P =0.02) was positively related to high blood lead level in children. The geometric mean household dust lead concentrations in 46 children was 302.27 μg/mg, and household with high dust lead levels were mainly located around manufacturing enterprises.@*Conclusion@#Environmental factors correlate with blood lead level in children. Efficient strategies and public health policies are urgently needed to control and prevent environmental lead pollution. Families and schools should actively carry out health education to engourage children good hygiene habits, and effectively reduce lead exposure.

Research progress on the application of antibacterial titanium alloys in stomatology / 口腔疾病防治

@#Currently, titanium alloys are widely used in the field of stomatology; however, owing to long-term exposure to a complex microbial environment, dental plaques easily form on the surface of the materials, affecting the use efficiency and the service life of the materials. The antibacterial titanium alloy is a new kind of titanium alloy with antimicrobials added through surface modification or overall modification. Based on the location of antibacterial agents in titanium alloy materials, antibacterial titanium alloys can be divided into coating and alloy types. The antibacterial effect of coated antibacterial titanium alloy is good, but the disadvantage is that most of the coatings are not wear-resistant. The widely-used antibacterial agent of the alloy type is metal elements, which can be evenly distributed in the alloy, and the antibacterial properties are stable and long-lasting. Based on whether antibacterial agents can be released, antibacterial titanium alloys can be further divided into active antibacterial and passive antibacterial types. Active antibacterial type titanium alloys can release loaded antibacterial agents, and the antibacterial effect is more obvious, but the release duration of antibacterial agents is relatively short. Passive antibacterial titanium alloys exhibit an antibacterial effect by contact sterilization or inhibition of bacterial adhesion instead of releasing antibacterial agents. The antibacterial titanium alloy can inhibit the adhesion of bacteria on the surface of the material and prolong the service life of oral orthodontic appliances, implants and titanium plates. Moreover, the mechanical properties of the titanium alloy after antibacterial modification are not significantly affected, and the addition of antibacterial agents such as hydroxyapatite can increase the osteogenic function of the material. Therefore, the alloy has good application prospects in the fields of dental implant, orthodontic treatment and oral and maxillofacial surgery. However, most of the current studies on antibacterial titanium alloys are in vitro experiments, and their long-term clinical effects and antibacterial mechanisms are still unclear and need further study.

Prevention and Control Measures and Effects of COVID-19 in Shenmu City Hospital, China

Purpose: To explore the prevention and control strategies and effects of COVID-19 in Shenmu City Hospital, so as to provide basis for the prevention and control of COVID-19 in Shenmu City.Methods: Retrospective analysis and review of our hospital after the outbreak of COVID-19 prevention and control program, response measures and management procedures and other aspects of the deployment.Results:In the 86 days up to April 15, 2020, there were 7,843 pre-diagnosis and triage patients, among which 707 were high-risk group, 3,140 were general population and 3,996 were key population. 992 patients were treated in COVID-19 clinics, 2 suspected cases were reported and 89 were kept under observation. 5, 351 visits in general fever clinics; 89 cases were hospitalized in isolation ward, including 2 suspected cases. COVID-19 was discharged after improvement.Conclusion:Initial progress has been made in epidemic prevention and control. COVID-19 has not been reported in the whole city. It shows that effective prevention and control strategies are of great significance for achieving the goal of "three zeros" (zero infection, zero spread and zero death), and are worth learning and promoting

Edaravone alleviates cell apoptosis and mitochondrial injury in ischemia-reperfusion-induced kidney injury via the JAK/STAT pathway

BACKGROUND: Kidney ischemia-reperfusion injury is a common pathophysiological phenomenon in the clinic. A large number of studies have found that the tyrosine protein kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway is involved in the development of a variety of kidney diseases and renal protection associated with multiple drugs. Edaravone (EDA) is an effective free radical scavenger that has been used clinically for the treatment of postischemic neuronal injury. This study aimed to identify whether EDA improved kidney function in rats with ischemia-reperfusion injury by regulating the JAK/STAT pathway and clarify the underlying mechanism. METHODS: Histomorphological analysis was used to assess pathological kidney injury, and mitochondrial damage was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick endlabeling (TUNEL) staining was performed to detect tubular epithelial cell apoptosis. The expression of JAK2, P-JAK2, STAT3, P-STAT3, STAT1, P-STAT1, BAX and Bcl-2 was assessed by western blotting. Mitochondrial function in the kidney was assessed by mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔψM) measurement. RESULTS: The results showed that EDA inhibited the expression of p-JAK2, p-STAT3 and p-STAT1, accompanied by downregulation of the expression of Bax and caspase-3, and significantly ameliorated kidney damage caused by ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). Furthermore, the JC-1 dye assay showed that edaravone attenuated ischemia-reperfusion-induced loss of kidney (ΔψM). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that EDA protects against kidney damage caused by ischemia-reperfusion through JAK/STAT signaling, inhibiting apoptosis and improving mitochondrial injury.

Essential oil from Euphorbia esula inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in HepG2 cells via mitochondrial dysfunction

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most prevalent malignancies and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. However, the therapies to prevent hepatocellular carcinoma are still limited and the emergence of drug resistance leads to the development of new anti-cancer drugs and combinational chemotherapy regimens. Our study was aimed to explore the anticancer effects of the essential oil extract (EEEO) from Euphorbia esula which has been widely used in traditional Chinese folk medicine and possessed potential cytotoxic effects in several human tumor cells. However, the mechanisms of EEEO-induced anti-proliferation and apoptosis have not been completely elucidated. In this study, EEEO was prepared by hydro-distillation and the main chemical component of EEEO was identified by GC-MS. HepG2 cells were treated with EEEO in vitro and then evaluated with respect to proliferation, apoptosis, and levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptotic proteins. Our studies showed that EEEO decreased cell viability, elevated ROS levels, and induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, Bcl-2 was down-regulated, while Bax was up-regulated in HepG2 after EEEO treatment. These results suggest that EEEO induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells and indicate that this apoptosis might be mediated by the mitochondrial pathway.

Advantages and disadvantages of internal fixation with suture anchors and locking plate in the treatment of the greater tuberosity fracture / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: Open reduction and internal fixation with locking plate is wildly used in treatment of the greater tuberosity fracture, but certain disadvantages still existed. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of open reduction and internal fixation with suture anchors and locking plate in the treatment of the greater tuberosity fracture. METHODS: A retrospective review of 33 patients with greater tuberosity fracture treated with open reduction and internal fixation between January 2016 and December 2018 was conducted. According to internal fixation method, the patients were divided into anchor group (n=7) and plate group (n=26), which received open reduction + suture anchor fixation and open reduction + locking plate fixation. Operation time, incision length, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative displacement of fracture mass, and Constant-Murley score 1 and 3 months after surgery and in final follow-up were compared between the two groups. Adverse reactions were recorded in the two groups. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Operation time was shorter in the anchor group (73.1±10.5 minutes) than in the plate group (98.2±11.9 minutes). Incision length was shorter in the anchor group (7.3±1.1 cm) than in the plate group (14.9±1.7 cm). Intraoperative blood loss was less in the anchor group (45.0±7.1 mL) than in the plate group (141.0±25.9 mL) (P 0.05). (4) All results suggest that compared with locking plate fixation, suture anchor fixation is easier to be operated with small trauma in the treatment of the greater tuberosity fracture.

Expression of CPEB1 gene affects the cycle of ovarian granulosa cells from adult and young goats

Background: CPEB is considered as an RNA-binding protein first identified in Xenopus oocytes. Although CPEB1 was involved in the growth of oocyte, its role in goat follicular granulosa cell has not been fully elucidated. To clarify the functions of this gene in goat follicular granulosa cells, CPEB1-overexpressing vector and interference vector were structured and transfected into follicular granulosa cells from Jiangsu native white goats of Nantong city, Jiangsu Province, China. The expression levels of differentiation-related genes including CDK1, Cyclin B1, and C-mos were determined 24 h after administration of CPEB1 by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting methods. Results: The expression levels of CDK1, Cyclin B1, and C-mos were significantly upregulated after overexpression and significantly downregulated after interference with CPEB1. Conclusions: The CPEB1 gene expression could affect the transcription of genes related to early cleavage divisions, which provided a reference for further research on its role in the growth and maturation of oocytes.

Prognosis of the complete transposition of great arteries with left ventricular outflow tract obstruction after intraventricular repair / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective     To compare the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients who received two different intraventricular repair. Methods     We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 24 complete transposition of the great arteries (TGA)/left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) patients who all received intraventricular repair. The patients were allocated into two groups including a REV group and a Rastelli group. There were 13 patients with 9 males and 4 females at median age of 25.2 (6, 72) months in the REV group. There were 11 patients with 10 males and 1 female at median age of 47.9 (14, 144) months in the Rastelli group. Results     The age at operation (P=0.041), pulmonary valve Z value (P=0.002), and LVOT gradient (P=0.004), rate of multiphase operation between the REV group and the Rastelli group was statistically different. The mean follow-up time was 17.3 months. And during the follow-up, 1 patient had early mortality, 2 patients had early reintervention, 7 patients had postoperative RVOTO, and received Rastelli and larger VSD inner diameter were associated with postoperative RVOTO. Conclusion     As the traditional surgery for TGA/LVOTO patients, the intraventricular repair has a low early mortality and low early reintervention. Modified REV is associated with postoperative peripheral pulmonary vein isolation (PVIS). Patients who received Rastelli operation and with larger VSD inner diameter are more likely to have postoperative RVOTO, but the reintervention for PVI and   RVOTO during follow up is very low.

Overexpression of CDC25C affects the cell cycle of ovarian granulosa cells from adult and young goats

Background: CDC25 is a dual-specificity phosphatase that was first identified in the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe as a cell cycle-defective mutant. Although CDC25 is involved in the cell cycle of ovarian granulosa cells, the CDC25 signaling pathway has not been clarified fully. To explore the role of CDC25C in the cell cycle of goat ovarian granulosa cells, a CDC25C-overexpressing vector, pCMV-HA-CDC25C, was constructed and transfected into granulosa cells from adult and young white goats from Jiangsu Nantong. RT-PCR was used to measure CDC25C, CDK1, and WEE1 gene expression levels, and flow cytometry was used to distinguish ovarian granulosa cells in different phases of the cell cycle. Progesterone and estradiol levels in transfected ovarian granulosa cells were also measured. Results: In adult goat follicular granulosa cells transfected with pCMV-HA-CDC25C, CDC25C expression increased significantly, which greatly increased the relative gene expression levels of both CDK1 and WEE1. Additionally, progesterone and estradiol levels were increased in goat follicular granulosa cells overexpressing CDC25C. And the cell cycle results showed that transfection of pCMV-HA-CDC25C leads to a higher proportion of cells in S phase compared to the no vector-transfected groups. Conclusions: The results of this study indicated that the overexpression of CDC25C may increase the gene expression levels of both WEE1 and CDK1 in S phase and accelerate the transition of cells from G1 phase to S phase.

Combined therapy of Compound Xuanju Capsules and traditional Chinese medicinal formula for infertility in male smokers / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>Objective</b>To investigate the clinical effects of the combined therapy of Compound Xuanju Capsules (CXJC) and traditional Chinese medicinal formula on infertility in male smokers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 176 male infertility patients were divided into a smoking and a non-smoking group and the former further divided into mild, moderate and heavy smokers according to the daily consumption of cigarettes and the length of smoking history. The patients were treated with CXJC combined with traditional Chinese medicinal formula for 3 four-week courses and the therapeutic results were evaluated by comparing the indicators of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome, routine semen parameters, sperm morphology, and sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) among different groups before and after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The baseline TCM syndrome scores were remarkably higher in the heavy smokers than in the non-smoking group (P < 0.05) but showed no statistically significant differences between the mild and moderate smokers (P > 0.05). The baseline percentage of sperm head defects and DFI were also markedly higher in the heavy and moderate smokers than in the non-smoking group (P < 0.05). Compared with the baseline, significant improvement was achieved after treatment in the TCM syndrome, routine semen parameters, sperm morphology and sperm DFI, especially in the heavy smokers in the percentages of grade a+b sperm (［17.12 ± 2.54］ vs ［30.15 ± 3.10］%, P < 0.05), morphologically normal sperm (［15.54 ± 1.98］ vs ［26.82 ± 3.52］%, P < 0.05), and head-defective sperm (［27.02 ± 2.14］ vs ［22.07 ± 1.52］%, P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Sperm quality is significantly decreased while the risk of infertility remarkably increased in moderate and heavy smokers. The combined therapy of CXJC and traditional Chinese medicinal formula can effectively improve semen quality, sperm morphology and sperm DFI in male smokers with infertility, though more evidence is to be collected from further studies.</p>

Clinical analysis of unroofed coronary sinus syndrome with endocardial cushion defect / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To analyze pathologic features and surgical procedures for patients with unroofed coronary sinus syndrome (UCSS) associated with endocardial cushion defect (ECD). Methods    The clinical data of 44 patients with UCSS and ECD from May 1998 to July 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. There were 18 males and 26 females with a mean age of 10.4±12.1 years (range: 5.0 months to 44.0 years) and mean weight of 25.2±20.9 kg (range 5.2-80.0 kg). According to the Kirklin and Barratt-Boyes classification, 28 patients were categorized into type Ⅰ, 5 typeⅡ , 4 type Ⅲ and 7 type Ⅳ. Among them 25 patients suffered partial ECD, 10 complete ECD, 9 transitional ECD, and 27 were associated with single atrium, 34 involved persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC), and in 27 of the 34 patients PLSVC directly drained into the left atrium (LA). Among the 44 patients, 1 patient associated with complex anomalies underwent palliative operation, and other cardiac malformations were corrected simultaneously by surgical correction. PLSVC was ligated in 2 patients, and the intracardiac tunnels or baffles to drain PLSVC to right atrium (RA) were reconstructed in 25 patients. The associated cardiac lesions were corrected concomitantly. Results    In-hospital death occurred in 2 patients, among whom 1 died of low cardiac output syndrome on postoperative day 8 and the other pulmonary infection on postoperative day 21. Thirty-one were followed up from 1 month to 10 years, and there was no death or severe complications. Conclusion    When ECD is associated with PLSVC and a single atrium, UCSS may develop. Repair according to the type of UCSS is effective.

The mid-long term results of application research of artificial Gore-Tex chordate in mitral valvuloplasty in patients with infective endocarditis / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To evaluate the mid-long term results of application research of artificial Gore-Tex chordate in mitral valvuloplasty in patients with mitral insufficiency caused by endocarditis. Methods    We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 28 consecutive infective endocarditis(IE) patients who received mitral valve repair with Gore-Tex in our hospital between January 2012 and December 2015. There were 17 males and 11 females. The age of these patients ranged from 18 to 69 (52.0±15.4) years. Echocardiography before operation showed the degree of mitral regurgitation (MR) was severe in 19 patients, moderate in 9 patients. Six patients were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class Ⅱ, 14 in class Ⅲ, 8 in class Ⅳ. There were 26 selective surgeries and 2 emergent surgeries. One patient had concomitant coronary artery bypass graft. Six patients had aortic valve replacement. Five patients had aortic valve repair. Twenty patients had tricuspid valve repair. Five patients had Maze procedure. Results    Follow-up was done to all the patients for 6 months to 55 (30.5±6.4) months. During the follow-up, the echocardiography showed that postoperative left atrium diameter (36.64±8.50 mm vs. 51.78±17.50 mm, P<0.05) and left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (49.30±5.05 mm vs. 57.70±7.49 mm, P<0.05) were significantly smaller than those before operation. The left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) increased from 53.86%±8.16% to 59.14%±4.23% (P<0.05). No MR was found in 16 patients, mild MR in 8 patients, mild to moderate MR in 2 patients, moderate MR in 1 patient. One patient required reoperation for   recurrent infection. No death or complications related to thrombosis and embolism occurred after operation. Conclusion    Application research of artificial Gore-Tex chordate in mitral valve repair is feasible for treating mitral valve lesions caused by endocarditis, and may provide a long-term outcome to the patients.

Essential Oil from Siegesbeckia pubescens Induces Apoptosis through the Mitochondrial Pathway in Human HepG2 Cells / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

Siegesbeckia pubescens (SP) has been used as a traditional medicine for the treatment of and inflammatory diseases.However,the activities of SP against hepatocellular carcinoma and the related mechanisms remain unclear.The present study aimed to examine the effects of the essential oil of SP (SPEO) on the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells and the possible mechanisms.The growth inhibition of HepG2 cells was analyzed by MTT assay.Hoechst 33258 and fluorescence microscopy were utilized to observe the nuclear morphological changes of apoptotic cells.Flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis and cell cycle.The expressions of the target proteins were detected by Western blotting.The results showed that SPEO obviously inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner.SPEO activated a series of apoptotic proteins in HepG2 cells,increasing expression levels of Bax,caspase-3 and caspase-9,and decreasing the bcl-2 expression level.SPEO displayed promising anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activities in vitro,partly by inducing apoptosis in HepG2 cells through activating the mitochondrial pathway.

Detection of Low-abundance Point Mutations by Competitive Strand Assisted Endonuclease Ⅳ Signal Amplification System / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

Genetic mutations are important molecular biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and surveillance.Therefore,the development of methods for mutation detection characterized with straightforward,highly specific and sensitive to low-level mutations within various sequence contexts is extremely needed.Although some of the currently available methods have shown very encouraging results,their discrimination efficiency is still very low.Herein,we demonstrate a fluorescent probe coupled with blocker and property of melting temperature discrimination,which is able to identify the presence of known or unknown single-base variations at abundances down to 0.1％ within 20 min.The discrimination factors between the perfect-match target and single-base mismatched target are determined to be 10.15-38.48.The method is sequence independent,which assures a wide range of application.The new method would be an ideal choice for high-throughput in vitro diagnosis and precise clinical treatment.

Clinical observation of modified Da Chaihu decoction in treating essential hypertension with anxiety / 中国中药杂志

To observe the clinical efficacy of modified Da Chaihu decoction in treating essential hypertension with anxiety, the randomized, controlled, clinical trial was performed in this study. One hundred and twenty-six hypertensive patients with anxiety meeting the inclusive criteria were randomized into the treatment group and the control group. All of the included patients in the above 2 groups were treated by amlodipine besylate tablets. Patients in the treatment group were given Chinese herbal medicine modified Da Chaihu decoction every day. And patients in the control group were given flupentixol and melitracen tablets. The treatment course was 4 weeks. Blood pressure, the score of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome, blood lipids, C reactive protein, the Hamilton anxiety scale score and adverse effects were observed. It has been identified that, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly reduced (P<0.05). However, no significant difference between the treatment group and the control group was identified. For traditional Chinese medicine syndrome, it was significantly improved in the treatment group (P<0.05). For blood lipids, TC, TG, HDL-C, and LDL-C were significantly improved in the treatment group (P<0.05). After treatment, only TC was significantly reduced in the treatment group when compared to the control group (P<0.05). For C reactive protein, it was significantly reduced in the treatment group after treatment (P<0.05). For anxiety, no significant difference between the treatment group and the control group on the Hamilton anxiety scale score was identified. For adverse effect, no severe adverse effect was identified in this study. The modified Da Chaihu decoction maybe effective in the treatment of essential hypertension with anxiety. In addition to a certain role in lowering blood pressure, the modified Da Chaihu decoction was also effective in improving traditional Chinese medicine syndrome and blood lipids, reducing the level of C reactive protein, relieving anxiety with little adverse effect.