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Ovarian Leydig cell tumor(LCT), also known as ovarian testicular stromal cell tumor, is a rare sex cord stromal tumor, accounting for about 0.1% of all ovarian tumors. LCT is often accompanied by clinical manifestations of elevated androgen, and the imaging manifestations sometimes lack specificity. The diagnosis requires histopathological examination. Surgery is the primary treatment method, and postoperative prognosis is generally favorable. This paper retrospectively analyzes the diagnosis and treatment of a patient with LCT in our hospital combining relevant literature, explore the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment progress of LCT, aiming to improve disease management.
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Lactic acid is the main substance produced by Lactobacillus and plays an important role in maintaining a healthy vaginal microecology. Recent studies indicates that both L- and D-chiral isomers of lactic acid can be protonated and destroy the cell membranes of pathogens, thereby inhibiting bacterial vagi-nosis- and aerobic vaginitis-related pathogens. Lactic acid also can inhibit the pathogens of sexually transmit-ted diseases such as Chlamydia trachomatis and human immunodeficiency virus. Moreover, lactic acid acts as an immunomodulator to inhibit the inflammatory responses caused by pathogenic microorganisms and as an epigenetic regulator regulating gene expression in vaginal epithelial cells. In this paper, we reviewed the pro-gress in lactic acid-mediated maintenance of a healthy vaginal microbiology in recent years for providing ref-erence for further research.
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Objective@#To investigate the expressions of migration and invasion inhibitory protein (MIIP) and p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) in endometrial carcinoma (EC) and their correlation with clinicopathological features.@*Methods@#The protein levels of MIIP and PAK1 in 135 paraffin-embedded EC tissues, 55 atypical hyperplasia of endometrium (AHE) and 88 normal endometrium (NE) tissues were quantified by immunohistochemistry, the clincial significance and the relationship of these two proteins were also analyzed.@*Results@#The positive rates of MIIP expression in NE, AHE and EC tissues were 52.3%(46/88), 41.8% (23/55) and 34.8% (47/135), respectively. The expression of MIIP in EC was significantly lower than that of MIIP in NE (P<0.05). The positive rates of PAK1 expression in NE, AHE and EC tissues were 45.5% (40/88), 50.9% (28/55) and 62.2% (84/135), respectively. The expression of PAK1 in EC tissues was significantly higher than that of PAK1 in NE tissues (P<0.05). The expression of MIIP in EC tissues was significantly associated with myometrial invasion, International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage and lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). The expression of PAK1 in EC tissues was significantly related with differentiation, myometrial invasion, FIGO stage and lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). The expressions of MIIP and PAK1 in EC tissues were marginally related with the overall survival of patients (P=0.092, P=0.052). The expression of MIIP in EC was negatively correlated with PAK1 (r=-0.329, P<0.001).@*Conclusions@#The down-regulation of MIIP and up-regualtion of PAK1 paticipate in the initiation and development of EC, which are correlated with the poor prognosis of EC. The protein expression of MIIP is inversely related with PAK1 in EC.
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Group B Streptococcus ( GBS) is a leading infectious cause of adverse pregnancy out-comes such as preterm birth. GBS colonizes the vagina during pregnancy and can ascend into the uterus and then infect the fetus. It encodes a series of virulence factors such as adhesion and invasion factors, hemolytic pigments and hyaluronidase, which are important to vaginal colonization and immune evasion. Immune re-sponses to GBS cause the release of a multiple of inflammatory mediators, leading to the premature rupture of membranes, preterm birth and fetal injury. This paper reviews the pathogenesis of GBS vaginal colonization and ascending infection causing adverse pregnancy outcomes.
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Visfatin is a cytokine secreted by visceral adipose tissue, which plays an important role in obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, atherosclerosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Additionally, visfatin is also involved in the metabolic syndrome-associated malignancies such as breast, colon, gastric and endometrial cancers. Visfatin inhibitor might be a potential antitumor therapeutic strategy for inhibiting the growth of many cancers.
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Objective To investigate the predictive value of preoperative serum human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) and CA125 in patients with high risk of stage Ⅰ endometrial cancer (EC)and to identify the optimal cutoff values. Methods Clinical and pathological data of 231 patients with stage Ⅰ EC were included in this study. Patients were divided into high risk group (n=96) and low risk group (n=135). The preoperative serum levels of HE4 and CA125 were measured, and their correlations with clinical pathological features were analyzed. The ROC curves were generated to determine optimal cutoff values of HE4 and CA125 levels with the maximum Youden index for prediction of high risk EC. Results There were significant differences in serum levels of HE4 and CA125 between patients with different depths of myometrial invasion, with or without vascular invasion, with or without lower uterine segment involvement, with different diameters of tumor and different risk classifications of stage ⅠEC (P<0.05). There were significant differences in serum levels of HE4 between patients with different menopausal status, hypertension, pathological types, histological grading and the involvement of cervical endometrial glands (P<0.05). The preoperative serum levels of HE4 and CA125 were positive correlated (r=0.262, P<0.05). The AUC value of HE4 for diagnosing stageⅠEC was 0.794(95%CI:0.734-0.854),the cutoff value was 74 pmol/L, the sensitivity was 75.0%, specificity was 83.0%, positive predictive value was 75.8%, negative predictive value was 82.4% and the accuracy rate was 79.7%. The AUC value of CA125 for diagnosing stage Ⅰ EC was 0.696 (95%CI: 0.624-0.767), the cutoff value was 17 kU/L, the sensitivity was 56.3%, specificity was 85.9%, positive predictive value was 74.0%, negative predictive value was 73.4%and the accuracy rate was 73.6%, respectively. The AUC value of combination of both markers was 0.847 (95%CI: 0.796-0.899), the corresponding values were 95.8%, 77.0%, 74.8%, 96.3%and 84.8%, respectively. Conclusion The best cutoff values of HE4 and CA125 are 74 pmol/L and 17 kU/L for detecting high risk stageⅠEC. The combined detection is better than that of the single detection in sensitivity, negative predictive value and accuracy rate.
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The repair of bone defects poses a great challenge for reconstructive surgeons. Although the development of tissue engineering has exhibited promise in replacing damaged bone, the fabrication of large constructs with functional blood vessels remains an obstacle. From the orthopedic surgeon's point of view, the generation of axially vascularized bone, which can anastomose with the recipient vessel, might be a solution to this medical problem. In this study, we aimed to prefabricate an axially vascularized bone by combining a β-TCP scaffold, arteriovenous loop (AVL), and cell sheet in a bioreactor in vivo. Twelve rabbits were randomly allocated into two groups: the experimental group (presence of AVL) and the control group (absence of AVL). The constructs were explanted at 8 weeks postoperatively. The histomorphometric results showed 42.8±5.9% of the bone area in the AVL group and 26.6±3.5% in the control group. Similarly, vessel analysis revealed the average vessel density in the AVL group (12.5±3.3) was significantly more than that in the control group (6.1±1.5, p<0.05). Our research indicated that the combination of a β-TCP scaffold, AVL and cell sheet might engineer vascularized bone. This prefabrication strategy might facilitate clinical translation of bone tissue engineering in reconstructing large bone defects.
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Rabbits , Bioreactors , Blood Vessels , Bone and Bones , Orthopedics , Surgeons , Tissue EngineeringABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the efficacy of local acupuncture therapy on post-stroke pseudo-bulbar palsy and the clinical advantageous protocol of local acupuncture therapy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty patients of post-stroke pseudo-bulbar palsy were randomized into a quick needle insertion group and a routine acupuncture group, 40 cases in each one. The western medicine, such as thrombolysis, lipid regulation, antiplatelet aggregation, antihypertension and hypoglycemic therapy method was all used in the two groups. On the basis of the treatment of western medicine, in the quick needle insertion group, the perpendicular needle insertion was used atpoint, about 8 to 12 mm in depth. When the emptiness feeling presented under the needle, the needle went slowly for 2 mm more depth till cough occurred, and removed afterward. The treatment was given once every day, and totally 20 treatments were required. In the routine acupuncture group, Lianquan (CV 23) was stimulated. The needle was inserted toward the tongue root, about 40 mm in depth. The needle was rotated till the patient felt soreness and distention at the tongue root, and then retained for 30 min. The treatment was given once a day, and totally 20 treatments were required. The water swallow test score and clinical efficacy were evaluated before and after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The curative rate was 80.0% (32/40) in the quick needle insertion group, better than 55.0% (22/40) in the routine acupuncture group (<0.05). The total effective rate was 97.5% (39/40) in the quick needle insertion group and was 90.0% (36/40) in the routine acupuncture group, indicating no significant difference in comparison (>0.05). The water swallow test scores decreased after treatment as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (both<0.01), and the water swallow test scores after treatment of the two groups had no significant difference (>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Acupuncture at local point is effective for post-stroke pseudo-bulbar palsy.The curative rate of quick needle insertion atpoint is better than routine acupuncture at Lianquan (CV 23).</p>
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Background:CpG island methylator phenotype(CIMP)involving tumor suppressor gene( TSG)on short arm of chromosome 3(chromosome 3p)has been found in various types of cancers. However,its correlation with gastric cancer has not been clarified. Aims:To study the clinical significance of CIMP involving TSG on chromosome 3p in gastric cancer. Methods:Methylation specific PCR(MSP)was used to examine methylation profiles for hOGG1,VHL,RAR-B, hMLH1,SEMA3B,RASSF1A,BLU and FHIT harbored in chromosome 3p in 100 gastric cancer and paired paracancerous tissues. High CIMP( CIMP-H)was referred for those samples having four or more synchronously methylated genes. Relationship between CIMP-H and clinicopathological characteristics in gastric cancer was analyzed. Results:Positive methylation rates of VHL(P = 0. 030),hMLH1(P 0. 05). Conclusions:CIMP on chromosome 3p may occur in early stage of oncogenesis of gastric cancer,and influencing tumor differentiation and lymph node metastasis.
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Based on concerns during stents manufacturing, the tubing purchase specifications of coronary stents have been proposed, and the key role of process inspection for judging the qualified tubing have been justified. By comparing the incoming inspection and the process inspection, it is concluded that the process inspection, as basis for optimizing tubing, is indispensable for selecting and confirming the tubing.