The research for the function evaluation of facial nerve and the mechanisms of rehabilitation training.

BACKGROUND: Peripheral facial paralysis (PFP) is a common peripheral neural disease. Acupuncture treatment combined with PFP rehabilitation exercises is a routine method of PFP treatment. This article is to provide a new visual and objective evaluation method for exploring the mechanism and efficacy of acupuncture treatment on PFP, and develop an interactive augmented facial nerve function rehabilitation training system with multiple training models. METHODS: This prospective and observational trial will recruit 200 eligible participants for the following study. In the trial, the laser speckle contrast analysis (LASCA) technology will be applied to monitor the microcirculation of facial blood flow during acupuncture, and real-time monitoring algorithms, data sampling, and digital imaging methods will be conducted by machine learning and image segmentation. Then, a database of patient facial expressions will be built, the correlation between surface blood flow perfusion volume and facial structure symmetry will be analyzed, combined with scale assessment and electrophysiological detection. In addition, we will also explore the objectivity and effectiveness of LASCA in the evaluation of facial paralysis (FP), and the changes in blood flow microcirculation before and after acupuncture treatment will be analyzed. RESULTS: The standard image of the facial target area with facial nerve injury will be manually segmented by the convolutional neural network method. The blood flow images of the eyelid, cheek, and mandible of the patients' affected and healthy side will be compared and evaluated. Laser speckle blood flow symmetry Pr and its changes in FP condition evolution and prognosis outcome will be measured, and relevant characteristic signals values will be extracted. Finally, COX regression analysis method is conducted to establish a higher accuracy prediction model of FP with cross-validation based on laser speckle blood flow imaging technology. CONCLUSIONS: We use modern interdisciplinary high-tech technologies to explore the mechanism of acupuncture rehabilitation training in PFP. And we will provide evidence for the feasibility of using the LASCA technique as a typing diagnosis of FP in the acupuncture rehabilitation treatment of PFP. REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR1800019463.

Dutasteride in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: an update / 中华男科学杂志

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common disease in older men. At present, 5alpha reductase inhibitor-based medication, preferred by most BPH patients as the first-choice therapy, is taking place of traditional transurethral resection of the prostate. This article presents an update of the researches on the treatment of BPH with dutasteride--a novel 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha-308 polymorphism and asthenospermia / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between -308 genotype polymorphism in the promoter region of the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) gene and asthenospermia in infertile men.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (ASPCR) and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) were used to analyze the genotype at position -308 in the promoter region of the TNFalpha gene in 187 infertile male patients, who were divided into Groups A (asthenospermia, n = 60), B (oligoasthenozoospermia, n = 65) and C (infertile patients with normal sperm, n = 62). The levels of TNFalpha in the seminal plasma from these patients were measured by radioimmunoassay, and all the data were statistically analyzed by SPSS16.0.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Groups A and B exhibited significant differences from C in the frequency of GA/AA at position 308 in the promoter region of the TNFalpha gene (21.67% and 26.15% versus 8.06%, P < 0.05). Spearman analysis showed a negative correlation between the GA + AA type of the TNFalpha-308 allele and the percentage of grade a + b sperm (r = -0.690, P < 0.05). The level of TNFalpha in the seminal plasma was significantly elevated in Groups A ([4.23 +/- 0.45] ng/ml) and B ([4.29 +/- 0.47] ng/ml) as compared with C ([4.03 +/- 0.66] ng/ml, P < 0.05), but with no significant differences between Groups A and B (P > 0.05). It was also significantly higher in the GA+AA ([4.61 +/- 0.29] ng/ml) than in the GGtype ([4.06 +/- 0.45] ng/ml, P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Regardless of sperm density, the frequently of TNFalpha-308 GA/AA is negatively correlated with the percentage of grade a + b sperm, which may be associated with the level of TNFalpha in the seminal plasma. Accordingly, anti-TNFalpha therapy might be effective for asthenospermia, and the measurement of the TNFalpha level in the seminal plasma can be an auxiliary diagnostic marker for male infertility.</p>

Effect of hTERT antisense oligodeoxynucleotide on telomerase activity in bladder cancer cells in vitro / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of hTERT antisense oligodeoxynucleotide on telomerase activity in bladder cancer cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Antisense phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide (AS PS-ODN) was synthesized and purified. Telomerase activity was measured by telomerase PCR ELISA kit. hTERT mRNA expression was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and hTERT protein by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Telomerase activity was decreased in T24 cells 48 h after treatment with AS PS-ODN, and was significantly inhibited at 72 h.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>AS PS-ODN can significantly inhibit telomerase activity by down-regulating hTERT mRNA and protein expression in bladder cancer cells.</p>

Inhibition of telomerase with hTERT antisense enhances TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis in prostate cancer cells PC3 / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the inhibiting effect of telomerase with hTERT antisense on TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis in prostate cancer cells PC3.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Antisense phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide (AS PS-ODN) was synthesized and purified. Telomerase activity was measured by telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) and telomerase PCR-ELISA Kit, cell viability was determined by MTT assay, and cell apoptosis was observed by morphological method and determined by flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>AS PS-ODN could significantly inhibit the telomerase activity and increase the susceptibility of TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis of PC3 cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Inhibition of telomerase with hTERT antisense can enhance TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis in prostate cancer cells.</p>

Inhibition of telomerase with human telomerase reverse transcriptase antisense enhances tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced apoptosis in bladder cancer cells / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Telomerase activity is found in 85%-90% of all human cancers but not in their adjacent normal cells. Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is an essential component in the telomerase complex that plays an important role in telomerase activity. This study investigated the effect of the telomerase inhibition with an hTERT antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) in bladder cancer cells (T24) on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-induced apoptosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Antisense phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide (AS PS-ODN) was synthesized and purified. Telomerase activity was measured by polymerase chain reaction enzyme-linked immunoassay (PCR-ELISA). hTERT mRNA expression was measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay and a gel-image system. hTERT protein was detected by immunochemistry and flow cytometry. Cell viability was measured by the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-Diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) assay. Cell apoptosis was observed by a morphological method and determined by flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>AS PS-ODN significantly inhibited telomerase activity and decreased the levels of hTERT mRNA which preceded the decline in the telomerase activity. AS PS-ODN significantly reduced the percentage of positive cells expressing hTERT protein following the decline of hTERT mRNA levels. There was no difference seen in the telomerase activity, hTERT mRNA expression or the protein levels between the sense phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide (SPS-ODN) and the control group. AS PS-ODN treatment significantly decreased the cell viability and enhanced the apoptotic rate of T24 cells in response to TNF-alpha while there was no difference in cell viability and apoptotic rate between the S PS-ODN and the control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>AS PS-ODN can significantly inhibit telomerase activity by downregulating the hTERT mRNA and protein expression. Treatment with AS PS-ODN may be a potential and most promising strategy for bladder cancer with telomerase activity.</p>

Inhibition of telomerase with human telomerase reverse transcriptase antisense increases the sensitivity of tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced apoptosis in prostate cancer cells / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>AIM</b>To investigate the effect of inhibition of telomerase with human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) antisense on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-induced apoptosis in prostate cancer cells (PC3).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Antisense phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide (AS PS-ODN) was synthesized and purified. Telomerase activity was measured using the telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) and polymerase chain reaction enzyme-linked immunoassay (PCR-ELISA). hTERT mRNA was measured by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) assay and gel-image system. hTERT protein was detected by immunochemistry and flow cytometry. Cell viability was detected by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) assay. Cell apoptosis was observed by morphological method and determined by flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The telomerase activity decreased with time after hTERT AS PS-ODN treatment. The levels of hTERT mRNA decreased with time after hTERT AS PS-ODN treatment, which appeared before the decline of the telomerase activity. The percentage of positive cells of hTERT protein declined with time after hTERT AS PS-ODN treatment, which appeared after the decline of hTERT mRNA. There was no difference in telomerase activity, hTERT mRNA and protein levels between hTERT sense phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide (S PS-ODN) and the control group. The cell viability decreased with time after hTERT AS PS-ODN combined with TNF-alphatreatment. The percentage of apoptosis increased with time after hTERT AS PS-ODN combined with TNF-alpha treatment. There was no difference in cell viability and the percentage of apoptosis between hTERT S PS-ODN and the control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>hTERT AS PS-ODN can significantly inhibit telomerase activity by downregulating the hTERT mRNA and protein expression, and inhibition of telomerase with hTERT antisense can enhance TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis of PC3 cells.</p>

Combined use of urinary bladder cancer antigen,hyaluronic acid and survivin for the detection of bladder cancer / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective To assess the diagnostic value of combined testing of urinary bladder cancer antigen(UBC),hyaluronic acid(HA)and survivin in the detection of bladder cancer.Methods This study included 64 bladder cancer patients and 20 urinary benign disease patients.The examinations of urine UBC by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),HA by radioimmunology assay,survivin by RT-PCR and urine cytology were performed in them.Results The sensitivity of UBC(85.9%,55/64),HA (89.1%,57/64)and survivin(93.8%,60/64)was significantly higher than that of urine cytology (40.6%,P＜0.01).The specificity of UBC,HA,survivin and urine cytology was 85.0%(17/20),80.0% (16/20),95.0%(19/20)and 95.0%(19/20),respectively;there was no significant difference among these 4 methods(P＞0.05).The sensitivity of UBC,HA and survivin was also significantly higher than that of urine cytology in different histologic stages and grades(P＜0.05).The sensitivity of UBC and survivin was not significantly different among different histologie stages and grades(P＞0.05).With regard to HA test, the sensitivity in G_2 and G_3 groups was significantly higher than G_1 group(P＜0.01),but there was no differ- ence between G_2 and G_3 groups(P＞0.05);and no difference among different histologic stages(P＞0.05). However,the sensitivity of cytology was improved with the higher grade of bladder cancer(P＜0.01);there was no difference among histologic stages(P＞0.05),By combined use of UBC,HA and survivin,both the sensitivity and specificity were 100%.Conclusions The study indicates that UBC,HA and survivin are better diagnostic markers for the early detection of urinary bladder cancer.These tests are simple,feasible and noninvasive with higher sensitivity and specificity.In addition,combined use of them can improve the diag- nostic sensitivity and specificity.