A longitudinal study of sexual activity and influencing factors in breast cancer patients during treatment in the Southwest of China: a trajectory analysis model.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to describe the longitudinal developmental trajectories and its influencing factors of sexual activity in patients with breast cancer during treatment. METHODS: A prospective longitudinal study was conducted, including 225 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients in A tumor specialty three-class hospital in Southwest China. We measured sexual activity at the time of admission and diagnosis (T0) and one month (T1), three months (T2), six months (T3), and nine months (T4) after diagnosis. A trajectory analysis model (GBTM) was used to explore the changes in sexual activity in breast cancer patients. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was used to analyse the factors that affected the classification of sexual activity trajectories. RESULTS: The ratio of sexual activity abruptly declined from 100% at baseline to 39.1% at T1. The percentage of sexual activity was improved, from 51.4% at T2 to 63.1% at T4. The optimal model was a 2-group trajectory of sexual activity in breast cancer patients,36.6% in the "low activity group" and 63.4% in the "high activity group." The multivariate binary logistic regression analysis revealed statistically significant and positive correlations between sexual activity and age (ß = 0.085, OR = 1.089, 95%CI 1.035 ∼ 1.145, P = 0.001),libido(ß = 0.774, OR = 2.168, 95%CI 1.337 ∼ 3.515, P = 0.002), vaginal lubrication(ß = 1.254, OR = 33.503, 95%CI 2.000 ∼ 6.137, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Breast cancer patients exhibited varying levels of sexual activity during treatment; higher age was associated with increased sexual activity, which can contribute to the recovery of sexual function. Therefore, it is crucial to provide appropriate guidance on sexual health for younger patients.

Construction and characterization of hSef recombinant adenoviral vectors / 生物工程学报

Sef (similar expression to fgf genes) was identified as a feedback antagonist of FGF signaling in zerbrafish, mouse and human. To construct recombinant adenoviral vectors expressing hSef-L and hSef-S, the coding sequences of the two isoforms were amplified and ligated into pAdTrack-CMV, forming shuttle vectors pAdTrack-CMV/hSef-L-Myc and pAdTrack-CMV/hSef-S-Myc. After sequence confirmation, these two shuttle vector plasmids were linearized by Pme I and then co-transformed respectively with the adenoviral genome vector pAdEasy-1 into E. coli BJ5183. The successful recombinants were selected by Kanamycin and confirmed by Pac I digestion. The recombinant vectors Ad-hSef-L-Myc and Ad-hSef-S-Myc were finally digested with Pac I and transfected into HEK293 cells to pack into viral particles. The virus were amplified in 293 cells and used to infect MEF cells. Western blotting analysis was used to demonstrate the expression of hSef-L-Myc and hSef-S-Myc proteins. The inhibitory effects of the adenovirus mediated Sef expression on FGF signaling was further evaluated by Elk luciferase reporter assay. Our results indicated the constructed virus could produce effectively the proteins and then inhibit FGF signaling in MEF cells.