Characterization of ovarian follicles, serum steroid hormone concentration, and steroidogenic gene expression profiles in the developing ovarian follicles in White King pigeons.

Paired pigeons only lay 2 eggs in a laying period, which is closely related to ovarian follicle development, but this process is not well understood. In this study, 60 pairs of 12-mo-old White King pigeons were selected and serum and follicles were collected at 4 stages of laying interval (LI), including the first (LI1), the third (LI3), the fifth (LI5), and the seventh day (LI7). Morphological results showed that paired pigeons normally had 2 preovulatory follicles and the second-largest follicle (F2) developed from LI3 and had been selected in LI5. Prehierarchical follicles were coupled and hierarchical, which was in accordance with its clutch size. The P4 concentration increased gradually from LI1 to LI5, reaching a maximum of 30.67 ng/mL in LI5 and decreasing to 27.83 ng/mL in LI7 (P < 0.05). The levels of T in LI1 and LI5 were higher than LI3 and LI7 (P < 0.05), although there was no significant difference in E2 in LI (P > 0.05), but it stayed at high levels. In the TCs of the largest follicle (F1), HSD3B1 mRNA and HSD17B1 mRNA levels peaked in LI7. The expression pattern of CYP17A1 and CYP19A1 was similar, increasing from LI3 to LI5 and then decreasing. In the TCs of F2, the expressions of HSD3B1 and CYP17A1 had no significant difference between LI5 and LI7 (P > 0.05), while the expression pattern of HSD17B1 and CYP19A1 was the opposite. In TCs of SF1, HSD3B1 mRNA level peaked in LI3 while CYP19A1 mRNA levels peaked in LI7. The expression of CYP17A1 had a minor change (P > 0.05) and the expression pattern of HSD17B1 was similar to F1. It was concluded that the morphological characteristics of follicles during the LI for the first time, including the number and diameter of small follicles (SFs) and hierarchical follicles in pigeon and the concentrations of steroid hormones and expressions of steroidogenic genes in TCs of different follicles could explain the growth and selection of 2 preovulatory follicles. This study facilitates further research into the regulation of ovulation and egg production in pigeons.

Effects of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers on the Human Body Exposure in E-Waste Dismantling Region.

Abstract: Objective To discuss the effects of polybrominated diphenyl ethers （PBDEs） exposure in e-waste dismantling region on the human body and provide data support for the identification of environmental health damage to residents in the e-waste dismantling region. Methods Adults in an e-waste dismantling region （exposed group, 54 participants） and a control region （control group, 58 participants） were selected, questionnaires were carried out and blood and urine samples were collected. Blood PBDEs, blood lipids, blood routine, blood lead, urine cadmium, urine chromium and urine nickel were detected. T-test was utilized to compare the differences of PBDEs between the two groups. Multivariate analysis were utilized to compare the differences between the two groups in blood routine indexes. Linear regression was used to analyze the relationship between PBDEs and blood routine. Results Exposure levels of PBDEs were significantly higher in the exposed group （240.00 ng/g, adjusted mass fraction of blood lipids, thereafter） than in the control group （93.00 ng/g, P<0.05）. There was no statistical significance in the differences in most blood routine indexes of the two groups （ P>0.05）, and their reference values were all within normal ranges. Mean platelet volume, plateletcrit, basophils percentage, absolute value of basophils, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were higher in the exposed group than in the control group （P<0.05）. Platelet distribution widths were lower in the exposed group than in the control group and below the normal reference range （P<0.05）. Conclusion PBDEs exposure in e-waste dismantling region tend to change platelet morphology, the number of basophils, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and may pose potential health hazards to local residents.

[Association between both maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index/gestational weight gain and overweight/obesity children at preschool stage].

Objective: To investigate the association of both maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) with childhood overweight and adiposity in preschool children. Methods: A total of 4 303 preschool children aged 3-5 years were enrolled in our study during June and November 2016 in Guangzhou. Children defined as overweight and obesity were according to the criteria of WHO while weight status during maternal pre-pregnancy was using the China Adult Reference. Gestational weight gain was defined according to the Institute of Medicine guidelines. Results: After adjusting the possible confounding factors, results from the logistic regression analysis showed that both maternal pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity would increase the risk for both childhood overweight and obesity (OR=1.820, 95%CI: 1.368-2.422). The analysis of covariance results also showed that both maternal overweight and obesity before pregnancy and excessive maternal weight gain during pregnancy increased the BMI Z-score in children. Maternal GWG over the recommended level were associated with both the childhood overweight and obesity (OR=1.296, 95%CI: 1.007-1.667). Joint associations of pre-pregnancy BMI and inappropriate GWG were also noticed in the study. Stratified analysis was conducted in three groups according to the pre-pregnancy BMI of the mothers. Result showed that there was no statistical difference in the risks of either overweight or obesity in children (P>0.05). However, when compared to mothers with adequate pre-pregnancy higher BMI and adequate GWG, under the combination of high pre-pregnancy BMI and excessive GWG, their adverse effects on childhood overweight and obesity were much higher (OR=1.574, 95%CI: 1.029-2.409). Conclusions: Both high pre-pregnancy BMI and inappropriate GWG were associated with greater BMI of their offspring. Pregnant women should follow the appropriate weight gain program and help their children to prevent from becoming obese.

Resistive Switching Mechanism of HfO2 Based Resistance Random Access Memory Devices with Different Electrode Materials.

This study investigated the impact of electrode materials on HfO2-based RRAM devices. The research includes three types of electrode materials: (1) the electrodes with strong ability of oxygen reservoirs; (2) the electrode with poor ability of oxygen reservoirs; (3) the active electrode with injection ability. Through implementing different combinations of electrodes, three types of switching modes were obtained and the relative conduction mechanism was analyzed, as well as conduction model. Those studies may offer ways of using electrodes to control the resistive switching processes and fabricating the RRAM devices with good performance.

[Effect of multimodal analgesia using periprostatic nerve block anesthesia combined with flurbiprofen in transperineal template-guided prostate biopsy].

Objective: To evaluate the effect of multimodal analgesia using periprostatic nerve block anesthesia (PNB) combined with flurbiprofen in patients undergoing transperineal template-guided prostate biopsy (TTPB). Methods: Totally 166 patients (aged (68.2±9.1) years, range: 47 to 81 years) who received TTPB from October 2017 to June 2018 at Department of Urology, Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University were enrolled prospectively. All the patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. The observation group (n=79) was given flurbiprofen axetil 1 mg/kg intravenously for half an hour before operation and lidocaine was used for PNB before the biopsy. The control group (n=87) was given normal saline combined with PNB. A visual analog scale (VAS) and visual numeric scale (VNS) were used to assess the patients' pain and quantify their satisfaction at two time points: VAS-1 and VNS-1: during biopsy procedure, VAS-2 and VNS-2: 30 min after the procedure. The date were compared by t test, χ(2) test, Fisher exact test and two-way repeated measures anova analysis between the 2 groups. Results: The age, total prostate volume, serum prostate-specific antigen and the number of cores were comparable among the 2 groups (P>0.05). The VAS-1 scores of the control group and the observation group were 2.8±1.7, 1.9±1.2, respectively, and the VNS-1 were 3.1±0.7, 3.4±0.3, respectively. The VAS-1 were significantly lower in observation group than in control group (F=3.904, P=0.000). Conversely, the VNS-1 were higher in observation group (F=3.526, P=0.000). At 30-minute postoperative, the VAS-2 and VNS-2 were 0.7±0.4 and 3.7±0.2 in the control group, respectively. The VAS-2 and VNS-2 were 0.6±0.5 and 3.8±0.1 in the observation group, respectively. There were no significant differences in the pain scores or the satisfaction scores between the 2 groups (F=1.429, 2.825; P=0.136, 0.083). The incidence of overall complications was 26.4% (23/87) in the control group and 25.3% (20/79) in the observation group, with no statistical difference between the 2 groups (χ(2)=0.027, P=0.869). And the complications had no statistically significant difference among the 2 groups including hematuria, urinary retention, infection, hematospermia, vascular and neurological reactions, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, and respiratory depression (P>0.05). Conclusion: The multimodal analgesia induced by PNB and flurbiprofen could effectively relieve the pain for patients who received TTPB.

[Complications of transperineal template-guided prostate mapping biopsy].

Objective: To assess the complications of transperineal template-guided prostate mapping biopsy (TTMB). Methods: Between May 2017 and March 2018, 142 consecutive patients with prior negative transrectal biopsy results and persistently elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) were divided into the observation group and the control group randomly. The observation group underwent TTMB and the control group underwent transperineal template-guided prostate saturation biopsy (TTSB). Bleeding, infection, urinary function were recorded after prostate biopsy. Erectile function (ED) was measured at baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after prostate biopsy using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5). Results: A mean of 59 cores (from 33 to 116 cores) were obtained in TTMB, and a mean of 23 cores (from 11 to 44 cores) were obtained in TTSB. The positive rate was 50.0% (30/60) in TTMB, and 32.9% (27/82) in TTSB, and there were significant differences between two groups (P<0.05). The incidence of severe hematuria and urinary retention was 8.3% (5/60) and 11.7% (7/60) respectively in TTMB, while 1.2% (1/60) and 11.7% (7/60) respectively in TTSB. There were significant differences between two groups (P<0.05). But there were no significant differences between two groups in the incidence of mild, moderate and total hematuria, hematospermia, perineal hematoma, infection (P>0.05). Rectal bleeding was not observed. In TTMB group, the IIEF-5 scores at baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months were (19.1±4.5), (17.4±4.8), (18.6±4.5), (19.0±4.0), respectively. In TTSB group, the IIEF-5 scores at baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months were (19.7±4.3), (18.2±4.5), (19.1±4.1), (19.6±4.2), respectively. There were significant differences between baseline and 1 month after prostate biopsy in two groups (P<0.05), but there were no significant differences of IIEF-5 score between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusions: TTMB can improve the positive rate for patients with prior negative transrectal biopsy results and persistently elevated PSA. TTMB has low complication rates, and most side-effects are self-limited. Compared with TTSB, the incidence of urinary retention and severe hematuria increases, but they can be recovered after clinical intervention. ED is transient, and affected for 1 month after the biopsy, but it will be recovered to the baseline after 3 to 6 months. Therefore, TTMB is a safe and reliable procedure.

[Effect of prostate volume on the peripheral nerve block anesthesia in prostate biopsy].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the anesthetic efficacy of periprostatic nerve block in transrectal ultrasound(TRUS) guided biopsy on different prostate volume. METHODS: A total of 568 patients received prostate biopsy in Department of Urology, Subei People's Hospital from May 2013 to September 2015 were retrospectively studied. All patients were divided into local anesthesia group and nerve block group according to different way of anesthesia. Then each group was divided into four subgroups(20-40 ml, >40-60 ml, >60-100 ml and >100 ml subgroups) according to different prostate volume range. After being anaesthetized successfully, patients in two groups underwent prostate biopsy, visual analogue scale(VAS) scores, visual numeric scale(VNS)scores and complications were recorded and analyzed. At inter-group and intra-group in local anesthesia group and nerve block group, Mann-Whitney U test of non-parametric analysis and single factor variance analysis were used to compare the VAS scores and the VNS scores respectively, and chi-square test was used to compare the rates of complication. RESULTS: The VAS scores of four subgroups: local anesthesia group: 1.9±0.9, 2.8±1.5, 3.8±2.3 and 5.3±2.5; nerve block group: 1.5±0.7, 2.0±0.8, 2.9±1.7 and 4.2±2.0. The VNS scores: local anesthesia group: 3.4±0.6, 2.9±0.6, 2.7±0.5 and 1.6±0.7; nerve block group: 3.7±0.5, 3.3±0.4, 3.0±0.8 and 2.0±0.7. The VAS scores and the VNS scores had significant differences (Z=-3.637-98.253, all P<0.05) at inter-group or intra-group level. For the complication rates of operation, hematuria, blood, urinary retention were significant differences (F=1.347-15.402, all P<0.05) at intra-group level. But there were no significant differences at inter-group level(P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with local anesthesia, ultrasound guided prostate peripheral nerve block anesthesia has great analgesic effect and high safety, but for patients with a large prostate volumethe analgesic effect is inefficiency.

Genetic analysis of STR markers on chromosome 21 in a Han population from southeast China.

Short tandem repeats (STRs) are highly polymorphic sequences and have been extensively used as genetic markers in mapping studies, disease diagnosis, and human identity testing. In this study, 11 STR markers on chromosome 21, including D21S1432, D21S11, D21S1246, D21S1412, D21S1437, D21S1442, D21S2039, D21S1270, D21S1435, D21S1409, and D21S1446, were analyzed in 740 unrelated Han individuals from southeast China. A total of 132 alleles, ranging from 7-21 for each locus, were named according to the guidelines of the International Society for Forensic Haemogenetics. The distributions of allelic frequencies for the 11 STRs and population genetic parameters were determined. All 11 STR markers showed high polymorphism and heterogeneity in the southeast Han population, with polymorphism information content of 0.61-0.87, heterogeneity of 64.5-86.1%, and power of discrimination of 0.835-0.973. Among the 11 STR markers, D21S1412, D21S1270, D21S11, and D21S1442 showed relatively higher heterogeneity. Their combination was relatively informative and was used in a quantitative fluorescence-polymerase chain reaction assay to diagnose Down syndrome (trisomy 21) in a southeast Chinese Han population. The genetic information and population data for these 11 STRs may be used not only in quantitative fluorescence-polymerase chain reaction assays but also in forensic studies and other genetic tests.

Development of new polymorphic microsatellite markers in topmouth culter (Culter alburnus) and determination of their applicability in Culter mongolicus.

Fifteen new polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed for Culter alburnus. In 32 individuals representing a wild population of the Danjiangkou Reservoir, Hubei, China, the number of alleles at these loci varied between 2 and 10, with an average of 5.5. The average observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.664 and 0.681, respectively. The polymorphism information content of 11 loci was more than 0.5 whereas that of the other 4 loci was less than 0.5 but more than 0.25. In addition, the genomes of 30 C. mongolicus individuals were successfully amplified with these primer pairs, indicating that the primer pairs were applicable for the related species, C. mongolicus.

Phase contribution of image potential on empty quantum well States in pb islands on the cu(111) surface.

We use scanning tunneling spectroscopy to explore the quantum well states in the Pb islands grown on a Cu(111) surface. Our observation demonstrates that the empty quantum well states, whose energy levels lie beyond 1.2 eV above the Fermi level, are significantly affected by the image potential. As the quantum number increases, the energy separation between adjacent states is shrinking rather than widening, contrary to the prediction for a square potential well. By simply introducing a phase factor to reckon the effect of the image potential, the shrinking behavior of the energy separation can be reasonably explained with the phase accumulation model. The model also reveals that there exists a quantum regime above the Pb surface in which the image potential is vanished. Moreover, the quasi-image-potential state in the tunneling gap is quenched because of the existence of the quantum well states.

Characterization of one newly established esophageal cancer cell line CSEC from a high-incidence area in China.

The Chaoshan littoral is located in a high-incidence area of esophageal cancer in the south of China. In this study, a new esophageal cancer cell line CSEC was established from a 47-year-old female Chinese patient in this district. The biological characters of the cultured cells were investigated, including morphology, ultrastructure, growth kinetic features, tumorigenicity, expression of tumor-associated antigen and cytogenetic features. CSEC cell line grew continuously with a doubling time of 39.5 h and had been passaged over 80 times. The CSEC cells possessed features of squamous epithelial cells with cytokeratin indicated by immunohistochemical staining and tonofilaments and desmosomes revealed by electron microscopy. Tumorigenicity to severe combined immunodeficient mice was confirmed and the tumors developed revealed well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, similar to the origin tumor from which the cell line derived. The cytogenetic analysis demonstrated hypertetraploid karyotypes. Chromosome structure aberrations were common and complicated. Immunohistochemical staining showed that CSEC cells were infected with HPV and over-expressed p53. In summary, the CSEC cell line is a well-differentiated esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell line from a high-incidence area in southern China. It may provide a useful model for the pathogenesis and therapeutic research of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Manifestation of work function difference in high order Gundlach oscillation.

Gundlach oscillation (or the standing-wave state) is a general phenomenon manifesting in the tunneling spectrum acquired from a metal surface using scanning tunneling spectroscopy. Previous studies relate the energy shift between peaks of the lowest-order Gundlach oscillation observed on the thin film and the metal substrate to the difference in their work functions. By observing Gundlach oscillations on Ag/Au(111), Ag/Cu(111), and Co/Cu(111) systems, we demonstrate that the work function difference is not the energy shift of the lowest order but the ones of higher order where a constant energy shift exhibits. Higher order Gundlach oscillations can thus be applied to determine the work function of thin metal films precisely.

Distinct NMDA and AMPA receptor-mediated responses in mouse and human Cajal-Retzius cells.

This study examined glutamate-activated current responses of mouse and human Cajal-Retzius (C-R) cells. Thin cortical slices were prepared from the brains of mice 4-6 days after birth and from those of midgestational human fetuses. Both human and mouse C-R cells displayed glutamate-induced whole-cell current responses that were voltage-dependent and included an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated component that was differentially sensitive to blockade by the NMDA receptor antagonists 2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid and ifenprodil. alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA), a non-NMDA glutamate receptor agonist, induced current responses in human but not in mouse C-R cells. These results, taken together, lead us to conclude that human C-R cells express both NMDA and AMPA types of glutamate receptors very early during development of the cortex. In contrast, mouse C-R cells express only the NMDA type of glutamate receptor. Thus we demonstrate a species-dependent sensitivity of C-R cells to glutamate and postulate that this differential sensitivity may account in part for a species-dependent difference in the persistence of C-R cells during cortical development.

Predicting the reactivity of proteins from their sequence alone: Kazal family of protein inhibitors of serine proteinases.

An additivity-based sequence to reactivity algorithm for the interaction of members of the Kazal family of protein inhibitors with six selected serine proteinases is described. Ten consensus variable contact positions in the inhibitor were identified, and the 19 possible variants at each of these positions were expressed. The free energies of interaction of these variants and the wild type were measured. For an additive system, this data set allows for the calculation of all possible sequences, subject to some restrictions. The algorithm was extensively tested. It is exceptionally fast so that all possible sequences can be predicted. The strongest, the most specific possible, and the least specific inhibitors were designed, and an evolutionary problem was solved.

Relationship between ABO blood groups and carcinoma of esophagus and cardia in Chaoshan inhabitants of China.

AIM: To study the relationship between ABO blood groups and carcinoma of esophagus and cardia in Chaoshan inhabitants of China, which is a unique Littoral high-risk area of esophageal carcinoma in China. The poor communication and transportation in the past has made Chaoshan a relatively closed area and kept its culture and custure of old China thousand years ago. METHODS: Data on age, sex, ABO blood type and X-ray or pathological diagnose of the patients with carcinoma of esophagus or cardia were collected from the Tumor Hospital. First Affiliated Hospital, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College; and the Central Hospital of Shantou and the Central Hospital of Jieyang. A total of 6685 patients with esophageal carcinoma (EC) and 2955 patients with cardiac cancer (CC) in Chaoshan district were retrospectively assessed for their association with ABO blood groups. RESULTS: The distribution of ABO blood groups in patients with EC or CC was similar to the normal local population in Chaoshan. However, blood group B in male patients with CC and in the patients with carcinoma in the upper third esophagus was 2.3% and 4.7% higher than the corresponding controls. The relative risk B O was 1.1415 (P<0.05) and 1.2696 (P<0.05), respectively. No relationship was found between ABO blood groups and tumor differentiation. CONCLUSION: ABO blood group B is associated with the incidence of CC in male individuals and carcinoma in the upper third esophagus. The distribution of ABO blood groups varies in the different geographical and ethnic groups. As a result, proper controls are very important for such studies.

Subcellular membrane impairment and application of phospholipase A2 inhibitors in endotoxic shock.

The study aims at elucidating the mechanism involved in the cell dysfunction or impairment and the protective effects of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) inhibitors in endotoxin shock. Thirty-four rabbits were divided randomly into four groups: (1) normal control group (NC, n = 6), receiving saline intravenously; (2) endotoxin shock group (ES, n = 12), receiving 3 mg/kg of E. coli endotoxin; (3) chloroquine pretreated group (CQ, n = 8), receiving 3 mg/kg of chloroquine 3 min before endotoxin injection and (4) chlorpromazine pretreated group (CPZ, n = 8), receiving 0.3 mg/kg of chlorpromazine 30 min before endotoxin injection. Hepatic mitochondria were extracted either 8 h after commencement of the experiment or when the animals died for detecting PLA2 activity, membrane fluidity, membrane bound succinate dehydrogenate (SDH) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Mitochondria of the lung, heart and kidney were also used for detection of the membrane fluidity. It was revealed that the survival rate of 8 h was 100% (NC), 58% (ES), 87.5% (CQ) and 75% (CPZ), respectively. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) dropped soon after endotoxin injection and descended continuously afterwards in the ES group (P < 0.01). Fluorescence polarization, microviscosity and anisotrophy with a DPH probe were elevated above control levels (P < 0.01). SDH was decreased obviously following endotoxin infusion (P < 0.01). Chloroquine and chlorpromazine, serving as PLA2 inhibitors, could abate cellular dysfunction and increase survival rate. It is proposed that PLA2 plays a pivotal role in cellular injury in endotoxin shock. PLA2 inhibitor might serve as a useful adjunct in combating sepsis and shock.