Effect evaluation and influencing factor analysis of vaginal carbon dioxide laser in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence.

To evaluate the clinical efficacy of carbon dioxide laser in the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence and analyze the influencing factors. A total of 46 patients with stress urinary incontinence treated in the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from March 2021 to August 2022 were included through strict inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria. All patients were treated with transvaginal carbon dioxide laser therapy, and Patient Global Impression of Change (PGI-C) was used to evaluate patients' subjective satisfaction after treatment. The efficacy was evaluated by patient's subjective assessment of leakage, IngelmanSundberg scale, 1-h urine pad test, and international consultation on incontinence questionnaire short form (ICI-Q-SF) before and after treatment, and the adverse reactions after treatment were recorded. The treatment effect was divided into "significant effect group" and "no significant effect group" by subjective satisfaction and post-treatment-related scale evaluation. After laser treatment, patients' subjective symptom improved, the volume of 1-h urine pad test was reduced, and the ICI-Q-SF score was decreased, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in IngelmanSundberg scale before and after treatment (P = 1.00). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that pad test volume was significantly correlated with treatment effect (P = 0.007). Transvaginal carbon dioxide laser is a safe and effective method for the treatment of mild to moderate stress urinary incontinence in females. The less severe the urinary leakage, the better the treatment effect.

Pillar[5]arene-based supramolecular pseudorotaxane polymer material for ultra-sensitive detection of Fe3+ and F.

Recent advancements in ultra-sensitive detection, particularly the Aggregation Induced Emission (AIE) materials, have demonstrated a promising detection method due to their low cost, real-time detection, and simplicity of operation. Here, coumarin functionalized pillar[5]arene (P5C) and bis-bromohexyl pillar[5]arene (DP5) were successfully combined to create a linear AIE supramolecular pseudorotaxane polymer (PCDP-G). The use of PCDP-G as a supramolecular AIE polymer material for recyclable ultra-sensitive Fe3+ and F- detection is an interesting application of the materials. According to measurements, the low detection limits of PCDP-G for Fe3+ and F- are 4.16 × 10-10 M and 6.8 × 10-10 M, respectively. The PCDP-G is also a very effective logic gate and a material for luminous displays.

[Establishment of damaged endometrial stromal cells model in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the method of establishing damaged endometrial stromal cells (ESC) model in vitro. METHODS: (1) From June to December 2011 ESC from normal endometrim at proliferation phase (n = 8) and secretory phase (n = 8) were isolated, cultured and identified in vitro. (2) ESC was treated with different concentrations of mifepristone or withdrawal of mifepristone at different time point. The proliferation inhibition percent was measured by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8). (3) 0 µmol/L(control group)and 60 µmol/L (experimental group) concentration of mifepristone was added into ESC for 48 hours, then withdrew of mifepristone, continued to be cultured for 48 hours. The morphological changes were observed and apoptosis of ESC in different menstrual cycle were detected by flow cytometry. The mRNA and protein level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), caspase-3, 8, and 9 were determined by one-step quantitative real-time PCR (Q-PCR) and western blot. RESULTS: (1) ESC from 16 specimens of endometrium were all isolated and cultured successfully. (2) The proliferation inhibition rate of ESC was correlated with concentration and duration of mifepristone positively. The proliferation of ESC could be recovered at a range of time after withdrawal of mifepristone. However, when the concentration of mifepristone was 100 µmol/L, the growth of ESC recovered very hardly. (3) The damaged ESC spacing increased, the spindle shape and vacuolization in the cytoplasm were observed in experimental group; the rate of apoptosis of these damaged cells was significantly increased compared with control groups, which were (52 ± 12)% vs. (13 ± 5)% at the proliferative phase and (53 ± 6)% vs. (32 ± 3)% at the secretory phase (all P < 0.05). The relative mRNA level of VEGF was 0.52 ± 0.12 in experimental group and 1.00 ± 0.17 in control group at proliferation phase (P < 0.05). And the relative mRNA level of VEGF was 0.19 ± 0.03 in experimental group and 0.81 ± 0.07 in control group at secretory phase (P < 0.05). The relative level of VEGF protein in the experimental group were both decreased 1.98 and 2.79 folds at the proliferation phase and the secretory phase when compared with those in control group, respectively (P < 0.05). While the relative levels of caspase-3, 8, 9 mRNA were 5.62 ± 0.65, 5.41 ± 0.53, 7.22 ± 0.51 in the experimental group and 1.00 ± 0.44, 1.00 ± 0.21, 1.00 ± 0.32 in control group at the proliferative phase. In the mean time, the relative levels of caspase-3, 8, 9 mRNA were 10.22 ± 0.72, 25.3 ± 1.72, 9.48 ± 1.89 in experimental group and 1.42 ± 0.14, 1.14 ± 0.28, 1.16 ± 0.12 in control group at the secretory phase, respectively (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the levels of caspase protein in the experimental group were increased 2.04 and 1.60 folds in caspase-3, 4.23 and 1.49 folds in caspase-8, 2.65 and 3.5 folds in caspase-9 at the proliferative phase and at the secretory phase, respectively (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The damaged model of ESC can be established after 48 hours by the withdrawal of 60 µmol/L mifepristone in treatment of ESC for 48 hours.

[Evaluative effect of TVCDS in screening and preoperative phasing endometrial carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To examine the evaluative effect of preoperative transvaginal color Doppler sonography (TVCDS) screening and phasing of endometrial carcinoma. METHODS: A total of 713 jeopardized endometrial carcinoma patients were screened by TVCDS. The investigators observed the endometrium form, focus location, size and echo, measured the endometrium thickness, judged the regularity and integrity of edge, the integrity of faint echo halos at the interface between endometrium and muscularis and the blood flow inside focus, examined resistance index and determined endometrial carcinoma as well as muscularis infiltrating extent. According to the FIGO's phasing scheme in 1988, endometrial carcinoma was divided into I, II, III and IV phases so as to compare the results of TVCDS in screening and phasing of endometrial carcinoma with that of operative pathology. RESULTS: One hundred cases were diagnosed as endometrial carcinoma. Among which, 96 were proved by surgical pathology as endometrial carcinoma. The rates of TVCDS screening and phasing coincidence were 96% (96/100) and 94% (94/100) respectively. CONCLUSION: The application of TVCDS may diagnose and stage the cases of endometrial carcinoma. It is a valuable tool for selecting therapeutic regimens and making prognostic evaluations.

[Effects and mechanisms of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine on endometrial cancer cell.].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects and mechanisms of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR) on endometrial cancer cell. METHODS: In vitro experiments of 5-Aza-CdR were done using human endometrial cancer cell line HEC-1B. Evaluation of cellular proliferation and apoptosis was ascertained respectively using trypan blue exclusion and flow cytometry. RT-PCR and methylation specific PCR(MSP) was done to detect the expression of RASSF1A mRNA and methylation status of RASSF1A promoter of HEC-1B cell line. RESULTS: (1) The status of cellular growth and apoptosis of HEC-1B cell line: the growth inhibition effects of 5-Aza-CdR on HEC-1B cell line were both concentration-dependent (P < 0.01) and time-dependent (P < 0.01), as well as the apoptosis rate of HBC-1-B cell line depended on the dose of 5-Aza-CdR obviously (P < 0.01). (2) The expression of RASSF1A mRNA of HEC-1B cell line: RASSF1A mRNA was expressed in HEC-1B cell after 5-Aza-CdR treatment, but it was undetectable before the treatment. In the groups with different concentration of 5-Aza-CdR (0.05, 0.1, 1, 5, 10 nmol/ml), the expression of RASSF1A mRNA was respectively 0.074 +/- 0.004, 0.105 +/- 0.004, 0.167 +/- 0.006, 0.334 +/- 0.005, 0.484 +/- 0.007, which were remarkably different from the group without 5-Aza-CdR(the expression of RASSF1A mRNA was 0; P < 0.01). (3) The hypermethylation of RASSF1A promoter of HEC-1B cell line: the hypermethylation of RASSF1A promoter was detected in HEC-1B cell line. The status of hypermethylation was decreased after treatment with 5-Aza-CdR of 0.05, 0.1, 1, 5 nmol/ml, meanwhile, both methylation bands and demethylation bands were observed by methylation specific PCR. After the treatment with 5-Aza-CdR of 10 nmol/ml the hypermethylation was absent absolutely. CONCLUSIONS: (1) In HEC-1B cell line, 5-Aza-CdR can inhibit cell proliferation and induce cell apopotosis. (2) 5-Aza-CdR can renew the expression of RASSF1A mRNA of HEC-1B cell line and reverse the hypermethylation of RASSF1A promoter.

[Effect of buxu huayu qutan decoction on anti-oxidative capacity in aged patients with stable angina pectoris of coronary heart disease].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the acting mechanism of Buxu Huayu Qutan Decoction (BHQD) for impacting the anti-oxidative capacity in aged patients with stable angina pectoris of coronary heart disease (AP-CHD). METHODS: Forty patients of AP-CHD, Chinese medicine diagnosed as Xiong-bi, were equally assigned to the treatment group and the control group. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and lipid peroxide (LPO) contents in blood, and mRNA expression of manganese-containing superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) in peripheral mononuclear cells were determined before and after treatment by biochemical and molecular biologic techniques. RESULTS: No significant change of plasma SOD and LPO was found in the control group after treatment (P >0.05), while the plasma SOD activity increased and LPO content lowered in the treatment group significantly (P<0.01). Moreover, mRNA expression of MnSOD in the treatment group after treatment was obviously higher than that in the control group (P <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The acting mechanism of BHQD for AP-CHD treatment might partially due to its effects in inducing gene expression of MnSOD in mononuclear cells, enhancing SOD activity, decreasing LPO content, maintaining oxidation/antioxidation equilibrium in myocardial cells, blocking the chain reaction of lipid peroxidation, intervening the production and enhancing the scavenging of oxygen free radicals.

Overexpression of Rab27B is correlated with distant metastasis and poor prognosis in ovarian cancer.

The secretory small guanosine-5'-triphosphate-binding enzyme, Rab27B, has been identified to be an oncogene that is involved in the progression of certain tumors. The current study was designed to evaluate the expression pattern of Rab27B in ovarian cancer (OC), borderline tumors and benign ovarian adenoid tumors, as well as its association with survival prognosis and clinical parameters. The expression of Rab27B protein was examined by immunohistochemistry in 204 patients who had undergone ovarian resection without preoperative systemic chemotherapy at the Surgical Department of the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University (Nantong, China), including 57 benign ovarian adenoid tumors, 44 borderline tumors and 103 malignant tumors. Rab27B expression and clinicopathological features were analyzed with the χ2 test. Patient survival rate was analyzed with the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analysis of the prognostic factors was performed using the Cox regression model. Increased expression of Rab27B was positively correlated with histological type (P=0.012), level of differentiation (P=0.015), lymph node metastasis (P=0.024), distant metastasis (P<0.001) and International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage (P=0.001). Survival analysis revealed an association between Rab27B-positivity and poor overall survival rate. Multivariate analysis indicated that Rab27B (P<0.031) and distant metastases (P=0.031) were independent prognostic factors for OC patients' survival. The results of the present study supported the hypothesis that Rab27B may be a valuable prognostic indicator in patients with OC.

Qushi Huayu Decoction Inhibits Hepatic Lipid Accumulation by Activating AMP-Activated Protein Kinase In Vivo and In Vitro.

Qushi Huayu Decoction (QHD), a Chinese herbal formula, has been proven effective on alleviating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in human and rats. The present study was conducted to investigate whether QHD could inhibit hepatic lipid accumulation by activating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in vivo and in vitro. Nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) model was duplicated with high-fat diet in rats and with free fatty acid (FFA) in L02 cells. In in vivo experimental condition, QHD significantly decreased the accumulation of fatty droplets in livers, lowered low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels in serum. Moreover, QHD supplementation reversed the HFD-induced decrease in the phosphorylation levels of AMPK and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and decreased hepatic nuclear protein expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) and carbohydrate-responsive element-binding protein (ChREBP) in the liver. In in vitro, QHD-containing serum decreased the cellular TG content and alleviated the accumulation of fatty droplets in L02 cells. QHD supplementation reversed the FFA-induced decrease in the phosphorylation levels of AMPK and ACC and decreased the hepatic nuclear protein expression of SREBP-1 and ChREBP. Overall results suggest that QHD has significant effect on inhibiting hepatic lipid accumulation via AMPK pathway in vivo and in vitro.

EPO improves the proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of trophoblast and decidual stromal cells through activating STAT-5 and inactivating p38 signal in human early pregnancy.

The erythropoietin (EPO) belongs to the family of angiogenic factors, which is regulated by Hypoxia-inducible factor- 1α (HIF-1α). As known, EPO are expressed in human villi and decidua, but the function is not clear. In this study, we investigated the expression and roles of HIF-1α, EPO and its receptor (EPOR) in the biological functions of trophoblast and decidual stromal cell (DSC) in human early pregnancy. The expression of EPO, EPOR and HIF-1α was evaluated in the villi and deciduas by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Thereafter, we silenced HIF-1α expression in HTR-8/SVneo cell line and decidual stromal cells (DSCs). The effects of EPO on the proliferation and apoptosis of trophoblasts and DSCs, and activation of signal molecules were investigated by BrdU proliferation assay, flow cytometry and western blot, respectively. We have observed that the HIF-1α silence results in the lower expression of EPO in trophoblasts and DSCs. The anti-EPO neutralizing antibody can inactivate the phosphorylation of STAT5 and activate p38 of these cells in a dosage-dependent manner. Furthermore, the expressions of EPO, EPOR and HIF-1α in the villi and decidua from the unexplained miscarriage were significantly lower than that of the normal early pregnancy. This study suggests that HIF-1α may regulate the expression of EPO, which plays a favorable regulatory role in the proliferation and survival of human first-trimester trophoblast cells and DSCs via inactivating p38 and activating STAT5 in an autocrine manner, while the inadequate EPO expression at maternal-fetal interface may lead to pregnancy wastage in humans.