Potential of thrombospondin-1 in treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome rat model: a preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common gynecological endocrine disease in reproductive women, and the endocrine levels are also affected by diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) on PCOS rat model. METHODS: We established the PCOS rat model, the serum hormones including TSP-1 expression were determined and morphological characteristics were investigated to evaluate the model. These above endocrine and morphological features were investigated again to evaluate the effect of TSP-1 treatment. RESULTS: In the PCOS model group, the serum hormones change (higher luteinizing hormone, testosterone and estrogen) and decreased TSP-1 expression levels were found compared with the control group. Besides, the morphological characteristics of PCOS were also observed in the model group. After TSP-1 treatment, the higher TSP-1, ANGPT2, PDGFB and PDGFD expression levels, the lower LH and T levels, decreased vessel density as well as VEGFA and ANGPT1 expression levels were found compared with the control group, and the ovary morphological changes were also observed in the TSP-1 experimental group. CONCLUSIONS: TSP-1 delivery system might be an alternative therapy for PCOS treatment.

The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among schoolchildren: a cohort study from Xinxiang, China.

AIM: Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) in children is widespread. Therefore, the present study was conducted to assess the prevalence of VDD in schoolchildren from Henan Province, China. METHODS: The study was conducted on school students from areas of Xinxiang, one of the largest cities of Henan Province in China, in the winter of 2013. A questionnaire on demographic data, socioeconomic status, sun exposure, and times of acute respiratory infections (RTI) in the past 12 months were completed for each student. Blood samples were taken to assess serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]. RESULTS: In our study, 606 schoolchildren completed the questionnaire. The median serum level of 25(OH)D was 20.5 ng/mL (interquartile range: 15.9-25.1). The prevalence of VDD and insufficiency was 46.9% (284/606) and 85.8% (520/606), respectively. VDD was more associated with female gender, high body mass index, lower socio-professional status, residence in urban areas, and less time spent outdoors. There was an inverse correlation between levels of 25(OH) and times of RTI (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: VDD and insufficiency are common among schoolchildren in Xinxiang. Supplementation with food fortification or vitamin D for Chinese children is warranted.

MRI findings of otic and sinus barotrauma in patients with carbon monoxide poisoning during hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To study the MRI findings of otic and sinus barotrauma in patients with carbon monoxide(CO) poisoning during hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy and examine the discrepancies of otic and sinus abnormalities on MRI between barotrauma and acute otitis media with effusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty patients with CO-poisoning diagnosed with otic and sinus barotrauma after HBO therapy were recruited. Brain MRI was performed to predict delayed encephalopathy. Over the same period, 88 patients with acute otitis media with effusion on MRI served as control. The abnormalities of the middle ear and paranasal sinuses on MRI were noted and were compared between groups. Nine patients with barotrauma were followed up by MRI. RESULTS: In the barotrauma group, 92.5% of patients had bilateral middle ear abnormalities on MRI, and 60% of patients had both middle ear cavity and mastoid cavity abnormalities on MRI in both ears. Both rates were higher than those in the control group (p = 0.000). In the two groups, most abnormalities on MRI were observed in the mastoid cavity. The rate of sinus abnormalities of barotrauma was 66.3%, which was higher than the 50% in the control group (p = 0.033). In the nine patients with barotrauma followed up by MRI, the otic barotrauma and sinus abnormalities had worsened in 2 patients and 5 patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: MRI is able to depict the abnormalities of otic and sinus barotrauma in patients with CO-poisoning during HBO therapy and to differentiate these from acute otitis media with effusion.

[FTIR spectra-principal component analysis of phenetic relationships of Huperzia serrata and its closely related species].

Huperzia serrata is an important medicinal plant. This species is rich in inner-specific variation with various closely related species, and their individuals are also small with few identification characters. In the present paper, the method of Fourier transform infrared spectrometer with an OMNI collector was applied to obtaining the infrared spectra of 16 leaf samples including Huperzia serrata and its five closely related species (Huperzia sutchueniana, Phlegmariurus mingchegensis, Lycopodium japonicum, Selaginella doederleinii, Selaginella heterostachys). Based on the indices of wave number-absorbance, the differences of the 16 infrared spectra were compared by the method of Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The results showed that there is good correspondence between the position relationship of PCA three-dimensional plot of the samples based on the indices of wave number-absorbance of FTIR spectra and their phenetic relationship. Therefore, the infrared spectra could be applied to identifying the samples of Huperzia serrata and its closely related species.