Suboptimal immune recovery and associated factors among people living with HIV/AIDS on second-line antiretroviral therapy in central China: A retrospective cohort study.

The introduction and scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) have contributed to significantly improved patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) quality of life and prolongs their survival. This has occurred by suppressing viral replication and recovering the CD4 cell count. However, some patients do not normalize their CD4 cell count, despite suppression of the viral load (VL). Patients with suboptimal immune recovery (SIR), as defined by a VL < 400 copies/ml with a CD4 cell count of<200 cells/µl, after ART initiation, exhibit severe immune dysfunction and have a higher risk of AIDS and non-AIDS events. In recent years, People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) with first-line ART failure began to gradually switch to second-line ART. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and factors affecting SIR among PLWHA who switch to second-line ART in rural China. A 1-year retrospective cohort study was conducted among PLWHA who switched to second-line ART between January 2009 and December 2018. All patients with a VL < 400 copies/ml after 1 year of second-line ART were included. SIR was defined as a CD4 cell count <200 cells/µl and a VL < 400 copies/ml after 1 year of second-line ART. The data collected from medical records were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses. A total of 5294 PLWHA met the inclusion criteria, 24 died, and 1152 were lost to follow-up after 1 year of second-line ART. Among 4118 PLWHA who were followed up, 3039 with a VL < 400 copies/ml had their data analyzed, and the prevalence of SIR was 13.1%. The patients' mean age at recruitment was 47.6 ± 8.1 years and 45.3% were men. A total of 30.7% of patients were HIV-positive for >8 years and 88.2% were receiving ART before starting second-line ART for >3 years. The mean CD4 cell count was 354.8 ± 238.2 cells/µl. A multivariable analysis showed that male sex, single status (unmarried or divorced), and a low CD4 cell count were risk factors for SIR among PLWHA with second-line ART. The prevalence of SIR among PLWHA who switched to second-line ART in this retrospective cohort study is lower than that in most other studies. Several factors associated with SIR include male sex, marital status, and CD4 cell count levels in PLWHA.

A mathematical model to predict the probability of a successful pregnancy.

AIM: To develop a scoring system for the prediction of a successful pregnancy. METHODS: Data were collected prospectively from women diagnosed with pregnancy from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2018. Pregnant days, hormone levels, and gestational sac diameters were recorded. Relationships among the pregnancy days, hormones, and gestational sac were analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis. A scoring system was established and stratified by the 5th, 50th, and 95th percentile of hormone levels and gestational sac diameters on different pregnancy days. Pregnancy outcomes were predicted by the scores using quadratic polynomial regression analyses. A portable desktop analyzer was developed and the performance was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: In 273 successful pregnancy cases, the length of gestational days was significantly correlated to beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-hCG) (r = 0.74, p < 0.001) and E2 (r = 0.79, p < 0.001) levels, and the size of the gestational sac (r = 0.88, p < 0.001). Meanwhile, the size of gestational sac was positively correlated with ß-hCG (r = 0.93, p < 0.001) and E2 (r = 0.55, p < 0.001). For 273 delivery and 103 miscarriage cases included in this study, our scoring-based prediction model rendered an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.86 with the sensitivity of 78.31% and the specificity of 80.83%. CONCLUSIONS: We successfully developed a scoring-based analyzer to evaluate the viability of embryos at different gestation stages and to predict the probability of a successful delivery, which would provide a reference for clinicians in postpregnancy management.

[Potential targets of Euodiae Fructus in treatment of insomnia based on network pharmacology].

The acupoint application of Euodiae Fructus at Yongquan(KI1) can significantly improve the sleep quality of patients with insomnia with berberine as the main effective component for the efficacy. Nineteen active compounds and 203 drug targets were screened out from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP). After comparison with GeneCards and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man(OMIM), 24 common genes of diseases and drugs were obtained. STRING 11.0 was used to construct a protein-protein interaction(PPI) network of the overlapping genes, and Matthews correlation coefficient(MCC) was employed to screen the core genes, which were then subjected to enrichment analysis with gene ontology(GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG). The results revealed that the main compounds of Euodiae Fructus, such as berberine and rutaecarpine, participated in the biological processes(such as neurotransmitter receptor activity) by regulating C-reactive protein(CRP), estrogen receptor 1(ESR1), 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT) receptor, and interleukin-6(IL-6) to exert sedative, anxiolytic, and antidepressant effects. Sixty 4-week-old SPF mice were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, a positive drug(diazepam tablets) group, and low-, medium-, and high-dose berberine groups. Medication with corresponding drugs was performed for one week. The results demonstrated that berberine was potent in reducing the activities and standing times of mice, down-regulating the levels of CRP and IL-6 mRNA in the hypothalamus, and up-regulating the expression of 5-HT(P<0.01); however, no significant effect on ESR1 was observed. The network of Euodiae Fructus in treating insomnia was constructed by network pharmacology and verified by tests. The findings indicated that the therapeutic efficacy of Euodiae Fructus in treating insomnia was achieved by participating in multiple biological processes, such as neurotransmitter receptor activity, which provided a scientific basis for its clinical application.

Oestrogen induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition in endometriosis via circ_0004712/miR-148a-3p sponge function.

Endometriosis is a common, chronic gynaecologic disease affecting up to 10% of women in their reproductive age and leading to pain and infertility. Oestrogen (E2 )-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process has been considered as a key factor of endometriosis development. Recently, the dysregulated circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been discovered in endometriosis tissues. However, the molecular mechanism of circRNAs on the E2 -induced EMT process in endometriosis is still unknown. Here, we demonstrated that circ_0004712 up-regulated by E2 treatment in endometrial epithelial cells. Knock-down the expression of circ_0004712 significantly suppressed E2 -induced cell migration activity. Meanwhile, we identified miR-148a-3p as a potential target miRNA of circ_0004712. Inhibited the expression of miR-148a-3p could recovered the effect of circ_0004712 knock-down in E2 -treated endometrial epithelial. Furthermore, Western blot assay showed that E2 treatment could increase the expression and activity of ß-catenin, snail and N-cadherin and reduce the expression of E-cadherin. The expression and activity of ß-catenin pathway were recovered by circ_0004712 knock-down or miR-148a-3p overexpression. Altogether, the results demonstrate that circ_0004712/miR-148a-3p plays an important role in E2 -induced EMT process in the development of endometriosis, and the molecular mechanism may be associated with the ß-catenin pathway. This work highlighted the importance of circRNAs in the development of endometriosis and provide a new biomarker for diagnosis and therapies.

Effects of environmental contaminants on fertility and reproductive health.

Recent research indicates that the human infertility rate is increasing. Although various reasons have been hypothesized for the growing infertility rate, environmental contaminants are potentially important causal agents associated with this change. Chemical contaminants are widespread throughout our environment and human exposure is virtually unavoidable. The overall contribution of environmental exposure to infertility is unknown, but studies involving occupational exposure, together with results from animal experiments, suggest that environmental contaminants may adversely affect fertility. We reviewed the adverse effects of environmental exposure on fertility and related reproductive outcomes. Environmental contaminants covered in this review include heavy metals, organic solvents, pesticides and endocrine disrupting chemicals. It is hoped that this review will highlight the need for further research in this area.

Role of the endocannabinoid system in the formation and development of depression.

Two types of cannabinoid (CB) receptors have been described in the human body: CB1 and CB2 receptors. CB1 receptor distribution may be related to the cannabinoid functions of memory and cognition regulation as well as motor control. In addition, the endocannabinoid system (ECS) related to CB1 receptors may be involved in human emotion regulation, especially depression occurrence. Indeed, CB1 receptors are all distributed in depression associated neuroanatomical structures and neural circuits. Both animal experiments and clinical studies have demonstrated that impairment of the ECS pathway is present in depression models and patients, and application of both CB1 receptor agonists and anandamide (cannabinoid-like substance) degradation inhibitors produce similar biochemical and behavioral effects as antidepressants. These findings provide a solid basis for understanding the ECS role in the formation and development of depression. Therefore, it can be inferred that the ECS may have an important function in both depression treatment and the effects of antidepressants.

Combined evaluation of risk factors predicting poor ovarian responders in Chinese patients undergoing in vitro fertilization.

This study aimed to explore the parameters associated with poor ovarian response (POR) to develop an early warning score model (EWSM) for detecting POR in Chinese women undergoing in vitro fertilization, in order to improve the outcomes. Between 2005 and 2011, we recruited 736 patients with POR after IVF and 736 individuals with normal ovarian response after IVF as controls. Clinical parameters were determined to evaluate the ovarian reserve. We then compared the clinical parameters between the POR and control groups, and performed a multivariate analysis to determine the independent factors associated with ovarian response. Receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) was used to analyze the predicted values of individual and combined risk factors. The predicted values were further tested in another cohort of 957 patients. Age, basal follicle-stimulating hormone (bFSH), antral follicle count (AFC), and FSH/luteinizing hormone (LH) ratio were identified as independent factors associated with ovarian response. The EWSM was established using a combination of these parameters. The sensitivity and specificity of the EWSM were 74.6% and 93.6%, respectively. In conclusion, combination of individual risk factors could predict POR with high specificity. The EWSM may help in the evaluation of IVF treatment at an early stage.

Kaempferol suppresses bladder cancer tumor growth by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis.

The effects of the flavonoid compound, kaempferol, which is an inhibitor of cancer cell proliferation and an inducer of cell apoptosis have been shown in various cancers, including lung, pancreatic, and ovarian, but its effect has never been studied in bladder cancer. Here, we investigated the effects of kaempferol on bladder cancer using multiple in vitro cell lines and in vivo mice studies. The MTT assay results on various bladder cancer cell lines showed that kaempferol enhanced bladder cancer cell cytotoxicity. In contrast, when analyzed by the flow cytometric analysis, DNA ladder experiment, and TUNEL assay, kaempferol significantly was shown to induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. These in vitro results were confirmed in in vivo mice studies using subcutaneous xenografted mouse models. Consistent with the in vitro results, we found that treating mice with kaempferol significant suppression in tumor growth compared to the control group mice. Tumor tissue staining results showed decreased expressions of the growth related markers, yet increased expressions in apoptosis markers in the kaempferol treated group mice tissues compared to the control group mice. In addition, our in vitro and in vivo data showed kaempferol can also inhibit bladder cancer invasion and metastasis. Further mechanism dissection studies showed that significant down-regulation of the c-Met/p38 signaling pathway is responsible for the kaempferol mediated cell proliferation inhibition. All these findings suggest kaempferol might be an effective and novel chemotherapeutic drug to apply for the future therapeutic agent to combat bladder cancer.

Effect of Endometrial Injury on Secretion of Endometrial Cytokines and IVF Outcomes in Women with Unexplained Subfertility.

In order to determine the effect of endometrial injury (EI) on in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes in women with unexplained subfertility and explore the relationship between EI and endometrial inflammatory cytokines, 66 women with unexplained subfertility undergoing IVF treatment were recruited. 38 patients in the EI group underwent EI in the mid-luteal phase of the cycle and 28 patients in the non-EI (NEI) group. According to the pregnancy outcome, the NEI and EI groups were divided into NEI-nonpregnant (NEI-NP), NEI-pregnant (NEI-P), EI-NP, and EI-P. All patients underwent aspiration of endometrial secretions immediately before embryo transfer. The concentrations of ten mediators were measured using Milliplex Magnetic Bead assay. The clinical pregnancy was significantly higher in the EI than in the NEI group. The concentrations of interleukin- (IL-) 6, IL-8, IL-12 (p70), IL-13, interferon- (IFN-) γ, monocyte chemotactic protein- (MCP-) 1, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were significantly higher in the EI than the NEI group. The expression of IFN-γ and VEGF in the EI-P was significantly increased compared to the EI-NP group. These findings suggest that, in women with unexplained subfertility, endometrial injury might be a potential method to improve clinical pregnancy rates by promoting the expression of IFN-γ and VEGF.

[Analysis on HIV suppression effect after initiating antiretroviral treatment and related factors among AIDS patients in Henan province during 2008 and 2013].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the HIV suppression rate after initiating antiretroviral treatment(ART) among AIDS patients at different immunological levels and to analyze the related factors. METHODS: Data on AIDS patients initially starting antiretroviral therapy during 2008 and 2013 were collected from Chinese HIV/AIDS integrated control system. All the participants were divided into early treatment group(baseline CD4(+)T cell counts between 351/µl and 500/µl) and conventional treatment group(baseline CD4(+)T cell counts ≤ 350/µl). The rates of comprehensive virologic suppression at different time nodes after the initiation of ART were analyzed accordingly. Unconditional logistic regression model was adopted to examine the factors associated with the failure of viral suppression after 6 months after initiation of ART. RESULTS: A total of 16 103 cases were selected, among which, 1 581 cases were early treatment group, and 14 522 cases were conventional treatment group. A total of 9 428 cases were males, 6 675 cases were females, and the sex ratio was 1.41: 1. The age was 47.2 ± 11.7, and 71.55% (11 522/16 103) of cases were married or cohabiting, 57.22% (9 214/16 103) were transmitted by blood. 81.26% (13 086/16 103) were cures in the township or village treatment institution, and 77.17% (12 426/16 103) received the ART regimen as Stavudine(D4T) or Zidovudine(AZT)+Lamivudine(3TC)+Nevirapine(NVP) or Efevirenz(EFV). After 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 years after the initiation of ART, the rates of virologic suppression in the conventional treatment cohort were 72.6% (3 008/4 144), 73.9% (4 758/6 443), 74.1% (3 641/4 915), 74.9% (2 819/3 766), 76.1% (1 729/2 272) and 78.2% (492/629), respectively. While the rates of viral suppression in the early treatment cohort at the same time nodes were 65.5% (315/481), 65.4% (448/685), 68.8% (223/324), 66.0% (155/235), 71.4% (110/154) and 61% (30/49), respectively, and the differences between the two groups were significant (P < 0.05) except at the fourth year. Non-conditional logistic regression analysis showed that in the conventional treatment group, factors associated with low HIV suppression rate were male (OR = 1.23, 95%CI:1.07-1.42) , longer time interval from confirmed HIV infection to received ART (OR = 1.26, 95%CI:1.16-1.36) , using D4T/AZT+ DDI +NVP/EFV as initial treatment regimen (OR = 3.00, 95%CI:2.26-3.98) and nearly missing doses for 7 days at treatment of six months (OR = 1.97, 95%CI:1.22-3.18) and factors associated with high HIV suppression rate were infected through homosexual transmission route (OR = 0.57, 95%CI:0.35-0.90) and treated in the county level medical institution or above (OR = 0.61, 95%CI:0.50-0.75) . Among early treatment group, cases who received treatment at county level medical institution or above had high HIV suppression rate (OR = 0.43, 95%CI:0.23-0.80) and objects with longer time interval from confirmed HIV infection to receive ART had low HIV suppression rate (OR = 1.43, 95%CI:1.09-1.88). CONCLUSION: The viral suppression efficacy among AIDS patients with different baseline immunologic levels after treatment was similarly satisfactory. AIDS cases who received ART at county level medical institution or above had better viral suppression effect and patients with longer time interval from confirmation to treatment had poor HIV suppression effect.

[Survival analysis of the AIDS patients under 14 years of age and receiving antiretroviral treatment in Henan province from 2003 to 2014].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the survival status and influencing factors of the AIDS patients under 14 years of age and receiving antiretroviral treatment in Henan Province. METHODS: Database of children AIDS patients receiving ART were download from China information system for disease preventioin and control-AIDS, AIDS cases from January, 2003 to June, 2014 were selected to be analyzed. Demographic characteristics baseline laboratory inclusion criteria: F First time receive national free ART during study; aged 14 years or below; and with relatively complete baseline information and follow-up information. 1 037 cases were selected. Patient information about survival status, death, demographic characteristics, and baseline laboratory test results were analyzed. The accumulated survival rate of AIDS patients was calculated by life table method and the influencing factors were analyzed by COX proportional hazard model. RESULTS: A total of 1 037 AIDS children-cases ((9.52 ± 3.56) years old) which included 628 boys and 409 girls were recruited in the study, 939 cases survived 1 to 9 years from starting ART treatment and 98 cases died. Accumulated survival rate of AIDS children receiving ART from 1 year to 9 years were 96.11%, 94.17%, 92.74%, 91.28%, 90.54%, 89.47%, 88.52%, 88.52%, 86.84%, respectively. Results of multivariate analysis showed baseline count of CD4⁺ T lymphocyte (HR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.36-0.72), duration from confirmation to the initial ART time (HR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.75-0.97) and hemoglobin level (HR = 2.26, 95% CI: 1.09-4.70) were influence factors for survival time of AIDS children patients receiving ART. CONCLUSION: Survival rate of AIDS children aged 14 years or below and receiving ART in Henan Province was relatively high. Timely surveillance of CD4⁺ T and the hemoglobin level of the AIDS patients so as to timely launch HARRT could extend survival time of AIDS patients.

[Study on risk factors of hepatitis C virus infection among Han population in Henan province].

OBJECTIVE: To study the risk factors of hepatitis C Virus Infection among Han population in Henan Province, providing evidence for the development of targeted prevention and control measures. METHODS: In this 1: 1 matched case-control study, data of 134 cases and 134 controls were collected in seven hospitals from June 2013 to September 2013. Case group with the following conditions: Han nationality, first diagnosed hepatitis C in 2013, Current address and investigation belong to the same district (county), above 18 years old; with the following conditions can't into case group: not to cooperate with the investigation, late-stage Hepatitis C patients. Control group with the following conditions: Han nationality, with the matched case patients the same gender, in the same hospital for treatment , from the same district (county), the age difference ≤ 5 years old and in the same age group. With the following conditions can't into control group:not to cooperate with the investigation, diagnosed with hepatitis B, hepatitis C patients. Collect 3 ml blood samples to test anti-HCV. Single factors were analyzed with χ(2) between case and control, risk factors were analyzed with logistic regression model. RESULTS: The ratio about blood donation, blood transfusion, operation and acupuncture of cases were 35.1% (47/134), 27.6% (37/134), 42.5% (57/134), 12.7% (17/134), with differences compared to those of controls (2.2% (3/134), 5.2% (7/134), 21.6% (29/134), 5.2% (7/134))(χ(2) values were 47.60, 24.47, 13.42 and 4.58, all P values <0.05). Compared with those never received blood transfusion and those never donated blood, former blood receptors and blood donors had higher risk of hepatitis C infection(OR: 2.01, 95%CI:1.32-3.05; OR:2.68, 95%CI:1.85-3.88). RESULTS: of multiple nonconditional logistic regression analysis showed that Plasma donors and whole blood donors had higher risk of hepatitis C infection than those never donated plasma and blood (OR:76.71, 95%CI: 10.25-574.25; OR:10.23, 95%CI: 2.15-48.70). CONCLUSION: Blood transfusion and abnormal blood are independent risk factors among Han population in Henan Province of hepatitis C infection. The Plasma donors, blood donors and with the increase in the times of blood transfusion, the risk of hepatitis C infection is increase.

Ceria Nanoparticle Systems Alleviate Degenerative Changes in Mouse Postovulatory Aging Oocytes by Reducing Oxidative Stress and Improving Mitochondrial Functions.

Postovulatory aging oocytes usually feature diminished potential for fertilization and poor embryonic development due to enhanced oxidative damage to the subcellular organelles and macromolecules, which stands as a formidable obstacle in assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Here, we developed lipoic acid (LA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified CeO2 nanoparticles (LA-PEG-CeNPs) with biocompatibility, enzyme-like autocatalytic activity, and free radical scavenging capacity. We further investigated the LA-PEG-CeNPs effect in mouse postovulatory oocytes during in vitro aging. The results showed that LA-PEG-CeNPs dramatically reduced the accumulation of ROS in aging oocytes, improving mitochondrial dysfunction; they also down-regulated the pro-apoptotic activity by rectifying cellular caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3, and Bcl-2 levels. Consistently, this nanoenzyme prominently alleviated the proportion of abnormalities in spindle structure, chromosome alignment, microtubule stability, and filamentous actin (F-actin) distribution in aging oocytes, furthermore decreased oocyte fragmentation, and improved its ability of fertilization and development to blastocyst. Taken together, our finding suggests that LA-PEG-CeNPs can alleviate oxidative stress damage on oocyte quality during postovulatory aging, implying their potential value for clinical practice in assisted reproduction.

[Effect of UVRAG Gene on Ferroptosis Induced by Sorafenib in K562 Cells].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of UV radiation resistance-associated gene (UVRAG) on ferroptosis induced by sorafenib in leukemia K562 cells. METHODS: K562 cells were treated with 0, 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 µmol/L sorafenib for 24 or 48 hours, and the cell viability was detected by CCK-8 assay. Flow cytometry technology was used to detect the changes of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in K562 cells treated with 0, 5, and 10 µmol/L sorafenib for 24 hours. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of GPX4 in K562 cells treated with 0, 5, and 10 µmol/L sorafenib and pretreatment with ferroptosis inhibitor. A recombinant lentiviral vector was used to construct UVRAG overexpression cell line in K562 cells. qPCR and Western blot were used to verify UVRAG gene overexpression, and Western blot detected the effect of UVRAG on the protein expression of GPX4 and HMGB1 after treatment with sorafenib. RESULTS: Different concentrations of sorafenib could significantly inhibit the proliferation of K562 cells, and the cell viability gradually decreased with the increase of concentration (r 24 h=-0.9841, r 48 h=-0.9970). The level of ROS was increased (When the concentration was 10 µmol/L, P <0.001), while the expression of GPX4 protein was decreased in the process of 0, 5, 10 µmol/L sorafenib-induced K562 cell death (P <0.05), and the decrease in GPX4 protein could be partially reversed by pretreatment with ferroptosis inhibitor (P <0.05). Compared with NC group and NC-Sorafenib group, the expression of GPX4 protein was significantly decreased (both P <0.05), while HMGB1 protein was significantly increased (both P <0.05). CONCLUSION: Sorafenib can induce ferroptosis in K562 cells, and this process can be promoted by UVRAG.

Mortality Risk Factors Among People Living with HIV Receiving Second-line Antiretroviral Therapy in Rural China.

BACKGROUND: Second-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) was introduced in Henan Province in 2009. The number of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) starting this therapy is increasing. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the survival and factors affecting mortality among this group. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of people living with HIV (PLHIV) who switched to second-line ART between May 1, 2010, and May 1, 2016, using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: We followed 3,331 PLHIV for 26,988 person-years, of whom 508 (15.3%) died. The mortality rate was 1.88/100 person-years. After adjusting for confounding factors, we found being a woman (hazard ratio (HR), 0.66; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.55-0.79), > 50 years old (HR, 2.69; 95% CI, 2.03-3.56), single/widowed (HR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.04-1.52), having > 6 years of education (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.65-0.94), Chinese medicine (HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.52-0.96), liver injury (HR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.19-2.10), and CD4+ T cell count <200 cells/µl (HR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.47-2.55), or 200-350 cells/µl (HR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.03-1.82) were associated with mortality risk. CONCLUSIONS: We found lower mortality among PLHIV who switched to second-line ART than most previous studies. The limitations of a retrospective cohort may, therefore, have biased the data, and prospective studies are needed to confirm the results. Moreover, Chinese medicine combined with second-line ART shows potential as a treatment for HIV.

Association of the genetic variants of luteinizing hormone, luteinizing hormone receptor and polycystic ovary syndrome.

BACKGROUND: High circulating luteinizing hormone (LH) level is a typical biochemical feature of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) whose pathophysiology is still unclear. Certain mutations of LH and LH receptor (LHR) may lead to changes in bioactivity of these hormones. The aim of this study was determine the role of the LH and LHR polymorphisms in the pathogenesis of PCOS using a genetic approach. METHODS: 315 PCOS women and 212 controls were screened for the gene variants of LH G1052A and LHR rs61996318 polymorphisms by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). RESULTS: PCOS patients had significantly more A allele frequency of LH G1052A mutations than controls (p=0.001). Within PCOS group, carriers of LH 1052A allele had lower LH (p=0.05) and higher fasting glucose levels (p=0.04). No subjects were identified with LHR rs61996318 polymorphisms. A new LHR single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was found without clear association with PCOS. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggested LH G1052A mutation might influence PCOS susceptibility and phenotypes.

[The comorbid mechanism of vestibular migraine and persistent postural-perceptual dizziness].

Vestibular migraine and persistent postural-perceptual dizziness both involve the vestibular system and are similar in clinical manifestations. After acute attack of vestibular migraine, it can gradually evolve into persistent posture-perceptual dizziness; persistent posture-perceptual dizziness caused by various factors can be combined with symptoms similar to vestibular migraine. Studies have shown that abnormal multi-sensory signal integration, abnormal neurotransmitters and genetic factors may be the co-disease mechanism of the two.

The potent role of Src kinase-regulating glucose metabolism in cancer.

Src kinase is a membrane-related nonreceptor tyrosine kinase that plays an essential role in cell growth, division, migration, and survival signaling pathways. In addition, it regulates glucose metabolism in cancer cells through different mechanisms, such as directly regulating glucose metabolism related enzymes and glucose transporters or indirectly regulating transcription factors and signal transduction pathways. In this review, we clarify the role of Src kinase in regulating glucose metabolism in cancer cells, and partially explain the pathogenesis of malignant tumors. We also discuss that further understanding and study of the role of Src kinase in glucose metabolism will provide a potential therapeutic window for cancer treatment.

Comparison of bromocriptine and hydroxyethyl starch in the prevention of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of bromocriptine for prevention of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). METHODS: The retrospective study included women at risk of OHSS who were receiving gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist protocols, including 52 women given 2.5 mg bromocriptine by rectal insertion, 52 women given 500 ml intravenous hydroxyethyl starch (HES), and 40 women who received no intervention. Treatments were administered daily for 5 days beginning on the day of oocyte retrieval. Baseline information and data related to OHSS were compared. RESULTS: No significant differences were found among groups in estradiol concentration on the day of trigger or in number of retrieved oocytes. Incidence of mild OHSS was not significantly different among groups, respectively 13.5%, 15.4%, and 17.5% (P > 0.05). The incidence of moderate to severe OHSS was significantly lower in the bromocriptine and HES groups compared with the control group, respectively 7.7%, 5.8%, and 22.5% (P < 0.05). D-dimer levels were significantly lower in the bromocriptine and HES groups compared with the control group on Day 5 after oocyte retrieval (P < 0.05). No differences in liver or renal function were found in the three groups. CONCLUSION: Bromocriptine was apparently as effective as intravenous HES in patients with high risk of OHSS.

Advances in the study of HLA class Ib in maternal-fetal immune tolerance.

The HLA class Ib molecule is an alloantigen that causes transplant rejection on behalf of individual human and plays an important role in maternal-fetal immune tolerance. Early studies on HLA class Ib focused on the mechanism of HLA-G-induced immune escape, but in recent years, studies on the mechanism of HLA-G have deepened and gradually explored the mechanism of HLA-E and HLA-F, which are also HLA class Ib molecules. In the maternal-fetal interface, trophoblast cells express HLA class Ib molecules to protect the fetus from maternal immune cells by binding to inhibitory receptors of decidual immune cells (DICs) and shifting Th1/Th2 balance toward Th2 bias. Further studies on the molecular mechanism of HLA class Ib molecules provide a reference for its application in the field of clinical assisted reproduction.