Mutational analysis of the GATA4 gene in Chinese men with nonobstructive azoospermia.

As a crucial transcription factor for spermatogenesis, GATA-binding protein 4 (GATA4) plays important roles in the functioning of Sertoli and Leydig cells. Conditional knockout of GATA4 in mice results in age-dependent testicular atrophy and loss of fertility. However, whether GATA4 is associated with human azoospermia has not been reported. Herein, we analyzed the GATA4 gene by direct sequencing of samples obtained from 184 Chinese men with idiopathic nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA). We identified a missense mutation (c.191G>A, p.G64E), nine single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and one rare variant (c.*84C>T) in the 3´ untranslated region (UTR). Functional studies demonstrated that the p.G64E mutation did not affect transactivation ability of GATA4 for spermatogenesis-related genes (claudin-11 and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, Star), and the 3´ UTR rare variant c.*84C>T did not generate microRNA-binding sites to repress GATA4 expression. To our knowledge, this is the first report to investigate the association between GATA4 and azoospermia; our results indicate that mutations in GATA4 may not be pathogenic for NOA in Chinese men.

Identifying Modifiable Risk Factors for Relapse in Patients With Schizophrenia in China.

BACKGROUND: Preventing relapse of schizophrenic patients is really a challenge. The present study sought to provide more explicit evidence and factors of different grades and weights by a series of step-by-step analysis through χ2 test, logistic regression analysis and decision-tree model. The results of this study may contribute to controlling relapse of schizophrenic patients. METHODS: A total of 1,487 schizophrenia patients were included who were 18-65 years of age and discharged from 10 hospitals in China from January 2009 to August 2009 and from September 2011 to February 2012 with improvements or recovery of treatment effect. We used a questionnaire to collect information about relapse and correlative factors during one year after discharge by medical record collection and telephone interview. The χ2 test and logistic regression analysis were used to identify risk factors and high-risk factors firstly, and then a decision-tree model was used to find predictive factors. RESULTS: The χ2 test found nine risk factors which were associated with relapse. Logistic regression analysis also showed four high-risk factors further (medication adherence, occupational status, ability of daily living, payment method of medical costs). At last, a decision-tree model revealed four predictors of relapse; it showed that medication adherence was the first grade and the most powerful predictor of relapse (relapse rate for adherence vs. nonadherence: 22.9 vs. 55.7%, χ2 = 116.36, p < 0.001). The second grade factor was occupational status (employment vs. unemployment: 19.7 vs. 42.7%, χ2 = 17.72, p < 0.001); the third grade factors were ability of daily living (normal vs. difficult: 28.4 vs. 54.3%, χ2 = 8.61, p = 0.010) and household income (household income ≥ 3000 RMB vs. <3000 RMB: 28.6 vs. 42.4%, χ2 = 6.30, p = 0.036). The overall positive predictive value (PPV) of the logistic regression was 0.740, and the decision-tree model was 0.726. Both models were reliable. CONCLUSIONS: For schizophrenic patients discharged from hospital, who had good medication adherence, more higher household income, be employed and normal ability of daily living, would be less likely to relapse. Decision tree provides a new path for doctors to find the schizophrenic inpatient's relapse risk and give them reasonable treatment suggestions after discharge.

[Ecological benefits of Gastrodia elata-Phallus impudicus sequential planting pattern].

Gastrodia elata is a kind of precious traditional Chinese medicine. In the process of cultivation of G. elata, due to the influence of continuous cropping obstacles and other factors, the fungus materials and land that have been planted with G. elata are often abandoned, resulting in a great waste of resources. Based on the planting characteristics of G. elata and Phallus impudicus and the previous research experience in ecological agriculture, this paper analyzed the ecological adaptability characteristics of G. elata and P. impudicus, and summarized the key techniques of the G. elata-P. impudicus sequential planting pattern. Keeping track of the planting area, fungus-growing materials consumption and market sales of G. elata-P. impudicus sequential planting pattern, the ecological benefits of G. elata-P. impudicus sequential planting pattern from the aspects of utilization rate of fungus-growing materials were analyzed, the value of land resources per unit area, ecological environmental protection, labor cost and economic benefits were consi-dered. The technical principle of G. elata-P. impudicus sequential planting pattern was expounded according to their ecological habit, the season of harvest and planting, the difference of composition of fungus-growing materials, and the microbial ecology. The sequential planting pattern of G. elata-P. impudicus not only realized the double production of medicinal materials and edible fungi, reduced the waste of old fungus-growing materials, but also transformed the energy from nutrition-supplied fungi to edible and medicinal fungi, which guaranteed the ecological recycling and utilization of G. elata in the process of cultivation.

Effects of cooling rates and ice-seeding temperatures on the cryopreservation of whole ovaries.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to detect the effects of different cooling rates and different ice-seeding temperatures on the cryopreservation of whole ovaries. METHODS: Cow whole ovaries were slowly frozen using different protocols with different cooling rates and different ice-seeding temperatures. Follicular viability was assessed using the trypan blue test; the percentage of morphologically normal primordial follicles and the follicular densities of grafts were measured. RESULTS: Protocol IIb was most effective protocol. Protocol Ib was more effective than protocol Ia and protocol Ic, and protocol IIIb was more effective than protocol IIIa and protocol IIIc. CONCLUSIONS: Protocol IIb (the cooling rate was 0.2°C/min, and the ice-seeding temperature was -5°C) was appropriate for slow freezing of cow whole ovaries.

Cryopreservation of whole ovaries with vascular pedicles: vitrification or conventional freezing?

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of vitrification and conventional freezing of whole ovaries. METHODS: Ovaries obtained from 5-year-old female bovines were cryopreserved by conventional freezing, rapid freezing and vitrification. The ovarian cortical strips were cryopreserved by conventional freezing. Follicular viability was assessed using the trypan blue test; the percentage of morphologically normal primordial follicles, hormones concentrations in the culture supernatants, and lactate dehyrogenase levels were measured. RESULTS: The efficacy of cryopreservation of whole ovaries by vitrification was higher than those by conventional freezing and rapid freezing. Conventional freezing of ovarian cortical strips was more effective than cryopreservation of whole ovaries by conventional freezing, rapid freezing, and vitrification. CONCLUSIONS: Vitrification seems to be more suitable than conventional freezing for cryopreservation of whole ovaries. However, further studies are required to improve the efficacy of vitrifying whole ovaries.