[Foreign Medicine "Angdi Moniu" in Qing Dynasty Court].

There is a kind of historical relics called "Angdi moniu" in the Palace Museum, which looks like metal and appears frequently in the archives of the Qing Dynasty as a foreign medicine.It is stated that it can treat sores and pus in the HanXiu CaoTang Biji and it was also found in the archives of the Palace Office. However, no researcher in the academic community has yet conducted an in-depth research of what exactly is it. Through the investigation of cultural relics, in-depth research of Chinese and foreign literature, and the use of linguistic methods, this paper examines "Angdi Moniu" and its related items, and clarifies that "Angdi Moniu" is antimony, related items are antimonials and antimony cup.

Topological magnon insulator with a Kekulé bond modulation.

We examine the combined effects of a Kekulé coupling texture (KC) and a Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) in a two-dimensional ferromagnetic honeycomb lattice. By analyzing the gap closing conditions and the inversions of the bulk bands, we identify the parameter range in which the system behaves as a trivial or a nontrivial topological magnon insulator. We find four topological phases in terms of the KC parameter and the DMI strength. We present the bulk-edge correspondence for the magnons in a honeycomb lattice with an armchair or a zigzag boundary. Furthermore, we find Tamm-like edge states due to the intrinsic on-site interactions along the boundary sites. Our results may have significant implications to magnon transport properties in the 2D magnets at low temperatures.

[Novel mutations of ITGB2 induced leukocyte adhesion defect type 1].

Objective: To investigate the pathogenic mechanism of two novel ITGB2 mutations in leukocyte adhesion defect type 1 (LAD1). Methods: The clinical history and blood sample of an 11 years old patient admitted to Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University in August 2014 were collected. Expression of CD18 (encoded by ITGB2) was analyzed by flow cytometry. Novel ITGB2 mutations were identified by next-generation sequencing technology and confirmed by Sanger sequencing. The functional effect of ITGB2 mutations was detected by PolyPhen2. Expression vectors of both wild type and mutant ITGB2 were constructed and transfected into mammalian cells for analysis of protein stability and subcellular location. Results: The symptoms of the patient (recurrent infections, lowered alveolar ridge and hypodontia) supported the diagnosis of LAD1. Expression of CD18 on the leukocytes was significantly decreased (0.2%) compared with the control samples from the parents (paternal: 99.0%; maternal: 99.1%). The patient was identified to be compound heterozygous for ITBG2 c.954del G (novel mutation) and c.1802C>A (paternal originated). ITGB2 c.954 del G was confirmed to be a harmful frameshift mutation; ITGB2 c.1802C>A was also predicted to be harmful. In terms of protein stability. There was no significant difference between mutant D18 and wild type. However, subcellular location analysis showed the mutant D18 could not locate on cell membrane. Conclusion: The compound heterozygous of ITGB2 mutations (c.954del G and c.1802C>A) decreases the expression and impairs the location of CD18 on leukocytes, which leads to LAD1.

Role of Autophagy in Ovarian Cryopreservation by Vitrification.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian cryopreservation by vitrification and transplantation are useful methods to recover female fertility after radiotherapy and chemotherapy. As type II programmed cell death, autophagy plays important roles in ovarian follicle development, ovarian follicle atresia and anti-stress injury. OBJECTIVE: The potential role of autophagy in ovarian vitrification was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mouse ovaries were cryopreserved by vitrification, and autophagy was treated, after which the ovarian histology was checked, and ovarian follicles were counted. The apoptotic rate was detected by TUNEL, and apoptotic molecular marker cleaved caspase-3 was checked by immunofluorescence and western blot analysis. RESULTS: Our results suggested that autophagy was increased in the process of vitrification compared with the fresh ovaries (p<0.05). The number of primordial follicles was decreased through inhibiting or over-activating the autophagy by autophagy inhibitor or activator (p<0.05). However, the number of primary follicles, antral follicles and atretic follicles was not significantly different compared with vitrified/warmed groups. The apoptotic rate was significantly increased in the vitrified/warmed, autophagy-inhibiting and over-activating groups compared with the fresh group (p<0.05), and this result was further confirmed by western blot analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, autophagy was activated in the ovarian cryopreservation by vitrification and plays a role in a natural adaptive response to cold stress in ovarian cryopreservation by vitrification.

[Predictive value of the GRACE discharge score on the long-term out-of-hospital coronary thrombotic events after implantation of drug-eluting stents].

Objective: To evaluate the predictive value of GRACE discharge score on the long-term out-of-hospital coronary thrombotic events (CTE) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents. Methods: Present study was a prospective, observational, single center study. 10 724 consecutive patients underwent PCI in Fuwai Hospital between January and December 2013 were included, stents were implanted with conventional method. After PCI, patients were prescribed aspirin 100 mg once daily indefinitely, and either clopidogrel 75 mg once daily or ticagrelor 90 mg twice daily for at least 1 year. A total of 9 782 patients were included in the final analysis after excluding patients who did not undergo successful stent implantation, who were not discharged on dual anti-platelet therapy (DAPT), who only underwent bare-metal stents, who experienced in-hospital major bleeding, stent thrombosis, myocardial infarction (MI) or death,and who lost follow up. Clinical data were collected from all patients. 9 543 patients with complete baseline data were further analyzed for risk stratification and predictive value of GRACE discharge score. CTE was defined as stent thrombosis or spontaneous myocardial infarction. All patients were followed through Fuwai Hospital Follow-up Center, and evaluated either by phone, letter, or clinic visits or at 1, 6, 12 and 24 months after PCI. Risk stratification was performed according to the GRACE discharge score, and the predictive value of the GRACE discharge score was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: After 2 years follow-up, there were 95 CTE among the 9 782 patients. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the presence or absence of CTE: CTE group (95 cases) and no CTE group (9 687 cases). GRACE discharge score was significantly higher in CTE group than no CTE group (82.98±27.58 vs. 75.51±22.46, t=-2.57, P=0.012). According to risk stratification of GRACE discharge score, the patients were divided into low-risk (≤88) group (n=6 902), moderate-risk (89-118) (n=2 988) and high-risk (>118) (n=343) groups. As compared to the low-risk group, CTE risk in moderate- and high-risk groups was 1.59 times (HR 1.59, 95%CI 1.01-2.52, P=0.046) and 3.89 times higher (HR 3.89, 95%CI 1.98-7.65, P<0.001), respectively. Further analysis showed that the GRACE score had predictive value in the total cohort for CTE (area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) 0.576, 95%CI 0.512-0.640, P=0.012) and in the acute coronary syndromes(ACS) subgroup for CTE: (AUROC 0.594, 95%CI 0.509-0.680, P=0.019), but not in the non-ACS subgroup: (AUROC 0.561, 95%CI 0.466-0.657, P=0.187). Conclusion: GRACE discharge score can predict the long-term out-of-hospital CTE in patients undergoing PCI with drug-eluting stents and treated with DAPT, and patients can be stratified into the low-, moderate- and high-risk groups of CTE by the GRACE discharge score.

[Prognosis of the central nervous system involvement in patients with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis].

Objective: To investigate the characteristics and prognostic factor of central nervous system (CNS) involvement in patients with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) . Methods: From January 2006 to October 2015, 152 patients with HLH, 88 patients had CNS involvement, their clinical data were collected, and survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier life table method, univariate and multivariate Cox regression model analyses were applied to identify the risk factors of prognosis. Results: ①57.9% patients complicated with neurological symptoms, cerebrospinal fluid abnormalities were observed in 37.0% patients, 57.5% patients had abnormal neuroradiology. ②36 patients survived well, 3 patients lost to follow-up, 49 dead, 1 survival patient had epilepsy. ③The 3-year overall survival rate of 88 patients was 44%. ④abnormal CSF and unreceived IT bore a significant, independent adverse prognostic value (P<0.05) . Conclusion: CNS involvement in HLH has a high frequency and poor prognosis, few patients remained neurologic sequelae; abnormal CSF related to poor prognosis, positive intrathecal injections could improve the prognosis.

Rapid and Label-Free Detection of Interferon Gamma via an Electrochemical Aptasensor Comprising a Ternary Surface Monolayer on a Gold Interdigitated Electrode Array.

A label-free electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) aptasensor for rapid detection (<35 min) of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) was fabricated by immobilizing a RNA aptamer capture probe (ACP), selective to IFN-γ, on a gold interdigitated electrode array (Au IDE). The ACP was modified with a thiol group at the 5' terminal end and subsequently co-immobilized with 1,6-hexanedithiol (HDT) and 6-mercapto-1-hexanolphosphate (MCH) to the gold surface through thiol-gold interactions. This ACP/HDT-MCH ternary surface monolayer facilitates efficient hybridization with IFN-γ and displays high resistance to nonspecific adsorption of nontarget proteins [i.e., fetal bovine serum (FBS) and bovine serum albumin (BSA)]. The Au IDE functionalized with ACP/HDT-MCH was able to measure IFN-γ in actual FBS solution with a linear sensing range from 22.22 pM to 0.11 nM (1-5 ng/mL) and a detection limit of 11.56 pM. The ability to rapidly sense IFN-γ within this sensing range makes the developed electrochemical platform conducive toward in-field disease detection of a variety of diseases including paratuberculosis (i.e., Johne's Disease). Furthermore, experimental results were numerically validated with an equivalent circuit model that elucidated the effects of the sensing process and the influence of the immobilized ternary monolayer on signal output. This is the first time that ternary surface monolayers have been used to selectively capture/detect IFN-γ on Au IDEs.

Analytical study of the edge states in the bosonic Haldane model.

We investigate the properties of magnon edge states in a ferromagnetic honeycomb spin lattice with a Dzialozinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI). We derive analytical expressions for the energy spectra and wavefunctions of the edge states localized on the boundaries. By introducing an external on-site potential at the outermost sites, we show that the bosonic band structure is similar to that of the fermionic graphene. We investigate the region in the momentum space where the bosonic edge states are well defined and we analyze the width of the edge state and their dependence with the DMI strength. Our findings extend the predictions using topological arguments and they allow size-dependent confirmation from possible experiments.

[X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome type 1 complicated with secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and ileal perforation: case report and literature review].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze and summarize the clinical characteristics, laboratory tests and treatment of X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome type 1 (XLP-1). METHOD: A retrospective study was done in 2012 on an XLP-1 patient to collect the data on clinical manifestation, laboratory examination, gene and protein expression, complications and prognosis. Literatures were reviewed in Pubmed with the key word"X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome". RESULT: The patient with persistent high fever, jaundice, abdominal distension, hepatosplenomegaly and lymphadenectasis, rash and suspicious positive family history; the patient eventually died of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), with intestinal perforation, intestinal infection and bleeding after being infected with EB virus. This patient with SH2D1A gene exon 1 large fragment of the coding region of the nucleotide deletion and insertion mutations causing missense mutations (p.Leu25Lys) and nonsense mutations (stop codon TAG was inserted after missense mutation so that the protein encoded by the early termination of the 25 amino acids), which led to SAP protein missing. The expression of SAP in his mother was also partly missing. Retrieval of reports on XLP-1 was conducted through literature search (included totally 157 cases) at home and abroad, positive family history accounted for 60.6%(40/66); lymphoma incidence accounted for 49.7%(72/145); low gamma globulin occurred in 24.8%(39/157) of cases; secondary HLH ratio accounted for 43.3%(68/157); XLP-1 in patients with hemorrhagic enteritis and gastritis was low, accounted for only 2.6%(3/116). CONCLUSION: XLP-1 patients occasionally develop necrotic enteritis complicated with ileal perforation.XLP-1 with large fragment deletion of SH2D1A gene might be associated with serious gastrointestinal manifestations.

Prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of high blood pressure among Chinese rural population in Haimen, Jiangsu.

Nowadays, high blood pressure (HBP) is one of the most common chronic diseases in China. This survey aims to assess HBP prevalence, and related disease awareness, treatment and control among rural population in Haimen, Jiangsu province, China. A total of 7538 rural residents, aged over 18 years, from four randomly selected villages in Haimen, were selected to participate in the blood pressure examination in September 2010, the male-to-female ratio of participants was 1:1.57. In all, 2034 patients were diagnosed with HBP. The total crude prevalence of HBP was 26.98%, the overall standardized prevalence of HBP was 24.38%. Both male and female prevalence rates demonstrate ascending trend with age. Awareness, treatment and control rates among all patients were 68.34%, 61.46% and 27.43% respectively, whereas the corresponding rates in young group (18-44 years) were lower (50.94%, 35.85%, 24.53%). Improving treatment coverage and efficacy should be the focus of HBP prevention in rural areas in China.

Congenital hydrocephalus and hemivertebrae associated with de novo partial monosomy 6q (6q25.3→qter).

This study was conducted to describe a prenatal case of congenital hydrocephalus and hemivertebrae with a 6q terminal deletion and to investigate the possible correlation between the genotype and phenotype of the proband. We performed an array-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) analysis on a fetus diagnosed with congenital hydrocephalus and hemivertebrae. The deletion, spanning 10.06 Mb from 6q25.3 to 6qter, was detected in this fetus. The results of aCGH, karyotype and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses in the healthy parents were normal, which confirmed that the proband's copy-number variant (CNV) was de novo. This deleted region encompassed 97 genes, including 28 OMIM genes. We discussed four genes (TBP, PSMB1, QKI and Pacrg) that may be responsible for hydrocephalus while the T gene may have a role in hemivertebra. We speculate that five genes in the 6q terminal deletion region were potentially associated with hemivertebrae and hydrocephalus in the proband.

Protection against hepatitis E virus infection by naturally acquired and vaccine-induced immunity.

Immunity acquired from infection or vaccination protects humans from symptomatic hepatitis E. However, whether the risk of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is reduced by the immunity remains unknown. To understand this issue, a cohort with 12 409 participants randomized to receive the hepatitis E vaccine Hecolin(®) or placebo were serologically followed up for 2 years after vaccination. About half (47%) of participants were initially seropositive. A total of 139 infection episodes, evidenced by four-fold or greater rise of anti-HEV level or positive seroconversion, occurred in participants who received three doses of treatment. Risk of infection was highest among the baseline seronegative placebo group participants (2.04%). Pre-existing immunity and vaccine-induced immunity lower the risk significantly, to 0.52% and 0.30%, respectively. In conclusion, both vaccine-induced and naturally acquired immunity can effectively protect against HEV infection.

Further evidence for the contribution of the BRCA1-interacting protein-terminal helicase 1 (BRIP1) gene in breast cancer susceptibility.

BRCA1-interacting protein C-terminal helicase 1 (BRIP1) is a DNA helicase that influences the DNA repair ability and tumor suppressor function of BRCA1. Truncating BRIP1 mutations have been described as cancer susceptibility alleles. To evaluate BRIP1 polymorphisms as risk factors for breast cancer, we performed a detailed analysis of possible single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs2048718, rs4988344, rs8077088, rs6504074, rs4986764, rs4986763, rs11079454, rs7213430, rs34289250, rs4988345, and rs12937080) using the MassARRAY system. A total of 319 patients with breast cancer and 306 healthy control females from the Chinese Han population enrolled in the study. A weak association was found between the rs4986764 allele (exon 18) and breast cancer. The frequency of the rs4986764 C allele was significantly higher in breast cancer patients than in healthy controls [χ(2) = 4.089, P = 0.043, odds ratio (OR) = 0.781, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.614-0.992]. Additionally, our study is the first to identify a significant association between rs7213430 and breast cancer. Compared to healthy controls, patients with breast cancer had a higher frequency of the rs7213430 A allele (χ(2) = 8.865, P = 0.003, OR = 0.700, 95%CI = 0.553-0.886). Furthermore, linkage disequilibrium was observed in two blocks (D' > 0.9). While significantly more T-A-C haplotypes (P = 0.001, block 1) were found in breast cancer patients, the frequency of T-T haplotypes (P = 0.008, block 2) was significantly higher in healthy controls. The possible association among rs4986764, rs7213430, and breast cancer risk merits further validation in an independent case-control study.

Transplantation of pancreatic islets to adrenal gland is promoted by agonists of growth-hormone-releasing hormone.

Here, we evaluate an alternative approach of preconditioning pancreatic islets before transplantation using a potent agonist of growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) to promote islet viability and function, and we explore the adrenal gland as an alternative transplantation site for islet engraftment. The endocrine microenvironment of the adrenal represents a promising niche with the unique advantages of exceptional high oxygen tension and local anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. GHRH agonists have been shown to promote islet graft survival and function, which may help to reduce the islet mass necessary to reverse diabetes. In the present study, the most potent GHRH agonist MR403 was tested on insulinoma cells, isolated rat islets, and adrenal ß-cell cocultures in vitro. GHRH receptor is expressed on both adrenal cells and islets. MR403 caused a significant increase in cell viability and proliferation and revealed an antiapoptotic effect on insulinoma cells. Viability of rat islets was increased after treatment with the agonist and in coculture with adrenal cells. Rat islets were transplanted into diabetic mice to the intraadrenal transplant site and compared with the classical transplants underneath the kidney capsule. Graft function and integration were tested by metabolic follow-up and immunohistochemical staining of intraadrenal grafts. A rapid decrease occurred in blood glucose levels in both models, and all animals reached normoglycemia within the first days after transplantation. Our studies demonstrated that the adrenal may be an attractive site for islet transplantation and that GHRH analogs might allow reduction of the islet mass needed to reverse a diabetic status.

Coupled-cluster calculations for the ground and excited states of the spin-half XXZ model.

The coupled-cluster method is applied to the spin-1/2 antiferromagnetic XXZ model on a square lattice by employing an approximation which contains two-body long-range correlations and high-order four-body local correlations. Improvement is found for the ground-state energy, the sublattice magnetization and the critical anisotropy when comparing with the approximation including the two-body correlations alone. We also obtain the full excitation spectrum which is in good agreement with the quantum Monte Carlo results and the high-order spin-wave theory.

Longitudinal excitations in quantum antiferromagnets.

By extending our recently proposed magnon-density waves to low dimensions, we investigate, using a microscopic many-body approach, the longitudinal excitations of the quasi-one-dimensional (quasi-1d) and quasi-2d Heisenberg antiferromagnetic systems on a bipartite lattice with a general spin quantum number. We obtain the full energy spectrum of the longitudinal mode as a function of the coupling constants in the original lattice Hamiltonian and find that it always has a nonzero energy gap if the ground state has a long-range order and becomes gapless for the pure isotropic 1d model. The numerical value of the minimum gap in our approximation agrees with that of a longitudinal mode observed in the quasi-1d antiferromagnetic compound KCuF3 at low temperature. It will be interesting to compare values of the energy spectrum at other momenta if their experimental results are available.

Depressed brainstem auditory function in children with cerebral palsy.

Brainstem auditory evoked responses were studied to examine brainstem auditory function in 80 children with cerebral palsy. The response waveform, particularly later waves, tended to be depressed. Thirty-three (41.3%) showed abnormal results. The main abnormality was reduced wave V amplitude. Other abnormalities were decreased V/I amplitude ratio, missing waves, prolonged I-V interval, and increased interaural difference in I-V interval. The abnormalities were persistent during the follow-up. In contrast to common findings in the responses in progressive neurologies, abnormalities in interpeak intervals were rare in children with cerebral palsy. There were some characteristic changes in the responses in certain etiologies. These results suggest that brainstem auditory function in children with cerebral palsy is depressed, which may be owing to decreased or altered neural firing or synchrony in the auditory brainstem. A detailed analysis of central components of the responses is valuable in detecting central auditory dysfunction in children with cerebral palsy.

Expression, purification and characterization of human PHD1 in Escherichia coli.

The hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) play a central role in oxygen homeostasis. HIF prolyl hydroxylases (PHDs) modify HIFalpha subunits and thereby target them for proteasomal degradation. Mammalian PHDs comprise three isozymes, PHD1, PHD2 and PHD3, and belong to the iron(II)-2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase family. We have expressed full-length human PHD1 in Escherichia coli, and purified it to apparent homogeneity by immobilized Ni-affinity chromatography, cation-exchange HPLC followed by gel filtration. Fe(2+) was found to have EC(50) value of 0.64 microM and the purified enzyme showed maximal activity at 10 microM Fe(2+). The IC(50) values for transition metal ions, Co(2+), Ni(2+) and Cu(2+), were 58, 35 and 220 microM, respectively, in the presence of 100 microM Fe(2+). Mn(2+) did not affect the activity <1 mM. Many transcription-related proteins are regulated by phosphorylation. Thus, recombinant PHD1 was examined for in vitro phosphorylation using protein kinase A, protein kinase Calpha, casein kinase I and II and Erk2. The protein was most strongly phosphorylated by protein kinase Calpha, and the phosphorylation sites were found to be Ser-132, Ser-226 and Ser-234. Mutation of Ser-132 or Ser-234 to Asp or Glu diminished the enzymatic activity to 25-60%, while mutation of Ser-226 scarcely influenced the activity.

Brainstem auditory outcomes and correlation with neurodevelopment after perinatal asphyxia.

We used brainstem auditory-evoked responses and neurodevelopmental assessment to detect abnormalities and correlations between such responses and neurodevelopmental outcomes in 78 children (aged 4-12 years) who survived perinatal asphyxia. Twenty children had brainstem auditory-evoked response abnormalities, including increased threshold, reduced wave V amplitude, decreased V/I amplitude ratio, and prolonged I-V interval. Thirty-seven exhibited neurodevelopmental deficits, including cerebral palsy and developmental delay. The remaining 41 exhibited no deficits. Brainstem auditory-evoked response abnormalities were evident in 15 of 37 (40.5%) children with neurodevelopmental deficits, but in only 5 of 41 (12.2%) with no deficits, which differed significantly (chi(2) = 8.2, P < 0.05). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and false-negative rate of brainstem auditory-evoked responses to reflect neurodevelopmental outcomes were 40.5%, 87.8%, 75.0%, and 59.5%, respectively. These findings suggest that in children who survive perinatal asphyxia, brainstem auditory impairment occurs more frequently in those with versus those without neurodevelopmental deficits. Brainstem auditory-evoked responses display a moderate correlation with clinically determined neurodevelopmental outcomes. Despite limitations, brainstem auditory-evoked response is valuable for assessing auditory and neurodevelopmental outcomes after perinatal asphyxia.

Active immunization against gonadotrophin-releasing hormone in Chinese male pigs: effects of dose on antibody titer, hormone levels and sexual development.

The objective of this study was to determine the optimal dose of a GnRH vaccine for immunocastration of Chinese male pigs, based on immune, endocrine and testicular responses. Forty-two crossbred (Chinese Yanan x Large White) male pigs were randomly assigned to one of the five treatments as follows: (I) 0 microg (control, n=8); (II) 10 microg (n=8); (III) 62.5 microg (n=8); (IV) 125 microg (n=8); (V) 250 microg (n=10), D-Lys6-GnRH tandem dimer (TDK) peptide equivalent of conjugate (TDK-OVA), using Specol as the adjuvant. Pigs were immunized at 13 and 21 weeks of age and were slaughtered at 31 weeks of age. Blood samples for antibody titer and hormone assays were collected at 13, 21, 24 and 31 weeks of age. At these time-points, testis size was also measured. At slaughter, testis weight was recorded and fat samples were collected for androstenone assay. Four animals, one out of each immunized group, responded poorly to the immunization (non-responders). At slaughter, serum testosterone and LH levels, fat androstenone levels and testis size/weight of these non-responders were similar to those in control animals. Antibody titers of non-responders were substantially lower (P<0.05) than in other immunized pigs. For the animals that responded well to the immunization (immunocastrated pigs), serum testosterone and LH levels, fat androstenone levels and testis size or weight were reduced (P<0.05) as compared to either controls or non-responders, at all doses tested. There was a significant effect of dose of TDK-OVA on antibody titers. The overall mean antibody titers in the 62.5 or 125 microg dose group (53.6 and 50.5% binding, respectively) were significantly higher than in the 10 or 250 microg group (39.2 and 40.24% binding, respectively). At slaughter, there was a significant dose effect on testis size or weight and on serum testosterone levels, but there was no dose effect on serum LH levels and fat androstenone levels. Testis size or weight in the 10 microg group was reduced to a lesser extent (P<0.05) than in the three higher dose groups. At slaughter, in comparison to controls, mean testis size of immunocastrated pigs in treatments II-V was reduced to 55, 21, 33 and 25%, respectively, whereas testis weight was reduced to 39, 12, 18 and 14%, respectively. Reduction of testis size and/or weight is important for visual assessment of castration at the slaughterline, therefore, it is concluded that a dose of 10 microg peptide is not suitable. We conclude that, within the dose-range studied, the 62.5 microg dose is optimal for future GnRH immunization studies or future practical use in immunocastration of Chinese male pigs.