NF-κB c-Rel Is a Potential Therapeutic Target for Acute Corneal Transplant Rejection.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the role of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) c-Rel during acute corneal transplant rejection and whether targeting c-Rel can reduce corneal transplant rejection. Methods: Allogeneic corneal transplantation was performed in wild-type and c-Rel-deficient mice. Corneal graft survival rate, opacity, neovascularization, and edema were evaluated by slit-lamp microscopy. Adeno-associated virus 6 (AAV6) expressing c-Rel-specific small hairpin RNA (AAV6-shRel) and the small-molecule compound pentoxifylline (PTXF) were used to reduce c-Rel expression. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the expression of inflammatory cytokines. c-Rel expression was determined by quantitative RT-PCR and western blot. The effect of c-Rel inhibition on corneal transplant rejection was examined using a mouse model of acute allogeneic corneal transplantation. Tear production and corneal sensitivity were measured to determine the potential toxicity of AAV6-shRel and PTXF. Results: The expression of c-Rel and its inflammatory targets was increased in both mice and patients with corneal transplant rejection. Loss of c-Rel reduced corneal transplant rejection in mouse. Both AAV6-shRel and PTXF were able to downregulate the expression of c-Rel and its inflammatory targets in vitro. Treatment with AAV6-shRel or PTXF reduced corneal transplant rejection in mouse and downregulated the expression of inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with corneal transplant rejection. Treatment with AAV6-shRel or PTXF displayed no side effects on tear production or corneal sensitivity. Conclusions: Increased expression of c-Rel is a risk factor for acute corneal transplant rejection, and targeting c-Rel can efficiently reduce corneal transplant rejection.

Influenza vaccine effectiveness against hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background: Some studies conducted before the Delta and Omicron variant-dominant periods have indicated that influenza vaccination provided protection against COVID-19 infection or hospitalization, but these results were limited by small study cohorts and a lack of comprehensive data on patient characteristics. No studies have examined this question during the Delta and Omicron periods (08/01/2021 to 2/22/2022). Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of influenza-vaccinated and unvaccinated patients in the Corewell Health East(CHE, formerly known as Beaumont Health), Corewell Health West(CHW, formerly known as Spectrum Health) and Michigan Medicine (MM) healthcare system during the Delta-dominant and Omicron-dominant periods. We used a test-negative, case-control analysis to assess the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine against hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 outcome in adults, while controlling for individual characteristics as well as pandameic severity and waning immunity of COVID-19 vaccine. Results: The influenza vaccination has shown to provided some protection against SARS-CoV-2 hospitalized outcome across three main healthcare systems. CHE site (odds ratio [OR]=0.73, vaccine effectiveness [VE]=27%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [18-35], p<0.001), CHW site (OR=0.85, VE=15%, 95% CI: [6-24], p<0.001), MM (OR=0.50, VE=50%, 95% CI: [40-58], p <0.001) and overall (OR=0.75, VE=25%, 95% CI: [20-30], p <0.001). Conclusion: The influenza vaccine provides a small degree of protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection across our study sites.

Improving cleaner production of human activities to mitigate total petroleum hydrocarbons accumulation in coastal environment.

The marine coast is an important ecological transitional boundary but easily suffers from human intervention. Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) are ubiquitous along the coast. However, the influence of anthropogenic and natural factors on TPHs distribution remains unclear. This study sampled surficial sediment (N = 243) from the coasts of the largest peninsula-Leizhou Peninsula, in Southern China. We found that land-based discharge, sea traffic, and sediment type significantly (p < 0.05) drive the accumulation of TPHs. We observed that TPHs increased by 1.036 µg · g-1 (exp[αi] = exp. [0.0355]) of its original value with the addition of one more boat on the wharf. Although the average TPHs were at a moderate level (124.68, ND-1536.14, µg · g-1) and risk, 'Blue Carbon' ecosystems, i.e., mangroves (224.84, ND - 1441.13, µg · g-1, p < 0.001) were more severely polluted. Cleaner production policy should be applied to mitigate TPHs discharging trend from coastal areas.

Identifying Contextual and Spatial Risk Factors for Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection: An EHR-based Cohort Study from the RECOVER Program

Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) affects a wide range of organ systems among a large proportion of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although studies have identified a broad set of patient-level risk factors for PASC, little is known about the contextual and spatial risk factors for PASC. Using electronic health data of patients with COVID-19 from two large clinical research networks in New York City and Florida, we identified contextual and spatial risk factors from nearly 200 environmental characteristics for 23 PASC symptoms and conditions of eight organ systems. We conducted a two-phase environment-wide association study. In Phase 1, we ran a mixed effects logistic regression with 5-digit ZIP Code tabulation area (ZCTA5) random intercepts for each PASC outcome and each contextual and spatial factor, adjusting for a comprehensive set of patient-level confounders. In Phase 2, we ran a mixed effects logistic regression for each PASC outcome including all significant (false positive discovery adjusted p-value < 0.05) contextual and spatial characteristics identified from Phase I and adjusting for confounders. We identified air toxicants (e.g., methyl methacrylate), criteria air pollutants (e.g., sulfur dioxide), particulate matter (PM2.5) compositions (e.g., ammonium), neighborhood deprivation, and built environment (e.g., food access) that were associated with increased risk of PASC conditions related to nervous, respiratory, blood, circulatory, endocrine, and other organ systems. Specific contextual and spatial risk factors for each PASC condition and symptom were different across New York City area and Florida. Future research is warranted to extend the analyses to other regions and examine more granular contextual and spatial characteristics to inform public health efforts to help patients recover from SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Quantitative Ubiquitylomic Analysis of the Dynamic Changes and Extensive Modulation of Ubiquitylation in Papaya During the Fruit Ripening Process.

Lysine ubiquitination is a highly conserved post-translational modification with diverse biological functions. However, there is little available information on lysine ubiquitination of non-histone proteins in papaya (Carica papaya L.). In total, 3,090 ubiquitination sites on 1,249 proteins with diverse localizations and functions were identified. Five conserved ubiquitinated K motifs were identified. Enrichment analysis showed that many Hsps were differentially ubiquitinated proteins (DUPs), suggesting an essential role of ubiquitination in degradation of molecular chaperone. Furthermore, 12 sugar metabolism-related enzymes were identified as DUPs, including an involvement of ubiquitination in nutrimental changes during the papaya ripening process. The ubiquitination levels of five fruit ripening-related DUPs, including one ethylene-inducible protein, two 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidases, one endochitinase, and one cell wall invertase, were significantly changed during the ripening process. Our study extends the understanding of diverse functions for lysine ubiquitination in regulation of the papaya fruit ripening process.

Machine Learning for Identifying Data-Driven Subphenotypes of Incident Post-Acute SARS-CoV-2 Infection Conditions with Large Scale Electronic Health Records: Findings from the RECOVER Initiative

The post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) refers to a broad spectrum of symptoms and signs that are persistent, exacerbated, or newly incident in the post-acute SARS-CoV-2 infection period of COVID-19 patients. Most studies have examined these conditions individually without providing concluding evidence on co-occurring conditions. To answer this question, this study leveraged electronic health records (EHRs) from two large clinical research networks from the national Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network (PCORnet) and investigated patients newly incident diagnoses that appeared within 30 to 180 days after a documented SARS-CoV-2 infection. Through machine learning, we identified four reproducible subphenotypes of PASC dominated by blood and circulatory system, respiratory, musculoskeletal and nervous system, and digestive system problems, respectively. We also demonstrated that these subphenotypes were associated with distinct patterns of patient demographics, underlying conditions present prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection, acute infection phase severity, and use of new medications in the post-acute period. Our study provides novel insights into the heterogeneity of PASC and can inform stratified decision-making in the treatment of COVID-19 patients with PASC conditions.

Understanding Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection through Data-Driven Analysis with the Longitudinal Electronic Health Records: Findings from the RECOVER Initiative

Recent studies have investigated post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) using real-world patient data such as electronic health records (EHR). Prior studies have typically been conducted on patient cohorts with small sample sizes1 or specific patient populations2,3 limiting generalizability. This study aims to characterize PASC using the EHR data warehouses from two large national patient-centered clinical research networks (PCORnet), INSIGHT and OneFlorida+, which include 11 million patients in New York City (NYC) and 16.8 million patients in Florida respectively. With a high-throughput causal inference pipeline using high-dimensional inverse propensity score adjustment, we identified a broad list of diagnoses and medications with significantly higher incidence 30-180 days after the laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to non-infected patients. We found more PASC diagnoses and a higher risk of PASC in NYC than in Florida, which highlights the heterogeneity of PASC in different populations.

Evaluation of individual and ensemble probabilistic forecasts of COVID-19 mortality in the US

Short-term probabilistic forecasts of the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States have served as a visible and important communication channel between the scientific modeling community and both the general public and decision-makers. Forecasting models provide specific, quantitative, and evaluable predictions that inform short-term decisions such as healthcare staffing needs, school closures, and allocation of medical supplies. Starting in April 2020, the US COVID-19 Forecast Hub (https://covid19forecasthub.org/) collected, disseminated, and synthesized tens of millions of specific predictions from more than 90 different academic, industry, and independent research groups. A multi-model ensemble forecast that combined predictions from dozens of different research groups every week provided the most consistently accurate probabilistic forecasts of incident deaths due to COVID-19 at the state and national level from April 2020 through October 2021. The performance of 27 individual models that submitted complete forecasts of COVID-19 deaths consistently throughout this year showed high variability in forecast skill across time, geospatial units, and forecast horizons. Two-thirds of the models evaluated showed better accuracy than a naive baseline model. Forecast accuracy degraded as models made predictions further into the future, with probabilistic error at a 20-week horizon 3-5 times larger than when predicting at a 1-week horizon. This project underscores the role that collaboration and active coordination between governmental public health agencies, academic modeling teams, and industry partners can play in developing modern modeling capabilities to support local, state, and federal response to outbreaks. Significance StatementThis paper compares the probabilistic accuracy of short-term forecasts of reported deaths due to COVID-19 during the first year and a half of the pandemic in the US. Results show high variation in accuracy between and within stand-alone models, and more consistent accuracy from an ensemble model that combined forecasts from all eligible models. This demonstrates that an ensemble model provided a reliable and comparatively accurate means of forecasting deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic that exceeded the performance of all of the models that contributed to it. This work strengthens the evidence base for synthesizing multiple models to support public health action.

How the clinical research community responded to the COVID-19 pandemic: An analysis of the COVID-19 clinical studies in ClinicalTrials.gov

ObjectiveThe novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), broke out in December 2019, is a global pandemic. Rapidly in the past few months, a large number of clinical studies have been initiated worldwide to find effective therapeutics, vaccines, and preventive strategies. In this study, we aim to understand the landscape of COVID-19 clinical research and identify the gaps and issues that may cause difficulty in recruitment and the lack of population representativeness. Materials and MethodsWe analyzed 2,034 COVID-19 studies registered in the largest public registry - ClinicalTrials.gov. Leveraging natural language processing, descriptive analysis, association analysis, and clustering analysis, we characterized COVID-19 clinical studies by phase and design features. Particularly, we analyzed their eligibility criteria to understand: (1) whether they considered the reported underlying health conditions that may lead to severe illnesses, and (2) if these studies excluded older adults, either explicitly or implicitly, which may reduce the generalizability of these studies in older adults. ResultsThe 5 most frequently tested drugs are Hydroxychloroquine (N=148), Azithromycin (N=46), Tocilizumab (N=29), Lopinavir (N=20), and Ritonavir (N=20). Most trials did not have an upper age limit and did not exclude patients with common chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes that are prevalent in older adults. However, known risk factors that may lead to severe illnesses have not been adequately considered by existing studies. ConclusionsA careful examination of the registered COVID-19 clinical studies can identify the research gaps and inform future COVID-19 trial design towards balanced internal validity and generalizability.

Comparative proteomic analysis provides novel insights into the regulation mechanism underlying papaya (Carica papaya L.) exocarp during fruit ripening process.

BACKGROUND: Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is a popular climacteric fruit, undergoing various physico-chemical changes during ripening. Although papaya is widely cultivated and consumed, few studies on the changes in metabolism during its ripening process at the proteasome level have been performed. Using a newly developed TMT-LCMS analysis, proteomes of papaya fruit at different ripening stages were investigated. RESULTS: In total, 3220 proteins were identified, of which 2818 proteins were quantified. The differential accumulated proteins (DAPs) exhibited various biological functions and diverse subcellular localizations. The KEGG enrichment analysis showed that various metabolic pathways were significantly altered, particularly in flavonoid and fatty acid metabolisms. The up-regulation of several flavonoid biosynthesis-related proteins may provide more raw materials for pigment biosynthesis, accelerating the color variation of papaya fruit. Variations in the fatty acid metabolism- and cell wall degradation-related proteins were investigated during the ripening process. Furthermore, the contents of several important fatty acids were determined, and increased unsaturated fatty acids may be associated with papaya fruit volatile formation. CONCLUSIONS: Our data may give an intrinsic explanation of the variations in metabolism during the ripening process of papaya fruit.

Effect of exogenous insulin on endoplasmic reticulum stress in myocardial tissues during insulin resistance in rabbits undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective To evaluate the effect of exogenous insulin on endoplasmic reticulum stress in myocardial tissues during insulin resistance in the rabbits undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).Methods Forty healthy adult New Zealand white rabbits of both sexes,weighing 2.5-3.0 kg,were divided into 4 groups (n =10 each) using a random number table method:control group (group C),CPB group,CPB plus insulin group (group Ⅰ) and CPB plus normal saline group (group NS).Group C received no treatment.An insulin resistance model was established in group CPB.Insulin was continuously infused (the infusion rate was adjusted according to the blood glucose) starting from establishing CPB to 1 day after operation in group Ⅰ.The equal volume of normal saline was given starting from establishing CPB to 1 day after operation in group NS.Blood samples were collected from the left femoral artery,and myocardial tissues obtained before CPB (T1) and at 15,30 and 60 min after aortic opening (T2-4).The level of blood glucose was determined using oxidase method,the level of glucagon was detected by the radioimmunoassay method,and the insulin resistance index was calculated.The expression of inositol-requiring protein-1α(IRE1α),XBP1 and caspase-12 was measured by Western blot.The expression of IRE1α,XBP1 and caspase-12 mRNA was measured by fluorescent quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.Cell apoptosis was detected by TUNEL.Results Compared with group C,blood glucose and glucagon levels at T2-4 and insulin resistance index at T4 were significantly increased,and the expression of inositol-requiring protein-1α (IRE1α),XBP1 and caspase-12 protein and mRNA was up-regulated at T4 in CPB,I and NS groups (P＜0.05).Compared with group CPB,blood glucose and glucagon levels at T2-4 and insulin resistance index at T4 were significantly decreased,and the expression of IRE1α,XBP1 and caspase-12 protein and mRNA was down-regulated at T4 in group Ⅰ (P＜0.05).Conclusion Exogenous insulin significantly improves insulin resistance in myocardial tissues,and the mechanism is related to inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress and reducing cell apoptosis in the rabbits undergoing CPB.

Effect of exogenous insulin on endoplasmic reticulum stress in myocardial tissues during insulin resistance in rabbits undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective@#To evaluate the effect of exogenous insulin on endoplasmic reticulum stress in myocardial tissues during insulin resistance in the rabbits undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).@*Methods@#Forty healthy adult New Zealand white rabbits of both sexes, weighing 2.5-3.0 kg, were divided into 4 groups (n=10 each) using a random number table method: control group (group C), CPB group, CPB plus insulin group (group I) and CPB plus normal saline group (group NS). Group C received no treatment.An insulin resistance model was established in group CPB.Insulin was continuously infused (the infusion rate was adjusted according to the blood glucose) starting from establishing CPB to 1 day after operation in group I. The equal volume of normal saline was given starting from establishing CPB to 1 day after operation in group NS.Blood samples were collected from the left femoral artery, and myocardial tissues obtained before CPB (T1) and at 15, 30 and 60 min after aortic opening (T2-4). The level of blood glucose was determined using oxidase method, the level of glucagon was detected by the radioimmunoassay method, and the insulin resistance index was calculated.The expression of inositol-requiring protein-1α(IRE1α), XBP1 and caspase-12 was measured by Western blot.The expression of IRE1α, XBP1 and caspase-12 mRNA was measured by fluorescent quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.Cell apoptosis was detected by TUNEL.@*Results@#Compared with group C, blood glucose and glucagon levels at T2-4 and insulin resistance index at T4 were significantly increased, and the expression of inositol-requiring protein-1α(IRE1α), XBP1 and caspase-12 protein and mRNA was up-regulated at T4 in CPB, I and NS groups (P<0.05). Compared with group CPB, blood glucose and glucagon levels at T2-4 and insulin resistance index at T4 were significantly decreased, and the expression of IRE1α, XBP1 and caspase-12 protein and mRNA was down-regulated at T4 in group I (P<0.05).@*Conclusion@#Exogenous insulin significantly improves insulin resistance in myocardial tissues, and the mechanism is related to inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress and reducing cell apoptosis in the rabbits undergoing CPB.

Research progress of regulatory T cells in corneal allograft rejection / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#Keratoplasty is routinely used to treat end-stage corneal diseases. However, immune-mediated graft rejection remains the major cause of surgical failure. Organ transplant rejection is often due to the directional migration and homing of inflammatory cells to lymphoid tissues and local inflammatory sites, which is regulated by various adhesion molecules and chemokines. Regulatory T cells play a key role in immune regulation and are essential for maintaining peripheral tolerance. Recent studies have revealed that regulatory T cells play important roles in preventing organ transplant rejection and the development of autoimmune diseases. This review will summarize the recent research on the induction of ocular immune privilege by regulatory T cells, with special focus on how regulatory T cells mediate tolerance in the eye and clinical potential of modulating these mechanisms during corneal transplantation.

Macro-Encapsulated PCM Cylinder Module Based on Paraffin and Float Stones.

Organic phase change material (PCM) with macro-encapsulation is attractive in energy storage applications as it has relatively low cost. This study focuses on using PET plastic pipes to encapsulate paraffin and using low-cost float stones to increase the thermal conductivity of PCM modules as they have a special structure of high porosity. Float stones were immersed in the liquid PCM and an ultrasonic welding method used to prevent leakage of the PET plastic pipes. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to discover the appearance of the composite PCM. The thermal performance of the PCM cylinder module was analyzed through experimental tests of a constant-temperature water bath and numerical simulations. The result indicates that this PCM Ccylinder module is superior in thermal energy storage compared with the reference module even though fewer PCM was contained and the latent heat loss is considerable. The pipe diameter is an important parameter when using this kind of PCM cylinder module in water tanks.

Defect of Nrf2-ARE signaling activation in corneal stromal cells of keratoconus / 中华实验眼科杂志

Background Recent researches show that oxidative stress is involved in the progress of keratoconus.Nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2-antioxidant response element (Nrf2-ARE) pathway plays a critical role in the defense against oxidative stress,but its function in keratoconus is unclear.Objective To investigate the differences of Nrf2-ARE signaling activation and matrix degenerating enzymes between keratoconus and normal corneal stromal cells.Methods Corneal stromal cells were isolated from keratoconus and normal cornea by using dispase and collagenase digestion.The cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to mimic in vivo oxidative stress condition.Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was measured by fluorescence substrate DCHF-DA incubation.Nrf2 level and the expression of Nrf2-ARE downstream antioxidant genes were analyzed by Western blot and real-time quantitative-PCR(RT-qPCR).The activity of matrix degenerating enzymes,including urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA)-uPA receptor (uPAR) system and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) were assessed by Western blot and gelatin zymography respectively.Results In normal culture,keratoconus corneal stromal cells assumed increased basal ROS and Nrf2 level when compared with normal cells(t =18.155,P＜0.01).However,after H2O2 treatment,the keratoconus corneal stromal cells showed increased ROS production,while decreased Nrf2 translocation and no significant difference in expression levels of Nrf2-ARE downstream antioxidant genes (Nrf2:t =62.123,P＜ 0.01 ; (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate quinine oxidoreductase-1 [NQO-1]:t =2.209,P =0.092 ; hemo oxygenase-1 [HO-1]:t =0.293,P =0.784 ; superoxide dismutase [SOD2]:t =0.749,P =0.495).The contents of uPA-uPAR and the activity of MMP-2 also showed a higher level in keratoconus corneal stromal cells than normal cells,with significant differences between them (t =19.164,15.458,4.818,all at P＜0.01).Conclusions The defect of Nrf2-ARE signaling activation exists in the keratoconus corneal stromal cells,and correlats with the abnormal expression level of stromal degeneration enzymes,which suggests that the defect of Nrf2-ARE signaling activation may be involved in the progression of keratoconus.

Impacts of different stimulation cycles on outcomes of intrauterine insemination / 实用医学杂志

Objective To explore the impacts of natural ovulation cycles and stimulation cycles on the outcome of intrauterine insemination (IUI) in order to improve the clinical effects of IUI. Methods 176 women received 384 stimulation cycles. According to different ovulation stimulation protocols , the women were divided into six groups including natural cycle (NC) group, clomiphene citrate (CC) group, letrozole (LE) group;human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG ) group, CC + HMG group, and LE + HMG group. The pregnancy rate between nature cycles and ovarian hyperstimulation cycles was compared. Results The pregnancy rate was 9.33%in the nature cycle group and 13.27% in the stimulation cycle group, with a significant difference (P 0.05). Conclusions Use of ovulation-induction medications is one of the important factors affecting the pregnancy rate of intrauterine insemination. There are no differences in the outcome of IUI among different ovulation stimulation protocols.

Analysis of genetic characteristics of wild-type measles viruses in Jilin Province 2005 / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the know gene types of main wild type measles virus strains and take measures to control measles in Jilin Province.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Genetic characterization of 9 measles viruses isolated from 72 throat swabs or urine specimens of measles patients using CDW(150) cells line was studied in Jilin Province in 2005.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Sequence analysis of 450 nucleotides of COOH-terminal of nucleoprotein (N) genes of 9 isolates indicated that all were members of H(1) genotype, in which there are 7 strains of H1a and 2 strains of H1b, the H1a subgroup differed from H1b by 2.0% approximately 3.5% at the nucleotide level in the COOH-terminal of the N gene.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The H(1) genotype of wild-type measles viruses should be the main epidemic strain and main pathogen that caused measles outbreaks and sporadic cases in Jilin Province.</p>

Experimental study of the effect of rhTNF-alpha on human sperm mitochondrial function and motility in vitro / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of rhTNF-alpha on human sperm mitochondrial function and motility in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty-six semen samples collected by masturbation were analyzed according to WHO protocols. Semen samples from 40 healthy men were prepared using Percoll centrifugation. Sperm suspension was diluted to a concentration of 10 x 10(6)/ml in Ham's F10 medium. Sperm samples were incubated with rhTNF-alpha solution (final concentration 0.03 microg/L, 0.06 microg/L, 0.09 microg/L and 0.27 microg/L, respectively) for 0.5 h, 1 h, 2 h, 3 h and 4 h at 37 degrees C in 5% CO2, and comparative studies were made with a control group. Ten microl sperm samples were examined with CASA technique, 250 microl stained in the presence of 10 microg/ml Rh123 and PI, and mitochondrial function analyzed by flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Significant differences were found between the experimental groups (final concentration 0.06 microg/L, 0.09 microg/L and 0.27 microg/L) and the control group in viability, straight line velocity, curvilinear velocity, average path velocity, progressive motility of human sperm and the number of spermatozoa with normal mitochondrial function (P < 0.01) except the final concentration 0.03 microg/L group (P > 0.05). Motility of human sperm lowered with the increase of rhTNF-alpha concentration and incubation time, and r values were 0.675, 0.691, 0.762, 0.693, 0.724 and 0.571, 0.594, 0.752, 0.791, 0.816, respectively (P < 0.01). The number of spermatozoa with normal mitochondrial function decreased with the increased rhTNF-alpha concentration and incubation time, and r values were 0.615, 0.643, 0.752, 0.691, 0.754 and 0.532, 0.567, 0.782, 0.692, 0.854, respectively (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>rhTNF-alpha can reduce human sperm motility function in vitro, possibly by interfering with human sperm mitochondrial function.</p>

Experimental study of vasoligation in the treatment and prevention of benign prostatic hyperplasia / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To investigate the possibility and efficacy of vasoligation and deferent vein ligation in treating and preventing benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>40 male pooches were divided into A, B, C and D groups randomly. Each group has 10 pooches group A and B were made into the model of BPH. Two years later, the pooches in group A and C accepted the operation of vasoligation and deferent vein ligation on both sides. Group B and D only accepted the operation of dissection and relieving its deferent duct. Then continuing to feed the 40 pooches after the operation, they were killed another two years later. After taking out their prostates and calculating their volume and weight, the sections of the prostates were checked by microscope to observe their histology and pathology changes.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were significant differences of weight and volume as well as the changes of histology and pathology between group A and group C (P < 0.01). It was the same with group B and D (hyperplasia changes).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Vasoligation and deferent vein ligation before benign prostatic hyperplasia at pooches grow-up stage can reduce the extent of BPH at old age, and treatment after benign prostatic hyperplasia can make prostatic tissue appear different degrees of atrophy.</p>