[The Role of c-fos in the Production of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone and the Related Signal Transduction Pathways].

As an immediate early gene, c-fos plays a critical role in stimulating the synthesis and release of pituitary FSH via GnRH. To better understanding the mechanism how c-fos works in the transcription of FSHbeta under different frequency of pulsatile GnRH stimulation, this paper reviewed the signal trans- ductions initiated by c-fos in pituitary, which include cAMP pathway, MAPK pathway, Ca2+ /calmodulin-dependent kinases pathway and nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) pathway. It will be helpful for research in molecular targeted immunotherapy and eventually effective treatment to the infertility which resulted from defection or mutation of c-fos and c-fos related signal pathway elements.

[A study on characteristics of the criminals with alcohol-related offence in forensic psychiatry].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the criminal characteristics of alcohol-related offence in forensic psychiatric practice. METHODS: Ninety cases were collected according to our research criteria and were divided into two groups, ordinary drinking (OD) (63 cases) and chronic alcoholic (CA) (27 cases). Descriptive and comparative studies were conducted between the two groups. RESULTS: 54.0% OD group had induced incident compare with 22.2% CA group; 58.7% of OD group had a motive while 55.6% of CA group were with no clear motive; 66.6% of OD group had a chosen target, 51.8% of CA group with no clear target; 19.0% of OD group chose criminal time while only 3.7% of CA group did; 61.9% of OD took certain anti-detection means while 59.3% of CA group stayed at the scene. 98.4% of OD group was found guilty and only 3.7% of CA was found guilty. CONCLUSION: OD group tends to have induced events, criminal motive, often are found to be guilty; CA group tends to be older, lacks awareness of self-protection during and after committing the crime, and usually is found not guilty or only partially responsible.

Natural YMDD-motif mutants affect clinical course of lamivudine in chronic hepatitis B.

AIM: To investigate the prevalence of nature tyrosine-methionine-aspartic acid-aspartic acid motif mutations in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and to evaluate the efficacy of lamivudine. METHODS: A total of 1268 CHB patients were recruited from the outpatient and inpatient departments of six centers. Tyrosine-methionine-aspartic acid-aspartic acid (YMDD) mutations were analyzed using the hepatitis B virus (HBV) drug resistance line probe assay. Forty voluntary patients were selected from those with positive or negative natural YMDD mutations to undergo treatment with lamivudine. RESULTS: YMDD mutations were detected in 288 (22.71%) of the 1268 CHB patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that the patients' HBV DNA level (P=0.0282) and hepatitis B e antigen status (P=0.0133) were also associated with natural YMDD mutations. The rates of normalization of alanine aminotransferase levels and HBV DNA nondetection at 6, 24, 36, and 48 wk were compared between the patients with natural YMDD mutations and those without, and the differences were not significant. However, there was a significant difference in the cumulative emergence rates of virological breakthrough at 48 wk in the patients with natural YMDD mutations and those without (32.5% vs 12.5%, P=0.032). CONCLUSION: Naturally occurring YMDD mutations are detectable in a large proportion of CHB patients; breakthrough hepatitis tended to occur in patients with natural YMDD mutations.

YMDD motif mutations in chronic hepatitis B antiviral treatment naïve patients: a multi-center study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the natural prevalence of variants of tyrosine-methionine-aspartic acid-aspartic acid (YMDD) motif in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and to explore its relation with demographic and clinical features, hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes, and HBV DNA levels. METHODS: A total of 1,042 antiviral treatment naïve CHB patients (including with lamivudine [LAM]) in the past year were recruited from outpatient and inpatient departments of six centers from December 2008 to June 2010. YMDD variants were analyzed using the HBV drug resistance line probe assay (Inno-Lipa HBV-DR). HBV genotypes were detected with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) microcosmic nucleic acid cross-ELISA, and HBV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was quantitated with real-time PCR. All serum samples underwent tests for HBV, HCV, and HDV with ELISA. RESULTS: YMDD variants were detected in 23.3% (243/1042) of CHB patients. YMDD mutation was accompanied by L180M mutation in 154 (76.9%) patients. Both wild-type HBV and YMDD variant HBV were present in 231 of 243 patients. Interestingly, 12 patients had only YIDD and/or YVDD variants without wild YMDD motif. In addition, 27.2% (98/359) of HbeAg-positive patients had YMDD mutations, which was higher than that in HbeAg-negative patients (21.2%, 145/683). The incidence of YMDD varied among patients with different HBV genotypes, but the difference was not significant. Moreover, the incidence of YMDD in patients with high HBV DNA level was significantly higher than that in those with low HBV DNA level. CONCLUSION: Mutation of YMDD motif was detectable at a high rate in CHB patients in this study. The incidence of YMDD may be correlated with HBeAg and HBV DNA level.

YMDD motif mutations in chronic hepatitis B antiviral treatment naïve patients: a multi-center study

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the natural prevalence of variants of tyrosine-methionine-aspartic acid-aspartic acid (YMDD) motif in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and to explore its relation with demographic and clinical features, hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes, and HBV DNA levels. METHODS: A total of 1,042 antiviral treatment naïve CHB patients (including with lamivudine [LAM]) in the past year were recruited from outpatient and inpatient departments of six centers from December 2008 to June 2010. YMDD variants were analyzed using the HBV drug resistance line probe assay (Inno-Lipa HBV-DR). HBV genotypes were detected with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) microcosmic nucleic acid cross-ELISA, and HBV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was quantitated with real-time PCR. All serum samples underwent tests for HBV, HCV, and HDV with ELISA. RESULTS: YMDD variants were detected in 23.3% (243/1042) of CHB patients. YMDD mutation was accompanied by L180M mutation in 154 (76.9%) patients. Both wild-type HBV and YMDD variant HBV were present in 231 of 243 patients. Interestingly, 12 patients had only YIDD and/or YVDD variants without wild YMDD motif. In addition, 27.2% (98/359) of HbeAg-positive patients had YMDD mutations, which was higher than that in HbeAg-negative patients (21.2%, 145/683). The incidence of YMDD varied among patients with different HBV genotypes, but the difference was not significant. Moreover, the incidence of YMDD in patients with high HBV DNA level was significantly higher than that in those with low HBV DNA level. CONCLUSION: Mutation of YMDD motif was detectable at a high rate in CHB patients in this study. The incidence of YMDD may be correlated with HBeAg and HBV DNA level.

The effects of Shuxuetong on the pathology of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury and GABA and TNF-alpha expression in gerbil models.

Objective To study the protective effect and mechanism of Shuxuetong on gerbil brain tissue from the area of ischemia-reperfusion. Methods Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion animal model has made by transient clipping bilateral common carotid arteries in gerbils. Pathological changes in the hippocampal tissue were observed at different reperfusion time (12h, 3 d, 7 d). The expression levels of GABA and TNF-alpha in the hippocampal CA1 subfield were observed using immunohistochemitry at 12 h, 3 d after reperfusion. The difference of above indices among false operation group, ischemia-reperfusion group and treatment group were compared. Results The injuries of pathology to hippocampal area in ischemia reperfusion group were more serious than treatment group. The expression levels of GABA in treatment group were significantly increased compared with ischemia-reperfusion group, but the expression levels of TNF-alpha between the two groups have no difference. Conclusion Shuxuetong has protective effect on brain tissue of ischemia-reperfusion by enhancing the expression of GABA in the hippocampal tissue.