Reactive oxygen species and human spermatozoa: physiology and pathology

The role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the pathophysiology of human sperm function has been emphasized in recent years. ROS production in semen has been associated with loss of sperm motility, decreased capacity for sperm–oocyte fusion and loss of fertility. There is a current presumption that the most prolific source of ROS in sperm suspensions is an NADPH oxidase located in leukocytes or in spermatozoa which produces superoxide which is further converted to peroxide by the action of superoxide dismutase. Hydrogen peroxide has been recognized as the most toxic oxidizing species for human spermatozoa, which are very sensitive to lipid peroxidation owing to the high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in their plasma membrane, though this is not the sole mechanism by which sperm function might be impaired by ROS. Although the excessive production of ROS is detrimental to human spermatozoa, there is a growing body of evidence which suggests that ROS are also involved in the physiological control of some sperm functions. This review focuses on the nature and source of the ROS generated by human spermataozoa as well as their operational mechanisms and their effects, which may be detrimental or beneficial.     

The Broad Spectrum of Quality in Deceased Donor Kidneys

The quality of the deceased donor organ clearly is one of the most crucial factors in determining graft survival and function in recipients of a kidney transplant. There has been considerable effort made towards evaluating these organs culminating in an amendment to allocation policy with the introduction of the expanded criteria donor (ECD) policy.
Our study, from first solitary adult deceased donor transplant recipients from 1996 to 2002 in the National Scientific Transplant Registry database, presents a donor kidney risk grade based on significant donor characteristics, donor–recipient matches and cold ischemia time, generated directly from their risk for graft loss. We investigated the impact of our donor risk grade in a naïve cohort on short- and long-term graft survival, as well as in subgroups of the population.
The projected half-lives for overall graft survival in recipients by donor risk grade were I (10.7 years), II (10.0 years), III (7.9 years), IV (5.7 years) and V (4.5 years). This study indicates that there is great variability in the quality of deceased donor kidneys and that the assessment of risk might be enhanced by this scoring system as compared to the simple two-tiered system of the current ECD classification.     

Thylakoids suppress appetite by increasing cholecystokinin resulting in lower food intake and body weight in high‐fat fed mice

Thylakoids are membranes isolated from plant chloroplasts which have previously been shown to inhibit pancreatic lipase/colipase catalysed hydrolysis of fat in vitro and induce short‐term satiety in vivo. The purpose of the present study was to examine if dietary supplementation of thylakoids could affect food intake and body weight during long‐term feeding in mice. Female apolipoprotein E‐deficient mice were fed a high‐fat diet containing 41% of fat by energy with and without thylakoids for 100 days. Mice fed the thylakoid‐enriched diet had suppressed food intake, body weight gain and body fat compared with the high‐fat fed control mice. Reduced serum glucose, serum triglyceride and serum free fatty acid levels were found in the thylakoid‐treated animals. The satiety hormone cholecystokinin was elevated, suggesting this hormone mediates satiety. Leptin levels were reduced, reflecting a decreased fat mass. There was no sign of desensitization in the animals treated with thylakoids. The results suggest that thylakoids are useful to suppress appetite and body weight gain when supplemented to a high‐fat food during long‐term feeding. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigation of the Effect of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy on Stage Ⅱ Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in treatment of Stage Ⅱ breast cancer. METHODS The data from 113 patients with breast cancer of the same pathologic type in Stage Ⅱ,during the period of 1995 to 2001,were analyzed retrospectively.Among the patients,47 were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy,and 66 received no adjuvant therapy before surgery（control group）.After the patients of the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group had received 2 courses of chemotherapy with the CMF regimen,the surgical procedure was conducted. RESULTS Complete remission（CR）was attained in 9 of the 47 cases receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy and partial remission（PR）was reached for 22 cases.The rate of breast-conserving surgery was enhanced from 22.73%to 46.81%（P〈0.05）in the neoadjuvant treatment group. There was no difference in the 5-year overall survival（OS）and disease-free survival（DFS）rate between the two groups（P〉0.05）,but the 5-year OS and DFS of the cases with clinical tumor remission was higher compared to the control group（P〈0.05）. CONCLUSION Neoadjuvant chemotherapy can enhance the rate of breast conservation for Stage Ⅱ breast cancer and may improve the prognosis of the cases with clinical remission.     

丹参酚酸B盐对内皮素诱导的人肝星状细胞收缩的抑制作用及机制研究

目的 以培养的人肝星状细胞（HSC）为研究对象，观察内皮素-1（ET-1）对HSC的收缩作用及丹参酚酸B盐（SA-B）对ET-1的抑制作用，并探讨SA B抑制HSC收缩的作用环节和可能作用机制。 方法 采用酶消化、Nycodenz密度梯度离心的方法分离人HSC，以胶原凝胶收缩法观察ET-1对于传代HSC的收缩作用，以及低、中、高3种剂量的SA B对其不同的干预作用；将ET-1、SA-B直接添加于传代HSC的无血清培养液中，以激光共聚焦显微镜技术观测HSC内钙离子浓度的变化。 结果 胶原凝胶收缩实验显示，ET-1可诱导HSC收缩（P<0.01）；3种剂量的SA-B可明显抑制ET-1诱导的HSC收缩（均P<0.01）；加入ET-1后，HSC形态学改变明显，细胞数量减少，但SA B对这些改变也有抑制。激光共聚焦显微镜下观察，ET-1可刺激细胞内钙离子短暂迅速增加，加入SA-B后，该作用被明显抑制。 结论 SA-B能显著抑制ET-1诱导的HSC收缩，其抑制收缩的机制与降低HSC内的钙离子浓度有关。SA-B的抑制HSC收缩作用可能是其抗肝纤维化及门脉高压的机制之一。     

雌激素提高皮瓣存活面积的实验性研究

目的研究不同剂量雌激素对皮瓣存活面积的影响,并探讨其作用机制。方法新西兰白兔30只,随机分为A、B、O三组。在兔背作超长型皮瓣,其蒂部注射雌激素,三组间剂量不同。术后检测皮瓣血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）、一氧化氮（NO）、皮瓣存活面积（S）等指标。结果A组、B组皮瓣的NO、VEGF、S较O组增加;皮瓣存活面积S与VEGF表达、NO含量之间呈正相关。结论雌激素处理可使皮瓣VEGF表达上调、NO含量增加。     

对诊断PADAM的游离睾酮指数的评估

目的 评价诊断中老年男子部分雄激素缺乏综合征（PADAM）的游离睾酮指数（FTI）.方法 对129例45岁以上健康男性的FTI进行年龄相关分析.以推算的游离睾酮（CFT）值为依据,对FTI进行有效性检验.结果 男子在中老年期FTI与增龄呈明显的负相关.FTI敏感性97.78%,特异性58.33%.结论 计算简单的FTI可用于PADAM病人的筛选和随访,尤其对70岁以上男子是血清FT较为有效的参数.     

Developing Organ Offer and Acceptance Measures: When 'Good' Organs Are Turned Down

Turndowns of offers of deceased donor kidneys for transplantation can contribute to inefficiencies in the organ distribution system and inequality in access to donated organs. Match run data were obtained for 4967 'good' kidneys placed and transplanted in 2005 after fewer than 50 offers. These kidneys were not recovered from donation after cardiac death or expanded criteria donors, or from donors with a history of substance abuse. On average, these good kidneys were not accepted until after seven offers to candidates and after offers to 2.4 programs. Models for the likelihood of acceptance found several donor and candidate characteristics to be significantly related to acceptance rates (p < 0.05). After accounting for these variables, there remained 2- to 3-fold differences among transplant programs in acceptance rates. These models could be used to identify kidney transplant centers with exceptional acceptance practices. Several strategies might be employed to increase acceptance rates for good organs.     

抑癌基因PTEN在胃癌中的表达及临床意义

目的探讨胃癌组织中PTEN基因表达与胃癌临床病理的关系及其对预后的判断价值。方法应用免疫组化SP技术和图像分析技术,研究PTEN在胃癌和正常胃黏膜组织中的表达情况及阳性表达面积、强阳性表达面积,分析与病理参数的关系,并采用Kaplan-Meier生存曲线分析不同表达水平对术后生存率的影响。结果发现胃癌组织PTEN表达阳性率、阳性面积、强阳性面积均明显低于正常胃黏膜组织（P〈0.01）。胃癌组织PTEN表达与胃癌组织分化程度、浸润深度、淋巴转移、肿瘤分期明显相关,术后3、5 a生存率低表达者明显低于高表达者（P均〈0.05）。结论PTEN基因表达低下或丢失与胃癌发生、浸润、转移有关,可作为预测术后生存率的指标。     

家兔颈后肌受长期应力作用的实验研究

目的 建立颈后肌受长期应力作用动物模型并进行相关研究.方法 30只家兔随机分为模型组和对照组,每组15只.模型组家兔置于特制低头位框架中,低头角度为45度,每天1次,每次5小时;对照组除不低头外余条件相同.12周后分别进行颈椎X线、颈后部红外热像图、血清肌酸激酶和乳酸脱氢酶含量以及颈后肌超氧化物歧化酶和丙二醛含量观察.结果 模型组颈椎X线改变积分值实验后明显高于实验前和对照组,差异具有显著性;模型组与对照组颈后部红外热像图有明显差异;模型组血清肌酸激酶、乳酸脱氢酶的含量均明显高于对照组;模型组丙二醛含量明显高于对照组而超氧化物歧化酶含量明显低于对照组.结论 家兔颈后肌受长期应力作用后出现颈部的生物力学和生物化学失衡.