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Background: We aimed to analyze contralateral patent processus vaginalis (CPPV) in the laparoscopic high ligation of the vaginal process, treat eligible children surgically, and evaluate the clinical long-term outcomes. Methods: A total of 300 children with unilateral inguinal hernia or unilateral hydrocele treated in our hospital were selected for laparoscopic high ligation of the vaginal process, during which CPPV was analyzed. The 300 children were randomly divided into two groups of 150. In the study group (n = 58), 11 children met the requirements of high ligation and were treated with simultaneous surgery. The 53 children in the control group received simultaneous treatment. The prevalence of CPPV was compared between children with unilateral indirect inguinal hernia and unilateral hydrocele, left and right patent processus vaginalis (PPV), and different ages. After surgery, both groups were followed up for one year. The recurrence rate of contralateral indirect inguinal hernia or hydrocele was compared. Significant differences were assessed between the two groups receiving different treatments. Results: The prevalence of CPPV was 23% in children with unilateral indirect inguinal hernia and 49% in children with unilateral hydrocele. The prevalence of CPPV in children with unilateral hydrocele was significantly higher than that in children with inguinal hernia (P = 0.00). The prevalence of CPPV was 42% in children with left PPV and 33% in children with right PPV, without a statistically significant difference (P = 0.19). The prevalence of CPPV was 63% in children aged 1 - 2 years, which was significantly higher than that in other age groups (χ2 = 7.46, P = 0.01). The prevalence of CPPV was 14% in children aged > 6 years, which was significantly lower than that in other age groups (χ2 = 4.43, P = 0.04). A postoperative one-year follow-up showed that the recurrence rate was 9% in the study group and 1% in the control group, without a statistically significant difference (P = 0.25). Conclusions: The prevalence of CPPV decreases with age. Hydrocele combined with CPPV is more common. For younger children with hydrocele, it is very important to explore the contralateral side during surgery. Moreover, the transformation of CPPV to indirect inguinal hernia or hydrocele occurs rarely, and only eligible children can receive simultaneous treatment during surgery.

Railway bridges are a vital element of railway infrastructures, and their safety can directly affect the regional economy and commuter transportation. However, railway bridges are often subjected to severe loading and working conditions, caused by rising traffic levels and heavier vehicles, and increases in train running speeds makes the bridges extremely susceptible to degradation and failure. One of the promising tools for evaluating the overall safety and reliability of railway bridges is the bridge structural health monitoring (SHM) system, which not only monitors the structural conditions of bridges and maintains the safety of train operations, but also helps to expand the lifespan of bridges by enhancing their durability and reliability. While a multitude of review papers on SHM and vibration-based structural damage detection methods have been published in the past two decades, there is a paucity of literature that provides a review or overview on the SHM of railway bridges. Some of the review papers have become obsolete and do not reflect the state-of-the-art research. Therefore, the main goal of this article is to summarize state-of-the-art SHM techniques and methods that have been widely used and popular in recent years. First, two state-of-the-art SHM sensing technologies (i.e. fiber optic sensing (FOS) technology and computer vision-based (CV) technology) are reviewed, including the working principles of various sensors and their practical applications for railway bridge monitoring. Second, two state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms (i.e. convolutional neural networks (CNN) and transfer learning (TL)) and their applications for railway bridge structural condition assessment are exemplified. Third, the principle of digital twin (DT) and its applications for railway bridge monitoring are presented. Finally, issues related to the future direction and challenges of the monitoring technologies and condition assessment methods of railway bridges are highlighted.

The high concentration of ammonium chloride in the wastewater from the precipitation of rare earth carbonate was studied by an electrolytic method in this paper. The decomposition rate of ammonium ...

We report on the lattice structures and optical properties of Ce:LYSO crystal waveguides implanted with C, Si and Cu ions at 6 MeV. SRIM software was used to reconstruct the elastic collisions between the implanted ions and target nuclei. The maximum structural changes were induced by the Cu-ion implantation, as determined by XRD and Raman spectra. Photoluminescent and absorption spectra were used to study the optical properties of Ce3+ ions in the Ce:LYSO waveguides. Prism-coupling and end-face coupling methods, respectively, were used to measure the guiding modes and the near-field intensity distribution of light at 633 nm. Typical well + barrier waveguides were formed in the Ce:LYSO crystals implanted by C, Si and Cu ions, which will be a interest application in integrated optical devices.

// Mingyang Ma 1 , Shuyao Hua 2 , Gang Li 3 , Sumei Wang 2 , Xue Cheng 2 , Songqing He 4, 5, 6 , Ping Wu 2 , Xiaoping Chen 1 1 Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hubei Province for the Clinical Medicine Research Center of Hepatic Surgery, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan 430030, China 2 Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China 3 Department of Surgery, Liyuan Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430077, China 4 Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China 5 Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541001, China 6 Guangxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine in Liver Injury and Repair, Guilin 541001, China Correspondence to: Songqing He, email: hsqhaoren@aliyun.com Ping Wu, email: wpingwp@mails.tjmu.edu.cn Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma, hypoxia-inducible factors, prolyl hydroxylase domain-containing proteins, asparaginyl hydroxylase factor inhibiting HIF-1, prognostic factor Received: October 21, 2016 Accepted: January 09, 2017 Published: January 16, 2017 ABSTRACT Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are key regulators in oxygen homeostasis. Their stabilization and activity are regulated by prolyl hydroxylase domain (PHD)-1, -2, -3 and factor inhibiting HIF (FIH). This study investigated the relation between these oxygen sensors and the clinical behaviors and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Tissue microarray and RT-PCR analysis of tumor tissues and adjacent non-tumor liver tissues revealed that mRNA and protein levels of both PHD3 and FIH were lower within tumors. The lower expression of PHD3 in tumor was associated with larger tumor size, incomplete tumor encapsulation, vascular invasion and higher Ki-67 LI ( p < 0.05). The lower expression of FIH in tumor was associated with incomplete tumor encapsulation, vascular invasion, as well as higher TNM stage, BCLC stage, microvascular density and Ki-67 LI ( p < 0.05). Patients with reduced expression of PHD3 or FIH had markedly shorter disease-free survival (DFS), lower overall survival (OS), or higher recurrence ( p < 0.05), especially early recurrence. Patients with simultaneously reduced expression of PHD3 and FIH exhibited the least chance of forming tumor encapsulation, highest TNM stage ( p < 0.0083), lowest OS and highest recurrence rate ( p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis indicated that a lower expression of FIH independently predicted a poor prognosis in HCC. These findings indicate that downregulation of PHD3 and FIH in HCC is associated with more aggressive tumor behavior and a poor prognosis. PHD3 and FIH may be potential therapeutic targets for HCC treatment.

Background To evaluate the clinical significance of low-frequency electrical stimulation in preventing urinary retention after radical hysterectomy. Methods A total of 91 women with stage IA2–IB2 cervical cancer, who were treated with radical hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy from January 2009 to December 2012, were enrolled into this study and were randomly divided into two groups: trail group (48 cases) and control group (43 cases). Traditional bladder function training and low-frequency electrical stimulation were conducted in the trail group, while patients in the control group were only treated by traditional bladder training. The general condition, rate of urinary retention, and muscle strength grades of pelvic floor muscle in the perioperative period were compared between these two groups. Results The incidence of postoperative urinary retention in the electrical stimulation group was 10.41%, significantly lower than that in the control group (44.18%), and the difference was statistically significant (P

We report on the fabrication and optimization of lithium niobate planar and ridge waveguides at the wavelength of 633 nm. To obtain a planar waveguide, oxygen ions with an energy of 3.0 MeV and a fluence of 1.5×1015 ions/cm2 are implanted in the polished face of LiNbO3 crystals. For planar waveguides, a loss of 0.5 dB/cm is obtained after annealing at 300°C for 30 min. The ridge waveguide is fabricated by the diamond blade dicing method on optimized planar waveguides. The guiding properties are investigated by prism coupling and end-face coupling methods.

Background Erythropoietin (EPO) is a hypoxia-inducible stimulator of erythropoiesis. Besides its traditional application in anemia therapy, it offers an effective treatment in the cancer patients, especially those who receive chemotherapy. Several reports indicated that it could promote the tumor cell proliferation through its specific receptor (EPOR). Unfortunately, the role of EPO/EPOR in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progressing is still uncertain. Methods Protein in tumor tissue from HCC patients or H22 tumor-bearing mice was detected with immunohistochemistry. Cells were cultured under 1% oxygen to establish hypoxia. RT-PCR and western blotting were used to measure mRNA and protein of EPO/EPOR, respectively. MTT, flow cytometry and PCNA staining were used to detect cell proliferation. Immunofluorescence staining was applied to study the expression and location of cellular EPOR. The EPOR binding studies were performed with 125I-EPO radiolabeling assay. Results EPO and EPOR protein were up-regulated in HCC tissue of patients and H22-bearing mice. These were positively correlated with hypoxia-inducible factor -1 α and ki-67. Hypoxia up-regulated the expression of EPO and EPOR in HepG2 cells. It also induced the proliferation and increased the percentage of divided cells after 24, 48 and 72 h treatment. These were inhibited in cells pre-treated with 0.5 μg/mL soluble-EPOR. Immunofluorescence staining presented that EPOR was obviously translocated from nucleus to cytoplasm and membrane under hypoxia. EPOR binding activity was also increased after exposure to hypoxia. Recombinant human erythropoietin obviously elevated cell proliferation rate and the percentage of divided under hypoxia but not normoxia, which were also inhibited by soluble-EPOR. Conclusions Our result indicated for the first time that EPO promoted the proliferation of HCC cells through hypoxia induced translocation of it specific receptor. Trial registration TJC20141113, retrospectively registered

The purpose of this study was to explore the positive effects of Jian-Pi-Zhi-Dong Decoction (JPZDD) on Tourette syndrome (TS) by investigating the expression of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and its type A receptor (GABAAR) in the striatum of a TS mice model. The model was induced by 3,3′-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN) treatment; then mice were divided into 4 groups (n=22, each); control and IDPN groups were gavaged with saline and the remaining 2 groups were gavaged with tiapride and JPZDD. We recorded the stereotypic behaviors of TS mice and measured the content of GABA in striatum by HPLC and GABAAR expression by immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR. Our results showed that JPZDD inhibited the abnormal behaviors of TS model mice and decreased GABA levels and GABAAR protein and mRNA expression in the striatum of TS model mice. In brief, the mechanism by which JPZDD alleviates TS symptoms may be associated with GABAAR expression downregulation in striatum which may regulate GABA metabolism.

The wellposedness problem for an anisotropic incompressible viscous fluid in ℝ3, rotating around a vector B(t, x):= (b1(t, x), b2(t, x), b3(t, x)), is studied. The global wellposedness in the homogeneous case (B = e3) with sufficiently fast rotation in the space B0,½ is proved. In the inhomogeneous case (B = B(t, xh)), the global existence and uniqueness of the solution in B0, ½ are obtained, provided that the initial data are sufficient small compared to the horizontal viscosity. Furthermore, we obtain uniform local existence and uniqueness of the solution in the same function space. We also obtain propagation of the regularity in B2,1½ under the additional assumption that B depends only on one horizontal space variable.

Mixed metals in the cropped lands in central Taiwan contaminated about 230 ha. According to the Soil and Groundwater Protection Remediation Act (SGWR Act) of Taiwan, these lands were restored. However, some grains of paddy rice grown in these remediated soils still contained more than 0.5 mg Cd kg−1, which the Department of Health of Taiwan notified as the maximum allowable Cd content in rice. The suitability of planting edible crops in these soils is now in doubt. Brassica rapa is the crop most often sold in Taiwan's market and is planted in the interval between the first and second stages of planting of paddy rice, especially in central Taiwan where this experiment was conducted. A pot experiment was conducted using soils contaminated artificially with Cd or both Cd and Pb. The soil was then amended with 5% of biosolid and followed by planting of B. rapa. The objectives were to study the effect of biosolid amendment on the soil and the interaction between Cd and Pb on the growth of and Cd accumulation in B. rapa. Experimental result showed that the biomass and the accumulation of Cd by B. rapa were significantly increased in the biosolid-amended soils compared with the control. Lead has a synergistic effect on enhancing the accumulation of Cd by B. rapa grown in artificially Cd-contaminated soils.

Marked accumulation of arachidonic acid (AA) and intracellular Ca2+ and Na+ overloads are seen during brain ischemia. In this study, we show that, in neurons, AA induces cytosolic Na+ ([Na+](cyt)) and Ca2+ ([Ca2+](cyt)) overload via a non-selective cation conductance (NSCC), resulting in mitochondrial [Na+](m) and [Ca2+](m) overload. Another two types of free fatty acids, including oleic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, induced a smaller increase in the [Ca2+](i) and [Na+](i). RU360, a selective inhibitor of the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter, inhibited the AA-induced [Ca2+](m) and [Na+](m) overload, but not the [Ca2+](cyt) and [Na+](cyt) overload. The [Na+](m) overload was also markedly inhibited by either Ca2+-free medium or CGP3715, a selective inhibitor of the mitochondrial Na+(cyt)-Ca2+(m) exchanger. Moreover, RU360, Ca2+-free medium, Na+-free medium, or cyclosporin A (CsA) largely prevented AA-induced opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore, cytochrome c release, and caspase 3-dependent neuronal apoptosis. Importantly, Na+-ionophore/Ca2+-free medium, which induced [Na+](m) overload, but not [Ca2+](m) overload, also caused cyclosporin A-sensitive mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening, resulting in caspase 3-dependent apoptosis, indicating that [Na+](m) overload per se induced apoptosis. Our results therefore suggest that AA-induced [Na+](m) overload, acting via activation of the NSCC, is an important upstream signal in the mitochondrial-mediated apoptotic pathway. The NSCC may therefore act as a potential neuronal death pore which is activated by AA accumulation under pathological conditions.

The role of the π sites in the adsorption of anionic platinum precursor (PtCl 6 2− ) on the carbon surface was studied. A set of carbon supports was prepared by the oxidative treatments of a commercial carbon black in liquid or thermal treatment in a nitrogen gas flow. The supports obtained had similar physical structure, but were different in their surface chemistry, e.g., the types and the amount of the surface functional groups. The Pt/C catalysts were prepared by the impregnation of the supports with an aqueous solution of hexachloroplatinic acid. N2 adsorption, acid-base titration, X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS), ICP, and TEM were used to characterize the supports and the catalysts. It was found that the absence of the surface acidic groups led to a higher platinum loading amount on the supports; and platinum loading amount would decrease when the higher H2PtCl6 impregnating solution concentration was used. The π sites in the basal planes play a more important role than the surface acidic groups in PtCl 6 2− ions adsorption on the carbon surface. Upon impregnation, the delocalized π electrons form coordination bonds with the platinum precursors, and further cause the reduction of Pt(IV) complex to Pt(II) complex, which was strongly chemisorbed on the surface of the supports. PtCl 6 2− ions adsorbing at the surface acidic groups would easily desorb during the washing process. However, when the impregnating solution was used at a higher concentration, a large amount of H3O+ was firstly adsorbed in the π sites, leading to a decrease of the amount of strong PtCl 6 2− ions adsorption on the supports.

Novel amorphous Ni-La-B/γ-Al2O3 catalysts have been developed for the production of hydrogen peroxide from carbon monoxide, water and oxygen. The experimental investigation confirmed that the catalyst dried at 120oC in air shows the best initial activity. The deactivation of amorphous Ni-La-B/γ-Al2O3 catalysts was also studied.

To investigate the necessity, safety and efficacy of transobturator tension-free vaginal tape (TVT-O) for treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) during transvaginal corrective operation of pelvic organ prolapse (POP).From Jan. 2005 to Dec. 2010, 92 patients undergoing transvaginal pelvic reconstruction surgery for correction of POP concomitant TVT-O for treatment of SUI in Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology affiliated to Beijing Chaoyang Hospital as concomitant surgery group were enrolled in this retrospective study matched with 90 patients with mild SUI without SUI surgery as non-concomitant surgery group and 120 patients without SUI as control group.Variable clinical index, clinical efficacy and complications were compared among those three groups.Compared with those in the other two groups, the mean age [(62 ± 11) years] was lower (P = 0.007,0.038), the operation time only slightly increased (12.8 min and 12.9 min respectively) significantly in concomitant TVT-O group. The bleeding loss and the length of staying hospital after operation all exhibited no significant differences within three groups (P0.05). The effective rate for SUI was 96.7% (89/92) in concomitant TVT-O group, corrective operation of POP was ineffective for 74.4% (67/90) SUI, 9.2% (11/120) patients presented new SUI in the patients without SUI preoperatively.TVT-O is a simple, safe and effective method in the treatment of SUI, which is more suitable for performing simultaneously during the corrective operation of POP.Efficacy of SUI correction was limited in those patients undergoing only pelvic reconstructive surgery. However, a preventive anti-incontinence procedure is not recommended because of the lower incidence in POP patients without SUI preoperatively.

Objective: To treat obstructive azoospermia by using sperm recovered from percutaneous vasal sperm aspiration in IUI. Design: Clinical study. Setting: Institutional clinic in Jinan. Patient(s): Six men with obstructive azoospermia, three of whom were treated with percutaneous vasal sperm aspiration and IUI; sperm recovered from this procedure were used for IUIs. Intervention(s): Spermatozoa used for intrauterine injection were retrieved by percutaneous vasal sperm aspiration and incubated at 37°C for 40 to 60 minutes. Main Outcome Measure(s): Normal pregnancy. Result(s): Intrauterine insemination was performed in three patients for one or two cycles, with motile spermatozoa. There was one successful term delivery. Conclusion(s): Percutaneous vasal sperm aspiration can be used successfully to recover sperm in men with obstructive azoospermia for use in IUI. The technique is simple and less traumatic than an open surgical procedure.

Purpose Glyburide has been used for managing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in a number of countries. It is rather inexpensive. However, its efficacy and safety remain controversial. With this meta-analysis, we evaluated glyburide in comparison with insulin. Material/methods With a systematic literature search strategy, a total of 93 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with insulin and glyburide comparison were identified. Based on the revised Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) checklist, five of them met the inclusion criteria and were included in this meta-analysis. Results Six hundred and seventy four subjects were included in these five RCTs. When compared with insulin, glyburide had an increased relative risk (RR) for neonatal hypoglycemia (RR: 1.98; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17, 3.36). Estimation of standard mean differences (SMD) showed that both fetal birth weight and incidence of macrosomia were higher in subjects receiving glyburide than in those receiving insulin (SMD: 0.21; 95% CI: 0.06, 0.36; RR: 2.22; 95% CI: 1.07, 4.61 respectively). There were no significant differences in maternal glucose control, glycated hemoglobin, the rate of Cesarean section, large-for-gestational age, neonatal hypocalcemia, length of stay for neonatal ICU admissions, preterm birth, or congenital anomalies. Conclusions Our study suggested that in women with GDM, glyburide is as effective as insulin, but the risks of neonatal hypoglycemia, high fetal birth weight, and macrosomia were higher.

To explore the association between parental genetic polymorphism of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C/T and occurrence of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) in offspring in Shandong Province.MTHFR genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Parents of 89 NSCL/P patients treated at Qilu Hospital from August, 2006 to August, 2008 and those of 64 healthy children were recruited in this case-control study.Frequencies of T and C alleles in mothers of patients and healthy children were 65.73% and 46.09%, and 34.27% and 53.91%, respectively (Chi-square=13.663, P0.01). Offspring whose mothers had T alleles were 2.243 times more likely to develop NSCL/P (95%CI: 1.408-3.572). Frequencies of T and C alleles in fathers of patients and healthy children were 62.92% and 55.47%, and 37.08% and 44.53%, respectively (Chi-square=2.222, P0.05). The chance for parents of the patient and control groups to bear an affected fetus carrying homozygous mutations were 43% and 29%, respectively (P0.05).In Shandong Province, maternal genotype for the MTHFR 677C/T polymorphism has a significant impact on the occurrence of NSCL/P in their offspring, whilst paternal genotype for this polymorphism may not be a risk factor for NSCL/P in their offspring.

This study evaluated the clinical value of the combined detection of serum cathepsin L (CL), heparanase (Hpa), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) for determining the degree of ovarian cancer invasion and metastasis before surgery.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to measure the serum content of CL, Hpa, and MMP-9 in 217 patients with untreated ovarian cancer before surgery, 100 patients with benign ovarian tumors, and 101 healthy women as controls. In addition, the degrees of invasion and metastasis were assessed by the 'gold standard' of clinicopathological diagnosis. The associations of the preoperative serum CL, Hpa, and MMP-9 levels with the clinicopathological factors and metastatic status were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the usefulness of these markers for determining the degree of ovarian cancer invasion before surgery.The serum CL, Hpa, and MMP-9 levels were significantly higher (p=0.001) in patients with malignant ovarian cancer compared with patients with benign ovarian tumors and healthy controls. The serum CL level was significantly higher in patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma compared with non-epithelial ovarian carcinoma (p=0.048), whereas the serum levels of Hpa (p=0.109) and MMP-9 (p=0.544) did not differ significantly between these two groups. The serum CL, Hpa, and MMP-9 levels correlated with the degree of differentiation and the FIGO staging (p0.05). The serum CL (p=0.030) and MMP-9 (p=0.010) levels were significantly associated with peritoneal metastasis, and the serum Hpa level (p=0.042) was associated with distant metastasis. A ROC curve analysis revealed sensitivity of 60.9%, 69.6%, and 72.2%, and specificity of 57.4%, 67.2%, and 68.9% for the preoperative serum levels of CL, Hpa, and MMP-9, respectively, as tumor markers for the degree of extra-pelvic metastasis.Elevated serum CL, Hpa, and MMP-9 levels are correlated with malignant invasion and progression in ovarian cancer. The combined detection of serum CL, Hpa, and MMP-9 may be useful for determining the extent of ovarian cancer metastasis before surgery.

To clone cathepsin L (CTSL) gene and construct the eukaryotic expression plasmid pcDNA3.1-CTSL and study the relationship between CTSL and invasion and metastasis in ovarian cancer cells in vitro.The total RNA was extracted from the ovarian cancer tissue and the intact cDNA of CTSL was applied by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. The product of RT-PCR was cloned to pMD18-T vector, and subcloned to pcDNA3.1 vector. It was tested by the enzymation and DNA sequencing. The eukaryotic expression plasmid of CTSL was introduced into HO8910 cells by liposome transfection reagent. RT-PCR was used to confirm the recombinant plasmid DNA integrated with the genomic DNA of HO8910 cells. Western blot was used to confirm the CTSL protein expression in positive clones cells. The cell growth curves, clonogenicity efficiency were observed. The cell cycles were measured by flow cytometer. The ability of invasion, metastasis and adhesion of ovarian cancer cells were detected by the matrigel invasion assay, transwell migration assay and adhesion assay, respectively.The results from restrictive enzyme analysis and sequencing showed that the CTSL gene was successfully inserted into pcDNA3.1. Result from RT-PCR and western blot showed that the ovarian cancer cells which transfected by recombinant plasmid could express CTSL gene and protein. There was no difference between HO8910-CTSL and HO8910-pcDNA3.1 cells in proliferation and adhesion ability (0.16 ± 0.04 versus 0.19 ± 0.04) of the cells (P0.05). There was difference between HO8910-CTSL and HO8910-pcDNA3.1 cells in matrigel invasion ability (0.34 ± 0.18 versus 0.17 ± 0.04) and metastasis ability (1.252 ± 0.114 versus 0.486 ± 0.027) of cancer (all P0.05).CTSL maybe increase the ability of invasion and metastasis of ovarian cancer cells in vitro, which may be a molecular target of blocking invasion and metastasis of ovarian cancer.

Statisticians typically estimate the parameters of latent class and latent profile models using the Expectation-Maximization algorithm. This paper proposes an alternative two-stage approach to model fitting. The first stage uses the modified k-means and hierarchical clustering algorithms to identify the latent classes that best satisfy the conditional independence assumption underlying the latent variable model. The second stage then uses mixture modeling treating the class membership as known. The proposed approach is theoretically justifiable, directly checks the conditional independence assumption, and converges much faster than the full likelihood approach when analyzing high-dimensional data. This paper also develops a new classification rule based on latent variable models. The proposed classification procedure reduces the dimensionality of measured data and explicitly recognizes the heterogeneous nature of the complex disease, which makes it perfect for analyzing high-throughput genomic data. Simulation studies and real data analysis demonstrate the advantages of the proposed method.

AIM: To investigate and evaluate the pathological features and diagnostic value of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) with multi-section spiral computed tomography (MSCT) and postprocessing. METHODS: A total of 25 patients with FNH who had undergone MSCT and postprocessing were included in the investigation. All patients had been pathologically or clinically confirmed with FNH. A number of 75 cases of hepatic carcinomas, hemangiomas and adenomas were randomly selected at a same period for a comparative study. RESULTS: There was a single focus in 22 cases and multiple foci in 3 cases. On the plain scan, 17 lesions showed hypodensity, 7 isodensity and 4 hyperdensity (the case with fatty liver). With contrast, 28 lesions were enhanced evenly or in the nodules in the arterial phase; 13 lesions still showed hyperdensity, 11 lesions isodensity and 4 lesions hypodensity in the parenchymatous phase; in the delayed phase only 5 lesions showed hyperdensity but 9 lesions showed isodensity or slight hypodensity and 14 lesions showed hypodensity. Twelve lesions of 28 had central asteroid scars. Thickened feeding arteries in postprocessing were seen in 24 lesions, and were integrated into the parenchymatous lesions with a gradual and smooth course. On the contrary, there were no artery penetrated into the lesion found in any of comparative hepatic tumors. CONCLUSION: Doctors could make a correct diagnosis and differentiation of FNH on evaluation of the characteristic appearance on MSCT with postprocessing.

In the pH 7.2 Na2HPO4-NaH2PO4 buffer solutions and in the presence of PEG-6000, fenvalerate (Fen) antisera was combined with Fen specifically, and aggregated to form immune complex particles that exhibited five resonance scattering peaks at 350, 390, 420, 440 and 480 nm respectively. The peak at 390 nm was the strongest and was chosen for use. Fen concentration (c) in the range of 0.20 to 6.40 microg x mL(-1) was proportional to the resonance scattering intensity at 390 nm. Its regression equation was DeltaIRS 23.05c-1.39, the correlation coefficient was 0.9978, and the detection limit was 0.07 microg x mL(-1). Effects of buffer solution type, pH value, buffer solution volume, fenvalerate antisera concentration, PEG-6000 concentration, incubation temperature and time on the resonance scattering intensity were considered in detail. With pH (5.8-8.0) increasing, the IRS and Ib all decreased. When the pH value was at 7.2, the DeltaIRS was bigger. Three buffer solutions of pH 7.2, including Na2HPO4-citric acid, Na2HPO4-KH2PO4 and Na2HPO4-NaH2PO4, were examined. The pH 7.2 Na2HPO4-NaH2PO4 buffer solution gives the biggest DeltaIRS value. PEG-6000 could enhance the DeltaIRS value. When the concentration of PEG-6000 was 50.0 mg x mL(-1), the DeltaIRS was achieved at max. Fen was a stable chemical. The IRS increased within 20 min,while the DeltaIRS remained constant when incubation time was in the range of 20-40 min. The condition of a pH 7.2 Na2HPO4-NaH2PO4 buffer solution-50.0 mg x mL(-1) PEG-6000-6.67 microg x mL(-1) Fen antisera-30 degrees C-incubation time 20 min was chosen. According to the procedure, the influence of foreign substances on the determination of 1.60 microg x mL(-1) Fen was examined, within a relative error of +/- 5%. Results showed that the following coexistent substances had no impact on the RS assay: 96 microg x mL(-1) ametryne, 96 microg x mL(-1) m-aminotoluene, 48 microg x mL(-1) simetryne, 48 microg x mL(-1) p-aminotoluene,80 microg x mL(-1) BSA, 80 microg x mL(-1) HSA, 80 microg x mL(-1) Fe3+, 80 microg x mL(-1) Mg2+, 160 microg x mL(-1) Ca2+, and 160 microg x mL(-1) glucose. The results indicated that this RSS assay has good selectivity. This immune resonance scattering spectral assay was applied to the determination of Fen in waste water samples with satisfactory results. The recovery was in the range of 92.91%-101.25%, and the relative standard deviation was in the range of 1.71%-4.80%.

In the present paper, CdTe quantum dots were prepared, and the resonance scattering, fluorescence and absorption spectral properties of CdTe quantum dots in aqueous solution were studied in details. The fluorescence spectral results showed that the CdTe quantum dots of 3.8, 4.0 and 4.6 nm in diameter have fluorescence peaks at 601, 625 and 654 nm, respectively, the fluorescence peak (lambda F) red shifts, and the fluorescence intensity is proportional to the CdTe concentration. The linear relationship was found between the fluorescence peak wavelength and the logarithm of the diameter. The relationships was lambda F = 126.74 ln(d) + 395.92, with a related coefficient of 0.9945. For CdTe quantum dots of 3.8 nm in size, the fluorescence intensity at 601 nm was proportional to the concentration in the range of 11.25-540 micromol x L(-1). The regression equation is F601 nm = 0.7223c + 3.28, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9980. The absorption spectral results showed that the CdTe quantum dots of 3.8, 4.0 and 4.6 nm in diameter have absorption peak at 550, 573 and 590 nm, respectively. The absorption value is proportional to CdTe quantum dots concentration. For CdTe quantum dots of 3.8 nm in size, the concentration in the range of 11.25-180.0 micromol x L(-1) obeys Lamb-Beer's law. The absorption peak (lambda A) also red shifted and widened, absorption value decreased with the diameter (d). The linear relationship was found between the absorption peak wavelength and the logarithm of the diameter. The relationships was lambda A = 155.01 ln(d) + 415.52, with a related coefficient of 0.9956. The resonance scattering (RS) spectra showed that the CdTe quantum dots of 3.8, 4.0, 4.6, 4.8, 5.2, 6.5 and 8.6 nm in diameter have resonance scattering peaks at 597.94, 622.02, 645.94, 654.05, 656.95, 700.98, 735 nm respectively. The RS peak wavelength lambda R is also proportional to the logarithm of the diameter of CdTe quantum dots. Its regression equation is lambda R = 148.37 ln(d) + 418.08 and the correlation coefficient is 0.9952. For CdTe quantum dots with the same diameter such as 3.8 nm, the resonance scattering intensity at 597 nm is proportional to the CdTe concentration. The linear range is 22.5-180.0 micromol x L(-1), the regression equation is I597 nm = 0.5721c + 5.884, and the correlation coefficient is 0.9975. A new resonance scattering method was applied to the determination of the diameter of CdTe quantum dots, with the advantages of simplicity, quick operation and good practical values.

Based on resonance scattering (RS) effect of immune complex particles, a new resonance scattering method for the determination of C4 in the human blood serum was developed. It was based on the fact that goat anti-human C4 was combined with complement factor 4 (C4) in the pH 7.3 Na2 HPO4-KH2PO4 buffer solution. It is known that antibody has C-terminal and N-terminal, and the N-terminal is the binding site of antigen and it could combine with antigen. Because the stereo structure anastomoses and the charge is opposite between goat ant-human C4 and C4, they could attract and combine with each other. The attraction and combination have high idiosyncrasy and they are done by Van der Waals force, hydrophobic force, Coulomb attracting force and hydrogen bond binding force, and form immune complex particles that exhibit three resonance scattering peaks at 350, 390 and 440 nm, respectively, in the presence of PEG-6000. The laser scattering results indicate that the average diameter of the immune complex particles is about 3 440.0 nm. The influence of pH, goat anti-human C4 and PEG-6000 concentration, incubation temperature and incubation time, foreign substance such as arginine, -phenyl alanine, L-glutamic acid, L-cystine, L-threonine, L-tryptophan, L-histidine, L-leucine, glucose, EDTA, human serum albumin (HSA), bovine serum albumin (BSA), L-proline, L-lysine on the determination of C4 was considered in details. Under the conditions chosen, C4 concentration in the range from 0.18 to 2.60 microg x mL(-1) is proportional to the resonance scattering intensity at 350 and 390 nm. Its regression equation is deltaI350 nm = 28.23c + 9.17 and deltaI390 nm = 31.36c + 11.08, the correlation coefficient is 0.993 9 and 0.992 3, and the detection limit is 0.084 microg x mL(-1) and 0.11 microg x mL(-1), respectively. The method has been applied to the determination of C4 in the human blood serum, and the results are in agreement with that of the immunoturbidity, with relative standard deviation of 1.88%-4.36%, and with some advantages including simplicity, rapidity, high sensitivity and selectivity.

Objective To restore fertility of vasectomized men using percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA) and percutaneous vasal sperm aspiration (PVSA) via intrauterine insemination (IUI). Patients Twenty-eight vasectomized men who required restoration of their fertility with PESA, PVSA and IUI. Results Of 28 vasectomy reversal subjects, 16 cycles of IUI using vasal sperm by percutaneous aspiration were performed in 16 subjects and 6 pregnancies were achieved. IUIs with epididymal sperm by percutaneous aspiration were carried out in 12 subjects with epididymal obstruction due to vasovasostomy for vasectomy reversal, and 2 pregnancies were achieved using caudal and epididymal sperm by percutaneous aspiration, respectively. Conclusion The PESA-IUI and PVSA-IUI techniques are attractive, economical and effective for vasectomy reversal. The pregnancy by IUI using PESA and PVSA reveals that the caput epididymal sperm possess fertilization capacity in female reproductive tract and provides a new approach for the restorative fertility of vasectomized men.

To manage male infertility with obstructive azoospermia by means of percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA) and intrauterine insemination (IUI).Ninety azoospermic patients with congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (BAVD, n=58) or bilateral caudal epididymal obstruction (BCEO, n=32) requesting for fine needle aspiration (FNA), PESA and IUI were recruited. The obstruction was diagnosed by vasography and determination of the fructose, carnitine and alpha-glucosidase levels in the seminal fluid.The mean sperm motility, density, abnormal sperm and total sperm count of the caput epdidymis were 16 %+/-22 %, (12+/-31) x 10(6)/mL, 55 %+/-36 % and (16+/-14) x 10(6), respectively. In the 90 couples, a total of 74 PESA procedures and 66 cycles of IUI were performed. Three pregnancies resulted, including one twin pregnancy giving birth to two healthy boys, one single pregnancy with a healthy girl and another single pregnancy aborted at week 6 of conception. The pregnancy rate per IUI cycle was 4.5 %.The birth of normal, healthy infants by IUI using PESA indicates that the caput epididymal sperm possess fertilization capacity. The PESA-IUI programme is a practical and economical procedure for the management of patients with obstructive azoospermia.

Objective To explore the effectiveness of percutaneous vasal sperm aspiration (PVSA) in combination with intrauterine insemination (IUI) to treat infertile men with anejaculation. Design Clinical study. Setting Department of reproductive endocrinology and andrology of a family planning research clinic. Patient(s) Twenty-six anejaculatory infertile men. Intervention(s) Spermatozoa obtained from the vas deferens by percutaneous aspiration were incubated in sperm preparation medium. Main outcome measure(s) Sperm quality by PVSA and pregnancy outcome. Result(s) Thirty-four PVSA-IUI procedures were performed in 26 men with anejaculation. Nineteen pregnancies were achieved (pregnancy rate, 73.1%). Mean (±SD) values for sperm variables were as follows: motility, 78.6% ± 14.2%; progressive motility, 60.4% ± 11.2%; density, 37.6 ± 13.2 × 10 6 cells/mL; total count, 35.2 ± 13.2 × 10 6 cells; and abnormal sperm, 18.6% ± 7.6%. Conclusion(s) Percutaneous vasal sperm aspiration may obtain high-motility sperm, and PVSA plus IUI is an effective treatment for male infertility with anejaculation.