Search

Abstract Background Hitherto, a population-based analysis of the cause of death in urban areas of Western China has not been undertaken over an extended period. The aims of this study were to calculate the overall and annual cause-specific mortality rates by age and sex in urban areas of Western China from 2003 to 2012 and to evaluate the quality of the data. Methods We used Excel software, cause-of-death registrations, and International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, codes to calculate the overall and yearly cause-specific crude mortality rates by age and sex, the Chinese age-standardized mortality rate, and life expectancies. Results In the Jiulongpo District from 2003 to 2012, there was an increase in the number of death case reports in the census-registered population, a decrease in the number of omitted deaths, and rise in the crude mortality rate. Except for 2003, the Chinese age-standardized mortality rate was the lowest in 2012 (330.83/100,000) and highest in 2005 (390.08/100,000). Life expectancy increased from 78.36 years in 2005 to 81.67 years in 2012. Conclusions With the development of its social economy, the Chinese government and public attach greater importance to cause-of-death surveillance. The quality of cause-of-death registrations has gradually increased, crude mortality rates have risen, the Chinese age-standardized mortality rate has fallen, and life expectancies have increased.

Maternal ageing is one of the major causes of reduced ovarian reserve and low oocyte quality in elderly women. Decreased oocyte quality is the main cause of age‐related infertility. Mitochondria are multifunctional energy stations that determine the oocyte quality. The mitochondria in aged oocytes display functional impairments with mtDNA damage, which leads to reduced competence and developmental potential of oocytes. To improve oocyte quality, mitochondrial supplementation is carried out as a potential therapeutic approach. However, the selection of suitable cells as the source of mitochondria remains controversial. We cultivated endometrial mesenchymal stem cells (EnMSCs) from aged mice and extracted mitochondria from EnMSCs. To improve the quality of oocytes, GV oocytes were supplemented with mitochondria via microinjection. And MII oocytes from aged mice were fertilized by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), combining EnMSCs' mitochondrial microinjection. In this study, we found that the mitochondria derived from EnMSCs could significantly improve the quality of aged oocytes. Supplementation with EnMSC mitochondria significantly increased the blastocyst ratio of MII oocytes from aged mice after ICSI. We also found that the birth rate of mitochondria‐injected ageing oocytes was significantly increased after embryo transplantation. Our study demonstrates that supplementation with EnMSC‐derived mitochondria can improve the quality of oocytes and promote embryo development in ageing mice, which might provide a prospective strategy for clinical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In some complex scenes of tracking, the traditional color feature based target tracking algorithm may have the unstable tracking. To solve this problem, a color and texture feature based target tracking algorithm is proposed. The texture feature is added in the traditional color Mean-shift based target tracking algorithm, and both the texture and the color features are extracted together. According to the sequence principle, the traditional color based mean drift tracking algorithm is still used to search the new position of the target, but, in each iteration process, the texture feature is used to search the optimal target position which has the largest similar feature. And the eight neighborhood search method(8areas with the same size are expanded around the candidate area)is applied to solve the problem of partial occlusion. The comparative experiments show that the algorithm has better robustness and realtime performance in complex scenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic tests of the preimplantation human embryo mainly include: preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and preimplantation genetic screening (PGS). PGD based on PCR and FISH has been used to detect the single gene disorders and inherited chromosome abnormalities for the last 20 years. PGS with the same technology in PGD was used to detect aneuploidy chromosomes in embryos, to select those embryos with normal chromosomes for IVF transfer. It has been applied in those patients of advanced age, repeated implantation failure, repeated miscarriages and severe male factor infertility. There are dramatic changes in the PGD methodology. Both array --comparative genomic hybridization and single nucleotide polymorphism arrays have been introduced into clinical practice for PGD and PGS. In this review, we introduced some new methods and controversies in the field of PGD/PGS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA methylation disturbance is associated with defective human sperm. However, oligozoospermia (OZ) and asthenozoospermia (AZ) usually present together, and the relationship between the single-phenotype defects in human sperm and DNA methylation is poorly understood. In this study, 20 infertile OZ patients and 20 infertile AZ patients were compared with 20 fertile normozoospermic men. Bisulfate-specific PCR was used to analyze DNA methylation of the H19-DMR and the DAZL promoter in these subjects. A similar DNA methylation pattern of the H19-DMR was detected in AZ and NZ(control), with only complete methylation and mild hypomethylation(<50% unmethylated CpGs) identified, and there was no significant difference in the occurrence of these two methylation patterns between AZ and NZ (P>0.05). However, the methylation pattern of severe hypomethylation (>50% unmethylated CpGs ) and complete unmethylation was only detected in 5 OZ patients, and the occurrence of these two methylation patterns was 8.54±10.86% and 9±6.06%, respectively. Loss of DNA methylation of the H19-DMR in the OZ patients was found to mainly occur in CTCF-binding site 6, with occurrence of 18.15±14.71%, which was much higher than that in patients with NZ (0.84±2.05%) and AZ (0.58±1.77%) (P<0.001).Additional, our data indicated the occurrence of >20% methylated clones in the DAZL promoter only in infertile patients, there was no significant difference between the AZ and OZ patients in the proportion of moderately-to-severely hypermethylated clones (p>0.05). In all cases, global sperm genome methylation analyses, using LINE1 transposon as the indicator, showed that dysregulation of DNA methylation is specifically associated with the H19-DMR and DAZL promoter. Therefore, abnormal DNA methylation status of H19-DMR, especially at the CTCF-binding site 6, is closely associated with OZ. Abnormal DNA methylation of the DAZL promoter might represent an epigenetic marker of male infertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the effects of fertility-preserving surgery on the efficacy and fertility in patients with borderline ovarian tumor (BOT). Methods: The clinical data of 51 patients with BOT receiving fertility-preserving treatments were retrospectively analyzed, including surgery, relapse, postoperative menstruation and pregnancy. The correlation was also analyzed between chemotherapy, comprehensive surgical staging and relapse. Results: Among the 51 patients, 30 cases were S-BOT, 7 cases accepted comprehensive surgical staging, 10 cases accepted chemotherapy after surgery, and 13 patients relapsed. Of 8 patients who want pregnancy, 3 patients succeeded. Conclusions: Fertility--preserving treatments are effective and feasible ways for patients with BOT. Adnexectomy may be the best way for fertility -- preserving treatments. Chemotherapy and comprehensive surgical staging cannot reduce the relapse rate. Recurrence cases can choose fertility-preserving surgery again. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate whether embryonic soluble human leukocyte antigen-G (sHLA-G) could be a noninvasive marker for embryo competency in assisted reproductive technology (ART), which is still controversial due to the different detection assays used and the different culture conditions in laboratories., Study Design: Based on the standardization of IVF procedures and the embryo culture condition, a total of 205 embryo culture supernatants (ESs) from 92 ART cycles were evaluated for sHLA-G contents by chemiluminescent ELISA assay., Results: sHLA-G presence could be detected in 30.7% of the ESs tested. In the cycles where at least one of the embryos transferred was positive for sHLA-G, 51.9% of patients (27/52) achieved a clinical pregnancy. In cycles where none of the embryos transferred secreted detectable amounts of sHLA-G, the pregnancy rate was only 30.0% (12/40, p < 0.05). The implantation rate in sHLA-G-positive cycles was also significantly higher (31.5%) than that in sHLA-G-negative cycles (14.9%, p < 0.05)., Conclusion: The results suggested sHLA-G in ESs as a potential marker of embryo competency in ART programs for the Chinese population.

Objective: To evaluate the role and efficacy of preventing bone mineral loss in patients with endometriosis treated by gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogues (GnRH-a) combined with add-back therapy., Methods: Prospective, randomized controlled studies of the use of GnRHa with add-back therapy in treatment of endometriosis were enrolled in this study from Medline, Embase, Cochrane library, China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI), Chinese Biological Medicine Disk (CBM) and Data Base of Wanfang.After quality assessment and data extraction, meta-analysis were conducted in the change of BMD, reproductive hormone (E2) and visual pain score(VAS) by Stata 11.0 software., Results: A total of 785 patients from 13 randomized controlled trail (RCT) studies enrolled in this study after exclude no following up, poor quality and repeat published studies.377 patients were in group of GnRH-a with add-back treatment and 408 patients were in group of GnRna alone.The findinds were showed in meta-analysis: (1) there was a significant difference in percentage change of bone mineral density (BMD) between two groups, the add-back therapy was more effective in prevention of bone loss which was (SMD = 0.223, 95%CI:0.003 to 0.443, P = 0.047). (2) There was no significant difference in the level of reproductive hormone between two groups (SMD = -0.053, 95% CI:-0.479 to 0.373, P = 0.807). (3) There was also no significant difference in the visual pain score between the two groups (SMD = -0.157, 95% CI: -0.474 to 0.160, P = 0.332)., Conclusions: GnRH-a with add-back therapy have been shown to be more effective in preventing loss of BMD than GnRH-a treatment alone.However, the long term effect of preventing BMD should be studied.

Aim: To construct a lentiviral expression vector carrying HLA-G5., Methods: The CDs region of HLA-G5 gene was cloned into the lentiviral vector by restriction endonuclease Nhe I/Not I digestion and T4DNA ligase ligation. After transformation into completent E.coli cells, the candidate clones were identified by PCR and kidney cell line 293T cells by lipofectamine 2000 to produce the lentiviral particles, and the viral titer was determined., Results: The lentiviral vector pCDH-CMV-MCS-EF1-copGFP Vector for HLA-G5 was constructed successfully, and the virus in the supernatant reached a titer of TU/mL., Conclusion: This research completed the package of lentivirus vector encoding HLA-G5 as a tool for further study.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of laparoscopically robotic assisted radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy in treatment of cervical cancer., Methods: From Dec. 2008 to Aug. 2009, 5 cervical cancer patients at stage Ib1 to IIa underwent laparoscopically robotic assisted radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy. The following clinical parameters were recorded and compared, including operative time, blood loss, intraoperative and postoperative complications, the changes of hemoglobin before and after surgery, postoperative temperature, the time of postoperative anus exhaust and urination, hospitalization, pathologic exam, and the number of lymph nodes., Results: Laparoscopically robotic assisted radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy were performed successfully on those 5 patients without the conversion to laparotomy. No intraoperative and postoperative complications were observed. The operative time were 305, 365, 275, 240 and 245 minutes, respectively, with a mean value of 286 minutes. Estimated blood loss was 200, 400, 650, 300 and 400 ml, respectively. The mean blood loss was 390 ml. Temperatures of all patients were not higher than 37.5 degrees C and anus exhaust was recovered at 36 hours after surgery. Those five patients were hospitalized for 11, 13, 9, 12 and 12 days respectively. Squamous carcinoma of cervix were diagnosed by the pathologic examination. The resected margin of vagina and parametrium was clear. The numbers of pelvic lymph nodes were 14, 22, 16, 21 and 18, respectively. No evidence of lymph nodes metastasis was found., Conclusion: Laparoscopically robotic assisted radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy is feasible as a novel approach in the treatment of cervical cancer.

Objective: To investigate the effect of embryotrophic factors (ETF) from human oviductal cells on gene expression of mouse early developmental embryos and discuss the role of fallopian tube in early development of embryos., Methods: ETF was isolated from conditioned medium of human oviductal cell line by sequential liquid chromatographic systems. Mouse embryos were treated by ETF in vitro. Using differential display RT-PCR, the gene expression of embryos treated by ETF was compared with embryos without ETF treatment. The differentially expressed genes were separated, re-amplified, cloned and sequenced., Results: Gene expression profiles of embryos with ETF treatment was different from embryos without this treatment. Eight differentially expressed genes were cloned and sequenced. These genes functioned in RNA degradation, synthesis, splicing, protein trafficking, cellular differentiation and embryo development., Conclusion: Embryotrophic factors from human oviductal cells affect gene expression of early developmental embryos. The human oviductal cells play wide roles in early developmental stages of embryos.

Aim: To investigate the effect of HLA-G siRNA on the protection of trophoblast cells from NK cell lysis, an HLA-G-targeting siRNA (small interfering)-expressing plasmid was constructed., Methods: HLA-G siRNA plasmid, pSuppressor-U6-neo-HLA-G, was constructed and transfected to JEG-3 cells. The level of messenger RNA and protein of HLA-G in the transfected cells was detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. NK-92MI cells were co-cultured with pSuppressor-U6-neo-HLA-G transfected JEG-3 cells. The cytotoxicity of NK-92MI cells against the transfected cells was analyzed by LDH releasing assay., Results: Downregulation of HLA-G in HLA-G siRNA plasmid transfected JEG-3 cells was confirmed by RT-PCR and Western blot. Compared with JEG-3 cells without HLA-G without HLA-G siRNA plasmid transfection, the transfected JEG-3 cells showed higher lytic activity., Conclusion: HLA-G siRNA can increasing NK cytolysis against JEG-3 cells. HLA-G plays a role in preventing of trophoblast cells from NK cytotoxicity.

Objective: To investigate the expression of fms-like tyrosine kinase receptor 1 (Flt-1) in placentas of pre-eclampsia., Methods: The expression of Flt-1 mRNA in the placentas from 20 pre-eclampsia patients and 20 pregnant women with normal blood pressure was detected by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The protein expression of Flt-1 was analyzed using western blot in 18 pre-eclampsia patients and 18 normotensive pregnant women., Results: Placental Flt-1 mRNA level in pre-eclampsia was 2.25 +/- 0.19 (intensity ratios of Flt-1 mRNA to beta-actin mRNA), significantly higher than in normotensive pregnant women 1.23 +/- 0.29 (P < 0.05). Western blot showed that Flt-1 protein level in pre-eclamptic placenta was 2.67 +/- 1.19 [western blot signal intensity ratios of Flt-1 to glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH)], significantly higher than in pregnant women with normal blood pressure 0.94 +/- 0.51 (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Increased Flt-1 expression in pre-eclamptic placenta may be involved in pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia.

Objective: To investigate the alteration of serum soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase receptor 1 (sFlt-1) and the possible source in preeclampsia, and the relationship between sFlt-1 and the pathogenesis of preeclampsia., Methods: (1) Semi-quantitative RT-PCR was carried out to detect the level of sFlt-1 mRNA in placental tissue of 10 preeclampsia (preeclampsia group) and 10 normotensive pregnancies (normotensive pregnancy group). (2) Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the serum level of sFlt-1 in peripheral venous blood in preeclampsia group 1 (n = 35) and normotensive pregnancies group 1 (n = 35); the serum level of sFlt-1 of uterine vein blood in preeclampsia group 2 (n = 20) and normotensive pregnancies group 2 (n = 20); and the volume of peripheral venous blood sFlt-1 in 10 early (early pregnancy group) and 10 middle pregnancies (middle pregnancy group)., Results: (1) sFlt-1 mRNA of placental tissue was significantly higher in preeclampsia group (0.95 +/- 0.04) than that in normal pregnancy group (0.64 +/- 0.15). (2) The serum level of sFlt-1 of peripheral vein in preeclampsia group 1 (5640 +/- 3191) ng/L was higher than that in normal pregnancy group 1 (2194 +/- 635) ng/L. (3) The serum sFlt-1 of uterine vein in preeclampsia group 2 (7673 +/- 2296) ng/L was higher than that in normotensive pregnancy group 2 (3057 +/- 785) ng/L, indicating that the volume of sFlt-1 of uterine vein blood was significantly higher than that of peripheral venous blood (P < 0.01). (4) The serum levels of sFlt-1 in early and middle pregnancy groups were (32 +/- 20) ng/L and (994 +/- 302) ng/L, respectively, showing that the level of sFlt-1 in peripheral venous blood increasingly elevated with the development of pregnancy., Conclusions: (1) The placenta may be the major source of elevated sFlt-1. (2) The serum level of sFlt-1 is related with the development of pregnancy. The alteration of sFlt-1 may contribute to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.