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Objective To investigate proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells in adult rats after cerebral infarction. Methods Models of cerebral infarction in rats were made and the time-course expression of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), Musashi 1, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and neuronal nuclear antigen (NeuN) were determined by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining. BrdU and Musashi 1 were used to mark dividing neural stem cells. GFAP and NeuN were used to mark differentiating neural stem cells. Results Compared with controls, the number of BrdU-labeled and BrdU-labeled with Musashi 1-positive cells increased strikingly 1 day after cerebral infarction; approximately 6 fold with a peak 7 days later; markedly decreased 14 days later, but was still elevated compared with that of controls; decling to the control level 28 days later. The number of BrdU-labeled with GFAP-positive cells nearly remained unchanged in the hippocampus after cerebral infarction. The number of BrdU-labeled with NeuN-positive cells increased strikingly 14 days after cerebral infarction, reached maximum peak in the hippocampus 28 days after cerebral infarction in rats. Conclusion Cerebral infarction stimulate proliferation of inherent neural stem cells and most proliferated neural stem cells differentiate into neurons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze whether twin pregnancies resulting from assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) had an increased risk of obstetric complications or adverse neonatal outcomes., Study Design: The obstetric and neonatal outcomes of 252 cases of twin pregnancies, including 108 cases conceived by ART and 144 cases of natural conception, delivered at our hospital between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2011, were compared retrospectively., Results: Mean maternal age in the ART group was significantly older than that of the control group (31.04 ± 3.63 vs. 28.81 ± 4.75, t = 2.88, p < 0.05). Among the gravidas (< 35 years old) the incidence of premature rupture in the ART group and the control group was statistically significant (22.09% vs. 10.48%, χ2 = 5.30, p < 0.05). The incidence of mild asphyxia of the second twin in the ART group and the control group was also statistically significant (23.53% vs. 12.20%, χ2 = 4.61, p < 0.05). However, there was no statistical difference in other maternal or neonatal complications of twins between the ART group and the control group., Conclusion: In this study, except for a higher incidence of morbidity, premature rupture of membranes, and mild asphyxia of the second twin, the obstetric complications or adverse neonatal outcome in the ART group were similar, which indicated that ART-conceived twin pregnancies were not at higher risk for obstetric complications or adverse neonatal outcome than were naturally conceived twin pregnancies.

We investigated serum folic acid (FA) levels in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) and/or premature ejaculation (PE). Fasting serum samples were obtained from 42 patients with ED, 36 with PE, 25 ED patients with PE, and 30 healthy men; the mean intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) was measured during a 4 weeks baseline period. Levels of sex hormones (follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, total testosterone), homocysteine (Hcys), and FA were measured using chemiluminescent immunoassays. The sexual functions of PE patients and normal control men were evaluated using the Chinese Index of Premature Ejaculation (CIPE). The abridged International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) questionnaire was used to gauge erectile quality for ED patients and for normal controls. Serum FA concentrations were lower in ED (7.61 ± 3.97 ng ml⁻¹), PE (9.37 ± 3.40 ng ml⁻¹), and ED/PE (8.84 ± 4.28 ng ml⁻¹) patients than in healthy men (12.23 ± 5.76 ng ml -1 , P < 0.05). No significant differences in sex hormone levels were found between patients with sexual dysfunction and healthy controls (P > 0.05). There were positive correlations between serum FA concentrations and CIPE scores (r = 0.530, P < 0.01), IIEF-5 scores (r = 0.589, P < 0.01), and IELT (r = 0.445, P < 0.01); negative correlations with Hcys concentrations (r = -0.487, P < 0.01) were found in all participants. These findings showed a strong relationship between serum FA levels and sexual dysfunction, possibly due to an effect of FA on the metabolism of nitric oxide, Hcys, and 5-hydroxytryptamine.