Arctiin-encapsulated DSPE-PEG bubble-like nanoparticles inhibit alveolar epithelial type 2 cell senescence to alleviate pulmonary fibrosis the p38/p53/p21 pathway.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a severe and deadly form of diffuse parenchymal lung disease and treatment options are few. Alveolar epithelial type 2 (AEC2) cell senescence is implicated in the pathogenies of IPF. A major bioactive compound from the traditional Chinese medicine , arctiin (ARC) has robust anti-inflammatory, anti-senescence, and anti-fibrosis functions.

The CD24 cell subset promotes invasion and metastasis in human osteosarcoma.

Background: Osteosarcoma is the most common primary aggressive bone tumor affecting children and young adolescents. Metastases are often resistant to conventional chemotherapy and mean short-term survival. Development of valuable diagnostic indicators and targeting agents will have important implications for clinical diagnosis by the identification and characterization of molecules that contribute to its aggressive behavior.

[Repairing effect of wheat-grain moxibustion on thin-type endometrium in rats].

Objective: To observe the repairing effects of estrogen and wheat-grain moxibustion on thin-type endometrium in rats and to explore its possible mechanism.

Methods: Forty healthy SPF-grade adult female SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, an estrogen group and a moxibustion group according to random number table method, 10 rats in each group. The model of thin-type endometrium was established during estrous period in all the groups except for the normal group.

MiR-539 functions as a tumor suppressor in pancreatic cancer by targeting TWIST1.

The dysregulation of microRNA (miRNA) expression has been highlighted in a variety of human malignant conditions with reports implicating a critical role in the process of tumor growth. The role of miR-539 in pancreatic cancer (PC) is yet to be fully elucidated, hence the aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of miR-539 expression in relation to a cohort of 52 PC specimens. The application of a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) revealed a significantly down-regulated miR-539 level, which was accompanied by an increased TWIST1 expression in PC when compared with the controls.

Vascular endothelial Cdc42 deficiency delays skin wound-healing processes by increasing IL-1β and TNF-α expression.

Angiogenesis is an important step in skin wound repair. Angiogenesis is affected by the functions of many types of cells, especially endothelial cells. Cdc42 plays a vital role in endothelial cell function and vascular development; however, the role of Cdc42 in skin microvascular permeability and skin wound healing is unclear.

Methylation levels of IGF2 and KCNQ1 in spermatozoa from infertile men are associated with sperm DNA damage.

Abnormal imprinted genes methylation in spermatozoa has been shown to be associated with subfertility. However, the relationship between sperm DNA damage and specific imprinted genes methylation remains unclear. In this study, DNA methylation levels were determined at seven imprinted genes loci (H19, INS-IGF2, KCNQ1, MEG3, MEST, PEG3 and SNRPN) in 66 semen samples using the MSRE-qPCR method.

Down-regulation of MiR-539 Indicates Poor Prognosis in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer.

It has been demonstrated that miR-539 plays an important role in the development and progression of tumors. The purpose of this study was to analyze the correlation between the expression level of miR-539 and the clinicopathological features and prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to analyze the expression level of miR-539 in 60 patients with pancreatic cancer.

Prediction and evaluation of the severity of acute respiratory distress syndrome following severe acute pancreatitis using an artificial neural network algorithm model.

Background: To predict the risk and severity of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) following severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) by artificial neural networks (ANNs) model.

Methods: ANNs model was constructed by clinical data of 217 SAP patients. The model was first trained on 152 randomly chosen patients, validated and tested on the 33 patients and 32 patients respectively.

[Multiplex fluorescence PCR for detection of Y Chromesome microdeletions].

Objective: Detection of azoospermia factor (AZF) microdeletions on the Y chromosome is one of the auxiliary strategies recognized at home and abroad for the examination of male infertility. Traditional PCR gel electrophoresis fails to meet the clinical needs due to its shortcomings. The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of multiplex fluorescence PCR in the detection of AZF microdeletions.

[Value of prostaticexosomal protein contentsin the first- and mid-stream urine for the diagnosis of chronic prostatitis].

Objective: To detect the contents of prostaticexosomal protein (PSEP) in the first- and mid-stream urine and assess their clinical value in the diagnosis of chronic prostatitis (CP).

Methods: This study included358 male outpatientsat Nanjing General Hospital from November 2017 to May 2018, 269 diagnosed with and the other 89 without CP. Wemeasured the contents of PSEP in the first- and mid-stream urine samples collected from the subjectsby ELISA anddetermined the sensitivity and specificity, and total coincidence rate ofthe PSEPcontents in the diagnosis of CP.

Artificial neural network algorithm model as powerful tool to predict acute lung injury following to severe acute pancreatitis.

Objective: The aim of this study is to predict the risk of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) associated with acute lung injury (ALI) by artificial neural networks (ANNs) model.

Methods: The ANNs and logistic regression model were constructed using clinical and laboratory data of 217 SAP patients. The models were first trained on 152 randomly chosen patients, validated and tested on the 33 patients and 32 patients respectively.

The effect of serine phosphorylated claudin-7 on the epithelial barrier and the modulation by transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 in human colonic cells.

Abnormal phosphorylation of claudins changes the interaction and aggregation of tight junction proteins, affecting the intestinal epithelial barrier. Selective blockade of transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) alleviated experimental colitis. Whether TRPV4 affects the intestinal epithelial barrier and the relationship to claudin-7 phosphorylation remain unknown.

[Correlation of the single nucleotide polymorphisms rs34349826 and rs6521 of the LHB gene with male infertility in Chinese men].

Objective: To study the relationship of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) rs34349826 (c.104 A>G) and rs6521 (c.114 C>G) of the luteinizing hormone beta-subunit (LHB) gene with male infertility in Chinese men.

[Fosfomycin tromethamine inhibits the expressions of TNF-α, IL-8 and IL-6 in the prostate tissue of rats with chronic bacterial prostatitis].

Objective: To investigate the effects of fosfomycin tromethamine (FT) on the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the prostate tissue of the rats with chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP).

Methods: We randomly divided 70 male SD rats into 7 groups of equal number: blank control, CBP model control, positive control, 14 d low-dose FT, 7 d low-dose FT, 14 d high-dose FT, and 7 d high-dose FT. The CBP model rats in the latter five groups were treated intragastrically with levofloxacin at 100 mg/kg/d for 30 days and FT at 200 mg/kg/d for 14 and 7 days and at 300 mg/kg/d for 14 and 7 days, respectively.

[Mycoplasma genitalium and male urogenital diseases: An update].

Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) was first isolated by Tully from the urinary tract of the male patient with non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU) in 1981. MG is extremely difficult to be cultured and was rarely studied until the development and application of molecular biology technology. The research on MG in China is still in the primary stage.

[Correlation of the single nucleotide polymorphism rs662 of PON1 with the risk of male infertility].

Objective: To investigate the correlation between the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs662 of the paraoxonase 1 gene (PON1) and the risk of male infertility.

Methods: This case-control study included 403 male idiopathic infertility patients aged 29.00 ± 4.

[Levels of serum reproductive hormones and metabolic syndrome in adult males].

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) and its relationship with reproductive hormones in adult males in China.

Methods: Using the cluster and stratified sampling methods, we conducted an investigation among 3 600 adult males aged over 20 years in Hebei, Shaanxi and Jiangsu provinces. We obtained their reproductive hormone levels, biochemical indicators and basic body indexes and compared them between the two groups of subjects.

[Impact of Mycoplasma genitalium infection on the semen quality of infertile males].

Objective: To explore Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) infection in the urogenital tract of infertile men and its influence on semen quality.

Methods: Semen samples were collected from 352 infertile males in the Center of Reproductive Medicine of Nanjing General Hospital from March to July 2015. MG infection was detected by real-time fluorescence simultaneous amplification and testing and semen analyses were conducted according to the WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen (5th Ed) on the semen pH value, semen volume, total sperm count, sperm concentration, total sperm motility, percentages of progressively motile sperm (PMS) and immotile sperm (IMS), and sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI).

[Lipoic acid protects spermatogenesis in male rats with ornidazole-induced oligoasthenozoospermia].

Objective: To study the protective effect of lipoic acid (LA) on the spermatogenic function of the male rats with oligoasthenozoospermia induced by ornidazole (ORN).

Methods: Seventy male SD rats were equally randomized into groups A (solvent control: 1 ml 0.5% CMC-Na + 1 ml olive oil), B (low-dose ORN model: 400 mg/kg ORN suspension + 1 ml olive oil), C (low-dose ORN + low-dose LA treatment: 400 mg/kg ORN + 50 mg/kg LA), D (low-dose ORN + high-dose LA treatment: 400 mg/kg ORN + 100 mg/kg LA), E (high-dose ORN model: 800 mg/kg ORN suspension + 1 ml olive oil), F (high-dose ORN + low-dose LA treatment: 800 mg/kg ORN + 50 mg/kg LA), and G (high-dose ORN + high-dose LA treatment: 800 mg/kg ORN + 100 mg/kg LA), and treated respectively for 20 successive days.

[Clinical application of the disposable vasographic interventional therapy kit in vasoseminal vesiculography].

Objective: To investigate the success rate and safety of percutaneous vasoseminal vesiculography with the disposable vasographic interventional therapy kit (VITK).

Methods: This study included ninety-six 19－65 (mean 43) years old male patients with infertility, hematospermia, seminal vesicle cyst, ejaculatory duct cyst, ejaculatory dysfunction, or vas deferens injury, with disease courses varying from 1 month to 7 years. With an open, multi-centered, single-group, self-controlled design and using the disposable VITK, we treated the patients by percutaneous vasoseminal vesiculography via injection of contrast medium into the vas deferens cavity under local anesthesia.

[The application of intestinal stomas in mesenteric ischemia].

To evaluate the application of intestinal stomas in mesenteric ischemia (MI) according to the concept of damage control surgery. Clinical data of 59 MI patients received intestinal stomas at Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine from January 2010 to June 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 41 male and 18 female patients aging of (51±14) years (ranging from 20 to 86 years).

Development and Validation of a Novel Survival Prediction Model in Patients With Spinal Metastasis From Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a model for predicting survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) spinal metastasis and compare its accuracy with the existing scoring systems.

Summary Of Background Data: Spinal metastasis is commonly seen in advanced NSCLC and usually associated with poor survival prognosis.

Identification of pathways and genes associated with synovitis in osteoarthritis using bioinformatics analyses.

Synovitis in osteoarthritis (OA) is a very common condition. However, its underlying mechanism is still not well understood. This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanisms of synovitis in OA.

[Relationship between the FSHR Thr307Ala-Asn680Ser gene polymorphism and male infertility: A meta-analysis].

Objective: To assess the association of the FSHR Thr307Ala-Asn680Ser gene polymorphism with male infertility.

Methods: We searched Pubmed, EMBASE, Web of Science, CNKI, and WANFANG databases for literature on the correlation of the FSHR Thr307Ala-Asn680Ser gene polymorphism with male infertility published from 2005 to the present time. According to the inclusion criteria, we included 12 epidemiological case-control studies and subjected them to a comprehensive analysis with the Stata11.