Elevated hemoglobin A2 as a marker for β-thalassemia trait in pregnant women.

β-thalassemia is one of the most prevalent inherited hemoglobin disorders. Compound heterozygotes or homozygous mutations of the β-globin chain gene account for severe cases of β-thalassemia that require lifelong transfusion, and make it necessary to identify β-thalassemia carries for prenatal diagnosis. The increase in hemoglobin A2 (HbA2) level is the most significant parameter in the identification of β-thalassemia carriers.

Derivation of cloned human blastocysts by histone deacetylase inhibitor treatment after somatic cell nuclear transfer with β-thalassemia fibroblasts.

Derivation of embryonic stem cells from patient-specific cloned blastocysts by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) holds promise for both regenerative medicine and cell-based drug discovery. However, the efficiency of blastocyst formation after human SCNT is very low. The developmental competence of SCNT embryos has been previously demonstrated in several species to be enhanced by treatment with histone deacetylase inhibitors, such as trichostatin A (TSA), to increase histone acetylation.

[Relationship between mycoplasma and chlamydia infection and lesions in the cervical tissue in high-risk HPV-positive patients].

Objective: Discussion of the relationship between Mycoplasma and chlamydia infection and lesions in the cervical tissue in high-risk HPV-positive infertile patients with cervical.

Methods: HPV-negative patients with cervical as the control, retrospective analysis the relationship of Mycoplasma hominis and chlamydia infection, cervical histological graded, and inflammation graded.

Results: The rate of HPV infection in mycoplasma-positive and those with negative mycoplasma has significant difference (P < 0.

[The treatment research of people with different types of HPV infection in sterile patients].

Objective: Explore the optimal treatment of infertility patients infected with different types of human papillomavirus (HPV).

Methods: According to cervical pathology, cervical status and the procreate desire of the infertility patients, the 144 clinic cases of high-risk human papillomavirus infected infertile patients were divided into two gruoups: group with treatment and without treatment. Real-time quantitative fluorescent PCR (RT-PCR) has been employed, follow-up time is 6 months, to detect the HPV-DNA in the crevical exfoliated cells, to observe the negative conversion rate and pregnancy rate, and compare analyzed.

Genetic and epigenetic X-chromosome variations in a parthenogenetic human embryonic stem cell line.

Purpose: To assess the genetic and epigenetic status of parthenogenetic human embryonic stem cells (phESCs).

Methods: Cytogenetics, X chromosome inactivation (XCI) and gene expression patterns were analyzed in one phESC line (FY-phES-018) that was derived from our laboratory.

Results: FY-phES-018 cells displayed the classical characteristics of normal hESCs.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy in a female patient with a karyotype of 46,X,i(X)(q10).

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe recessive X-linked form of muscular dystrophy caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene and it affects males predominantly. Here we report a 4-year-old girl with DMD from a healthy family, in which her parents and sister have no DMD genotype. A PCR-based method of multiple ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) analysis showed the deletion of exons 46 and 47 in the dystrophin gene, which led to loss of dystrophin function.

[Rapid diagnosis of Down's and Edward's syndrome by multiplex real-time quantitative PCR].

Objective: To establish a multiplex real-time quantitative PCR method for diagnosis of Down's and Edward's syndrome.

Methods: The sequences of the amyloid precursor protein gene (APP) in the Down's region of chromosome 21 and the thymidylate synthetase gene (TYMS) on chromosome 18 were co-amplified in the same tube. The relative quantitative index DeltaCT value was used to differentiate Down's and Edward's syndrome patient from healthy individual.

[Development and genetic polymorphism of abnormal pronuclear zygotes after intracytoplasmic sperm injection].

Objective: To compare the development of abnormal pronuclear zygotes after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and analyze their genetic polymorphism.

Methods: Four hundred and ninety three abnormal pronuclear zygotes after ICSI were divided into three groups based on the number of pronuclei: 347 nonpronuclear oocytes, 71 monopronuclear zygotes and 75 multipronuclear zygotes. All of them were cultured in the medium of Vitrolife G5 series(TM).

A modified culture medium increases blastocyst formation and the efficiency of human embryonic stem cell derivation from poor-quality embryos.

Human embryonic stem cells (HESCs) are defined as self-renewing cells that retain their ability to differentiate into all cell types of the body. They have enormous potential in medical applications and as a model for early human development. There is a need for derivation of new HESC lines to meet emerging requirements for their use in cell replacement therapies, disease modeling, and basic research.

Role of brominated diphenly ether-209 in the differentiation of neural stem cells in vitro.

Brominated diphenly ether-209 (BDE-209, decaBDE) is among the most common flame retardants. In a previous study, it was confirmed that exposure to BDE-209 can decrease learning and memory in mice. However, it is still unknown whether BDE-209 has an effect on cultured neural stem cells (NSCs).

Cryptotanshinione upregulates alpha-secretase by activation PI3K pathway in cortical neurons.

The amyloid precursor protein (APP) is cleaved enzymatically by nonamyloidogenic and amyloidogenic pathways. alpha-Secretase cleaves APP within beta amyloid protein (Abeta) sequence, resulting in the release of a secreted fragment of APP (sAPPalpha) and precluding Abeta generation. Cryptotanshinone (CTS), an active component of the medicinal herb Salvia miltiorrhiza, has been shown to improve learning and memory in several pharmacological models of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

[The relationship between the level of circulating endothelial progenitor cells CD34+; and carotid artery arteriosclerosis in youth and middle aged patients with essential hypertension].

Objective: To explore the relationship between the level of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) CD34+ with the Framingham cardiovascular risk factors, or with the carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT), and to evaluate the value of circulating EPCs CD34+ level as a cytological marker of early vascular lesion in youth and middle aged essential hypertension (EH) patients.

Methods: A total of 62 patients with EH aged between 25 to 45 were enrolled as study group and 20 healthy people were enrolled as control group. EH patients were stratified with cardiovascular risk factors according to Framingham risk factors score into low-risk group with 18 cases, mid-risk group with 14 cases, high-risk group with 17 cases, and extremely high-risk group with 13 cases.

[Mechanisms of foam cell formation in smooth muscle cell derived from bone marrow stem cells].

Objective: To establish a model of smooth muscle cells differentiated from bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC-SMCs) in vitro and explore the relationship between scavenger receptors A (SR-A) and caveolin-1.

Methods: BMSCs were isolated from the femoral bone of SD rats by adherent culture. After treatment of the BMSC-SMCs with 80 mg/L ox-LDL for 72 h, Western blotting was performed to detect the expression of scavenger receptor SR-A, cell cholesterol transport protein ATP-binding cassette transporter Al (ABCA1) and caveolin-1.

Protective effect of N-acetylcysteine against BDE-209-induced neurotoxicity in primary cultured neonatal rat hippocampal neurons in vitro.

Globally, brominated diphenyl ether-209 (BDE-209) is the most widely used polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDEs). It has been reported that BDE-209 induces developmental neurotoxicity in vivo. The purpose of this study was to use an antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), as an antidote for the neurotoxic effect of BDE-209.

[Effect of oxidative low-density lipoprotein on the proliferation of bone marrow stem cell- derived smooth muscle cells].

Objective: To establish the model of bone mesenchymal stem cell-derived smooth muscle cells (BMSC-SMCs) and investigate the role of BMSC-SMCs in the development and progression of artherosclerosis.

Methods: BMSCs were isolated from the femoral bone of SD rats by adherent tissue culture method, and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were obtained from the thoracic aorta. The differentiation of BMSCs into BMSC-SMCs was induced in the conditioned medium.

Similar DNA methylation and histone H3 lysine 9 dimethylation patterns in tripronuclear and corrected bipronuclear human zygotes.

After fertilization, male and female gametes undergo extensive reprogramming to restore totipotency. Both DNA methylation and histone modification are important epigenetic reprogramming events. Previous studies have reported that the paternal pronucleus of the human zygote is actively demethylated to some extent, while the maternal pronucleus remains methylated.

Imaging characteristics of pneumocystis pneumonia after renal transplantation.

Identification of Pneumocysis pneumonia (PCP) after renal transplantation has a great impact on early diagnosis and therapy, which could decrease its mortality. Due to a lack of characteristic clinical symptoms, imaging modalities became very important in the diagnosing PCP. Thirteen PCP patients after renal transplantation were reviewed.

Assessment of the neurotoxic mechanisms of decabrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE-209) in primary cultured neonatal rat hippocampal neurons includes alterations in second messenger signaling and oxidative stress.

2',2',3',3',4',4',5',5',6',6',-decabrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE-209) is the most widely used polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) globally. Some animal experiments have found that PBDE-209 caused developmental neurotoxicity. But detailed mechanisms are less well understood.

Skewed X chromosome inactivation in diploid and triploid female human embryonic stem cells.

Background: Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are interesting models for the study of epigenetic mechanisms. Epigenetic stability in hESCs is critical to ensure the quality and safety of these cells in regenerative medicine. One of the first measurable epigenetic phenomena is X chromosome inactivation (XCI).

Derivation and characterization of human embryonic stem cell lines from poor quality embryos.

Poor quality embryos discarded from in vitro fertilization (IVF) laboratories are good sources for deriving human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines. In this study, 166 poor quality embryos donated from IVF centers on day 3 were cultured in a blastocyst medium for 2 days, and 32 early blastocysts were further cultured in a blastocyst optimum culture medium for additional 2 days so that the inner cell masses (ICMs) could be identified and isolated easily. The ICMs of 17 blastocysts were isolated by a mechanical method, while those of the other 15 blastocysts were isolated by immunosurgery.

Developmental potential of human oocytes reconstructed by transferring somatic cell nuclei into polyspermic zygote cytoplasm.

The generation of patient-specific nuclear transfer embryonic stem cells holds huge promise in modern regenerative medicine and cell-based drug discovery. Since human in vivo matured oocytes are not readily available, human therapeutic cloning is developing slowly. Here, we investigated for the first time whether human polyspermic zygotes could support preimplantation development of cloned embryos.

Predictive value of semen parameters in in vitro fertilisation pregnancy outcome.

This study investigated retrospectively the predictive value of routine semen analysis in pregnancy by in vitro fertilisation (IVF). The selected (n = 796) cycles were divided into two groups: pregnancy group (group 1; n = 264) and nonpregnancy group (group 2; n = 532), in which the female partners were normal or just had tube problems. No significant differences were found in the percentage of normal sperm morphology, sperm motility, sperm progressive motility, rapid progressive motility (rapid) and concentration between the two groups (P > 0.

Enhancement of survivin gene downregulation and cell apoptosis by a novel combination: liposome microbubbles and ultrasound exposure.

Ultrasound-mediated microbubble destruction (sonoporation) is an efficient and safe nonviral technique for gene delivery. In the present work, we hypothesized that short hairpin RNA (shRNA) interference therapy targeting human Survivin gene could be transfected by the novel combination of ultrasound exposure (USE) and liposome microbubbles (LM). ShRNA vectors targeting Survivin were constructed and transfected under USE and LM conditions.

Induced apoptosis with ultrasound-mediated microbubble destruction and shRNA targeting survivin in transplanted tumors.

Introduction: This study was designed to evaluate the consequences of survivin down-modulation on tumor growth in a nude mice model combined with short hairpin RNA recombinant vector (shRNA) and ultrasound-mediated microbubble destruction (UMMD).

Methods: BALB/c nude mice were inoculated subcutaneously with cervical cancer cells (HeLa) and tumors (5-10 mm) developed. A shRNA recombinant vector that targeted the survivin gene (survivin-shRNA) was constructed.