The left ventricular twist was evaluated by 2-dimensional ultrasound speckle-tracking imaging (STI) in 50 patients with hypertension with normal geometric left ventricle (LV) and 45 normal subjects as control group. The mean value of LV rotation was obtained at each plane using STI. LV twist and twist velocity were defined as apical rotation/rotation rate relative to the base respectively. To adjust the intersubject differences in heart rates, the time sequence were normalized. The results showed that peak twist developed near the end of systole. Peak LV twist was significantly higher in patients with hypertension than normal controls (P<0.001). The diastolic untwisting mainly occurred in early diastole (≈38%). Compared with normal controls, untwisting rate (Untw R) in patients with hypertension was significantly reduced (P<0.001), and untwisting half-time (UHT) was significantly delayed (P<0.05). This study demonstrated that STI has a potential ability to evaluate the early change of heart function in patients with hypertension by measuring the twist of LV.
To observe the effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on human adenoid cystic carcinoma ACC-2 cell line proliferation and ERK, cyclin D1/p21waf/cip1 signaling pathways, human adenoid cystic carcinoma cells (ACC-2) were cultured and the influence of bFGF of different concentrations on cell proliferation was determined by MTT. Protein was detected by immuno-precipitation and ERK activity by using ERK agent kit. p-ERK1/2 and down-stream cyclin D1, p21waf/cip1 expression were detected by Western blotting and the interfering role of mitogen protein-activated kinase (MEK) suppressor U0126 in the afore-mentioned indicators was examined. MTT demonstrated ACC-2 cell proliferation was substantially enhanced by bFGF, immuno-precipitation displayed ERK activity was up-regulated by bFGF, and immuno-imprinting also showed p-ERK1/2, cyclin D1 expression was greatly enhanced and p21waf/cip1 expression was inhibited by bFGF. U0126 suppressed the effect of bFGF. It is concluded that bFGF can promote the proliferation of human adenoid cystic carcinoma ACC-2 cells, and its pathways are associated with the up-regulated activity and expression of p-ERK1/2, inhibited p21waf/cip1 expression and enhanced cyclin D1 expression.
In order to investigate the expression of Th1 and Th2 cytokines in the vaginal candidiasis caused by Candida, the fungal vaginitis model was established in female ICR mice by intravaginal inoculation of suspension of C. albicans after the animals were pretreated with estradiol. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-β1 in the vagina in the mice of different groups at different time points after the beginning of the experiment. The average expression level of IL-2 mRNA in group D (estrogen-treated mice) was significantly higher than that in groups H (estrogen-untreated mice) and I (control group) on the day 2. The average expression level of IL-4 mRNA in group D was significantly higher than that in groups I and H on the day 5. The average expression level of IL-10 mRNA in group D was significantly higher than that in groups H and I from day 7 to 11. The average expression level of TGF-β1 mRNA in group D was significantly higher than that in groups H and I at all time points. It was concludes that the high-level expression of IL-2 mRNA during early infection was associated with clearance of mucosal C. albicans, and the high-level expression of IL-10 mRNA during late stage of the infection was related to susceptibility to infection. TGF-β1 may play a predominant role when the virtual absence of changes in other Th-type cytokines during infection.
In order to compare GnRH agonist with antagonist protocol for the same patient during controlled ovarian stimulation cycles, the in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) outcome was retrospectively studied in 81 patients undergoing 105 agonist protocols and 88 antagonist protocols. The results showed that there was no statistically significant difference in duration of ovarian stimulation, number of ampoules, oocytes retrieved, serum estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) levels, thickness of endometrium, the zygote-and blastocyst-development rate between GnRH agonist and antagonist protocols (P>0.05). High quality embryo rate was higher in antagonist protocols, but there was no significant difference between two protocols. Implantation rate and clinical pregnant rate were significantly higher in antagonist protocol (15.82% and 30.26%, respectively) than in agonist protocol (5.26% and 10.64% respectively (P<0.05). It was concluded GnRH antagonist protocol probably improved the outcome of pregnancy of older patients with a history of multiple failure of IVF-ET in a GnRH protocol.