Air Pollution, Indoor ; analysis ; Environment, Controlled ; Humidity ; Radon ; analysis ; Temperature

AIM To study the protective effects of Jingqi Capsules (Cordycps Militaris,Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata,Lycii Fructus,) on the damage to rat reproductive system induced by cyclophosphamide.METHODS After low and high dose groups of Jingqi Capsules and positive group were administered for two weeks in advance,cyclophosphamide [25 mg/(kg · d)] modeling was conducted consecutively by intraperitoneal injection for five days except the normal group,while the treatment groups were administered consecutively.All the rats were executed the day after the end of the modeling.Serum testosterone content was measured by radioimmunoassay;body weight,testis,epididymis and prostate of rats were weighed and organ coefficient was calculated;morphology of testis was observed by HE;sperm count and sperm motility were detected by CASA;apoptosis of cells was observed by TUNEL.RESULTS Compared with the model group,each dose group of Jingqi Capsules increased in the level of serum testosterone and organ coefficient of testis,epididymis and prostate.The damage to seminiferous epithelium relieved and the number of all spermatogenic cells increased.Sperm count and sperm motility increased.Decrease in apoptosis of cells was demonstrated by TUNEL.CONCLUSION Jingqi Capsules has protective effects on damage to rat reproductive system induced by cyclophosphamide.

Objective To optimize the extraction process of Paeoniae radix alba. Methods Extraction rates of paeoniflorin and total glucosides from Paeoniae radix alba and yield of dry extract were served as research indexes. Extraction process was optimized by central composite design-response surface methodology. Results Optimum condition of extraction technology was to extract 2 times with 9-fold of 85.00% ethanol for 100 min each time. Results of the three batches of confirmatory test were accordant with the predicted values. Conclusion The observed and predicted values were close to each other,and the optimum formulation by CCD-RSM was successful. The established model has a reliable predictability. The optimum extraction process is reasonable,stable and feasible.

Objective To evaluate the anti-tumour effect of 60℃ LipiodoI in the embolization of VX_2 hepatocarcinoma in rabbits.Methods VX_2 carcinoma cells were surgically implanted into the left liver lobe in 30 male New Zealand white rabbits,which were randomly divided into 3 groups by figure and table method with 10 rabbits in each group.Physiological saline,Lipiodol(37℃),and Lipiodol(60℃)were injected in each group via hepatic artery and liver cancer was embolized.The volume of tumour and serum level of aspartate aminotransferase(AST)were observed after one week,and the survival period of VX_2 rabbits was also observed.Results In the group of Lipiodol(60℃),the growth rate of tumour(0.92? 0.21)was significantly lower than that of control group(3.48?1.17)and Lipiodol(37℃)groups (1.69?0.26),respectively(F=34.95,P0.05),but was significantly higher than the control group(68.6?6.6)U/L(t=19.24,P

To observe the effects of total flavones of Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu et Cheng (TFM) on volume-overload cardiac hypertrophy and the expression of c-Fos protein in rat. Methods　Volume-overload cardiac hypertrophy of rat was induced by aortocaval shunts. The rats were given ig TFM (400, 40 and 4 mg/kg/d). c-Fos protein in the ventricles were measured by immunocytochemical study. Results　TFM at the above dosage decreased heart weight and contents of RNA and protein in the myocardium, inhibited the expression of c-Fos protein in the ventricles. Conclusion　TFM can prevent volume-overload cardiac hypertrophy in rats. The inhibitory effects on the expression of c-Fos protein may be its mechanism in the molecular level.

Adult ; Burnout, Professional ; Female ; Humans ; Life Change Events ; Middle Aged ; Occupations ; Professional Competence ; Work ; psychology ; Young Adult

Objective: To unveil the efficacy of Shaolin internal qigong exercise in treating capsulitis of the shoulder (CS) and explore objective outcome measures by observing the changes in the surface electromyography (sEMG) signals of shoulder muscle groups after regular practice of Shaolin internal qigong exercise in CS patients. Methods: Sixty CS patients were randomized into two groups by the random number table method, with 30 cases in each group. Patients in the qigong group practiced Shaolin internal qigong exercise on a regular basis, while patients in the electroacupuncture (EA) group received EA treatment. Before and after treatment, the sEMG signals of six muscles, i.e. biceps brachii, triceps brachii, deltoid, pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi and trapezius muscles, of the affected side were recorded at 45° abduction of the shoulder, 60° forward flexion and 90° internal rotation with the elbow flexed during maximal isometric contraction, and the integrated electromyography (iEMG) of each muscle was calculated. Results: The total effective rate was 93.3％ in the qigong group, higher than 83.3％ in the EA group (P<0.05). Intra-group comparison showed that the iEMG of biceps brachii, triceps brachii, pectoralis major and deltoid muscles in the qigong group increased significantly after intervention at 45° abduction of the shoulder, 60° forward flexion and 90° internal rotation with the elbow flexed (all P<0.05), and the iEMG of trapezius and latissimus dorsi muscles decreased (both P<0.05); in the EA group, the iEMG of biceps brachii, pectoralis major and deltoid muscles increased significantly during contraction (all P<0.05), while the iEMG of triceps brachii, trapezius and latissimus dorsi muscles had no significant changes (all P>0.05). After intervention, there were significant differences in the iEMG of most of muscles between the two groups (all P<0.05), except for the iEMG of deltoid muscle at 45° of abduction of the shoulder joint during isometric contraction (P>0.05). Conclusion: Shaolin internal qigong exercise can effectively increase the motion intensity of the biceps brachii, triceps brachii, pectoralis major and deltoid muscles and reduce the compensation of the latissimus dorsi and trapezius muscles in CS patients; compared with EA, it produces a better result in improving the coordination and stability in shoulder joint movements.

In China, combustion of fossil fuels and biomass has produced serious air pollution that does harm to human health. Based on dose-response relationships derived from epidemiological studies, the authors calculated the number of deaths and people with health problems which were thought to be attributable to China's air pollution in the year of 2000. In order to estimate the corresponding economic impacts from the national point of view, the general equilibrium approach was selected as an analysis tool for this study. A computable general equilibrium (CGE) model was constructed involving 39 sectors and 32 commodities. The human capital approach (HCA) was also used for comparison. The economic burden of disease for people estimated by HCA was equivalent to 1.26 per thousand (ranging from 0.44 per thousand to 1.84 per thousand) of China's gross domestic product (GDP). China's GDP loss estimated by the general equilibrium approach reached 0.38 per thousand (ranging from 0.16 per thousand to 0.51 per thousand). The difference between the two approaches and the implications of the results were discussed.
Air Pollution ; adverse effects ; economics ; China ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Environmental Exposure ; adverse effects ; economics ; Health Status ; Humans ; Models, Theoretical ; Morbidity ; Mortality ; Public Health ; economics

There are currently two commonly used approaches to assessing economic impacts of health damage resulting from environmental pollution: human capital approach (HCA) and willingness-to-pay (WTP). WTP can be further divided into averted expenditure approach (AEA), hedonic wage approach (HWA), contingent valuation approach (CVA) and hedonic price approach (HPA). A general review of the principles behind these approaches by the authors indicates that these methods are incapable of unveiling the mechanism of health impact from the point of view of national economy. On a basis of economic system, the shocks brought about by health effects of environmental pollution change the labor supply and medical expenditure, which in turn affects the level of production activity in each sector and the total final consumption pattern of the society. The general equilibrium approach within the framework of macroeconomic theory is able to estimate the health impact on national economy comprehensively and objectively. Its mechanism and applicability are discussed in detail by the authors.
Environmental Health ; economics ; methods ; standards ; Environmental Pollution ; economics ; Models, Theoretical

Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of T-cell receptor (TCR) Ⅴβ subfamily in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) patients.Methods Twenty-eight patients with HBV-ACLF (HBV-ACLF group) and 32 patients with chronic hepatitis B flare (CHB-F group),who were treated in The Second People's Hospital from Oct.2010 to Mar.2012,and 20 healthy controls (HC group) were included in the study.Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the levels of TCR Ⅴβ subfamily and enzymelinked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the levels of serum cytokines [interleukin (IL)-2,IL-4,IL-6,IL-10,interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α)] in the three groups.The comparison among three groups was done by one-way analysis of variance and the comparison between two groups was done by LSD-t test or rank sum test.Results The three groups had similar gender and age distribution (all P＞0.05).The HBV-ACLF group had significant different profiles of total bilirubin,albumin,prothrombin activity,international normalized ratio and cholesterol tatol compared with the CHB-F group (all P＜0.05).For patients in the HBV-ACLF group,the serum IL-2,IL-4,and IL-10 levels were lower(all P=0.000),and the IL-6 and IFN γ levels were higher than those of the HC group (all P=0.000).The IL-4,IL-10,and TNF-α levels in the CHB-F group were also significantly lower than those of the HC group (all P=0.000).Compared with the CHB-F group,the HBV-ACLF group had significantly lower IL-2,IL-10,and TNF-α levels (P=0.003,0.002,0.004),and higher IL-6 and IFN-γ levels (P=0.015,0.006).By one-way analysis of variance,there were significantly differences of △Ct1,△Ct5,△Ct7,△Ct12,△Ct15,△Ct20,△Ct22,and △Ct23 among the three groups (H=20.368,14.368,19.500,31.532,19.985,19.116,41.752 and 20.649,all P＜0.05).Conclusion The expression levels of TCR Ⅴβ subfamily and cytokines are changed in HBV-ACLF patients.