OBJECTIVELow-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) has been reported to enhance proliferation and to alter protein production in various kinds of cells. In the present study, we measured the neurites length after LIPUS treatment to define the effectiveness of LIPUS stimulation on neurons, and then we examined the acticity of GSK-3beta to study the intracellular mechanism of neurite's outgrowth.

METHODSLIPUS was applied to cultured primary rat cortical neurons for 5 minutes every day with spatial- and temporal average intensities (SATA) of 10 mW/cm(2), a pulse width of 200 microseconds, a repetition rate of 1.5 KHz, and an operation frequency of 1 MHz. Neurons were photographed on the third day after LIPUS treatment and harvested at third, seventh, and tenth days for immunoblot and semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis.

RESULTSMorphology change showed that neurite extension was enhanced by LIPUS. There was also a remarkable decrease of proteins, including p-Akt, p-GSK-3beta, and p-CRMP-2, observed on the seventh and tenth days, and of GSK-3beta mRNA expression, observed on the seventh day, in neurons treated with LIPUS.

CONCLUSIONLIPUS can enhance elongation of neurites and it is possible through the decreased expression of GSK-3beta.

Animals ; Base Sequence ; Cells, Cultured ; DNA Primers ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta ; Neurites ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Ultrasonics

OBJECTIVESolar ultraviolet (UV) radiation is an important environmental factor that affects human health. The understanding of diurnal variations of UV radiation at anatomical sites may be helpful in developing ways to protect humans from the harmful effects of UV radiation.

METHODSIn order to characterize the diurnal variations, the UV exposure values were measured at 30 min intervals by using Solar-UV Sensors and a rotating manikin in Shenyang city of China (41 degrees 51'N, 123 degrees 27'E). Measurement data for four representative days (in each of the four seasons respectively) were analyzed.

RESULTSThe diurnal variations in solar UV radiation at the shoulder, the forehead and the chest were similar to those associated with a horizontal control measurement. However, the diurnal variations at the eye and the cheek exhibited bimodal distributions with two peaks in spring, summer and autumn, and a unimodal distribution in winter. The UV exposure peaks at the eye and the cheek were measured at solar elevation angles (SEA) of about 30 degrees and 40 degrees , respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe protection of some anatomical sites such as the eye from high UV exposure should not be focused solely on the periods before and after noon, especially in the places and seasons with high SEA.

Circadian Rhythm ; Ultraviolet Rays

OBJECTIVETo assess HCH and DDT exposure levels and associated risk factors among 262 children aged 6-10 years in a northeastern rural area of China between April and May of 2008.

METHODSEight HCH and DDT metabolites in serum samples were monitored by gas chromatography. A questionnaire was administered to identify the sources of pesticides in children' serum samples.

RESULTSAt least one pesticide metabolite was detected in 81.7% of the tested children. Higher amounts of pp'DDD were detected in 50% of them. Children's age and their father's occupation as farmers, together with not changing work clothes after work, were the main risk factors for HCH and DDT exposure among them.

CONCLUSIONChildren living in rural areas are experiencing multiple sources of organochlorine pesticide exposure. These pesticides may have been retained in the environment for a long period of time.

Child ; China ; Environmental Exposure ; Humans ; Lindane ; toxicity ; Rural Population

OBJECTIVETo find a sensitive cytotoxic response to reflect the bio-toxicity of trace organic pollutants, the sensitivity and reliability of morphological change and proliferation inhibition of Vero cells exposed to 2, 4, 6-trichlorophenol (TCP) and the leachate from products related to drinking water (PRDW) were compared, and the mechanism of the morphological change in Vero cells exposed to chemical pollutants was studied.

METHODSVero cells were treated by different concentration of TCP and the leachate from PRDW. Methylthiazol-2-yl-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was carried out for proliferation inhibition. Bioluminescence method was carried out as another method to test the toxicity of TCP. Flow Cytometry assay was used to test cell Apoptosis and damage of cell-membrane.

RESULTS0.25 mg/L TCP had an effect on cell morphology, and the proportion of morphologically changed cells increased with increasing TCP concentration. At low TCP concentrations, inhibition of cell proliferation did not seem to correlate to TCP concentration, and was negative when TCP concentration was <1.0 mg/L. After exposure to leachate from PRDW extracted at different temperatures, the percentage of morphologically changed cells increased with extracting temperature, but the inhibition of cell proliferation failed to reflect the correlation between extracting temperature and proliferation inhibition of Vero cells. Although the Sensitivity of bioluminescence method seems to be similar to morphological change in Vero cells, the bacterial in this method is not homologous enough with human body cells to reflect the toxicity to human body. These imply cell morphological change is a more sensitive and reliable method to reflect bio-toxicity of organic pollutants than proliferation inhibition. Flow cytometry analysis and cell rejuvenation experiments indicated cell membrane damage, which results in cell morphological change, was an early and sensitive cytotoxic response comparing with necrosis.

CONCLUSIONThese results indicated that the cell membrane toxicity represented by morphological changes is a more sensitive and reliable method to indicate the composite bio-toxicity of trace chemicals than proliferation inhibition, inhibition on bioluminescence and necrosis. Nevertheless, the quantification of morphological change should be studied further.

Animals ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Vero Cells ; Water Pollutants, Chemical ; toxicity

OBJECTIVETo study the characteristics of a bioflocculant named MBF7 produced by Penicillum strain HHE-P7 and the effects of cultivation conditions on bioflocculant production.

METHODSThe chemical group in the bioflocculant molecules was shown by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, and the average molecular weight of MBF7 was estimated by gel permeation chromatography. The effects of medium components on bioflocculant production and flocculating activity were studied.

RESULTSPhospho-, amino-, hydroxyl, and carboxyl groups were the major fractions of MBF7, and the molecule weight was about 3.0x10(5) Da. In addition, the carbon and nitrogen sources favorable for the bioflocculant production were glucose and yeast extract respectively. When the initial pH of the medium was adjusted to 5.0, high flocculant efficiency could be achieved.

CONCLUSIONThe bioflocculant MBF7 is a new macromolecule with high flocculating efficiency for Kaolin suspension, and could be produced under appropriate culture conditions.

Culture Media ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Penicillium ; metabolism

OBJECTIVENitrobenzene extraction enhanced by salting-out effect was employed to recover aniline from wastewater at 25 degrees C.

METHODBatchwise experiments were conducted to elucidate the influence of various operating variables on the extracting performance, including acidity of wastewater, initial aniline concentration, ratios of solvent to wastewater, extraction stages, concentrations and different types of inorganic salts, such as NaCl, KCl, Na(2)SO(4), CaCl(2) and K(2)SO(4).

RESULTSNitrobenzene with a concentration of 20% and a pH value of 9.1 at the temperature of 25 degrees C together with NaCl of a concentration of 14 wt.% realized nearly 100% aniline recovery at the fifth stage of wastewater treatment.

CONCLUSIONSHigh pH values and volume ratios of nitrobenzene/wastewater are more suitable for recovery of aniline. In addition, recovery of aniline is significantly elevated with increase of the concentration of salts, whose promoting effects are in the following order: NaCl>Na(2)SO(4)>K(2)SO(4)>CaCl(2)>KCl on the weight basis of wastewater. Furthermore, aniline in wastewater can be almost completely recovered by five-stage sequential nitrobenzene extraction, which is promoted continuously by the salting-out effect.

Aniline Compounds ; isolation & purification ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Nitrobenzenes ; chemistry ; Water Pollutants, Chemical ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVEThe present study aimed to test whether exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) emitted by mobile phone base stations may have effects on salivary alpha-amylase, immunoglobulin A (IgA), and cortisol levels.

METHODSFifty seven participants were randomly allocated to one of three different experimental scenarios (22 participants to scenario 1, 26 to scenario 2, and 9 to scenario 3). Each participant went through five 50-minute exposure sessions. The main RF-EMF source was a GSM-900-MHz antenna located at the outer wall of the building. In scenarios 1 and 2, the first, third, and fifth sessions were "low" (median power flux density 5.2 microW/m(2)) exposure. The second session was "high" (2126.8 microW/m(2)), and the fourth session was "medium" (153.6 microW/m(2)) in scenario 1, and vice versa in scenario 2. Scenario 3 had four "low" exposure conditions, followed by a "high" exposure condition. Biomedical parameters were collected by saliva samples three times a session. Exposure levels were created by shielding curtains.

RESULTSIn scenario 3 from session 4 to session 5 (from "low" to "high" exposure), an increase of cortisol was detected, while in scenarios 1 and 2, a higher concentration of alpha-amylase related to the baseline was identified as compared to that in scenario 3. IgA concentration was not significantly related to the exposure.

CONCLUSIONSRF-EMF in considerably lower field densities than ICNIRP-guidelines may influence certain psychobiological stress markers.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Cell Phone ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; analysis ; Immunoglobulin A ; analysis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Saliva ; chemistry ; Young Adult ; alpha-Amylases ; analysis

OBJECTIVEPrader-Willi Sydrome (PWS) is a human disorder related to genomic imprinting defect on 15q11-13. It is characterized by a series of classic features such as hypotonia, hyperphagia, obesity, osteoporosis, typical facial and body dysmorphosis, hypogonadism, mental and behaviour disorders. Our study was designed to precisely detect the microdeletions, which accounts for 65%-70% of the PWS.

METHODSPhysical and laboratory examinations were firstly performed to diagnose PWS clinically, and to discover novel clinical features. Then the patient was screened with bisulfite-specific sequencing and precisely delineated through high-density array CGH.

RESULTSWith the bisulfite-specific sequencing, the detected CpG island in the PWS critical region was found homozygously hypermethylated. Then with array CGH, a 2.22 Mb type II microdeletion was detected, covering a region from MKRN3, MAGEL2, NDN, PWRN2, PWRN1, C12orf2, SNURF-SNRPN, C/D snoRNAs, to distal of UBE3A.

CONCLUSIONSArray CGH, after the fast screening of Bisulfite-specific sequencing, is a feasible and precise method to detect microdeletions in PWS patients. A novel feature of metacarpophalangeal joint rigidity was also presented, which is the first time reported in PWS.

Base Sequence ; Chromosome Deletion ; DNA Primers ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization ; Prader-Willi Syndrome ; genetics

OBJECTIVETuberculosis remains a severe public health issue, and the Beijing family of mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) is widespread in East Asia, especially in some areas in China, like Beijing and Tianjin. This study aimed at determining the mutation patterns of drug-resistant Beijing strains of M. tuberculosis isolated from Tianjin, China.

METHODSA total of 822 M. tuberculosis isolates were screened for drug resistance by an absolute concentration method and the genotype was identified by PCR. 169 drug-resistant isolates of the Beijing family were analyzed for the potential mutations in the rpoB, katG, inhA promoter region and in rpsL, rrs and embB genes, which are associated with resistance to rifampin (RFP), isoniazid (INH), streptomycin (SM) and ethambutol (EMB) respectively by PCR and DNA sequencing.

RESULTSFifty-eight out of 63 RFP-resistant isolates were found to carry the mutations within the 81-bp RFP resistance determining region (RRDR) of the rpoB gene and the most frequent mutations occurred at codon 531 (44.4%), 526 (28.6%), and 516 (7.9%) respectively. 16 mutation patterns affecting 12 different codons around the RRDR of rpoB were found. Of 116 INH-resistant isolates, 56 (48.3%) had the mutation of katG 315 (AGC-->ACC) (Ser-->Thr), 3 (2.6%) carried S315N (AGC-->AAC) and 27 (16.0%) had the mutation of inhA-15A-->T. 84 out of 122 SM-resistant isolates (68.9%) displayed mutations at the codons 43 or 88 with AAG-->AGG (Lys-->Arg) of the rpsL gene and 22 (18.0%) with the mutations at positions 513A-->C, 516C-->T or 905 A-->G in the rrs gene. Of 34 EMB-resistant isolates, 6 had mutation with M306V (ATG-->GTG), 3 with M306I (ATG-->ATT), 1 with M306I (ATG-->ATA), 1 with D328Y (GAT-->TAT), 1 with V348L (GTC-->CTC), and 1 with G406S (GGC-->AGC) in the embB gene.

CONCLUSIONThese novel findings extended our understanding of resistance-related mutations in the Beijing strains of M. tuberculosis and may provide a scientific basis for development of new strategies for diagnosis and control of tuberculosis in China and other countries where Beijing strains are prevalent.

Base Sequence ; China ; DNA Primers ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVESTo determine whether a large-scale physical activity intervention could affect body composition in primary school students in Beijing, China.

METHODSThe study design was one-year cluster randomized controlled trial of physical activity intervention (20 min of daily exercise in the classroom) with an additional year of follow-up among 4 700 students aged 8-11 years at baseline.

RESULTSAfter the one-year intervention, BMI increased by 0.56 kg/m(2) (SD 1.15) in the intervention group and by 0.72 kg/m(2) (SD 1.20) in the control group, with a mean difference of -0.15 kg/m(2) (95% CI: -0.28 to -0.02). BMI z score decreased by -0.05 (SD 0.44) in the intervention group, but increased by 0.01 (SD 0.46) in the control group, with a mean difference of -0.07 (-0.13 to -0.01). After another year of follow up, compared to the control group, children in the intervention group had significantly lower BMI (-0.13, -0.25 to -0.01), BMI z score (-0.05, -0.10 to -0.01), fat mass (-0.27 kg, -0.53 to -0.02) and percent body fat (-0.53, -1.00 to -0.05). The intervention had a more pronounced effect on weight, height, BMI, BMI z score, and body composition among obese children than among normal weight or overweight children. Compared to the control group, the intervention group had a significantly higher percentage of children who maintained or reduced their BMI z score at year 1 (P=0.008) and year 2 (P=0.04).

CONCLUSIONSThese findings suggest that 20 min of daily moderate to vigorous physical activity during the school year is a feasible and effective way to prevent excessive gain of body weight, BMI, and body fatness in primary school students.

Body Composition ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Exercise ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity ; epidemiology ; prevention & control