To observe the acupuncture treatment of 38 patients with menopausal syndrome. The main acupoints were Fengchi (GB 20), Taiyang (Ex-HN 5), Hegu (LI 4), Neiguan (PC 6), Qihai (CV 6),Yanglingquan (GB 34), Taichong (LR 3) and Taixi (KI 3). The adjunct acupoints were added under differentiation. After one to three therapeutic courses clinical recovery occurred in 26 cases, effectiveness in 10 cases, and ineffectiveness in 2 cases.

OBJECTIVETo study the neuromuscular function and its relation with the occurrence of myasthenia in rats poisoned by dimethoate (D), phoxim (P), methomyl (M), M + D and M + P respectively.

METHODSThe stimulation single fiber electromyography(SSFEMG) at different stimulus frequencies(5, 10 and 20 Hz) was used. The whole blood cholinesterase (ChE) activity was measured 1 h before and after poisoning.

RESULTS(1) Myasthenia occurred in 5 out of 9.5 out of 10.5 out of 5, and 8 rats poisoned by D, P, M + D, and M + P, respectively. (2) The average mean consecutive differences(MCD) at 5, 10, and 20 Hz in myasthenic rats were significantly higher than those of poisoned rats without myasthenia and the control ones. (3) SSFEMG changes at 5, 10 and 20 Hz were significantly consistent with the clinical manifestation of myasthenia, especially at 10 Hz and 20 Hz. (4) ChE activity was significantly lower in rats with P or D poisoning while ChE inhibition was of no difference in rats with M, M + D, and M + P poisoning. In the D poisoning and P poisoning groups, there was no significant difference in ChE inhibition between the rats with and without myasthenia.

CONCLUSIONMuscle weakness was associated with neuromuscular transmission dysfunction, but not well correlated with ChE inhibition. The SSFEMG with stimulus frequency at 10 Hz or 20 Hz could be used to detect the neuromuscular dysfunction during myasthenia induced by organophosphate insecticides and their mixtures poisoning.

Animals ; Cholinesterase Inhibitors ; poisoning ; Dimethoate ; poisoning ; Electromyography ; Insecticides ; poisoning ; Methomyl ; poisoning ; Muscle Weakness ; chemically induced ; Myasthenia Gravis ; chemically induced ; physiopathology ; Neuromuscular Junction ; drug effects ; physiology ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; poisoning ; Rats ; Synaptic Transmission ; drug effects

Objective To explore the effects of low dose X-ray irradiation on the ability of antigen presentation and IL-12 secretion in human dendritic cells that had been cultured for different time in vitro.Methods The human peripheral blood mononuclear cells ( PBMC ) were collected and differentiated to dendritic cells (DCs) by rhGM-CSF and rhIL-4 treatment in vitro.The DCs were divided into 3 groups,group A:DCs were cultured for 2 d and then irradiated with 0.05,0.1,0.2 and 0.5 Gy X-rays; group B:DCs were cultured for 6 d and then irradiated as above; group C:DCs were cultured without irradiation.At 8 d of cell culture,the DCs were applied to activate T cells and CCK-8 was used to detect MLR ( mixed lymphocyte reaction),and the antigen presentation ability of DCs was evaluated.MTT assay was also used to test the cell-killing effect of the activated T-cells on A549 cells.IL-12 in the culture medium of DCs was detected by ELISA.Results After irradiation with 0.2 and 0.5 Gy X-rays,the antigen presentation ability of DCs was decreased in group A (t =2.79 and 3.71,P ＜ 0.05 ),but significantly increased in group B (t =3.60 and 3.11,P ＜ 0.05).The ability of the T cell activation was detected and the proliferation of A549 cells was slightly inhibited by the DCs in group A (t =2.89 and 2.91,P ＜ 0.05),but was obviously inhibited by the DCs in group B (t =2.91 and 2.82,P ＜0.05).Meanwhile,the level of IL-12 was dramatically decreased in group A (t =4.44 and 6.93,P ＜ 0.05),but was increased in group B (t =3.51 and 4.12,P ＜0.05).Conclusions The abilities of antigen presentation and proliferation inhibition of DCs could be down-regulated by low dose( ＜ 0.5 Gy) of X-ray irradiation at the early stage of DCs,but was up-regulated at the late stage of DCs culture.

Objective To study the effects of X-ray radiation on CC-chemokine receptor 7(CCR7) expression in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells.Methods Humanadenocarcinoma cells of the line A549 were cultured and irradiated by X-ray at the absorbed doses of 2,4,6,and 8 Gy respectively by linear accelerator (with the source skin distance of 100 cm and dose rate of 442.89 cGy/min).The relative levels of CCR7 mRNA and protein expression in the A549 cells were respectively detected by real time-PCR and Western blotting 4,12,24,48,and 72 h after radiation.Untreated A549 cells were used as control group.Results The expression levels of CCR7 mRNA and protein in the A549 cells began to increase since 4 h after radiation and then decreased gradually after they reached the peak.The CCR7 mRNA expression levels 72 h after radiation of the 6 and 8 Gy groups were still significantly higher than those of the control group (t = 6.75-7.26,both P < 0.01),and the CCR7 protein expression levels of the 2 and 6 Gy group were still significantly higher than those of the control group(t=11.13-14.17,both P <0.01).Then the CCR7 protein expression levels of the 4 and 8 Gy groups decreased to the control group level 48 and 72 h after radiation respectively.Conclusions The CCR7 mRNA and protein expression levels in the NSCLC cells increase after X-ray irradiation,which may be correlated with the promotion of proliferation and metastasis of NSCLC cells by X-ray irradiation at a certain dose.

Medical emergency response is a part of emergency response to nuclear accident,and the equipment and technology play an important role in the process.So it's important and necessary to research the equipment and technology requirements of medical emergency response to nuclear and radiation accident.The aim of the paper is to screen and list some basic equipments and technology in medical emergency response to nuclear and radiation accident,such as individual internal and external exposure dose monitor,radiation detection appliance,decontamination and radiation protection equipment as well as first-aid instrument.

OBJECTIVEIn order to minimize lead pollution and to protect the identified individuals with high blood lead level from lead contamination, an epidemiological study was carried on children living around the village and township-owned lead industries in Tianying town.

METHODSEnvironmental monitoring: lead levels in air, soil, drinking water and crops were measured. Biological monitoring: 959 children aged 5 - 12 years were selected from villages where the lead smelters located near the residential areas and the battery disassembling was done in some families. The control children (207 pupils) were from other villages without lead exposure. Blood lead, ZnPP and teeth lead were determined. Height, weight and head circle of children and IQ scores were measured.

RESULTSThe environment was seriously polluted. The average lead concentrations in air and soils were 8.5 times and 10 times of the MACs (national health standard) respectively. Eighty-five per cent the air samples with lead concentrations higher than the national health standard. Local crops and wheat at farmers' home were also contaminated by lead dust, with. Lead content being 24 times higher than the standard. The mean blood lead and ZnPP levels of children lived in the polluted areas were 496 microgram/L and 9.41 microgram/g Hb respectively. The lead exposure caused adverse effects on children's IQ and physical development.

CONCLUSIONIt is necessary to remove and reduce currently active sources of lead pollution in the community and to increase public awareness of potential health effects of lead exposure.

Air Pollutants ; analysis ; Child ; Child Development ; drug effects ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Crops, Agricultural ; chemistry ; Environmental Monitoring ; methods ; Environmental Pollution ; adverse effects ; analysis ; Female ; Health Status ; Humans ; Industrial Waste ; adverse effects ; analysis ; Lead ; adverse effects ; blood ; Male ; Soil Pollutants ; analysis ; Suburban Health ; standards ; Urban Health ; standards