Hyperthermia is a means of adjuvant therapy, which have a sensitizing effect to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In recent years, the molecular biology, cell and animal experimental research of tumor thermochemotherapy progressed very quickly, which provide theoretical foundation and guidance for us to further develop hyperthermia combined with chemotherapy in clinical trials. In this paper, the studies with the mechanism of thermo-chemotherapy treatment of tumor, different ways of thermochemotherapy and commonly used drugs in thermochemotherapy are reviewed.

Objective To investigate the value of double contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (DCEUS) in combination with three-dimension (3D) contrast-enhanced ultrasound in diagnosis of benign or malignant gastric ulceration. Methods A total of 47 patients with gastric lesions were enrolled in this study. All have the pathological results, 22 of them were benign ulceration and 25 were malignant. All patients underwent DCEUS and 3D contrast-enhanced ultrasound. On the basis of oral contrast-enhanced ultrasound agents, intravenous contrast-enhanced ultrasound agents were given at the same time. Images and data were recorded. The arrival time (AT), time to peak (TTP), infusion time (IT), baseline intensity (BI), peak intensity (PI) and enhanced intensity (EI) were calculated using the time-intensity curve (TIC). Results All benign ulcerations were imaged as small pits with slight thicken of gastric wall [(8.66±2.87) mm] using DCEUS,while malignant lesions were relatively large irregular-shape, unevenly-bottom pits with significant thicken of gastric wall [(13.98±3.63)~(20.83±3.69) mm]. 3D-DCEUS images were analyzed for gastric mucosal folds, ulceration lesions, as well as local vascularity. All ulceration lesions showed broken of gastric mucosal folds, and malignant lesion showed thickness of gastric wall as“crater”, with rich and irregular vascularity. There were no statistical differences between benign gastric ulcerations and adjacent normal gastric wall (P>0.05). Malignant gastric ulceration were compared with adjacent normal gastric wall tissue, TTP, IT and BI had no statistical differences (P>0.05), while AT, PI, and EI had statistical differences [(9.00±2.02) s vs (10.90±2.75) s, P=0.008], [(35.46±5.77) dB vs (29.73±8.72) dB, P=0.009] and [(30.76±5.76) dB vs (23.45±6.84) dB, P=0.000]. PI and EI in malignant tumors were higher than those in benign ones (P<0.05). Conclusion DCEUS could be a new method in differentiating benign and malignant gastric ulceration, which can get both the anatomy and perfusion information of gastric wall as well as lesions. 3D-DCEUS can improve the quality of the conventional ultrasound image.

BACKGROUNDCyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) could activate chloride channels in bovine ciliary body and trigger an increase in the ionic current (short-circuit current, Isc) across the ciliary processes in pigs. The purpose of this study was to investigate how cAMP modulates Isc in isolated human ciliary processes and the possible involvement of chloride transport across the tissue in cAMP-induced Isc change.

METHODSIn an Ussing-type chamber system, the Isc changes induced by the cAMP analogue 8-bromo-cAMP and an adenylyl cyclase activator forskolin in isolated human ciliary processes were assessed. The involvement of Cl(-) component in the bath solution was investigated. The effect of Cl(-) channel (10 µmol/L niflumic acid and 1 mmol/L 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS)), K(+) channel (10 mmol/L tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA)), or Na(+) channel blockers (1 mmol/L amiloride) on 8-bromo-cAMP-induced Isc change was also studied.

RESULTSDose-dependently, 8-bromo-cAMP (10 nmol/L-30 µmol/L) or forskolin (10 nmol/L-3 µmol/L) increased Isc across the ciliary processes with an increase in negative potential difference on the non-pigmented epithelium (NPE) side of the tissue. Isc increase induced by 8-bromo-cAMP was more pronounced when the drug was applied on the NPE side than on the pigmented epithelium side. When the tissue was bathed in low Cl(-) solutions, the Isc increase was significantly inhibited. Finally, niflumic acid and DIDS, but not TEA or amiloride, significantly prevented the Isc increase induced by 8-bromo-cAMP.

CONCLUSIONScAMP stimulates stroma-to-aqueous anionic transport in isolated human ciliary processes. Chloride is likely to be among the ions, the transportation of which across the tissue is triggered by cAMP, suggesting the potential role of cAMP in the process of aqueous humor formation in human eyes.

8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate ; pharmacology ; Chloride Channels ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Ciliary Body ; drug effects ; physiology ; Colforsin ; pharmacology ; Cyclic AMP ; physiology ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Potassium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Sodium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology

To summarize the new progress of the study about volatile oil of the angelica, including the distillable methods, the analysis of the chemical components, the pharmacological effects and the clinical applications. We tracked and searched the correlative references and study reports about volatile oil of the angelica in CNKI data base(1994-2004) and Medline data base (1997-2004). We summarized and compared the different distillable methods of volatile oil of the angelica, meanwhile we summarized many study reports about the analysis of the chemical components of volatile oil of the angelica and it's pharmacological effects, including the toxicity of the volatile oil and it's effects on the uterus smooth muscle, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, central nerve system and immune system. Finally we summarized the clinical application of the volatile oil of the angelica. There are three distillable methods of volatile oil of the angelica . The harvest efficiency of volatile oil is different with different distillable methods. The chemical components are very complicated and the new chemical components are separated and identified. The volatile oil has bidirectional effects on the uterus smooth muscle. It can inhibit the contraction of the uterus smooth muscle induced by different mechanisms. Meanwhile it can depress the blood pressure and ameliorate the cardiac ischemia. The volatile oil can resist the arrhythmia and asthma, restrain the central system, improve the immune function. Nowadays the volatile oil of the angelica is applied to therapy the dysmenorrhea and disorder of the catamenia. The chemical components of the volatile oil of the angelica are very complicated, moreover the pharmacological effects of the volatile oil are comprehensive. People make the new progress of the study about volatile oil of the angelica.
4-Butyrolactone ; analogs & derivatives ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Angelica ; chemistry ; Animals ; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; pharmacology ; Anti-Asthmatic Agents ; pharmacology ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; pharmacology ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Dysmenorrhea ; drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle Contraction ; drug effects ; Muscle, Smooth ; drug effects ; Oils, Volatile ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Uterus ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo study the prevalence of asthma and its correlated factors in Zaozhuang area in 2003, to provide a basic consideration for prevention/treatment and control policy.

METHODS6 points were selected by stratified-clusterd-random sampling with a total of 16,725 persons expected, but only 10,610 subjects investigated.

RESULTSIn this survey, 128 asthma cases were identified with a overall prevalence of 1.21%. The prevalence for children was 2.02%, and for adult was 0.90% with the former significantly higher then the latter (chi(2) = 21.39, P < 0.01). Rates for male and female were 1.08%, 1.32% with a ratio of 1:1.22. For 77.97% of children with asthma. The initiative age of asthma was before 7 years old among children while among 36.23% of the adults, it was before 15 years of age. Correlation analysis showed that upper respiratory tract infection (OR = 17.81, 95% CI: 12.25-25.89), cold air exposure (OR = 3.43, 95% CI: 2.41-4.90), stimulation through cooking and by harmful gases (OR = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.80-3.63), allergic materials (OR = 2.74, 95% CI: 1.80-4.17) were main inducing factors. 65.63% of the asthma cases having had history of allergic disease while 25.78% having had family history with the OR of allergic history and family history as 21.69 vs. 73.96.

CONCLUSIONThe epidemic status of bronchial asthma was serious, with an assumption that asthma cases might have reached the number of 43 thousand in Zaozhuang area.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Asthma ; epidemiology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors

In recent years, iron has been regarded as a common pathological feature of many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA). A number of genes involved in iron transport, storage and regulation have been found associated with initiation and progression of neurodegeneration. However, whether iron abnormalities represent a primary or secondary event still remains unknown. Due to the limitation in transgenic rodent model construction and transfection systems, the progress in unraveling the pathogenic role of different iron-related proteins in neurodegenerative diseases has been slow. Drosophila melanogaster, a simple organism which has a shorter lifespan and smaller genome with many conserved genes, and captures many features of human nervous system and neurodegeneration, may help speed up the progress. The characteristics that spatial- and temporal-specific transgenic Drosophila can be easily constructed and raised in large quantity with phenotype easily determined turn Drosophila into an excellent in vivo genetic system for screening iron-related modifiers in different neurodegenerative conditions and hence provide a better picture about the pathogenic contribution of different iron-related protein abnormalities. It is believed that identification of important iron-related genes that can largely stop or even reverse degenerative process in Drosophila models may lead to development of novel therapeutic strategies against neurodegenerative diseases.
Alzheimer Disease ; physiopathology ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drosophila melanogaster ; Friedreich Ataxia ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Iron ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; physiopathology ; Parkinson Disease ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo develop a new kind of vector system called gene-viral vector, which combines the advantages of gene and virus therapies.

METHODSUsing recombinant technology, an anti-tumor gene was inserted into the genome of replicative virus specific for tumor cells. The cell killing effect, reporter gene expression of the green fluorescence protein, anti-tumor gene expression of mouse interleukin-12 (mIL-12) and replication of virus were observed by the methods of cell pathology, fluorescence microscopy, ELISA and electron microscopy, respectively.

RESULTSA new kind of gene-viral vector system of adenovirus, in which the E1b-55 kD gene was deleted but the E1a gene was preserved, was constructed. The vector system, like the replicative virus ONYX-015, replicated and proliferated in tumor cells but not in normal ones. Our vector had an advantage over ONYX-015 in that it carried different kinds of anti-tumor genes to enhance its therapeutic effect. The reporter gene expression of the green fluorescence protein in tumor cells was much better than the adenovirus vector employed in conventional gene the rapy, and the expression in our vector system was as low as or even less than that in the conventional adenovirus gene therapy system. Similar results were observed in experiments with this vector system carrying the anti-tumor gene mIL-12. Replication and proliferation of the virus carrying the mIL-12 gene in tumor cells were confirmed by electron microscopy.

CONCLUSIONSGene-viral vectors are new vectors with an anti-tumor gene inserted into the genome of replicative virus specific for tumor cells. Because of the specific replication and proliferation of the virus in tumor cells, expression of the anti-tumor gene is increased hundreds to thousands of times. This approach takes full advantages of gene therapy and virus therapy to enhance the effect on the tumor. It overcomes the disadvantages of conventional gene therapy, such as low transfer rate, low gene expression, lack of target tropism, and low anti-tumor activity. We believe that this is a promising means for future tumor treatment.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Adenovirus E1A Proteins ; genetics ; Adenovirus E1B Proteins ; genetics ; Genetic Therapy ; methods ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Humans ; Interleukin-12 ; genetics ; Neoplasms ; therapy ; Recombination, Genetic ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Virus Replication

Humans ; Child ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections/prevention & control*

OBJECTIVETo estimate the benchmark dose for osteoporosis caused by cadmium exposure in a Chinese general population with an epidemiological study.

METHODSThe inhabitants living in both cadmium polluted and non-polluted areas served as the exposure group and the control group. Urinary cadmium (UCd) and Blood cadmium (BCd) were used as exposure biomarkers while the Z score was used as effect biomarker for the osteoporosis.

RESULTSThe UCd and BCd in the habitants of the polluted areas were significantly higher than those in the habitants of the control area on average (P < 0.05) and the UCd and BCd in the habitants of the highly polluted areas were significantly higher than those in the habitants of the moderately polluted area on average (P < 0.05). The bone mineral density was significantly decreased in the groups of the highest UCd and BCd level compared with the 5 microg/g Cr group with the significant difference (P < 0.05). The morbidity of the osteoporosis would increase significantly with the increase of the cadmium exposure (P < 0.05) with the linear correlation (P < 0.05). BMDs were calculated using BMDS Version l.3.2 software and BMDLs were also determined. The BMDL of UCd for cadmium-induced osteoporosis was higher than those representing cadmium-induced renal dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONHigh level of cadmium exposure can induce osteoporosis, which occurs later than renal damage related to cadmium exposure. The BMD is a practical method.

Aged ; Bone Density ; drug effects ; Cadmium ; adverse effects ; metabolism ; China ; epidemiology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Environmental Exposure ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporosis ; chemically induced ; epidemiology

The aim of the study is through observing the morphology of the prepared influenza virus (H1N1) with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to explore the application of AFM on the research of the external character of viruses and provide a new, simple and efficient technique for the study of the viral morphology. TEM image was obtained by negatively stained influenza virus with 1% Phosphotungstic Acid; AFM image applied the tapping mode to influenza virus without any further treatment in air at room temperature, and the morphology parameters, including length (diameter), Ra and Rq are calculated by sectional analysis. The shapes of influenza virus A are spherical, filamentous or other pleomorphous particles observed by both AFM and TEM. TEM image of influenza virus A is two-dimensional image, and viral surface has visible spikes, while AFM exhibits the three-dimensional image that can be described with several quantifiable indexes through sectional analysis. AFM phase images show viral surface clearly which is characterized by rugged feature and gear-like protuberance. As compared with TEM, AFM is a new research tool for viral morphology study with the advantages of simple sample preparing, visible interface and is intuitionistic for researchers. The surface characteristic parameters of viruses provided by AFM can be served as the main quantifiable indexes for viral morphological study.
Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; ultrastructure ; Microscopy, Atomic Force ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission