Electric Stimulation ; Humans ; Hypoglossal Nerve ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; therapy

Objective To introduce the amino acid substitution for HP V16E749-57(HLA-A2-restricted CTL epitope) and to identify the novel epitopes.Me thods Quantitative method was used to evaluate the affinity of the substituted peptides.To determine the peptide candidates to be synthesized and identified,the molecular models of the HLA-A2-peptide complex and CTL epitope candidates b ound to the HLA-A2 molecule were established by computer molecular modeling.Pep tides were synthesized and purified with standard Fmoc assay,lactate dehydrogen ase (LDH) release assay was used to determine their abilities of inducing the ge neration of specific CTLs.Results Modified peptides met the requirements of H LA-A2-restricted CTL epitopes.Peptide RLHYNIVTF had the abilitiy of inducing th e generation of specific CTLs.Conclusions Compared with HPV17E749-57 the mod ified peptide RLHYNIVTF has a higher antigenicity and affinity to HLA-A2.So,pe ptide RLHYNIVTF may be used as one of the HLA-A2-restricted candidate epitopes,instead of HPV17E749-57,for peptide vaccine in the treatment of HPV infection.

Objective To evaluate left ventricular global longitudinal strain in endocardium,middle myocardium and epi cardium of patients with breast carcinoma treated with anthracyclines by two-dimensional layered strain technology.Methods Totally 20 breast cancer patients after surgery without chemotherapy (control group) and 32 breast cancer patients who were treated with anthracycline-based chemotherapy were enrolled.The patients treated with chemotherapy were performed transthoracic echocardiography 3 months and 5 months after chemotherapy.Global longitudinal strain (GLS) and each segment (apex,basis and media section) strain in 3 myocardial layers (endocardium,middle myocardium and epicardium) were measured by EchoPAC software.Results Compared with control group,with the extension of chemotherapy cycle,GLS of 3 myocardial layers reduced in breast carcinoma patients treated with anthracyclines (all P＜0.05),but left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) had no statistical difference (P＞0.05).Compared with control group,each layer of each segment of longitudinal strain decreased in breast carcinoma patients treated with anthracyclines (all P＜0.05),except the apex section.Conclusion Longitudinal layer-specific strain technology can accurate assess whole and local systolic function of 3 myocardial layers of left ventricular,which can provide a new method for judging myocardial damage.

The up-regulation mechanism of membrane type I matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) in macrophages stimulated by silica in vitro and the contribution of early growth response 1 (Egr-1) transcription factor in the gene expression pathway were investigated. Macrophages stimulated by silica were treated with Egr-1 antibody or Egr-1 decoy oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN). The levels of MT1-MMP proteins were determined by Western blot and the expression of MT1-MMP mRNAs was detected by RT-PCR. The results showed as compared with control macrophages, silica-stimulated group showed up-regulated gene expression of MT1-MMP via Egr-1 (P<0.01). Compared with silica-stimulated macrophages untreated with antibody, the cells treated with 5 microg/mL Egr-1 antibody were associated with reduced expression of MT1-MMP protein (P<0.01) and mRNA (P<0.01). Compared with silica-stimulated untransfected group, the Egr-1 "decoy" ODN group was associated with reduction in the expression of MT1-MMP protein and mRNA (P<0.01). It was concluded gene expression of MT1-MMP which may play a critical role in silicosis was up-regulated by silica in macrophages. Egr-1 participated in the expression of MT1-MMP and positively regulated the expression. Both Egr-1 antibody and Egr-1 decoy ODN suppressed the expression of MT1-MMP through the Egr-1 pathway and may become a potential therapeutic tool in the management of silicosis in the future.

Exposure to thermal environment is one of the main concerns for manned space exploration. By focusing on the works performed on thermoregulation at microgravity or simulated microgravity, we endeavored to review the investigation on space thermal environmental physiology. First of all, the application of medical requirements for the crew module design from normal thermal comfort to accidental thermal emergencies in a space craft will be addressed. Then, alterations in the autonomic and behavioral temperature regulation caused by the effect of weightlessness both in space flight and its simulation on the ground are also discussed. Furthermore, countermeasures like exercise training, simulated natural ventilation, encouraged drink, etc., in the protection of thermoregulation during space flight is presented. Finally, the challenge of space thermal environment physiology faced in the future is figured out.
Aerospace Medicine ; Body Temperature Regulation ; Environment ; Exercise ; Humans ; Space Flight ; Weightlessness ; Weightlessness Simulation

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Alopecia ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Injections ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

Dibenzothiophene (DBT) was used as a model compound. A bacteria strain, which can degrade dibenzo-thiophene efficiently, was obtained. This strain was identified as Pseudomonas stutzeris UP-1 according to its morphological, physiological and biochemical characters, and 16S rDNA sequence. The strain exhibits strong degradation capacity of DBT, and the end product of degradation is a kind of soluble compound. After the analysis of product of DBT degradation, it was deduced that the degradation of DBT by Pseudomonas stutzeri UP-1 is in accordance with the Kodama mechanism.

A series of novel 4-substituted-3-nitrobenzamide derivatives were designed and synthesized. The structures of the target compounds were confirmed with 1H NMR, 13C NMR, MS and element analysis. Anti-tumor activities against HCT-116, MDA-MB435 and HL-60 cell lines in vitro were evaluated by SRB assay. The results indicated most of the target compounds exhibited potent anti-tumor activity. Compound 4a showed the most potent inhibitory activities against three cancer cell lines with the GI50 values of 1.904-2.111 micromol x L(-1). Compounds 4g, 41-4n exhibited more potent inhibitory activities against MDA-MB435 and HL-60 cell lines with the GI50 values of 1.008-3.586 micromol x L(-1) and 1.993-3.778 micromol x L(-1), respectively. The structure-activity relationship of these compounds is discussed preliminarily.
Antineoplastic Agents ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology ; Benzamides ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Drug Design ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Structure-Activity Relationship

Objective To reconstruct the Chinese visible human (CVH) dataset with the reconstruction algorithm, the Visualization Toolkit (VTK), and to realize long-distance accessing and alternating operation associated with virtual reality modeling language (VRML) under web condition. Methods 3D structure of the humerus was reconstructed and put out in web condition by applying the methed of capturing data of digitalized visible human. Results The 3D structure of the humerus was successfully reconstructed. These 3D images displayed the anatomical relationships of the structures of the humerus in explore windows with any angle and scale. All reconstructed structures were represented conveniently. Conclusion Based on VTK and VRML, 3D reconstruction of the humerus is realized, which will provide the support and reference for further research on the others structure's visualization of human body, and also for Visualization in Scientific Computing and long-distance teaching in anatomy.

Objective:To express and purify hemoglobin receptor(HgbA) and its partial fragment(HgbAF) from Haemophilus ducreyi and to develop a sandwich ELISA for the detection of H.ducreyi infection.Methods:The HgbA,a hemoglobin-binding outer membrane protein of H.ducreyi and its partial fragment(HgbAF) were expressed by cloning the genes of hgbA and its 705bp fragment into pET30a and pET28a respectively,and the expressing products were purified from E.coli BL21 with Ni-NTA-His affinity chromatography.The polyclonal antibodies were developed by immunizing rabbits with the rHgbA and rHgbAF.The anti-rHgbA IgG and anti-rHgbAF IgG were purified respectively by saturated amine sulphate precipitation,and their immunoactivity with rHgbA and rHgbAF was tested by Westen blot and ELISA analysis.A Sandwich ELISA was developed for the detection of chinical infection of H.ducreyi using the specific polyclonal antibodies.Results:The HgbA and its partial fragment,HgbAF of H.ducreyi,were expressed and purified successfully by cloning their genes respectively.The results obtained by Western blot analysis showed that each of the antibodies could react with both antigens,rHgbA and rHgbAF.The results of the ELISA analysis showed that H.ducreyi strain was strongly positive,and all other bacteria,including H.influenzae and the bacteria known to relate to genital ulcers were negative.The results of the ELISA analysis showed that the minimum amount of rHgbA detected was 1.56 ng/ml and the minimum number of CFU of H.ducreyi detected was 2?105 cfu/ml in buffer and 1?106 cfu/ml in pus.Conclusion:HgbA and its partial fragment,HgbAF of H.ducreyi are expressed and purified successfully.The polyclonal antibodies developed by immunizing rabbits using rHgbA and rHgbAF could react not only with rHgbA and rHgbAF,but also with H.ducreyi specifically.They do not react with other bacteria,including H.influenzae and the bacteria known to relate to genital ulcers.So the ELISA based on the polyclonal antibodies was specific for the detection of H.ducreyi.Although the level of sensitivity of the ELISA may not be sufficient to detect H.ducreyi in all clinical specimens,further work to increase the sensitivity could potentially make this assay a valuable tool in areas where chancroid is endemic.