Objective:To observe the effect of tuina exercise on simple obesity in college students.Methods:Fifty-seven college students with simple obesity were divided into two groups according to the stratified randomization method.Twenty-eight in the tuina exercise group were trained in tuina exercise;while 29 in the auricular acupoint sticking group were treated with acuricular acupoint sticking.The tuina exercise group was trained once every other day,and 10 times made one course.The auricular acupoint sticking was replaced once every 4 d,and 5 times made one course.After 2-course treatment,the total therapeutic effect,weight,body mass index (BMI),waist and hip circumferences,serum total cholesterol (TC),triglyceride (TG),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were assessed.Results:The total therapeutic effect was 86.2％ in the auricular acupoint sticking group and 85.7％ in the tuina exercise group.There was no significant difference between the two groups (P＞0.05).After treatment,the weight,BMI,waist and hip circumferences were decreased and the differences were statistically significant (all P＜0.05).The waist and hip circumferences in the tuina exercise group were lower than those in the auricular acupoint sticking group,showing statistically significant differences (all P＜0.05).After treatment,there were no significant intra-group differences in TC,TG,HDL-C and LDL-C in the two groups (all P＞0.05),and the between-group differences were not significant (all P＞0.05).Conclusion:Tuina exercise has reliable effect in treating obesity.It can produce more significant improvements in waist and hip circumferences than auricular acupoint sticking.But no obvious effect is shown in blood lipid indicators.

BACKGROUNDThe successful end-point of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment is for a woman to give live birth. This outcome is based on various factors including adequate number of retrieved eggs. Failure to recruit adequate follicles, from which the eggs are retrieved, is called a "poor response". How to improve the clinical pregnancy rates of poor responders was one of the tough problems for IVF.

METHODSThe study involved 51 patients who responded poorly to high dose gonadotropin treatment in their previous cycles at our reproductive center, between April 2010 and February 2012. The previous cycle (group A) received routine long protocol; the subsequent cycle (group B) received modified super-long down-regulation protocol. The primary outcome of the study was the number of oocytes fertilized. The increase in the pregnancy rate was the secondary outcome. Differences between the groups were assessed by using Student's t test and c(2) test where appropriate.

RESULTSThe patients' average age was (36.64 ± 3.85) years. The mean duration of ovarian stimulation cycles of the group A patients was longer than those of the group B patients. The total dose of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) was significantly lower in the subsequent cycle. The peak value of serum estradiol on human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) day was lower in group A as compared with group B. The number of metaphase II oocytes recovered was significantly higher in group B. The cleavage rate in group A was significantly lower than in group B, 49 patients in group B reached embryo transfer stage, while 46 patients in group A reached this stage. Patients in group B received significantly more embryos per transfer as compared with group A. More pregnancies and more clinical pregnancies with fetal heart activity were achieved in group B.

CONCLUSIONSThis comparative trial shows that poor responder women undergoing repeated assisted reproduction treatment using modified super-long down-regulation protocol achieve more oocytes, leading to higher fertilization rate, compared to women receiving routine long protocol. Our study also showed that clinical pregnancy rate was significantly improved.

Adult ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; therapeutic use ; Embryo Transfer ; Estradiol ; blood ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; methods ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Ovulation Induction ; methods ; Pregnancy

BACKGROUNDAspirin can inhibit inflammatory reactions and platelet aggregation, but little is known about the effects of the combination of aspirin plus clopidogrel, a new antiplatelet agent, on inflammation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether aspirin plus clopidogrel can further suppress inflammation in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTEACS).

METHODSOne hundred and fifteen patients with NSTEACS were randomized into two groups: group A (aspirin alone, n =58) and group B (aspirin plus clopidogrel, n =57). Patients in group A received a loading dose of 300 mg aspirin, then 100 mg per day. The patients in group B received a loading dose of 300 mg aspirin and 300 mg clopidogrel, then 100 mg aspirin and 75 mg clopidogrel per day. Serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were measured in all patients at baseline prior to any drug treatment after admission, and at 7 and 30 days after beginning drug treatment. Thirty healthy volunteers on no medications were enrolled as controls (group C).

RESULTSBaseline levels of hs-CRP and TNF-alpha in group A and group B were significantly higher than those in group C. Seven days after administration, the levels of hs-CRP in both group A and group B decreased significantly [Group A: (6.15 +/- 1.39) mg/L vs (9.18 +/- 1.62) mg/L, P <0.01; Group B:(4.99 +/- 1.62) mg/L vs (10.29 +/- 1.47) mg/L, P <0.01]. Similarly, levels of TNF- alpha in both groups decreased at 7 days compared to baseline [Group A: (90.99 +/- 28.91) pg/ml vs (117.20 +/- 37.13) pg/ml, P <0.01; Group B: (74.32 +/- 21.83) pg/ml vs (115.27 +/- 32.11) pg/ml, P <0.01]. Thirty days after administration, the levels of hs-CRP in both group A and group B decreased further to (3.49 +/- 1.53) mg/L, and (2.40 +/- 1.17) mg/L respectively (P <0.01 for both comparisons). Levels of TNF-alpha in groups A and B also decreased significantly between 7 and 30 days, to 63.28 +/- 29.01 pg/ml (group A) and (43.95 +/- 17.10) pg/ml (group B; P <0.01 for both comparisons). Significantly lower levels of hs-CRP and TNF-alpha were observed in group B compared to Group A at thirty days after initiating drug treatment (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAspirin plus clopidogrel treatment reduced levels of serum hs-CRP and TNF-alpha in patients with NSTEACS significantly more than aspirin alone. Because both aspirin and clopidogrel produce important anti-inflammatory effects, these results suggest the possibility that long-term treatment with aspirin plus clopidogrel may produce greater clinical benefits compared to treatment with aspirin alone.

Adult ; Aged ; Angina, Unstable ; blood ; physiopathology ; Aspirin ; administration & dosage ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; blood ; physiopathology ; Ticlopidine ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; analysis

OBJECTIVEE2F-1 and Rb are involved in cell cycle regulation. This study was to illustrate the mechanism of transformation from benign papillomatosis to ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast in relation to E2F-1 and Rb expression.

METHODSIn situ hybridization (ISH) was used to determinate the expression of E2F-1 and Rb mRNA of mild papillomatosis (MP, n = 40), severe papillomatosis (SP, n = 40) and DCIS (n = 40). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to examine the expression of E2F-1 and Rb protein.

RESULTSThe positive rate of E2F-1 mRNA expression in MP, SP and DCIS was 17.5%, 45.0% and 80.0%, and that of E2F-1 protein expression was 20.0%, 47.5% and 77.5%, respectively. There were significant differences among the three groups (P < 0.01), and between any two groups (P < 0.01). The positive rate of Rb mRNA expression in MP, SP and DCIS was 90.0%, 50.5% and 20.0%, and that of Rb protein expression was 85.0%, 52.5% and 22.5%, respectively, with statistically significant difference similar with that of E2F-1. With the progression of papillomatosis to DCIS, the expression of E2F-1 mRNA and protein increased, while that of Rb decreased. The protein expression by IHC was positively correlated with the mRNA expression by ISH. However, that of E2F-1 was negatively correlated with Rb.

CONCLUSIONE2F-1 and Rb might provide a valuable basis for screening high risk papillomatosis and new target of gene therapy for pre-cancerous lesions of the breast.

Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Cycle Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; E2F Transcription Factors ; E2F1 Transcription Factor ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Genes, Retinoblastoma ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Papilloma ; genetics ; metabolism ; Precancerous Conditions ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Retinoblastoma Protein ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transcription Factors ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of SDS, PBS re-dissolvent solutions on fluorescence values of radioallergosorbent test (RAST) inhibition.

METHODSDermatophagoides pterronyssinus allergen immunoCAP and UniCAP 100 System were used. The Sera Pool consisted of 20 Dermatophagoides pterronyssinus allergic patients sera, their specific IgE fluorescence values were between 12505 and 24776.

RESULTSFluorescence value percentages decreased: 62.9%, 54.1%, 43.5%, 6.7%, 3.7%, 2.6%, 2.2%, and 1.4% respectively, when SDS concentrations were at 2%, 1%, 0.5%, 0.25%, 0.1%, 0.05%, 0.025%, and 0.01%. Fluorescence values decreased more than 5% with SDS concentrations equal to 0.25% or higher. PBS in 0.1 and 0.01 mol/L concentrations decreased fluorescence values 2.9% and 0.9% respectively.

CONCLUSIONSSDS is a commonly used surfactants in allergen extract and re-dissolvent prepared allergen precipitation for RAST inhibition. Thus effects of surfactants (e.g. SDS) upon the RAST inhibition tests must be considered when they were used as re-dissolvent agents to improve protein resolution in RAST inhibition.

Allergens ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; immunology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; immunology ; Phosphates ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Radioallergosorbent Test ; methods ; Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Solutions ; Surface-Active Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology

Objective · To investigate the effect of modified electroconvulsive therapy (MECT) on oxidative stress parameters in patients with bipolar disorder. Methods · Forty-three patients with bipolar disorder (case group) were enrolled that received MECT intervention for 6 weeks, and 49 healthy volunteers (control group) were recruited. Chinese versions of the 17 items Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17), Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and Clinical Global Impression-Severity Scale (CGI-S) were used to assess the efficacy and side effects at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatment. The plasma levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatment to assess the level of oxidative stress. Results · The serum MDA and GSH-Px levels of the case group were higher while the serum SOD levels of the case group was lower than that of the control group, and there was no significant difference in the serum CAT levels between two groups at baseline. MDA levels were higher in manic states than in depressed states, and they were positively correlated with the CGI-S scores. After MECT treatment, the CGI-S scores of patients decreased significantly, and the plasma MDA levels decreased significantly in manic and depressive states, but there was no change in other oxidative stress parameters. Conclusion · There was oxidative stress damage in patients with bipolar disorder, and the severity of the disease varied with the degree of damage. MECT improved the symptoms of the disease and decreased the level of plasma MDA, while there was no effect on the anti-oxidation index.