OBJECTIVEIncidence and severity of motion sickness (MS) in hot-humid environment are extremely high. We tried to know the effect of two-stage training for reducing incidence and severity of ms.

METHODSSixty male subjects were divided into experimental group and control group randomly. Subjects in experimental group received: (2) adaptation training including sitting, walking and running in hot lab. After adaptation confirmation based on subjective feeling, rectal temperature, heart rate, blood Pressure, sweat rates and sweat salt concentration, we tested both groups by Coriolis acceleration revolving chair test and recorded Graybiel's score and grading of severity to evaluate whether adaptation training was useful; (2) Anti-dizzy training 3m later of deacclimatization contained revolving chair training for 10 times. Then we did the same test as mentioned above to evaluate effect of anti-dizzy training. RESULST: Graybiel' s score and grading of severity had no difference between two groups through acclimatization training (P > 0.05). While they had difference through anti-dizzy training (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONAdaptation training seems useless for reducing incidence and severity of MS in hot-humid environment, but anti-dizzy training is useful.

Acclimatization ; physiology ; Adolescent ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Male ; Motion Sickness ; physiopathology ; prevention & control ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the intervention effect of Liangxue Shengji Recipe (LSR) on incidence of post-percutaneous coronary intervention (post-PCI) restenosis and adverse cardiovascular events.

METHODSWith a randomized, single-blinded methods adopted, 100 patients with coronary artery disease (CHD) and underwent stent implantation were randomized into two groups, the control group and the treated group, conventional Western treatment was administered to them all, but with LSR to patients in the treated group additionally. They were followed up for at least six months. The incidences of post-PCI restenosis and adverse events, including cardiogenic death, acute myocardial infarction, recurrent angina pectoris, severe heart failure, further intervention and coronary artery bypass grafting, were observed to estimate the effect of LSR.

RESULTSNo statistically significant difference between the two groups was shown in terms of incidences of intra-stent restenosis, recurrent angina pectoris, estimator of restenosis and its cumulative risk, as well as in reducing the incidence of single adverse event, but did show statistically significant difference between groups in reducing the incidence of united cardiovascular event (P=0.032) and its cumulative risk (P=0.036).

CONCLUSIONAdministration of LSR in post-PCI stage could significantly reduce the probability and cumulative risk of united cardiovascular events, and the beneficial effect presents at about six months post-PCI.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Coronary Disease ; therapy ; Coronary Restenosis ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Heart Valve Diseases ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Incidence ; Phytotherapy ; Risk Factors ; Single-Blind Method

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of reduced glutathione (GSH) on the hepatic dysfunction induced by acute exacerbation of chronic cor pulmonale in the elderly. METHOD A total of 66 patients aged 60 years or older with hepatic dysfunction following acute exacerbation of chronic cor pulmonale were randomly divided into 2 groups. All patients received conventional basic therapy for acute exacerbation of chronic cor pulmonale. The control group (n = 31 ) received intravenous inosine 1.0g, vitamin C 2.0g, and kali magnesii aspartatis 20mL once daily for 2 weeks. The GSH group (n = 35) received intravenous GSH 1.2g ql2h for 2weeks. The protective effect against hepatic damage was evaluated by measuring alanine aminotransferase ( ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL), total bile acid (TBA), albumin (ALB), prothrombin time (PT) and child-pugh score at admission and after treatment. RESULTS The GSH group was superior to the control group in the improvements of hepatic function and symptom. The improvements of ALT, AST, TBIL, TBA and child-pugh score in the GSH group were significantly better than those in the control group (P ＜ 0.01 ). The 30-day incidence of acute renal failure in the GSH grup was lower than that in the control group (P ＜ 0.05). There were no statistical differences in the ALB, PT, mortality at discharge and 30-day incidence of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) between the 2 groups (P ＞ 0.05 ). CONCLUSION GSH is an effective and safe treatment for hepatic dysfunction induced by acute exacerbation of chronic cor pulmonale in the elderly. The efficacy of GSH is superior to that of conventional treatment for hepatic dysfunction on the basis of controlling infection, improving hypoxemia and hypercapnia and treating the right heart failure.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of down-regulation of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) on the proliferation and invasiveness of leukemia cell line U937 cells.

METHODSThree pairs of double-strand siRNA targeting IGFBP7 gene were transfected into SMMC7721 cells to select the most efficient one for U937 cells. qRT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of IGFBP7 in U937 cells after transiently transfected with siRNA of IGFBP7. Cell proliferation, adhesion, trans-endothelial migration and invasion were performed in transfected cells and control groups.

RESULTSAfter transfected with siRNA of IGFBP7 in U937 cells, the ability of cell proliferation was significantly decreased at 24 h (0.580 ± 0.159) compared to that of parental cells and scramble negative control (1.049 ± 0.274, 0.946 ± 0.195, respectively) (P < 0.01). Adhesion of U937 cells transfected with IGFBP7 gene specific siRNA to ECV304 cells was significantly lower than that of the control groups (0.247 ± 0.031 vs 0.406 ± 0.023 and 0.395 ± 0.011) (P < 0.01). Transendothelial membrane of U937 cells into the bottom of the 24-well plate for experimental group were less than those in the control groups \[(0.387 ± 0.021)×10(5) vs (1.017 ± 0.031)×10(5) and (0.908 ± 0.027)×10(5)\]. Cells adherent to the matrigel for experimental group were less than those in the control groups \[(0.197 ± 0.098)×10(5) vs (0.493 ± 0.067)×10(5) and (0.469 ± 0.083)×10(5)\]. The difference was significant (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONIGFBP7 gene plays a contributing role in leukemogenesis involving in leukemic cells' proliferation and interaction with endothelial cells through adhesion, invasion and migration.

Cell Proliferation ; Down-Regulation ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; metabolism ; pathology ; Transfection ; U937 Cells

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of semaphorin-3F (SEMA-3F) gene transient transfection on the proliferation of Tca8113 tongue carcinoma cells.

METHODSAfter construction of a full-length SEMA3F expression vector, Tca8113 cells were transient transfected with pEGFP-N1-SEMA3F by Lipofectamine 2000. The expression of SEMA-3F gene was detected by RT-PCR The differences of the expression in the transfected cell groups, empty vector groups and un-transfected cell groups were compared. The survival rates were assayed by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) enzymatic labeling technique. Cell cycle were assayed by flow cytometer (FCM).

RESULTSThe gene was transfected into Tca8113 cells. High expression of SEMA-3F was successfully detected in the transfected cell groups after gene transfection. The cell cycle percentage of G1 stage decreased and S stage increased.

CONCLUSIONSSEMA-3F gene transient transfection may inhibit the proliferation of Tca8113 cells.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Tongue Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical effect of acupuncture treatment and western medicine Carbamazepine for thalamic pain.

METHODSCrossover trial design was used, 11 cases diagnosed as thalamic pain were randomly divided into two groups according to the mini-unbalance-index method, group I (with 6 cases received acupuncture first and then western medicine) and group II (with 5 cases received western medicine first and then acupuncture). When the effects were evaluated, the two groups were named as acupuncture group and western medicine group, 11 cases in each group. The method of clearing away the heart fire, regulating the spirit, activating blood and relieving pain was adopted in acupuncture treatment, Ximen (PC 4), Yinxi (HT 6), Xuehai (SP 10) and Zhaohai (KI 6) were selected; the western medicine group was treated with oral administration of Carbamazepine, and one course as well as the eluting period were both 10 days. The effects were evaluated with visual analogue scale (VAS) and evaluation scale of Anderson Cancer Center pain in US (MD Pain Evaluation value) respectively.

RESULTSThe VAS and MD value in two groups were obviously decreased after treatment (both P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference between two groups; the markedly effective rate of pain relieving in acupuncture group was 63.6% (7/11), which was higher than that of 36.4% (4/11) in western medicine group, but there was no significant difference between two groups.

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture treatment of regulating spirit, activating blood and relieving pain has a better therapeutic effect for thalamic pain, and can reach to the same therapeutic effect with western medicine Carbamazepine.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Blood Circulation ; Carbamazepine ; therapeutic use ; Cross-Over Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Pain ; physiopathology ; Pain Management ; Pain Measurement ; Spirituality ; Thalamus ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo understand the adverse and curative effects of film coated praziquantel for treatment of schistosomiasis japonica.

METHODSA questionnaire survey was conducted among 6 to 65 years old inhabitants from epidemic areas of schistosomiasis japonica in Jiangxi, Anhui and Hubei provinces, while indirect haemagglutination assay (IHA) was also administrated. The Serological positives were tested by Kato-Katz technique. A total of 509 habitats of serological positives and healthy persons were given praziquantel. 460 targets with no relative symptoms were followed up for adverse effect of drugs in one month and efficacy evaluation of praziquantel was carried out in 104 parasitological positives 3 months post-treatment.

RESULTSThe 84.7% (144/170) individuals thought film coated tablets were no smell or only with little smell while 92.9%(315/339) targets in control group fell that tablets smelled bad. The total side effect rates of film coated praziquantel group and control group in 1-2 hours post-treatment were 20.30% (27/133) and 83.18% (272/327) respectively. There was significantly different between two groups (chi(2) = 164.316, P < 0.05). The adverse effect rates of film coated praziquantel group in neuromuscular system, digestive system and cardiovascular system were 15.79% (21/133), 9.77% (13/133), 2.26% (3/133) individually which were significantly lower than those of control groups with 81.65% (267/327), 49.24% (161/327), 12.84% (42/327) in corresponding systems (chi(2)(neuromuscular system) = 175.188, chi(2)(digestive system) = 62.601, chi(2)(cardiovascular system) = 12.010, P < 0.05). And the adverse effect rate of allergic reaction of film coated group was no significant difference with control group (2.26%(3/133) versus 0.92% (3/327), chi(2) = 1.315, P = 0.235). One day after treatment, the adverse effect rate of film coated tablets of praziquantel decreased to 3.01% (4/133), significantly lower than that of control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference after 2 weeks treatment while the adverse effect rates decreased to 0.75%(1/133), 0.61% (2/327) in film coated praziquantel group and control group respectively (chi(2) = 0.029, P = 0.642). The curative rates 3 months post treatment were 84.91% (45/51) in film coated tablets of praziquantel group and 82.35% (42/53) in control group without significant difference (chi(2) = 1.536, P = 0.215).

CONCLUSIONThe smell and adverse effects of film coated tablets of praziquantel were decreased significantly and its efficacy for treatment of schistosomiasis japonica was equal to the control tablets. The film coated tablets of praziquantel might be applied in field widely after a further verification.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; China ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Praziquantel ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Schistosomiasis japonica ; drug therapy ; Tablets ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the role of O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (hMGMT) in the development of human lung cancer.

METHODSReverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method was applied to measure hMGMT mRNA expression in 150 lung cancer specimens, 40 normal lung tissues, and in the peripheral mononuclear blood cells from 50 lung cancer cases and 50 normal controls. The protein expressions of p53, C-MYC and K-RAS were assessed by immuno-histochemistry. The effects of some exposure factors on the expression of hMGMT gene were analyzed. The relationships between hMGMT gene and cancer related genes p53, C-MYC and K-RAS were investigated.

RESULTSThe mRNA of hMGMT was low or absent in 49 of 150 (32.7%) lung cancer specimens, whereas 2 of 40 (5%) normal lung tissues had reduced the levels of hMGMT mRNA. The low expression of hMGMT seemed to be a risk factor of lung cancer, with a OR of 9.22 (2.05-57.65). Reduced expression levels of hMGMT mRNA were observed in 10 of 50 (20%) lung cancer patients' peripheral mononuclear blood cells, and 2 of 50 (4%) blood cells among normal controls. When investigating the exposure factors which affecting the expression of hMGMT gene, we noticed that smoking was suppressing the expression of hMGMT gene. Interestingly, over-expression of K-RAS oncogene was significantly correlated with low expression of hMGMT (P < 0.05). However, the expressions of p53 and C-myc were not correlated with the status of hMGMT gene.

CONCLUSIONhMGMT might play an important role in the development of human lung cancer. Low expression of hMGMT gene seemed to be a risk factor for lung cancer which could be used as a valuable biomarker on susceptibility of human lung cancers.

Adult ; Aged ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; enzymology ; genetics ; China ; epidemiology ; DNA Repair ; genetics ; Female ; Genes, ras ; genetics ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; enzymology ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; O(6)-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Point Mutation ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Smoking ; adverse effects ; ras Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of sumoylation of alpha-synuclein by SUMO-1 on the mitochondria subcellular localization of alpha-synuclein and its degradation via ubiquitin-proteasome system.

METHODSPrimers of wild-type, A53T pathogenic mutant and K96R mutant of human alpha-synuclein were designed to amplify the corresponding cDNAs without stop codon. The cDNAs were cloned into pGEM T-easy vector, analyzed by using enzyme mapping and DNA sequencing, and subcloned into pEGFP-N1 vector. The recombinant plasmids of pEGFP-alpha-synuclein-WT, pEGFP-alpha-synuclein-A53T and pEGFP-alpha-synuclein-K96R were transfected into HEK293 cells by lipofectamine method. The expression of the alpha-synuclein protein was measured by immunofluorescence and confocal microscope. Then mitochondria staining as well as immunofluorescence were utilized to investigate the effect of wild-type, A53T mutant and sumoylation of alpha-synuclein on mitochondria subcellular localization of alpha-synuclein. The effect of sumoylation of alpha-synuclein on its degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome system in the cells was assayed by Western-blot.

RESULTSThe enzyme mapping suggested that the eukaryotic expression plasmids for human wild-type, A53T and K96R mutants of the alpha-synuclein gene were constructed successfully. By immunofluorescence and confocal microscope, it was observed that alpha-synuclein-WT and alpha-synuclein-A53T proteins aggregated in cytoplasm, and alpha-synuclein-K96R protein aggregation was decreased in cytoplasm of cultured cells. The alpha-synuclein proteins of wild-type, A53T and K96R mutants were co-localized with mitochondria. Western-blot analysis revealed that both wild-type and A53T mutant affected the amount of the ubiquitinated proteins.

CONCLUSIONNeither overexpression of wild-type and A53T pathogenic mutant alpha-synuclein, nor sumoylation of alpha-synuclein, affected the subcellular localization in the mitochondria. However, overexpression of wild-type and A53T mutant alpha-synuclein affected the amount of the ubiquitinated proteins.

Blotting, Western ; Cell Line ; Humans ; Mitochondria ; metabolism ; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex ; metabolism ; SUMO-1 Protein ; metabolism ; Ubiquitin ; metabolism ; alpha-Synuclein ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo select the peptides that specifically bind human cancer stem cell surface marker CD133 from the Ph.D.-7>(TM) phage peptide library.

METHODSWith a biotinylated extracellular fragment of human cancer stem cell surface marker CD133 as the target protein, the CD133 high-affinity peptides were screened from the phage peptide library by liquid phase panning. The clones with high-binding force with human CD133 were then identified by sandwich ELISA and their single-stranded DNA was extracted to test the specificity by competitive ELISA. The amino acid sequences of the selected peptides derived from the phage DNA sequences were synthesized after sequence alignment analysis, and their capacity of binding with colorectal carcinoma cells was assessed by immunofluorescence technique.

RESULTSAfter 4 rounds of liquid phase selection, the phages capable of specific binding with human CD133 were effectively enriched, with an enrichment ratio of 388 times compared to that at the fourth and first rounds. Thirteen out of the 20 clones from the fourth round of panning were identified as positive clones, among which 11 had identical amino acid sequence of TISWPPR, and 2 had the sequence of STTKLAL, and the former sequence showed a stronger binding specificity to CD133.

CONCLUSIONWe have successfully obtained a peptide that specifically binds human CD133 from the Ph.D.-7(TM) phage peptide library, demonstrating the feasibility of screening small molecule high-affinity polypeptides from phage peptide library by liquid-phase panning.

AC133 Antigen ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; DNA, Single-Stranded ; Glycoproteins ; metabolism ; Humans ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; metabolism ; Peptide Library ; Peptides ; metabolism ; Protein Binding ; Sequence Analysis, DNA