The aim is to compare the mean values of the in vivo electrical characteristics of biological active points (BAPs) with those of the surrounding human skin. The impedance measurements at BAPs and on the surrounding skin are carried out in vivo on ten young, healthy people. The results of the measurements show that the BAP resistance RP is smaller, and the capacitance CP is higher, than the corresponding values for skin, RS and CS, respectively, these differences are larger at low frequencies (at f = 3 Hz, RS/RP = 3.19 and CP/CS = 3.2). The mean values of the impedance measurements at the BAPs are different from those measured on the skin. The dependence of RP and CP on the pressing force, in the range of about 1-5 N, for the BAPs, has a smaller slope than that observed for the surrounding skin. An equivalent circuit for the BAPs is proposed that describes sufficiently well the experimental results obtained. These results show that the large dispersion in the observed impedance characteristics of the human body measurements in different body regions can be related to the influence of the BAPs present under the electrodes.
El cáncer cérvicouterino (CaCu) es la segunda causa de muerte por cáncer en mujeres de todo el mundo, a pesar de la implementación de la citología de cérvix para su prevención. Esto se debe a la baja sensibilidad y especificidad de la prueba, lo cual apoya a un cambio urgente en la forma de tamizaje para su detección. Ahora se sabe que la infección persistente por virus del papiloma humano de alto riesgo (HR-HPV) es la causa de la totalidad de los casos de CaCu. En la actualidad se están utilizando vacunas frente a dos (Bivalente: HPV-16 y HPV-18) o cuatro (Tetravalente: HPV-6 HPV-11, HPV-16 y HPV-18) de las cepas de HR-HPV que causan la mayoría de los casos de CaCu. El propósito de este artículo es proporcionar una revisión de las características principales del virus y de los mecanismos que se echan a andar bajo la infección persistente de las células cervicales, lo cual conduce a la proliferación desordenada y a la malignización de las células infectadas. Es necesario que el virus se integre al genoma de la célula epitelial para que inicie la expresión de las oncoproteínas virales E6 y E7 lo cual conducirá al desarrollo del CaCu.
A major part of the mutagenic and carcinogenic properties of sunlight has been attributed to UV rays. UV radiation in the middle-wavelength range between 290 and 320 nm (UVB) represents one of the most relevant environmental dangers because of its hazardous effects. Like other adverse agents (alkylating chemicals, oxidants), UVB induces apoptosis in mammalian cells. Elucidation of the underlying molecular mechanisms is of primary importance for the understanding of how UVB can damage cells. To exert its biological effects, UVB must be first absorbed by a cellular chromophore, which transfers the energy into a biochemical signal. DNA damage is regarded as an important reservoir for transferring the biochemical signals of UVB. We have examined the signal mechanism of UVB induced apoptosis in bone marrow derived macrophages. Macrophages exposed to 50 mJ/cm(2) doses and above of UVB irradiation showed the morphological characteristics of apoptotic cells, and electrophoresis of DNA isolated from these cells showed characteristic fragmentation. The DNA fragmentation induced in macrophages with 50 mJ/cm(2) UVB exposure appeared to be sufficient for activating p53, Bax, Caspase-3 and PARP cleavage. This study provides evidence that UVB can cause the apoptosis in bone marrow derived macrophages induced by DNA damage providing an useful experimental model for research and investigational purposes.
The present work describes the in vivo electrical characteristics of the biologically active point (BAPs, also known as the acupuncture points) present in the human body, and compares them with those of the human skin. The impedance measurements of the BAPs and of the surrounding human skin, measured at a distance 5-10 mm from the BAP, were carried out in vivo on 36 young healthy people of 18 to 28 years of age. The results of the measurements have shown that (i) the resistance of BAP is lower and the capacitance is higher than the corresponding parameters of skin; (i) the impedance spectra of BAP differ from the impedance spectra of skin not only quantitatively, but qualitatively: the former consist of two semicircles, whereas the latter has only one. An equivalent electrical circuit of a BAP is proposed, which agrees well with our experimental results. The data obtained show that the large dispersion of the in vivo impedance characteristics of the human body, measured in different parts of the body may be the effect of presence of the biologically active points under the area of the electrodes.
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