Objective To reproduce a rabbit model of alginate immune pneumonia, and to study the pathogenic role of alginate on lung tissue. Methods Rabbits of group A, being challenged by saline, served as the control group. Rabbits of group B and C were immunized with seaweed alginate and bacterial alginate respectively. Body temperature,peripheral blood cells and the serum level of circulating immune complex (CIC) were measured after the challenge. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) specimens were incubated and bacterial colonies were counted. The cell number and differential count of BALF were made. The pathological changes of the lung tissue were observed under microscopy. Results In both seaweed alginate and bacterial alginate groups, the peripheral blood cell count and the number of bacterial colonies in BALF were similar to that of the saline group. However, the serum CIC levels and the cell count of BALF were increased significantly after the challenge. Under light microscopy, lymphocyte infiltration and lymphoid follicle formation around the bronchiolus were found in all alginate immunized groups, and there was also narrowing of bronchioli. Conclusion Both seaweed alginate and bacterial alginate could be used to establish the model of alginate immune pneumonia in rabbits. Alginate can cause inflammatory reaction and pathological changes in the rabbit lung, manifesting mainly peribronchilar lymphocytic infiltration and lymphoid follicle formation around the bronchioli.

Objective To study the effects of dynamic,support-inducing exercise on the support,balance and gait ability of patients with moderate-to-severe hemiplegia after stroke.Methods Fourteen stroke patients were randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group (7 cases to each).The patients in the experimental group received both dynamic,support-inducing exercise and routine exercises,while the patients in the control group received routine exercises only.Before training and after 40 and 60 days of training,their functional capacity was evaluated with the Chinese stroke scale (CSS) for neurological deficits,Berg's balance scale (BBS) and using functional ambulation categories (FACs).Results Before training there was no inter-group difference in average CSS or BBS scores or in FACs.For the experimental group there were significant intra-group differences compared with 0th day in all three items at both time points.At days 40 and 60 there were also significant intra-group differences in BBS scores and FACs in the control group,and CSS scores improved significantly only in the experimental group.At day 40 there were significant inter-group differences in average CSS,BBS and FAC results.However,by day 60 a significant difference persisted only in average CSS scores.Conclusions Dynamic,support-inducing exercise can improve support,balance and gait in patients with moderate-to-severe hemiplegia after stroke.