Objective To observe the effect of motor relearning program (MRP) on balance function of stroke patients.Methods Sixty stroke patients were randomly divided into the MRP group and control group with 30 cases in each group. The patients of the control group were trained with proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) therapy; those of the MRP group were trained with the MRP therapy. The balance function of all patients was assessed with the Fugl-Meyer Balance Function Assessment before and after training.Results After training, the scores of Fugl-Meyer Assessment of all patients increased ( P<0.05), but scores of the patients of the MRP group were significantly higher than that of the control group ( P<0.05).Conclusion The MRP training can improve the recovery of balance function of stroke patients.

Eleven old male patients with hyperuricemia were collected ( hyperuricemia group,65-90 years old ).10 healthy middle-aged males ( middle-aged group,30-40 years old) and 10 healthy old males ( older group 60-70 years old ) with normal blood uric acid level were used as controls.All of the subjects were given low purine content diet ( 250 mg/d ) for 3 days followed by high purine content diet ( 800 mg/d ) consecutively for another three days.The samples of fasting blood and 24 h urine were collected for assay.The results showed that there were no significant changes of serum uric acid ( UA ) concentration in three groups after low purine content diet.But the levels of serum UA in three groups all increased significantly after high purine content diet,and the change was higher in hyperuricemia group than middle-aged group [ ( 507.7 ± 108.1 vs 378.9 ± 80.1 ) μmol/L,P＜0.05 ].24 h urine uric acid excretion in three groups was all significantly decreased after low purine content diet and increased after high purine content diet.After high purine content diet,24 h urine uric acid was lower in hyperuricemia group than middle-aged group [ ( 2.99 ± 1.21 vs 3.62 ± 1.02 ) mmol/24 h,P＜0.05 ].Blood urea nitrogen levels in all subjects decreased after low purine content diet and increased after high purine content diet ( P＜0.05 or P＜0.01 ).Creatinine clearance rate in hyperuricemia group was decreased after high purine content diet compared with baseline [ (75.3 ± 20.3 vs 80.7 ±20.0) ml/min ],and there were no significant changes in other groups after low and high purine content diet.24 h urine protein in hyperuricemia group was higher than middle-aged group ( P＜0.05 ),and increased after high purine content diet with significant difference ( P＜0.05 ).These results suggest that high purine content diet and decreased by renal uric acid clearance mainly contribute to hyperuricemia in old people.

To study the chemical constituents from the the deep-sea fungus Alternaria sp. F49. Seven compounds were isolated from the EtOAc extract by using silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, ODS and HPLC methods. Based on the spectroscopic analysis, their structures were identified as (8R)-5-O-methyl-orcinotriol (1), orcinotriol (2), α-acetylorcinol (3), 3'-hydroxyalternariol 5-O-methyl ether (4), altenusiol (5), altenusin (6), and 5'-methoxy-6-methyl-biphenyl-3,4,3'-triol (7). (8R)-5-O-Methyl-orcinotriol (1) is a new phenolic compound which has never been reported in the literature. Compounds 4-7 showed strong DPPH free radical scavenging activity; whereas compounds 1-7 showed strong ABTS free radical scavenging activity.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Chinese medicine (CM) Schisandra chinensis on interleukin (IL), glucose metabolism, and pituitary-adrenal and gonadal axis of rats after strenuous navigation and exercise.

METHODSA total of 45 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into the quiet control group, the stress group, and the CM group (15 in each group). The CM group received 2.5 g/kg of Schisandra chinensis twice per day for one week before modeling. Except the quiet controls, rats were trained using the Bedford mode for 10 days. On the 11th day, they performed 3 h of stressful experimental navigation and 3 h of strenuous treadmill exercise. The levels of serum testosterone (T), cortisol (CORT), luteinizing hormone (LH), IL-1, IL-2, and IL-6 were tested by radioimmunoassay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The adrenal cortex ultrastructure was observed using electron microscopy.

RESULTSCompared with the quiet control group, after navigation and strenuous exercise, blood glucose was increased, and T level was decreased in the stress group (both P<0.01). The blood glucose, CORT, IL-1 and IL-2 levels were significantly reduced in the CM group (P<0.05 or P<0.01) as compared with the stress group. Electron microscopy revealed that the rats in the CM group had a smaller decrease in adrenal intracellular lipid droplets and higher levels of apoptosis than those in the stress group.

CONCLUSIONSSchisandra chinensis can reduce serum CORT and blood glucose levels in stressed rats. It appears to protect the cell structure of the adrenal cortex, and offset the negative effects of psychological stress and strenuous exercise related to immune dysfunction. Schisandra chinensis plays a regulatory role in immune function, and can decrease the influence of stress in rats.

Adrenal Cortex ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Animals ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Gonads ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Hydrocortisone ; blood ; Interleukin-1 ; blood ; Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Interleukins ; blood ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Pituitary-Adrenal System ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Schisandra ; chemistry ; Swimming ; physiology ; Testosterone ; blood

OBJECTIVETo verify the rate of diagnostic fitting between the clinic and the indentification-aided for diagnosis and differential diagnosis system, for emerging infections diseases (EID) established.

METHODS314 cases of 49 kinds of contagious diseases diagnosed and another 186 patients with fever who not diagnosed were tested by the system.

RESULTSPreliminary verification was made in 314 cases diagnosed which classified to 49 kinds of contagious diseases of infectious diseases and the results showed that the coincidence rate of clinical diagnosis and first diagnosis of this system was 61.9%; the suggestive rate of first three diagnoses was 78.1%, and that of first five diagnoses was 86.6%. The diagnosis of another 186 patients with fever were diagnosed by the system and the results showed that the coincidence rate of clinical diagnosis and first diagnosis was 59.7%; the suggestive rate of first three diagnoses was 77.9%, and that of first five diagnoses was 85.4%.

CONCLUSIONSThe system can accurately suggest impossible diagnosis and differential diagnosis, and be useful for our medical work.

Clinical Laboratory Techniques ; Communicable Diseases, Emerging ; diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Fever ; Humans ; Software

PURPOSE: The characteristic expression of DNA damage response proteins in familial breast cancers with BRCA1, BRCA2, or non-BRCA1/2 mutations has not been analyzed in Chinese patients. Our study aimed to assess the differential expression of microcephalin 1 (BRIT1), ATM serine/threonine kinase (ATM), checkpoint kinase 2 (CHEK2), BRCA1, RAD51 recombinase (RAD51), and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1) and establish the profile of Chinese familial breast cancers with different mutation status. METHODS: We constructed five tissue microarrays from 183 familial breast cancer patients (31 with BRCA1 mutations; 14 with BRCA2 mutations, and 138 with non-BRCA1/2 mutations). The DNA response and repair markers used for immunohistochemistry analysis included BRIT1, ATM, CHEK2, BRCA1, RAD51, and PARP-1. The expressions of these proteins were analyzed in BRCA1/2 mutated tumors. The association between pathologic characteristics with BRCA1/2 mutation status was also analyzed. RESULTS: In familial breast cancer patients, BRCA1 mutated tumors were more frequent with high nuclear grade, estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative, low Ki-67, and positive CK5/6. BRCA1 mutated tumors had lower CHEK2 and higher cytoplasmic BRIT1 expression than BRCA2 and non-BRCA1/2 mutation tumors. BRCA2-associated tumors showed higher CHEK2 and cytoplasmic RAD51 expression than those in other groups. Nuclear PARP-1 expression in BRCA1/2-associated tumors was significantly higher than in non-BRCA1/2 mutation tumors. Moreover, we found quite a few of negative PARP-1 expression cases in BRCA1/2 mutated groups. CONCLUSION: The clinicopathologic findings of BRCA1-associated Chinese familial breast cancers were similar to the results of other studies. Chinese familial breast cancer patients with BRCA1/2 mutations might have distinctive expression of different DNA damage response proteins. The reduced expression of PARP-1 in Chinese BRCA1/2 mutated breast cancer patients could influence the therapeutic outcome of PARP-1 inhibitors.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Checkpoint Kinase 2 ; Cytoplasm ; DNA Damage* ; DNA Repair ; DNA* ; Estrogens ; Genes, BRCA1 ; Genes, BRCA2 ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Phosphotransferases ; Rad51 Recombinase ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor

OBJECTIVETo investigate the tribology characteristics of two ceramic materials in vitro:feldspathic glass-ceramic (veneer porcelain) and lithium disilicate glass-ceramic (heat-pressed ceramic), and to evaluate the wear resistance of different ceramic materials from the dynamic chewing perspective.

METHODSWear tests were performed in simulated oral environment with stainless steel ball antagonists (r = 3 mm), veneer porcelain (CERAMCO 3) and heat-pressed ceramic (IPS e.max Press HT type) in the chewing simulator. The tribological tests were carried out under artificial saliva lubrication condition in room temperature with a vertical load of 10 N for 1.2×10(6) cycles (f = 1.5 Hz, uniform circular motion, revolving speed = 90 r/min, radius = 0.5 mm). The wear volumes were measured using three-dimensional profiling, and surface microscopic morphology were observed using scanning electron microscopy at time point of 200 000, 400 000, 600 000, 800 000, 1 000 000, and 1 200 000 cycles.

RESULTSIn a simulated oral environment, the wear rates of veneer porcelain were (0.001 20 ± 0.00 018) , (0.000 10 ± 0.000 03) , (0.000 50 ± 0.000 05), (0.000 10 ± 0.000 02) , (0.004 10 ± 0.000 38) , and (0.019 00 ± 0.003 53) (×10(-4) mm(3)/cycles) at 200 000, 400 000, 600 000, 800 000, 1 000 000, 1 200 000 cycles. The wear rates of heat-pressed ceramic were (0.139 50 ± 0.030 94), (0.124 40 ± 0.031 20), (0.054 80 ± 0.005 38), (0.038 80 ± 0.006 10), (0.011 10 ± 0.003 75), (0.198 90 ± 0.045 80) (×10(-4) mm(3)/cycles) at 200 000, 400 000, 600 000, 800 000, 1 000 000, 1 200 000 cycles. Three stages were observed in the wear loss process of the two materials: running-in stage, steady wear stage and severe wear stage. In running-in and steady wear stage, the shallow wear tracks of veneer porcelain were produced by the fatigue effect.While in severe wear stage, the wear tracks turned into ploughing. In running-in stage, the surface of heat-pressed ceramic was characterized by dense and shallow ploughing. In steady wear stage, the wear tracks turned into flake peeling produced by fatigue effect. At last, the whole layer was worn off by the effects of ploughing.

CONCLUSIONSIn a simulated oral environment, the wear rate and wear loss of heat-pressed ceramic are greater than that of veneer porcelain.

Analysis of Variance ; Ceramics ; Dental Porcelain ; Dental Restoration Wear ; Dental Veneers ; Glass ; Mastication ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Surface Properties

In order to fabricate the HLA-DQA1 genotyping chip and develop an integrated, parallel technical platform to type HLA system, a pair of primers and a set of probes were designed according to the sequences of HLA-DQA1 exon 2, where the polymorphism is concentrated. The oligonucleotide chip was made with the methods developed in our laboratory. The target DNA was asymmetrically amplified with the labeled sense primer. The signals were scanned and analyzed after the hybridization between microarray and PCR product. The allele types of the samples were identified. The result was verified by the standard DNA and DNA sequencing. The results showed that the genotyping was successfully carried out in 50 standard DNA samples and 50 clinical samples. Among them, results of the 50 standard DNA samples matched their templates. In the other 50 samples, results of the randomly selected 10 matched their sequencing results except that two of them got the incompletely result. In reproducible tests, the signal reappear rate was 95%. It is concluded that HLA-DQA1 genotyping by using our array system is simple and convenient with satisfied accuracy and reproducibility.
Genotype ; HLA-DQ Antigens ; genetics ; immunology ; HLA-DQ alpha-Chains ; Humans ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Oligonucleotide Probes ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of experimental navigation and deuteroexhaustive exercise on the serum levels of testosterone (T), corticosterone (CORT), luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH).

METHODSThirty-six male SD rats were randomly divided into an experimental navigation group (Group A), which underwent 180 min wearing floating with psychological stress, a deuteroexhaustive exercise group (Group B), which were subjected to 120 min intensive running on the treadmill after the accomplishment of the same procedure as Group A, and a control group (Group C). Blood samples were obtained at the end of the experiment to determine the T, CORT, LH and FSH of the rats.

RESULTSCompared with Group C, serum T was statistically decreased in Group A and B (P < 0.05), while CORT was increased slightly in Group A and significantly in Group B (P < 0.05). A statistically lower level of serum LH was observed in Group B (P < 0.05), but no significant differences were found in serum FSH among the three groups.

CONCLUSIONStresses of experimental navigation and intensive exercise suppress the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicle axis in rats.

Animals ; Corticosterone ; blood ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; physiology ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; physiology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stress, Psychological ; blood ; physiopathology ; Testis ; physiology ; Testosterone ; blood

OBJECTIVETo clone, express and characterize the capsid protein of human Norwalk virus Guangzhou strain NVgz01.

METHODSOn the basis of successful construction of full-genome clones and sequence analysis of human norovirus Guangzhou strain NVgz01, the full capsid gene was ligated into pET28a (+) for expression. After IPTG induction, the recombinant protein was purified through metal (Ni(2+)) chelating affinity chromatography. Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to determine the antigenicity of the recombinant protein.

RESULTSThe recombinant capsid gene was overexpressed in E.coli, yielding the recombinant protein with relative molecular mass of 62x10(3) that was highly purified through metal (Ni(2+)) chelating affinity chromatography. IDEIA Norovirus Kit and immunoassay showed that the recombinant protein had good antigenicity.

CONCLUSIONThe capsid gene of norovirus Guangzhou strain has been cloned and expressed, which can be useful for developing diagnostic reagents or vaccine of norovirus.

Blotting, Western ; Capsid Proteins ; analysis ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Cloning, Molecular ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Norwalk virus ; genetics ; Plasmids ; genetics