Objective To examine whether neonate′s cord blood T-lymphocytes is related to infant temperament.Methods Twenty-five healthy babies were randomly chosen in Changsha from Jul.2005 to Aug.2005 and their cord blood was drown when they were born. CD4+ and CD8+ counts, CD4+%, CD8+%, CD4+/ CD8+ratios were obtained using flow cytometry analysis. Infant temperament were measured after 1-4 months( mean age 2.52 months) with parent response to carey revised infant temperament questionnaire(EITQ/RITQ) administered.Results The percentage of CD4+ T-cell subsets to total lymphocytes correlated negatively with persistence scores (r=-0.43 P=0.033). However, CD8+%, CD8+ and CD4+ counts, CD4+/ CD8+ ratios were not correlated with temperament traits.Conclusions The lower CD4 %, the better infants' persistence.

Objective To study the recovery mechanism of dysphagic patients after stroke using functional magnetic resonanee imaging(fMRI). Methods Thirteen patients with dysphagia caused by unilateral cortical or subcortical lesions were recruited into a dysphagia group,and eight age-matched healthy volunteers were recruited as controls.Both grouDs performed experimental volitional swallowing tasks during fMRI studies.All patients of the dys-phagia group received rehabilitation treatment targeting dysphagia.Of the 13 dysphagia patients,7 reached almost complete recovery and were identified as recovered in follow-up fMRI studies.A 3.0 T MR scanner and echo planar imaging(EPI)T_2 WI sequence were employed to obtain the fMRI data.SPM2 software was used for post-processing of the fMRI data and displaying activated brain maps.Lateral index(LI)was calculated as LI:(C-1)/(C+I).Paired t tests were used to compare activated brain volume before and after complete recovery. Results Consistent activation of the bilateral primary sensorimotor cortex,anterior cingulated gyrus and the bilateral insular cortex were observed in the control group. Activation of the pons,medulla,left cerebellum,left prefrontal area,right occipital area and the left insular cortex were observed in the dysphagia group.Activation was observed in the bilateral primary sensorimotor cortex.bilateral prefrontal area,bilateral superior temporal gyrus,left insular cortex,bilateral frontal o-pereulum and anterior cingulated gyrus in the recovered patients.The total activated volume before recovery in the ip-silesional hemisDhere was significantly less compared with the contralesional hemisphere in the dysphagia group.In the recovered patients,both the activated brain volume of the ipsilesional hemisphere and value of LI were significant-ly larger than those at the initial examination.Conclusions Decreased activation in the sensorimotor cortex,the in-sular lobe and the cingulate gyms might be causes.of dysphagia.Compensation by the contralesional hemisphere in the early stages and then the restoration of the ipsilesional hemisphere after recovery may be mechanisms of dysphagia recovery in stroke patients.

Epmedii Folium is a commonly used traditional Chinese drug, and is beneficial for the "liver" and "kidney" s function in Chinese medicine. Recently, the origin of this drug is more complex. Most of the identification studies are emphasized on the species certified by the pharmacopoeia and other related species from the same genus of Epimedium, but few was emphasized on the counterfeit. In this paper, one counterfeit of Epmedii Folium, identified as the dried leaf of Quercus variabilis (Fam. Fagaceae), has been reported based on field investigation, comparing specimen of Epmedii Folium and Q. variabilis,using the macroscopic, microscopic and TmC methods. It is resulted that they could be identified clearly not only by the macroscopic features, such as the vein character and the tooth apex, but also by the microscopic features, such as the vascular bundles of the midrib, the non-glandular hair, the anticlinal wall of the epidermis cell and the calcium oxalate crystal. Furthermore their TLC chromatograms showed also difference. This study will give reference for the identification of Epmedii Folium and the related supervision and inspection work.
China ; Discriminant Analysis ; Epimedium ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; Plant Leaves ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; Quercus ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry

ObjectiveTo study the effect of comprehensive treatment on lumbar interveretebral disc syndrome.Methods227 patients with lumbar interveretebral disc syndrome were randomized into two groups. Control group(127 patients) only accepted lumbar vertebra traction, while treatment group(100 patients) accepted comprehensive treatment, including lumbar vertebra traction, hot magnet, Maitland manipulation, and Mckeizie back muscles train. ResultsEffect of treatment group was obviously better than control group (P<0.05). Conclusions Comprehensive treatment on lumbar interveretebral disc syndrome can get better effect than simply traction.

BackgroundChoriodal neovascularization is an important ocular manifestation of angiogenesis in eyes,which derives from the choroid capillaries.Recent studies have found that complement activation is playing a key role in the laser-induced CNV.Because of the key position of CFB in the alternative pathway,bytargeting CFB and blocking the alternative pathway may provide an approach to observe the role of this alternative pathway in the generation of CNV.Objective This study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of reconstructed complement factor B (CFB)-small interfering ribonucleicacid(siRNA)on choroidal neovascularization (CNV)and its mechanism. Methods Experimental CNV was induced by laser photocoagulation in 96 eyes of 48 clean Brown Norway rats.The rats were randomly divided into 4 groups.25,50 and 75 μg B factor siRNA were injected via caudal vein on 1 day,3,5 days after photocoagulation in different dose groups,and normal saline solution was injected at the same way in experimental control group.Other 12 normal rats were used as blank control group.Fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA) was performed on 3,7,14,21,28 days after injection of CFB-siRNA and CNV was scored.The expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and factor Ⅷ in choroid were detected by immunochemistry.The expressions of CFB-siRNA,VEGF,transforming growth factor β2( TGF-β2 )proteins in choroid were determined using immunochemistry in 7,14,21,28 days,and the expressions of mRNA of CFB-siRNA,VEGF,TGF-β2 were examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR). ResultsFFA revealed that the CNV rates in various doses of CFB-siRNA groups were significant lower than those of experimental control group in various time points(P＜0.05),and those in 75 μg B factor siRNA were decreased in comparison with 25 μg B factor siRNA (P＜0.05).Immunochemistry showed that the intensities of the VEGF and factor Ⅶ expression in various doses of CFB-siRNA groups were weaker than the blank control group ( P ＜ 0.05 ).Compared with the control group,the expression of CFB reduced in 7 days,and then approached to the level near the control group.Fourteen to twenty-one days after injection of CFB-siRNA,VEGF and TGF-β2 depressions in different doses of CFB-siRNA groups were lower than blank control group( P＜0.05 ).CFB expression in choroid showed the lower levels in CFB-siRNA injection group compared with blank control group in from 7 through 21 days (P＜0.05).RT-PCR displayed the gradual increase of CFB mRNA and curve-like changes of VEGF and TGF-β2 with time prolong. Conclusions Recombinated CFB-siRNA can effectively inhibit laser-induced CNV by down-regulating the expression of VEGF and factor Ⅷ.Alternative pathway of complement plays an important role in the production of CNV.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the use of a 7-day physical activity questionnaire in epidemiologic studies on 4-6th grades children.

METHODSFocus group discussion, observation and expert consultation were used to develop 7-day physical activity questionnaire. The reliability and validity of questionnaire were determined in a sample of 92 children in 4-6th grades who were randomly selected from four schools in urban Beijing. A two-week test-retest reliability was determined. The questionnaire was validated against experts' evaluation and Caltrac motion sensor.

RESULTSFor different measures of activity, the agreement was good between the test and retest. Kappa values ranged from 0.46 to 0.79, and the Spearman correlations ranged from 0.66 to 0.87 in boys and 0.57 to 0.82 in girls, with significant difference (P < 0.01). The face validity and content validity were good by experts' evaluation. There was no significant difference between questionnaire results and Caltrac motion sensor for both boys and girls, and the questionnaire correlated significantly (r = 0.46, 0.38 for different measures of activity) with Caltrac motion sensor for boys.

CONCLUSIONThese data provided evidence that the 7-day physical activity questionnaire yield a reliable estimate of past week physical activity for 4 - 6-grade children and provided valid estimation of past week physical activity for boys.

Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Motor Activity ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The aim of present study was to investigate the effect of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (CIHH) on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in rat. Fifty male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: CIHH pre-treatment group (Pre-T), pre-control group (Pre-C), CIHH post-treatment group (Post-T), post-control group (Post-C) and blank control group (Con). The rats in Pre-T and Post-T groups were exposed to 28 d of hypobaric hypoxia (simulated 3 000 m altitude, 5 h per day, pO2 = 108.8 mmHg, 14% O2) in a hypobaric chamber before and 12 days after CIA induction, respectively. The rats in Pre-C and Post-C groups were only experienced CIA induction, being control groups for Pre-T and Post-T groups, respectively. The rats in Con group were not given any treatment. The thickness of two-hind paw of rat was measured with spiral micrometer and the degree of arthritis was evaluated by arthritis index (AI). Morphological changes of ankle joint were observed through HE staining. The apoptotic rate in synovial tissue was measured by terminal dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and the apoptotic rate of CD3(+) T lymphocyte in spleen was measured by flow cytometry technique. The protein expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax were measured using immunohistochemistry SP method. The results showed that incidence rate of CIA in Pre-T rats was lower than that in Pre-C rats (P < 0.05). AI in Pre-T and Post-T rats were smaller than those in Pre-C and Post-C, respectively (P < 0.05). In Pre-C and Post-C rats, there were hyperplasia of synovial cell, pannus forming, infiltration with inflammatory cell, and destroyed cartilage and bone in ankle joint. On the contrary, pathological changes of ankle joint were alleviated significantly in Pre-T and Post-T rats. Compared with Pre-C and Post-C rats, apoptotic rates of synovial cell and T lymphocyte in Pre-T and Post-T rats were increased (P < 0.05). As to the possible anti-apoptosis mechanism, CIHH, no matter before and after CIA induction, decreased Bcl-2 expression and increased Bax expression in joint synovial cells and spleen T lymphocytes (P < 0.05), respectively. In conclusion, CIHH possesses a protective effect against CIA in rat by enhancing apoptosis of synovial cells and T lymphocytes, which may be related to the inhibition of Bcl-2 protein expression and the promotion of Bax protein expression.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; physiology ; Arthritis, Experimental ; pathology ; physiopathology ; prevention & control ; Hypoxia ; physiopathology ; Ischemic Postconditioning ; methods ; Ischemic Preconditioning ; methods ; Joints ; pathology ; Male ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spleen ; cytology ; Synovial Membrane ; pathology ; T-Lymphocytes ; pathology ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether there is an association between DRD2/ANKK1 Taq IA polymorphism and early infant temperament.

METHODSDRD2/ANKK1 Taq IA polymorphism (rs1800497) was determined using polymerase chain reaction-ligase detection reaction (PCR-LDR) techniques in 149 Chinese Han infants from Changsha City. Their mothers were asked to complete the Early Infant Temperament Questionnaires (EITQ) when the infants were 1 to 4 months old (mean: 2.75 months). There were three genotypes found in these infants: C/C, T/T and C/T. The subjects were subdivided into T-carrier (CT, TT) and non-T-carrier (CC) groups for statistical analysis.

RESULTSThere were no differences in the temperament style distribution between the T-carrier and non-T carrier groups. There were also no statistically significant differences between the two groups in the score of the nine temperament dimensions.

CONCLUSIONSDRD2/ANKK1 Taq IA polymorphism is not associated with early infant temperament.

Genotype ; Humans ; Infant ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; genetics ; Receptors, Dopamine D2 ; genetics ; Temperament

OBJECTIVETo study the relation between body mass index (BMI) and percentage body fat (PBF) in Chinese adolescent, and to compare the prevalence of overweight and obesity using BMI or PBF standards.

METHODSBMI from 757 girls with an average aged of 10.1 years in the rural areas, 165 girls average aged 13.5 years in suburbs and 172 boys average aged 13.7 years in suburb of Beijing, were measured. Their body compositions were also measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).

RESULTSBMI was found closely correlated with PBF in each age group of rural and suburb girls and suburb boys with the correlation coefficient(r) of 0.59 - 0.83. When age, height and pubertal development were controlled, r became 0.54 - 0.88. The prevalence rates of obesity in rural girls, suburb girls and suburb boys were 33.1%, 21.8% and 21.5%, when PBF cutoff values (girls: PBF >or= 35%, boys: PBF >or= 25%) were used. However, the rates became 2.4%, 3.0% and 4.0% when BMI cutoff values of International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) were used. Compared with PBF cutoff values for obesity, the IOTF recommended BMI cutoff values had relatively lower sensitivity (7.3% - 18.9%) and higher specificity (100%).

CONCLUSIONBMI correlated well with PBF in Beijing adolescent. IOTF-BMI cutoff values showed low sensitivity and high specificity to Chinese adolescent which might be suitable for identifying obesity but not for the purpose of screening.

Adolescent ; Adolescent Development ; physiology ; Age Factors ; Body Composition ; physiology ; Body Mass Index ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Obesity ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Rural Population ; statistics & numerical data ; Sex Factors ; Suburban Population ; statistics & numerical data ; Urban Population ; statistics & numerical data

In order to test the clinical capacity of hand-carried ultrasound (HCU) devices in elderly inpatients with heart disease, chamber sizes of heart structure, ventricular wall thickness and motion abnormality (WMA), mitral valve and tricuspid regurgitation evaluated by HCU devices in 401 elderly inpatients with heart disease were compared with those evaluated by comprehensive echocardiography (CE) devices. As a result, there was no significant difference in measurements of cardiac chamber dimensions or left ventricular ejection fraction between the two techniques. The HCU's WMA detection rate relative to the CE was 92.15%. Their conformable rates for detection of mitral and tricuspid regurgitation was 93% and 91.4% respectively. Therefore, we conclude that HCU is one of the practical modalities for diagnosis and monitoring in elderly inpatients with heart disease.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Echocardiography ; classification ; instrumentation ; Female ; Heart Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Monitoring, Ambulatory ; instrumentation