Objective To investigate the effects of partial body weight supported treadmill training (BW- STT) on post-stroke depression (PSD) and on patients' quality of life.Methods Sixty patients with PSD were re- cruited and divided into a training group (n=30,male 17,female 13) and a control group (n=30,male 16,fe- male 14).All patients were treated with routine internal medication and rehabilitation.The patients of the training group also received BWSTT in addition to their routine treatment.All patients' neurological impairment was evaluated using the Modified Edinburgh-Scandinavian Stroke Scale (MESSS).The Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) was used for evaluating the degree of depression.The Fugl-Meyer scale and the Barthel index were used to assess ambula- tion and balance,and facility in the activities of daily living.All patients were assessed before and after the treat- ment.Results After four weeks of treatment,depression in the training group had improved significantly more than in the control group.Conclusion BWSTT intervention is very important for patients with PSD:it can reduce the degree of depression and improve the quality of life.

OBJECTIVELong time exhaled oxygen will induced oxygen toxicity. Some studies had found that different pathology may exised in normobaric and hyperbaric pulmonary oxygen toxicity, and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) may play a role. In this study, we discussed the change of NOS in normobaric and hyperbaric pulmonary oxygen toxicity.

METHODSSixty male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups (n = 10), exposed to 1 ATA (atmosphere absolute), 1.5 ATA, 2 ATA, 2.5 ATA and 3 ATA, 100% oxygen for 56, 20, 10, 8, 6 hours respectively. Rats were exposed to air as control. After exposure, the protein in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), the wet/dry weight of lung and the expression of eNOS, nNOS in lung were defined.

RESULTSAs compared to air group, the protein in BALF, the wet/dry of lung were significantly elevated in 1.0 ATA group, while these changes were not so obviously in the other groups, and these changes in hyperbaric oxygen group (approximately 1.0 ATA) were significantly decreased as compared with nonnrmobaric oxygen group (1.0 ATA). The expression of nNOS were not changed in normobaric and hyperbaric pulmonary oxygen toxicity, while the expression of eNOS was significantly decreased in 2 ATA group, and significantly elevated in 2.5 ATA and 3 ATA group.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of eNOS can change when exposed to different pressures of oxygen.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Lung ; metabolism ; Male ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; metabolism ; Oxygen ; poisoning ; Pressure ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Background The domestic and international researches discovered that many proteins and enzymes of the extracellular matrix (ECM) participate in the sclera remodeling by affecting the collagen typeⅠand fibronectin.Objective This study was to investigate the effect of matrixmetalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) on expression of collagen typeⅠand fibronectin of ECM in the posterior sclera by injecting liposomes containing tissue inhibitor of TIMP-2 gene into suprachoroidal space of the form-deprivation myopia in guinea pig.Methods Form-deprivation myopia was induced by translucent goggles in 36 clean guinea pig for 2 weeks.Then the animals were randomly assigned to TIMP-2 group,empty plasmid group,saline group and 12 for each group.Liposomes of 5μl containing TIMP-2 gene,empty plasmid and saline were suprachoroidally injected in the right eye respectively,and the left eyes without any treatment were used as self-control group.Other 12 matched guinea pigs only covered the right eyes through out the experimental duration as model control group.The guinea pigs were sacrificed and the posterior sclera tissue of the eyeballs were collected at 2,7 and 14 days after injection of drug.The expressions of collagen typeⅠmRNA and fibronectin mRNA were detected by semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).This study followed the Regulation for the Administration of Affair Concerning Experimental Animals by State Science and Technology Commission.Results The expression level of collagen type Ⅰ mRNA in the posterior sclera of guinea pig was lower but that of fibronectin mRNA was higher in TIMP-2 group than self-control group,showing significant differences between them (P＜0.05).The expression level of collagen type Ⅰ mRNA in the posterior scleral tissue began to increase from the 2nd day after drug injection and was obviously elevated at the 7th day and then gradually decreased at the 14th day.However,the expression level of fibronectin mRNA in the posterior scleral tissue showed the opposite pattern.The expression levels of collagen typeⅠmRNA and fibronectin mRNA at the 7th after drug injection were significantly lower than that at the 2nd day or 14th day (P＜0.01).Conclusion Suprachoroidal injection of TIMP-2 in form-deprivation myopia could up-regulate the expression of collagen typeⅠmRNA and down-regulate the expression of fibronectin mRNA in the posterior scleral tissue.It may slow down the sclera remodeling of form-deprivation myopia in guinea pig in the early stage.

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy of Bushen Huoxue Sanyu Decoction (BHSD) in treatment of adenomyosis (AM) patients.

METHODSSeventy AM patients of Shen deficiency blood stasis syndrome (SDBSS) were randomly assigned to two groups, the CM treatment group (50 cases) and the Mirena group (20 cases). Patients in the CM treatment group were treated with BHSD, one dose per day. Levonorgestrel intrauterine system (Mirena) was placed in the uterine cavity of those in the Mirena group. The therapeutic course for all was 3 months. Changes of dysmenorrhea, menstrual quantity, SDBSS, CM syndrome, uterine volume, and serum CA125 levels were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSCompared with before treatment in the same group, scores for dysmenorrhea integral, scores for menstrual quantity, scores for SDBSS, and scores for CM syndrome all decreased in the two groups after treatment (P < 0.01). Compared with before treatment in the same group, the uterine volume was reduced after treatment in the two groups (P < 0.05) and serum carbohydrate antigen CA125 levels decreased between the two groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with the Mirena group, scores for dysmenorrhea integral increased and scores for SDBSS decreased in the CM treatment group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in the uterine volume or serum carbohydrate antigen CA125 levels (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSBHSD could effectively alleviate main symptoms of AM patients of QSBSS such as dysmenorrhea, profuse menstrual blood volume, and increased uterine volume, and lower scores for QSBSS and the total score for CM syndrome.

Adenomyosis ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Dysmenorrhea ; Female ; Humans ; Levonorgestrel ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo apply pulse-field gel electrophoresis analysis(PFGE) in analysing a case of food poisoning caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

METHODSPFGE using restriction enzyme Not I was employed in molecular subtyping of thirty strains of V. parahaemolyticus isolated from a case of food poisoning in Guangzhou city and PFGE patterns were analyzed by using BioNumerics Version 4.0 software to perform cluster analysis. Pattern profiles were compared by using the Dice coefficient and unweighted pair group method with arithmetic averages (UPGMA).

RESULTSThirty strains were of the same type of pulsotype.

CONCLUSIONSMolecular subtyping by PFGE might disclose the epidemiological relationships of the strains from humans, food and the environment, giving a strong molecular epidemiological evidence and a support for the source-tracking of outbreak events.

Bacterial Typing Techniques ; methods ; China ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; methods ; Foodborne Diseases ; microbiology ; Humans ; Vibrio parahaemolyticus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical characteristics and treatment methods for complicated atlantoaxial dislocation.

METHODSA retrospective evaluation was done to summarize and analyze the clinical characteristics and complicated factors of 54 patients with complicated atlantoaxial dislocation who could not to be treated effectively by using conventional therapy in our hospital from February 2005 to October 2008. According to different complicated factors, different treatment methods mainly including transoral atlantoaxial reduction plate-III (TARP-III) operation, decompression procedure with deep grinding guided by computer aided design-rapid prototyping (CAD-RP), screw placement technique with CAD-RP guide plate and extensile approach surgery were performed.

RESULTSThe average follow-up period was 24 months. Among 54 cases, 48 cases achieved immediate anatomic reduction completely and 6 cases almost achieved anatomical reduction. All the compressed spinal cords were decompressed sufficiently. The decompression rate was 86.0% and the improvement rate of nerve function was 77.8%. Two cases suffered postoperative intracranial infection.

CONCLUSIONSome cases of complicated atlantoaxial dislocation can be effectively treated by using TARP-III operation, decompression procedure with deep grinding guided by CAD-RP, individualized screw placement technique with CAD-RP guide plate and extensile approach surgery.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Atlanto-Axial Joint ; abnormalities ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Joint Dislocations ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fusion ; methods ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of treating severe and chronic vertebral compressive fractures in the elderly with percutaneous vertebroplasty.

METHODSSixteen patients who suffered from severe back pain and whose daily living was badly affected were retrospectively reviewed. The average age was 72.5 years, the average disease history was 19 months, and the average compressive rate of the affected vertebral bodies was 74.1%.

RESULTSNineteen affected compressive vertebral bodies in 16 cases were treated with percutaneous vertebroplasty. All the procedures were successful without any complication. After 3.5-7 ml of cement was injected into the lesions, complete relief was achieved in 3 cases, remarkable relief was achieved in 11 cases, and improvement was observed in 2 cases. The scores of 6-point Behavioral Rating Scale and Activity of Daily Living (ADL) declined significantly after the treatment (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONPercutaneous vertebroplasty can significantly improve the symptoms and quality of life in the elderly patients with severe and chronic vertebral compressive fractures.

Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Back Pain ; surgery ; Bone Cements ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; etiology ; surgery ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Orthopedic Procedures ; methods ; Osteoporosis ; complications ; Quality of Life ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures ; etiology ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of myringotomy with insertion of tube and tympanocentesis on alleviating secretory otitis media (SOM) and hearing loss in cleft palate infants.

METHODSNineteen cleft lip and palate infants with SOM and hearing loss (38 ears) were treated with myringotomy with insertion of ventilation tube at the same time of repair of the cleft lip, who were performed averagely at 6.9 months of age. Fifteen cleft lip and palate infants with SOM (30 ears) were treated with tympanocentesis at the same time of repair of the cleft lip averagely at 6.6 months of age. All cases were followed up from 1 week to 12 months and estimated by auditory brainstem response (ABR) and acoustic immitance audiometry.

RESULTSThe average wave V reacting thresholds of ABR were separately 55.41 dBnHL and 28.48 dBnHL, and 79.17% tympanogram B changed to tympanogram A in cleft palate infants with insertion of tube before and after operation. The average wave V reacting thresholds of ABR were separately 40.63 dBnHL and 26.50 dBnHL, and 40.91% tympanogram B changed to tympanogram A in cleft palate infants with tympanocentesis preoperatively and in 1 week postoperatively, in whom the average hearing thresholds and tympanograms had no significant difference preoperatively and in 1 or 3 months postoperatively (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe early myringotomy with insertion of tube is effective to restore the function of the middle ear in cleft palate infants with SOM, so to suggest to be performed at the same time of the repair of cleft lip within the first 1-year of life. The tympanocentesis should not be used as a regular management in the cleft palate infants with SOM.

Cleft Lip ; Cleft Palate ; Ear Diseases ; Humans ; Infant ; Middle Ear Ventilation ; Otitis Media with Effusion ; Postoperative Period

The aim of this study is to construct a lentiviral vector encoding human growth hormone, and to achieve the long, efficient and stable expression in murine skeletal myoblasts. Primary skeletal myoblasts were isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats and cultured by enzymatic digestion. We tested them by Desmin immunohistochemistry stains and found their viability was up to 94% by Trypan blue. Human growth hormone (hGH) cDNA was subcloned into expression vector pLenti6/V5-D-TOPO to construct recombinant pLenti6/V5-hGH. The pLenti6/V5-hGH and the contructed pLenti6/V5-EGFP were transfected into murine skeletal myoblasts by the Lipofectamin 2000. Through counting by the Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope, we identified the transfection efficency. We added the blasticidin to the 6-well plate with lids and obtained stable myoblasts expressing hGH. The concentration of human growth hormone (hGH) in cell culture medium was detected by Radioimmunoassay (RIA). Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and DNA sequence showed hGH cDNA had been correctly inserted into pLenti6/V5-D-TOPO vector. Bright green fluorescence of the transfected cells could be observed under the Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope after 24 h transfection with pLenti6/V5-EGFP plasmids, and the transfection rate reached 40%. The difference was distinct (P < 0.01) between the pLenti6/V5- hGH groups and control groups in the secretive level of human growth hormone. After 8 weeks, the expression of human growth hormone was still stable. Then, we validated the biological characterization of the rhGH by the enzyme-link immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of the Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-1). These results demonstrate we have successfully constructed the recombinant pLenti6/V5-hGH plasmids and accomplished rhGH long, efficient and stable expression ectopic in skeletal muscle myoblasts.
Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cells, Cultured ; Genetic Vectors ; Human Growth Hormone ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Humans ; Lentivirus ; genetics ; metabolism ; Myoblasts, Skeletal ; metabolism ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo describe epidemiological characteristics of an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SRAS) in Dongcheng District, Beijing during March to June 2003.

METHODSData of SARS cases notified from Dongcheng District Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and supplemented by other channels were collected. All data were input into dataset files by Microsoft Excel-2000 software and analyzed with SPSS version 10.0 software.

RESULTSTotally, 572 cases notified were collected during this period in Dongcheng District, Beijing, and 99 of them were excluded from SARS, because of diagnosis of common cold, pneumonia, measles, or rubella, etc. Actually, 473 SARS cases were analyzed. Attack rate of SARS in permanent residents of Dongcheng was 28.3 per 100,000. Forty-one of them died, with a case-fatality ratio of 8.7%. Outbreak of SARS in Dongcheng District started on March 14, with a peak during mid- and late April, and dropped from May 5, 2003. Persons were all susceptible to SARS, with the highest proportion at ages of 20-50 years, which accounted for 68.7% of the total cases. Average age of the patients at their onset was 40.7 years. No gender difference in SARS cases was found. Number of SARS cases in health care workers (HCWs) accounted for 18.0% and that in the retired persons accounted for 15.4% of the total cases. Cases occurred in all 10 sub-districts of Dongcheng. Totally, 230 of the 572 notified cases (40.2%) hospitalized at local hospitals under the jurisdiction of Dongcheng District. Eighteen of 85 cases of SARS occurred in health care workers of local hospitals, accounting for 4.5% of the total number of health care workers working at the wards caring for SARS patients or at fever clinics. There were 34.7% of SARS cases without any contact histories before their onset. Familial aggregation phenomena were observed in 41.8% of the cases and 18.1% of households. And, 7.4% (attack rate) in those exposed to SARS cases suffered the illness during the periods of quarantine.

CONCLUSIONSSARS appeared outbreak in Dongcheng District, Beijing during March to June 2003. People were all susceptible to SARS, which mainly threatened the young adults and the middle-aged, as well as health care workers and the retired workers. Main mode of transmission was exposure to SARS patients in a near distance at hospitals or families. Prevention and control of SARS should be focused on early isolation of patients and quarantine for the contacts. Current available measures to prevent and control SARS proved effective.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; epidemiology