Objective To observe the effects of standardized three stage rehabilitation treatment on the neu- rological deficit scores (NDS) and ADL performance of ischemic stroke patients.Methods A total of 164 ischemic stroke patients were recruited and randomly divided into a rehabilitation group and a control group.The neurological function and ADL performance of the patients were assessed by using NDS and Modified Barthcl Index (MBI) at the admission,at the end of 1st,3rd and 6th months post stroke.Results No significant differences were found be- tween the rehabilitative and the control groups with regard to NDS and MBI at admission.The NDS demonstrated a decreasing tendency,while the MBI score an increasing tendency in both groups.In the control group,significant difference of NDS was found between admission and the end of 1st month as well as between the end of the 1 st and the 3rd months.In rehabilitation group,significant difference was revealed between all the time points with regard to NDS and MBI scores.At the end of the 1st,3rd and 6th months,the MBI scores of the rehabilitation group were signifi- cantly higher than those of the control group,indicating that the ADL performance of those treated with standardized three-stage rehabilitation protocol was improved quicker than those without the protocol.Conclusion Standardized three-stage rehabilitation treatment could improve the neurological function and ADL performance of the ischemic stroke patients.

Objective To investigate the expression of osteopontin (OPN)in serum,urine and renal tissue of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)and its relevance with organ damage in and activity of this disease.Methods Enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay(ELISA)was applied to detect the concentration of OPN in the sera of 100 patients with SLE and 30 sex-and age-matched normal human controls as well as in the urine of 57 patients with SLE and 15 normal human controls.Renal tissue was obtained from 3 patients with lupus nephritis and subjected to immunohistochemistry for the observation of OPN.Results The level of OPN was significantly higher in the sera and urine of patients with SLE than in those of normal human controls (64.03 ±72.87 μg/L vs 29.88±1 1.28μg/L,454.87±231.63 μg/L vs 122.67±39.47μg/L,both P<0.05).Increased level of OPN in sera and urine was also observed in patients with active SLE com-pared with those with inactive SLE (80.92±87.49μg/L vs 36.43±23.48μg/L,584.36±207.15 μs/L vs 28 1.08±1 3 1.92μg/L,both P<0.05).A positive correlation was noted between the serum level of OPN and SLE disease activity index(SLEDAI)(r=0.462,P<0.01),and the level of urine OPN was positively correlated with both SLEDAI and the concentration of urine immunoglobulin G.urine mierualbumin.urine α1-microglo-bulin,urine β2-microglobulin(r=0.901,0.458,0.359,0.342,0.409,respectively,all P<0.05).OPN was found in renal tubule epithelia of the three patients with lupus nephritis.Conclusion OPN may be involved in the pathogenesis of SLE and associated with the renal damage in patients with lupus nephritis.

Objective To evaluate the functional changes in the isometric,concentric and eccentric muscle strength of the knee extensors and flexors in patients with knee osteoarthritis,and to explore the relationship among these contractions.Methods A Biodex System-3 isokinetic test system was used to assess the isometric,concentric and eccentric strength of the knee extensors and flexors of the involved and uninvolved limbs of 54 patients suffering from osteoarthritis.Results The strength of the knee extensors and flexors of the involved limbs was significantly less than that of the uninvolved legs in the different contraction modes(P＜0.05).The difference was especially marked in concentric and eccentric contraction at low angular velocity.The hamstrings/quadriceps ratio and the dy- namic control ratio showed abnormalities in the muscle balance of the hamstrings and quadriceps.Conclusion Iso- kinetic testing should be applied and the hamstrings/quadriceps ratio and the dynamic control ratio should be analyzed in evaluating patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Objective To determine the extent and distribution of error in knee joint proprioception and e- valuate the relationship between knee joint proprioception and pain and dysfunction.Methods Twenty-eight knee OA patients (19 female and 9 male) were compared with 27 age-matched healthy adults (20 female and 7 male). Knee joint proprioception was measured with a repositioning test on the Biodex dynamometer.The pain and knee dys- function were assessed with Visual Analogue Scale and Lequesne Index,respectively.Results Knee OA patients produced 79% more proprioception errors than the healthy subjects (P

Doctor WANG Zhi-zhong in the Southern Song Dynasty proposed the acupoint view of "location of disease", which explained the connotation of acupoints from the angle of clinic. Its meaning included two levels, one level meant pathological change on the body surface, that was the location of acupuncture diagnosis-treatment, and the other one indicated that the body surface which was the reflecting point of pathological change on the distal area or inside the body was the location of acupuncture diagnosis-treatment. The specific connotations of clinical acupoints were: location of pathogenic factors or reflection of pathogenic factors, regularity between acupoints un- der disease and specific organ, morphological differences and positioning variability after acupoints under disease, and acupoints examination, diagnosis and treatment.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; China ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Meridians

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the inhibitory effect of diallyl disulfide (DADS) on transplantation tumor from hepatic carcinoma HePG2 cells in nude mice and its mechanism. METHODS: Hepatic carcinoma HePG2 cell transplantation tumor model in nude mice was established and the effect of DADS on the growth of transplantation tumor was observed. Cell apoptosis and proliferation associated protein expressions were assayed by immunohistochemical method and Western blot. Cell apoptosis was assayed by TUNEL. RESULTS: DADS could inhibit HePG2 cell transplantation tumor growth in nude mice. TUNEL showed that DADS enhanced the cell apoptosis and apoptosis-promoting protein caspase-3 expression, decreased apoptosis-inhibiting protein bcl-2 expression, and also inhibited proliferation associated protein PCNA expression. CONCLUSION DADS may inhibit HePG2 cell transplantation tumor growth in nude mice and involve in the inhibition of cell proliferation and enhancement of cell apoptosis.
Allyl Compounds ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Disulfides ; pharmacology ; Female ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the advantages, disadvantages and their indications of total nasal reconstruction with different techniques.

METHODSA series of total nasal reconstruction were treated with four methods from 1975 to 2003. These methods were tubed flap of arm,midline forehead flap with skin graft, midline forehead flap with bilateral frontotemporal flaps for repairing the donor site, and expanded forehead flap.

RESULTSAll of the patients were treated successfully. The shape and function of the reconstructed noses were satisfactory. However, the traditional forehead flap with skin graft may leave a unsightly big and black scar on the forehead. The technique of the tubed flap of arm could provide enough tissue without remaining forehead scar and be easily shaped, but it required long period, multiple procedures and body fixation for three weeks.

CONCLUSIONSMidline forehead flap with bilateral frontotemporal flaps for repairing the donor site may be good for small nose reconstruction while expanded forehead flap could reconstruct a big nose. Tubed flap of arm may be used to the patients who do not wish to leave any scar on the forehead. Forehead flap with skin graft to repair the donor sit- should generally be avoided for nose reconstruction.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nose ; surgery ; transplantation ; Nose Deformities, Acquired ; surgery ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Reproducibility of Results ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin Transplantation ; methods ; Surgical Flaps ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDStudies suggested that exogenous ghrelin administration could prevent early left ventricular remodeling in rats with myocardial infarction. We investigated herein whether ghrelin attenuated left ventricular remodeling induced by hypertension and whether ghrelin's effect was mediated through the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-gamma)-dependent pathway.

METHODSSpontaneously hypertensive rats (8-week-old males) were randomly divided into three groups with 12 rats in each: ghrelin group (received ghrelin 100 microg/kg subcutaneously (s.c.) twice daily); ghrelin + GW9662 group (received the PPAR-gamma antagonist GW9662 at 2 mg/kg s.c., and then ghrelin as above); saline controls. Normal male Wistar Kyoto rats (n = 12) served as normal controls. Four weeks later, the effects of ghrelin on cardiac remodeling were evaluated by echocardiographic, hemodynamic, and histopathological examination, and gene expression analysis (PPAR-gamma protein and mRNA expression). The serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTSGhrelin prevented ventricular remodeling, increased PPAR-gamma expression in the myocardium, suppressed collagen I and collagen III mRNA expression, and also decreased the serum levels of TNF-alpha, but not CRP. All abovementioned effects of ghrelin were inhibited by GW9662.

CONCLUSIONGhrelin inhibited ventricular remodeling induced by hypertension, and the preventive effects of ghrelin may be mediated by the anti-inflammatory actions of the PPAR-gamma-dependent pathway.

Anilides ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Blotting, Western ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Collagen ; genetics ; metabolism ; Echocardiography ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Ghrelin ; pharmacology ; Male ; PPAR gamma ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; Ventricular Remodeling ; drug effects

Objective To investigate the effects of standardized tertiary rehabilitation (STR) on limb motor function (LMF) after stroke.Methods Eighty-two patients were divided into a primary cerebral infarction group (PCI group) and a primary cerebral hemorrhage group (PCH group),and then randomly further divided into experi- mental and control sub-groups.All patients received routine internal medicine treatment,supplemented with stand- ardized tertiary" rehabilitation in the experimental groups.All patients were assessed with the simplified Fugl-Meyer motor function assessment (S-FMMFA) at enrollment,and 1,3 and 6 months after their stroke.Results The scores of the experimental groups were higher than those of the controls.The experimental groups scores were 26.10% of normal at the time of the enrollment,and improved to 42.52%,65.62% and 83.71% by the end of the 1st,3rd and 6th month,respectively.The control groups started at 18.51%,and progressed to 24.85% ,37.24% and 45.84% over the same interval.Conclusion STR was associated with improved LMF scores of stroke pa- tients.

Objective To evaluate the modified foruix-based technique with Guyton hook as an approach for the treatment of children with horizontal strabismus.Methods The clinical data of 128 patients (170 eyes) who underwent horizontal strabismus surgery between January 2014 and June 2017 were retrospectively reviewed,including 60 males and 68 females.The mean age was 1.5-17.0 (6.5 ± 1.6) years.All procedures under general anesthesia were performed using the modified fornix-based conjunctival incision with Guyton hook,and the follow-up period was 6 to 12 months.The clinical and cosmetic outcomes of strabismus surgery,the complications and interventions related to the incision were assessed.Results At 3 months after surgery,orthophoria with excellent cosmetics was achieved in 119 patients (93％) with the deviation ≤ ± 10△.Together 102 eyes (60％) had no intraoperative suture.Moreover,the incision was sutured with one stitch in 45 eye (26.5％),in 20 (11.8％) with 2 stitches,and in 3 (1.8％) with 3 stitches.During the follow up period,there was no severe intraoperative or postoperative complications.The swelling and redness of conjunctiva recovered quickly.Patients' discomfort was alleviated in a few days after the surgery.No oblivious scarring was found along the incision lines.Conclusion The modified fornix-based approach with Guyton hook is an effective and safe method for minimal incision surgery in children with horizontal strabis.