This article systematic reviewed the recent ten years clinical research of acupuncture treatment and rehabilitation on hemiplegia after stroke.The curative effect of acupuncture treatment and rehabilitation on hemiplegia after stroke is certain,and also supported by subsequent clinical researches.At the same time,we found that there are some deficiencies.The author elaborated personal views of clinical research in the future.The main purpose is to review the clinical research progress and forecast of acupuncture treatment and rehabilitation on hemiplegia after stroke briefly.

OBJECTIVE: An automatic detection tool was created for examining health-related webpage quality we went further by examining its feasibility and performance. METHODS: We developed an automatic detection system to auto-assess the authorship quality indicator of an health-related information webpage for governmental websites in Taiwan. The system was integrated with the Chinese word segmentation system developed by the Academia Sinica in Taiwan and the SVM(light), which serve as an SVM (Support Vector Machine) Classifiers and a method of information extraction and identification. The system was coded in Visual Basic 6.0, using SQL 2000. RESULTS: We developed the first Chinese automatic webpage classification and information identifier to evaluate the quality of web information. The sensitivity and specificity of the classifier on the training set of webpages were both as high as 100% and only one health webpage in the test set was misclassified, due to the fact that it contained both health and non-health information content. The sensitivity of our authorship identifier is 75.3%, with a specificity of 87.9%. CONCLUSION: The technical feasibility of auto-assessment for the quality of health information on the web is acceptable. Although it is not sufficient to assure the total quality of web contents, it is good enough to be used to support the entire quality assurance program.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Authorship ; Humans ; Quality Indicators, Health Care ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Taiwan

BACKGROUNDIt is known that excessive release of glutamate can induce excitotoxicity in neurons and lead to seizure. Dexamethasone has anti-seizure function. The aim of this study was to investigate glutamate-dexamethasone interaction in the pathogenesis of epilepsy, identify differentially expressed genes in the hippocampus of glutamate-induced epileptic rats by mRNA differential display, and observe the effects of dexamethasone on these genes expression.

METHODSSeizure models were established by injecting 5 microl (250 microg/microl) monosodium glutamate (MSG) into the lateral cerebral ventricle in rats. Dexamethasone (5 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally at 30 minutes after MSG inducing convulsion. The rats' behavior and electroencephalogram (EEG) were then recorded for 1 hour. The effects of dexamethasone on gene expression were observed in MSG-induced epileptic rats at 1 hour and 6 hours after the onset of seizure by mRNA differential display. The differentially expressed genes were confirmed by Dot blot.

RESULTSEEG and behaviors showed that MSG did induce seizure, and dexamethasone could clearly alleviate the symptom. mRNA differential display showed that MSG increased the expression of some genes in epileptic rats and dexamethasone could downregulate their expression. From more than 10 differentially expressed cDNA fragments, we identified a 226 bp cDNA fragment that was expressed higher in the hippocampus of epileptic rats than that in the control group. Its expression was reduced after the administration of dexamethasone. Sequence analysis and protein alignment showed that the predicted amino acid sequence of this cDNA fragment kept 43% identity to agmatinase, a member of the ureohydrolase superfamily.

CONCLUSIONSThe results of the current study suggest that the product of the 226 bp cDNA has a function similar to agmatinase. Dexamethasone might relax alleviate seizure by inhibiting expression of the gene.

Animals ; Base Sequence ; Dexamethasone ; pharmacology ; Electroencephalography ; drug effects ; Epilepsy ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sodium Glutamate ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of the treatment for comminuted fractures of proximal humerus with open reduction and internal fixation, and the influence of the different internal fixation.

METHODSFrom January 2003 to June 2007, 423 cases of comminuted fractures of proximal humerus were treated with open reduction and internal fixation. Among them, 139 patients included 51 males and 88 females were treated with the Kirschner needle with an average age of 55.8 years old ranging from 35 to 72 years, and the average course was 7 days (from 3 to 20 days); 103 patients included 48 males and 55 females were treated with the cloverleaf plate with an average age of 56.7 years old (from 22 to 76 years), and the average course was 8.5 days (from 3 to 23 days); 181 patients included 85 males and 96 females were treated with the locking plate with an average age of 57.1 years old (from 29 to 77 years), and the average course was 7.9 days (from 3 to 21 days). The pain, daily activities, orbit, and the strength of the shoulder were evaluated with the Constant's scale.

RESULTSThe wound of all the cases was primary healing. All patients were followed-up for over 12 months, the sings and symptoms of all the patients were improved very well. There was significant difference between, before and after operation on Constant's scoring. While there was not significant difference among the different internal fixation.

CONCLUSIONOpen reduction and internal fixation is effective for comminuted fractures of proximal humerus. There is no significant difference on therapeutic efficacy in different internal fixation.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; adverse effects ; Fractures, Comminuted ; physiopathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; Shoulder Fractures ; physiopathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

This study was purposed to investigate the relationship between expression of the FANCG gene and adult sporadic acute myeloid leukemia (AML), real-time PCR with SYBR Green I technique was used for detecting FANCG gene expression level in bone marrow mononuclear cells of 54 newly diagnosed AML patients, 46 AML patients in complete remission (CR) and 36 control samples. β-actin gene was used as internal reference. Relative changes of FANCG gene expression level were detected by 2(-ΔΔCT) method in newly diagnosed AML patients and control samples, in newly diagnosed AML and patient in CR, as well as in AML patients in CR and control samples. The results showed that the relative expression level of FANCG mRNA was 0.56 ± 0.27 in newly diagnosed group, 0.75 ± 0.54 in AML CR group, and 0.85 ± 0.45 in control group. The expression level of FANCG mRNA in newly diagnosed group was significantly lower than that in control and AML CR groups (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant deference in comparison of AML CR group with the control group (P > 0.05). It is concluded that the expression of FANCG gene decrease in the newly diagnosed AML patients. There is no significant difference between AML CR group and control group, which indicated that FANCG gene may be related with the onset and the prognosis of AML, and may provide a clinical value for evaluating effect of chemotherapy.
Adult ; Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group G Protein ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; genetics ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

Objective To implement and evaluate evidence-based guidelines for enteral nutrition support in acute stroke patients with dysphagia.Methods This study is a prospective before and after comparison study.Collected 200 acute stroke patients with dysphagia and divided them into test group (trained medical staffs) and control group(untrained medical staffs) equally according to the time order.Two groups of 100 patients were surveyed using a checklist before and after implementation of 10 guidelines about nutrition support.Before the implementation of guidelines,the staffs were enforced training,and summarized regularly.Compliances with guidelines by doctors and nurses were compared,and outcomes of patients were assessed.Results Compared with the control group,the correct implementation of the project significantly improved in the experimental group on nutritional risk screening (92.0％,64.0％; x2 =22.840),nutritional supplements selection (80.0％,48.0％; x2 =22.220),nutrition infusion methods (90％,18％ ; x2 =1.040) and nutrition infusion adjustment (abdominal distension/adjusted:21/10,6/4;x2 =9.634,constipation/adjusted:41/40,57/53 ; x2 =5.122,all P ＜ 0.05).The mortality rate,poor prognosis and length of stay in department of neurology intensive care unit and in hospital were not significant different between the experimental group and the control group.The incidence of hospital-acquired pneumonia was significantly lower in the experimental group (44.3％) than that in the control group (67.5％,x2 =7.281,P =0.007),but other patient outcomes were unaffected significantly.Conclusion Implementation of evidence-based guidelines for enteral nutrition support in acute stroke patients with dysphagia is associated with improvements in clinical quality and selected patient outcomes.

ObjectiveTo establish the methodology for identification of clinical isolates of Mycobacterium and to identify the distribution of Mycobacterium species in hospitalized patients with tuberculosis in Heilongjiang province.It would provide the basis for accurate diagnosis of infections with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and non-tuberculous Mycobacterium (NTM) as well as for effective therapy.Methods Three hundred and thirty Mycobacterium isolates from 330 tuberculosis patients hospitalized and clinically diagnosed in Harbin Chest Hospital from May 2007 to December 2008 were collected.Genomic DNA from the isolates was extracted after inactivation of Mycobacterium.Molecular identification was carried out using PCR,PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and sequencing.ResultsAmong 330 clinical isolates,328 were identified as MTB complex (MTBC),accounting for 99.4％ (328/330); 2 were NTM,accounting for 0.6％ (2/330).Among 328 MTBC isolates,326were MTB,one was Mycobacterium Africanum(M.African) and one was Mycobacterium microti(M,microti),accounting for 99.4％ (326/328),0.3％ (1/328) and 0.3％ (1/328),respectively.It was found that the homology between the two NTM isolates and Mycobacterium avium intracellulare (MAC)was 99％ and 93％,respectively,suggesting that the two NTM isolates were MAC.The homology between the two NTM isolates was 93％.ConclusionsPCR plus PCR-RFLP and sequencing provides an ideal method for precise identification of Mycobacterium species.In the clinically diagnosed tuberculosis patients,the predominant Mycobacterium species is MTB,however M.African,M.microti as well as NTM are also found.

BACKGROUNDTumor necrosis factor a receptor 1 (TNFalphaR1) plays an important role in the signal pathway of apoptosis. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of TNFalphaR1 knockout on the up-regulation of erythropoietin receptor (Epo-R) and the coordinated anti-apoptosis functions during myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice.

METHODSThe ischemia-reperfusion injury model for cardiomyocytes was performed by ligating the left circumflex branch artery of TNFalphaR1 knockout (P55(-/-)) C17 B6 mice, as well as wild-type (P55(+/+)) C17 B6 mice. Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining was performed to observe the damaged area of the heart. TUNEL staining and DNA fragmentation were used to identify apoptosis. Mitochondrial Bcl-2 and Bax as well as expression of Epo-R and its downstream genes (Jak-2, stat-5, Akt, IkB-alpha, HIF-1alpha) were measured by Western blotting. The gene knockout mice were assigned into those undergoing the apoptosis surgical model group (KO group), and those subjected to sham operation (KOs group). Similarly, wild-type mice were either exposed to the surgical model (WT group) or subject to a sham operation (WTs group).

RESULTSThe myocardial damage ratio of the wild-type group after the operation was significantly higher than that of the knockout group, (50.5 +/- 6.4)% vs (36.9 +/- 6.9)%, P < 0.01. Similarly, TUNEL positive ratio of the wild-type group was significantly higher than that of the knockout group, (63.1 +/- 5.6)% vs (42.1 +/- 4.7)%, P < 0.01. The gray value ratios of Epo-R, Jak-2, stat-5, Akt, IkB-alpha, HIF-1 and mitochondrial Bcl-2 in the KO group were significantly higher than those of the WT group, P < 0.05; however, mitochondrial Bax was significantly lower than that of the WT group significantly (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSUsing the ischemia-reperfusion injury model in mice, cardiomyocytes of TNFalphaR1 knockouts exhibited anti-apoptotic characteristics. This information could be used to coordinate the prevention of myocardial apoptosis by up-regulating and activating the Epo-R pathway.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Disease Models, Animal ; I-kappa B Proteins ; metabolism ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; In Vitro Techniques ; Janus Kinase 2 ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; metabolism ; pathology ; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha ; Oncogene Protein v-akt ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Receptors, Erythropoietin ; metabolism ; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; STAT5 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Up-Regulation ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

OBJECTIVES: Falls is a risk factor for fracture. The FRAX® predicts fractures. Whether the FRAX® is associated with fall in both gender is inconclusive. The aim of our study is to evaluate the association between FRAX scores and falls. METHODS: The cross-sectional study set from 2009 to 2010 included 1200 community-dwelling people who were systematically sampled in central Taiwan. The 1200 participants (men: 524; women: 676; ≥40 years old) completed questionnaires about socioeconomic status; lifestyle; medical and fall history were completed. FRAX scores with and without bone mineral density (BMD) were calculated by using the Taiwan calculator. RESULTS: A total of 19.8% participants fell down. Binary regression models showed that diabetes mellitus history (OR: 1.61; 95% CI: 1.03–2.52), the FRAX without BMD in a continuous major score (OR: 1.06; 95% CI: 1.03–1.09), continuous hip score (OR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.05–1.16), categorical major score ≥ 10% (OR: 1.81; 95% CI: 1.25–2.61), and categorical hip score ≥ 3% (OR: 1.80; 95% CI: 1.30–2.50) were independent risk factors for falls. FRAX with BMD in a continuous major score (OR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.02–1.06), continuous hip score (OR: 1.06; 95% CI: 1.02–1.09), categorical major score ≥ 10% (OR: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.09–2.12), and categorical hip score ≥ 3% (OR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.13–2.09) were also independent risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that FRAX® scores with and without BMD were unanimously correlated with falls in community-dwelling middle-aged and elderly males and females.
Accidental Falls* ; Aged* ; Bone Density ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Female ; Hip ; Humans ; Life Style ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Social Class ; Taiwan

BACKGROUNDBell's palsy involves acute facial paralysis due to inflammation of the facial nerve. Acupuncture and moxibustion (acu-moxi) is beneficial in treating facial palsy. In order to verify the efficacy of acu-moxi on Bell's palsy, a randomized single-blind, multicenter clinical trial was performed.

METHODSA total of 480 patients from four clinical centers were involved in this trial, of whom 439 completed the trial and 41 did not. All patients were randomly assigned to either the control group or to one of two treatment groups. The control group was treated with prednisone, vitamin B1, vitamin B12, and dibazole; the treatment groups were treated either with acu-moxi alone or in combination with prednisone, Vitamin B1, vitamin B12, and dibazole. Symptoms and signs, the House-Brackmann scale, and facial disability index (FDI) scores were assessed and determined both pre- and post-treatment to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment methods.

RESULTSThe characteristics of the control and two treatment groups were comparable without statistically significant differences before treatment. There were significant differences between the control and treatment groups after treatment (chi(2) = 15.265, P = 0.018). According to evaluations based on the House-Brackmann scale and FDI scores, the effectiveness of treatment in the two treatment groups was better than in the control group and was most effective in patients receiving acu-moxi treatment alone (Z = -2.827, P = 0.005).

CONCLUSIONThe efficacy of acu-moxi treatment for Bell's palsy is verified scientifically.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Bell Palsy ; therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Treatment Outcome