Objective To investigate the test-retest reliability and inter-rater reliability of the Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA),Wolf's motor function test (WMFT),the box-block test (BBT) and the nine-hole peg test (NHPT) in assessing the upper limb motor function of stroke patients.Methods Eighteen stroke patients participated in the study.Each patient was assessed twice within 2 hours with the U-FMA,WMFT,the BBT and the NHPT.Two raters recorded each session separately.Test-retest reliability was investigated by comparing the assessment results of different sessions; interrater reliability was identified by analyzing the assessment results of different raters.Results The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for the U-FMA were 0.988 on test-retest reliability and 0.959 on inter-rater reliability.The ICC of WMFT by mean and median time were respectively 0.996 and 0.393 on test-retest reliability and both 1.000 on inter-rater reliability.The ICC of WMFT by score mean was O.989 for test-retest reliability and 0.977 for inter-rater reliability.The ICC for test-retest reliability of the BBT using affected hand counts and the difference in counts between the affected and un-affected hand were respectively 0.975 and 0.982.The ICC of the NHPT using affected hand times and the difference between the affected hand and unaffected hand times were respectively 0.937 and 0.936 for test-retest reliability,and both 1.000 for inter-rater reliability.Conclusion The U-FMA,WMFT,the BBT and the NHPT are all measurements with good test-retest reliability and inter-rater reliability.They are reliable for assessing the upper extremity motor function of stroke patients.

Objective To investigate the criterion validity of Wolf motor function test (WMFT), BOX-BLOCK TEST (BBT), Nine-Hole Peg Test for assessing upper limb motor function in stroke patients with hemiplegia, as well as the correlation between them. Methods 21 stroke patients participated in the study. 21 stroke patients were assessed once with WMFT, BBT, Nine-Hole Peg Test and U-FMA by one rater. All the 4 tests were assessed on the same day for each patient. The total time of WMFT, the total score of WMFT, the counts of BBT, the time of Nine-Hole Peg Test and the sore of U-FMA were recorded. The Spearman correlation was used to analyze the criterion validity and the correlation. Results and Conclusion Both the total score of WMFT and the BBT counts correlated with U-FMA score (P<0.01). The time of Nine-Hole Peg Test and the total time of the WMFT were not correlated with U-FMA score (P>0.05). The total time of the WMFT and the total score of the WMFT were not correlated (P>0.05). The BBT counts and the total score of the WMFT were correlated (P<0.01). The time of Nine-Hole Peg Test and the total time of WMFT were correlated (P<0.01).

Objective To study the role of activated microglia transplantation in recovery of hindlimb locomotor function in rats with spinal cord injury(SCI). Methods A total of 40 female adult Wistar rats were selected and divided into four groups randomly(10 rats in each group).The former two groups were locomotor function observation groups,in which rat model with spinal cord was established by striking with improved self-made Allen's strike equipment to fabricate moderate spinal cord injury and divided into transplantation group and control group.The latter two were histological observation groups,the spinal cord injury model was fabricated by the same above-mentioned method and divided into transplantation and control groups.Before fabricating the spinal cord injury model,the microglia of the newborn rats were cultured,separated,purified and identified and the purity of the microglia determined.The injury position was exposed again seven days after transplantation and the cell suspension of microglia was injected around the injury position with microsyringe,which was free in the control group.The hindlimb locomotor function of rats was detected and scored at 1 day,1,2,3 and 4 weeks in the locomotor function observation groups after transplantation respectively.At the same time,two rats were extracted randomly from the control group and the transplantation group in histological observation groups to cut specimen and slice for Naoumenko-Feign paraffin section and dying.Then,the microglia were observed and counted by microscope and analyzed statistically. Results At 1,2,3 and 4 weeks after operation,the BBB score of the control group and the transplantation group was increased gradually with the time.But compared with the control group,transplantation group had higher scores of hindlimb locomotor function at 2,3 and 4 weeks after operation,with statistical difference(P＜0.05).Naoumenko-Feigin paraffin section and dying and microglia counting showed that positive microglia number in the transplantation group was increased more obviously than the control group,with statistical difference(P＜0.05).Conclusion Activated microglia transplantation can promote the recovery of the hindlimb locomotor function in SCI rats.

The relationship between acupuncture and stress is discussed from three aspects, including is it possible for acupuncture stimulation to be a stressor, whether acupuncture will start stress reaction, and whether acupuncture effects contain some stress factors. It is believed that correct acupuncture manipulation will not cause stress response, however, under some circumstances, such as inaccurate manipulation, improper treatment or patients who are very nervous but do not receive effective intervention, acupuncture is likely to cause stress response. Acupuncture-induced stress response is totally different from acupuncture anti-stress. The possible stress factors in acupuncture effect are explored, which can provide a new angle for the research on action mechanism of acupuncture. From the view of stress to review acupuncture treatment, there are three enlightenments: emphasizing on communication between doctors and patients, avoiding over-pursuit of deqi and focusing on analysis of the body constitution.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; adverse effects ; psychology ; Humans ; Qi ; Sensation ; Stress, Physiological

OBJECTIVETo explore the action mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Shenmen" (HT 7) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) on insomnia.

METHODSThirty SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group and an EA group, 10 cases in each group. The insomnia model was made by immobilization method in the model group and EA group. After model establishment, rats in the blank group and model group were treated with fixation and no treatment was given. Rats in the EA group were treated with EA at "Shenmen" (HT 7) and "San-yinjiao" (SP 6) for 15 min, once a day for 4 days. After treatment, the level of daytime and nighttime activity, open-arm entry percentage and open-arm time percentage of elevated plus-maze test were measured; the content of noradrenaline (NE), dopamine (DA) and epinephrine (EPI) in plasma and NE, DA in thalamus and brainstem were detected by using euzymelinked immunosorbent assay method.

RESULTSCompared with the blank group, the daytime activity was increased and nighttime activity was reduced in the model group (both P<0. 05); the open-arm entry percentage and open-arm time percentage of elevated plus-maze test were both reduced in the model group (both P<0. 05); the contents of NE, DA, EPI in the plasma and NE, DA in thalamus and brainstem were increased in the model group (all P<0. 05). Compared with the model group, the daytime activity was reduced and nighttime activity was increased in the EA group (both P<0. 05); the open-arm entry percentage and open-arm time percentage of elevated plus-maze test were both increased in the EA group (both P<0. 05); the contents of NE, DA, EPI in the plasma and NE, DA in thalamus and brainstem were reduced in the EA group (all P< 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture at "Shenmen" (HT 7) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) can restrain the over-activity of the sympathetic-adrenal medullary system to treat the insomnia.

Acupuncture Points ; Adrenal Medulla ; metabolism ; Animals ; Anxiety ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dopamine ; metabolism ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Norepinephrine ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; psychology ; therapy ; Sympathetic Nervous System ; physiopathology

To understand the Escherichia coli (E .coli) O157∶ H7 isolated from cow in Zhengzhou ,Henan Province ,a total of 146 samples of cow fecal and milk were collected in the different farms ,and E .coli O157∶ H7 was detected with mul-tiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in our laboratory .Then the biochemical characteristics ,growth dynamic ,the biofilm formation ,and the toxin genes of the E .coli O157∶ H7 isolates were analyzed .The results showed that 2 strains of E .coli O157∶H7 were found ,with the detection rate of 1 .4% ,and the isolates were named as L1 and L2 in current study ,respec-tively .The E .coli O157∶H7 clinical isolates had the same biochemical characteristics with that of the typical E .coli .The L1 and L2 isolates presented similar growth curve ,which entered into the log phase earlier than that of the standard strain .L1 strain formed thick ,confluent ,complete biofilm after 48 hours post-inoculation ,and the biofilm of L2 strain was formed com-pletely in 36 hours .The two E .coli O157∶ H7 isolates were positive with eaeA and hlyA genes ,and the L1 strain also carried the Stx2 virulence gene .Our results reinforce the epidemiological data of E .coli O157∶H7 ,and underscore the need for more effective surveillance of animal-derived E .coli O157∶H7 isolates in Zhengzhou City ,China .

Objective To study the biological characteristics of cypermethrin?resistance strain and?susceptible strain of Ae?des albopictus under different controlled temperatures in the laboratory. Methods The two strains were raised at three different temperatures 20 25℃and 28℃respectively and the biological characteristics of the two mosquito strains such as reproduc?tion development and life expectancy were observed and recorded in the laboratory. Results The life expectancy of both strains became shorter as the temperature raised and the resistant strain 69.37%± 0.01% 77.04%± 0.07% lived shorter than the susceptible strain 85.24%±0.03% 88.23%±0.05% in average. Under 25℃ the hatching rate of resistant strain decreased by 25.88% and the pupation rate decreased by 11.18%. In the three temperatures all the life expectancy expanded as the tem?perature went up the periods for the susceptible strain were 19.75±0.10 23.65±0.07 d and 25.08±0.08 d under 28 25℃and 20℃. While life expectancy for the resistant strain decreased to 17.21±0.09 20.95±0.09 22.58±0.10 d. Under the same tem?perature the development timing of the resistance strain was longer than that of the susceptible strain and the period was the longest under 28 ℃ 156.2 h 137.1 h . In the three temperatures all the development periods expanded as the temperature went up the susceptible and resistant larvae developed 137.1 d and 163.3 d 247.7 d and 156.2 d 182.3 d and 263.2 d under 28 25℃and 20℃. The differences show statistic significance P<0.05 . Conclusion The resistance of A. albopictus to cy?permethrin results in the decrease of adaptability to the environment change and the disadvantage of reproduction at different temperatures.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) is the most polymorphic genetic system found in human genome. The polymorphisms of different HLA genes and haplotypes in different ethnic and geographic populations are of high importance for investigation of their population genetic characteristics and searching for HLA matched unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation donors, as well as in disease association studies. The HLA molecular genetic principals and the progress of HLA population investigation were reviewed, as well as the methods applied in the field.
Alleles ; Genetics, Population ; methods ; HLA Antigens ; genetics ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Linkage Disequilibrium

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical and histological features of the complications after hydrophilic polyacrylamide gel injection.

METHODSFifty-two patients were included in this study, who had undergone hydrophilic polyacrylamide gel injection in other units from 1998 to 2003 and later came to our department for removal of the injected gel. The tissue samples taken from each cyst were sectioned and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The sections were investigated and analyzed under light microcopy. The tissue sections of 12 patients who had ever received liquid silicone injection from 1988 to 1994 were used as the control group. The difference in histological features was assessed.

RESULTSThe inflammatory reaction of the hydrophilic polyacrylamide gel was characterized by an increased number of foreign-body giant cells. The mild lymphocyte infiltration was shown in the slides of hydrophilic polyacrylamide gel. On the contrary, there were much more clusters or lymphocyte infiltration in the slides of liquid silicone. The differences between the hydrophilic polyacrylamide gel and liquid silicone were significant in terms of thickness of the fibrous capsule.

CONCLUSIONSThe security of hydrophilic polyacrylamide gel injection for soft tissue augmentation is in doubt.

Acrylic Resins ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Adult ; Breast ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Nose ; pathology ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; pathology ; Silicone Gels ; adverse effects ; Surgery, Plastic ; adverse effects ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo prepare the armored RNA containing M gene of influenza H3N2.

METHODSThe vector pAR-1 was constructed from expression vector pET30b in which the bacteriophage MS2 DNA fragment, containing the genes for maturase and coat protein and the pac site, was inserted. The M gene fragment of influenza A was inserted into the HindIII site downstream of the pac site on the pAR-1, which formed a new recombinant plasmid pAR-2. After the prokaryotic expression was carried out, armored RNA AR-2 containing M gene was obtained. AR-2 was purified, and then was quantified by real time RT-PCR. Moreover, the stability of AR-2 was checked.

RESULTSAR-2 was expressed successfully. AR-2 remained stable under various storage environments. Approximately 8.9 x 10(11) copies of AR-2 particles can be purified from one milliliter of culture.

CONCLUSIONIt showed that AR-2 was stable and RNase-resistant, which, as a virus surrogate, would be used as RT-PCR standards, controls and training or proficiency samples.

Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype ; genetics ; Plasmids ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; standards ; Viral Matrix Proteins ; genetics