Objective To apply a hand function laserimager to evaluate the effect of acupuncture on hand dysfunction after stroke. Meth-ods From January to June, 2016, 18 stroke patients with upper limb dysfunction were divided into control group (n=9) and acupuncture group (n=9). The control group received routine medication and rehabilitation, while the acupuncture group received acupuncture in addi-tion. They were assessed with modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) of upper limb motor function and modified Bathel Index (MBI) before and after three-week treatment, while the region of interest (ROI) of their hands was tested with the hand func-tion laserimager. Results The scores of MAS and FMA improved after treatment in both groups (t>4.44, P<0.01), and improved in the score of MBI in the acupuncture group (t=3.95, P<0.01). The scores of MAS, FMA, and MBI improved more in the acupuncture group than in the control group (t>3.17, P<0.01). Meanwhile, the scores of ROI decreased in the affected hands after treatment (t>7.78, P<0.001), and de-creased more in the acupuncture group than in the control group (t=-2.23, P<0.05). No significant difference was observed in the scores of ROI of the unaffected hands (t=-0.11, P>0.05) between groups. Conclusion The hand function laserimager, which responds to the blood perfusion of the hand, can be used as a tool to evaluate the hand function.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the drug resistance of clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae and molecular epidemiology with BOX-PCR in Nanchang. METHODS Antibiotic susceptibility was determined by the Etest methods or K-B disk diffusion test. Twenty-nine Penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae(PRSP) clinical isolates were molecularly typed by BOX-PCR to detect the clonal relationship of them. RESULTS 85.7% were resistant to erythromycin,57.1% were PRSP. The resistant rates to tetracycline,clindamycin,trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and chloramphenicol were 88.1%,79.8%,60.7%,and 28.6%. Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid,levofloxacin and ceftriaxone retained activity against most of the isolates. All of strains were susceptible to vancomycin. Twenty-nine S. pneumoniae strains were divided into 14 distinct types,and 19 subtypes with subtype A (n=4) as the predominant type. CONCLUSIONS The resistance rate of S. pneumoniae to penicillin is very high,BOX-PCR typing demonstrats a high discriminatory potential and easy to be accurately analyzed.

ObjectiveTo clarify the influence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein 120 V4 region with mutations at amino acid locuses on its abilities to enter target cells.Methods Based on the facts that ADA strains was a CCR5-tropic strain,only had the ability to infect CCR5 cells; that HXB2 strains was a CXCR4-tropic strain,only had the ability to infect CXCR4 cells,serial glycoprotein 120 mutants with alanine substitution in V4 region of ADA and HXB2 strains,were constructed by overlaping PCR.Eukaryotic expression vectors of mutants and expression vectors of HIV framework gene with luciferase reporter gene were cotransfected into eukaryotic cells to produce pseudoviruse.Concentration of HIV-1 gag P24 in pseudoviruses was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).U87.CD4.CCR5 and U87.CD4.CXCR4 cells were infected with 20 and 40 ng pseudoviruses,with wild ADA and HXB2 strains as control groups,respectively.The ability to infect cells of pseudovirus of each mutant with HIV-1 V4- region mutated at amine acid locuses 386-417 was measured by detecting the luciferase activity (relative light unit,RLU).ResultsTen mutants with alanine substitution in V4 region of HIV-1 ADA and HXB2 strains were successfully constructed,respectively.Mutants of pseudoviruse with 20 ng and 40 ng at locuses 389-391 and 414-417 with alanine substitution of V4 region in both ADA and HXB2 strains lost completely the abilities to enter CCR5 and CXCR4 expressing cells[ (0 ± 0)％].It was found that introduction of alanine to ADAs 400-403 and ADAs 408-410 increased the ability to infect cells to (124 ± 35)％,(182 ± 29)％ and (127 ± 8)％,( 134 ± 16)％ with pseudoviruse of 20 ng and 40 ng,respectively.Likewise,the ability to infect CXCR4 expressing cells also increased to (144 ± 42 )％ and (121 ± 18 )％ with pseudoviruse of 20 ng and 40 ng,respectively by introduction of alanine to HXB2s 395-397.However,other mutants in V4 region of ADA and HXB2 only maintained partial entry abilities( 15％- 84％).ConclusionsMutants of V4 region of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein 120 with alanine substitution at locuses 389-391 and 414-417 in both ADA and HXB2 strains have been constructed successfully.They completely lost the ability to enter target cells.

Silk fibroin is a natural polymer with certain water solubility, structural modification, good biocompatibility and biodegradability, which can be used as a drug delivery carrier material. As a promising drug delivery system, drug-loaded silk fibroin nanoparticles can control drug release, reduce toxicity and improve therapeutic effects. In this paper, the basic characteristics of silk fibroin, the preparation methods of drug-loaded silk fibroin nanoparticles and the application of silk fibroin in nanoparticulate drug delivery systems are reviewed, and on this basis, the further development of drug-loaded silk fibroin nanoparticles is prospected.

OBJECTIVETo establish the quantized criteria for TCM syndrome diagnosis of angina pectoris (AP) using the entropy-based complex systems partition method (EBCSPM).

METHODSFour hundred and three AP patients were randomly assigned to two groups: the operation group (302 cases) and the examination group (101 cases). The symptomatic information of the patients was extracted using EBCSPM to make sure the contribution degree of each symptom to syndrome diagnosis, and the diagnostic threshold was established by the analysis of receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC).

RESULTSThe basic syndromes manifested during AP were collateral-qi stagnation, collateral-qi deficiency and stagnation, turbid phlegm, blood stasis, phlegm-heat, heat-fire, yin deficiency and yang deficiency, etc. Different symptoms contributed to syndrome diagnosis to different degrees and with different diagnostic thresholds, showing good sensitivity and specificity in the prospective verification on the 101 patients in the examination group.

CONCLUSIONEBCSPM is applicable for quantizing TCM diagnostic criteria, and the established criteria shows favorable diagnostic efficacy for TCM syndrome diagnosis of AP.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Angina Pectoris ; diagnosis ; Automatic Data Processing ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Entropy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Research Design ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Syndrome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the types, clinical features and therapeutic approaches of congenital anomalies of the vagina.

METHODSThe clinical data of 81 patients with congenital anomalies of the vagina were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSThere were 5 types in these 81 patients, and 16 (19.7%) patients showed absence of the vagina, 15(18.5%) had vaginal obstruction, 10 (12.3%) had transverse vaginal septum,14(17.2%) had longitudinal vaginal septae,18(22.2%) had septum obliquus, and 8 (9.8%) had imperforate hymen. Forty-eight (59.2%) patients presented with primary amenorrhea, and 22(27.1%) complained of irregular pelvic pain. Fifteen of the patients with absent vagina underwent amnion artificial vaginoplasty, and the others were treated with incising and removing the septum, all having good clinical outcomes.

CONCLUSIONAmnion artificial vaginoplasty is a good option for treatment of absent vagina.

Colpotomy ; methods ; Female ; Gynatresia ; surgery ; Humans ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Vagina ; abnormalities ; surgery

Objective To investigate the advantages of detection for EGFR gene mutations by denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) technology. Methods DHPLC was used to detect EGFR gene mutations at exon 19 and 21 in 49 cases of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients,and the direct DNA sequencing was used to verify the accuracy of DHPLC detection. Results EGFR gene mutation was identified from 13 of 49 cases by DHPLC,including deletion mutation at exon 19 in 10 cases (76.92 %) and alternative mutations at exon 21 in 3 cases (23.08 %). Mutation results of DHPLC was consistent with DNA direct sequencing. The results of the direct DNA sequencing were the same as those of DHPLC. The sensitivity of mutation test by DHPLC was 100 %. Conclusion DHPLC technology can be used for large scale screening of EGFR gene mutation with rapid and accuracy.

Objective: To explore the determinants for health-seeking behavior of the residents after cough for more than 3 weeks in Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, in order to provide reference for prevention and control of respiratory diseases. Methods: A multi-stage cluster random sampling method was used to recruit the community residents aged 5 years and above in Yiwu. A face-to-face questionnaire survey was conducted to collect demographic information, features of cough and health-seeking behaviors in the past month. The multivariate logistic regression model was employed to analyze the associated factors for health-seeking behavior after a cough for more than 3 weeks. Results: Among 6 374 residents investigated, 152 cases had a cough for more than 3 weeks in the past month, accounting for 2.48%. They were( 45.00±21.15 ) years old, including 70 ( 46.05% ) males and 82 ( 53.95% ) females. About 58.55% ( 89 ) of them sought medical treatment. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that females ( OR=2.100, 95%CI: 1.005-4.391 ), middle school education level ( OR=0.406, 95%CI: 0.168-0.983 ), family annual income of 100 000 to 199 999 yuan ( OR=2.993, 95%CI: 1.215-7.373 ) were associated factors for health-seeking behavior after a cough for more than 3 weeks. Conclusion The rate of health-seeking behavior after a cough for more than 3 weeks among the residents in Yiwu is 58.55%, which is associated with gender, education level and income.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Amputation ; Crush Syndrome ; pathology ; surgery ; Fasciotomy ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Mycobacterium tuberculosis on apoptosis of mouse dendritic cells (DC 2. 4) and the activation of caspase-3, caspase-8.

METHODSMycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv strain was co-cultured with DC 2. 4 cells. The morphological changes of DC 2. 4 cells were observed with fluorescence microscope after DAPI staining and transmission electron microscope. The apoptosis of DC 2. 4 cells were examined by DNA agarose gel electrophoresis. The activities of caspase-3 and caspase-8 were detected by colorimetric assay.

RESULTSBacterial invasion was observed while DC 2. 4 cells and H37Rv were co-cultured for 2 h; and the rates of invasion were (16.1 ± 4.3)%, (35.8 ± 5.1)%, (50.2 ± 5.7)%, (58.3 ± 6.2)% and(65.9 ± 6.9)% at 4, 6, 8,10, 12 h, respectively. The phenomenon of nuclear condensation and marginalization were shown by DAPI staining and transmission electron microscope in DC 2. 4 cells at 6 h of co-cultivation with H37Rv. The characteristic bands of apoptosis by DNA electrophoresis were detected. The activities of caspase-3 and caspase-8 were increased in a time-dependent manner. The rates of DC 2. 4 cell apoptosis were (6.4 ± 2.5)%, (11.8 ± 5.3)% and (31.1 ± 8.7)% at 6 h,12 h and 24 h after co-cultivation with H37Rv, respectively. The maximal activities of intracellular caspase-3 and caspase-8 at 10 h and 6 h were (2.01 ± 0.09) U/μg and (2.40 ± 0.07)U/μg, respectively, which was significantly different compared with the control groups(P<0.05). The activation of caspase-8 was earlier than that of caspase-3.

CONCLUSIONMycobacterium tuberculosis can induce the apoptosis of DC 2. 4 cells, which is associated with the activation of intracellular caspase-3 and caspase-8.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; physiology ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Caspase 8 ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Dendritic Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mice ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis