Objective: To explore the influence of early partial body weight support treadmill training (PBWSTT) on motor function of lower extremities, walking ability and activities of daily living (ADL) in patients with hemiplegia after stroke. Methods: One hundred twenty-eight patients with stable stroke (hemiplegic limbs Brunstrom's scale ≥ II) within 3 months after the onset were enrolled in the study. They were randomly allocated into PBWSTT group (n = 67) and control group (n = 61). Conventional treatment techniques were used in rehabilitation training in the control group, and the PBWSTT group received PBWSTT in addition to the same training in the control group. The Functional Ambulation Category (FAC) scale, Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) scale and the Functional Independence Measurement (FIM) scale were used to assess the walking ability, motor function of lower extremities, and ADL 4 weeks before and after the treatment in both groups. Results: The FAC, FMA and FIM scores were 0.42 ± 0.23, 17.1 ± 5.2 and 35.3 ± 3.8, respectively before the treatment; and they were 2.5 ± 1.3 23.6 ± 7.3 and 67.9 ± 9.2, respectively after the treatment in the control group, there were significant difference between them (P < 0.05). The FAC, FMA and FIM scores were 0.36 ± 0.13, 16.7 ± 6.2 and 35.1 ± 3.4, respectively before the treatment; and they were 3.8 ± 1.4, 39.3 ± 7.6, and 90.1 ± 10.0, respectively after the treatment in the PBWSTT group. There were significant differences before and after the treatment (P < 0.01). The FAC score versus FMA score in both groups were P < 0.01, and the FIM score was P < 0.05 after the treatment. The patients who could walk independently were 42.6% and 55.7% (P < 0.05) in the control group, and were 32.8% and 83.5% (P < 0.01) in the PBWSTT group before and after the treatment. There were significant differences between the control group and the PBWSTT group after the treatment (P < 0.05). Conclusion: On the basis of conventional rehabilitation training, early PBWSTT may improve the motor function of lower extremities, walking ability, and ADL more significantly in stroke patients with hemiplegia.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of electro-acupuncture to improve the bladder function after acute spinal cord injury in rats and its possible mechanism.

METHODSSixty healthy adult male SD rats of SPF grade, with body weight of 220 to 250 g, one week after feeding adaptation, were randomly divided into sham operation group, model group, electro-acupuncture group, electro-acupuncture control group with 15 rats in each group. Sham operation group underwent no stimulation, and the moderate damage model of spinal cord injury were made in other three groups according to modified Allens method. The model group were not treated, electro-acupuncture group were treated with electro-acupuncture on Zhibianxue and Shuidaoxue, and electro-acupuncture control group were treated with electro-acupuncture on 0.5 inch next to Zhibianxue and Shuidaoxue. The frequency of 2/100 Hz, current of 1 mA, stimulation time of 15 min, once a day, left and right alternately stimulate every time, for a total of 7 times. The changes of residual urine volume and urine output in rats at the 1st and the 7th days after operation were observed. And 7 d later, the rats were sacrificed and the injured spinal cord were taken out to observe the apoptosis, and to detect the changes of Bcl-2, Bax, Bad content.

RESULTSAfter modeling,the rats of three groups showed different bladder dysfunction. In electro-acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group, the residual urine volume of the 7th day after operation was significant lower than the 1st day after operation (P < 0.001), and there was statistically significant difference on the 7th day after operation between two groups (P < 0.001). Compared with model group, the urine output of electro-acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group was significantly increased on the 7th day after operation, and there was sig- nificant difference between electro-acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group (P < 0.001). Electro-acupuncture can inhibit apoptosis of spinal cord neurons by TUNEL detection. Postoperative at 7 d, the rate of nerve cell apoptosis in electro -acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group was significant increased than model group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), and there was significant difference between electro-acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group (P < 0.005). Compared with model group, the positive expression rate of Bax, Bad decreased (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), and Bcl-2 increased (P < 0.01) in electro-acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group,there was significant difference between electro-acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONElectro-acupuncture can obviously promote the repair of acute spinal cord injury,its mechanism may be through increasing Bcl-2, inhibiting the expression of Bax, Bad, which inhibits the apoptosis of spinal cord neurons.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Electroacupuncture ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Male ; Neurons ; cytology ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; pathology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Urinary Bladder ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo observe whether the community-based management for patients with hypertension can reduce the incidence of stroke.

METHODSSample of this study included 36 863 people aged 35 years or more who came from a cohort consisting three communities from Tiantan Hospital, Puren Hospital and the Gymnasium Road Hospital in Beijing, based on the surveys on the Integrated Community Intervention Measures of Cerebro-vascular Diseases. Some patients with hypertension in this cohort were followed up and under management. First-ever stroke was considered as the end-point event.

RESULTSIn both groups diagnosed as borderline hypertension or definite hypertension group, the rates of management and control showed an annual increase. The management rate for women was higher, but the control rate was lower (P < 0.05) than that for men. In the third year of this study, the control rate was nearly 18%. With the qualification of control rate, the risk factors of overall stroke, ischemic stroke or hemorrhagic stroke reduced gradually, and the qualification of control rate showed more effects on hemorrhagic stroke. The qualification of control rate in the three years could cause the risk factors of total stroke, ischemic stroke or hemorrhagic stroke to reduce by 25.7%, 19.1%, 27.4%, respectively. When comparing with blood pressure level at < 160/95 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa), the level of < 140/90 mm Hg could reduce the risk factors as: 12.3% to total stroke, 12.8% to ischemic stroke and 14.9% to hemorrhagic stroke.

CONCLUSIONPrograms as long-term followed-up and management for patients with hypertension, and control the blood pressure at low level etc. could significantly reduce the incidence of stroke.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; complications ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stroke ; epidemiology ; etiology

Objective To investigate the brain mechanisms of aging of the visual attention. Methods Through the precue-target visual search paradigm using the event-related potentials technique,16 young and 16 elderly subjects participated the electrophysiological experiment.The background was comprised of three homocentric black circles and eight English capital letters consisted of each circle.The letter “T” was designed as the target stimulus.T was a target only when it located the circle clued to the same size of the precue.For example,when the cue was the “large”,“T” may appear within 3 circles.When the cue was the “median”,“T” may appear within either the median or small circles.When the cue was small,the target “T” may appear only within the small circle. Results The reaction time of the two groups of subjects became quick with the reduction of the cue scale,while the amplitudes of P1 and N1 components of event-related potentials increased with the decrease of the cue scale.Old subjects showed longer response time than did young subjects,and the posterior P1 component was enhanced significantly and N1 component was inhibited obviously.The P2 component was manifested as significantly inhibitory effect not only in the amplitude but also in the abnormal and unstable waveform.Conclusions The cognitive function of elderly subjects declines in the research of target stimuli,which suggests that the age-related changes could lead to deficit in the posterior area of the brain to visual spatial attention (involuntary attention).

OBJECTIVETo study the influence of anastomoses sequence on the hemodynamics in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), and to investigate the strategy to stabilize the hemodynamics.

METHODSFrom March 2005 to March 2007, 67 patients with serious triple-vessel coronary artery lesions (male 45, female 22) with a age range from 44 to 81-years-old were enrolled for off-pump CABG. All the patients underwent left internal mammary artery-left anterior descending branch (LIMA-LAD) anastomose firstly, followed by the foreword anastomose of the other two vessels. According to the anastomose sequence of posterior descending branch (PDA) and obtuse marginal branch (OM), the patients were divided into three groups. Group I (n = 22) did the sequence of PDA-OM-aortic root (Ao). Group II (n = 14) did the sequence of Ao-PDA-OM. Group III (n = 31) did the sequence of Ao-OM-PDA. The hemodynamics markers, including heart rate (HR), central venous pressure (CVP), mean artery pressure (MAP), cardiac index (CI), left ventricular-stroke work index (LVSWI) and right ventricular stroke work index (RVSWI), were analyzed before LIMA-LAD anastomose to serve as baseline. And these markers were re-measured at LIMA-LAD anastomose, immediately after LIMA-LAD anastomose, at PDA anastomose and at OM anastomose.

RESULTSAll the patients survived after off-pump CABG. Compared with the baseline, there were no significant hemodynamic changes when doing LIMA-LAD anastomose. When the anastomose finished, the hemodynamic indices improved significantly. When performing OM anastomose, HR and CVP increased significantly, and MAP, CI, LVSWI and RVSWI decreased remarkably in group I and group III, while there were no significant changes of MAP, CI and RVSWI in group II . When performing PDA anastomose, HR and CVP increased significantly, and MAP, CI, LVSWI and RVSWI decreased remarkably in group I and group II, while there were no significant hemodynamic changes in group III except HR.

CONCLUSIONProximal anastomose first when performing off-pump CABG, followed by distal anastomoses of target vessels is beneficial to those who have hard exposure and difficult anastomose of OM and PDA.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anastomosis, Surgical ; methods ; Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump ; methods ; Coronary Artery Disease ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Coronary Vessels ; surgery ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Monitoring, Intraoperative ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo study the molecular mechanism of the inhibitory effects of vitamin C on benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P)-induced changes of cell cycle in human embryo lung fibroblast (HELF) cells.

METHODSThe stable transfectants, HELF transfected with antisense cyclin D1 and antisense CDK4, were established. Cells were cultured and pretreated with vitamin C before stimulation with B[a]P for 24 h. The expression levels of cyclin D1, CDK4, E2F1, and E2F4 were determined by Western blot. Flow cytometric analysis was employed to detect the distributions of cell cycle.

RESULTSB[a]P significantly elevated the expression levels of cyclin D1, E2F1, and E2F4 in HELF cells. Vitamin C decreased the expression levels of cyclin D1, E2F1, and E2F4 in B[a]P-stimulated HELF cells. Dose-dependent relationships were not found between the different concentrations of vitamin C (10, 100, 500, 1000, and 5000 micromol/L) and the expression levels of cyclin D1, E2F1, and E2F4 in HELF cells. The expression levels of cyclin D1, E2F1, and E2F4 in B[a]P-treated transfectants were lower than those in B[a]P-treated HELF cells. The expression levels of cyclin D1 and E2F4 treated with vitamin C and antisense cyclin D1 were decreased compared with those treated with antisense cyclin D1 alone. The effects of vitamin C combined with antisense CDK4 on the expression levels of cyclin D1 and E2F1/E2F4 were similar to those of antisense CDK4 alone. B[a]P progressed HELF cells from G1 to S phase. Both vitamin C and antisense cyclin D1 suppressed the changes of cell cycle progressed by B[a]P. However, antisense CDK4 did not attenuate the above changes. Vitamin C combined with antisense CDK4 markedly suppressed B[a]P-induced changes of cell cycle as compared with antisense CDK4. But the inhibitory effects of vitamin C combined with antisense cyclin D1 on B[a]P-induced changes of cell cycle were similar to those of vitamin C alone or antisense cyclin D1 alone.

CONCLUSIONSB[a]P progressed HELF cells from G1 to S phase via intracellular signaling pathway of cyclin D1/E2F. Vitamin C may modulate this signaling pathway to protect cells from injury caused by B[a]P.

Ascorbic Acid ; pharmacology ; Benzo(a)pyrene ; Blotting, Western ; methods ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Cyclin D1 ; metabolism ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; E2F1 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; G1 Phase ; drug effects ; physiology ; Humans ; Lung ; cytology ; embryology ; RNA, Antisense ; genetics ; S Phase ; drug effects ; physiology ; Transfection ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the reverse effect of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on Benzo (a) pyrene (B (a) P)-induced cyclin D1, CDK4, E2F-1 and E2F-4 expression and cell cycle progression in human embryo lung fibroblast (HELF).

METHODSAfter HELF cells was treated with ATRA, they were exposed to 2 micromol/L of B (a) P. Western blotting was employed to detect protein expression level; the RNA transfection techniques was used to investigate ATRA-induced signal pathway; flow cytometry was used to detect cell cycle progression.

RESULTAfter treatment with 2 micromol/L B (a) P for 24 h, the expression of cyclin D1 and E2F-1 were both increased significantly in HELF; the expression of E2F-4 and CDK4 were not changed markedly; pretreatment with 0.1 micromol/L ATRA for 24 h could efficiently decrease B (a) P-induced overexpression of cyclin D1 and E2F-1; stimulation to antisense cyclin D1 or antisense CDK4 by B (a) P could significantly impair E2F-1 up-regulation; pretreatment with ATRA, cells with antisense cyclin D1 or antisense CDK4 showed a less decrease in B (a) P-induced overexpression of E2F-1 compared to similarly treated control cells; flow cytometry analysis showed B (a) P promoted cell cycle progression from G(1) phase to S phase, while pretreatment with ATRA could inhibit B (a) P-induced cell cycle progression by an accumulation of cells in the G(1) phase.

CONCLUSIONATRA could block B (a) P-induced cell cycle promotion through cyclin D1/E2F-1 pathway in HELF.

Benzo(a)pyrene ; toxicity ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Cyclin D1 ; metabolism ; E2F1 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Lung ; cytology ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Tretinoin ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the role of E2F1/4 pathway in vitamin C reversing benzo (a) pyrene [B (a) P]-induced changes of cell cycle in human embryo lung fibroblasts (HELF) and the relationship between E2F1 and cyclin D1/CDK4.

METHODSThe stable transfectants, HELF transfected with antisense cyclin D1 and antisense CDK4, were established to detect the relationship of signaling pathway. Cells were cultured and pretreated with vitamin C before stimulation with B (a) P for 24 hours. The expression levels of cyclin D1, CDK4, E2F1 and E2F4 were determined by Western blot and the band intensity was analysed as the relative value to control by using the Gel-Pro 3.0 software. Flow Cytometric Analysis was employed to detect the distributions of cell cycle.

RESULTSB (a) P significantly elevated the expression levels of cyclin D1, CDK4, E2F1 and E2F4 in HELF cells. Vitamin C decreased the expression levels of above proteins in B (a) P-stimulated HELF cells. The expression levels of these proteins in B (a) P-treated above transfectants were lower than those in B (a) P-treated HELF cells. The expression levels of above proteins with vitamin C combined with antisense cyclin D1 were decreased as compared to those with antisense cyclin D1 alone. B (a) P increased the percentage of S phase as compared to the controls [(41.1 +/- 0.2)% vs (33.5 +/- 3.2)%, P < 0.05]. Both vitamin C [(33.2 +/- 0.6)% vs (41.1 +/- 0.2)%, P < 0.05] and antisense cyclin D1 [(31.2 +/- 1.3)% vs (41.1 +/- 0.2)%, P < 0.05] suppressed the changes of cell cycle induced by B (a) P. Vitamin C combined with antisense CDK4 markedly suppressed B (a) P-induced changes of cell cycle as compared to those with antisense CDK4 alone.

CONCLUSIONVitamin C might reserve the B (a) P-induced changes of cell cycle via intracellular signaling pathway of cyclin D1-CDK4/E2F-1/4.

Ascorbic Acid ; pharmacology ; Benzo(a)pyrene ; antagonists & inhibitors ; toxicity ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cyclin D1 ; metabolism ; E2F1 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; E2F4 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lung ; cytology ; embryology ; Signal Transduction

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) on the cell cycle distribution and activities of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal molecules (ERK1/2, JNK1/2 and p38) in human embryo lung cells (HELF), and to investigate the relationship between alterations of MAPK protein phosphorylation and the cell cycle distributions.

METHODSThe phosphorylation of MAPK were induced by exposing HELF cells to BaP at 0.1, 0.5, 2.5 and 12.5 micromol/L. The phosphorylation and protein expression levels of ERK1/2, JNK1/2 and p38 were determined through western-blotting assay. And the flow cytometry assay was used to measure the cell cycle effects in HELF cells after treatment with 2.5 micromol/L BaP for 24 h.

RESULTSThe phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2, JNK1/2 and p38 were significantly increased through BaP exposure. In addition, the phosphorylation of these three MAPKs has similar alteration pattern. We found that exposure of cells to 2.5 microM of BaP for 24 h resulted in a decrease of G(0) and G(1) population by 11.9% (F = 41.38, P < 0.01) and an increase of S population by 17.2% (F = 68.13, P < 0.01). Three chemical inhibitors of MAPK (AG126, SP600125 and SB203580) could significantly inhibit the cell cycle alteration because of BaP treatment.

CONCLUSIONERK1/2, JNK1/2 and p38 could positively regulate the BaP independently induced cell cycle alterations.

Benzo(a)pyrene ; toxicity ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Lung ; cytology ; embryology ; MAP Kinase Kinase 4 ; metabolism ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; drug effects ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 ; metabolism ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 ; metabolism ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8 ; metabolism ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 9 ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the roles of the cyclin D1/CDK4 and E2F-1/4 pathways and compare their work patterns in cell cycle changes induced by different doses of B[a]P.

METHODSHuman embryo lung fibroblasts (HELFs) were treated with 2 micromol/L or 100 micromol/L B[a]P which were provided with some characteristics of transformed cells (T-HELFs). Cyclin D1, CDK4 and E2F-1/4 expressions were determined by Western blotting. Flow cytometry was used to detect the distribution of cell cycle.

RESULTSAfter B[a]P treatment, the proportion of the first gap (G1) phase cells decreased. CDK4 and E2F-4 expression did not change significantly. In 2 micromol/L treated cells, a marked overexpression of cyclin D1 and E2F-1 was observed. However, in T-HELFs overexpression was limited to cyclin D1 only, and no overexpression of E2F-1 was observed. The decreases of G1 phase in response to B[a]P treatment were blocked in antisense cyclin D1 and antisense CDK4 transfected HELFs (A-D1 and A-K4) and T-HELFs (T-A-D1 and T-A-K4). After 2 micromol/L B[a]P treatment, overexpression of E2F-1 was attenuated in A-D1, and E2F-4 expression was decreased significantly in A-K4. In T-A-D1 and T-A-K4, E2F-4 expression was increased significantly, compared with T-HELFs. The E2F-1 expression remained unchanged in T-A-D1 and T-A-K4.

CONCLUSIONSCyclin D1/CDK4-E2F-1/4 pathways work in different patterns in response to low dose and high dose B[a]P treatment. In HELFs treated with 2 micromol/L B[a]P, cyclin D1 positively regulates the E2F-1 expression while CDK4 negatively regulates the E2F-4 expression; however, in HELFs treated with 100 micromol/L B[a]P, both cyclin D1 and CDK4 negatively regulate the E2F-4 expression.

Benzo(a)pyrene ; pharmacology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line ; Cyclin D1 ; metabolism ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; E2F4 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lung ; cytology ; drug effects ; embryology ; enzymology ; metabolism