Objective:To observe the rehabilitation effect of balance training relying on tilted table on diaphragmatic function of patients with prolonged disorder of consciousness (pDoC).Methods:A prospective study was performed. Thirty patients with pDoC were enrolled from Department of Hyperbaric Oxygen Medicine and Rehabilitation, General Hospital of Southern Theater Command of PLA from May to December 2023. The pateints were divided into study group ( n=15) and control group ( n=15) according to different rehabilitation. Patients from the control group received conventional rehabilitation, while those in the study group received passive balance training relying on tilted table in addition to conventional rehabilitation. Diaphragmatic ultrasound examination was performed before treatment, and 4 and 8 weeks after treatment to measure diaphragm excursion (DE), diaphragm thickening inspiration (DTei), diaphragm thickening expiration (DTee) and diaphragm thickening fraction (DTF) so as to assess the diaphragmatic functions of patients with pDoC. Results:During treatment, 2 patients dropped out from the study group resulting from the willing of the family members, ultimately including 13 and 15 patients in the study and control groups, respectively. (1) Between-group comparison: no significant difference in DE, DTei, DTee or DTF was noted between the study group and control group 4 weeks after treatment ( P>0.05). However, 8 weeks after treatment, the study group had statistically increased DE, DTei and DTF compared with the control group ([1.65±0.32] cm vs. [1.21±0.22] cm; [2.07±0.26] cm vs. [1.83±0.26] cm; and [24.39±3.19]% vs. [18.93±2.50]%). (2) Within-group comparison: both group had significantly increased DE 4 and 8 weeks after treatment compared with those before treatment ( P<0.05); in the study group, DE 8 weeks after treatment was significantly increased compared with that 4 weeks after treatment ( P<0.05). No significant difference in DTei, DTee or DTF was noted in both groups between 4 weeks after treatment and before treatment ( P>0.05). In the study group, DTei, DTee and DTF 8 weeks after treatment were significantly higher than those before treatment and 4 weeks after treatment ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Balance training relying on tilted table is feasible and effective in improving diaphragmatic function in patients with pDoC, and the effect is positively correlated with treatment time within a certain time.

PURPOSE: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play a key role in tissue repair and regeneration. Previous studies have shown that infusion of human umbilical cord blood-derived endothelial colony-forming cells improves outcomes in mice subjected to experimental traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, the efficiency of cell transplantation is not satisfactory. Oxidative stress plays a significant role in the survival of transplanted cells following ischemic reperfusion injury. This observational clinical study investigated the correlation between the number of circulating EPCs and plasma levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malonyldialdehyde (MDA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 20 patients with mild TBI at day-1, day-2, day-3, day-4, and day-7 post TBI. The number of circulating EPCs and the plasma levels of SOD and MDA were measured. RESULTS: The average of circulating EPCs in TBI patients decreased initially, but increased thereafter, compared with healthy controls. Plasma levels of SOD in TBI patients were significantly lower than those in healthy controls at day-4 post-TBI. MDA levels showed no difference between the two groups. Furthermore, when assessed on day-7 post-TBI, the circulating EPC number were correlated with the plasma levels of SOD and MDA. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the number of circulating EPCs is weakly to moderately correlated with plasma levels of SOD and MDA at day-7 post-TBI, which may offer a novel antioxidant strategy for EPCs transplantation after TBI.
Animals ; Brain Injuries* ; Cell Transplantation ; Clinical Study ; Endothelial Progenitor Cells* ; Humans ; Malondialdehyde ; Mice ; Oxidative Stress* ; Plasma ; Regeneration ; Reperfusion Injury ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Transplants ; Umbilical Cord

Objective: To investigate the effect of ubiquitous mitochondrial creatine kinase 1(CKMT1) on the sensitivity of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line CNE-1 to DDP. Methods: CNE-1 cells were transiently transfected with CKMT1 overexpression (CKMT1) or empty vector (EV). The growth curve and DDP IC50 were developed by MTT assay, plate clone formation assay was performed by gradient concentration of DDP treatment, cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry, levels of apoptosis related protein Bax/Bcl-2/C-PARP and the transcription factor p-STAT3-Tyr705 were detected by Western Blot. Results: The transfection efficiencies of CKMT1 and EV were more than 90% with a higher proliferation rate in the CKMT1-transfected cells. However, the CKMT1-transfected cells had a DDP IC50 of 2.76 μmol/L, which was significantly lower than that of 4.60 μmol/L in the EV-transfected cells (P<0.01). With the treatment of certain concentration of DDP, the CKMT1-transfected cells had a lower clone formation rate, the cell cycle arrested more obviously in G2/M phase, and the apoptosis rate was higher (P<0.01), with higher levels of Bax/C-PARP (P<0.05 or P<0.01), but lower levels of Bcl-2 (P<0.01) and p-STAT3-Tyr705 (P<0.01), compare with the EV-transfected cells. Conclusions CKMT1 may inhibit the activation of STAT3, increasing the sensitivity of CNE-1 to chemotherapeutic drug DDP.