Objective To evaluate the feasibility of Mycobacteria growth indicator tube ( MGIT ) liquid culture combined with rifampin resistance test real-time PCR ( Xpert MTB/RIF test) in the diagnosis of tuberculosis.Methods 652 cases of suspected pulmonary tuberculosis from October 2014 to March 2015 in Quzhou People′s Hospital were enrolled. The morning sputum samples were collected for acid-fast staining, L?wenstein-Jensen ( L-J) culture, BACTEC MGIT culture and Xpert MTB/RIF test.Samples with positive results of MGIT liquid culture were subjected to strain identification and drug sensitivity test with fluid method.Methodological comparison between four methods was made and the performance of MGIT liquid culture combined with Xpert MTB/RIF test in the rapid diagnosis and drug resistance detection in Mycobacterium tuberculosis was evaluated by chi-square test. Results Among the samples from 399 confirmed tuberculosis patients, the diagnostic sensitivity of the 4 methods ( acid-fast staining, L-J culture, MGIT culture and Xpert MTB/RIF test) were 17.0%(68/399), 23.8%(95/399), 37.8% (151/399) and 37.3%(149/399) respectively.The sensitivity and specificity of MGIT culture combined with Xpert MTB/RIF test was 39.8%(159/399) and 94.8%(240/253).The sensitivity of MGIT culture combined with Xpert MTB/RIF test was significantly higher than acid-fast staining (χ2 =50.9, P<0.01 ) and L-J culture (χ2 =23.7,P<0.01).The average detection time of MGIT culture was 7.5 days ( smear positive and Xpert MTB/RIF positive), 13.4 days (smear negative and Xpert MTB/RIF positive) and 16.9 days ( smear negative and Xpert MTB/RIF negative) .The sensitivity and specificity of Xpert MTB/RIF test in rifampin resistance detection were 9/9 and 97.3% ( 129/132 ) respectively.The average detection time of fluid method for drug sensitivity test was 8.3 days.Conclusions MGIT liquid culture combined with Xpert MTB/RIF test can detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the drug sensitivity rapidly.The method is highly sensitive and specific.It is important for clinical diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis.

ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between strength of the paretic lower limb and motor function, balance, walking speed, ability of daily living (ADL) in hemiparetic stroke patients.Methods85 stroke subjects, who were able to walk in the study, were evaluated in the strength of the paretic lower limb, motor function, balance, walking speed and ADL with Motricity Index, Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Berg Balance Scale, 10 m walking speed test and Functional Independence Measure (FIM). The levels of association between them were examined with Pearson's correlation coefficients and with multiple linear regression analyses by using the stepwise method. ResultsStrengths of the paretic lower limb were significantly positive related to motor function, balance, walking speed and ADL (r=0.592-0.811,P<0.001). The paretic ankle dorsiflexors, knee extensors, hip flexors were important clinical factor to consider in determining motor function(R2=0.377,P<0.001), balance(R2=0.321,P<0.001)and walking speed(R2=0.173,P<0.001), ADL(R2=0.42,P<0.001). ConclusionStrengths of the paretic lower limb of stroke patients may play an important role in their motor function, balance, walking speed and ADL.

Abstract: Objective　To analyze the emergency response and long-term intervention effects after the detection of infectious snails epidemic by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays in Hannan District, Wuhan City, and to explore the application of LAMP in early surveillance and early-warning of schistosomiasis transmission. Methods Snails picked up by the risk monitoring system in Hannan District were examined by anatomical microscopy and LAMP technology to identify the schistosomiasis infection. Emergency response and intensive intervention were initiated in the environment where positive snails appeared, and the long-term effects were evaluated. Results In May 2018, the infectious snails were detected by LAMP technology in Hannan District, and the positive snails were located in Zhujiacha, Dongzhuang Village, Obstacles and weeds were removed and buried by machine in Zhujiacha. 12 700 m2 of snails were killed by drugs, and the mortality rate of snails was more than 80%; no new seropositive persons were found in the emergency examination within 500 m of the positive snail sites. 506 people were examined in Dong Zhuang Village at the end of the year, and 30 positive IHA cases were detected with a blood positive rate of 5.93%, no positive fecal test was found, and all positive blood test patients took preventive medication. The monitoring results of sentinel rats and wild feces were all negative. Health education was carried out, 7 warning signs were deployed and refreshed, and 500 publicity brochures were distributed. After nearly three years of intensified intervention and monitoring in the villages where the positive environment is located, and the density of snails on the stubborn snail has dropped from 0.094/frame to 0.027/frame, and the positive rate of blood test in Dongzhuang Village has steadily dropped from 5.93% to 3.74%. Conclusions The infected snails missed by microscopy were detected by LAMP in Hannan District, which created conditions for the rapid emergency treatment of environment and elimination of positive snail and improved the sensitivity of the surveillance and early warning system in transmission-interrupted areas.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of the timed “up and go” test (TUGT) on measuring functional mobility of stroke patients.MethodsNinety hemiparetic stroke patients participated in this study. The balance, gait speed and disability of patients were measured by Berg balance scale (BBS), maximal gait speed and functional independence measure (FIM) to find out the critical value of TUGT.ResultsA good relationship existed among TUGT and the BBS,gait speed and FIM (r=-0.926—-0.674,P<0.001).The percentage of independent walking of stroke patients whose TUGT scores <10s or>20s were 100% and 8.3%. The optimal cut off values of TUGT to predict the independent walking of patients were 15.2s, and in stroke group sensitivity and specificity of TUGT were 89.4% and 79.1%.Conclusion TUGT is a reliable instrument with adequate concurrent validity to measure the functional mobility of stroke patients.

ObjectiveTo explore the efficacy of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) on motor function of upper extremity of chronic stroke patients.MethodsFifteen chronic stroke patients with hemiparesis (course of diseases more than 13.5 months) were treated by CIMT, involving restriction of movement of the intact upper extremity by placing it in a sling for 90% of waking hours for 12 days and training (by shaping) of the more affected extremity for 6 hours on the 10 workdays during that period. The therapeutic effect was evaluated with upper extremity function test (UEFT) and simple test for evaluating hand function (STEF).ResultsPatients showed a significant and very large degree of improvement after treatment on UEFT and STEF (ES, 0.8 and 0.5, respectively).ConclusionCIMT may be an efficacious method for improvement of the affected arm function of chronic stroke patients.

Oral mucosal drug delivery has the advantages of rapid drug absorption, no first-pass effect and good patient compliance. However, factors such as low drug dissolution, saliva carrying the drug into the gastrointestinal tract and the existence of physiological barriers in the mucosa may affect the mucosal permeation and bioavailability of the drug. Nanotechnology applied to drug oral mucosa delivery can overcome the above disadvantages and obtain efficient absorption effect. This paper describes the physiological structure of oral mucosa and the factors affecting the absorption of drugs in oral mucosa, reviews the application of nanotechnology such as liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, nanoemulsions, polymer nanoparticles, polymer micelles and nanohybrid suspensions in oral mucosal drug delivery and the mechanism of promoting drug absorption, summarizes the main problems of current research, and gives an outlook on the application of nano oral mucosal drug delivery system. The main problems of current research are summarized, and the prospects for the application of nano oral mucosal drug delivery systems are discussed.

OBJECTIVE: To research the relation between the time-dependent appearances of myotibroblasts during the repair of contused skeletal muscle in rat and wound age determination. METHODS: A total of 35 SD male rats were divided into the control and six injured groups according to wound age as follows: 12 h, 1 d, 5 d, 7 d, 10 d and 14 d after injury. The appearances of myofibroblasts were detected by HE staining, immunohistochemistry and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Masson's trichrome staining was utilized to examine collagen accumulation in the contused areas. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical staining showed that α-SMA+ myofibroblasts were initially observed at 5 d post-injury. The average ratio of myofibroblasts was highest at 14 d post-injury, with all samples, ratios more than 50%. In the other five groups, the average of α-SMA positive ratios were less than 50%. The collagen stained areas in the contused zones, concomitant with myofibroblast appearance, were increasingly augmented along with advances of posttraumatic interval. CONCLUSION The immunohistochemical detection of myofibroblasts can be applied to wound age determination. The myofibroblasts might be involved in collagen deposition during the repair of contused skeletal muscle in rat.
Animals ; Collagen/metabolism* ; Contusions/metabolism* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism* ; Myofibroblasts/metabolism* ; Rats ; Time Factors ; Wound Healing

OBJECTIVETo determine the amount of silver in silver-loaded coral hydroxyapatite (Ag(+)-CHA) bone substitute and its impact on the biocompatibility of this material with mouse embryonic osteoblast cells.

METHODSAg(+)-CHA was prepared by immersing coral hydroxyapatite in a serial concentration of silver nitrate solutions. The amount of silver in the prepared Ag(+)-CHA was measured by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The viability of MC3T3-E1 cells incubated with Ag(+)-CHA was measured by MTT colorimetric assay, and the cell growth and morphological changes were observed by inverted phase-contrast microscope and confocal laser scanning microscope.

RESULTSThe amount of silver loading in the bone substitutes prepared by immersion in 1×10(-2), 1×10(-3), 5×10(-4), 10(-4), 8×10(-5), and 5×10(-5) mol/L silver nitrate solutions were 4127.67∓47.35, 167.90∓11.00, 83.42∓4.51, 30.20∓2.32, 22.39∓4.09, and 15.11∓0.55 µg/g, respectively. A low silver content in the material (prepared with silver nitrate solution of less than 8×10(-5) mol/L) showed no significant inhibitory effect on the growth of MC3T3-E1 cells or produced noticeable cytotoxic effect. On the materials prepared with 8×10(-5) and 10(-5) mol/L silver nitrate solution, the osteoblasts displayed active proliferation similar to those incubated on materials without silver loading. The confluent cells showed a normal fusiform morphology with tight arrangement.

CONCLUSIONAg(+)-CHA with low silver content has a good biocompability and can promote the proliferation and growth of MC3T3-E1 cells in vitro, suggesting the clinical potential of this material as a anti-infection bone substitute.

3T3 Cells ; Animals ; Anthozoa ; chemistry ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Bone Substitutes ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Durapatite ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Materials Testing ; Mice ; Silver ; analysis ; chemistry ; pharmacology

BACKGROUNDTetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is the most common malformation of children with an incidence of approximately 10% of congenital heart disease patients. There can be a wide spectrum to the severity of the anatomic defects, which include ventricular septal defect, aortic override, right ventricular outflow tract obstruction, and right ventricular hypertrophy. We examined the relationship between right ventricular hypertrophy in patients with TOF and the gene expression of factors in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal pathway.

METHODSTo gain insight into the characteristic gene(s) involved in molecular mechanisms of right ventricular hypertrophy in TOF, differential mRNA and micro RNA expression profiles were assessed using expression-based micro array technology on right ventricular biopsies from young TOF patients who underwent primary correction and on normal heart tissue. We then analyzed the gene expression of the MAPK signal pathway using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in normals and TOF patients.

RESULTSUsing the micro RNA chip V3.0 and human whole genome oligonucleotide microarray V1.0 to detect the gene expression, we found 1068 genes showing altered expression of at least two-fold in TOF patients compared to the normal hearts, and 47 micro RNAs that showed a significant difference of at least two-fold in TOF patients. We then analyzed these mRNAs and micro RNAs by target gene predicting software Microcosm Targets version 5.0, and determined those mRNA highly relevant to the right ventricular hypertrophy by RT-PCR method. There were obvious differences in the gene expression of factors in the MAPK signal pathway when using RT-PCR, which was consistent to the results of the cDNA microarray.

CONCLUSIONThe upregulation of genes in the MAPK signal pathway may be the key events that contribute to right ventricular hypertrophy and stunted angiogenesis in patients with TOF.

Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular ; genetics ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; MicroRNAs ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; genetics ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; RNA, Messenger ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Signal Transduction ; genetics ; physiology ; Tetralogy of Fallot ; genetics

A self-made anaerobic bio-filter bed which was inoculated with special sludge showed high efficiency in removing hexavalent chromium. When pump flow was 47 ml/min and COD(Cr) of wastewater was about 140 mg/L, it took 4 h to decrease the Cr6+ concentrations from about 60 mg/L to under 0.5 mg/L, compared with 14 h without carbon source addition. Cr6+ concentrations ranged from 64.66 mg/L to 75.53 mg/L, the system efficiency was excellent. When Cr6+ concentration reached 95.47 mg/L, the treatment time was prolonged to 7.5 h. Compared with the contrast system, the system with trace metals showed clear superiority in that the Cr6+ removal rate increased by 21.26%. Some analyses also showed that hexavalent chromium could probably be bio-reduced to trivalent chromium, and that as a result, the chrome hydroxide sediment was formed on the surface of microorganisms.
Bacteria, Anaerobic ; metabolism ; Biodegradation, Environmental ; Bioreactors ; microbiology ; Cell Culture Techniques ; methods ; Chromium ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Industrial Waste ; prevention & control ; Sewage ; microbiology ; Water Purification ; methods