Objective To study the test-retest reliability in quantitative measurement of proprioception using Tecnobody rehabilitation system.Methods Nine healthy volunteers [4 males,5 females,averaged age (22.8 ±0.68) years] participated in three consecutive measurements on both feet by using Tecnobody rehabilitation system for computerized proprioceptive assessment.Standard error of measurement(SEM),correlation coefficient and intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC) obtained from the three consecutive measurements were used to analyze the Timeused in each measuring session,and the average track error (ATE) of the measurements.ResultsSEM values of Time in left foot and right foot were 3.07 ～ 3.83 and 6.65 ～ 8.44 respectively.ATE values in left foot and right foot were 1.33 ～ 1.97 and 1.39 ～ 1.91 respectively.The Time and ATE correlation coefficients of left foot / right foot were 0.919/0.6 and 0.808/0.831,respectively.The Time ICC values were 0.893/0.639 for left foot / right foot,respectively ; and the ATE ICC values were 0.716/0.734 for left foot / right foot,respectively. Conclusion The Tecnobody rehabilitation system provided a fairly good reliability in both relative andabsolute values in quantitative evaluation of proprioception in the feet.These data in a larger amount may be useful for setting up variables and the standard values of the local population for reference in proprioceptive rehabilitation.

Objective To analyze the common symptoms in our gastrointestinal (GI) clinic of a general hospital and the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) combined with functional bowel diseases (FBD) was also investigated.Methods Data of out-patients who visited GI clinic from April to June,2011 were collected,including demographic information and chief complaints.A validated Chinese Reflux Disease Questionnaire (RDQ) was used to assess the frequency and severity of typical gastroesophageal reflux (GER) symptoms.Reflux esophagitis (RE) and non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (NERD) werc differentiated according to RDQ scores,endoscopic diagnosis,and response to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).FBD was diagnosed based on Rome Ⅲ criteria.Results Totally 1074 patients (98.3％) had completed the questionnaires.A total of 107 patients(10％) were diagnosed as GERD among 351 patients(32.7％) who had GER symptoms.A total of 404 cases (37.6％)presented symptoms of chronic abdominal pain/bloating,chronic diarrhea/constipation.Totally 206 cases (19.2％) of FBD were diagnosed,including 63 irritable bowl disease (IBS),40 functional constipation and others.RDQ scores were positively correlated with the prevalence of other atypical GER symptoms,as well as chronic bloating,constipation,the incidence of IBS and functional constipation (FC) (P ＜ 0.05).Further,the incidences of chronic bloating[25.2％ (27/107)],chronic constipation[14.0％ (15/107)],IBS [10.3％ (11/107)] and FC[7.5％ (8/107)] in GERD patients were higher than those in non-GERD patients [16.6％(160/966),7.1％ (69/966),5.4％ (52/966),3.3％ (32/966),all P ＜0.05].Higher rate of NERD than RE overlapping with FBD was found,but without statistic significance.Conclusions GERD frequently represents with chronic bloating and constipation,usually overlaps with IBS and FC.The severity of GERD symptoms is associated with higher rate of overlapping with FBDs.

Objective To study the clinical value of using a four-point method (FP) in measuring joint angles.Method Methods Twenty-five subjects without knee dysfunction were studied.Every knee joint was tested in extension,below 90° of flexion and above 90° of flexion with the traditional three-point method (TP) and the new four-point method.X-rays were taken as a gold standard measurement.The reliability and validity were analyzed using Bland-Altman plots,which can yield 95% limits of agreement (LOA).Results (1) The joint axis centers moved with changes in joint angle.(2) The 95% LOA of inter-tester reliability was (-5.0,2.7) with the FP and (-6.5,4.4) with the TP.The 95% LOAs of intra-tester reliability were (-3.6,4.0) for tester A and (-4.1,4.8) for tester B with the FP,while (-5.0,6.4) for tester A and (-6.1,5.8) for tester B with the TP.(3) The 95% LOAs in the three positions were (3.5,2.6) in extension,(-3.3,3.6) in mild flexion and (-1.9,5.7) in greater flexion with the FP,and ( 6.8,1.1),(-4.0,7.1) and (0,8.5) with the TP.Conclusions The FP gives better reliability and validity than the TP in joint angle measurement.

Objective To observe the effect of aspirin on phtelets activation markers in patients with coronary heart disease and set up a diagnostic criteria of aspirin resistance.To preliminarily predict the incidence of aspirin resistance in hospital patients.Methods The subjects were divided into 3 groups:aspirin group(103 cases),control group(24 eases),and healthy control group(23 cases).Using whole blood samples,we detected the ratio of CD62P,PAC-1 expression by flow cytometry(FCM)before and after 7-day treatment and compared the changes of CD62P and PAC-1 expression ratio,then calculated the inhibition ratio of platelets glycoprotein,set up the diagnostic criteria of aspirin resistance with receiver operator characteristic curve(SOC)and calculate the incidenee of aspirin resistance in hospital patients.Results The statisticsl reaults are listed as below:in asptirin group,before treatment CD62P(10.16±6.80)%,PAC-1(14.66±10.56)%,and after treatment CD62P(5.70±4.28)%,PAC-1(8.93±7.08)%,P＜0.01.In control group,before treatment CD62P(9.14±6.52)%,PAC-1(17.67±11.53)%,and after treatment CD62P(7.81±5.72)%,PAG-1(14.97±8.05)%,P＜0.05.According to ROC,the inhibition ratio of CD62P＜21.5% or PAG-1＜17.7% was individually set up asdiagnostic criteria of AR.Our study indicate that the incidence of aspirin resistance in hospital CHD patients is 17.5%.Conclusion There exists platelet activation in CHD patients.CD62P and PAC-1 could be considered as the sensitive index of platelet activation and used in the evaluation of anti-platelet therapy.Aspirin can decrease the expression of CD62P and PAC-1,and inhibit the activation of platelet.According to this study,aspirin resistance really exists in CHD patients.By FCM,the diagnostic criteria of aspirin resistance in CHD is the inhibition ratio of CD62P＜21.5% or PAC-1 ＜17,7% due to aspirin.The incidence of aspirin resistance in hospital CHD patients is 17.5%.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) for repairing damaged heart tissue are a new kind of important treatment options because of their potential to differentiate into cardiomyocytes. We in this experiment investigated the effect of different electrical stimulation time on the expression of myocardial specificity gene and protein in rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs) in vitro. The rBMSCs of second or third generation were randomly divided into three groups, i.e, electrical stimulation (ES) group, 5-Azacytidine (5-Aza) group and the control group. The rBMSCs in the ES groups with complete medium were exposed to 2 V, 2 Hz, 5 ms electrical stimulation for 0. 5 h, 2 h, 4 h, and 6 h respectively every day for 10 days. Those in the 5-Aza group were induced by 5-Aza (10 μmol/L) for 24 h, and then cultured with complete medium for 10 days. Those in the control group were only cultured with complete medium, without any treatment, for 10 days. The rBMSCs' morphological feature in each group was observed with inverted phase microscope. The mRNA expression of myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2C (MEF-2C) and connexin 43 (Cx43) were examined with Real-Time quantitative PCR and the protein expression of MEF-2C, Cx43 were detected with Western Blot method. The results showed that the mRNA expression level of the MEF-2C, Cx43 and the protein expression level of MEF-2C, Cx43 were significantly higher in the ES group and 5-Aza group than those in the relative control group (P < 0.05). It suggests that electrical stimulation could play a part of role in the induction of the rBMSCs to differentiate into the cariomyocyte-like cells in vitro and the effectiveness of the electrical stimulation with 2 h/d had the best in our experiment. But the mechanism how electrical stimulation promotes the differentiation of rBMSC into cardiomyocyte is still unclear.
Animals ; Biomarkers ; metabolism ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Connexin 43 ; metabolism ; Electric Stimulation ; MEF2 Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To study the clinicopathological features and differential diagnosis of bizarre parosteal osteochondromatous proliferation (BPOP). Methods The clinicopathological features of 3 patients with BPOP were analyzed , and related literature was reviewed. Results 3 patients included 2 males and 1 female with an average age 40 years old (24-53 years old). The lesions in three patients were located in the left side of the distal radius, the left side of the little finger inside and the right side of ulna coracoid, respectively. Histologically, characterized by unusual mineralized cartilaginous matrix (`blue bone'), the lesion was composed of a heterogeneous mixture of bone, cartilage and fibrous tissue. Conclusion BPOP is a rare benign surface osteocartilaginous lesion, and its diagnosis and differential diagnosis mainly depend on radiographic and histopathologic features.

This study was aimed to assess the effects of fluid shear stress on the bone resorption in rat osteoclasts. The osteoclasts were derived from the lumbar vertebrae marrow cells which were isolated from the 6-month-old female Sprague Dawley rats, cultured on the slide at 1 x 10(6) cell/ml, and induced with 1, 25 (OH)2 Dihydroxyvitamin D3. The slide containing osteoclasts was taken out on day 7 after culture and then put into the flow chamber. The loads of fluid shear stress applied to the osteoclasts were 5.97, 11.36, 16.08 and 20.54 dyne/cm2, respectively, for 30 minutes. The osteoclasts unloading fluid shear stress were used as control. The bone resorptive pits were studied by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) secreted by osteoclasts was detected with ultraviolet spectrophotometry. The results showed that fluid shear stress can increase the activity of TRAP and significantly increase the number and area of bone resorptive pits made by osteoclasts,and the effect of fluid shear stress on the bone resorption of osteoclasts is the same as that on the activity of TRAP. The reaction of the osteoclasts to the fluid shear stress in this study also suggested that the bone resorption of osteoclasts be increased in a magnitude of fluid shear stress-dependent manner, and that the changes of TRAP activity be closely related to the changes of the number and area of resorptive pits of the osteoclasts.
Acid Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Bone Resorption ; physiopathology ; Calcitriol ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Isoenzymes ; metabolism ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; cytology ; Osteoclasts ; cytology ; enzymology ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Shear Strength ; Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase

Studies have recently suggested that the coupling mechanism of bone formation and bone resorption are affected by particulate wear debris inducing aseptic loosening around the bone-prosthesis microenviroment. There may be direct impacts on osteoblasts, resulting in net decrease in bone formation. In addition, the influences of particulate wear debris in different size on the osteogenesis should be various. In order to investigate the hypothesis that particulate wear debris derived from prosthetic biomaterials affects the osteogenesis of osteblasts, we studied the influence of different-sized titanium particles loading on the osteoblastic differentiation by assaying the secretion of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OCN), N-terminal type I procollagen (PINP), and on the osteoblastic mineralization with the use of calcified node number, calcified node area and Alizarin Red S (ARS) concentration. Upon in vitro culture in the absence of titanium particles, we observed that cultures of osteoblasts isolated from newborn Japanese rabbits' cranium were excellently capable of differentiation and mineralization. Phi6.9 microm titanium particles did not evidently alter osteoblastic differentiation and mineralization. In comparison, phi2.7 microm and phi0.9 microm titanium particles, especially phi0.9 microm (submicron), significantly suppressed ALP expression, reduced PINP production, decreased OCN secretion and inhibited matrix mineralization. Results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of titanium particles-loaded osteoblastic cultures revealed that osteoblasts phagocytized titanium particles and exhibited ultrastructional changes consistent with cellular dysfuction. Combined with our previous studies in vitro findings, these results suggest that particles size play a key role in the process of aseptic loosening, which submicron particles are closely associated with inhibition of bone formation while bigger particles with enhancement of bone resorption. Further understanding the nature of osteoblastic bioreactivity to different-size wear particles should provide additional insights into mechanisms underlying aseptic loosening.
Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Calcification, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Male ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; Osteocalcin ; biosynthesis ; Osteogenesis ; drug effects ; Particle Size ; Prostheses and Implants ; Prosthesis Failure ; Rabbits ; Titanium ; pharmacology

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the osteogenesis and adipogenesis in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) isolated from normal rats and osteoporotic rats by ovariectomy. Osteoporotic animal model was established in 3 month-old and 6 month-old female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats by ovariectomy. Animal experiments were divided into 4 groups: 1) control-3 group; 2) ovx-3 group; 3) control-6 group and 4) ovx-6 group. MSCs were isolated by means of the density-gradient centrifugation method from each group, respectively. Colony-forming unit-fibroblast (CFU-Fs ) number, CFU-Fs size distribution and cell density in CFU-Fs of primary passage MSCs were measured at the inverted phase contrast microscope. The cell cycle and proliferation index (PI) as well as apoptosis idex (AI) of MSCs were studied by (FCM). After osteogenic induction (OSI), calcium nodes of MSCs were marked by alizarin red staining (ARS); The expression level of alkaline phosphatase(ALP) was detected by dynamics method with substrate of phosphoric acid para-Nitro benzene and the content of osteocalcin (OCN) was detected with the isotope labelling method. After adipogenic induction (ADI), lipid droplet in MSCs were detected by oil red O staining and the mRNA level of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) was measured by RT-PCR. The results showed that CFU-Fs and PI are obviously decresed and AI are increased of MSCs in OVX-3 and OVX-6 groups (P<0.05). The secretory volume of ALP and BGP of MSCs and the content of calcium nods of MSCs are lower in OVX-3 and OVX-6 groups than that in control-3 and control-6 groups after osteogenic induction (P<0.05). The number of lipid droplet and the expression level of LPL mRNA are higher in OVX-3 and OVX-6 groups than that in control-3 and control-6 (P<0.05). The result in our study suggested that depress of osteogenesis and the up-regulation of adipogenesis of MSCs in osteoporotic rats by ovariectomy may be relate close to the pathogenesis of osteoporosis.
Adipocytes ; pathology ; Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; pathology ; Cell Differentiation ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; pathology ; Osteoblasts ; pathology ; Osteoporosis ; etiology ; pathology ; Ovariectomy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stem Cells ; pathology

This study was aimed to investigate the changes of hemodynamic parameters, pathology and c kit mRNA expression in myocardium after acute myocardial infarctionin (AMI) in rats, and to elucidate the relationship between these three kinds of changes. Sixty six adult male SD rats were randomly divided into normal group, Sham groups and ligation groups. The rat model of AMI was set up by ligating the left anterior descending artery. Hemodynamic parameters, pathological changes and c kit mRNA expression in myocardiam were examined. The results revealed that there were no statistically significant differences in hemodynamic parameters between normal group and Sham groups. Compared with the normal group, all ligation groups exhibited significantly decreased left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) and +/-dp/dtmax (P<0.01), and increased left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP, P<0.01). In the other ligation groups, compared with 6th hour group after ligation, there appeared striking increase of LVSP, LVEDP and +/-dp/dtmax (P<0.05). HE staining in myocardiam showed that there are necrosis and derangement at 24th hour group after ligation ,and a great number of inflammatory cells infiltration around the infarct zone at 3rd day group after ligation, and granulation tissue infiltrated into the infarct zone at 14th day group after ligation. In all five time points groups after ligation, the levels of c-kit mRNA expression were 0.99 fold, 1.06 fold, 1.46 fold, 1.91 fold and 2.67 fold, respectively, compared with Sham groups. The results suggest that cardiac stem cells in myocardium might contribute to the role of regenerating myocardium via self proliferation after acute myocardial infarction, but further investigation is still needed.
Animals ; Hemodynamics ; physiology ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; pathology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stem Cells ; cytology