Objective To investigate the effect of the mirror therapy (MT) combined with motor imagery therapy (MIT) on the lower limb motor performance,balance and ability in the activities of daily living of ischemic stroke patients soon after a stroke.Methods Forty hospitalized ischemic stroke patients were randomly allocated to an MT+MIT group (n=20) or an MIT only group (n=20).In addition to routine rehabilitation,the MIT group exercised practicing knee extension and ankle dorsiflexion 30 minutes a day,five days a week for 8 weeks following motor imagery therapy protocols,while the MT+MIT group accepted MIT combined with mirror therapy.The Fugl-Meyer lower extremity assessment (FMALE),Berg Balance scores (BBSs) and the Modified Barthel index (MBI) were used to evaluate the effects of the treatment before the treatment and after 4 and 8 weeks of therapy.Results Before the intervention there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of their average FMA,BBS and MBI ratings.After 4 weeks of treatment a significant improvement was observed in the MT+MIT group's average FMA-LE and BBS scores and in the flat walking component of the MBI.In the MIT group only the average bed/wheelchair transfer and flat walking scores in the MBI were significantly improved.After 8 weeks the MT+MIT group's average FMA-LE and BBS scores had improved significantly,along with its average scores in the feeding,dressing,grooming,bathing,urination,bed/wheelchair transfer,walking up and down stairs and flat walking components of the MBI.In the MIT group the average FMA-LE and BBS scores had improved significantly,along with those for bed/wheelchair transfer,walking up and down stairs and flat walking in the MBI.After both 4 and 8 weeks,the MT+MIT group's average scores were consistently significantly better than those of the MT group.Conclusion Mirror therapy can significantly enhance the effectiveness of motor imagery therapy when they are combined in the rehabilitation of ischemic stroke patients in the early post-stroke stage.

Objective:To explore the isolation and culture methods of mouse parietal epithelial cells (PECs) of Bowman′s capsule, so as to provide a cell tool for further study.Methods:Mouse renal corpuscles were isolated by cell sieving combined with magnetic separation. After primary culture, identified parietal epithelial cells were induced to differentiate into podocytes. Immunofluorescence staining, real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting were used to detect specific markers of parietal epithelial cells and podocytes.Results:Primary cultured PECs grew like paving stone and expressed Claudin-1 (PECs specific marker), CD133 (stem cell marker) and CD24 (stem cell marker), without the expression of tubular epithelial cell proteins, mesangial cell and podocyte specific proteins. Cultured to 6 generations in vitro, the PECs still expressed Claudin-1, CD133 and CD24. After incubated with differentiation medium, PECs were able to express podocyte markers WT-1 and Synaptopodin. Conclusion:The renal corpuscles are extracted by cell sieving combined with magnetic separation, and the mouse PECs successfully cultured in vitro can be induced to express podocytes′ markers.

OBJECTIVE: To identify phytochemical constituents present in the extract of flowers of Xanthoceras sorbifolia and evaluate their anti-oxidant and anti-hyperglycemic capacities. METHODS: The AlCl₃ colorimetric method and Prussian Blue assay were used to determine the contents of total flavonoids and total phenolic acids in extraction layers, and the bioactive layers was screened through anti - oxidative activity in vitro. The Waters ACQUITY UPLC system and a Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C₁₈ column (2.0 mm × 150 mm, 5 μm) were used to identify the ingredients. And anti-oxidative ingredients were screened by off-line UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-free radical scavenging. The ameliorative role of it was further evaluated in a high-fat, streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rat model and the study was carried out on NADPH oxidase (PDB ID: 2CDU) by molecular docking. RESULTS: Combined with the results of activity screening in vitro, the anti - oxidative part was identified as the ethyl acetate layer. A total of 24 chemical constituents were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in the ethyl acetate layer and 13 main anti-oxidative active constituents were preliminarily screened out through off-line UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-free radical scavenging. In vivo experiments showed that flowers of X. sorbifolia could significantly reduce the blood glucose level of diabetic mice and alleviate liver cell damage. Based on the results of docking analysis related to the identified phytocompounds and oxidase which involved in type 2 diabetes, quercetin 3-O-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside, and isoquercitrin showed a better inhibitory profile. CONCLUSION The ethyl acetate layer was rich in flavonoids and phenolic acids and had significant anti-oxidant activity, which could prevent hyperglycemia. This observed activity profile suggested X. sorbifolia flowers as a promising new source of tea to develop alternative natural anti-diabetic products with a high safety margin.