OBJECTIVETo optimize primarily acupuncture program for dysphagia after cerebral infarction.

METHODSSixty-three patients with pseudobulbar palsy dysphasia after cerebral infarction were selected as the subjects. Water swallow test was adopted for observation index. Orthogonal design was used to study the different combinations of treatment programs among four factors and three levels, named acupuncture opportunity (factor A: A1: 1-10 d, A2: 11-20 d, A3: 21-40 d), point combination (factor B: B1: points in the neck, B2: points in the neck + points in the glossopharyngeal part, B3: points in the neck + points in the glossopharyngeal part + differentiating point), needling depth (factor C: C1: shallow puncture, C2: moderate puncture, C3: deep puncture), and treatment session (factor D: D1: 2 sessions, D2: 4 sessions, D3: 6 sessions); as well as the influences on pseudobulbar palsy dysphagia after cerebral infarction so as to determine primarily the optimized acupuncture program for dysphagia after cerebral infarction.

RESULTSThe direct analysis of orthogonal design indicated that the best level and the combination of four factors and three levels were A1 (or A2), B3, C3 and D3. It meant that for the patients less than 20 days for sickness, the points in the neck, points in the glossopharyngeal part and points selected according to syndrome differentiation were selected for deep puncture and the treatment lasted for 6 sessions. This program achieved the best improvement in water swallow test. The comparison between the primary effect and secondary effect among four factors (variance analysis) showed that factor A and C were the significant factors (P < 0.05), factor B and D were not significant (P > 0.05). It was suggested that acupuncture opportunity and needling depth played the significant roles in clinical efficacy. The comparison among different levels in terms of the significant factors A and C (multiple comparison) presented that A1 and A2 were superiorly significant than A3 (P < 0.001), A1 was not different in significance from A2 (P > 0.05). C3 was superiorly significant than C2 and C1 (P < 0.001, P < 0.01) and C2 was superiorly significant than C1 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONBy the comprehensive summarization of direct analysis, variance analysis and multiple comparison combined with actual clinical situation, the optimal program of acupuncture treatment for pseudobulbar palsy dysphasia after cerebral infarction is that in terms of the four factors and three levels, for the patients within 1 to 20 days for sickness, acupuncture is applied to the points in the neck or combined with points in the glossopbaryngeal part or the points se-i lected according to syndrome differentiation, with deep puncture, for 4 to 6 sessions of treatment.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cerebral Infarction ; complications ; Deglutition ; Deglutition Disorders ; etiology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

AIMTo study the antitumor effect of an immunoconjugate composed of pingyangmycin (PYM) and anti-type IV collagenase monoclonal antibody (mAb) 3G11.

METHODS3G11-PLG-PYM immunoconjugate was prepared by linking 2-iminothiolane (2-IT) modified mAb to PYM via N-succinimidyl-3-(2-pyridyldithiol) -propionate (SPDP) derived poly-alpha-L-glutamic acid (PLG) backbone as the intermediate drug carrier. Characterization of the conjugate was performed by SDS-PAGE and spectrophotometry. Immunoreactivity of the conjugate against type IV collagenase was determined by ELISA. The cytotoxicity of the conjugate to hepatoma 22 (H22) and KB cells was examined by MTT assay. Antitumor effect of the conjugate in vivo was evaluated in mice bearing subcutaneously implanted H22 tumor, the candidate drugs were administered intravenously by "q2d x 6" regimen.

RESULTSThe molecular weight of the conjugate was approximately 170 kD. The molecular ratio of 3G11-PLG-PYM was 1 : 2. 4 : 10. The conjugate retained part of the immunoreactivity of mAb 3G11 against the antigen. The cytotoxicity of the conjugate to H22 and KB cells was moderate comparing with free PYM. In vivo however, free PYM inhibited the growth of H22 by 60.6% on day 22 at the dose of 10 mg x kg(-1), while the equivalent dose of 3G11-PLG-PYM conjugate reached 90.8%. The median survival time of the mice treated with the conjugate was prolonged by 71.7% as compared with that of the untreated group, whereas that of free PYM prolonged only 10.9%. 3G11-PLG-PYM conjugate was notably more effective than free PYM in tumor suppression and life span prolongation.

CONCLUSION3G11-PLG-PYM displayed more marked antitumor efficacy than free PYM in vivo and might be a novel candidate for cancer treatment.

Animals ; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; pharmacology ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Bleomycin ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Collagen Type IV ; immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoconjugates ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; pathology ; Mice ; Molecular Weight ; Mouth Neoplasms ; pathology ; Neoplasm Transplantation

AIM: Accommodation is one of the most important functions of human eye, while its mechanism is still under discussion. This paper aimed to study accommodation mechanism with numerical simulation.METHODS: A simulation model was constructed to study the mechanism of accommodation based on the experimental data derived from published resources. The displacement and pressure are applied on the model to study the deformation of lens during accommodating.RESULTS: The simulation showed that, as the eye was accommodating, the thickness of the lens increased linearly,and the lens diameter decreased linearly. The optical power of the lens increased as the accommodation increased. This result was accord with the public facts in accommodation.Furthermore, the pressure was found to have a great influence on the shape of the lens and the optical power. The lens became thinner and flatter as the pressure increased and the pressure caused a remarkable increase of lens' optical power.CONCLUSION: The outcome of this paper is consistent with the Helmholtz's hypothesis on accommodation to some extent. The analytical model presented in this paper can be used in the theoretical study of the accommodation mechanism of the human lens.

Objective To evaluate the change of treatment gap of epilepsy after intervention in rural areas of China.Method Six months after being stopped from the intervention project in 2004,using the same method as the first survey at the baseline,a door-to-door epidemiological survey was conducted again in 5 rural areas where the intervention measures had been carried out for about 3 years.Results Three hundred and twenty cases of epilepsy were diagnosed in the total sample population,yielding a prevalence rate of 0.62% and the prevalence of active epilepsy 0.44%.The prevalence and the active prevalence of epilepsy in the survey in 2000 were 0.70% and 0.46% respectively.Of the people with epilepsy,39.1% were treated regularly which increased about 14% than that in the baseline survey (24.8%).The treatment gap for active epilepsy was 49.8%,which decreased by 12.8% than that in the first survey (62.6%). Conclusion The treatment gap of epilepsy in the demonstration areas has decreased remarkably,proving that the intervention measures used in the study are effective and feasible in rural areas of China.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of superparamgnetic iron oxides (ferumoxides) on the survival and proliferation of neural stem cells (NSCs) and determine the optimal ferumoxides concentration for labeling.

METHODSBone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) were obtained from rat femoral marrow and cultured in vitro to induce their differentiation into NSCs. Ferumoxides labeling of the NSCs was performed with different final concentrations of ferumoxides, and the labeling efficiency and viability of the labeled NSCs were evaluated by Prussian blue staining, MTT assay, flow cytometry and transmission electron microscope.

RESULTSThe NSCs could be effectively labeled with ferumoxides with a labeling efficiency of around 90%. Prussian blue staining showed numerous fine granules with blue staining in the cytoplasm of the labeled NSCs, and the intensity of the blue staining was in positive correlation with the ferumoxide concentration for labeling. Transmission electron microscopy of the labeled NSCs revealed the presence of numerous vesicles spreading in the cytoplasm and filled with electron-dense magnetic iron particles. The ferumoxides vesicles increased with the labeling concentration of ferumoxides, and at the final concentration exceeding 25 microg/ml, ferumoxides vesicles in the NSCs gave rise to conglomeration which hampered observation of the cellular ultrastructure by transmission electron microscope. The results of flow cytometry and MTT assay demonstrated that the cell viability, proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of the labeled cells were affected by ferumoxides at the concentration above 25 microg/ml, but such effects could be minimal at lower concentrations.

CONCLUSIONFerumoxides might be feasible for in vitro labeling of the NSCs with the optimal concentration of 25 microg/ml.

Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Dextrans ; Ferrosoferric Oxide ; Iron ; pharmacology ; Magnetite Nanoparticles ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Neurons ; cytology ; ultrastructure ; Oxides ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; ultrastructure

Objective To put forward a method for 3D electrical impedance finite element joint modeling and simulation using COMSOL for visual modeling and Visual C++ for programming.Methods A model was established with COMSOL,and then transformed into a.stl file and introduced into Visual C++ simulation platform.Delaunay tetrahedral mesh generation algorithm was used for finite element meshing,calculation and simulation,and joint modeling and simulation were realized finally.Results Simulation result showed that the method could be used to introduce COMSOL model and complete 3D finite element simulation.Conclusion The method proves its compatibility with the models generated by multi software and practicability for joint modeling and simulation.

Objective To evaluate the effect of damped least-square algorithm on the identification of focal bidirectional electrical impedance perturbation in the intracranial area, and to analyze the influence of this kind of perturbation on the reconstruction quality of electrical impedance tomography. Methods Focal bidirectional electrical impedance perturbation was built based on the three-dimensional model and damped least-square algorithm was introduced into imaging. The position error and resolution were used to evaluate the imaging performance.Results When the focal electrical impedance perturbation existed,the target whose conductivity varied greatly or volume was large was more likely to be identified in the images while the target with smaller volume or variable conductivity presented in the reconstruction image was not obvious. It's pointed out that it may cause reconstruction images in some cases could not truly reflect the location and change information of the object of primary cerebral hemorrhage.At the same time,it affected the reconstruction precision,causing the position error and resolution with large fluctuation. Conclusion In reconstruction algorithm linearity correct matrix introduced for bidirectional electrical impedance perturbation contributes to enhancing the recognition of bidirectional perturbation, so that the characterization of the electrical impedance imaging can be augmented for clinical intracerebral hemorrhage.

Objective To establish a human-head phantom with realistic skull anatomy and resistivity distribution in order to provide an accurate experimental platform for brain electrical impedance tomography(EIT).Methods Firstly a skull model with 3-layer structure was constructed with double-nozzle 3D printer,and every layer had its specific resistivity verified on the accuracy. Then brain parenchyma with its resistivity was modelled using 3D printer and cerebrospinal fluid and scalp were mimicked using NaCl solution;after the whole phantom was assembled,imaging test using EIT was performed.Results The skull model was similar to the realistic one in terms of anatomy and resistivity distribution;the EIT experiment on the new phantom showed similar results to simulation.Conclusion The proposed phantom has realistic skull anatomy,resistivity distribution and multi-layer anatomical structure, which reflects the features of skull resistivity and thus is suitable for experiments on brain EIT.

Objective To propose a method for accurately controlling the resistivity of 3D printing materials to facilitate to establish a human-head volume conductor model.Methods Two kinds of ABS/CB composite conductive printing materials covering the resistivity ranges of parenchymal and skull were selected through resistivity measurement and analysis. The correlation between the proportions and resistivities of the two kinds of ABS/CB materials and the empirical formula on the correlation between the resistivity and proportion was obtained through exponential function fitting. Results The selected ABS/CB composite material behaved well in frequency stability and time stability,and the obtained empirical formula had high-correlation coefficient.Conclusion Accurate control of 3D printing model resistivity is realized,and it's facilitated to gain 3D printing material with the same resistivity as those of skull and parenchymal.

【Objective】ToinvestigatetheexpressionandclinicalsignificanceofJunDinmolecularsubtypesofinva⁃ sivebreastcarcinoma，benignandmalignantbreastlesions.【Methods】Immunohistochemicalexaminationwasperformed for160patientswithinvasivebreastcarcinoma，191patientswithbreastintraductalproliferativelesionsand20patients withnormalbreasttissue.【Results】①ComparisonwithothersubtypesshowedthattheexpressionofJunDwassignificantly increasedinTBNCsubtype（P＜0.05）anddifferencesbetweenothersubtypeswerenotstatisticallysignificant（P＞0.05） . ②TheexpressionofJunDininvasivebreastcarcinomawaslowerthanthatinbreastintraductalproliferativelesionsand normalbreasttissuse（P <0.01） .③Basedonimmunohistochemicalstaining，highpositiveexpressionrateofJunDwas associatedwithlowhistologicalgrade（P <0.01）.ThereisnocorrelationbetweenJunDandtumordiameter，age，lymph nodes，ER，PRandhistologicalgrade（P >0.05） .【Conclusions】TheexpressionofJunDwassignificantlyincreasedin TBNCsubtype.TostudytheexpressionofJunDinTBNCsubtypeofinvasivebreastcarcinomamayprovideanevaluation intargetedtreatment.ThedifferentexpressionofJunDinbenignandmalignantbreastlesionsmaybehelpfulfortheir differentialdiagnosis.