Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of electromyographic(EMG)tremor indicators for Parkinson's disease(PD)using the Logistic regression model.Methods A total of 65 patients with PD(PD group)and 39 patients with essential tremor(ET)(ET group)were enrolled and underwent EMG tremor analysis.General information,disease-related data,and EMG tremor characteristics were compared between the two groups.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was performed to screen for independent influencing factors of PD,and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were plotted.The area under the curve(AUC)was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of EMG tremor indicators for PD.Results Compared with the ET group,the PD group had a higher proportion of patients with unilateral onset and those with tremor spectrum frequency≥2 times,and a lower proportion of patients with a family history of tremor(P＜0.05).The tremor peak frequencies in the resting,postural,and weight-bearing(1 000 g)states were lower in the PD group than in the ET group(P＜0.05).There were statistically significant differences in the tremor rhythm patterns between the two groups in the resting and weight-bearing states(P＜0.05),with the PD group dominated by alternating contraction patterns and the ET group by synchronous contraction pat-terns.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that the tremor peak frequency in the weight-bearing state,the tremor rhythm pattern in the resting state,and the frequency of tremor spectrum were independent influencing factors of PD(P＜0.05).The ROC curves showed that the AUCs of the tremor peak frequency in the weight-bearing state,the tremor rhythm pattern in the resting state,and the frequency of tremor spectrum for diagnosing PD were 0.886,0.750,and 0.779,respec-tively.The combination of these three indicators yielded the highest AUC(0.936)for diagnosing PD,with a sensitivity of 81.54％and a specificity of 94.87％.Conclusion The tremor peak fre-quency in the weight-bearing state,the tremor rhythm pattern in the resting state,and the frequency of tremor spectrum provided by EMG tremor analysis can serve as clinical indicators for early diagno-sis of PD,and their combined use offers higher diagnostic value,which can be used to differentiate PD from ET.

BACKGROUND:In recent years, a lot of studies have reported the feasibility and efficacy of transplanting seed celsvia tissue-engineered cardiac patches into specific infarcted myocardial area, helping regeneration of damaged heart tissue and improving heart functions.
OBJECTIVE:To review the methods and strategies of fabricating tissue-engineered cardiac patches and to analyze the structure and functional characteristics of cardiac patches prepared by different methods.
METHODS: The first author retrieved relevant articles about the fabrication methods of tissue engineered cardiac patches by searching PubMed and Web of science data bases. The key words were “cardiac infarction, cel death”.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The fabrication methods and strategies of tissue-engineered cardiac patches are as folows: (1) obtaining multi-layer cel sheets by overlapping monolayer cel sheets; (2) combing gelatin with cels to construct multi-layer cel sheets; (3) seeding cels on scaffolds; (4) homogeneous arrangement of cels. Recent studies about tissue-engineered cardiac patches have demonstrated that the biological activities of seed cels, such as retention, survival and paracrine effects, greatly influence the effect of cardiac patches on the repair and regeneration of infarcted myocardial tissues. Temperature-sensitive method is the most mature and wide-spread used constructing technique; besides, other strategies also successfuly improve the biological activities of seed cels to different extents, and they also increase the mechanical strength and thickness of cel sheets in order to have better operability. Tissue-engineered cardiac patches are usualy prepared by different combined strategies on purpose to obtain better biological and mechanical properties.

BACKGROUNDLittle is known about the value of (31)P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((31)P-MRS) in in vivo assessment of exhaustive exercise-induced injury in skeletal muscle. We aimed to evaluate the value of a (31)P-MRS study using the quadriceps femoris after a single bout of acute exhaustive swimming in rats, and the correlation between (31)P-MRS and histological changes.

METHODSSixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to control, half-exhaustive, and exhaustive exercise groups. (31)P-MRS of the quadriceps femoris of the right lower limb was performed immediately after swimming exercise to detect Pi, PCr, and β-ATP. The Pi/PCr, Pi/β-ATP, PCr/β-ATP, and PCr/(PCr+Pi) were calculated and pH measured. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs) were calculated to evaluate the diagnostic potential of (31)P-MRS in identifying and distinguishing the three groups. HE staining, electron microscopy and desmin immunostaining after imaging of the muscle were used as a reference standard. The correlation between (31)P-MRS and the mean absorbance (A value) of desmin staining were analyzed with the Pearson correlation test.

RESULTSPi, PCr, Pi/PCr, and PCr/(PCr+Pi) showed statistically significant intergroup differences (P < 0.05). AUCs of Pi, PCr, Pi/PCr, and PCr/(PCr+Pi) were 0.905, 0.848, 0.930, and 0.930 for the control and half-exhaustive groups, while sensitivity and specificity were 90%/85%, 95%/55%, 95%/80%, and 90%/85%, respectively. The AUCs of Pi, PCr, Pi/PCr and PCr/(PCr+Pi) were 0.995, 0.980, 1.000, and 1.000 for the control and exhaustive groups, while sensitivity and specificity were 95%/90%, 100%/90%, 100%/95%, and 100%/95%, respectively. The AUCs of Pi, PCr, Pi/PCr, and PCr/(PCr+Pi) were 0.735, 0.865, 0.903, and 0.903 for the half-exhaustive and exhaustive groups, while sensitivity and specificity were 80%/60%, 90%/75%, 95%/65%, and 95%/70%, respectively. In the half-exhaustive group, some muscle fibers exhibited edema in HE staining, and the unclear Z-discs and the mitochondria with vacuolar degeneration under electron microscopy. Compared with the half-exhaustive group, muscle fiber edema was increased in the exhaustive group, and the Z-discs were broken and the mitochondria exhibited marked vacuolar degeneration under electron microscopy. There were significant difference in A values of desmin staining in the right vastus lateralis among the control, half-exhaustive, and exhaustive groups with 0.58 ± 0.06, 0.30 ± 0.04, and 0.21 ± 0.02, respectively (P < 0.05). Histological examination also showed injury-induced changes in the vastus lateralis among the different intensities groups. Statistically a moderate correlation between (31)P-MRS and desmin was observed, the correlation coefficients of Pi, PCr, Pi/PCr, and PCr/(PCr+Pi) were -0.706, 0.709, -0.726, and 0.791, respectively (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS(31)P-MRS can effectively reflect the changes in energy metabolism in the skeletal muscle after a single bout of acute exhaustive swimming in rats. Based on the significant correlation between (31)P-MRS parameters and histological changes, the changes of Pi, PCr, Pi/PCr, and PCr/(PCr+Pi) can indirectly reflect the degree of exercise-induced injury.

Animals ; Energy Metabolism ; physiology ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; methods ; Male ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; physiology ; Quadriceps Muscle ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To analyze the correlation of interleukin(IL)-12B gene single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP)rs6887695 with clinical phenotypes(including age at onset,family history,clinical types,gender)of psoriasis vulgaris in Chinese Han population.Methods This study recruited 575 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 1403 healthy controls.DNA samples were obtained from these subjects.PCR with Taqman fluorescent probe(ABI 7900 system)was performed to analyze the genotype of SNP rs6887695 in IL-12B gene.Statistical analysis was carried out by using the software SPSS 14.0,and Chi-square test was conducted to compare the frequency of the SNP rs6887695 genotypes and alleles between the patients and controls as well as between patients with different clinical phenotypes of psoriasis.Results The frequency of GG,GC and CC genotype of the SNP rs6887695 was 42.61％,45.39％ and 12.0％ respectively in the patients,compared to 34.42％,47.83％ and 17.75％ in the healthy controls(x2 =16.31,P ＜ 0.01);the frequency of G and C allele of the SNP rs6887695 was 65.30％ and 34.70％ respectively in the patients,compared to 58.34％ and 41.66％ respectively in the healthy controls(x2 =16.54,P＜0.01).Significant differences were observed in the distribution of genotypes and alleles of the SNP rs6887695 between patients with chronic plaque psoriasis(n =543)and those with acute guttate psoriasis(n =32,x2 =18.11,12.19,both P ＜ 0.01).Increased frequency of G allele and GG genotype of the SNP rs6887695 were noted in the patients with psoriasis vulgaris compared with the healthy controls,and in the patients with plaque psoriasis compared with those with guttate psoriasis.However,there was no statistical difference in the distribution of SNP rs6887695 genotypes or alleles between 540 patients with adult onset psoriasis and 35 patients with child onset psoriasis,between 102 patients with family history and 440 patients without family history,or between 341 male patients and 234 female patients(all P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions The IL-12B SNP rs6887695 may be associated with the susceptibility to psoriasis vulgaris in Chinese Han population,especially with the susceptibility to plaque psoriasis,but seems unassociated with the age at onset,family history or gender of patients.

Objective To investigate the association of IL-23R and IL-12B polymorphisms with susceptibility to psoriasis in Chinese Han population. Methods Patients with psoriasis were recruited based on the diagnostic criteria. In the first phase of the study, three SNPs (rs6887695, rs11465817 and rs1343152)were genotyped in DNA samples from 217 unrelated patients with psoriasis as well as 288 control subjects by direct sequencing. The positive SNP rs6887695 was validated in a larger combined sample including 578 patients with psoriasis and 1422 human controls, by using Taqman fluorescent PCR. The data were assessed by Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium test, chi square test, haplotype analysis and logistic regression model analysis. Results There was a significant difference in the allele frequency of SNP rs6887695 ( OR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.03 - 1.73,P = 0.028) of IL-12B between patients and controls, but not in that of the other two SNPs, rs11465817 and rs1343152 of IL-23R (P > 0.05 ). Hardy-Weinberg test showed that there was a linkage disequilibrium between rs11465817 and rs1343152 SNPs (D' = 0.744, r2 = 0.281 ); further analysis revealed a risk haplotype for psoriasis (A-A: OR = 2.890, P = 0.0018) constructed with 2 risk alleles of rs11465817 and rs1343152. Conclusions The susceptibility to psoriasis seems to be associated with the SNP rs6887695 of IL-1B gene but not with the SNPs rs11465817 or rs1343152 of IL-23R gene in Chinese Han population. The A-A haplotype of rs11465817-rs1343152 in IL-23R gene may increase the risk of psoriasis in Chinese Han population.

Objective To investigate renal histopathological changes and cli ni cal characteristics in 20 women with preeclamptic nephropathy or gestational pro teinuria.Methods Between 1999 and 2002, 20 women who suffered from preeclampsia or proteinuria during pregnancy underwent postpartum renal biopsies from fifth d ay to third month after delivery. One woman repeated her renal biopsy half year later. Each biopsy specimen was divided into three parts,and processed and stain ed for conventional light microscopy(LM), immunohistology (IH) and electron micr oscopy (EM) examination. The clinicopathological data were studied and women wer e followed up after discharge for a long time. Results Sixteen of 20 women were diagnosed as preeclampsia, whose altered glomeruli demonstrated a typical endoth elial lesion (endotheliosis), and mild to moderate proliferation of mesangial ce lls. IH revealed either negative or mild IgG、IgM and C3 deposits. Focal glomeru losclerosis (FGS) was observed in one of 16 cases, whose microproteinuria (0 49 g/24 h) lasted for more than one year, meanwhile the proteinuria of other 15 wo men disappeared completely within 3～6 months after delivery. Besides, one was I gA nephropathy (IgAN) complicated preeclamptic nephropathy, whose proteinuria de creased obviously after delivery, but remained microhematuria, and endothelial l esion disappeared in repeat biopsy after half year. One was IgAN and received a treatment of adrenocorticosteroid and immunosupressive agents because of macropr oteinuria. One was mild mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis presenting co nstant microhematuria and microproteinuria. One was typeⅠmembranous nephropathy , whose proteinuria decreased remarkably after delivery as well. Conclusions Ren al histopathological changes of preeclampsis are typical endothelial lesion, and often recover completely within 6 months after delivery. Recovery may be delaye d in the case of FGS accompanied. Pregnancy may aggravate primary renal damage w hich will be improved after delivery. Postpartum renal biopsy is safe and benefi cial to early diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of performance of Engstrom Eas 9010 vaporizerMethods Using Datex Capnomac AS/3 monitored the output of Gambro-Engstrom Eas 9010 anesthetic agent vaporizer under various situations l Determing the output of vaporizer at different gas flow rates of 0 5,1 0,2 0,4 0,6 0 and 8 0 L?min -1 2 The effects resulting from up stream oxygen flushing 3 The effects due to additional nitrous oxide as carrier gas 4 Effects of different airway pressure at the same flow rate Results 1 The output of the vaporizer was highly correlated with the dial setting at various gas flow rate except dial setting was more than 8% and gas flow rate less than 0 5L?min -1 2 Upstream oxygen flush could not decrease the concentration remarkably 3 The output of the vaporizer was not affected by additional carrier gas 4 The effect on vaporizer output was not remarkable under different airway pressure at the same flow rate Conclusions The anesthetic vaporizer principle used in the Gambro-Engstrom Eas 9010 apparatus is innovative Electronically controlled vapor quanta injection is used with safety feed back Its accuracy can't be influenced by temperature,pressure and carrier gas indicating to be safely applied to the low or even minimal flow anesthesia