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Objective To investigate the mechanism of action of integrin α4 (ITGA4) in liver fibrosis based on the anti-liver fibrosis effect of sticky sugar amino acid (SSAA) in rats. Methods A rat model of liver fibrosis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of CCl 4 , and then colchicine and low-, middle-, and high-dose SSAA were used for intervention, with blank control group and SSAA group as control. After 12 weeks of experimental intervention, serum and liver samples were collected to measure the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and HE staining and Sirius Red staining were used to observe the pathological conditions of liver tissue; quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure the transcriptional level of ITGA4, integrin β1 (ITGB1), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ1), alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and TIMP2 in liver tissue; Western blot was used to measure the relative protein expression levels of ITGA4, ITGB1, TGFβ1, α-SMA, MMP2, TIMP1, and TIMP2; immunohistochemistry was used to observe the protein expression of TGFβ1 and α-SMA. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data between multiple groups, and the least significant difference t -test was used for comparison between two groups. Results There were significant increases in AST and ALT in the CCl 4 model group, and intervention with colchicine or low-, middle-, and high-dose SSAA reduced the levels of AST and ALT, with a significant difference between the CCl 4 model group and the other groups (all P < 0.05). HE staining and Sirius Red staining showed disordered structure of hepatic lobules and an increase in collagen fibers in the CCl 4 model group, and the structure of hepatic lobules was improved after intervention with colchicine or low-, middle-, and high-dose SSAA. The CCl 4 model group had significantly higher transcriptional levels of ITGA4, TGFβ1, α-SMA, and TIMP2 than the other groups, and there were significant reductions in the transcriptional levels of each factor after intervention with colchicine or SSAA, with a significant difference between the CCl 4 model group and the other groups (all P < 0.05). The CCl 4 model group had significantly higher protein expression levels of ITGA4, TGFβ1, α-SMA, TIMP2, and TIMP1 and a significantly lower protein expression level of MMP2 than the other groups, and intervention with colchicine or SSAA inhibited the expression of ITGA4, TGFβ1, α-SMA, TIMP2, and TIMP1 and promoted the expression of MMP2. Immunohistochemistry showed that the CCl 4 model group had significantly higher expression levels of TGFβ1 and α-SMA than the other groups, which was inhibited by intervention with colchicine or SSAA. The high-dose SSAA group had the most significant effect in reducing aminotransferases, improving lobular structure, and inhibiting the protein expression of liver fibrosis factors. Conclusion The high expression of ITGA4 in the liver is associated with the development of liver fibrosis, which is consistent with the increases in the expression of TGFβ1 and α-SMA. Inhibiting the expression of ITGA4 can provide more therapeutic targets for liver fibrosis and expand the anti-liver fibrosis mechanism of SSAA.
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Objective To explore the effect of motor imagery therapy combined with balance evaluation and training on balance and performance in the activities of daily living (ADL) after an initial stroke.Methods A total of 48 stroke patients were randomly divided into a control group (n =25) and an observation group (n =23).All of the patients in both groups were given routine rehabilitation and balance training.In addition,the patients of the observation group were given motor imagery therapy.Balance and ADL performance were assessed before the training and 2 weeks and 4 weeks after the training began.The subjects' balance was analyzed using the center of the gravity shift index,shift angle,total length of shift trace and envelope area using a balance evaluation system and the balance subscale of the Fugl-Meyer assessment (FM-B).Performance in the activities of daily living was assessed using the modified Barthel index (MBI).Results Before the training there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of any of the measurements.After 2 weeks and 4 weeks of training,all the measurements in both groups were significantly better than those before training,but the improvement of the observation group was significandy greater than that of the control group (except in terms of the MBI).Conclusion Motor imagery therapy combined with balance training can distinctly improve the balance and activities of daily living of stroke survivors.The combination is worthy of application in the clinic.
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Naïve CD4+T cell differentiates into either Th17 or Treg in the microenvironment of various cytokines, among that, Th17 is induced by TGF-β and IL-6, while differentiates into Treg when there is only TGF-β. As the mainly transcription factors of Th17 and Treg respectively, RORγt and Foxp3 have important role in maintaining balance of Th17/Treg. Th17 and Treg are function antagonistically, so the balance of Th17/Treg means a lot for human body. Liver-a metabolic organof the body, it is susceptible to factors in vivo and in vitro. From basal hepatis to end-stage malignancy, common liver diseases are mainly including viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, autoimmune liver disease, hepatocellualr carcinoma and parasitic disease of liver, besides, the occurrence and development of all the diseases are correlated to the balance of Th17/Treg.
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BACKGROUND:Hepatic fibrosis in chronic liver disease can be reversed. Studies have shown that Periplaneta americana extract has anti-fibrosis effect, and has protective effect on the experimental hepatic fibrosis rats. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of Periplaneta americana extract sticky sugar amino acid on hepatic fibrosis, and to primarily explore the mechanism of sticky sugar amino acid against hepatic fibrosis. METHODS:Rat models of immune hepatic fibrosis were induced by pig serum and intragastricaly administered 0.5, 0.25, 0.10 g/kg sticky sugar amino acid. Four indexes of hepatic fibrosis were detected by radioimmunoassay. Immunohistochemical staining wasused to measure transforming growth factor beta 1, tissue inhibitor of metaloproteinase protein expression intensity and positive cel rate, to determine the correlation of different concentrations of sticky sugar amino acid, transformation growth factorbeta 1 and tissue inhibitor of metaloproteinase. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) The Periplaneta americana extract sticky sugar amino acid reduced the levels of laminin, type III procolagen, type IV colagen and hyaluronidase (P 0.9). (3) Results confirmed that the Periplaneta americana extract sticky sugar amino acid can change the reversal of hepatic fibrosis. Its mechanism of action is associated with expression of transforming growth factor beta 1 and tissue inhibitor of metaloproteinase 1 inhibited by sticky sugar amino acids.
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Objective To observe the effects of early rehabilitation on the motor function of post-stroke hemiplegic patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis.Methods Thirty-six post-stroke hemiplegic patients after intravenous thrombolysis with rtPA were recruited in this study.They were randomly divided into the early rehabilitation group (with the course less than three days) and the control group (with the course between three and seven days),18 cases in each group.Both group received a two-week rehabilitation programme.They were assessed using the Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) of up extremity,FMA of lower extremity and ADL score (modified Barthel index,MBI) before and after treatment,as well as at the 3rd month after treatment (during the following-up).Results After treatment and at the following-up,FMA scores of up extremity,FMA scores of lower extremity and MBI scores had improved significantly compared with before treatment in both groups.Furthermore,after treatment,in the early rehabilitation group the average FMA score of lower extremity and MBI score reached (23.33 ± 4.37) and (56.11 ± 22.27) respectively,significantly higher than those of the control group [(17.06 ± 4.70) and (40.00 ± 15.81) respectively].Conclusion Early rehabilitation contributes to short-term recovery of lower extremity motor function and ability in the activities of daily living in post-stroke hemiplegic patients after intravenous thrombolysis.
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Objective To investigate the effect of cognitive intervention on language function and quality of life (QOL) in elderly patients with post-stroke aphasia.Methods Fifty-five elderly patients with post-stroke aphasia were randomly divided into the control group (n =27) and the experimental group (n=28).The control group received comprehensive treatment including speech-language therapy (SLT),while the experimental group was subjected to additional cognitive intervention.All patients were enrolled in an eight-week rehabilitation program.The mini-mental state examination (MMSE) was used to assess cognitive function,a device for diagnosis and treatment of language disorders,ZM 2.1,was used to evaluate language function,and the 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) (Chinese version) was used to assess quality of life (QOL),before and after treatment.Results After treatment,MMSE scores,language function scores in all categories and QOL scores in all dimensions improved in both groups (P＜0.05 for both).Furthermore,after treatment,there were significant differences between the two groups in MMSE scores of orientation,recall,attention and calculation,and in scores of overall language ability and the individual categories (P＜0.05 for all).Scores of the experimental group vs.the control group for the individual categories of language function were as follows:simple instructions (76.6 ± 14.1 vs.67.4± 19.3),complex instructions (66.1±12.8 vs.58.2±14.9),yes or no (72.5±12.1 vs.63.0±14.1),naming (55.0 19.5 vs.43.3±22.2),simple comprehension (67.5±21.4 vs.55.620.6),complex comprehension (44.8±17.0 vs.35.0±18.9),listening and reading words (65.4±16.7 vs.53.7±19.3),calculation (39.3±25.8 vs.25.9±19.2),memory (36.4±18.7 vs.26.3±17.8),matching (75.9±18.6 vs.65.3±17.1),simple general knowledge (68.3±18.2 vs.58.0±19.5),complex general knowledge (58.7±17.4 vs.50.0±13.3),orientation (70.7±19.6 vs.60.5±17.2) and comparison (59.9± 14.6 vs.50.2±17.5) (P＜0.05 for all).There were significant differences between the two groups in emotional function (66.7±18.2 vs.53.1±21.2),general health (67.2±12.6 vs.60.7±9.8),mental health (71.0±5.6 vs.63.1±4.2),social functioning (64.7±9.0 vs.59.3±10.2) and vitality (55.4±14.8 vs.46.9±15.6) (P＜0.05 for all).Conclusions Cognitive intervention combined with SLT can contribute to the recovery of language function and the improvement of QOL in elderly patients with post-stroke aphasia.
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Using virtual reality (VR)-based technology in motor rehabilitation for stroke patients is a new field. The researchers devel-oped different kinds of VR-based training systems and used those existed. They found some possible variables that influenced outcome, in-cluding optic flow, different output device and feedback type that provided. The data from the stroke patients with hemiparesis in different stages demonstrated that training with VR-based training paradigms contributed in motor function and activities of daily living. Moreover, they also proved that training with VR-based training systems combined with robot and/or partial body weight-supported treadmill training was safe and effective. It also presented some evidences that supported VR-based technology in the neuroimaging studies. Overall, these studies had important clinical implications for the development of future VR training protocols.
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Objective To investigate the effect of American cockroach extract on the expression of NF-κB andα-SMA in experi-mental liver fibrosis tissue,and to observe its antifibrotic efficacy.Methods The rat model of hepatic fibrosis was duplicated by car-bon tetrachloride and simultaneously given with American cockoach extract 0.5 g/kg by lavage.The level of serum alanine amin-otransferase enzyme (ALT),aspartate aminotransferase (AST)and albumin (Alb)were determined.The expression levels of NF-κB and a-SMA in liver tissue were determined by the immunohistochemical method and the liver histological changes were observed by light microscopy for conducting the grading of inflammatory activity and the fibrosis classification.Results American cockroach extract could reduce serum ALT,AST and liver tissue NF-κB andα-SMA levels.The serum Alb level had significant difference a-mong the APA group,Pseudo-ginseng Danshen group and the model group.The degeneration and necrosis of liver cells and the fi-brosis degree after medication were significantly reduced.Conclusion The American cockroach extract has certain anti-fibrosis effect,its mechanism may be related with the inhibition of expression of NF-κB andα-SMA.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To screen the relative genes associated with the genesis of kindling epilepsy and the effect of caoguo zhimu decoction (CZD) on these genes.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>mRNA differential display reverse transcription PCR was used to screen differential gene bind, and Northern blotting hybridization was applied to exclude the false positive reaction.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were as more as 110 differential expression bindings in the normal group, model group and the treated group, among them 11 binds with differential expression only appeared in the model group but not in the normal group and disappeared in the treated group. It indicated that the 11 genes are correlated with the genesis and treatment of kindling epilepsy. By searching in the Gene-bank of NCBI, 7 bindings of the 11 were homologous genes and 4 gene fragments are novel genes with unknown function, which have been registered at the Gene-bank, with the registered numbers of CK325391, CK325392, CK325393, CK325394, respectively, and false positive possibility of 3 novel genes was excluded.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CZD has effect in treating kindling epilepsy may be through influencing the expression of partial gene fragments in the hippocampus.</p>