Application of Ultrasound Elastography in Quantitative Evaluation for Spasticity of Forearm Flexor Muscles after Stroke / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To apply the ultrasound elastography in quantitative evaluation for spasticity of forearm flexor muscles after stroke, and observe its characteristics. Methods:From January to October, 2019, 30 inpatients with stroke were recruited, followning spasticity of wrist and finger flexor muscles. They were measured the shear wave velocity (SWV) of flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU), flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS), flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) and flexor carpi radialis (FCR) with ultrasound elastography, and assessed the tension of wrist and finger flexors with modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). Results:The SWV of all the muscles were more in stretching position than in relaxation position in both sides (|Z| > 3.844， P < 0.001). The SWV of all the muscles were more in the affected side than in the unaffected side in stretching position (|Z| > 3.593， P < 0.001). The differences of SWV between stretching and relaxation were more in all the muscles in the affected side than in the unaffected side (t > 3.199, P < 0.01). The mean SWV of all the muscles significantly correlated with the MAS score of wrist (r = 0.605, P < 0.001), while the mean SWV of FDS and FDP correlated with the MAS score of finger (r = 0.540, P < 0.01). Conclusion:Ultrasound elastography is useful to quantitatively evaluate the spasticity of each muscle of forearm flexors after stroke.

Application of Ultrasound Shear Wave Elastography in Rehabilitaion Assessment of Triceps Surae and Achilles Tendon after Stroke / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To apply the ultrasonic shear wave elastography to evaluate triceps surae and Achilles tendon for patients with lower extremity dyskinesia after stroke. Methods:Thirty-two inpatients during 2018 and 2019 with unilateral lower extremity dyskinesia after stroke were studied with 2-D ultrasound and shear wave elastography on the bilateral triceps surae and Achilles tendons before and after rehabilitation. Shear wave velocity (SWV) of the triceps surae and the Achilles tendons, the length and thickness of Achilles tendon (soleus tendon) were measured. Results:Before rehabilitation, the SWV of the Achilles tendons and the triceps surae increased more in the affected side than in the unaffected side (t > 2.426, P < 0.05), as well as the length of the Achilles tendons (t = 11.801, P < 0.001). After rehabilitation, the SWV of the triceps surae decreased (t > 2.447, P < 0.05), as well as the length of the Achilles tendons (t = 8.577, P < 0.001). Conclusion:Ultrasound shear wave elastography can be used to evaluate the elastic characteristics of the Achilles tendon and the triceps surae, to guide the rehabilitation for stroke patients.

Comparation of Effects of Botulinum Toxin Type A Injection under Different Guidance Approaches on Wrist and Finger Spasticity in Stroke Patients / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To compare the effects of Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) injection guided with electromyographic/electric stimulation or ultrasonography in patients with post-stroke spasticity of wrist and finger flexor muscles. Methods:Inpatients with post-stroke spasticity of wrist and finger flexor muscles accepted BTX-A injection from January, 2015 to May, 2019 were reviewed. They were divided into electromyographic/electric stimulation-guided group (n = 36) and ultrasound-guided group (n = 37). They were assessed with modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) and Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) before injection and four weeks after treatment. Results:The scores of both MAS and FMA improved in both groups after treatment (|Z| > 4.654, P < 0.001), and the scores of MAS improved more in the ultrasound-guided group (|Z| > 1.980, P < 0.05), with less dosage of BTX-A (t = 4.023, P < 0.001). Conclusion:Ultrasound-guided injection of BTX-A is more effective on wrist and finger flexion muscles spasticity than electromyographic/electric stimulation-guided method in stroke patients.

In Vitro Angiogenesis Effect of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction () and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor: A Comparison Study / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the angiogenesis behaviors of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Chinese medicine Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (, XZD) treatments.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1) were treated with various concentrations of either XZD-containing serum (XZD-CS) or VEGF for 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. Cell viability, proliferation, migration, adhesion, and in vitro tube formation assays were used to assess their angiogenic effects.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>VEGF promoted all cellular phases involved in angiogenesis including cell viability, proliferation, migration, adhesion, and tube formation (<0.05 or <0.01). Unlike the continuous promotion effects of VEGF at the above stages, XZD inhibited cell viability and proliferation (<0.05 or <0.01) and only promoted tube formation in the early phase of angiogenesis (<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>These two medications promote different angiogenesis behaviors, which might be an important reason for their distinct therapeutic profile in clinical usage.</p>

BHMT and RFC1 polymorphisms and susceptibility to neural tube defects in children of Han population in northern China / 天津医药

@#Objective To investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of betaine homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT) and reduced folate carrier 1 (RFC1, SLC19A1) genes and susceptibility to neural tube defects (NTDs) in children of Han population in northern China. Methods A total of 152 NTDs patients, and 169 controls were used in this study. Sequenom Mass-ARRAY was used to genotype 9 SNPs in 2 genes, and Haploview 4.2 software was used for Haplotype analysis. Results The allele frequency of rs3733890 in BHMT was significantly correlated with the incidence of NTDs, and the children with A allele were at higher risk of NTDs compared with those with G allele (OR=1.408, 95%CI: 1.013-1.956). The distribution of allele and genotype frequencies of rs1051266 in RFC1 was significantly associated with the incidence of NTDs, and the children with G allele and GG genotype were associated with higher risk of NTDs compared with those with A allele and AA genotype (OR=1.492, 95%CI: 1.089-2.044; OR=2.020, 95%CI: 1.081-3.780). The allele frequency of rs3788200 in RFC1 was significantly correlated with the incidence of NTDs, and the children with G allele were at higher risk of NTDs than those with A allele (OR=1.368, 95%CI: 1.002-1.868). Meanwhile, Haplotype analysis showed that C-A-A-A haplotype (rs567754-rs3733890-rs558133-rs585800) of BHMT and G-G-G-T haplotype (rs1051296-rs3788200-rs1051266-rs4819130) of RFC1 were associated with the increased risk of NTDs, but C-G-A-A haplotype of BHMT gene was associated with the decreased risk of NTDs. Conclusion The rs3733890 of BHMT gene, rs1051266 and rs3788200 of RFC1 gene are associated with susceptibility to NTDs in children of Han population in northern China.

Pathological function of transient receptor potential canonical 6 channel in key central nervous system diseases:its prospects as drug targets / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

Transient receptor potential canonical 6 (TRPC6) is a non-selective cation channel, which is involved in various physiological processes, including neuronal axonal growth cone guidance, promotion of dendritic growth and excitatory synaptic formation.Recent studies have shown that TRPC6 participates in many pathological process of central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Therefore, this review focuses on physiological roles of TRPC6,and its pathological roles in CNS,i.e.stroke,Alzheimer disease and epilepsy. We go on to discuss the research development of TRPC6 as drug targets.Finally,we overview and discuss the problems to be solved in further research, and the prospect of TRPC6 as a promising target for drug development.

Effect of EphB4/EphrinB2 reverse signal on angiogenesis induced by Xuefu Zhuyu Capsule () containing serum in human microvascular endothelial cell 1 / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effect of Xuefu Zhuyu Capsule ()-containing serum (XFZY-CS) on EphB4/ephrinB2 and its reverse signal in human microvascular endothelial cell-1 (HMEC-1).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>XFZY-CS and the blank control serum were collected. HMEC-1 cells were randomly assigned to 6 groups including the concentration 1.25%, 2.5%, and 5% XFZY-CS groups and their blank serum control ones. The angiogenesis effect of XFZY-CS was tested with an in vitro tube formation assay and the best condition of pro-angiogenesis was determined. The effect of XFZY-CS on EphB4/ephrinB2 and the reverse signal were determined by Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively; we also confifirmed the results through activating and inhibiting the reverse signal by EphB4/fc and pyrophosphatase/ phosphodiesterase2 (PP2).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>XFZY-CS promoted angiogenesis at the concentration of 2.5% corresponding serum after being cultured for 48 h, while inhibited angiogenesis at the concentration of 5% after culturing for 48 and 72 h. Under the 2.5% serum concentration, XFZY up-regulated the expression of EphB4-mRNA at 12 h (P<0.05), and down-regulates its expression at 24 h (P<0.01). Protein expression of EphB4 was apparently up-regulated at 12 h and down-regulated at 24 h. The phosphorylation of ephrinB2 increased at 9 h (P<0.05). In addition, 2.5% XFZY-CS played a similar role as the reverse signaling activator EphB4/Fc ranging from 0.5 to 5 μg/mL (P>0.05). XFZY-CS also reduced the inhibitive effect of PP2 in limited periods.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>EphB4/ephrinB2 was the upstream signal in the process of angiogenesis and its reverse signaling was responsible for XFZY's effect on promoting angiogenesis.</p>

Roles of bFGF in endothelial cell tube formation induced by xuefu zhuyu decoction under non-anoxia condition / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the roles of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on tube formation induced by xuefu zhuyu decoction (XZD) under non-anoxia condition.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Using serum pharmacology technique, endothelial cell line ECV304 cells were incubated in routine 95% O2. ECV304 cells were intervened by 1.25%, 2.50%, and 5.00% XZD containing serums and the vehicle serum for 48 h. The effects of XZD on tube formation, bFGF contents and its transcription levels were assessed by in vitro tube formation assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Three concentrations of XZD containing serums could not only obviously promote the tube formation bFGF level, but also up-regulate bFGF contents in the supernate and its transcription levels. The shapes of lumens were more regular in those induced by 1.25% and 2.50% XZD containing serums.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>XZD induced angiogenesis via up-regulating the bFGF expression under non-anoxia condition.</p>

Essential role of TRPC6 in the proliferation of gastric cancer and its mechanism / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the essential role and mechanism of TRPC6 gene in the development of gastric cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression of TRPC6 protein was assessed in gastric cancer tissues and normal tissues adjacent to the cancer from 30 patients with gastric cancer. The inhibiting effect of TRPC6 activity on cell growth, cell cycle of a human gastric cancer cell line AGS cells, tumor progression and development of xenografted human gastric cancer in a mouse model was tested using dominant-negative mutant TRPC6 (DNC6). The survival of mice bearing xenografted tumors in the GFP and DNC6 was compared using Kaplan-Meier analysis. All statistical tests were two-sided.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The TRPC6 protein in the tumor tissues and para-tumor tissues was (21.60 ± 8.32)% versus (7.14 ± 2.24)%. After transfection of DNC6 virus for 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours and 96 hours, the growth inhibition rates of gastric cancer cells were (36.90 ± 1.13)%, (44.06 ± 2.17)%, (52.12 ± 2.76)% and (50.89 ± 1.97)%, respectively. The clone formation rates of control group and DNC6 group were (14.70 ± 3.00)% versus (43.80 ± 7.00)%. After transfection with DNC6 virus for 0, 24, 36 and 48 hours, the G(2)/M phase arrest was (20.34 ± 1.98)%, (24.31 ± 2.37)%, (27.70 ± 2.36)%, (35.10 ± 3.0)% in the DNC6 group and (18.40 ± 2.01)%, (18.0% ± 1.72)%, (17.50 ± 1.74)%, (16.80 ± 1.71)% in the control group, respectively. Inhibition of TRPC6 activity also reduced the subcutaneous tumor volume in the mouse models with xenografted human tumors (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>In the preclinical models tested, TRPC6 channels are essential for gastric cancer development via regulation of G(2)/M phase transition.</p>

Screening and identification of differential expression genes related to stress fracture by cDNA microarray assay / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the differentially expressed genes between the Stress fracture (SF) cases and controls.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Total RNA was extracted and purified from peripheral blood sample of 3 SF cases and 3 controls who conducted a 1:1 matched case-control study, then used for Human Genome Array analysis. The hybridization data were analyzed using SAM software. Parts of these genes were analyzed and identified by real-time PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Upregulated and downregulated genes were 22 and 1, respectively. Thus the highest ratio and most significant cytokine was tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, member 10c (TNFRSF10C). The result of real-time PCR shows that TNFRSF10C was over-expressed in 3 cases and low-expressed in 1 case.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Obvious difference exists in gene expression between SF cases and controls, showing there may be a lot of genes involving in the occurrence and development of SF. Meanwhile, the identification of the specific genes is helpful for biomechanics study, early diagnosis and screening of SF.</p>