Working memory training improves the executive function and ability in the activities of daily living of stroke survivors / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective:To explore any effect of working memory training on executive functioning and ability in the activities of daily living after a stroke.Methods:Forty-six stroke survivors were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group, each of 23. Both groups received conventional cognitive rehabilitation (including computer-assisted cognition training and virtual reality training using upper limb rehabilitation robots), while the experimental group also received working memory training. Before, as well as after 4 and 8 weeks of the treatment, both groups′ executive functioning was evaluated using the Trail Making test, the Frontal Assessment Battery and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test-64. Ability in the activities of daily living was quantified using the functional independence measures (FIMs).Results:There were no significant differences between the two groups in any of the measurements before the training. After 4 weeks the average scores of the experimental group on all four instruments were significantly higher than the control group′s averages. After 8 weeks the average scores had improved significantly more. The treatment group performed significantly better than the control group throughout.Conclusions:Working memory training can improve executive functioning and the daily life of stroke survivors.

Role of Treg/Th17 cells and related cytokines in Graves' ophthalmopathy / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the role of CD4⁺ CD25⁺ Foxp3⁺ Treg/CD4⁺ IL-17A(+)Th17 cells and the related cytokines in Graves' ophthalmopathy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Based on clinical activity scores (CAS), we divided patients with untreated Graves' ophthal- mopathy into active group (AGO group with CAS ≥ 3 (15 cases) and non-active group (NGO group) with CAS<3 (15 cases), with another 15 patients with untreated Graves' disease free of eye symptoms (GD group) and 15 normal subjects as controls. Peripheral venous blood Treg/Th17 cell ratio was determined using flow cytometry. RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of Treg-specific transcription factor Foxp3 and Th17-specific transcription factor RORγt. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the serum levels of Th17 cell-related cytokines (IL-17A, IL-23, and IL-6) and Treg-related cytokines (TGF-β, IL-10, and IL-35).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the normal subjects, the patients in GD, NGO, AGO groups all showed significantly increased Th17 cell count (P<0.05), which was the highest in AGO group. RT-PCR results revealed significantly increased RORγt in GD, NGO, and AGO groups, also the highest in AGO group. Serum IL-17A, IL-23, and IL-6 levels all showed significant increments in GD, NGO, and AGO groups (P<0.05), especially in AGO group. Among the Treg-related cytokines, TGF-β and IL-35 levels decreased (P<0.05) but IL-10 increased significantly (P<0.05) in GD, NGO, AGO groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Decreased immunosuppressive capacity of Treg cells can be an important factor in the pathogenesis of Graves' ophthalmopathy. Th17 cells may also participate in the occurrence and progression of Graves' ophthalmopathy and can serve along with related cytokines as novel indicators of the disease activity. Impaired Treg/Th17 balance may importantly contribute to the occurrence of Graves' ophthalmopathy.</p>

Association of drug efflux pump gene expression with Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug resistance / 中华检验医学杂志

Objectives To explore the associations between drug efflux pump gene expression and phenotypic drug resistance as well as gene mutation patterns related to drug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.Methods Forty-five Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates resistant to one or more of drugs including isoniazid, rifampicin, streptomycin and ethambutol, and 26 isolates all sensitive to the above four drugs from Tianjin Tuberculosis Control Institute in 2007 were involved in this study. Direct sequencing was applied to detect the mutations in the corresponding resistance genes(isoniazid:katG, inhA, oxyR-ahpC, ndh, rifampicin:rpoB, streptomycin:rpsL, rrs, and ethambutol:embB, embC and embA). After RNA extration and reverse transcription, real-time PCR was conducted to assess the expressions of putative drug efflux pump genes Rv1410c, Rv2136c, Rv0783c and Rv2136c, and Students' t test and ANOVA analysis were used to analyze the expression differences in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with different phenotypic drug resistance and drug resistance related gene mutation patterns.Results Compared to pan-sensitive isolates[(5.67±3.29)×10-5], Rv1410c showed higher expression in streptomycin[(8.48±6.33)×10-5, t'=2.18, P<0.05], isoniazid[(8.43±6.38)×10-5, t'=2.20, P<0.05], rifampicin[(9.59±7.27)×10-5, t'=2.29, P<0.05], multi-drug[(10.37±7.86)×10-5, t'=2.34, P<0.05] resistant isolates, and in isoniazid + streptomycin resistant isolates[(9.39±6.81)×10-5, t'=2.43, P<0.05];Rv2136c showed higher expression in isoniazid resistant[(3.51±2.43)×10-5, t'=2.03, P<0.05], multidrug-resistant isolates[(4.21±2.94)×10-5, t'=2.22, P<0.05] and resistant to isoniazid+streptomycin[(3.81±2.46)×10-5, t'=2.28, P<0.05] isolates . The expression of Rv0783c in rifampicin resistant isolates with rpoB 531 mutations [(5.41±3.03)×10-6] was higher than those with wild type of rpoB 531[(2.29±1.62)×10-6, t=2.81, P<0.05].Conclusions The expression of Rv1410c and Rv2136c are associated with mutiple-drug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.The expression of Rv0783c in rifampicin resistant isolates is associated with mutation in rpoB 531.

Research Advance of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis L-forms / 环境与健康杂志

Mycobacterium tuberculosis L-forms(MTB-L), which has a deficient cell wall, shows various forms, various colors by acid-fast stain, osmosis pressure sensitivity and can not grow in normal isotonic culture medium, for all of the characters, misdiagnosis, underdiagnosis, difficulties of cure and recurrence became the crucial problems in the prevention and control of pulmonary tuberculosis. The recent research works on structure, biology, clinic, epidemiology and determination of MTB-L were reviewed in the present paper.