ObjectivePoor fitness among people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) aggravates disease symptoms. Whether low fitness levels accompany brain functioning changes is unknown.MethodsMS patients (n = 82) completed a graded maximal exercise test, blood was drawn, and transcranial magnetic stimulation determined resting and active motor thresholds, motor evoked potential latency, and cortical silent period (CSP).ResultsSixty-two percent of participants had fitness levels ranked below 10th percentile. Fitness was not associated with disability measured using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Regression analyses revealed that, cardiorespiratory fitness, when controlling for disease demographics, contributed 23.7% (p < 0.001) to the model explaining variance in CSP. Regression analysis using cardiorespiratory fitness and CSP as predictors showed that CSP alone explained 19.9% of variance in subjective fatigue (p = 0.002). Tumor necrosis factor was not associated with any variable.ConclusionLow fitness was associated with longer CSP in MS. Longer CSP was, in turn, related to greater MS fatigue.SignificanceMS patients had extremely low levels of cardiorespiratory fitness. Poor fitness predicted longer CSP, a marker of greater intracortical inhibition, which was linked to MS fatigue. Future research should examine whether aerobic training could shorten CSP and potentially lessen inhibition of cortical networks. 相似文献
Objective: To investigate apoptotic effects of berberine, a significant alkaloids component existing in Rhizoma coptidis, and its possible acting mechanism in insulinoma cells. Methods: Different concentrations of berberine were used to treat mouse insulinoma(MIN6) cells for various period of time. The viability and apoptosis of the cells were analyzed using methylthiazolyldiphenvl-tetrazolium bromide assay, flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay. Changes in the relating pro-and anti-apoptosis proteins were detected by western-blotting. Results: The half-maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50) of berberine was 5.7 μmol/L on MIN6 cells viability for 16 h. Berberine caused a 20% reduction(P0.05) in cell number after only 4-h incubation; which reached 50% after 24 h(P0.01). Berberine treatment for 16 h significantly increased the level of DNA fragmentation. The flow cytometry showed the apoptotic rate increased 2.9-and 4.6-fold after treating with berberine(5 μmol/L) for 8 and 16 h, while 3-and 8.7-fold after 10 μmol/L treatment for 8 and 16 h(P0.01). Berberine treatment dramatically elevated the expression ratio of Bax to Bcl-2. Meanwhile, berberine notably increased the apoptosis-inducing factors and cytochrome C transforming from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm. Apoptotic protease-activating factor 1(Apaf-1) was subsequently activated after cytochrome C release. Furthermore, caspase-3 and poly adenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase were also activated to trigger apoptosis cascade. Conclusion: High concentration(5 and 10 μmol/L) of berberine could induce the apoptosis of MIN6 cells through cytochrome C/Apaf-1/caspase-3 and apoptosis inducing factor(AIF) pathway. 相似文献
Purpose: To study the role of Optical coherence tomography (OCT) Angiography (OCTA) in detecting retinal vascular and macular abnormalities as compared to Fundus Fluorescein Angiography (FFA) in subjects with Asteroid hyalosis (AH).
Methods: In a prospective study, patients with AH underwent OCTA and FFA. AH graded as Grade 1 in 8 (optic disc, second order vessels visible), Grade 2 in 4 (optic disc, first-order vessels visible), Grade 3 in 11 (hazy view of optic disc) and Grade 4 (no view of fundus) in 2 eyes.
Results: A total of 20 patients (25 eyes) with AH were included. In comparison to FFA, OCTA was able to similarly detect Diabetic Retinopathy changes such as Neovascularization, microaneurysms, capillary dropout, and foveal avascular zone extent in vascular occlusion in all grades of AH.
Conclusion: OCTA, a noninvasive imaging tool, could detect various retinal vascular and macular abnormalities in patients with all grades of AH in comparison to FFA. 相似文献
BackgroundDeaf adolescents may engage in less physical activity (PA) and longer sedentary time than their hearing peers. Yet, literature comparing PA levels and sedentary time between deaf and hearing control groups, as well as studies examining predictors of PA among deaf adolescents, are lacking.ObjectiveThis cross-sectional survey aimed to compare PA levels and sedentary time between the two groups and examine predictors (i.e., gender and social inclusion) of PA participation among deaf adolescents.MethodsParticipants were 98 deaf and 99 hearing adolescents, who completed the survey measuring the variables of interest.ResultsDeaf adolescents had a higher level of sedentary behavior as well as lower levels of light PA, moderate-to-vigorous PA, and total metabolic equivalent task (MET) than the hearing group. Only a small proportion of participants (deaf: 4%; hearing: 24%) met the World Health Organization's PA recommendation. Gender was found to negatively predict total MET among deaf, while social inclusion was a positive predictor.ConclusionsDeaf adolescents may have restricted PA participation. Measures should be used to promote social inclusion for increasing PA levels of this population. 相似文献