Statistical analysis of gait patterns of persons with cerebral palsy

Patients at Boston's Children's Hospital diagnosed as having cerebral palsy were filmed walking. These films were digitized and translated into measurements associated with leg motion. In this paper we use the gait measurements of 128 such patients to illustrate that the kth nearest neighbour clustering procedure results in a gait typology for patients with cerebral palsy. The procedure identifies four subpopulations from the sample data; the membership of a patient within this typology is mostly determined by the patient's motor control. The developed typology differs from the present diagnostic system which classifies a cerebral palsy patient as either quadriplegic, diaplegic or hemiplegic.     

Developing a model for clinical and basic science teaching skills

This report describes a model for identifying sets of teaching abilities considered to be effective for medical school teaching staff, based on roles teachers assume and functions they are expected to perform as instructors. The specification of these teaching abilities was the first step in the development of a comprehensive course on Medical Instruction at the Basic Institute of Medical and Agricultural Biology of the State University of Sao Paulo, Botucatu, Brazil, where the senior author is employed. The work was based on the assumption that medical school teachers are expected to assume a variety of teaching roles and that identification and specification of the abilities that define their roles can result in more effective and efficient teaching.     

二肽基肽酶Ⅳ抑制剂P32/98

二肽基肽酶Ⅳ(DPPⅣ)涉及2型糖尿病病理过程中的信号传导过程,其抑制剂能够增强胰岛素样多肽(GIP)和胰高血糖素样肽片段(GLP)的活性,并能提高葡萄糖耐受水平.动物实验研究表明,糖尿病模型大鼠口服DPPⅣ抑制剂P32/98,能降低DPPⅣ的活性,改善糖耐受性以及增加胰岛素的敏感性.临床试验进一步揭示,P32/98的安全性和耐受性良好,能明显改善受试者糖耐受性和胰岛素应答水平.     

Neuroprotective properties of valproate

Neuropsychiatric disturbances are extremely common in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and represent integral features of the illness, as well as appropriate targets for therapy. We are interested in designing trials aimed at preventing or delaying the emergence of psychopathology in AD. For symptomatic treatment of agitation, mood stabilizers, particularly sodium valproate, have proved to be beneficial in some patients. Since these effects take several weeks to emerge, we considered that they might be dependent on potentially neuroprotective actions of valproate, such as inhibition of apoptosis and slowing of neurofibrillary tangle formation. In this article we present the rationale for testing the neuroprotective potential of valproate experimentally in mouse models of tauopathy and in a clinical trial of patients with AD who lack psychopathology at baseline. Together, these studies will provide important tests of the hypothesis that valproate, either through inhibition of tau phosphorylation or some other mechanism, is a useful therapeutic agent to modify disease progression in AD.     

Intracoronary thrombolysis: Organizational prerequisites,technique, and results

Reestablishing myocardial perfusion during evolving myocardial infarction may limit the ultimate extent of infarction if viable myocardial tissue is present when recanalization of the occluded vessel is achieved. This will result in improved left ventricular function and decreased mortality. In addition to their therapeutic benefits, recanalization procedures have contributed greatly to our knowledge of acute myocardial infarction. It has been demonstrated that myocardial infarction most often occurs after thrombotic occlusion of a coronary artery. This has settled a controversy that has preoccupied cardiologists for decades. Selective intracoronary administration of fibrinolytic agents is followed by recanalization in approximately 80% of cases. Therapeutic failures are attributable to occlusion caused by other factors, to inactivation of streptokinase by high antibody concentrations, and to insufficient concentrations of streptokinase at the thrombus as a results of unfavorable flow conditions. This study is dedicated to Prof. Dr. Med. Horst Schmutzler on the occasion of his 60th birthday.     

Ischemic rat brain extracts induce human marrow stromal cell growth factor production

Intravenous administration of human bone marrow stromal cells (hMSCs) after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) in rats provides functional benefit. We tested the hypothesis that these functional benefits are derived in part from hMSC production of growth and trophic factors. Quantitative sandwich enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of hMSCs cultured with normal and MCAo brain extracts were performed. hMSCs cultured in supernatant derived from ischemic brain extracts increased production of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). These neurotrophins and angiogenic growth factors increased in a post‐ischemia time‐dependent manner. The hMSC capacity to increase expression of growth and trophic factors may be the key to the benefit provided by transplanted hMSCs in the ischemic brain.     

Special needs of adolescent and young women in accessing reproductive health: promoting partnerships between young people and health care providers.

This article considers the unique challenges and opportunities that health care providers (HCPs) face when they address the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young women accessing services. Some of the difficulties that HCPs encounter in their work are highlighted, including poor remuneration, the impact of their personal biases and the effect of an under-equipped working environment. The financial, logistical and emotional challenges young people face in accessing services are also described, as well as some small changes that could promote fruitful partnerships between HCPs and their young clientele. Also considered is how international documents concerning reproductive health can be utilized as advocacy tools to ensure that, when governments speak of making young people's needs a priority, resources are also made a priority-so that reproductive health can become a reality for all young people.     

重组人血小板源性生长因子增加细胞外信号调节激酶磷酸化促进糖尿病大鼠全层皮肤缺损创面愈合

目的 在体观察重组人血小板源性生长因子（recombinant human platelet—derived growth factor，rhPDGF）促进糖尿病大鼠全层皮肤缺损创面修复可能涉及的细胞和分子机制，研究其可能涉及的信号通路。方法 26只糖尿病大鼠，每只动物背部制备4个全层皮肤缺损创面，选取其中52个创面，随机分成3组，即对照组，创面自然愈合；rhPDGF治疗组，创面rhPDGF用量为7．0μg／cm^2；赋形剂组，创面用等量赋形剂凝胶。观察治疗后3、7和14d创面肉芽形成、胶原沉积、再上皮化速率以及炎性细胞浸润情况，并采用免疫荧光和免疫组织化学技术观察创面周围和创面修复细胞内细胞外信号调节激酶1／2（extracellular signal—regulated kinase1／2，ERK1／2）磷酸化和增殖细胞核抗原（proliferative cell nuclear antigen，PCNA）的表达。结果 组织学观察，rhPDGF治疗组创面可见大量炎性细胞浸润，毛细血管胚芽及成纤维细胞明显多于另两组（P〈0．05）；胶原沉积明显，肉芽组织生长活跃，创面收缩显著，与对照组比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。免疫学研究显示，应用rhPDGF7～14d后，rhPDGF治疗组ERK1／2明显强于对照组和赋形剂组（P〈0．05）；且损伤后3～7d rhPDGF治疗组修复细胞PCNA的表达明显高于对照组和赋形剂组（P〈0．05）。结论 rhPDGF促糖尿病大鼠刨面愈合的作用部分是通过ERK1／2信号通路的磷酸化来完成的。     

Ischemia independent lesion evolution during focal stroke in rats

Lesion evolution during focal cerebral ischemia may depend on flow restrictions or on accumulation of toxic mediators within the infarct and expansion of these factors to the periinfarct region. So far, the precise contribution of flow dependent versus spreading-mediated impairment of viable periinfarct tissue has not been determined. Therefore, we measured lesion expansion, flow restrictions and glutamate distribution on serial brain sections at different time points after experimental focal ischemia.Permanent focal ischemia was induced by occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery in male rats and the flow reduction was subsequently measured at 1, 12 and 24 h using iodo[¹⁴C]antipyrine autoradiography. Additionally, the necrotic volume was determined on serial brain sections and the glutamate content was measured in tissue samples from adjacent microdissections.Twelve hours after focal ischemia no noteworthy viable areas with blood flow restrictions of 20-40 ml 100 g^− 1 min^− 1 existed but at 24 h the necrotic tissue exceeded the hemodynamically compromised region by 40 ± 21 mm³ (24%). Furthermore, at 12 and 24 h the glutamate content was elevated in areas surrounding the infarct.Relevant flow restrictions are detectable only during early stages of infarct maturation, whereas the propagation of secondary factors may be the predominant mechanism for delayed infarct evolution.