Induction of HSP72 in Rat Liver by Chronic Ethanol Consumption Combined with Exercise: Association with the Prevention of Ethanol-Induced Fatty Liver by Exercise

Ethanol-induced fatty liver in rats was attenuated by repeated running exercise, and the protective effect of exercise was associated with the synergistic expression of heat shock proteins (HSP72). Rats were placed in four groups of six. The two ethanol-fed groups of rats received a liquid diet (Lieber-DeCarli formulation) in which 36% of the calories were derived from ethanol. One group remained sedentary (S/E), whereas the other was trained to run on a rodent treadmill at a speed of 27 m/min, 1 hr/day, 5 days/week, for 7 weeks (R/E). Two other groups–one exercised as previously mentioned (R/C) and one sedentary (S/C)–received control-liquid diets in which the ethanol was isocalorically substituted with a dextran/maltose mixture. The degree of fatty infiltration in liver sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin was graded on a 0–4 scale and the data analyzed by ANOVA on ranks. Ethanol significantly induced fatty infiltration in the S/E group, whereas fatty infiltration in the livers of the R/E group was not different from the S/C group. Electrophoresis and Western blotting of liver homogenates demonstrated that HSP72 was not expressed in either the S/C or S/E groups and was only slightly expressed in the R/C group. The combination of exercise and ethanol, however, resulted in an elevated expression of HSP72 in the R/E group. The content of HSP73 was unaffected by any treatment.     

Grip and pinch strength among selected adult occupational groups

A survey of 402 normal subjects (203 men, 199 women) was conducted to assist in distinguishing potential differences in norms of hand strength. Norm data had previously been collected from mixed occupational groups, but in the present study it was hypothesised that people involved in heavy manual work on a daily basis might possess greater hand strength than others. The volunteers were adults working in industry and agriculture; they were subdivided into occupational categories. Measurements of grip, key and palmar pinch using the Jamar dynamometer and B and L pinch gauge were collected, using the protocol described by Mathiowetz. Volunteers also rated their individual hand strength job requirements subjectively. Mean values were established with regard to age, sex, dominance, occupational group and subjective rating. Significant differences were found with regard to age and sex but not to dominance; there was no evidence of differences between occupational groups or between subjective rating and individual scoring, i.e. volunteers who perceived their job as requiring a high degree of strength did not achieve higher test measurements than others. A high interrater reliability was demonstrated when comparing these follow-up measurements with the original data. It was concluded that, for clinical and rehabilitative purposes, therapists can interpret assessment of outcome most accurately by comparing patients' results with the existing norm data.     

Exercise tolerance after anaemia correction with recombinant human erythropoietin in end-stage renal disease

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of correction of chronic anaemia on the physical performance and the cardiovascular response to effort in children with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) maintained by haemodialysis. Seven patients (mean age 13.9 years) underwent triangular-type treadmill exercise testing before [haemoglobin (Hb) 6.3±0.9 g/dl] and after (Hb 11.2±1.2 g/dl) anaemia correction with recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO). After treatment, the work-load reached, the peak oxygen uptake and average ventilatory anaerobic threshold (VAT) values were significantly increased (P<0.01,P<0.001,P<0.05 respectively). VAT values, expressed as a percentage of normal values, increased from 55.7±16.6% to 82.4±21%. This improvement correlated well with the increase in Hb (r=0.79). Oxygen pulse also increased significantly, when tested after anacmia correction. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that when the anaemia of children with ESRD is corrected with rHuEPO, there is a clear improvement in acrobic work capacity and effort tolerance.     

Recognition performance and perceived quality of video enhanced for the visually impaired

Subjects with central field loss (CFL) individually selected enhancement parameters to improve visibility of static video images. The effect of enhancement on performance and on perceived quality of motion video was assessed. Performance, e.g. recognition of visual details, was assessed by having subjects answer questions regarding visual information contained in the video motion segments that were enhanced using the individually-selected parameters. Enhancement did not improve subject performance on questions about video content. This result might be due to a ceiling effect limitation of the performance assessment method. In a second procedure, subjects' continuous perceptions of quality (using an adjective-based rating scale) were made while the enhancement parameters were abruptly switched among multiple values; these included the individually-selected enhancements, as well as unenhanced, over-enhanced, and degraded segments. The results indicate that adaptive enhancement (individually-tuned using a static image) adds significantly to perceived image quality when viewing motion video. Subjects who selected stronger contrast enhancement also perceived the enhancement to provide a larger benefit in image quality.     

脑卒中偏瘫康复训练程序化研究

目的 :观察脑卒中偏瘫患者进行康复训练的疗效。方法 :2 2例脑卒中患者 :康复组 12例 ,对照组 10例。 2组均接受神经科常规药物治疗。康复组按“中风后程序化康复训练表”进行康复训练 ,分别于康复前、康复后 1月和 3月进行疗效评定。结果 :日常生活活动能力量表 (ADL)测评结果显示 :康复组有效率 83 3% (10 / 12 ) ,对照组 30 % (3/10 ) ,2组差别有显著意义 (P <0 0 5 )。神经功能缺损评分结果显示 :康复组有效率 91 7% (11/ 12 ) ,对照组 4 0 % (4 / 10 ) ,2组差别有显著意义 (P <0 0 1)。结论 :康复训练能降低脑卒中偏瘫患者的致残率 ,提高生活质量。     

Combined evaluation of first pass radionuclide angiography and equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease

Results of 203 patients who underwent first pass radionuclide angiography (FP) and quantitative equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography (qERNV) were stored in a data base system and evaluated statistically. Eighty eight of these patients also underwent exercise equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography (E-qERNV). In patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) without previous myocardial infarction (MI), evaluation of global and regional ejection fraction (gEF, rEF) at rest revealed a poor sensitivity of 64%, the specificity was about 71% (qERNV). FP at rest revealed similar values of sensitivity (69%) and specificity (83%). Additional assessment of stress induced changes of gEF, significantly (P<0.05) improved sensitivity of qERNV in CAD patients without a history of previous MI to 84% (specificity 86%). In patients with one previous MI, however, similar values of sensitivity were found (RFP: 87%, R-qERNV: 84%, E-qERNV: 93%). In patients with several MI's, sensitivity was above 90% at rest and during exercise (R-FP: 96%, R-qERNV: 93%, E-qERNV: 100%).     

Assessment of functional vision and its rehabilitation

This article, based on a report prepared for the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) and the International Society for Low Vision Research and Rehabilitation (ISLRR), explores the assessment of various aspects of visual functioning as needed to document the outcomes of vision rehabilitation. Documenting patient abilities and functional vision (how the person functions) is distinct from the measurement of visual functions (how the eye functions) and also from the assessment of quality of life. All three areas are important, but their assessment should not be mixed. Observation of task performance offers the most objective measure of functional vision, but it is time‐consuming and not feasible for many tasks. Where possible, timing and error rates provide an easy score. Patient response questionnaires provide an alternative. They may save time and can cover a wider area, but the responses are subjective and proper scoring presents problems. Simple Likert scoring still predominates but Rasch analysis, needed to provide better result scales, is gaining ground. Selection of questions is another problem. If the range of difficulties does not match the range of patient abilities, and if the difficulties are not distributed evenly, the results are not optimal. This may be an argument to use different outcome questions for different conditions. Generic questionnaires are appropriate for the assessment of generic quality of life, but not for specific rehabilitation outcomes. Different questionnaires are also needed for screening, intake and outcomes. Intake questions must be relevant to actual needs to allow prioritization of rehabilitation goals; the activity inventory presents a prototype. Outcome questions should be targeted at predefined rehabilitation goals. The Appendix cites some promising examples. The Low Vision Intervention Trial (LOVIT) is an example of a properly designed randomized control study, and has demonstrated the remarkable effectiveness of vision rehabilitation. It is hoped that further similar studies will follow.     

运动训练联合基因治疗对肾性高血压大鼠肾功能的影响

目的观察运动训练联合β1肾上腺素能受体基因治疗对肾性高血压大鼠血压、肾功能、肾脏前肾素原mRNA、肾脏β1受体mRNA和蛋白的影响，探讨其改善肾功能的机制。方法两肾一夹法制作肾性高血压模型，基因治疗采用经鼠尾静脉注射阳离子脂质体与β1反义寡核苷酸方法。检测大鼠血压、肾功能变化。半定量RT—PCR测定肾脏β1受体mRNA、前肾素原mRNA水平。Western印迹法测检肾脏β1受体的蛋白水平。结果与模型组比较，运动联合基因治疗可使血压下降并维持4周，血压下降最高达41mmHg；尿蛋白量[（45．82±6．56）比（29．12±5．22）mg／L，P〈0．01】、BUN[（13．10±2．62）比（9．05±1．84）mmol／L，P〈0．05]显著降低（P〈0．01，P〈0．05）；内生肌酐清除率显著升高（P〈0．01）；前肾素原mRNA、β1受体mRNA、蛋白表达水平显著降低（P〈0．05）。结论运动训练联合β1受体反义基因治疗可以明显地降低血压，改善肾功能；且运动训练可以增强基因治疗对β1受体mRNA和蛋白的抑制作用，在转录和翻译水平抑制过度激活的β1受体的表达。