Quantitative Progress Evaluation of Post-stroke Patients Using a Novel Bimanual Cable-driven Robot

Rehabilitation is the most effective way to reduce motor impairments in post-stroke patients.This process demands several hours with a specialized therapist.Given resources and personnel shortages,the literature reports a high interest in robotic assisted rehabilitation solutions.Recently,cable-driven robotic architectures are attracting significant research interest for post-stroke rehabilitation.However,the existing cable-driven robots are mostly unilateral devices allowing the rehabilitation only of the most affected limb.This leaves unaddressed the rehabilitation of bimanual activities,which are predominant within the common Activities of Daily Living(ADL).Thus,this paper presents a specific novel design to achieve bimanual rehabilitation tasks that has been named as BiCAR robot.Specifically,this paper provides a full insight on the BiCAR sys-tem as well as on its dedicated developed software BiEval.In particular,BiEval software has been developed as based on a serious game strategy and a virtual reality environment to track the patient exercising duration,motion ranges,speeds,and forces over time for achieving a quantitative assessment of the rehabilitation progress.Finally,the paper presents the BiCAR/BiEval capabilities by referring to a pilot Randomized Controlled Trial(RCT).The clinical trials have been used to validate the BiCAR/BiEval in terms of engineering feasibility and user acceptance to achieve an innovative cost-oriented integrated hardware/software device for the bimanual assistive rehabilitation of post-stroke patients.     

猕猴在自由或限制条件下的视觉或听觉分辨学习

本工作观察了猕猴在自由或限制条件下学习视觉或听觉分辨的规律。在WGTA内动物对颜色分辨学习有很大的个体差异,主要表现为学习初期正确反应率在机率水平波动的持续时间的不同。猴在WGTA内完成亮暗、物体及图形分辨学习,以及在限制椅上完成颜色分辨学习也有类似情况。从同一只猴在WGTA内进行不同的视觉分辨任务的学习所得的结果表明,物体分辨和亮暗分辨学习比之颜色分辨学习要容易些,图形分辨学习则相对地比较困难。猴在限制椅上学习颜色分辨比在WGTA内需要更多的测试数。动物在限制椅上学习纯音音调分辨似乎更为困难。这些结果对神经精神药理学、心理生理学以及神经生理学研究中选择合适的动物实验模型有一定的参考价值。     

Role of PRMTs in cancer: Could minor isoforms be leaving a mark?

Protein arginine methyltransferases(PRMTs) catalyze the methylation of a variety of protein substrates, many of which have been linked to the development, progression and aggressiveness of different types of cancer. Moreover, aberrant expression of PRMTs has been observed in several cancer types. While the link between PRMTs and cancer is a relatively new area of interest, the functional implications documented thus far warrant further investigations into its therapeutic potential. However, the expression of these enzymes and the regulation of their activity in cancer are still significantly understudied. Currently there are nine main members of the PRMT family. Further, the existence of alternatively spliced isoforms for several of these family members provides an additional layer of complexity. Specifically, PRMT1, PRMT2, CARM1 and PRMT7 have been shown to have alternative isoforms and others may be currently unrealized. Our knowledge with respect to the relative expression and the specific functions of these isoforms is largely lacking and needs attention. Here we present a review of the current knowledge of theknown alternative PRMT isoforms and provide a rationale for how they may impact on cancer and represent potentially useful targets for the development of novel therapeutic strategies.     

新疆外来入侵杂草豚草属LAMP快速检测技术的建立

【目的】开发外来入侵生物三裂叶豚草和豚草不同生育期、不同部位的环介导等温扩增(loop-mediated isothermal amplification, LAMP)技术,以达到田间快速、准确和高效识别的目的。【方法】以SYBR Green Ⅰ为指示剂,分别针对三裂叶豚草和豚草不同发育阶段(幼苗期、生长期、种子期)开展LAMP技术开发。【结果】特异性验证结果显示,所检测杂草的LAMP产物均呈阳性(产生白色沉淀),而与其对照的其他2种杂草的LAMP产物均为阴性(无白色沉淀)。灵敏度检测结果显示,该体系的DNA最低检测限为10^-10 ng·μL^-1,比常规聚合酶链式反应灵敏度高。【结论】本研究建立的LAMP检测体系能有效应用于三裂叶豚草和豚草样本的快速检测,为其快速、高效识别提供技术支撑。     

黄茶渍属地衣的一个中国新记录种(英文)

粉黄茶渍(Candelariella efflorescens)是一个中国新记录种,文中简述了粉黄茶渍衣的形态特征、化学成分、地理分布。     

复配益生菌用于危重症抗生素相关性腹泻患者的营养治疗评价研究

目的探讨复配益生菌制剂治疗危重症患者抗生素相关性腹泻的临床效果。方法选取新疆维吾尔自治区人民医院重症监护室2015年12月至2016年12月住院并诊断为抗生素相关性腹泻的患者80例,随机分为观察组和对照组。两组患者均给予基础治疗加营养治疗。在营养治疗方面,对照组患者给予常规营养治疗,观察组患者在常规营养治疗的基础上加用复配益生菌制剂,30g/d,连用6d。观察两组患者在治疗前、治疗后第3天、第6天的肝功能,包括谷丙转氨酶(ALT)、谷草转氨酶(AST),肾功能(血肌酐、尿素氮),营养状况(白蛋白、总蛋白),炎症指标(C反应蛋白、降钙素原)的变化,并进行临床疗效及安全性评定。结果治疗6d后,观察组患者肝功能、肾功能较对照组明显改善,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);治疗6d后,观察组患者白蛋白水平明显升高,差异有统计学意义(P0.05),而两组患者总蛋白水平差异无统计学意义(P0.05);治疗后第3天、第6天观察组患者炎症指标显著低于对照组,两组相比差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。观察组患者临床总有效率为95.0%,明显高于对照组的72.5%,差异有统计学意义(Z=2.437,P0.05)。结论复配益生菌制剂调节机体肠道菌群,恢复体内微生态平衡,对治疗危重症患者抗生素相关性腹泻疗效显著,安全性好,能有效改善危重症患者营养状况、肝肾功能,提高机体免疫力,减少炎症反应,从而提高危重症患者的预后,值得广泛推广应用。     

干旱胁迫对3种狼尾草种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响

采用聚乙二醇(PEG-6000)模拟干旱胁迫和盆栽控水方法,研究了干旱胁迫对3种狼尾草种子萌发及苗期生长的影响.结果表明:低浓度的PEG(5%)胁迫会提高狼尾草种子的发芽率和发芽指数,当PEG体积分数大于10%时,3种狼尾草的种子发芽率随PEG浓度的增加显著下降(P<0.05),但根冠比增加;在高浓度PEG胁迫下,小穗狼尾草种子相对发芽指数大于羽绒狼尾草和巨人狼尾草,其抗旱半致死浓度和极限浓度高于巨人狼尾草;苗期盆栽控水8 d后,巨人狼尾草叶片的旱害级别高于羽绒狼尾草和小穗狼尾草,小穗狼尾草的叶片相对含水量、脯氨酸含量均高于巨人狼尾草,丙二醛含量低于巨人狼尾草.研究发现,提高苗期狼尾草叶片含水量和脯氨酸积累量有利于增强其抗旱性;小穗狼尾草的苗期抗旱性结果和种子的抗渗透胁迫表现一致,并证实其抗旱性最强.     

荒漠早春开花植物囊果草大小孢子发生与雌雄配子体发育

囊果草(Leontice incerta Pall.)为生长于天山北坡荒漠和低山山坡的小檗科(Berberidaceae)多年生早春开花植物，具有较高的观赏价值、饲用价值和生态价值，为探究该物种的有性生殖特征，并为后续进行栽培育种等工作提供理论依据，作者利用光学显微镜和石蜡制片技术，对该物种大/小孢子发生和雌/雄配子体发育进行了观察。结果表明，(1)花药具4室，药壁由5层细胞组成，发育为基本型。药室内壁在发育后期具纤维状加厚现象；腺质型绒毡层具2核或多核现象。(2)小孢子母细胞减数分裂时胞质分裂为同时型；小孢子四分体为四面体型，被胼胝质壁所包围，游离小孢子形成后胼胝质壁逐渐消失。成熟花粉多为2细胞型，偶见3细胞型。(3)雌蕊由1心皮组成，子房1室，倒生胚珠，具双珠被，厚珠心。大孢子四分体呈线形排列，最终发育为7细胞8核的蓼型胚囊，助细胞具发达的漏斗形丝状器。这些特点说明，囊果草大/小孢子发生和雌/雄配子体发育正常，未见败育现象，表现出较原始的发育特征。研究结果丰富了小檗科植物的胚胎学资料，为该物种及其近缘物种的生殖生物学研究积累了理论基础。     

基于CADD探究新疆胀果甘草查尔酮A对宫颈癌细胞增殖、凋亡作用及其分子机制CSCD

以新疆胀果甘草查尔酮A(licochalcone A,LicoA)为物质基础,研究其对宫颈癌细胞的增殖抑制活性、促凋亡作用及对周期的影响,并对其分子机制进行初探。从新疆胀果甘草中提取LicoA单体成分,通过1H NMR、13 C NMR及HR-EI-MS进行结构表征;通过MTT法检测在不同浓度下LicoA对人宫颈癌细胞(SiHa和HeLa)的抑制率并计算IC 50值,选取SiHa细胞为研究对象,采用流式细胞术,以AnnexinV-FITC/PI双染法检测细胞凋亡率,并测定对细胞周期的影响。通过CADD法预测LicoA作用靶点,荧光定量RT-PCR法检测宫颈癌肿瘤干细胞标记物(Bcl-2、ALDH1A1、OCT-4、UHRF1、BIRC7、BIRC5)基因及细胞周期蛋白依赖性激酶4(cyclin-dependent kinase 4,CDK4)基因的mRNA表达量。结果显示,LicoA能显著抑制2种宫颈癌细胞增殖,且呈现显著的时间和浓度依赖性;随着LicoA浓度的增加,细胞增殖速度减慢,细胞呈皱缩形态;LicoA诱导细胞凋亡作用显著,在30μg/mL时,SiHa细胞凋亡率达52.0%;LicoA可能将SiHa细胞的增殖周期阻滞在S期和G 2/M期;分子对接结果显示对CDK4蛋白有较好结合能力,预测可能具有较强的抑制作用;LicoA显著下调宫颈癌肿瘤干细胞标记物(Bcl-2、ALDH1A1、OCT-4、UHRF1、BIRC7、BIRC5)的表达量,同时抑制周期相关基因CDK4的mRNA表达。LicoA抑制宫颈癌细胞增殖的机制可能是通过将SiHa细胞的增殖周期阻滞在S期和G 2/M期,诱导细胞凋亡及抑制细胞分化。