Cattle encephalon glycoside and ignotin(CEGI)injection is a compound preparation formed by a combination of muscle extract from hea lthy rabbits and brain gangliosides from cattle,and it is generally used as a neuropr...Cattle encephalon glycoside and ignotin(CEGI)injection is a compound preparation formed by a combination of muscle extract from hea lthy rabbits and brain gangliosides from cattle,and it is generally used as a neuroprotectant in the treatment of central and peripheral nerve injuries.However,there is still a need for high-level clinical evidence from large samples to support the use of CEGI.We therefore carried out a prospective,multicenter,randomized,double-blind,parallel-group,placebo-controlled study in which we recruited 319 patients with acute cerebral infarction from 16 centers in China from October 2013 to May 2016.The patients were randomized at a 3:1 ratio into CEGI(n=239;155 male,84 female;61.2±9.2 years old)and placebo(n=80;46 male,34 female;63.2±8.28 years old)groups.All patients were given standard care once daily for 14 days,including a 200 mg aspirin enteric-coated tablet and 20 mg atorvastatin calcium,both taken orally,and intravenous infusion of 250–500 mL 0.9%sodium chloride containing 40 mg sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate.Based on conventional treatment,patients in the CEGI and placebo groups were given 12 mL CEGI or 12 mL sterile water,respectively,in an intravenous drip of 250 mL 0.9%sodium chloride(2 mL/min)once daily for 14 days.According to baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores,patients in the two groups were divided into mild and moderate subgroups.Based on the modified Rankin Scale results,the rate of patients with good outcomes in the CEGI group was higher than that in the placebo group,and the rate of disability in the CEGI group was lower than that in the placebo group on day 90 after treatment.In the CEGI group,neurological deficits were decreased on days 14 and 90 after treatment,as measured by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and the Barthel Index.Subgroup analysis revealed that CEGI led to more significant improvements in moderate stroke patients.No drug-related adverse events occurred in the CEGI or placebo groups.In conclusion,CEGI may be a 展开更多
Major ozonated autohemotherapy is classically used in treating ischemic disorder of the lower limbs In the present study, we performed major ozonated autohemotherapy treatment in patients with acute cerebral infarctio...Major ozonated autohemotherapy is classically used in treating ischemic disorder of the lower limbs In the present study, we performed major ozonated autohemotherapy treatment in patients with acute cerebral infarction, and assessed outcomes according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health Stroke Score, Modified Rankin Scale, and transcranial magnetic stimulation motor-evoked potential. Compared with the control group, the clinical total effective rate and the cortical potential rise rate of the upper limbs were significantly higher, the central motor conduction time of upper limb was significantly shorter, and the upper limb motor-evoked potential amplitude was significantly increased, in the ozone group. In the ozone group, the National Institutes of Health Stroke Score was positively correlated with the central motor conduction time and the motor-evoked potential amplitude of the upper limb. Central motor conduction time and motor-evoked potential amplitude of the upper limb may be effective indicators of motor-evoked potentials to assess upper limb motor function in cerebral infarct patients. Furthermore, major ozonated autohemotherapy may promote motor function recovery of the upper limb in patients with acute cerebral infarction.展开更多
Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery （FLAIR） vascular hyperintensity （FVH） is used to assess leptomeningeal collateral circulation, but clinical outcomes of patients with FVH can be very different. The aim of the p...Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery （FLAIR） vascular hyperintensity （FVH） is used to assess leptomeningeal collateral circulation, but clinical outcomes of patients with FVH can be very different. The aim of the present study was to assess a FVH score and explore its relationship with clinical outcomes. Patients with acute ischemic stroke due to middle cerebral artery M1 occlusion underwent magnetic resonance imaging and were followed up at 10 days （National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale） and 90 days （modified Rankin Scale） to determine short-term clinical outcomes. Effective collateral circulation indirectly improved recovery of neurological function and short-term clinical outcome by extending the size of the pial penumbra and reducing infarct lesions. FVH score showed no correlation with 90-day functional clinical outcome and was not sufficient as an independent predictor of short-term clinical outcome.展开更多
We previously demonstrated the safety and efficacy of fluoroquinolone-macrolide combination therapy in category Ⅱ chronic bacterial prostatitis （CBP）. The aim of this study is to retrospectively compare the microbi...We previously demonstrated the safety and efficacy of fluoroquinolone-macrolide combination therapy in category Ⅱ chronic bacterial prostatitis （CBP）. The aim of this study is to retrospectively compare the microbiological and clinical findings of two treatment schemes for CBP based on the combination of azithromycin （500 rag, thrice-weekly） with a once-daily 500- or 750-mg dose of ciprofloxacin （Cipro-500 or Cipro-750 cohort, respectively）. Combined administration of azithromycin （1500 mg week^-1） with ciprofloxacin at the rate of 750 mg day^- 1 for 4 weeks rather than at 500 mg day^- 1 for 6 weeks increased the eradication rates from 62.35% to 77.32% and the total bacteriological success from 71.76% to 85.57%. A significant decrease in pain and voiding signs/symptoms and a significant reduction in inflammatory leukocyte counts and serum prostate-specific antigen （PSA） were sustained throughout an 18-month follow-up period in both groups. Ejaculatory pain, haemospermia and premature ejaculation were significantly attenuated on microbiological eradication in both groups, but the latter subsided more promptly in the Cipro-750 cohort. In total, 59 Cipro-750 patients showed mild-to-severe erectile dysfunction （ED） at baseline, while 22 patients had no ED on microbiological eradication and throughout the follow-up period. In conclusion fluoroquinolone-macrolide therapy resulted in pathogen eradication and CBP symptom attenuation, including pain, voiding disturbances and sexual dysfunction. A once-daily 750-mg dose of ciprofloxacin for 4 weeks showed enhanced eradication rates and lower inflammatory white blood cell counts compared to the 500-mg dose for 6 weeks. Our results are open to further prospective validation.展开更多
The theory of branch atheromatous disease（BAD） has been commonly underused in clinical practice and research since it was proposed in 1989. In this study, we sought to explore clinical characteristics of its substyp...The theory of branch atheromatous disease（BAD） has been commonly underused in clinical practice and research since it was proposed in 1989. In this study, we sought to explore clinical characteristics of its substypes and biomarkers for prognosis of BAD. A total of 176 consecutive patients with BAD were classified into two groups： paramedianpontine artery group（PPA group, n=70） and lenticulostriate artery group（LSA group, n=106）. Bivariate analyses were used to explore the relationship between white matter hyperintensities（WMHs）, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale（NIHSS） scores and prognosis evaluated by the modified Rank Scale（m RS） at 6th month after stroke. The differences in prevalence of diabetes mellitus and a history of ischemic heart disease were statistically significant between PPA group and LSA group（χ~2=8.255, P=0.004; χ~2=13.402, P〈0.001）. The bivariate analyses demonstrated a positive correlation between NIHSS and poor prognosis in patients with BAD and in the two subtype groups, and a positive correlation between WMHs and poor prognosis in the PPA group. It is concluded that a significantly higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus and a history of ischemic heart disease exist in the PPA group than in the LSA group. In addition, high grades of NIHSS scores imply poor prognosis in patients with BAD and in the two subtype groups. Moreover, WMHs are a positive predictor for poor prognosis in patients in the PPA group.展开更多
Many articles have been published on intelligent manufacturing, most of which focus on hardware, soft-ware, additive manufacturing, robotics, the Internet of Things, and Industry 4.0. This paper provides a dif-ferent ...Many articles have been published on intelligent manufacturing, most of which focus on hardware, soft-ware, additive manufacturing, robotics, the Internet of Things, and Industry 4.0. This paper provides a dif-ferent perspective by examining relevant challenges and providing examples of some less-talked-about yet essential topics, such as hybrid systems, redefining advanced manufacturing, basic building blocks of new manufacturing, ecosystem readiness, and technology scalahility. The first major challenge is to （re-）define what the manufacturing of the future will he, if we wish to： ① raise public awareness of new manufacturing＇s economic and societal impacts, and ② garner the unequivocal support of policy- makers. The second major challenge is to recognize that manufacturing in the future will consist of sys-tems of hybrid systems of human and robotic operators; additive and suhtractive processes; metal and composite materials; and cyher and physical systems. Therefore, studying the interfaces between con- stituencies and standards becomes important and essential. The third challenge is to develop a common framework in which the technology, manufacturing business case, and ecosystem readiness can he eval- uated concurrently in order to shorten the time it takes for products to reach customers. Integral to this is having accepted measures of ＂scalahility＂ of non-information technologies. The last, hut not least, chal-lenge is to examine successful modalities of industry-academia-government collaborations through public-private partnerships. This article discusses these challenges in detail.展开更多
AIM:To develop and test an Arabic version of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25(NEI-VFQ-25).METHODS:NEI-VFQ-25 was translated into Arabic according to WHO translation guidelines. We enrolled a...AIM:To develop and test an Arabic version of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25(NEI-VFQ-25).METHODS:NEI-VFQ-25 was translated into Arabic according to WHO translation guidelines. We enrolled adult consenting patients with bilateral chronic eye diseases who presented to 14 hospitals across Egypt from October to December 2012, and documented their clinical findings. Psychometric properties were then tested using STATA.RESULTS:We recruited 379 patients, whose mean age was(54.5±15)y. Of 46.2% were males, 227 had cataract,31 had glaucoma, 23 had retinal detachment, 37 had diabetic retinopathy, and 61 had miscellaneous visual defects. Non-response rate and the floor and ceiling numbers of the Arabic version(ARB-VFQ-25) were calculated. Internal consistency was high in all subscales(except general health), with Cronbach-α ranging from0.702-0.911. Test-retest reliability was high(intraclass correlation coefficient 0.79).CONCLUSION:RB-VFQ-25 isareliableandvalidtool for assessing visual functions of Arabic speaking patients. However, some questions had high non-response rates and should be substituted by available alternatives. Our results support the importance of including self-reported visual functions as part of routine ophthalmologic examination.展开更多
Bicycling constitutes an integral component of sustainable non-motorized means of travel. Despite the immense benefits of bicycling, the modal share of bicycling is quite low, specifically among young and low-income c...Bicycling constitutes an integral component of sustainable non-motorized means of travel. Despite the immense benefits of bicycling, the modal share of bicycling is quite low, specifically among young and low-income commuters e.g., college and university students. This study explores the perceptions of and barriers to bicycling of the campus community at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with the aim to identify the factors that could enhance bike use among students at the university campus as well as highlight the barriers that keep young population away from biking. An online survey about bike use at the university campus was administered and responses to the survey were recorded. On the methodological front, a binary logit model was estimated with students’ willingness to use bikes at campus as the dependent variable. The survey results revealed that about 47% of the students considered vehicular traffic as the reason for feeling unsafe while biking and emphasized having separate bike routes. Most of the respondents highlighted the need to change clothes after biking in summer or carry things as the reason for not selecting bikes as a mode of transport at the campus, whereas inadequate bike lanes, paths, or trails, insufficient lighting along bike routes, and the lack of adequate bicycle parking were highlighted as the major barriers deterring bike use within the campus. The study suggests development of a campus bike network with proper bike lanes, bike runnels, installation of safety cameras and better lighting at the campus, and bike-supporting infrastructure such as communal showers to be provided in campus buildings to encourage bike use among university students. The study findings can assist campus transportation planners in devising a sustainable campus transportation plan incorporating the influencing factors and deterrents of bike use in a university campus setting.展开更多
Background Chronic graft-versus-host disease （GVHD）,the commonest long-term complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation （HSCT）,has a negative impact on patients＇ health related quality o...Background Chronic graft-versus-host disease （GVHD）,the commonest long-term complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation （HSCT）,has a negative impact on patients＇ health related quality of life （HRQoL）.This study was designed to investigate the HRQoL in patients with chronic GVHD in China.Methods Two hundred and sixty-four patients with chronic GVHD who were ＞24 months post-HSCT and had been in continuous complete remission since HSCT were enrolled in this retrospective study.HRQoL was evaluated using an SF-36 questionnaire.Multivariate analysis was used to identify the factors that affect HRQoL in patients with chronic GVHD.Results HRQoL in patients categorized as having mild and moderate chronic GVHD was significantly better than in those in the severe category.In the moderate chronic GVHD category,markedly poorer HRQoL was observed in patients with both multiple organ involvement and more severe organ impairment than in those without these factors.According to multivariate analysis,chronic GVHD severity had the greatest significant negative impact on patients＇ HRQoL; whereas being female was associated with a negative impact on psychological health.Conclusion Chronic GVHD severity strongly correlates with negative impacts on patients＇ HRQoL.展开更多
文摘Cattle encephalon glycoside and ignotin(CEGI)injection is a compound preparation formed by a combination of muscle extract from hea lthy rabbits and brain gangliosides from cattle,and it is generally used as a neuroprotectant in the treatment of central and peripheral nerve injuries.However,there is still a need for high-level clinical evidence from large samples to support the use of CEGI.We therefore carried out a prospective,multicenter,randomized,double-blind,parallel-group,placebo-controlled study in which we recruited 319 patients with acute cerebral infarction from 16 centers in China from October 2013 to May 2016.The patients were randomized at a 3:1 ratio into CEGI(n=239;155 male,84 female;61.2±9.2 years old)and placebo(n=80;46 male,34 female;63.2±8.28 years old)groups.All patients were given standard care once daily for 14 days,including a 200 mg aspirin enteric-coated tablet and 20 mg atorvastatin calcium,both taken orally,and intravenous infusion of 250–500 mL 0.9%sodium chloride containing 40 mg sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate.Based on conventional treatment,patients in the CEGI and placebo groups were given 12 mL CEGI or 12 mL sterile water,respectively,in an intravenous drip of 250 mL 0.9%sodium chloride(2 mL/min)once daily for 14 days.According to baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores,patients in the two groups were divided into mild and moderate subgroups.Based on the modified Rankin Scale results,the rate of patients with good outcomes in the CEGI group was higher than that in the placebo group,and the rate of disability in the CEGI group was lower than that in the placebo group on day 90 after treatment.In the CEGI group,neurological deficits were decreased on days 14 and 90 after treatment,as measured by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and the Barthel Index.Subgroup analysis revealed that CEGI led to more significant improvements in moderate stroke patients.No drug-related adverse events occurred in the CEGI or placebo groups.In conclusion,CEGI may be a
基金supported by the Guangdong Province Medical Science Research Fund, No. B200258
文摘Major ozonated autohemotherapy is classically used in treating ischemic disorder of the lower limbs In the present study, we performed major ozonated autohemotherapy treatment in patients with acute cerebral infarction, and assessed outcomes according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health Stroke Score, Modified Rankin Scale, and transcranial magnetic stimulation motor-evoked potential. Compared with the control group, the clinical total effective rate and the cortical potential rise rate of the upper limbs were significantly higher, the central motor conduction time of upper limb was significantly shorter, and the upper limb motor-evoked potential amplitude was significantly increased, in the ozone group. In the ozone group, the National Institutes of Health Stroke Score was positively correlated with the central motor conduction time and the motor-evoked potential amplitude of the upper limb. Central motor conduction time and motor-evoked potential amplitude of the upper limb may be effective indicators of motor-evoked potentials to assess upper limb motor function in cerebral infarct patients. Furthermore, major ozonated autohemotherapy may promote motor function recovery of the upper limb in patients with acute cerebral infarction.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81371521
文摘Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery （FLAIR） vascular hyperintensity （FVH） is used to assess leptomeningeal collateral circulation, but clinical outcomes of patients with FVH can be very different. The aim of the present study was to assess a FVH score and explore its relationship with clinical outcomes. Patients with acute ischemic stroke due to middle cerebral artery M1 occlusion underwent magnetic resonance imaging and were followed up at 10 days （National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale） and 90 days （modified Rankin Scale） to determine short-term clinical outcomes. Effective collateral circulation indirectly improved recovery of neurological function and short-term clinical outcome by extending the size of the pial penumbra and reducing infarct lesions. FVH score showed no correlation with 90-day functional clinical outcome and was not sufficient as an independent predictor of short-term clinical outcome.
文摘We previously demonstrated the safety and efficacy of fluoroquinolone-macrolide combination therapy in category Ⅱ chronic bacterial prostatitis （CBP）. The aim of this study is to retrospectively compare the microbiological and clinical findings of two treatment schemes for CBP based on the combination of azithromycin （500 rag, thrice-weekly） with a once-daily 500- or 750-mg dose of ciprofloxacin （Cipro-500 or Cipro-750 cohort, respectively）. Combined administration of azithromycin （1500 mg week^-1） with ciprofloxacin at the rate of 750 mg day^- 1 for 4 weeks rather than at 500 mg day^- 1 for 6 weeks increased the eradication rates from 62.35% to 77.32% and the total bacteriological success from 71.76% to 85.57%. A significant decrease in pain and voiding signs/symptoms and a significant reduction in inflammatory leukocyte counts and serum prostate-specific antigen （PSA） were sustained throughout an 18-month follow-up period in both groups. Ejaculatory pain, haemospermia and premature ejaculation were significantly attenuated on microbiological eradication in both groups, but the latter subsided more promptly in the Cipro-750 cohort. In total, 59 Cipro-750 patients showed mild-to-severe erectile dysfunction （ED） at baseline, while 22 patients had no ED on microbiological eradication and throughout the follow-up period. In conclusion fluoroquinolone-macrolide therapy resulted in pathogen eradication and CBP symptom attenuation, including pain, voiding disturbances and sexual dysfunction. A once-daily 750-mg dose of ciprofloxacin for 4 weeks showed enhanced eradication rates and lower inflammatory white blood cell counts compared to the 500-mg dose for 6 weeks. Our results are open to further prospective validation.
文摘The theory of branch atheromatous disease（BAD） has been commonly underused in clinical practice and research since it was proposed in 1989. In this study, we sought to explore clinical characteristics of its substypes and biomarkers for prognosis of BAD. A total of 176 consecutive patients with BAD were classified into two groups： paramedianpontine artery group（PPA group, n=70） and lenticulostriate artery group（LSA group, n=106）. Bivariate analyses were used to explore the relationship between white matter hyperintensities（WMHs）, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale（NIHSS） scores and prognosis evaluated by the modified Rank Scale（m RS） at 6th month after stroke. The differences in prevalence of diabetes mellitus and a history of ischemic heart disease were statistically significant between PPA group and LSA group（χ~2=8.255, P=0.004; χ~2=13.402, P〈0.001）. The bivariate analyses demonstrated a positive correlation between NIHSS and poor prognosis in patients with BAD and in the two subtype groups, and a positive correlation between WMHs and poor prognosis in the PPA group. It is concluded that a significantly higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus and a history of ischemic heart disease exist in the PPA group than in the LSA group. In addition, high grades of NIHSS scores imply poor prognosis in patients with BAD and in the two subtype groups. Moreover, WMHs are a positive predictor for poor prognosis in patients in the PPA group.
文摘Many articles have been published on intelligent manufacturing, most of which focus on hardware, soft-ware, additive manufacturing, robotics, the Internet of Things, and Industry 4.0. This paper provides a dif-ferent perspective by examining relevant challenges and providing examples of some less-talked-about yet essential topics, such as hybrid systems, redefining advanced manufacturing, basic building blocks of new manufacturing, ecosystem readiness, and technology scalahility. The first major challenge is to （re-）define what the manufacturing of the future will he, if we wish to： ① raise public awareness of new manufacturing＇s economic and societal impacts, and ② garner the unequivocal support of policy- makers. The second major challenge is to recognize that manufacturing in the future will consist of sys-tems of hybrid systems of human and robotic operators; additive and suhtractive processes; metal and composite materials; and cyher and physical systems. Therefore, studying the interfaces between con- stituencies and standards becomes important and essential. The third challenge is to develop a common framework in which the technology, manufacturing business case, and ecosystem readiness can he eval- uated concurrently in order to shorten the time it takes for products to reach customers. Integral to this is having accepted measures of ＂scalahility＂ of non-information technologies. The last, hut not least, chal-lenge is to examine successful modalities of industry-academia-government collaborations through public-private partnerships. This article discusses these challenges in detail.
文摘AIM:To develop and test an Arabic version of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25(NEI-VFQ-25).METHODS:NEI-VFQ-25 was translated into Arabic according to WHO translation guidelines. We enrolled adult consenting patients with bilateral chronic eye diseases who presented to 14 hospitals across Egypt from October to December 2012, and documented their clinical findings. Psychometric properties were then tested using STATA.RESULTS:We recruited 379 patients, whose mean age was(54.5±15)y. Of 46.2% were males, 227 had cataract,31 had glaucoma, 23 had retinal detachment, 37 had diabetic retinopathy, and 61 had miscellaneous visual defects. Non-response rate and the floor and ceiling numbers of the Arabic version(ARB-VFQ-25) were calculated. Internal consistency was high in all subscales(except general health), with Cronbach-α ranging from0.702-0.911. Test-retest reliability was high(intraclass correlation coefficient 0.79).CONCLUSION:RB-VFQ-25 isareliableandvalidtool for assessing visual functions of Arabic speaking patients. However, some questions had high non-response rates and should be substituted by available alternatives. Our results support the importance of including self-reported visual functions as part of routine ophthalmologic examination.
文摘Bicycling constitutes an integral component of sustainable non-motorized means of travel. Despite the immense benefits of bicycling, the modal share of bicycling is quite low, specifically among young and low-income commuters e.g., college and university students. This study explores the perceptions of and barriers to bicycling of the campus community at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with the aim to identify the factors that could enhance bike use among students at the university campus as well as highlight the barriers that keep young population away from biking. An online survey about bike use at the university campus was administered and responses to the survey were recorded. On the methodological front, a binary logit model was estimated with students’ willingness to use bikes at campus as the dependent variable. The survey results revealed that about 47% of the students considered vehicular traffic as the reason for feeling unsafe while biking and emphasized having separate bike routes. Most of the respondents highlighted the need to change clothes after biking in summer or carry things as the reason for not selecting bikes as a mode of transport at the campus, whereas inadequate bike lanes, paths, or trails, insufficient lighting along bike routes, and the lack of adequate bicycle parking were highlighted as the major barriers deterring bike use within the campus. The study suggests development of a campus bike network with proper bike lanes, bike runnels, installation of safety cameras and better lighting at the campus, and bike-supporting infrastructure such as communal showers to be provided in campus buildings to encourage bike use among university students. The study findings can assist campus transportation planners in devising a sustainable campus transportation plan incorporating the influencing factors and deterrents of bike use in a university campus setting.
基金This work was partly supported by the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China （Program 863, No. 2011AA020105） and the National Natural Science Foundation of China （No. 30971292）.Acknowledgment： This manuscript has been edited by Lena R and Ryan L of American Journal Experts.
文摘Background Chronic graft-versus-host disease （GVHD）,the commonest long-term complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation （HSCT）,has a negative impact on patients＇ health related quality of life （HRQoL）.This study was designed to investigate the HRQoL in patients with chronic GVHD in China.Methods Two hundred and sixty-four patients with chronic GVHD who were ＞24 months post-HSCT and had been in continuous complete remission since HSCT were enrolled in this retrospective study.HRQoL was evaluated using an SF-36 questionnaire.Multivariate analysis was used to identify the factors that affect HRQoL in patients with chronic GVHD.Results HRQoL in patients categorized as having mild and moderate chronic GVHD was significantly better than in those in the severe category.In the moderate chronic GVHD category,markedly poorer HRQoL was observed in patients with both multiple organ involvement and more severe organ impairment than in those without these factors.According to multivariate analysis,chronic GVHD severity had the greatest significant negative impact on patients＇ HRQoL; whereas being female was associated with a negative impact on psychological health.Conclusion Chronic GVHD severity strongly correlates with negative impacts on patients＇ HRQoL.
