Objective To observe the effects of dorsiflexion ankle foot orthotics (d-AFO) on pelvic control of hemiplegic patients by analyzing the time-space gait parameters and 3D pelvic motion parameters.Methods Fifteen hemiplegic patients (14 male and 1 female) were enrolled in this study.The time-space gait parameters and pelvic 3D motion parameters were collecte with a Motion Analysis System while the patients were asked to walk under 3 conditions:wearing d-AFO (5°dorsiflexion),f-AFO (0°dorsiflexion) or barefoot.Results It was found that,while wearing d-AFO,the velocity,the paralyzed step length and the nonparalyzed step length were significantly increased,and the step width was significantly decreased when compared with those while walking barefoot (P ＜ 0.05).Comparison between wearing d-AFO and f-AFO showed that the sagittal and coronal plane inclinations,but not the transverse rotation of pelvis were significantly decreased when wearing the d-AFO (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions d-AFO can significantly improve pelvis control and increase gait stability in hemiplegic patients.

Objective To investigate the different influences of simvastatin on proliferation of rat smooth muscle progenitor cells(SPCs) versus endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and identify the compounds that differentially inhibit SPCs and EPCs proliferation for clinical usefulness. Methods Total mononuclear cells (MNCs) were isolated from bone marrow of rats by Fieoll density gradient centrifugation, and then the cells were plated on fibronectin-coated culture dishes. SPCs outgrew from the culture of MNCs in the presence of platelet-derived growth factor-BB and basic fibroblast growth factor, whereas EPCs were obtained in the presence of vascular endothelial growth factor. SPCs were identified as adherent cells positive for α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) by indirect immunofluoreseent staining. EPCs were characterized as adherent cells double positive for DiLDL-uptake and lectin binding by direct fluorescent staining. SPCs and EPCs were stimulated by simvastatin (0.01～10.00 μmol/L) or vehicle control for the respective time points (6 h, 12 h, 24 h and 48 h). SPCs and EPCs proliferation were assayed with 3H-TdR incorporation and manual counting respectively. Results Simvastatin obviously inhibited SPCs proliferation. At the concentration of 0. 01 μmol/L for 12 h,simvastatin significantly reduced the number of SPCs by (5.8±3.1)% compared with control group (P<0.05). Simvastatin significantly stimulated EPCs proliferation, which was dose- and time dependent and reached maximum at 1 μmol/L after 24 hours (2.0±0.1 fold increase, P<0.01).Conclusions Simvastatin displays different effects on SPCs (inhibited) and EPCs (promoted)proliferation. Local application of simvastatin may inhibit arterial restenosis and promote reendothelialization of injured vessels.

AIM:To explore the effects of confluent endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) derived from young and aged rats on the phenotype conversion, proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells ( SMCs) .METH-ODS:Mononuclear cells were obtained from the bone marrow of young (1~2 month old) and aged (19 to 26 month old) Sprague-Dawley rats and cultured with medium DMEM/F12 ( containing 15% fetal bovine serum, endothelial cell growth supplements (ECGs) 100 g/L, 1 ×105 units/L of penicillin and streptomycin, respectively).EPCs were characterized as double positive for DiI-Ac-LDL uptake and lectin binding.Abdominal aorta was obtained from 1 to 2 month old Sprague-Dawley rats.Vascular SMCs were cultured by tissue explant method and identified byα-SM-actin immunofluorescence.In transwell co-culture system, the confluent EPCs located in the upper chamber and SMCs were seeded on the lower cham-ber.The experiments were divided into passage 3 SMCs group (P3), passage 4 SMCs group (P4), passage 4 SMCs co-culture with EPCs derived from young rats group (P4YE) and passage 4 SMCs co-culture with EPCs derived from aged rats group (P4AE).The protein expression ofα-SM-actin and osteopontin was detected by Western blotting.[3H]-TdR incor-poration assay was used to determine the proliferation.SMC migration was analyzed by scratch wound healing assay.RE-SULTS:Compared with P3 group,α-SM-actin expression in P4 group significantly decreased and osteopontin protein ex-pression obviously increased, whereas no significant change was found in P4YE group.Compared with P4 group, confluent EPCs derived from young and aged rats both markedly increased α-SM-actin and decreased osteopontin expression in P4 SMCs.Compared with aged rat-derived EPCs, young rat-derived EPCs were more effectively to induce a delayed SMC phe-notype transition (from contractile phenotype to a synthetic phenotype), and to inhibit SMC proliferation and migration. CONCLUSION:Co-culture of confluent EPC induces a delayed vascular SMC phenotype transition and inhibits SMCs pro-liferation and migration.Young rat derived EPCs are more effective to induce a delayed vascular SMC phenotype transition and has stronger inhibitory effects on SMCs proliferation and migration compared with that derived from aged rats.

Objective To explore the best vibration frequency for activating human muscles.Methods Nineteen healthy college students accepted vibration stimulation at frequencies between 10 and 50 Hz.Surface electromyograms (sEMG) were recorded.The subjects were sitting,standing,squatting (knee flexion 30°) and recumbent.Their left anterior tibial muscles and the medial heads of the gastrocnemius were targeted as test muscles.The vibration stimulation point was on the surface of the left distal tibia.The sEMG characteristics of the calf muscles were analyzed under vibration stimulation at different frequencies. ResultsThe leg muscles were activated significantly at all vibration frequencies,but the sEMG values of the anterior tibialis were significantly different at different frequencies,except for among 30 Hz,40 Hz and 50 Hz in any position.The gastrocnemius sEMG values were not significantly different at different frequencies. ConclusionVibration at 30 to 50Hz may be the normal human muscle activation frequency.

In the presence of silver ion, Mn2+ could be electro-oxidized to potassium hypermanganate in phosphoric acid solution, which could effectively react with pyrocatechol in acid solution and luminol in sodium hydroxide solution to produce chemiluminescence. On the basis of this, a novel indirect approach for the detection of Mn2+ was established. The effect of silver ions on the electrochemical oxidation of Mn2+was studied. when 1. 5 ×10-5 mol/L Ag+ and 0. 01 mol/L phosphoric acid solution were used in the process of electrochemical oxidation, the CL intensity could be up to the maximum value after the above solution was electrolyzed for 2 min. The relation of CL intensity and Mn2+concentration in the solutions at different pH and the selectivity were also investigated. when the pyrocatechol was used as luminescent reagent in the acidic medium, the CL intensity was linearly to the Mn2+concentration in the range of 1. 82×10-7-7. 27×10-5 mol/L with excellent selectivity. Common ions had little interferences in the determination of Mn2+. The method was successfully applied to the determination of Mn2+ in surface water and drinking water with satisfactory results.

The analysis of stable nitrogen isotopic composition (δ15 N) of individual amino acid was recognized as an effective method for estimating the trophic level of organisms and detecting the nitrogen flow in food webs. In this study, we evaluated a two-stage procedure of esterification followed by acylation, in which biological samples underwent hydrolysis in acid and the released individual amino acids were derivative into the corresponding N-pivaloyl-iso-propyl ( NPP ) esters for gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometric ( GC-C-IRMS) analysis. A total of 13 kinds of individual amino acid derivatives were baseline separated on a nonpolar gas chromatography column (DB-5ms). The amount of sample for each test was not less than 20 ng N on column. High correlations were observed between the δ15 N values respectively obtained by GC-C-IRMS and element analysis-isotope ration mass spectrometry (EA-IRMS). Furthermore, the mean precision of this method was better than 1‰. Cation-exchange chromatograph was used to purify the samples, and the difference of the detection δ15 N values before and after purification by the resin was within 1‰. This method was applied to estimate the trophic level of various natural freshwater organisms from Aha Lake. The present study provided a new idea for the application of stable nitrogen isotope (δ15 N ) in the trophic level estimation of organisms and metabolism analysis of amino acid.

Objective To investigate the effect of early thoracic paracentesis drainage for pleural effusion with a small or moderate volume on acute lung injury in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 107 patients with SAP who were admitted to The General Hospital of Western Theater Command from January 2015 to December 2021, and according to whether thoracic paracentesis drainage was performed within the first three days after admission, the patients were divided into thoracic paracentesis drainage group (TPD group with 51 patients) and non-thoracic paracentesis drainage group (N-TPD group with 56 patients).The two groups were compared in terms of laboratory markers and clinical outcome on days 5 and 10 after admission.The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups; the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. Results Compared with the N-TPD group, the TPD group had a significantly shorter length of stay in the intensive care unit, a significantly shorter length of hospital stay, and significantly lower hospital costs (all P < 0.05), while there were no significant differences between the TPD group and the N-TPD group in mortality rate (9.8% vs 14.3%, χ 2 =0.502, P =0.478) and the incidence rate of sepsis (29.4% vs 44.6%, χ 2 =2.645, P =0.104).The TPD group had a significant reduction in the incidence rate of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)( χ 2 =6.038, P =0.043), as well as a significantly lower incidence rate of moderate ARDS than the N-TPD group (7.8% vs 21.4%, χ 2 =3.874, P =0.049).Compared with the N-TPD group, the TPD group had a significantly lower rate of use of mechanical ventilation (35.3% vs 57.2%, χ 2 =6.735, P =0.034) and a significantly lower proportion of patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation (9.8% vs 26.8%, χ 2 =5.065, P =0.024).Compared with the N-TPD group, the TPD group had a significantly lower incidence rate of pulmonary infection (23.5% vs 42.9%, χ 2 =4.466, P =0.035) and a significantly shorter duration of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (11.2±5.0 days vs 16.8±4.7 days, t =5.949, P < 0.001).Compared with the N-TPD group, the TPD group had significantly better laboratory markers (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, interleukin-1, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, tumor necrosis factor-α, arterial partial pressure of oxygen, oxygen saturation, and oxygenation index) and incidence rate of respiratory failure on days 5 and 10 after admission (all P < 0.05).On day 10 after admission, the TPD group had significantly better APACHE Ⅱ score and modified Mashall score than the N-TPD group (both P < 0.05). Conclusion For SAP patients with a small or moderate volume of pleural effusion, early thoracic paracentesis drainage can effectively improve acute lung injury, alleviate systemic inflammatory response, shorten the length of hospital stay, and reduce hospital costs.

COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread across the globe, posing an enormous threat to public health and safety. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), in combination with Western medicine (WM), has made important and lasting contributions in the battle against COVID-19. In this review, updated clinical effects and potential mechanisms of TCM, presented in newly recognized three distinct phases of the disease, are summarized and discussed. By integrating the available clinical and preclinical evidence, the efficacies and underlying mechanisms of TCM on COVID-19, including the highly recommended three Chinese patent medicines and three Chinese medicine formulas, are described in a panorama. We hope that this comprehensive review not only provides a reference for health care professionals and the public to recognize the significant contributions of TCM for COVID-19, but also serves as an evidence-based in-depth summary and analysis to facilitate understanding the true scientific value of TCM.