OBJECTIVE: To study the etiological factors of knee osteoarthritis and to provide the anatomical basis of corrective therapy for knee joint deformity by comparing the biomechanical differences of the knee joints between the osteoarthritis patients and the normal people. METHODS: The sexes, ages, heights, weights, painful characters and accompanied symptoms were recorded, and the femoral angle, tibial angle, femorotibial angle, joint space angle, and the height and width of condylus medialis and lateralis were measured for 29 selected knee osteoarthritis patients. And the biomechanical data of the patients were compared with those of the 19 normal people. RESULTS: The femoral angle of the osteoarthritis patients was smaller and the joint space angle was greater statistically than that of the normal people, and the ratios of height and width of condylus medialis and condylus lateralis of the osteoarthritis patients were greater than those of the normal people. CONCLUSION: In the patients, the gravity line of the lower limb inclines to the condylus medialis, so the condylus medialis is more vulnerable. And the configuration of the condylus of the patients, which is narrower and longer, is different from that of the normal people. It may be one of the etiological factors of knee osteoarthritis.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of early intervention of tendon technique combined with physical therapy on patients afterlumbar disc herniation (LDH) surgery in functional recovery. Methods 44 patients after LDH surgery were randomly divided into interventiongroup (n=20) and control group (n=24). They were accessed by Japanese Orthopaedic Association score (JOA score), Oswestry DisabilityIndex (ODI) and electromyogram (EMG) before surgery, 2 weeks and 3 months after surgery. Results The scores of JOA and ODIwere better in intervention group than in the control group (P<0.05) 2 weeks and 3 months after surgery. There was no significant differencebetween 2 groups in latency, amplitude, nerve conduction velocity during the same period (P>0.05). The absolute value added of motornerve conduction velocity 3 months after surgery was higher in the intervention group than in the control group. Conclusion Early interventionof tendon technique combined with physical therapy on patients after LDH surgery has positive effect in functional recovery, and wasuseful in promoting recovery of neurological function.

Rehabilitation and related professions have grown rapidly in China during this decade. Quality of life becomes a top priority after acute care service has been delivered. Communication is a unique and essential skill of humans and is one of the main factors influencing quality of life. People share their ideas with each other and advocate for their rights by communicating. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the general concepts of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). The paper includes a brief explanation of AAC, types of AAC, targeted populations benefitted by AAC, principles of a language-based service delivery, and a discussion of interdisciplinary team member roles.>Rehabilitation and related professions have grown rapidly in China during this decade. Quality of life becomes a top priority >after acute care service has been delivered. Communication is a unique and essential skill of humans and is one of the main factors influencing >quality of life. People share their ideas with each other and advocate for their rights by communicating. The purpose of this paper is to introduce>the general concepts of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). The paper includes a brief explanation of AAC, types>of AAC, targeted populations benefitted by AAC, principles of a language-based service delivery, and a discussion of interdisciplinary team>member roles

An augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) assessment is a complex, multidisciplinary process. Historic AAC assessment models have focused on treatment providing for basic communication needs more than on consideration of optimizing communication and maximizing an individual's potential. This paper presents an AAC assessment model based on the goal of interactive communication and a comprehensive evaluation of cognitive, linguistic, sensory and motor abilities that is evidence-based. We describe each component and assessment step within an evidence-based framework. The purpose is to offer a systematic, principled approach to selecting AAC assessment procedures in rehabilitation, speech language pathology and other related fields in order to strengthen their confidence in providing best possible services to clients who require AAC.

The increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have been correlated with global warming. Carbonic anhydrases (CA) are the fastest among the known enzymes to improve carbon capture. The capture of carbon dioxide needs high temperature and alkaline condition, which is necessary for CaCO₃ precipitation in the mineralization process. In order to use CAs for biomimetic carbon sequestration, thermo-alkali-stable CAs are, therefore, essential, and polyextremophilic microbes are one of the important sources of these enzymes. The current review focuses on both those isolated by thermophilic organisms from the extreme environments and those obtained by protein engineering techniques, and the industrial application of the immobilized CAs is also briefly addressed. To reduce the greenhouse effect and delay global warming, we think further research efforts should be devoted to broadening the scope of searching for carbonic anhydrase, modifying the technology of protein engineering and developing highly efficient immobilization strategies.
Biomimetics ; Carbon Dioxide ; Carbon Sequestration ; Carbonic Anhydrases ; Protein Engineering

OBJECTIVEOn the basic therapy, to assess the clinical effects of dynamic scalp acupuncture, scalp acupuncture combined with proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) therapy and simple PNF therapy for upper limb motor impairment in ischemic post-stroke spastic hemiplegia.

METHODSA total of 90 cases were randomly assigned into a PNF group, a dynamic scalp acupuncture group and a scalp acupuncture group, 30 cases in each group. Basic therapy and PNF therapy were applied in the three groups. PNF therapy was used during scalp acupuncture in the dynamic scalp acupuncture group. PNF therapy was applied after scalp acupuncture in the scalp acupuncture group. The points were the upper 1/5 and middle 2/5 of (MS 6) and (MS 7) at the lesion side, the hemiparalysis contralateral side. The treatment was given for 6 months, once a day and 1 month as a course. The modified Ashworth scale (MAS), the Fugl-Meyer motor assessment (FMA) and Barthel index (BI) were observed before treatment and 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after treatment.

RESULTSThe MAS 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after treatment were improved compared with those before treatment in the three groups ( all <0.05), and the MAS results in the dynamic scalp acupuncture group were better than those in the PNF and scalp acupuncture group (all <0.05). The FMA and BI scores 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after treatment were higher than those before treatment (all <0.05). The FMA Scores in the 3 time points and after treatment in the dynamic scalp acupuncture group were higher than those in the other two groups (all <0.05).

CONCLUSIONPNF therapy during scalp acupuncture can relieve the spasmodic condition of patients with upper limb motor impairment in ischemic post-stroke spasmodic hemiplegia, and improve the limb function and life activity, which is better than PNF therapy after scalp acupuncture and simple PNF therapy.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Brain Ischemia ; complications ; rehabilitation ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Hemiplegia ; rehabilitation ; therapy ; Humans ; Scalp ; Stroke ; complications ; Stroke Rehabilitation ; Treatment Outcome