OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of isometric hip adduction and abduction on the activity of vastus medialis obliquus (VMO) and vastus lateralis (VL) during semisquat and squat exercise. METHOD: Thirty healthy male subjects without history of knee pain were recruited. Subjects performed a traditional exercise combined with hip adduction and abduction during semisquat and squat exercise. A total of 3 repetitions lasting 6 seconds each were executed following two-minute intervals. The EMG signals were collected from VMO and VL of the dominant leg. The data were normalized to the maximal isometric voluntary contraction of VMO and VL at 90degrees of knee flexion using isokinetic dynamometer and analysed in terms of their RMS values. RESULTS: The activity of both VMO and VL was significantly greater during both semisquat and squat exercise with hip adduction and abduction than without hip adduction and abduction. The VMO/VL ratio was significantly greater. The squat exercise produced significantly greater VMO and VL activity than the semisquat exercise, regardless of hip position. However, there were no significant differences in VMO/VL ratio between semisquat and squat exercise. CONCLUSION: Combining isometric hip adduction using theraband during semisquat exercise produced higher VMO/ VL ratio through more selective VMO activation and could be easy and effective rehabilitation program in patellofemoral pain syndrome.
Contracts ; Electromyography ; Exercise ; Hip ; Humans ; Knee ; Leg ; Male ; Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome ; Quadriceps Muscle

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of concentric isokinetic knee strength training on gait, balance and health related quality of life in chronic stroke patients. METHOD: Fifteen patients with chronic stroke participated in this study. All subjects were community ambulators and trained using Biodex System 3 isokinetic dynamometer three times a week for 6 weeks. The training program consisted of concentric isokinetic strengthening of both knee extensors and flexors. Peak torque of knee extensors and flexors, walking performance (temporospatial parameter of gait and stair climbing time), balance (overall balance index, anterior/ posterior index and medial/lateral index) and health-related quality of life measure (36-item short form health survey, SF-36) were evaluated before and after training period. RESULTS: Muscle strength improved significantly after training. Walking speed, stride length and stair climbing time improved significantly after training. Balance indices and SF-36 score also improved significantly after training. CONCLUSION: Gain in muscle strength appeared to be transferred to functional improvement. Therefore, isokinetic resistance training program would be one of the effective rehabilitation programs for chronic stroke survivors. Further investigations are required for long-term effect and development of strength-specific resistance training program.
Education ; Gait* ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Knee* ; Muscle Strength ; Quality of Life* ; Rehabilitation ; Resistance Training* ; Stroke* ; Survivors ; Torque ; Walking

An increased pericoronary fat attenuation index (FAI) on computed tomography angiography (CTA) is associated with increased all-cause and cardiac mortality in the general population. However, the ability of pericoronary FAI to predict long-term outcomes in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients is unknown. Methods: In this single-center retrospective longitudinal cohort study, we assessed the utility of CTA-based pericoronary FAI measurement to predict mortality of CKD patients, including those with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Mapping and analysis of pericoronary FAI involved three major proximal coronary arteries. The prognostic value of pericoronary FAI for long-term mortality was assessed with multivariable Cox regression models. Results: Among 268 CKD participants who underwent coronary CTA, 209 participants with left anterior descending artery (LAD) FAI measurements were included. The pericoronary FAI measured at the LAD was not significantly associated with adjusted risk of allcause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 2.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.94–3.51) in any CKD group. However, ESRD patients with elevated pericoronary FAI values had a greater adjusted risk of all-cause mortality compared with the low-FAI group (HR, 2.26; 95% CI, 1.11–4.61). Conclusion: The pericoronary FAI measured at the LAD predicted long-term mortality in patients with ESRD, which could provide an opportunity for early primary intervention in ESRD patients.

We developed a simple, sensitive, and effective ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method with an electrospray ionization (ESI) interface in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) and positive ion modes to determine diazepam concentrations in human plasma using voriconazole as an internal standard (IS). Diazepam and IS were detected at transition 285.2→193.1 and 350.2→127.1, respectively. After liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) using 1.2 ml of ethyl acetate:n-hexane (80:20, v/v), diazepam and IS were eluted on a Phenomenex Cadenza CD-C18 column (150 × 3.0 mm, 3 µm) with an isocratic mobile phase (10 mM ammonium acetate in water:methanol [5:95, v/v]) at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min. The peak retention time was 2.32 min for diazepam and 2.01 min for IS, respectively. The lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) was 0.5 ng/mL (S/N > 10) using 50 µL of plasma, and no interferences were observed in chromatograms. Our analytical method was fully validated and successfully applied to a bioequivalence study of two formulations of diazepam in healthy Korean volunteers.
Ammonium Compounds ; Diazepam* ; Humans* ; Liquid-Liquid Extraction ; Mass Spectrometry ; Methods* ; Plasma* ; Therapeutic Equivalency* ; Volunteers ; Voriconazole