Objective To establish a new method for measuring the 3-D kinematics of hindfoot joints in vivo by using reverse engineering software together with the theory of rigid body kinematics.Methods CT images were gathered from 9 feet of 5 healthy volunteers in both the initial position (neutral position) and the terminal position (extremely inversion-adduction-dorsiflexion position).The 3-D digital modules of hindfoot joints in the initial position and terminal position were established with MIMICS 10.01 software.The data of reconstructed digital modules was inputted into the GEOMAGIC 10.0 software in STL format for twice registration,and then their relatively displacement and changes of angle in 3-D space between the two positions were calculated Results The rotation range of the tibiotalar joint was 3.89° ±2.77° in eversion,5.29°±4.47° in abduction,10.77°+5.70° in dorsiflexion,and the relative displacement was 0.78±0.59 mm towards lateral ankle,0.18±0.75 mm towards the hindfoot,(0.65±0.71) mm towards the proximal limbs;the range of subtalar joint was 16.46°±2.94° in inversion,12.77°±1.81° in adduction,6.33°±4.32° in plantarflexion,and the relative displacement was 5.50±1.45 mm towards medial ankle,1.96±1.77 mm towards forefoot,0.43±1.18 mm towards distal limbs; the range of talonavicular joint was 38.82°±5.98° in inversion,19.71°±6.33° in adduction,5.09°±6.89° in plantarflexion,and the relative displacement was (9.77±1.73) mm towards medial ankle,3.13±1.29 mm towards hindfoot,4.64±1.42 mm towards proximal limbs.Conclusion This method measuring 3-D kinematics of hindfoot joints in vivo is non-invasive and easy to operate.

Objective To observe the effects of infrasound(IS)of different frequencies and intensities on the pathological morphology of the gastric mucosa(GM)in rats.Methods One hundred and forty male Sprague- Dawley rats were randomly and evenly divided into a control group(group A),an 8 Hz 90 dB group(group B),an 8 Hz 130 dB group(group C)and a 16 Hz 130 dB group(group D).IS with these frequencies and intensities was administered daily for 2 h to all groups except group A,which received sham infrasound.The other 70 rats were ran- domly and evenly divided into a second control group(group E)and an exposure group(group F),in which the rats were continuously stimulated by IS at 8 Hz and 130 dB for 2 h a day for 14 d.The pathological morphology of the GM in each group was observed at 1 d,7 d,14 d,21 d and 28 d after IS exposure.Results①Compared with group A,GM lesion scores were significantly increased in groups B,C and D at 1 d,7 d,14 d,21 d and 28 d(P＜0.01),but not in group B at 1 d.②Compared with group B,the GM lesion scores in group C were obviously in- creased at 1 d,7 d,14 d,21 d and 28 d,while scores were also obviously improved in group C in comparison with those in group D at 14 d,21 d and 28 d(P＜0.01).③The GM lesion scores in group F decreased gradually after IS,but were still higher than those in group E at 1 d,7 d,14 d,21 d and 28 d after IS.④The ultrastructures of the chondrosome and endocytoplasmic reticulum in GM cells were deformed after 8 Hz and 16 Hz IS.Conclusion 8 Hz 90 dB,8 Hz 130 dB and 16 Hz 130 dB IS can all result in GM damage in rats.The injury severity was closely related to the frequency,intensity and duration of the IS.Rats can adapt to IS after several exposures,and the damage tends to recover automatically.

Objective To study the effects of infrasound of different frequencies and intensities on the levels of somatostatin(SS)and cholecystokinin(CCK)in rat duodenal mucosa.Methods A total of 140 male Sprague- Dawley rats were randomly divided into a control group,an 8 Hz-90 dB group,a 8 Hz-130 dB group and a 16 Hz- 130 dB group.The experimental groups were exposed to infrasound of 8 Hz-90 dB,8 Hz-130 dB or 16 Hz-130 dB,re- spectively,for 2 hours a day,and the control group was put under sham infrasonic exposure.After being exposed for 1, 7,14,21 and 28 days,7 rats were randomly selected from each group and underwent SS and CCK levels detection in duodenal mucosa by microarray radioimmunity method.Results Compared with the control group,the SS and CCK levels of duodenal mucosa did not change significantly after exposure for 1 day.The SS and CCK levels of duodenal mu- cosa significantly increased in 8 Hz-90 dB group,8 Hz-130 dB group and 16 Hz-130 dB group after exposure for 7,14, 21 and 28 days(P

ObjectiveTo study the effect of low-intensity millimeter wave(MMW)irradiation on the immune adhesion function of erythrocytes in mice with tumor.Methods60 healthy male mice were randomized into two groups:irradiation group(n=30) and control group(n=30).All mice were injected into abdominal cavity with A's abdominal juice cancer-cell(1×106/ml,0.2ml).MMW(36GHz,0.73-1.46mw/cm2)was used to irradiate the back of mice in irradiation group,once a day for 8 days.Control group received false irradiation using the same method.At 0d,3d,6d after irradiation, the erythrocytes were extracted from vein blood in the mice,and the RBC-C3b receptor rosettes rate(RCR),tumour-RBC rosette rate(TRR),RBC-SOD and RBC-LPO were determined.ResultsAt 3d after radiation,the RBC-C3b and TRR of irradiation group were higher than that of control group (P<0.01) and RBC-LPO was lower (P<0.05),while there was no significant difference on activity of RBC-SOD(P>0.05). there were no significant difference on all index between two groups at 0d and 6d(P>0.05).ConclusionsLow-intensity millimeter wave irradiation can improve the immune adhesion function of erythrocytes in mice with tumor.

In the fields of judicial psychiatric identification, about 40%-60% of the people maybe exaggerate their injury for personal profit. Though some psychological tests are effective in identification, they are limited in cunning liars. This article summarizes previous experimental mode, results and effects of event-related potential (ERP) in detecting cognitive malingering. ERP technology can be highly sensitive and specific. It is a kind of objective physiological index and is a promising technology in detecting cognitive malingering.
Brain Injuries/psychology* ; Cognition Disorders/psychology* ; Disability Evaluation ; Electroencephalography ; Event-Related Potentials, P300 ; Forensic Psychiatry/methods* ; Humans ; Malingering/psychology* ; Memory/physiology* ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity

AIMTo investigate the changes in the expression of four kinds of calcium regulatory proteins mRNA on the isolated ischemia/ reperfusion (IR) hearts.

METHODSThe rat hearts were divided into two groups: control group and IR group which received 45 min exposure to Krebs-Henseleit solution after 15 min zero-flow global ischemia. The indexes of left ventricular function, such as LVDP, +dp/dt(max), -dp/dt(max), and an arrhythmia scoring system were compared between the two groups. The messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) amount of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA), phospholamban (PLB), inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor2 (IP3R2) and ryanodine receptor2 (RyR2) was measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and normalized to the mRNA levels of beta-actin.

RESULTSIn the IR group, LVDP, +dp/dt(max) and -dp/dt(min) of the isolated hearts were depressed and the high rate of arrhythmias occurred during reperfusion. The levels of SERCA, IP3R2, RyR2 mRNA were lower in the IR isolated hearts group than those in the control group, while there was no difference in the level of phospholamban.

CONCLUSIONThese data suggest that myocardial ischemia/reperfusion can induce the depression of cardiac performance and an increased risk of arrhythmias, concomitant with the decrease in SERCA, IP3R2, RyR2 mRNA steady state levels.

Animals ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-Transporting ATPases ; genetics ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDGlucocorticoid signaling exerts major roles in inflammation, metabolism and depression, which are three crucial factors accompanying or underlying coronary heart disease. Although accumulating evidence indicates the influence of glucocorticoids on the pathology and treatment of coronary heart disease, there is still a dearth of pharmaceutical mechanisms for this relationship. This study aimed to investigate the influence of drug treatment on glucocorticoid receptor levels in coronary heart disease.

METHODSEighty hospitalized patients (average age (59.0 +/- 7.5) years, 46 male and 34 female) with coronary heart disease were categorized into four groups with 20 members in each according to one of the four drugs they were treated with. The four drugs were: nitrated derivative isosorbide dinitrate, the beta-adrenergic receptor blocker metoprolol, the calcium antagonist nifedipine, and the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor lovastatin. Glucocorticoid receptor protein levels of peripheral blood lymphocytes were tested using immunoblotting analysis before and after one month of treatment.

RESULTSImmunoblotting analysis showed increased glucocorticoid receptor levels after treatment with metoprolol and nifedipine. There were no statistically significant changes of glucocorticoid receptor levels after treatment with isosorbide dinitrate or lovastatin, although there were trends of up-regulation of glucocorticoid receptor expression after both treatments.

CONCLUSIONSBoth the beta-blocker and the calcium blocker can increase glucocorticoid receptor levels after chronic administration. This effect suggests a mechanism for their anti-inflammatory and other therapeutic roles for coronary heart disease and comorbid disorders.

Aged ; Blotting, Western ; Coronary Disease ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Isosorbide Dinitrate ; therapeutic use ; Lovastatin ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Metoprolol ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Nifedipine ; therapeutic use ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDLactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is a crucial regulator of energy metabolism in many organs including the heart. Lovastatin is widely used in prevention and treatment of coronary heart disease and is a drug with substantial metabolic influences. Our study aimed to determine the activities of the lactate dehydrogenase A and B (LDHA and LDHB) genes following lovastatin treatment.

METHODSThe rat myocardial cell line H9c2(2-1) in culture was exposed to 100 nmol/L lovastatin for 24 hours or for five days. The functions of the LDHA and LDHB genes were examined at the transcriptional (mRNA) level with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (Q-RT-PCR), and at the translational (protein) level with immunoblotting.

RESULTSWhen compared with control levels, the LDHA mRNA went up by (151.65 ± 16.72)% (P = 0.0132) after 24 hours and by (175.28 ± 56.54)% (P = 0.0366) after five days of lovastatin treatment. Although 24 hours of lovastatin treatment had no significant effects on LDHB mRNA levels, when the treatment was extended to five days, LDHB mRNA levels were significantly down-regulated to (63.65 ± 15.21)% of control levels (P = 0.0117). After 24 hours of treatment with lovastatin, there were no significant changes in protein levels of either LDHA or LDHB. When treatment time was extended to five days, the protein levels of LDHA were up-regulated by (148.65 ± 11.81)% (P = 0.00969), while the protein levels of LDHB were down-regulated to (64.91 ± 5.47)% of control levels (P = 0.0192).

CONCLUSIONSLovastatin affects gene activities of LDHA and LDHB differently, which may reveal novel pharmacological effects of lovastatin.

Animals ; Anticholesteremic Agents ; pharmacology ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Line ; Isoenzymes ; genetics ; metabolism ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Lovastatin ; pharmacology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Rats ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo investigate lifting-related musculoskeletal disorders in metal processing, to analyze the risk factors, and to study the validity and feasibility of using NIOSH lifting equation in China.

METHODSThe questionnaires of semi-structured interview, the Ovako Working Posture Analysing System (OWAS) postural analysis and variables of the NIOSH equation were applied to the study. The study population consisted of 69 workers mainly involved in manual materials handling (MMH), categorized as Job A; and 51 machinery workers, served as controls, that were less MMH task involved, as Job B.

RESULTSThe prevalence of low back pain (LBP), which was defined at least one episode lasting for more than 24 hours in the past 12 months, were 63.8% and 37.3% for Job A and Job B, respectively. However, the prevalence of LBP lasting for more than a week due to lifting were 26.09% and 5.88% for Job A and B, respectively. The proportion of awkward back postures were found higher in Job A than that of Job B (66% vs 63%, P < 0.05). The NIOSH Lifting Index (LI) was estimated to be 2.4 for Job A, and 0 < LI < 1 for Job B. The analysis of multiple regressions revealed that the repetitiveness of lifting and length of service had greatly attributed to the occurrence of LBP. The "composite load" (object weight x activity repetitiveness) had a significant adverse effect on lower back meaning that the objective weight remains an ingredient part of the risk.

CONCLUSIONThe occurrence of LBP is not only related to the force load, but the repetitiveness of lifting and awkward postures. The method of OWAS observation and US-NIOSH equation are important tools in assessing characteristics and risk factors of LBP for MMH tasks. Further study aimed at developing an integral scheme for the assessment system is needed.

Adult ; Back Injuries ; epidemiology ; etiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Metallurgy ; Middle Aged ; Musculoskeletal Diseases ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Occupational Diseases ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Time Factors ; Weight Lifting ; injuries

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of pBBADs-OXM-transformed bifidobacteria on the body weight of obese mice.

METHODSB. longum was transformed with pBBADs-OXM by electroporation, and arabopyranose-induced oxyntomodulin expression by the bacterium was detected by ELISA. pBBADs-OXM-transformed bifidobacteria was administered orally obese mice on a daily basis with pBBADs-GFP-transformed bifidobacteria as the negative control, and the body weight changes of the mice were observed.

RESULTSOXM was detected by ELISA not only in the supernatant but also the precipitant of the transformed bacterial culture. The body weight of the obese mice fed with pBBADs-OXM-transformed bifidobacteria decreased significantly compared with that of the mice in the obese model group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAdministration of pBBADs-OXM-transformed B.longum can reduce the body weight of obese mice.

Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Appetite Depressants ; administration & dosage ; metabolism ; Bifidobacterium ; genetics ; metabolism ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Electroporation ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mice ; Obesity ; drug therapy ; Oxyntomodulin ; administration & dosage ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Recombinant Proteins ; administration & dosage ; biosynthesis ; genetics