The present study was aimed at the optimal solution of the main muscular force distribution in the lower extremity during standing balance of human. The movement musculoskeletal system of lower extremity was simplified to a physical model with 3 joints and 9 muscles. Then on the basis of this model, an optimum mathematical model was built up to solve the problem of redundant muscle forces. Particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is used to calculate the single objective and multi-objective problem respectively. The numerical results indicated that the multi-objective optimization could be more reasonable to obtain the distribution and variation of the 9 muscular forces. Finally, the coordination of each muscle group during maintaining standing balance under the passive movement was qualitatively analyzed using the simulation results obtained.
Algorithms ; Gait ; Humans ; Joints ; Models, Biological ; Models, Theoretical ; Movement ; Muscles ; physiology ; Postural Balance

BACKGROUND:Studies have found that Wudi Dan can suppress local inflammatory response of the lesioned joints to protect the articular cartilage. OBJECTIVE:To verify the effect of Wudi Dan on chondrocyte viability and apoptosis as wel as the therapeutic effect on osteoarthritis. METHODS:Rat chondrocytes were cultured in serum medium containing Wudi Dan, and the effects of Wudi Dan on cel viability and apoptosis were observed by comparison with the control group. Rabbit model of knee osteoarthritis was constructed using modified Hulth method. Rabbit models were divided into two groups:Wudi Dan group treated with Wudi Dan and control group treated with normal saline, twice a day, consecutively for 4 weeks. Therapeutic effect of Wudi Dan on knee osteoarthritis was observed;cel viability and apoptosis were observed under microscope;the levels of interleukin-1 and matrix metal oproteinase-3 were determined using immunohistochemical method. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The apoptotic rate of chondrocytes was significantly lower in the Wudi Dan group than the control group. Pathological findings of the rabbit knee joints showed that the control group had more severe damage to the articular cartilage than the Wudi Dan group. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that in the Wudi Dan group, the cytoplasm and extracel ular matrix were colored light and there were a smal number of positive cel s as wel as low expression of interleukin-1 and matrix metal oproteinase-3. The results suggest that Wudi Dan can effectively protect against articular cartilage lesions, reduce inflammation, and have a good therapeutic effect on osteoarthritis. Its mechanism may be related to inhibition of chondrocyte apoptosis, reduction of cytokine production and inhibition of protein expression of matrix metal oproteinase.

BACKGROUND: Scoparone,which is a major principle separated from traditional Chinese herbs artemisia scoparia, which possesses actions of immunosuppression, anti-inflammation and relaxing bronchial smooth muscle. It' s not known whether scoparone possesses the regulation of the imbalance of interferon-gamma(IFN-γ) and interleukin-4(IL-4) in asthmatic guinea pig.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the inhibition and immunoregulation of scoparone on asthmatic guinea pig.DESIGN: Randomized controlled study based on the experimental animals.SETTING: Department of ethnopharmaeology in a university.MATERIALS: The experiment was completed in the Department of Ethnopharmacology,China Medical University between July 2000 and March 2002. Totally 84 male guinea pigs were selected at sanitation grade,weighting about(200 ± 50) g.INTERVENTIONS: The ameliorative effects of scoparone on the imbalance of IFN-γ and IL-4 in asthmatic guinea pigs were investigated by using the acute and delayed asthmatic guinea pigs which were respectively challenged by the aerosol mixture of 10 g/L histamine and 1 g/L acetylcholine,and 10 mL/L ovalbumin.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The asthmatic latent periods in acute and delayed asthma, and the levels of IgE, IL-4 and IFN-γ in serum and pulmonary tissue homogenate in the asthmatic animals.RESULTS: Scoparone significantly prolonged the asthmatic latent periods in acute and delayed asthma,observably reduced the levels of IgE and IL-4 and raised the content of IFN-γin serum and pulmonary tissue homogenate in the asthmatic animals (P<0. 05).CONCLUTION: The anti-asthmatic effects of scoparone result from the ameliorative effects on the imbalance of IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio thereby to inhibit the abnormal synthesis of IgE.

Aim The m_5AChR-G_ 11? fusion protein was expressed by baculovirus-Sf9 cells system, then using it to identify the specific agonists and antagonists for m_5AChR via detecting the affinity of GDP and m_5AChR-G_ 11?. Methods The m_5AChR-G_ 11? fused cDNAs were generated via a two-step PCR protocol and inserted into pBacPAK9 virus vector. We expressed m_5AChR-G_ 11? fusion protein and m_5AChR protein using baculovirus-Sf9 cell system. [ 3H]QNB and [ 35S]GTP?S binding tests were performed to detect the expressional level of receptor proteins and determine the affinity of GDP and m_5AChR-G_ 11? fusion protein. Results The expression level of m_5AChR-G_ 11? was (47.6?3.2) nmol?g -1 protein. The affinity of GDP to G_ 11? partner changed in the presence of different muscarinic ligands. IC_ 50 values of GDP in the presence of ACh, YM796, Oxotremorine, Methixene, Dextimide and atropine were 128.0, 72.1, 68.5, 16.2, 14.9 and 9.7 ?mol?L -1 respectively, and that in the absence of muscarinic ligand was 20.8 ?mol?L -1. Conclusion The m_5AChR-G_ 11? fusion protein has the pharmacological specificity of M_5 receptor and the efficient coupling interaction of the two partner. Affinity of GDP to ligand bound m_5AChR-G_ 11? fusion protein represents the species of muscarinic ligands. ACh is a full agonist for m_5AChR-G_ 11? fusion protein, YM796 and oxotremorine are partial agonists, while methixene, dextimide and atropine are antagonists.

Objective To investigate the level and influencing factors of oral health-related quality of life in patients with chronic periodontal disease. Methods 280 patients with chronic periodontal disease were investigated, using Pearson, Spearman correlation and multivariate linear regression to identify influencing factors of oral health-related quality of life. Results The oral health impact profile was in the middle level with a total score of 16.93±7.37. The influencing factors were self-efficacy for self-care, dental fear and entering into supportive periodontal therapy, which contributed 24.0% of the variance. Conclusions The oral health-related quality of life in patients with chronic periodontal disease is in low level. In order to improve the oral health-related quality of life in patients with chronic periodontal disease, health care providers should strengthen patients′ self-efficacy and reduce the patients′dental fear.

In order to develop safe training intensity and training methods for the passive balance rehabilitation train- ing system, we propose in this paper a mathematical model for human standing balance adjustment based on T-S fuzzy identification method. This model takes the acceleration of a multidimensional motion platform as its inputs, and human joint angles as its outputs. We used the artificial bee colony optimization algorithm to improve fuzzy C--means clustering algorithm, which enhanced the efficiency of the identification for antecedent parameters. Through some experiments, the data of 9 testees were collected, which were used for model training and model results validation. With the mean square error and cross-correlation between the simulation data and measured data, we concluded that the model was accurate and reasonable.
Algorithms ; Cluster Analysis ; Fuzzy Logic ; Humans ; Models, Theoretical ; Postural Balance

Due to the characteristics and environmental factors, electrocardiogram (ECG) signals are usually interfered by noises in the course of signal acquisition, so it is crucial for ECG intelligent analysis to eliminate noises in ECG signals. On the basis of wavelet transform, threshold parameters were improved and a more appropriate threshold expression was proposed. The discrete wavelet coefficients were processed using the improved threshold parameters, the accurate wavelet coefficients without noises were gained through inverse discrete wavelet transform, and then more original signal coefficients could be preserved. MIT-BIH arrythmia database was used to validate the method. Simulation results showed that the improved method could achieve better denoising effect than the traditional ones.
Algorithms ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Databases, Factual ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Wavelet Analysis

Objective To study the pathogenesis of anemia in chronic aristolochic acid nephmpathy(CAAN) rats. Methods The hemoglobin(Hb)values of sixty-two male SD rats were assayed to determine its normal range.Among them,24 rats with normal Hb value were randomly divided into 2 groups:model group (MG)in which rats received the extract of Aristololochia manshuriensis Kom (AmK) by gavage,and control group (CG) received tap water only by gavage.Body weisht(BW),Hb,24 h urinary protein excretion(UP)and creatinine clearance (Ccr)of 6 rats in each group were measured before administration and at the end of the 8th week, respeetively.then these rats were sacrificed.The relative area of renal interstitial fibrosis was measured by microscopy.The mRNA expression of erythropoietin (EPO)in kidney tissue Was determined by real-time RT-PCR;protein expression of type I collagen(Coll),aminopeptidase P (APP),hypoxia indHeible factor let and 2α(HIF-1α and HIF-2α)in kidney tissue Was examined by immunohistochemistry staining. Results Hb values of normal rats presented normal distribution. The normal Hb was (155.9±16.5) g/L. Rat anemia was diagnosed when Hb was below 123.6 g/L. There was no difference in all the examination results between CG and MG before administration (P>0.05). Compared with CG, the Hb and Cer in MG were significantly decreased [(121.66±15.68) g/L vs (169.00±12.89) g/L, (0.63±0.13) ml/min vs (1.27±0.18) ml/min, P< 0.01], and the UP in MG was significantly increased at the end of the 8th week [(27.04±9.40) mg/d vs (6.11±0.84) mg/d, P<0.01]; the relative areas of fibrosis and Col l in renal interstitium of MG were significantly enlarged [(12.89±2.33)% vs (0.55±0.10)%, (13.92±2.92)% vs (1.32±0.84)%, P<0.01]; the protein expression of APP and the mRNA expression of EPO in the kidney tissue of MG were significantly down-regulated [(0.55±0.23)% vs (3.77±1.06)%, 0.005±0.001 vs 0.032±0.013, P<0.01]; the protein expression of HIF-lα and HIF-2α in the kidney tissue of MG was significantly up-regulated (2.55±0.16 vs 1.12±0.46, 2.33±0.33 vs 1.15±0.27, P<0.01), at the end of the 8th week. Conclusions The pathogenesis of anemia in CAAN may be due to the decreased production of EPO caused by the destruction of peritubular capillary. The compensatory up-regulation of HIF-lα and HIF-2α expression can not prevent the anemia development.

In order to evaluate the ability of human standing balance scientifically, we in this study proposed a new evaluation method based on the chaos nonlinear analysis theory. In this method, a sinusoidal acceleration stimulus in forward/backward direction was forced under the subjects' feet, which was supplied by a motion platform. In addition, three acceleration sensors, which were fixed to the shoulder, hip and knee of each subject, were applied to capture the balance adjustment dynamic data. Through reconstructing the system phase space, we calculated the largest Lyapunov exponent (LLE) of the dynamic data of subjects' different segments, then used the sum of the squares of the difference between each LLE (SSDLLE) as the balance capabilities evaluation index. Finally, 20 subjects' indexes were calculated, and compared with evaluation results of existing methods. The results showed that the SSDLLE were more in line with the subjects' performance during the experiment, and it could measure the body's balance ability to some extent. Moreover, the results also illustrated that balance level was determined by the coordinate ability of various joints, and there might be more balance control strategy in the process of maintaining balance.
Acceleration ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Humans ; Models, Biological ; Motion ; Nonlinear Dynamics ; Postural Balance ; physiology