Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave (ESWT) combined with stretching training in the treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis.Methods:A prospective case-control study was conducted to include the patients with chronic plantar fasciitis who had been admitted to Department of Orthopaedic Trauma, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University from June 2021 to June 2022. A SPSS random number generator was used to randomize the patients into an experimental group (receiving treatment with ESWT combined with stretching training) and a control group (receiving stretching training only). Shear wave elastography (SWE) was used to quantitatively evaluate the elastic modulus of the plantar fascia. The 2 groups were compared in terms of visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score, plantar fascia thickness, and elastic modulus of the plantar fascia in the patients at 12 weeks after treatment; the correlation between VAS pain score and elastic modulus of the plantar fascia was examined using Spearman analysis in the patients at 12 weeks after treatment.Results:This study included a total of 41 patients (52 feet), 20 males and 21 females with an age of (49.9±8.2) years. There were 16 left sides, 14 right sides and 11 bilateral sides affected. The course of the disease was 7.0 (6.0, 12.0) months. The 2 groups were comparable because there were no significant differences in the general data before treatment between them ( P>0.05). The VAS pain score at 12 weeks after treatment for the experimental group was 1.0 (1.0, 2.0) points, significantly lower than that for the control group [3.0 (2.0, 3.0) points] ( P<0.05). The elastic modulus of the plantar fascia at 12 weeks after treatment for the experimental group was (79.48 ± 17.65) kPa, significantly higher than that for the control group [(57.08 ± 14.16) kPa] ( P<0.05). However, there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups in the thickness of the plantar fascia at 12 weeks after treatment ( P>0.05). There was a significant correlation between VAS pain score and elastic modulus of the plantar fascia after 12 weeks of treatment ( r = -0.708, P<0.001). Conclusion:In the treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis, combination of ESWT and stretching training is more effective than stretching training only.

The cultivation and production of cucumber are seriously affected by downy mildew caused by Pseudoperonospora cubensis. Downy mildew damages leaves, stems and inflorescences, and then reduces the yield and quality of cucumber. This review summarized the research advances in cucumber downy mildew, including pathogen detection and defense pathways, regulatory factors, mining of pathogens-resistant candidate genes, proteomic and genomic analysis, and development of QTL remarks. This review may facilitate clarifying the resistance mechanisms of cucumber to downy mildew.
Cucumis sativus/genetics* ; Oomycetes/genetics* ; Peronospora ; Plant Diseases/genetics* ; Proteomics

Malunion is a common complication following a calcaneal fracture which was not treated or treated inappropriately.It is a therapeutic target and a great challenge as well to relieve pain, correct deformity and restore the function of the affected foot in clinical treatment of calcaneal malunion. As a result of researches by scholars at home and abroad focusing on the biomechanical mechanisms underlying the symptoms caused by calcaneal malunion, a variety of corrective calcaneal osteotomy has been widely applied in clinical practice to specifically correct the calcaneal deformity and restore normal calcaneal morphology. This review expounds on the techniques, outcomes, indications and complications of corrective calcaneal osteotomies commonly used in clinic.

Incidence of acute closed Achilles tendon rupture is high in clinic. Accurate diagnosis of this injury depends on a combination of physical signs and imaging examinations. Although conservative and surgical interventions are common for acute closed Achilles tendon rupture, its optimal treatment remains controversial. This literature review focuses on the research progress concerning this injury so as to analyze its risk factors, diagnostic methods, treatments, early functional rehabilitation, postoperative complications and prognosis evaluation.

Flowering is a critical transitional stage during plant growth and development, and is closely related to seed production and crop yield. The flowering transition is regulated by complex genetic networks, whereas many flowering-related genes generate multiple transcripts through alternative splicing to regulate flowering time. This paper summarizes the molecular mechanisms of alternative splicing in regulating plant flowering from several perspectives, future research directions are also envisioned.
Alternative Splicing/genetics* ; Arabidopsis/metabolism* ; Arabidopsis Proteins/genetics* ; Flowers/genetics*

With deepening understanding of surgical treatment of calcaneal fractures,clinical applications of external fixators have drawn more attention.At present,however,there has been no systematic review of such applications for intra-articular calcaneal fracture.This review collected all the recent reports available on such applications to analyze the use and clinical indications of different external fixators.Moreover,on the basis of our own clinical experience,we further proposed a novel treatment protocol for intraarticular calcaneal fractures which integrates internal and external fixation and minimally invasive techniques.

Objective By developing an automatic procedure for optimization of femoro-tibial contact area for knee prosthesis, to summarize the influence pattern of design parameters on contact area, and discover the relationship between the maximum contact stress and contact area. Methods A parametric finite element (FE) model was developed in the Isight software, which included three components: automatic parameter changes for the geometric model, automatic modeling in the FE software, and automatic FE calculation. The automatic workflow was realized, and then contact areas were statistically analyzed. Results The FE model was validated by using Tekscan pressure distribution system. When the femoral sagittal radius was gradually close to the tibial sagittal radius, the contact area gradually reached to the maximum 295 mm2. The femoral sagittal radius had a positive effect on contact area, while the tibial sagittal radius had a negative effect. The maximum contact stress had a linear relationship with contact area approximately. Conclusions This study analyzed the influence of femoro-tibial sagittal radius on contact stress and contact area, and the research findings would provide references for the design on reducing wear of tibial insert in clinic.

Objective To study the clinical features,treatment methods and clinical outcomes of acute tibialis posterior tendon rupture.Methods Using [(posterior tibial tendon) OR (tibialis posterior tendon)] AND (rupture OR injury OR disruption OR trauma OR tear) as the search words,we searched the PubMed database to retrieve the 19 articles involving 24 cases of acute tibialis posterior tendon rupture.The injury mechanisms,X-ray manifestations,operational findings,treatment methods and clinical outcomes were analyzed.Results The mechanisms of the fracture-related tibialis posterior tendon rupture included motor accident (50.0％,12/24),falling from a height (41.7％,10/24) and sports injury (8.3％,12/24).The tendon rupture was mostly complicated with malleolar fracture (91.7％,22/24),especially the pronation type (70.8％,17/24).Direct suture of the tendon was adopted in 91.7％ of the cases (22/24).Favorable outcomes were achieved in 95.5％ of the cases (21/24).Conclusions Acute tibialis posterior tendon rupture is mostly seen in high-energy medial malleolus fracture.The mechanism of the rupture might be tendon distraction or bone flake incision.Early operation can lead to favorable outcomes.

Objective To discuss the influence of Qihong Fang (Wolfberry and Hawthorn Decoction) on heart in aged rats with cold-congealing and blood-stasis pattern.Methods SD rats (n =48) were divided randomly into normal control group,model group,vitamin E group (13.5 mg/kg),low-dose Qihong Fang group (45 mg/kg),mid-dose Qihong Fang group (90 mg/kg) and high-dose Qihong Fang group (180 mg/kg).The aged rat model of cold-congealing and blood-stasis pattern was established through 28-d ozone leading to aging and 14-d ice water leading to cold-congealing and blood-stasis pattern in other 5 groups except of control group.On the 29th d,the blood samples were collected from abdominal aorta for isolating serum and plasma,and heart was separated too.The vitalities of serum total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD),Cu-Zn SOD,Mn-SOD,catalase (CAT),glutathione peroxidease (GSH-PX),content of malondialdehyde (MDA),and prothrombin time (PT),activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT),thrombin time (TT) and fibrinogen (FIB) were detected.The morphologic changes of heart cells were observed after HE staining,fiber deposition quantity was observed after Masson staining,expression of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) was detected by using immunohistochemistry technique for reviewing aging model of cold-congealing and blood-stasis pattern,and protective effect of Qihong Fang on heart was observed in rats.Results Compared with normal control group,the vitalities of T-SOD,Cu-Zn-SOD,Mn-SOD,CAT and GSH-PX decreased significantly (P ＜ 0.05),MDA content increased significantly (P＜ 0.05,PT and APTT decreased significantly (P ＜ 0.05),and FIB content increased significantly (P ＜0.05) in model group.After Masson staining,morphometry observation by light microscope showed deposition of heart collagen fibers increased significantly (P ＜ 0.05),and expression of TGF-β1 increased significantly (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with control group,the vitalities of T-SOD,Cu-Zn-SOD,CAT and GSH-PX increased significantly (P ＜ 0.05),MDA content decreased significantly (P ＜ 0.05),PT and ATPP increased significantly (P ＜ 0.05),FIB content decreased significantly (P ＜ 0.05),deposition of heart collagen fibers decreased significantly (P ＜0.05),and expression of TGF-β1 decreased significantly (P ＜ 0.05) in mid-dose and high-dose Qihong Fang groups.Conclusion Qihong Fang has a protective effect on heart in aged rats with cold-congealing and blood-stasis pattern.

For the current situation of the time background and the cultivation of innovation ability of undergraduates, the problems of fracture classification, function evaluation and postoperative rehabilitation were realized by a software research team which mainly consisted of medical undergrad-uates. We put the project into practice in forms of software production and software promotion trial separately in the field of teaching and clinical practice to encourage students to be involved in learn-ing in the process of software production of professional knowledge. The implementation of the project worked well, and developed the well-designed relevant mobile software which was convenient in clini-cal practice and acquired computer software copyright, indicating that it can effectively motivate the undergraduates' innovation interest and consciousness through participating in the various links and the software production process, and it can also contribute to the cultivation of the comprehensive practical and innovation ability of medical undergraduates.