Objective: To examine the association between leukocyte telomere length and cataract using bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) approach, so as to provide the basis for early diagnosis and prevention of cataracts. Methods: Leukocyte telomere length data were collected through a meta analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS), including 78 952 participants, and the GWAS data of cataract were collected through the UK Biobank, including 8 890 cases and 454 120 controls. A bidirectional MR analysis was performed using the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) which were associated with leukocyte telomere length were selected as instrumental variables. The heterogeneity was assessed using the Cochran's Q test, the horizontal pleiotropy was assessed using the MR-Egger regression and the outlier was verified with the leave-one-out and MR-PRESSO test. Results: Forward MR analysis results showed that shortened leukocyte telomere length had an increased risk of cataract (OR=0.991, 95%CI: 0.990-0.997). Reverse MR analysis results showed no statistically significant association between leukocyte telomere length and cataract (P>0.05). Cochran's Q test detected no heterogeneity, and neither the MR-Egger regression nor the MR-PRESSO test revealed horizontal pleiotropy of instrumental variables (both P>0.05). Leave-one-out analysis showed robustness of the MR analysis results. Conclusion Shorter leukocyte telomere length might be associated with increased risk of cataract.

Objective To analyze the hotspots and frontiers of researches related to exercise intervention for spinal curvature abnor-malities in children and adolescents. Methods Articles related to exercise intervention for spinal curvature abnormalities in children and adolescents were re-trieved from CNKI and Web of Science Core Collection,from January,2014 to December,2023.The literatures were analyzed wtih CiteSapce 6.2.R3 in terms of disciplines,countries,institutes and keywords. Results A total of 233 articles were retrived,including 71 articles in Chinese and 162 articles in English.The annual pub-lication volume was on the rise.China was the country with the highest number of publications.South Korea was seen a sudden increase in recent literature.For Chinese,the institutions with the largest number of publication were the Department of Health and Exercise Science in Tianjin University of Sport and Luoyang Orthopedic-Traumatological Hospital of Henan Province(Henan Provincial Orthopedic Hospital).While the institutions with the largest number of publication in English were Marmara University and Hong Kong Polytechnic University.The English literatures covered a wide range of disciplines,including clinical medicine,sports medicine,neurolo-gy and psychology.Common high-frequency keywords in both Chinese and English literatures were idiopathic scoliosis,Cobb's angle and Schroth exercise.The latest bursting words included physical health in Chinese,and health-related quality of life and respiratory muscle strength in English. Conclusion The research popularity related to exercise intervention for spinal curvature abnormality in children and ado-lescents is generally on the rise.The research hotspots focus on four main areas:disease,quality of life,research advances and clinical treatment.More attention should be paid to the effect and dosage of exercise intervention on the respiratory function,as well as the effect of Chinese medicine exercise therapy on pediatric patients with abnormal spinal curvature diseases.Future work should focus on constructing an evidence-based Chinese/West-ern medicine exercise prevention and treatment system in the context of China's national conditions,advancing high-quality randomized controlled trials,strengthening interdisciplinary and international collaborations,and fo-cusing on the development and evaluation of personalized exercise intervention programs.

Objective To determine the effect of crocin regulating miR-139-5p/ATF4 axis on myo-cardial injury and energy metabolism in rats with CHF.Methods A total of 84 male SPF SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group,model group,crocin low-,medium-and high-dose groups,captopril group and crocin+miR-139-5p inhibitor group,with 12 in each group.Car-diac function indexes,myocardial histomathological morphology,apoptotic rate,myocardial injury indexes,heart failure indexes,inflammatory indexes,oxidative stress indexes,myocardial ATP content,SDH activity,and miR-139-5p and ATF4 mRNA expression levels were detected in rats.The targeting relationship between miR-139-5p and ATF4 was verified.Results Compared with the conditions in the model group,crocin treatment at different doses reduced apoptotic rate of cardiomyocytes,decreased MDA content,LVEDD and LVESD values and cTnI,cTnT,CK-MB,NT-proBNP,TNF-α and IL-1β levels,and declined ATF4 mRNA level,and increased LVEF and LVFS values,SOD activity,ATP content,SDH activity and miR-139-5p level(P＜0.05).Com-pared with the crocin high-dose group,the crocin+miR-139-5p inhibitor group had higher apop-totic rate of cardiomyocytes[(22.68±3.25)％vs(11.94±1.38)％,P＜0.05],increased LVEDD and LVESD value,raised MAD content and cTnI,cTnT,CK-MB,NT-proBNP,TNF-α and IL-1βlevel,and elecated ATF4 mRNA level,and decreased LVEF and LVFS value,SOD activity,ATP content,SDH activity and miR-139-5p level(P＜0.05).There was a targeting relationship be-tween miR-139-5p and ATF4.Conclusion Crocin can improve myocardial injury and energy me-tabolism in CHF rats,which may be related to its regulation of miR-139-5p/ATF4 axis.

Objective:To explore any changes in the electromyographic (EMG) signals from the deep lumbar multifidus (DM) of patients with chronic low back pain (cLBP).Methods:Twenty-five cLBP patients formed the cLBP group, while twenty-eight healthy counterparts similar in sex, age and education background were chosen as the control group. EMG signals were recorded during maximum isometric voluntary contraction of the DM. Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance was applied to compare the two groups′ signals′ Lempel-Ziv (LZ) complexity values at rest and during the maximum strength, strength endurance and relaxation stages of contraction. Pearson correlation coefficients were computed relating the LZ complexity to pain duration and intensity, as well as to Oswestry disability index (ODI) values in the cLBP group.Results:The cLBP patients reported a mean symptom duration of 5.96±4.69 years, with an average VAS score of 4.00±1.04 and ODI of 17.12±10.49. They reported greater pain intensity during needle insertions, needle removal, muscle contraction and relaxation than the healthy controls. There were significant differences in LZ complexity among the four stages of contraction with all of the subjects. The LZ complexity was significantly lower in the maximum strength and strength endurance states, but higher in the relaxation after contraction states in the cLBP group. Pain duration was negatively correlated with the nonlinear index of DM during contraction.Conclusion:Continuous pain stimulation will affect the coordinated control of the deep multifidus muscle, leading to decreased control of core muscles via the central nervous system. That provides insight into the mechanisms underlying activation and coordinated control during chronic pain.

Objective:To observe the morphological changes of the deep lumbar multifidus (DM) during rest and movement among persons with chronic low back pain (cLBP) using ultrasound imaging.Methods:Twenty-one cLBP patients and 30 pain-free healthy controls were studied. The resting thickness of the DM muscle was measured, and then its cross-sectional area and thickness during maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC). The results were correlated with pain intensity and duration.Results:The cLBP patients showed significant reductions in the DM′s resting thickness, and in its cross-sectional area and thickness during a MVIC compared with the healthy controls. The resting thickness of the DM was positively correlated with pain duration, but not with pain intensity.Conclusions:These results suggest that cLBP patients have atrophy and less thickness change during an MVIC. This should be considered in planning clinical rehabilitation training.

Objective To explore the effect of non-surgical spinal decompression (SDS) on the surface electromyogram signals from the paraspinal muscles of patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH).Methods Twelve patients diagnosed with L4.5 LDH were recruited and randomly dividcd into an SDS group and a control group,each of 6 according to their order of admission.The SDS group received spinal decompression,while the control group was given lumbar traction.The average surface electromyogram signals (AEMGs) were recorded before,during and after the treatment.Results Before the treatment,the AEMG values collected from the left and right erector spinae and multifidus of the SDS group were already significantly different from those of the control group.During the treatment,the AEMG values collected from the right erector spinae and multifidus of the SDS group remained significantly different from those of the control group.After the treatment,the AEMG values were still significantly different.Conclusions SDS relieves tension and fatigue of the paraspinal muscles better than lumbar traction.

Objective To explore effect of treatment of a non-surgical spinal decompression system(SDS) on neck muscle surface electromyography(EMG)of patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy(CSR).Methods Sixty patients with CSR in Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University in China between February 2014 and February 2016 were recruited and randomly divided into SDS group and control group,with 30 patients for each group.The SDS group and control group were treated with the SDS and general traction system for cervical traction respectively.Surface EMG telemeter was used to measure the surface EMG signals of the affected side cervical erector spinae muscle and sternocleidomastoid with the score of averaged EMG value(AEMG)and the median frequency(MF)as surface electromyogram signal evaluation indexes,and VAS and NDI as therapeutic effect evaluation indexes after a course of treatment.The data before and after the treatment were statistiacaly analyzed.Results During the first traction with tradtional traction or SDS,AEMG values of the cervical paraspinal muscle and sternocleidomastoi were significantly decreased and MF values significantly increased as compared with those before the traction (all P＜0.05).After a course of treatment,AEMG values of affected side cervical erector spinae muscle and sternocleidomastoi of SDS group were significantly decreased as compared with those before the treatment,and they were significantly lower in SDS group than in ordinary group (all P＜0.05);and MF values of affected side cervical erector spinae muscle and sternocleidomastoi in SDS group were significantly increased as compared with those before the treatment,and they were significantly higher in the SDS group than in the ordinary group (all P＜0.05).VAS and NDI scores of the two groups after a course of treatment were significantly lower than those before the treatment (P＜0.05),and VAS and NDI scores were significantly lower in the SDS group than in the ordinary group (P＜0.05).Conclusion SDS traction is superior to ordinary traction in relieving pain,improving function,relaxing neck muscles and alleviating muscle fatigue.

[Objective] To explore the characteristics of the plantar pressure data of the patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).[Methods] 56 AIS patients who were diagnosed from October 2015 to March 2017 in the East branch of the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University divided into 3 groups,18 cases in spinal lateral bending to right,18 cases in spinal lateral bending to left,20 cases in type S who were thoracolumbar scoliosis.Another 19 healthy persons were as the control group.The left and right foot pressure,half foot pressure and other biomechanical data were compared.The changes of the plantar pressure and the Cobb angle were analyzed with the patients who wore orthopedic insoles.[Results] Compared with the control group,the mean pressure of the left foot and the pressure of the left anterior half of the right bending group were less than those of the control group,and the right half foot pressure were greater than those of the control group (P ＜ 0.017).To the left bending group,the mean pressure of right anterior half foot were less than those of the control group,and the right rear half foot pressure was greater than that of the control group (P ＜ 0.017).The pressure of the left anterior half foot of the S type scoliosis group was less than that of the control group.To the right bending group,the left foot average pressure (44.7％±6.0％) was significantly less than the average pressure of right foot (55.4％ ± 6.0％).There was no difference in bilateral plantar pressure of the left bending group,S type group and control group.There was difference with the plantar pressure distribution in patients with only one curve after they wore orthotic insoles,but there was no difference in patients with type S.There was no significant difference in the Cobb angle after the patients wearing the orthotic insoles (P =0.102).[Conclusions] The right and left foot pressure symmetry of the right bending patients is poor,but the left and right plantar pressure in the patients with type S is symmetrical.The orthotic insole can be used to adjust the plantar pressure distribution in patients with a single curved scoliosis (left or right),but their effect on the patient's spinal lateral curvature should be further observed.

Objective To analyze the biomechanical properties of the lower limb in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS),and to explore the relationship between the biomechanical anomaly of lower limbs and AIS.Methods A total of 116 AIS patients were recruited as the observation group,and another 116 healthy counterparts were selected as the control group.The biomechanical properties of the lower limbs including the torsion angle of the tibia,forefoot-rearfoot angle,rotation angle of the hip joint,leg length difference,and pronation of the ankle were measured and compared between the 2 groups.Then multiple factors regression analysis was conducted to reveal the risking factors for AIS.Results Significant differences were observed between the AIS group and the control group in the leg length difference [(5.94±6.07) mm vs (0.74±2.20)mm] and forefoot-rearfoot angle [(0.17±4.72) ° vs (-0.46±3.60)°] (P＜0.01).In the AIS group,significant differences were found in the rotation amplitude of the left and right ankle,with a difference of-1.27° at standard deviation of 3.28 (P＜0.01).Multi-factor regression analysis indicated that the leg length difference and forefootrearfoot angle were risk factors for AIS.The odds ratio of the leg length difference and forefoot-rearfoot angle were 1.45 and 0.97,respectively.Conclusions The leg length difference and forefoot-rearfoot angle are risk factors for AIS.

Objective To investigate the possible effect of performing double-leg semi-squats with hip adduction on the imbalance between vastus lateralis (VL) and vastus medialis oblique (VMO) muscles of patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS).Methods Thirty patients with PFPS were selected to be in the study group,matched with 30 healthy subjects who were enrolled as the control group.Electromyography was used to record VL and VMO activities while the subjects performed double-leg semi-squats (DSs) and double-leg semi-squats with hip adduction (DSs-HA).Results In the study group,when performing DSs,the average RMS was (103.31 ± 44.54) μV and the IEMG was (8.02 ±3.45) μVs for VL.For VMO the RMS was (85.02 ±41.19) μV and the IEMG was (6.72 ±3.20) μVs.The differences in the time domain indexes (RMS,IEMG) between VL and VMO were both significant during DSs (P ＜ 0.05).There was no significant differences during DSs-HA (P ＞ 0.05).The time domain indexes (RMS,IEMG) of VMO were significantly different in both the DSs and DSs-HA (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Stronger sEMG signals were seen from the VMO in the double-leg semi-squats with hip adduction than without hip adduction,which indicates that more selective VMO activation can be obtained in the exercise with hip adduction to help balance the VL and VMO.