Effects of anteriorly-loaded treadmill walking on dynamic gait stability in young adults

BackgroundAnteriorly-loaded walking is common in many occupations and may increase fall risk. Dynamic gait stability, defined by the Feasible Stability Region (FSR) theory, quantifies the kinematic relationship between the body’s center of mass (COM) and base of support (BOS). FSR-based dynamic gait stability has been used to evaluate the fall risk.Research questionHow does front load carriage affect dynamic gait stability, step length, and trunk angle among young adults during treadmill walking?MethodsIn this between-subject design study, 30 healthy young adults were evenly randomized into three load groups (0%, 10%, or 20% of body weight). Participants carried their assigned load while walking on a treadmill at a speed of 1.2 m/s. Body kinematics were collected during treadmill walking. Dynamic gait stability (the primary variable) was calculated for two gait events: touchdown and liftoff. Step length and trunk angle were measured as secondary variables. One-way analysis of variance was conducted to detect any group-related differences for all variables. Post-hoc analysis with Bonferroni correction was performed when main group differences were found.ResultsNo significant differences but medium to large effect sizes were found between groups for dynamic gait stability at touchdown (p = 0.194, η² = 0.114) and liftoff (p = 0.122, η² = 0.139). Trunk angle significantly increased (indicating backward lean) with the front load at touchdown (p < 0.001, η² = 0.648) and liftoff (p < 0.001, η² = 0.543). No significant between-group difference was found related to the step length (p = 0.344, η² = 0.076).SignificanceCarrying a front load during walking significantly alters the trunk orientation and may change the COM-BOS kinematic relationship and, therefore, fall risk. The findings could inform the design of future studies focusing on the impact of anterior load carriage on fall risk during different locomotion.     

轴向载荷分担比指导外固定器动力化的临床应用

目的:探讨轴向载荷分担比用于胫腓骨骨干骨折术后指导外固定器轴向动力化促进骨折愈合的有效性。方法:选取外固定器治疗的胫腓骨骨干骨折患者100例,随机分为观察组50例,对照组50例。观察组在轴向载荷分担比指导下行外固定器轴向动力化治疗,对照组未行动力化,随访比较两组的治疗效果。结果:所有患者均获随访,随访时间4～12个月,平均6.5个月,治疗期间所有患者均未出现外固定针断裂、松动及再骨折等并发症,观察组1例骨搬移患者轴向载荷分担比5%,X线片显示骨折断端有连续性骨痂通过,拆除外固定器连接杆后发生移位,恢复原数值行轴向加压再动力化,现已愈合。观察组除外1例骨搬移患者,其余49例患者外固定器固定时间为[(24.4±4.7)周],骨折临床愈合时间为[(22.4±4.7)周],与对照组50例患者外固定器固定时间[(29.3±5.6)周],骨折临床愈合时间[(27.3±5.6)周]比较,显著减少(P0.05)。结论:外固定器轴向载荷分担比指导胫腓骨骨干骨折外固定术后轴向动力化可以加速骨折愈合,但不适合骨搬移截骨端已硬化患者。     

经皮椎体后凸成形术治疗胸腰椎骨折的临床疗效观察

目的：探讨经皮椎体后凸成形术治疗胸腰段椎体压缩性骨折的临床疗效.方法：2003年6月～2005年9月收治74例胸腰段椎体压缩性骨折患者,根据手术方法不同分为A组（椎体后凸成形术组,24例）和B组（椎弓根螺钉固定组,50例）.比较两组术前术后椎体前缘、中线、后缘高度变化,疼痛视觉模拟评分（visual analogue pain scale,VAS）,手术时间,出血量等方面的差异.结果：两组对椎体高度的恢复比较无统计学意义,A组的手术时间和出血量较B组少,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.01）,术后VAS评分A组较B组低（P＜0.01）.结论：经皮椎体后凸成形术与椎弓根螺钉系统治疗椎体压缩性骨折具有相似效果,但经皮椎体后凸成形术具有创伤小、手术时间短、出血量少等微创优点.     

A comparison of conventional and fast spin-echo sequences for the measurement of lesion load in multiple sclerosis using a semi-automated contour technique

Changes on serial assessments of brain MRI lesion load are used for monitoring therapeutic efficacy in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). We assessed the accuracy and reliability of conventional spin-echo (CSE) and fast spin-echo (FSE) sequences for measurement of lesion volume using a semiautomated contour technique. Cranial CSE and FSE examinations of 18 patients with secondary progressive MS were studied. The mean lesion load was slightly higher with the CSE sequence (p = 0.002). Intraobserver variability was significantly higher for FSE than for CSE, according to both the coefficient of variation between two measurements (mean 2.48 % and 1.35 % respectively, p < 0.05) and back-transformed 95 % limits of agreement (1.005–1.060 for FSE; 0.988–1.019 for CSE). Although FSE sequences are quicker and the total lesion volume measurements are similar to those obtained with CSE, the poorer reproducibility raises doubts about the use of FSE to replace CSE in clinical trials. Received: 26 March 1996 Accepted: 4 April 1996     

住院脑血管病人主要照顾者负荷

目的 探讨影响住院脑血管病人主要照顾负荷的相关因素。方法采用问卷方式对1997年～2000年60名符合研究对象进行调查。结果脑血管病人的主要照顾中60％为配偶，且年龄较大，知识水平偏低，使其身体、心理、社交方面的负荷增大。同时发现雇用身体及心理压力明显低于家属，但两社交负荷无差异。结论临床护理人员应给予住院病人主要照顾一定的协助及指导，减轻家属的压力，使主要照顾能有效地承担起照顾责任。     

推拿治疗老年高血压及对动态血压负荷的影响

目的研究推拿治疗老年高血压及对动态血压负荷的影响。方法选择60例轻、中度高血压患者，随机分为推拿治疗组30例，药物对照组组30例。结果推拿治疗组总有效率为83．3％。药物对照组为86．7％；治疗组主要症状疗效前后对比有显著性差异（p〈0．05），治疗组治疗后动态血压负荷值明显降低，较治疗前差异有显著性（p〈0．01，p〈0．05）。结论推拿治疗老年高血压疗效显著，推拿可降低动态血压负荷。     

Discordance in HIV-1 viral loads and antiretroviral drug concentrations comparing semen and blood plasma

Objectives

For individuals not on antiretroviral therapy, the risk of heterosexual transmission of HIV appears negligible when blood plasma (BP) viral loads are <1500 HIV‐1 RNA copies/mL. It is not clear whether this observation can be extrapolated to individuals on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Because of differential tissue penetration, antiretroviral drug concentrations may be sufficient to maintain an undetectable viral load in the BP yet not achieve adequate levels to suppress HIV in the genital tract. Therefore, we wanted to correlate HIV viral loads and drug concentrations in semen plasma (SP) and BP.

Methods

Thirty‐three men were included. All were on combination antiretroviral therapy with an undetectable BP viral load for at least 1 year. Blood and semen samples were collected within 2 h of each other and tested for HIV RNA by the NucliSens QT (bioMerieux, St Laurent, QC, Canada) method; drug concentrations were determined by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

Results

Two of the 33 patients (6.1%) with BP viral loads below detection had time‐matched HIV viral loads in SP ≥700 copies/mL. Both patients were on efavirenz, the SP concentrations of which were ≤10% of the levels in BP and well below the minimal therapeutic drug monitoring target concentration required to suppress HIV.

Conclusions

Because, at least in part, of poor drug penetration into the genital tract, an undetectable HIV viral load in the BP does not guarantee an undetectable viral load in semen. In view of this, caution should be taken in concluding that patients on HAART with suppressed viraemia are sexually non‐infectious.     

Deprivation of parenting disrupts development of homeostatic and reward systems in marmoset monkey offspring.

BACKGROUND: Early environment is a major determinant of long-term mental health, evidenced by the relationship between early-life neglect or abuse and chronically increased vulnerability to developmental psychopathology, including major depressive disorder (MDD). Animal studies can increase understanding of environmentally mediated causal risk processes. We describe how daily deprivation of biological parenting in primate infants disrupts development of homeostatic and reward systems central to MDD. METHODS: Nine breeding pairs of marmoset monkeys provided control twins (CON) and early-deprived twins (ED); the latter were socially isolated for 30-120 min/day on days 2-28. During the first year of life, basal urinary norepinephrine (NE) titers and cardiophysiologic activity were measured. At the end of year 1 (adolescence), automated neuropsychologic tests were conducted to measure responsiveness to changes in stimulus-reward association (simple/reversed visual discrimination learning) and to reward per se (progressive ratio [PR] reinforcement schedule). RESULTS: The ED monkeys exhibited increased basal urinary NE titers and increased systolic blood pressure relative to CON siblings. The ED monkeys required more sessions to reinstate stimulus-oriented behavior following reversal, suggesting increased vulnerability to perceived loss of environmental control; ED monkeys also performed less PR operant responses, indicating that reward was less of an incentive and that they were mildly anhedonic relative to CON. CONCLUSIONS: In marmoset monkeys, neglect-like manipulation of ED leads to chronic changes in homeostatic systems, similar to those in children and adolescents exposed to early-life adversity and in MDD, and to responses to environmental stimuli similar to those that characterize MDD.     

高原康胶囊对大批快速进入高原者血浆醛固酮、血管紧张素II及水负荷的影响及意义

目的 :了解高原康胶囊对快速进入高原者血浆醛固酮 (Aldosterone ,ALD)、血管紧张素II(AngiotensinII ,AII)及水负荷的影响及意义。方法 :将 80名由平原快速进入高原的新兵随机分为实验组 4 0名 ,对照组 4 0名 ,实验组于平原登机前开始给予口服高原康胶囊 ,连服 3日 ,对照组给予安慰剂 ,两组均于进入高原的前 1天及进入高原的第 3天午给予水负荷实验 ,并对饮水前血浆ALD、AII及饮水后 15 0min内各时间段的尿量及两组进入高原后 7天内急性高原病 (Acutehighal titudediseaes ,AHAD)的发病率进行对照比较。结果 :对照组进入高原后与平原相比血浆ALD、AII显著升高 ,水负荷实验 6 1min～ 15 0min各时间段的尿量及相应时间的总尿量与平原时相应各时间段的尿量及相应时间的总尿量相比则显著减少 (P <0 0 5～ 0 0 0 1) ,而实验组则无显著变化 (P >0 0 5 ) ;进入高原后实验组与对照组相比水负荷实验 6 1min～ 90min的尿量及 12 0min、15 0min的尿总量则显著多于对照组 (P <0 0 5 ) ;血浆ALD、AII及AHAD发病率则显著低于对照组 (P <0 0 5～ 0 0 0 1)。结论 :高原康胶囊能显著降低快速进入高原者的血浆ALD、AII ,通过对水负荷调节的影响减少机体的钠水潴留 ,从而防止快速进入高原者AHAD的发生 ,可用于大批快     

Cyclic tensile stretch load and oxidized low density lipoprotein synergistically induce lectin-like oxidized ldl receptor-1 in cultured bovine chondrocytes, resulting in decreased cell viability and proteoglycan synthesis.

Mechanical stimulation is known to be an essential factor in the regulation of cartilage metabolism. We tested the hypothesis that expression of lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) can be modulated by cyclic tensile stretch load in chondrocytes. Cyclic loading of repeated stretch stress at 10 cycles per minute with 10 kPa of stress for 6 h induced expression of LOX-1 to 2.6 times control in cultured bovine articular chondrocytes, equivalent to the addition of 10 microg/mL oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) (2.4 times control). Application of the cyclic load to the chondrocytes along with 10 microg/mL ox-LDL resulted in synergistically increased LOX-1 expression to 6.3 times control. Individual application of cyclic loading and 10 microg/mL ox-LDL significantly suppressed chondrocytes viability (84.6% +/- 3.4% and 80.9% +/- 3.2% of control at 24 h, respectively; n = 3; p < 0.05) and proteoglycan synthesis [81.0% +/- 7.1% and 85.7% +/- 5.2% of control at 24 h, respectively; p < 0.05 when compared with 94.6% +/- 4.6% for native-LDL (n = 3)]. Cyclic loading and 10 microg/mL ox-LDL synergistically affected cell viability and proteoglycan synthesis, which were significantly suppressed to 45.6% +/- 4.9% and 48.7% +/- 6.7% of control at 24 h, respectively (n = 3; p < 0.01 when compared with individual application of cyclic loading or 10 microg/mL ox-LDL). In this study, we demonstrated synergistic effects of cyclic tensile stretch load and ox-LDL on cell viability and proteoglycan synthesis in chondrocytes, which may be mediated through enhanced expression of LOX-1 and which has important implications in the progression of cartilage degeneration in osteoarthritis.