Critical threshold meal size and molt initiation in Rhodnius prolixus

The molting process and body growth in Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) (Ståhl, 1859) are significantly influenced by the availability and quality of food. Based on the body weight of each stage, the present study provides estimates of a potential critical weight threshold required for molt initiation in R. prolixus. In addition, a new measure given by the area under the weight curve is proposed, which encapsulates both body weight and time. It is shown that this measure is consistent with the data, and allows the estimation of a pre‐refractory period (i.e. the time interval between the moment at which the critical weight threshold is reached and the moment when no further meals are accepted). The present analysis estimates the critical weight threshold as 1.6, 5.3, 12.9, 42.0 and 97.0 mg for stages 1–5, respectively, whereas the values of the area under the curve threshold as 5, 16, 31.2, 159.7 and 329.9 mg days for stages 1–5, respectively. The results of the present study confirm the existence of a weight‐dependent mechanism for the initiation of molting in R. prolixus.     

Reproductive life history of Thornicroft’s giraffe in Zambia

Knowledge of the reproductive life history of giraffe in the wild is sparse. Giraffe have two fairly unusual reproductive patterns among large mammals: they can become pregnant while lactating, and calf mortality is extremely high. Longitudinal records are largely absent, so tracking reproductive parameters tends to combine information from captive and field studies. In this study, we examine longitudinal data obtained over a 33‐year period in one population of Thornicroft’s giraffe in order to chart their reproductive careers. We found that age at first parturition was 6.4 years, or slightly later than in captivity. Giraffe bred throughout the year, with cows producing offspring on average every 677.7 days. About half of the calves died before one year of age, but death of a calf did not reduce interbirth interval. We conclude that the lifetime reproductive success of giraffe is more dependent on longevity and calf survivorship than on reproductive rate.     

关节镜下同期行冻结肩松解术对肩袖损伤患者的治疗效果评估

目的:评估关节镜下同期行冻结肩松解术对肩袖损伤患者的治疗效果。方法:选择2015年3月到2018年3月在我院诊治的肩袖损伤患者70例进行研究,按随机数表法将其分为观察组(n=36)和对照组(n=34)。对照组采用传统小切口肩袖修复术治疗,观察组采用关节镜下同期行冻结肩松解术进行治疗。比较两组治疗后疗效、手术时间、术中出血量、住院时间、疼痛减轻时间、治疗前后VAS、美国肩肘外科协会评分(ASES)、Contant-Muley评分的变化情况。结果:治疗后,观察组总有效率为94.44%,显著高于对照组(73.53%,P0.05);观察组手术时间、术中出血量、住院时间及疼痛减轻时间均显著低于对照组(P0.05);两组VAS、ASES、Contant-Muley评分较治疗前均显著改善(P0.05),且观察组VAS评分明显低于对照组,ASES及Contant-Muley评分显著高于对照组(P0.05)。结论:关节镜下同期行冻结肩松解术治疗肩袖损伤的临床疗效显著优于传统小切口肩袖修复术治疗,其可显著促进关节功能恢复,并减轻患者痛苦。     

高强度间歇训练改善认知功能及其机制研究进展

高强度间歇训练(high-intensity interval training,HIIT)已被证明是一种省时、高效的运动策略。与传统的中、低强度有氧运动相比,它可以提供类似甚至更好的健康效益。近年来一些研究表明,HIIT可作为一种有前途的运动康复疗法来改善肥胖、糖尿病、中风、痴呆等疾病引起的认知功能受损。因此,本文综述了HIIT通过促进脑源性神经营养因子分泌、改善氧化应激和增强线粒体适应能力、增加脑乳酸水平及利用率等机制改善认知功能的研究进展,为其预防和/或改善疾病引起的认知功能受损及推广应用提供参考和理论依据。     

不同训练方式对大鼠骨骼肌纤维类型转化和CaMK II/MEF2传导途径的影响*

目的: 探讨间歇速度训练和耐力训练对大鼠骨骼肌纤维类型转化及钙调蛋白激酶/肌细胞增强因子2(CaMK II/MEF2)信号传导通路的影响。方法: 成年雄性SD大鼠(8周龄)18只,随机分成间歇速度训练组(IST),耐力训练组(ET),设空白组(C),每组6只,IST组采用75 m/min×1 min、20 m/min×1 min的交替训练6次,跑台坡度15,持续时间12 min/d;ET组采用速度30 m/ min、跑台坡度7、持续时间90 min/d的耐力训练。干预8周后,分别取小鼠右侧胫骨前肌、比目鱼肌,酶联免疫吸附法检测骨骼肌琥珀酸脱氢酶(SDH)、乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)活性,ATP酶染色法观察I、Ⅱ型肌纤维面密度、数密度变化情况,SDS-PAGE凝胶电泳技术观察骨骼肌MHC亚型百分比含量、骨骼肌mRNA表达谱测序分析及qRT-PCR技术检测CaN、CaMKII、MEF2水平。结果: 相比C组,ET组SDH活性显著上升,LDH活性降低(P＜0.05);IST组胫骨前肌中LDH活性值升高(P＜0.01)。ET组胫骨前肌MHCIIa%升高,MHCIIb%降低(P＜0.05),比目鱼肌MHCI% 和MHCIIa%升高,MHCIIb%均降低(P＜0.05)。相比IST组,ET组胫骨前肌MHCIIx%升高(P＜0.05)。相比C组,ET组胫骨前肌 I、II 型纤维纤维密度上升,IST组II型纤维纤维密度提高,IST组、ET组比目鱼肌I型纤维纤维密度上升(P＜0.05)。相比C组,ET组骨骼肌CaN、CaMKII、MEF2 mRNA表达水平增高,IST组CaN、CaMKII、MEF2 mRNA表达水平下降(P＜0.01)。Illumina高通量测序筛选骨骼肌纤维转化相关因子及关联分析,运动干预促使骨骼肌纤维转化相关因子表达变化富集于TGF-β/Smad3、CaN/MEF2、AdipoQ等信号通路,而耐力训练显著提高骨骼肌纤维转化、干细胞功能相关信号通路的富集。结论: 耐力训练促进向氧化型肌纤维转化(慢肌),而间歇速度训练向酵解型肌纤维转化(快肌),并伴随着CaMK II/MEF2传导途径中CaN、CaMKII、MEF2基因的高表达。     

Activation of neuromuscular sub-regions of supraspinatus and infraspinatus during common rehabilitative exercises

‘Regional activation’ has been identified within the supraspinatus and infraspinatus. Previous EMG studies have provided insight on the different functions of the sub-regions within the supraspinatus and infraspinatus, however, to date timing of peak EMG activation has not been investigated. To assess how theses sub-regions function during commonly prescribed rehabilitation exercises, electrodes were inserted into the supraspinatus - anterior and posterior- and infraspinatus - superior and middle - of 22 healthy participants. For each sub-region, normalized EMG data - amplitude and timing - was collected from nine rehabilitation exercises - three with an elastic band and six an exercise ball. Supraspinatus posterior and infraspinatus superior had similar activation levels between elastic band exercises, but the timing of peak activation was exercise specific. In all elastic band exercises, supraspinatus posterior activated prior to supraspinatus anterior. All ball exercises elicited low-amplitude muscle activation; dynamic ball exercises had higher peak muscle activation than their static counterparts.     

Normative cervical spine kinematics of a circumduction task

Neck pain is a prevalent condition and clinical examination techniques are limited and unable to assess out-of-plane motion. Recent works investigating cervical kinematics during neck circumduction (NC), a dynamic 3D task, has shown the ability to discern those with and without neck pain. The purposes of this study were to establish 1) confidence and prediction intervals of head-to-torso kinematics during NC in a healthy cohort, 2) a baseline summative metric to quantify the duration and magnitude of deviations outside the prediction interval, and 3) the reliability of NC. Thirty-nine participants (25.6 ± 6.3 years, 19F/20M) without neck pain completed left and right NC. A two-way smoothing spline analysis of variance was utilized to determine the mean-fitted values and 90% confidence and prediction intervals for NC. A standardized effect size was calculated and aggregated across all axes (Delta RMSD aggregate), as a summative metric of motion quality. Confidence and prediction intervals were comparable for left and right NC and demonstrated excellent reliability. The average sum of the Delta RMSD aggregate was 2.76 ± 0.55 for left NC and 2.74 ± 0.63 for right NC. The results of this study demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing normative intervals of a NC task to assess head-to-torso kinematics.     

QT interval measurement using RMED curve; a novel approach based on wavelet techniques

Hypothesis/objective: Prolonged QT interval is an index of propensity for dangerous ventricular tachyarrhythmias. The aim of this article is to establish an automatic algorithm for QT interval measurement.

Method: The proposed method is based on the continuous wavelet transform. In this method, the concepts of the rescaled wavelet coefficients and dominant scales of the electrocardiogram (ECG) components are used to perform detection of ECG characteristic points. A new concept of rescaled maximum energy density is introduced so as to perform the estimation of the QT interval.

Results and conclusion: We have applied the algorithm to the PTB database of the Physiobank?Physionet in lead II. Then, the results were evaluated using pertinent reference QT. The criterion used for evaluation of the method's performance is the root mean square (RMS) error. The method approached the RMS error of 27.89 ms for 549 subjects. The proposed method is fast, simple and is applicable to a wide range of ECG cardio cycle morphologies.     

A time–frequency approach to estimate critical time intervals in postural control

The critical time interval (CTI) is a parameter that has been used to distinguish open-loop from closed-loop control during upright stance. The aim of this study was to develop a new method to determine CTIs. The new approach, termed the intermittent critical time interval (ICTI) method, was motivated from evidence that upright standing is an intermittent rather than an asymptotic stability control process. For this ICTI method, center-of-pressure time series are first transformed to the time–frequency domain with a wavelet method. Subsequently, the CTI is assumed equal to the time span between two local maxima in the time–frequency domain within a distinct frequency band (i.e., 0.5–1.1 Hz). This new method may help facilitate better estimates of the transition time interval between open and closed-loop control during upright stance and can also be applied in future work such as in simulating postural control. In addition, this method can be used in future work to assess temporal changes in CTIs.