加减止痉散配合推拿治疗腰椎间盘突出症的临床应用

目的：分析腰椎间盘突出症采用止痉散加减配合推拿治疗的临床应用效果。方法：将2013 年10 月～2014年10月我院中医 门诊收治的90 例腰椎间盘突出症患者,将其按随机数字表法分为对照组和治疗组(n=45)。对照组患者采用针刺、推拿及牵引疗 法,治疗组患者在此基础上给予中药止痉散加减进行治疗。对比两组患者的临床总有效率及直腿抬高试验结果。结果：治疗组的 临床总有效率(97.78%)明显高于对照组的临床总有效率(75.56%),差异具有统计学意义(P＜0.05);另外,治疗组直腿抬高试验＞ 70° 的比例(68.89%)明显高于对照组的(42.22%),差异具有统计学意义(P＜0.05)。结论：止痉散加减配合推拿治疗腰椎间盘突出症 具有较好的临床效果。     

Effective pollinia transfer by settling moths’ legs in an orchid Habenaria aitchisonii

A great diversity of flower morphology in orchids has long been thought to be selected by diverse pollinators. Habenaria Willd. (Orchidaceae) species are generally characterized by long nectar spurs and pollinated by long‐tongued insects (Lepidoptera), the mechanical fit between the spur and pollinator proboscis length being supposedly caused by “arms race” reciprocal selection. Here, we report that flowers of Habenaria aitchisonii Rchb. f. with nectar spurs (approximately 9 mm) were pollinated by three species of settling noctuid moths whose proboscises varied in length from 10 to 16 mm. When a settling moth crawled on the spikes and probed the flowers for nectar, pollinia were placed on the moths’ legs rather than on other body parts. Our 5‐year survey of pollinia movement and 3‐year supplemental pollination experiments indicated that fruit and seed production in this orchid were not often pollen‐limited at flower level. In a natural population in Shangri‐La, Southwest China, the proportions of pollinia removal and deposition on stigmas by moth legs were 93.8% and 83.5%, respectively. This finding of efficient pollen transfer by the pollinators’ legs in H. aitchisonii adds a new example of diverse pollinia placement on pollinators (here settling moths) in the Orchidaceae.     

Competing risk analyses of longevity in Duroc sows with a special emphasis on leg conformation

A competing risk approach was used to evaluate the influence of several factors on culling risk for 587 Duroc sows. Three different analyses were performed according to whether sow failure was due to death during productive life (DE) or to one of two causes for voluntary culling: low productivity (LP) and low fertility (LF). Sow survival was analyzed by the Cox model. Year at first farrowing (batch effect) significantly affected sow survival in all three analyses (P < 0.05 for DE and P < 0.001 for LP and LF) whereas farm of origin accounted for relevant variation in the LP and LF analyses. LP culling increased with backfat thickness of more than 19 mm at the end of the growth period (P < 0.05), bad teat condition (P < 0.05) and reduced piglets born alive (P < 0.001). For the LF competing risk analysis, culling increased with age at first farrowing (P < 0.1). Special emphasis was placed on the influence of leg and teat conformation on sow survivability, although they did not affect sow failure due to DE (P > 0.1). The overall leg-conformation score significantly influenced sow longevity in LP (P < 0.001) and LF competing risk analyses (P < 0.001), showing a higher hazard ratio (HR) for poorly conformed sows (1.013 and 4.366, respectively) than for well-conformed sows (0.342 and 0.246, respectively). Survival decreased with the presence of abnormal hoof growth in LP and LF analyses (HR = 3.372 and 6.002, respectively; P < 0.001) and bumps or injuries to legs (HR = 4.172 and 5.839, respectively; P < 0.01). Plantigradism reduced sow survival in the LP analysis (P < 0.05), while sickle-hooked leg (P < 0.05) impaired sow survival in the fertility-specific analysis. Estimates of heritability for longevity related to LP culling ranged from 0.008 to 0.024 depending on the estimation procedure, whereas heritability values increased to between 0.017 and 0.083 in LF analysis. These analyses highlighted substantial discrepancies in the sources of variation and genetic background of sow longevity depending on the cause of failure. The estimated heritabilities suggested that direct genetic improvement for sow longevity seemed feasible, although only a small genetic progress was expected.     

A Parallel Actuated Pantograph Leg for High-speed Locomotion

High-speed running is one of the most important topics in the field of legged robots which requires strict constraints on structural design and control.To solve the problems of high acceleration,high energy consumption,high pace frequency and ground impact during high-speed movement,this paper presents a parallel actuated pantograph leg with an approximately decoupled configuration.The articulated leg features in light weight,high load capacity,high mechanical efficiency and structural stability.The similarity features of force and position between the control point and the foot are analyzed.The key design parameters,K1 and K2,which concern the dynamic performances,are carefully optimized by comprehensive evaluation of the leg inertia and mass within the maximum foot trajectory.A control strategy that incorporates virtual Spring Loaded Inverted Pendulum (SLIP) model and active force is also proposed to test the design.The strategy can implement highly flexible impedance without mechanical springs,which substantially simplifies the design and satisfies the variable stiffness requirements during high-speed running.The rationality of the structure and the effectiveness of the control law are validated by simulation and experiments.     

G20210A prothrombin gene mutation identified in patients with venous leg ulcers

The G20210A mutation variant of prothrombin gene is the second most frequent mutation identified in patients withdeep venous thrombosis, after factor V Leiden. The risk for developing deep venous thrombosis is high in patients identified as heterozygous for G20210A mutation. In order to identify this polymorphism in the gene coding prothrombin, the 345bp fragment in the 3'- untranslated region of the prothrombin gene was amplified using amplification by polymerase chain reaction and enzymatic digestion by HindIII (restriction endonuclease enzyme). The products of amplification and enzymatic's digestion were analized using agarose gel electrophoresis. We investigated 20 patients with venous leg ulcers and we found 2 heterozygous (10%) for G20210A mutation. None of the patients in the control group had G20210A mutation. Our study confirms the presence of G20210A mutation in the Romanian population. Our study also shows the link between venous leg ulcers and this polymorphism in the prothrombin gene.     

Nest-founding in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acromyrmex octospinosus</Emphasis> (Hymenoptera,Formicidae, Attini): demography and putative prophylactic behaviors

Summary Foundresses of the leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex octospinosus in central Panamá forage for leaves as garden substrate (semi-claustral foundation). The fungal pellet and substrate usually are attached to rootlets, which are used as a platform for the garden. This arrangement keeps the garden suspended away from the earthen chamber of the underground nest during early colony growth, and we hypothesize that it serves to minimize contact between the garden and contaminants. A. octospinosus foundresses produce from 3 to 7 workers in 2.7 months after founding the nest, but workers do not forage for substrate at this time. Incipient nests died or were abandoned at a monthly rate of ca. 50%. We show that ants routinely clean their legs before manipulating the garden substrate. We also describe how foundresses use their fore-legs to rub the surface of the metapleural gland (MPG), and they then use typical grooming behaviors to pass the forelegs through the mouthparts, after which the ant then licks the garden substrate. Similarly, ants apparently use their mouths to transfer fecal droplets to their legs. We briefly discuss the functional significance of these grooming behaviors, and hypothesize that they are prophylactic behaviors that may help the foundress maintain a hygienic garden.     

Ecdysteroid control of metamorphosis in the differentiating adult leg structures of Drosophila melanogaster

During insect metamorphosis, the steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) is responsible for coordinating the differentiation of adult structures. Several structures of the Drosophila melanogaster adult leg, the six distalmost joints, the bristles, and the pretarsal claws, were examined to investigate how 20E controls their development in vitro. Joints, bristles, and claws were dependent on 20E for differentiation between 20-22 and 24-26 h after puparium formation (APF). After 26-28 h APF, differentiation became hormone independent. Tissue-specific markers in 20E-free cultures showed that the bristle and joint cells had not undergone any further morphogenetic progression. In contrast, the pretarsi underwent partial differentiation. The concentration of 20E required for differentiation was structure specific; tarsal joints required higher concentrations of 20E (greater than 400 ng 20 E/ml) than pretarsal claws, bristles, and other joints (greater than 40 ng 20E/ml). The 20E precursor ecdysone (E) was also able to induce differentiation at concentrations over 700 ng E/ml, but did not show any synergistic interactions with 20E. Lastly, leg structures had a finite ability to respond to 20E; tarsal joints lost competence to respond after 32-34 h APF, while the remaining structures became incompetent after 44-46 h APF.     

Regulation of gene expression in the distal region of the Drosophila leg by the Hox11 homolog, C15

The distal region of the Drosophila leg, the tarsus, is divided into five segments (ta I-V) and terminates in the pretarsus, which is characterized by a pair of claws. Several homeobox genes are expressed in distinct regions of the tarsus, including aristaless (al) and lim1 in the pretarsus, Bar (B) in ta IV and V, and apterous (ap) in ta IV. This pattern is governed by regulatory interactions between these genes; for example, Al and B are mutually antagonistic resulting in exclusion of B expression from the pretarsus. Although Al is necessary, it is not sufficient to repress B, indicating another factor is required. Here, this factor is identified as the product of the C15 gene, which is another homeodomain protein, a homolog of the human Hox11 oncogene. C15 is expressed in the same cells as al and, together, C15 and Al appear to directly repress B. C15/Al also act indirectly to repress ap in ta V, i.e., in surrounding cells. To do this, C15/Al autonomously repress expression of the gene encoding the Notch ligand Delta (Dl) in the pretarsus, restricting Dl to ta V and creating a Dl+/Dl- border at the interface between ta V and the pretarsus. This results in upregulation of Notch signaling, which induces expression of the bowl gene, the product of which represses ap.     

Prey capture and processing behaviors vary with prey size and shape in Australian and subantarctic fur seals

When hunting at sea, pinnipeds should adapt their foraging behaviors to suit the prey they are targeting. We performed captive feeding trials with two species of otariid seal, Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) and subantarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus tropicalis). This allowed us to record detailed observations of how their foraging behaviors vary when presented with prey items that cover the full range of body shapes and sizes encountered in the wild. Small prey were captured using suction alone, while larger prey items were caught in the teeth using raptorial biting. Small fish and long skinny prey items could then be swallowed whole or processed by shaking, while all prey items with body depths greater than 7.5 cm were processed by shaking at the water's surface. This matched opportunistic observations of feeding in wild Australian fur seals. Use of “shake feeding” as the main prey processing tactic also matches predictions that this method would be one of the only tactics available to aquatic tetrapods that are unable to secure prey using their forelimbs.