Analysis on the activation of the VMO and VLL muscles during semisquat exercises with and without hip adduction in individuals with patellofemoral pain syndrome

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of hip adduction on the activity of the Vastus Medialis Obliquus (VMO) and Vastus Lateralis Longus (VLL) muscles during semisquat exercises.

Methods: Twenty female subjects, divided into two groups comprising healthy and patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) subjects (ten volunteers for each group), performed three double-leg semisquat exercise trials with maximum hip adduction isometric contraction (DLSS-HA) and three double-leg semisquat exercise trials without hip adduction (DLSS). The normalized electromyographic muscle data were analysed using Repeated Measure ANOVA (p  0.05).

Results: The electrical activity of both VMO and VLL muscles was significantly greater during DLSS-HA exercise than during DLSS (p = 0.0002) for both groups. Additionally, an independent Repeated Measure ANOVA revealed that the electric activity of the VLL muscle was significantly greater (p = 0.0149) than that of the VMO muscle during DLSS exercises only for the PFPS group. However, no differences were found during DLSS-HA exercises.

Conclusions: Although there was no preferential VMO muscle activation, the association of hip adduction with squat exercise promoted a greater balance between the medial and lateral portions of the quadriceps femoris muscle and could be indicated for the conservatory treatment of PFPS patients. The association of isometric hip adduction with isometric semisquat exercises produced a more overall quadriceps activity and could be indicated for clinical rehabilitation or muscle strengthening programs.     

Ant Community Development on Rehabilitated Ash Dams in the South African Highveld

Ant communities have been widely used as indicators of minesite rehabilitation in Australia and are beginning to play a similar role in other parts of the world. Here we examine ant communities on rehabilitated ash dams associated with a coal‐fired power station on the highveld of South Africa, to improve our understanding of ecosystem development on these substrates. Ants were sampled using pitfall traps at 11 ash‐dam sites, ranging from unrehabilitated to 9‐year‐old rehabilitated sites, as well as two adjacent natural grassland sites. Sampling was conducted on 12 occasions from March 1997 to January 1999. Forty‐nine ant species from 19 genera were recorded during the study. Site species richness was positively correlated with rehabilitation age, ranging from 10 to 25 at ash‐dam sites, compared with 28 and 34 at the two natural grassland sites. There was a humped relationship between total ant abundance and rehabilitation age, with abundance peaking after 5–7 years at levels far higher than those at natural sites. Ordination analysis showed clear separation between ash‐dam and natural sites along the first axis. The unrehabilitated ash‐dam site was also separated from rehabilitated sites along the first axis. Sites of different rehabilitation age were separated along the second axis. Individual ant species showed clear successional patterns across the rehabilitation gradient. Although there was a clear successional trend for the development of ant communities on rehabilitated ash dams, this trend was not toward natural grassland. The lack of convergence toward ant communities of natural grasslands reflects the markedly different substrate and plant composition on ash dams and supports the widely held view that restoration of natural grassland communities is not a realistic goal of ash‐dam rehabilitation. However, the development of species‐rich ant communities, containing at least some late‐successional species, indicates the potential for rehabilitated ash dams to support diverse and complex ecosystems.     

The effects of transcranial laser photobiomodulation and neuromuscular electrical stimulation in the treatment of post-stroke dysfunctions

Post-stroke sequelae includes loss functions, such as cognitive and sensory-motor which lead to emotional and social problems, reducing quality of life and well-being. The main aim of our study was to investigate the effects of transcranial laser photobiomodulation together with neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in post-stroke patients. We performed a clinical trial and an ex vivo study. For the clinical trial, hemiplegic patients were separated into two groups: Treated Group (TG): Hemiplegics treated with transcranial laser (on) associated with NMES (on) and; Placebo Group (PG): Hemiplegics treated with placebo transcranial laser (off) associated with NMES (on). The cluster prototype includes 12 diode laser beams (4 × 660 nm, 4 × 808 nm and 4 × 980 nm) with average power of 720 mW per cluster applied during one minute, leading to 43.2 J energy per cluster. Fifteen regions for all head were irradiated by cluster, leading to 648 J energy per session. The parameters of NMES of the paretic limbs to generate extension wrist and ankle dorsiflexion were symmetrical biphasic rectangular waveforms, 50 Hz frequency, 250 μs pulse duration, and adjustable intensity to maintain the maximum range of motion (amplitude between 0 and 150 mA). Our clinical trial showed improvement of cognitive function, pain relief, greater manual dexterity, enhancement of physical and social–emotional health which lead to better quality of life and well-being. There was also increased temperature in the treated regions with laser and NMES. For the ex vivo study, the distribution of infrared and red radiation after penetration through the cranium and hemihead of cadavers were showed. Therefore, transcranial laser photobiomodulation associated with NMES can be an important therapeutic resource for rehabilitation after stroke.     

Myrmecochory in Australia's seasonal tropics: Effects of disturbance on distance dispersal

Abstract Successful ecosystem restoration requires the re-establishment of fundamental ecological processes, many of which involve plant-animal interactions. Myrmecochory (seed dispersal by ants) is a particularly important plant-animal mutualism in Australia, but little is known about its response to either disturbance or restoration following disturbance. Here we investigate the effects of disturbance on seed dispersal by ants, and the extent to which the ant-seed relationship has re-established at sites undergoing rehabilitation, at Ranger uranium mine in the seasonal tropics of Australia's Northern Territory. We focused on the composition of seed-dispersing ant assemblages, rates of seed removal by ants, and the dispersal curves generated by ants, as determined by observations of removal from seed depots. Ten sites were studied, comprising four ‘natural’ (undisturbed) sites representing a range of savanna habitats occurring in the region, four disturbed sites representing a range of habitat disturbance but with intact soil, and two waste rock sites subject to preliminary revegetation trials. A total of 22 ant species from 10 genera were observed during 154 observations of seed removal, most commonly Rhytidoponera aurata (53 records), Monomorium (rothsteini gp) sp. 1 (14), Iridomyrmex sanguineus (13), Iridomyrmex pallidus (12) and Pleidole sp. 3 (10). Removal rates (over 3 h) averaged 29% across all sites and time periods, varying markedly both between and within sites. However, mean rates of removal were similar between natural, disturbed and waste rock sites (29%, 28% and 31%, respectively). A high incidence (62% of all depots) of'aril robbing’ by ants (primarily Monomorium spp.) eating arils in situ, without removal, was observed. Dispersal distances varied markedly between ant species, with Iridomyrmex sanguineus having both the highest mean (7.25m) and maximum (13.08 m) dispersal distances. Species of Pheidole typically dispersed seeds less than 0.5 m, and Meranoplus, Monomorium and Tetramorium spp. only ever moved seeds a few centimetres, usually dropping and abandoning them before reaching the nests. The dispersal curves characteristic of each site varied markedly due to the different composition of seed-dispersing ants. The mean dispersal distance at disturbed sites (3.91 m) was significantly higher than at natural sites (2.19 m), and the curves were strongly skewed in the former, but relatively uniform in the latter. The implications of these differences for recovery following disturbance are unclear. At rehabilitated waste rock sites, all observed removals involved distances less than 0.5 m, with a mean of 17 cm. This lack of effective ant-seed relationships might represent a barrier to further vegetation development at rehabilitated sites.     

加速康复外科理念联合腹腔镜技术对穿孔性阑尾炎患儿肠道功能恢复及外周血WBC、CRP、IL-6的影响

目的:探讨腹腔镜技术联合加速康复外科理念(ERAS)对穿孔性阑尾炎患儿肠道功能恢复及外周血白细胞计数(WBC)、C反应蛋白(CRP)、白介素-6(IL-6)的影响.方法:选取2017年8月～2019年8月期间我院收治的行腹腔镜下阑尾切除术的患儿120例,上述患儿根据随机数字表法分为对照组(n=60)和研究组(n=60)...     

心肺康复训练对脑卒中患者的康复效果及对血清BDNF、NT-3、MMP-9及心肺功能的影响

摘要 目的：探讨心肺康复训练对脑卒中患者的康复效果及对血清脑源性神经生长因子（BDNF）、神经营养因子-3（NT-3）、基质金属蛋白酶-9（MMP-9）及心肺功能的影响。方法：选择2020年01月-2021年01月在我院接受治疗的129例脑卒中患者，采用抽签法分为试验组（n=65）和对照组（n=64）。对照组给予常规康复治疗，试验组给予心肺康复训练治疗。比较两组患者的临床疗效、血清BDNF、NT-3、MMP-9、左心室射血分数（LVEF）、左心室收缩末期内径（LVESD）、最大心率、静息心率、峰值摄氧量（VO_2peak ）、无氧阈（AT）、峰值能量代谢当量（MET peak）、每分峰值通气量（VE _peak ）及Fugl-Meyer评定量表（FMA）、改良Barthel指数（MBI）评分变化情况。结果：治疗后，两组总有效率比较差异显著（P<0.05）；治疗前，试验组和对照组血清BDNF、NT-3、MMP-9比较无显著差异；治疗后，试验组和对照组血清BDNF随着时间的推移而升高，且试验组均高于对照组，NT-3、MMP-9随着时间的推移而降低，且试验组均低于对照组，差异显著（P<0.05）；治疗前，试验组和对照组LVEF、LVESD、最大心率及静息心率比较无显著差异；治疗后，试验组和对照组LVEF、最大心率随着时间的推移而升高，且试验组均高于对照组，LVESD、静息心率随着时间的推移而降低，且试验组均低于对照组，差异显著（P<0.05）；治疗前，试验组和对照组VO_2peak 、AT、MET peak及VE _peak 比较无显著差异；治疗后，试验组和对照组VO_2peak 、AT、MET _peak 及VE _peak 随着时间的推移而升高，且试验组均高于对照组，差异显著（P<0.05）；治疗前，试验组和对照组FMA、MBI评分比较无显著差异；治疗后，试验组和对照组FMA、MBI评分随着时间的推移而升高，且试验组均高于对照组，差异显著（P<0.05）。结论：在脑卒中患者中应用心肺康复训练临床效果更好，可有改善患者血清BDNF、NT-3、MMP-9及心肺功能。