Hyperbaric oxygen suppressed tumor progression through the improvement of tumor hypoxia and induction of tumor apoptosis in A549-cell-transferred lung cancer

Tumor cells have long been recognized as a relative contraindication to hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) since HBOT might enhance progressive cancer growth. However, in an oxygen deficit condition, tumor cells are more progressive and can be metastatic. HBOT increasing in oxygen partial pressure may benefit tumor suppression. In this study, we investigated the effects of HBOT on solid tumors, such as lung cancer. Non-small cell human lung carcinoma A549-cell-transferred severe combined immunodeficiency mice (SCID) mice were selected as an in vivo model to detect the potential mechanism of HBOT in lung tumors. HBOT not only improved tumor hypoxia but also suppressed tumor growth in murine xenograft tumor models. Platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM-1/CD31) was significantly increased after HBOT. Immunostaining of cleaved caspase-3 was demonstrated and apoptotic tumor cells with nuclear debris were aggregated starting on the 14th-day after HBOT. In vitro, HBOT suppressed the growth of A549 cells in a time-dependent manner and immediately downregulated the expression of p53 protein after HBOT in A549 cells. Furthermore, HBOT-reduced p53 protein could be rescued by a proteasome degradation inhibitor, but not an autophagy inhibitor in A549 cells. Our results demonstrated that HBOT improved tissue angiogenesis, tumor hypoxia and increased tumor apoptosis to lung cancer cells in murine xenograft tumor models, through modifying the tumor hypoxic microenvironment. HBOT will merit further cancer therapy as an adjuvant treatment for solid tumors, such as lung cancer

Effect on Spasticity After Performance of Dynamic-Repeated-Passive Ankle Joint Motion Exercise in Chronic Stroke Patients

Spasticity associated with abnormal muscle tone is a common motor disorder following stroke, and the spastic ankle may affect ambulatory function. The purpose of this study was to investigate the short-term effect of dynamic-repeated-passive ankle movements with weight loading on ambulatory function and spastic hypertonia of chronic stroke patients. In this study, 12 chronic stroke patients with ankle spasticity and inefficient ambulatory ability were enrolled. Stretching of the plantar-flexors of the ankle in the standing position for 15 minutes was performed passively by a constant-speed and electrically powered device. The following evaluations were done before and immediately after the dynamic-repeated-passive ankle movements. Spastic hypertonia was assessed by the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS; range, 0–4), Achilles tendon reflexes test (DTR; range, 0–4), and ankle clonus (range, 0–5). Improvement in ambulatory ability was determined by the timed up-and-go test (TUG), the 10-minute walking test, and cadence (steps/minute). In addition, subjective experience of the influence of ankle spasticity on ambulation was scored by visual analog scale (VAS). Subjective satisfaction with the therapeutic effect of spasticity reduction was evaluated by a five-point questionnaire (1 = very poor, 2 = poor, 3 = acceptable, 4 = good, 5 = very good). By comparison of the results before and after intervention, these 12 chronic stroke patients presented significant reduction in MAS and VAS for ankle spasticity, the time for TUG and 10-minute walking speed (p < 0.01). The cadence also increased significantly (p < 0.05). In addition, subjective satisfaction with the short-term therapeutic effect was mainly good (ranging from acceptable to very good). In conclusion, 15 minutes of dynamic-repeated-passive ankle joint motion exercise with weight loading in the standing position by this simple constant-speed machine is effective in reducing ankle spasticity and improving ambulatory ability

Effects of Functional Electrical Stimulation on Peak Torque and Body Composition in Patients with Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury

The aim of this study was to investigate the change in body composition, leg girths, and muscle strength of patients with incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) after functional electrical stimulation cycling exercises (FESCE). Eighteen subjects with incomplete SCI were recruited. Each patient received FESCE three times per week for 8 weeks. Body composition, thigh and calf girths of bilateral legs, muscle strength of bilateral knee flexors and extensors were measured before and after 4 and 8 weeks of FESCE. A significant increase in bilateral thigh girth after 4 weeks of FESCE and significant increase in muscular peak torque of knee flexion and extension were found after 8 weeks of training. Besides, lean body mass increased significantly after complete treatment. FESCE can increase the thigh girth and muscular peak torque of patients with incomplete spinal cord injury

Development of a 3D Parallel Mechanism Robot Arm with Three Vertical-Axial Pneumatic Actuators Combined with a Stereo Vision System

This study aimed to develop a novel 3D parallel mechanism robot driven by three vertical-axial pneumatic actuators with a stereo vision system for path tracking control. The mechanical system and the control system are the primary novel parts for developing a 3D parallel mechanism robot. In the mechanical system, a 3D parallel mechanism robot contains three serial chains, a fixed base, a movable platform and a pneumatic servo system. The parallel mechanism are designed and analyzed first for realizing a 3D motion in the X-Y-Z coordinate system of the robot’s end-effector. The inverse kinematics and the forward kinematics of the parallel mechanism robot are investigated by using the Denavit-Hartenberg notation (D-H notation) coordinate system. The pneumatic actuators in the three vertical motion axes are modeled. In the control system, the Fourier series-based adaptive sliding-mode controller with H∞ tracking performance is used to design the path tracking controllers of the three vertical servo pneumatic actuators for realizing 3D path tracking control of the end-effector. Three optical linear scales are used to measure the position of the three pneumatic actuators. The 3D position of the end-effector is then calculated from the measuring position of the three pneumatic actuators by means of the kinematics. However, the calculated 3D position of the end-effector cannot consider the manufacturing and assembly tolerance of the joints and the parallel mechanism so that errors between the actual position and the calculated 3D position of the end-effector exist. In order to improve this situation, sensor collaboration is developed in this paper. A stereo vision system is used to collaborate with the three position sensors of the pneumatic actuators. The stereo vision system combining two CCD serves to measure the actual 3D position of the end-effector and calibrate the error between the actual and the calculated 3D position of the end-effector. Furthermore, to verify the feasibility of the proposed parallel mechanism robot driven by three vertical pneumatic servo actuators, a full-scale test rig of the proposed parallel mechanism pneumatic robot is set up. Thus, simulations and experiments for different complex 3D motion profiles of the robot end-effector can be successfully achieved. The desired, the actual and the calculated 3D position of the end-effector can be compared in the complex 3D motion control

Benefits of exercise training and the correlation between aerobic capacity and functional outcomes and quality of life in elderly patients with coronary artery disease

AbstractCardiopulmonary exercise training is beneficial to people with coronary artery disease (CAD). Nevertheless, the correlation between aerobic capacity, and functional mobility and quality of life in elderly CAD patients is less addressed. The purpose of the current study is to investigate the beneficial effects of exercise training in elderly people with CAD, integrating exercise stress testing, functional mobility, handgrip strength, and health-related quality of life. Elderly people with CAD were enrolled from the outpatient clinic of a cardiac rehabilitation unit in a medical center. Participants were assigned to the exercise training group (N = 21) or the usual care group (N = 15). A total of 36 sessions of exercise training, completed in 12 weeks, was prescribed. Echocardiography, exercise stress testing, the 6-minute walking test, Timed Up and Go test, and handgrip strength testing were performed, and the Short-Form 36 questionnaire (SF-36) was administered at baseline and at 12-week follow-up. Peak oxygen consumption improved significantly after training. The heart rate recovery improved from 13.90/minute to 16.62/minute after exercise training. Functional mobility and handgrip strength also improved after training. Significant improvements were found in SF-36 physical function, social function, role limitation due to emotional problems, and mental health domains. A significant correlation between dynamic cardiopulmonary exercise testing parameters, the 6-minute walking test, Timed Up and Go test, handgrip strength, and SF-36 physical function and general health domains was also detected. Twelve-week, 36-session exercise training, including moderate-intensity cardiopulmonary exercise training, strengthening exercise, and balance training, is beneficial to elderly patients with CAD, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing parameters correlate well with balance and quality of life

Functional characterization of cellulases identified from the cow rumen fungus Neocallimastix patriciarum W5 by transcriptomic and secretomic analyses

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Neocallimastix patriciarum</it> is one of the common anaerobic fungi in the digestive tracts of ruminants that can actively digest cellulosic materials, and its cellulases have great potential for hydrolyzing cellulosic feedstocks. Due to the difficulty in culture and lack of a genome database, it is not easy to gain a global understanding of the glycosyl hydrolases (<it>GHs</it>) produced by this anaerobic fungus.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have developed an efficient platform that uses a combination of transcriptomic and proteomic approaches to <it>N. patriciarum </it>to accelerate gene identification, enzyme classification and application in rice straw degradation. By conducting complementary studies of transcriptome (Roche 454 GS and Illumina GA IIx) and secretome (ESI-Trap LC-MS/MS), we identified 219 putative <it>GH </it>contigs and classified them into 25 <it>GH</it> families. The secretome analysis identified four major enzymes involved in rice straw degradation: β-glucosidase, endo-1,4-β-xylanase, xylanase B and Cel48A exoglucanase. From the sequences of assembled contigs, we cloned 19 putative cellulase genes, including the <it>GH1</it>, <it>GH3</it>, <it>GH5</it>, <it>GH6</it>, <it>GH9</it>, <it>GH18</it>, <it>GH43 </it>and <it>GH48 </it>gene families, which were highly expressed in <it>N. patriciarum </it>cultures grown on different feedstocks.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These <it>GH </it>genes were expressed in Pichia pastoris and/or Saccharomyces cerevisiae for functional characterization. At least five novel cellulases displayed cellulytic activity for glucose production. One β-glucosidase (W5-16143) and one exocellulase (W5-CAT26) showed strong activities and could potentially be developed into commercial enzymes.</p

JUNO Conceptual Design Report

The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) is proposed to determine the neutrino mass hierarchy using an underground liquid scintillator detector. It is located 53 km away from both Yangjiang and Taishan Nuclear Power Plants in Guangdong, China. The experimental hall, spanning more than 50 meters, is under a granite mountain of over 700 m overburden. Within six years of running, the detection of reactor antineutrinos can resolve the neutrino mass hierarchy at a confidence level of 3-4$\sigma$, and determine neutrino oscillation parameters $\sin^2\theta_{12}$, $\Delta m^2_{21}$, and $|\Delta m^2_{ee}|$ to an accuracy of better than 1%. The JUNO detector can be also used to study terrestrial and extra-terrestrial neutrinos and new physics beyond the Standard Model. The central detector contains 20,000 tons liquid scintillator with an acrylic sphere of 35 m in diameter. $\sim$17,000 508-mm diameter PMTs with high quantum efficiency provide $\sim$75% optical coverage. The current choice of the liquid scintillator is: linear alkyl benzene (LAB) as the solvent, plus PPO as the scintillation fluor and a wavelength-shifter (Bis-MSB). The number of detected photoelectrons per MeV is larger than 1,100 and the energy resolution is expected to be 3% at 1 MeV. The calibration system is designed to deploy multiple sources to cover the entire energy range of reactor antineutrinos, and to achieve a full-volume position coverage inside the detector. The veto system is used for muon detection, muon induced background study and reduction. It consists of a Water Cherenkov detector and a Top Tracker system. The readout system, the detector control system and the offline system insure efficient and stable data acquisition and processing.Comment: 328 pages, 211 figure

Belle II Technical Design Report

The Belle detector at the KEKB electron-positron collider has collected almost 1 billion Y(4S) events in its decade of operation. Super-KEKB, an upgrade of KEKB is under construction, to increase the luminosity by two orders of magnitude during a three-year shutdown, with an ultimate goal of 8E35 /cm^2 /s luminosity. To exploit the increased luminosity, an upgrade of the Belle detector has been proposed. A new international collaboration Belle-II, is being formed. The Technical Design Report presents physics motivation, basic methods of the accelerator upgrade, as well as key improvements of the detector.Comment: Edited by: Z. Dole\v{z}al and S. Un