THE KINEMATIC ANALYSIS of BASKETBALL THREE POINT SHOOT AFTER HIGH INTENSITY PROGRAM

The purpose of this study was to analyze kinetic and kinematic characteristics of three points shooting by high speed camera. Basketball players have to finish the high intensity program which was designed from simulative basketball games. The high intensity testing program includes dribbling, sprint, slide, jump shooting and three points shooting. The results of the experiments indicated that elbow, wrist, hip and ankle joints angle velocities would decrease, except the knee joint, after the high intensity program. The knee angle of take-off would also increase. It indicated that the upper limb joints angular velocity would decrease and players had to increase knee joint angular velocity to maintain original power. The time from take-off to ball release also decreased which means that there was a change in the coordinates in knee joint and elbow joint. After high intensity program the elbow and knee joints extension were closed to produce more power for the shot

Vision improvement in a Taiwanese (Han Chinese) family with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy

AbstractIn this report, we describe a Taiwanese (Han Chinese) family with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy. The family carried a mitochondrial DNA mutation (mtDNA m.14484T>C) associated with spontaneous visual improvement. A 15-year-old boy from this family was diagnosed with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy 6 months after losing his vision. His vision recovered after 8 months of supportive treatment. His mother, older brother, and two sisters also had the same mutation and had previously experienced vision loss. In this family, there was no male predominance

Induced pluripotent stem cells and regenerative medicine

AbstractStem cells, a special subset of cells derived from embryo or adult tissues, are known to present the characteristics of self-renewal, multiple lineages of differentiation, high plastic capability, and long-term maintenance. Recent reports have further suggested that neural stem cells (NSCs) derived from the adult hippocampal and subventricular regions possess the utilizing potential to develop the transplantation strategies and to screen the candidate agents for neurogenesis, neuroprotection, and neuroplasticity in neurodegenerative diseases. In this article, we review the roles of NSCs and other stem cells in neuroprotective and neurorestorative therapies for neurological and psychiatric diseases. We show the evidences that NSCs play the key roles involved in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative disorders, including depression, stroke, and Parkinson’s disease. Moreover, the potential and possible utilities of induced pluripotent stem cells, reprogramming from adult fibroblasts with ectopic expression of four embryonic genes, are also reviewed and further discussed. An understanding of the biophysiology of stem cells could help us elucidate the pathogenicity and develop new treatments for neurodegenerative disorders. In contrast to cell transplantation therapies, the application of stem cells can further provide a platform for drug discovery and small molecular testing, including Chinese herbal medicines. In addition, the high-throughput stem cell-based systems can be used to elucidate the mechanisms of neuroprotective candidates in translation medical research for neurodegenerative diseases

Factors Related to Significant Improvement of Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rates in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients Receiving Telbivudine Therapy

Background and Aim. The improvement of estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients receiving telbivudine therapy is well known. The aim of this study was to clarify the kinetics of eGFRs and to identify the significant factors related to the improvement of eGFRs in telbivudine-treated CHB patients in a real-world setting. Methods. Serial eGFRs were calculated every 3 months using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation. The patients were classified as CKD-1, -2, or -3 according to a baseline eGFR of ≥90, 60–89, or <60 mL/min/1.73 m2, respectively. A significant improvement of eGFR was defined as a more than 10% increase from the baseline. Results. A total of 129 patients were enrolled, of whom 36% had significantly improved eGFRs. According to a multivariate analysis, diabetes mellitus (DM) (p=0.028) and CKD-3 (p=0.043) were both significantly related to such improvement. The rates of significant improvement of eGFR were about 73% and 77% in patients with DM and CKD-3, respectively. Conclusions. Telbivudine is an alternative drug of choice for the treatment of hepatitis B patients for whom renal safety is a concern, especially patients with DM and CKD-3

Coexistent squamous cell carcinoma and adenoid basal carcinoma in the uterine cervix and infection with human papillomavirus (HPV 31)

AbstractObjectiveAdenoid basal carcinoma (ABC) is an uncommon neoplasm of the uterine cervix. ABC can be accompanied by carcinoma in situ or invasive carcinoma. Most cases are discovered accidentally during radical hysterectomy. ABC is associated with a high risk of human papillomavirus infection (HPV), most often HPV 16 infection.Case reportWe present a rare case of an 86-year-old Taiwanese married woman who suffered from bloody vaginal discharge and occasional lower abdominal pain and received cervical biopsy. The pathological report revealed squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the uterine cervix. After radical hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and bilateral pelvic and para-aortic lymph node dissection, the final pathological report revealed SCC coexisting with ABC, and both of the components were infected by HPV 31. After receiving radiotherapy, she maintained outpatient department follow-up.ConclusionA literature review revealed that this was a rare case of combined ABC–SCC associated with HPV 31 infection. In this case, the ABC component did not affect the tumor stage because it was confined to the cervix. However, we must avoid overestimating the clinical stage because the ABC component is thought to be a benign lesion

Comparison of the Offspring Sex Ratio Between Cleavage Stage Embryo Transfer and Blastocyst Transfer

SummaryObjectiveTo compare the sex ratio of offspring born after cleavage stage embryo transfer and blastocyst transfer.Materials and MethodsIn this retrospective study of embryo transfer (ET), we included 473 offspring from 446 deliveries during the period January 2002 to December 2007. Statistical analysis was performed on the sex ratio of offspring resulting from day 3 cleavage stage embryo transfer and from sequential blastocyst culture transfer.ResultsIn total, 446 patient deliveries were included in this analysis. There were 251 singleton pregnancies, 109 twin pregnancies, and four triplet pregnancies. The total number of offspring was 473, of which 118 resulted from day 3 ETs, and 355 resulted from blastocyst ETs. At our center, the influence on the sex ratio of cleavage stage ET and blastocyst-stage ET showed a bias towards males in both cases. The overall female to male ratio for offspring resulting from day 3 ETs was not significantly higher than the same ratio for offspring resulting from blastocyst ETs (p = 0.24; odds ratio, 0.762). The female to male ratio for either singleton births or multiple deliveries was also not significantly different between day 3 ETs and blastocyst ETs.ConclusionThe sex ratio was influenced by cleavage stage ET and blastocyst-stage ET. In both cases, there was a bias towards males. In addition, when blastocyst ET was compared with day 3 ET, there was no further increase in the percentage of male offspring

Quantitative assessment of female pattern hair loss

AbstractBackground/ObjectiveThe conventional approach to evaluate female pattern hair loss (FPHL) is to visually inspect and score images of balding area (BA). However, visual estimates vary widely among different physicians, and may hinder objective assessment of hair loss and subsequent treatment response. For this reason, we propose a quantitative method using a computer-aided imaging system to help physicians evaluate the severity of FPHL clinically.MethodsWe use a series of digital image processing techniques to measure the width of central balding area of FPHL. A total of 184 photos were collected form 33 Chinese women with FPHL (stages I-2 to II-2 on the Savin scale). Each photograph underwent standardized exposure correction. The balding areas were detected through this computer system and then transformed into an equivalent ellipse by principal component analysis. The width of ellipse [balding width (BW)] was measured. Spearman's rank correlation was used to detect the correlation between our measurements and clinical staging.ResultsExposure correction resulted in a 16.97% (|BWcorrected − BWoriginal|/BWcorrected) difference in BW.‏ The average BW was 54.98 mm in all patients, 25.79 mm in type I-2 patients, 37.41 mm in I-3, 54.08 mm in I-4, 72.10 mm in II-1, and 85.53 mm in II-2. The values of BW were correlated with Savin scale stages clinically (rBW = 0.967), which was significant statistically (p < 0.05).ConclusionA computer-aided imaging system could be a useful tool to assist physicians to evaluate the balding area more precisely for clinical staging in FPHL. The BW instead of the balding area is simple to use clinically to represent the severity of FPHL

Influence of Y-doped induced defects on the optical and magnetic properties of ZnO nanorod arrays prepared by low-temperature hydrothermal process

One-dimensional pure zinc oxide (ZnO) and Y-doped ZnO nanorod arrays have been successfully fabricated on the silicon substrate for comparison by a simple hydrothermal process at the low temperature of 90°C. The Y-doped nanorods exhibit the same c-axis-oriented wurtzite hexagonal structure as pure ZnO nanorods. Based on the results of photoluminescence, an enhancement of defect-induced green-yellow visible emission is observed for the Y-doped ZnO nanorods. The decrease of E(2)(H) mode intensity and increase of E(1)(LO) mode intensity examined by the Raman spectrum also indicate the increase of defects for the Y-doped ZnO nanorods. As compared to pure ZnO nanorods, Y-doped ZnO nanorods show a remarked increase of saturation magnetization. The combination of visible photoluminescence and ferromagnetism measurement results indicates the increase of oxygen defects due to the Y doping which plays a crucial role in the optical and magnetic performances of the ZnO nanorods

Preoperative treatment with 5α-reductase inhibitors and the risk of hemorrhagic events in patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate – A population-based cohort study

OBJECTIVES: To assess the associations between preoperative treatment with 5-alpha reductase inhibitors and the risks of blood transfusion during transurethral resection of the prostate and blood clot evacuation or emergency department visits for hematuria within 1 month after surgery. METHODS: We used data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database in this population-based cohort study. A total of 3,126 patients who underwent first-time transurethral resection of the prostate from 2004 to 2013 were identified. Adjusted odds ratios estimated by multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the independent effects of the preoperative use of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors on the risks of perioperative hemorrhagic events after adjustment for potential confounders. RESULTS: Two hundred and ninety-seven (9.4%) patients were treated with 5-alpha reductase inhibitors fo