Preoperative Strength Training for Clinical Outcomes Before and After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BackgroundThere is an increasing interest in preoperative strength training for promoting post-operative rehabilitation, but the effectiveness of preoperative strength training for clinical outcomes after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains controversial.ObjectiveThis study aims to systematically evaluate the effect of preoperative strength training on clinical outcomes before and after TKA.MethodsWe systematically searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases from the inception to November 17, 2021. The meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of preoperative strength training on clinical outcomes before and after TKA.ResultsSeven randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included (n = 306). Immediately before TKA, the pooled results showed significant improvements in pain, knee function, functional ability, stiffness, and physical function in the strength training group compared with the control group, but not in strength (quadriceps), ROM, and WOMAC (total). Compared with the control group, the results indicated strength training had a statistically significant improvement in post-operative knee function, ROM, and functional ability at less than 1 month and 3 months, and had a statistically significant improvement in post-operative strength (quadriceps), stiffness, and WOMAC (total) at 3 months, and had a statistically significant improvement in post-operative pain at 6 months. However, the results indicated strength training had no statistically significant improvement in post-operative strength (quadriceps) at less than 1 month, 6, and 12 months, had no statistically significant improvement in post-operative pain at less than 1 month, 3, and 12 months, had no statistically significant improvement in post-operative knee function at 6 and 12 months, and had no statistically significant improvement in post-operative physical function at 3 months.ConclusionsPreoperative strength training may be beneficial to early rehabilitation after TKA, but the long-term efficacy needs to be further determined. At the same time, more caution should be exercised when interpreting the clinical efficacy of preoperative strength training for TKA

A Case Report of Gorham-Stout Syndrome with Kyphoscoliosis

This article reported the treatment of Gorham Stout syndrome (GSS) with kyphoscoliosis. The patient was an 11-year-old male who was presented with kyphoscoliosis, first developed 4 years ago, accompanied by incomplete paralysis of both lower limbs. The syndrome worsened in the previous year. He had a history of chylothorax, ventilation dysfunction, and osteoporosis. The patient underwent skull traction in another hospital for 7 months, which was ineffective. Finally, he underwent posterior correction, internal fixation, and bone graft fusion (C4-T8) in our hospital. The postoperative clinical outcomes and the posterior correction were satisfactory, with significant improvement in incomplete paralysis of both lower limbs. This article aims to improve the understanding of GSS and provided reference for its diagnosis and treatment through a typical case report and review of previous literature

Quadruple-Stimuli-Sensitive Polymeric Nanocarriers for Controlled Release under Combined Stimulation

Here we report a novel quadruple-stimuli-responsive block copolymer nanocarrier sensitive to pH, temperature, light, and reducing agent. The well-defined amphiphilic diblock copolymer poly­(2-nitrobenzyl methacrylate)-SS-poly­(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PNBM-SS-PDMAEMA) was synthesized via two steps of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). In aqueous solution, the diblock copolymer self-assembled into nanoparticles consisting of a light-responsive hydrophobic PNBM core, a pH- and temperature-responsive hydrophilic PDMAEMA corona, and a redox-sensitive disulfide linker. The multi-stimuli-responsive behaviors of the block copolymer assemblies were revealed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The release of encapsulated molecules from the polymeric nanocarriers could be enhanced under combined stimulation. The prepared multi-stimuli-responsive nanocarriers may offer significant opportunities in diverse applications in the fields of nanotechnology and biotechnology for controlled release

A Proteomic Analysis Provides Novel Insights into the Stress Responses of Caenorhabditis elegans towards Nematicidal Cry6A Toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis

Abstract Cry6A represents a novel family of nematicidal crystal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis. It has distinctive architecture as well as mechanism of action from Cry5B, a highly focused family of nematicidal crystal proteins, and even from other insecticidal crystal proteins containing the conserved three-domain. However, how nematode defends against Cry6A toxin remains obscure. In this study, the global defense pattern of Caenorhabditis elegans against Cry6Aa2 toxin was investigated by proteomic analysis. In response to Cry6Aa2, 12 proteins with significantly altered abundances were observed from worms, participating in innate immune defense, insulin-like receptor (ILR) signaling pathway, energy metabolism, and muscle assembly. The differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) functioning in diverse biological processes suggest that a variety of defense responses participate in the stress responses of C. elegans to Cry6Aa2. The functional verifications of DEPs suggest that ILR signaling pathway, DIM-1, galectin LEC-6 all are the factors of defense responses to Cry6Aa2. Moreover, Cry6Aa2 also involves in accelerating the metabolic energy production which fulfills the energy demand for the immune responses. In brief, our findings illustrate the global pattern of defense responses of nematode against Cry6A for the first time, and provide a novel insight into the mechanism through which worms respond to Cry6A

Curcumin Inhibits Acute Vascular Inflammation through the Activation of Heme Oxygenase-1

Curcumin has several therapeutic properties such as anti-inflammatory effect. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has been showed to have cytoprotective effects in some pathological conditions. However, the role of HO-1 in anti-inflammatory effect of curcumin is unknown. In this study, we investigate whether the anti-inflammatory effect of curcumin in vascular may be involved in the activation of HO-1. New Zealand white rabbits were fed regular control diet or control diet added with 0.3% curcumin (wt/wt) for four weeks. Acute vascular inflammation of rabbits was induced by putting a collar on the left common carotid artery for 24 hours. HO-1 inhibitor and siRNA were used to investigate the role of HO-1 in the anti-inflammatory effect of curcumin in collared vascular. We also explored the mechanism of curcumin-induced activation of HO-1 in vitro. The serum bilirubin and vascular, liver, and spleen HO-1 mRNA levels were significantly increased in curcumin-treated rabbits. The vascular inflammation was significantly decreased in the curcumin-treated animals compared with the control. Treatment of the rabbits with an inhibitor of HO or HO-1 siRNA to knock down the carotid artery HO-1 abolished the ability of curcumin to inhibit vascular inflammation. Treatment of cultured human artery endothelial cells with curcumin induced the HO-1 expression through the activation of nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and an antioxidant responsive element via the p38 MAPK signalling pathway. In conclusion, curcumin inhibits vascular inflammation in vivo and in vitro through the activation of HO-1

Study on color-tunable phosphor-coated white light-emitting diodes with high S/P ratios

In this study, we have investigated the trade-off between the color rendering index (CRI, Ra) and the scotopic/photopic ratio (S/P) for color-tunable phosphor-coated white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) at two CRI limitations (Ra ≥ 70 and Ra ≥ 96). First, luminescent spectra measurements have been conducted to determine experimental results of Ra and S/P under various correlated color temperatures (CCTs). Then, a nonlinear programming method has been adopted for the optimization of Ra and S/P by varying spectral shapes through adjusting spectral parameters, such as peak wavelengths, full-width at half-maxima, and relative intensities. Therefore, polynomial curves of optimal S/P versus CCT at two Ra limitations have been discovered, enabling users to obtain optimal S/P under arbitrary CCTs within [2700 K, 6500 K]. In addition, a comparison study between the present work and our previous work has also been conducted at Ra = 70, and a fair agreement of optimal S/P has been observed

Multi-Azimuth Failure Mechanisms in Phosphor-Coated White LEDs by Current Aging Stresses

We have experimentally analyzed multi-azimuth degradation mechanisms that govern failures of commercially-available high-power (1 Watt) phosphor-coated white (hppc-W) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) covered with peanut-shaped lenses under three current-stress aging (CSA) conditions. Comprehensive analyses focus on photometric, chromatic, electrical, thermal and packaging characteristics. At the packaging level, (a) the decrease of the phosphor-conversion efficiency; (b) the yellow-browning of the optical lens; and (c) the darkening of the silver-coated reflective layer deposited with extraneous chemical elements (e.g., C, O, Si, Mg, and Cu, respectively) contribute collectively to the integral degradation of the optical power. By contrast, Ohmic contacts, thermal properties, and angles of maximum intensity remain unchanged after 3840 h aging in three cases. Particularly at the chip level, the formation of point defects increases the number of non-radiative recombination centers, and thus decreases the optical power during aging stages. Nevertheless, in view of the change of the ideality factor, the Mg dopant activation and the annealing effect facilitate the increase of the optical power in two specific aging stages (192 h~384 h and 768 h~1536 h). This work offers a systematic guidance for the development of reliable LED-based light sources in general-lighting areas