IS PASSIVE PLANTAR FLEXION TORQUE DETERMINANT OF LOWER LIMB STIFFNESS?

It has been supposed that leg stiffness affect repeated jump performance, such as hopping. Previous study indicated that ankle joint stiffness is important in leg stiffness (Arampatzis et al. 2001). Furthermore, it was demonstrated that Achilles tendon properties could contribute to the total mechanical work during hopping (Lichtwark and Wilson 2005). On the other hand, it is known that passive plantar flexion torque (PT) is determined by tendon properties (Kawakami et al. 2008). However, no study has been focused on the effect of PT on leg stiffness in hopping. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between passive plantar flexion torque and leg stiffness

FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERISTIC OF ACHILLES TENDON MOMENT ARM LENGTH MEASURED USING ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN VIVO

INTRODUCTION: Moment arm is known as the perpendicular distance from the joint center to the line of pull in the muscle-tendon, and it effects the development of joint moment. Computer simulation study clarified effects of moment arm length on kinetic outputs in ankle joint(Nagano et al,.2003). However, no study have been investigated the sports specific characteristics of moment arm length and its effect of functional performance like jumping or running. The purpose of this study was to compare the moment arm length and jumping height of volleyball players and distance runners

ELONGATION OF ACHILLES TENDON REPRESENTS JUMP HEIGHT DURING HOPPING

INTRODUCTION: It is well known that ultrasonography gives directly, but non-invasively, an image of tendon and/or aponeurosis during joint motion (Fukunaga et al.,1996). And the compliant aponeurosis is known to make it possible to jump higher (Kubo et al.,2000). Therefore the purpose of present study is to investigate the relationship between elongation length in the Achilles' tendon during ankle joint motion and jumping height during foot jump

Surgery for acute type A aortic dissection in pregnant patients with Marfan syndrome

ArticleEuropean journal of cardio-thoracic surgery. 28(2): 280-283 (2005)journal articl

The incidence and risk factors of acute pain after preoperative needle localization of pulmonary nodules: a cross-sectional study

Background: The incidence, severity and associated risk factors of acute pain after preoperative needle localization of pulmonary nodules are poorly characterized. We therefore conducted a cross-sectional study to quantify the acute pain induced by preoperative needle localization of small pulmonary nodules before video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Methods: We conducted this study at Shanghai Chest Hospital from September 2021 through December 2021. Eligible patients were between 18 and 75 years old and had small pulmonary nodules requiring preoperative CT-guided needle localization. The intensity of acute pain was assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) after preoperative needle localization. A VAS score ≥4 cm indicated moderate to severe pain. Patient demographics and CT-guided localization factors were collected to identify significant predictors associated with moderate to severe pain. Results: A total of 300 patients were included in the final analysis, with a mean (SD) age of 51 (SD =12) years old; 63% were female. Moderate to severe pain occurred in 50.8% of patients during deep breathing and 45.7% of patients during movement. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that multiple localization needles [multiple needle localizations vs. single needle localization, odds ratio (OR): 2.363, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.157–4.825, P=0.018] and the specific location of needle puncture on the chest wall were significant predictors of moderate to severe pain after CT-guided needle localization (lateral chest wall vs. anterior chest wall OR: 2.235, 95% CI: 1.106–4.518, P=0.025; posterior chest wall vs. anterior chest wall OR: 1.198, 95% CI: 0.611–2.349, P=0.599). Conclusions: In adult patients receiving hookwire CT-guided localization, moderate to severe pain was common. Avoiding the localization route through lateral chest wall may be helpful and pharmacological medications or regional blockade is necessitated in high-risk population

INSIG2 gene rs7566605 polymorphism is associated with severe obesity in Japanese

The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs7566605 in the upstream region of the insulin-induced gene 2 (INSIG2) is associated with the obesity phenotype in many Caucasian populations. In Japanese, this association with the obesity phenotype is not clear. To investigate the relationship between rs7566605 and obesity in Japanese, we genotyped rs7566605 from severely obese subjects [n = 908, body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2] and normal-weight control subjects (n = 1495, BMI < 25 kg/m2). A case–control association analysis revealed that rs7566605 was significantly associated with obesity in Japanese. The P value in the minor allele recessive mode was 0.00020, and the odds ratio (OR) adjusted for gender and age was 1.61 [95% confidential interval (CI) = 1.24–2.09]. Obesity-associated phenotypes, which included the level of BMI, plasma glucose, hemoglobin A1c, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and blood pressure, were not associated with the rs7566605 genotype. Thus, rs7566605 in the upstream region of the INSIG2 gene was found to be associated with obesity, i.e., severe obesity, in Japanese

Mn bioavailability by polarized Caco-2 cells: comparison between Mn gluconate and Mn oxyprolinate

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Micronutrient inadequate intake is responsible of pathological deficiencies and there is a need of assessing the effectiveness of metal supplementation, frequently proposed to rebalance poor diets. Manganese (Mn) is present in many enzymatic intracellular systems crucial for the regulation of cell metabolism, and is contained in commercially available metal supplements.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We compared the effects of two different commercial Mn forms, gluconate (MnGluc) and oxyprolinate (MnOxP). For this purpose we used the polarized Caco-2 cells cultured on transwell filters, an established in vitro model of intestinal epithelium. Since micronutrient deficiency may accelerate mitochondrial efficiency, the mitochondrial response of these cells, in the presence of MnGluc and MnOxP, by microscopy methods and by ATP luminescence assay was used.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the presence of both MnOxP and MnGluc a sustained mitochondrial activity was shown by mitoTraker labeling (indicative of mitochondrial respiration), but ATP intracellular content remained comparable to untreated cells only in the presence of MnOxP. In addition MnOxP transiently up-regulated the antioxidant enzyme Mn superoxide dismutase more efficiently than MnGluc. Both metal treatments preserved NADH and βNADPH diaphorase oxidative activity, avoided mitochondrial dysfunction, as assessed by the absence of a sustained phosphoERK activation, and were able to maintain cell viability.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Collectively, our data indicate that MnOxP and MnGluc, and primarily the former, produce a moderate and safe modification of Caco-2 cell metabolism, by activating positive enzymatic mechanisms, thus could contribute to long-term maintenance of cell homeostasis.</p

Transient Freeze-Thaw Deformation Responses to the 2018 and 2019 Fires Near Batagaika Megaslump, Northeast Siberia

Wildfires in Arctic regions impact landforms via permafrost degradation and subsequent deformation that can last for many years. However, it remains uncertain on if and how much deformations occur, and what controls their magnitude, particularly during the first couple of years. Here, we examine the transient post-fire deformation responses near the Batagaika megaslump, which is the world's largest retrogressive thaw slump at Batagay, Sakha Republic. There were wildfires in the summers of 2018 and 2019 on the same slope, which could trigger the formation of another megaslump; many fires occurred nearby in 2019. We use interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) to measure surface displacements, including both post-fire and span-fire images. We also perform onsite measurements of temperature and thaw depth around the two scars near Batagaika megaslump in 2019, 2020, and 2021 and around the 2014 scar in 2019. At the three fire scars formed in 2018 and 2019, we demonstrate year-to-year and location-specific changes in the amplitude of subsidence, heave, and duration. The 2018 scar shows cumulative subsidences of up to 10 cm by March 2021, more clearly than the nearby 2019 scar. On the other hand, another 2019 scar adjacent to the 2014 scar shows up to 13 cm net subsidence during the first span-fire year, although the subsiding area is limited. These diverse transient post-fire responses demonstrate that under the yedoma area the spatial heterogeneities of the active layer depth and the timing of fires will control subsequent thermokarst processes