Study on Gait Efficiency and Energy Cost of Below Knee Amputees After Therapeutic Practices

An earlier research advocated that a below knee amputee (BK) with conventional trans-tibial prosthesis attains higher gait efficiency at lower energy cost with therapeutic practices of proper time and co-ordination in compare to normal subjects of similar physical parameters and quality of life. The present study focused on comparative analysis of energy cost and gait efficiency between a group of below knee amputees and a control group (normal subjects without amputation) to indicate the consistency of the earlier findings. The subjects were selected with similar physical parameters and quality of life. Oxygen Uptake (VO2) and Heart Rate (HR) were measured by Cosmed® k4 b2 analyzer system. Gait efficiency (p < 0.0001) was found higher with lower energy cost for BK amputees after therapeutic practices than control group. The therapeutic activities contributed to efficient gait pattern for amputees ensuring proper time and co-ordination with balance in consistence to the earlier research

Energy Cost and Gait Efficiency of Below-Knee Amputee and Normal Subject with Similar Physical Parameters & Quality of Life: A Comparative Case Study

The study focused on the comparative analysis of energy cost and gait efficiency between a below knee (BK) amputee and a reference subject (without amputation). It also attempted to indicate the specific feature responsible for a controlled gait with optimum energy cost for BK amputees. Selection criteria of the subjects were similar physical parameters and quality of life studied with WHOQOL-100 quality of life assessment. A Cosmed® k4 b2 Respiratory Analyzer system was used for the measurement of Oxygen Uptake (VO2), Energy Expenditure per minute (EE) and Heart Rate (HR). Gait efficiency (p < 0.0002) was found higher for BK amputee than normal subject. The therapeutic activities and mainly walking rhythm contributed to improve the mobility & balance. This ensures the optimum time & co-ordination of movements and hence improves the gait efficiency for the BK amputee. Comparison with control group was performed to validate the data

Microstructural evolution and hardness property of in situ Al–Mg2Si composites using one-step gravity casting method

In the present investigation, Al–X wt-% Mg2Si (X = 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20) in situ composites are successfully synthesised by one-step gravity casting technique. Commercially pure Al, Mg and Si are used as raw materials. Microstructural evaluation and correlation of micro- and bulk hardness properties have been studied on developing composites. The composites consist of mainly three phases: matrix (α-Al), reinforcing (primary Mg2Si) and binary eutectic (Al–Mg2Si) phase. Primary Mg2Si particles are formed by pseudo-eutectic transformation during solidification and surrounded by matrix and binary eutectic phase. It is found that Mg2Si concentration has a significant impact on morphology and volume per cent of the above-mentioned phases. Primary Mg2Si particles’ size and volume per cent increase with increasing wt-% of Mg2Si. Volume per cent of individual phases and Mg2Si concentration have great impact on hardness properties of composites. Bulk hardness increases with increasing wt-% of Mg2Si concentration, but micro-hardness of primary Mg2Si particle decreases slightly. Mg2Si concentration also has significant impact on micro-hardness of individual phases

A dihydro-pyrido-indole potently inhibits HSV-1 infection by interfering the viral immediate early transcriptional events

In our continued quest for identifying novel molecules from ethnomedicinal source we have isolated an alkaloid 7-methoxy-1-methyl-4,9-dihydro-3H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole, also known as Harmaline (HM), from an ethnomedicinal herb Ophiorrhiza nicobarica. The compound exhibited a potent anti-HSV-1 activity against both wild type and clinical isolates of HSV-1. Further we demonstrated that HM did not interfere in viral entry but the recruitment of lysine-specific demethylase-1 (LSD1) and the binding of immediate-early (IE) complex on ICP0 promoter. This leads to the suppression of viral IE gene synthesis and thereby the reduced expression of ICP4 and ICP27. Moreover, HM at its virucidal concentration is nontoxic and reduced virus yields in cutaneously infected Balb/C mice. Thus, the interference in the binding of IE complex, a decisive factor for HSV lytic cycle or latency by HM reveals an interesting target for developing non-nucleotide antiherpetic agent with different mode of action than Acyclovir