Biomechanical comparisons of single- and double-legged drop jumps with changes in drop height.

The purpose of this study was to compare the biomechanics of single- and double-legged drop jumps (SDJ vs. DDJ) with changes in drop height. Jumping height, ground contact time, reactive strength index, ground reaction force, loading rate of ground reaction force, joint power and stiffness were measured in 12 male college students during SDJ from 20-, 30-, 40-, and 50-cm heights and DDJ from of 20- and 40-cm heights. The peak impact force was increased with the incremental drop height during SDJs. The jumping height and leg and ankle stiffness of SDJ30 were greater than those of SDJ40 and SDJ50. The knee and hip stiffnesses of SDJ30 were greater than those of SDJ50. The impact forces of SDJ30-50 were greater than those of DDJ40. The leg, ankle, knee and hip joint stiffnesses of SDJ20-30 were greater than those of DDJ20 and DDJ40. The propulsive forces of SDJ20-50 were greater than those of DDJ20 and DDJ40. The jumping height of SDJ30 was greater than that of DDJ20. Drop height of 30 cm was recommended during single-legged drop jump with the best biomechanical benefit. Single-legged drop jump from 20-30 cm could provide comparable intensity to double-legged drop jump from 40 cm.

Imaging characteristics and ECG distribution of coronary fistulas: The first large-scale study.

BACKGROUND: The proportion of abnormal electrocardiogra (ECG) in patients with coronary artery fistula (CAF) is relatively high, but the correlation between CAF and arrhythmia is mostly reported in individual case studies. This paper analyzes the correlation between imaging features and ECG features. OBJECTIVE: This paper aims to analyze the incidence and distribution characteristics of abnormal ECG in patients with CAF and further explore the difference in ECG characteristics between coronary-cameral fistula (CCF) and coronary-pulmonary artery fistula (CPAF). METHOD: A total of 144,448 patients who underwent coronary computerized tomography angiography (CTA) examination from January 2016 to December 2022 were included in this study, and 284 patients with CAF (excluding coronary atherosclerosis) were selected for analysis of their ECG and image characteristics. And divided them into the CPAF (221 cases) and CCF (63 cases) groups, the differences in ECG between the two groups was compared. The changes in the ECG after the operation were analyzed. RESULTS: The incidence of abnormal ECG in patients with CAF was approximately 72.9%. There were significant differences in the proportion of ECG block, myocardial ischemia and structural ECG changes between the CPAF group and CCF group (P < 0.05). CCF was more likely to cause conduction block and ischemic and structural ECG changes. A total of 53 patients with CAF underwent surgical treatment, 28 patients with improved ECG (52%). CONCLUSION: CCF especially CCF patients often have abnormal ECG findings such as conduction block, myocardial ischemia, and structural changes, which can often be restored to normal through surgery.

GIPC1 promotes tumor growth and migration in gastric cancer via activating PDGFR/PI3K/AKT signaling.

The high mortality rate associated with gastric cancer (GC) has resulted in an urgent need to identify novel therapeutic targets for GC. This study aimed to investigate whether GAIP interacting protein, C terminus 1 (GIPC1) represents a therapeutic target and its regulating mechanism in GC. GIPC1 expression was elevated in GC tissues, liver metastasis tissues, and lymph node metastases. GIPC1 knockdown or GIPC1 blocking peptide blocked the platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR)/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, and inhibited the proliferation and migration of GC cells. Conversely, GIPC1 overexpression markedly activated the PDGFR/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, and promoted GC cell proliferation and migration. Furthermore, platelet-derived growth factor subunit BB (PDGF-BB) cytokines and the AKT inhibitor attenuated the effect of differential GIPC1 expression. Moreover, GIPC1 silencing decreased tumor growth and migration in BALB/c nude mice, while GIPC1 overexpression had contrasting effects. Taken together, our findings suggest that GIPC1 functions as an oncogene in GC and plays a central role in regulating cell proliferation and migration via the PDGFR/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

MALAT1 knockdown protects from bronchial/tracheal smooth muscle cell injury via regulation of microRNA-133a/ryanodine receptor 2 axis.

Asthma has significant impacts on living quality particularly in children. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) MALAT1 plays a crucial role in neonatal respiratory diseases. Meanwhile, MALAT1 knockdown could induce viability and attenuate apoptosis of airway-related cells. However, the role of MALAT1 in neonatal asthma, asthma-related cell, and its possible mechanism is unclear. This study aims to investigate MALAT1 level in asthma and to identify the effects of MALAT1 on bronchial/tracheal smooth muscle cells (B/TSMCs). Newborn asthma modeling rat was constructed by introducing ovalbumin (OVA). MALAT1 levels in tissues or B/TSMCs were determined by RT-qPCR. Exogenous changes of MALAT1, RyR2 or miR-133a in B/TSMCs were fulfilled by cell transfection; cell apoptosis was measured by using Cell Death Detection ELISA kit and Hochest33342; IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1ß level was detected by using corresponding ELISA kit; ryanodine receptor 2 (RyR2) mRNA and miR-133a level was determined by RT-qPCR; cleaved caspase-3 (c-caspase-3) and RyR2 expression was detected by Western blot; luciferase reporter assay was performed to confirm the target regulation of miR-133a on RyR2. We found that MALAT1 was significantly upregulated in tracheal tissues of newborn asthma modeling rats. In MALAT1-silenced or -overexpressed B/TSMCs, we found a synchronous change of cell apoptosis, inflammatory factor secretion (IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1ß) or RyR2 level, but a reverse change of miR-133a level with MALAT1. Besides, MALAT1 induced B/TSMCs apoptosis and inflammation increase could be partially reversed when RyR2 was silenced or when miR-133a was overexpressed. The luciferase reporter assay confirmed that RyR2 is a direct target gene of miR-133a in B/TSMCs. Finally, we conclude that MALAT1 knockdown could protect from B/TSMCs injury via regulating miR-133a/ RyR2 axis.

Forward reachable sets: Analytically derived properties of connected components for dynamic networks.

Formal analysis of the emergent structural properties of dynamic networks is largely uncharted territory. We focus here on the properties of forward reachable sets (FRS) as a function of the underlying degree distribution and edge duration. FRS are defined as the set of nodes that can be reached from an initial seed via a path of temporally ordered edges; a natural extension of connected component measures to dynamic networks. Working in a stochastic framework, we derive closed-form expressions for the mean and variance of the exponential growth rate of the FRS for temporal networks with both edge and node dynamics. For networks with node dynamics, we calculate thresholds for the growth of the FRS. The effects of finite population size are explored via simulation and approximation. We examine how these properties vary by edge duration and different cross-sectional degree distributions that characterize a range of scientifically interesting normative outcomes (Poisson and Bernoulli). The size of the forward reachable set gives an upper bound for the epidemic size in disease transmission network models, relating this work to epidemic modeling (Ferguson, 2000; Eames, 2004).

Adjunctive corticosteroids for the treatment of Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia in patients with HIV: A meta-analysis.

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of adjunctive corticosteroid treatment on Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). A literature search of relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published prior to March 2014 was performed using a number of websites, including PubMed, EMbase and Ovid, using the following keywords: Corticosteroids, glucocorticoide, cortisol, corticosterone, HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, P. jiroveci pneumonia, and PCP. All RCTs investigating the use of adjunctive corticosteroids for the treatment of P. jiroveci pneumonia in patients with HIV were evaluated in the present study. Stata 11.0 software was used to calculate the relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) following tests for consistency and potential biases. Six RCTs investigating a total of 548 patients were evaluated in the present meta-analysis. The experimental groups (n=270) demonstrated a mortality rate of 15.2% (n=41); as compared with 27.7% (n=77) in the control groups (n=278). The present meta-analysis demonstrated that the RR and 95% CI were 0.55 and 0.35-0.85 (P<0.05), respectively, following treatment with adjunctive corticosteroids. This result indicated that patients in the experimental group had a 0.55 times reduced risk of mortality compared with the control group. Therefore, the results of the present meta-analysis demonstrated that the administration of adjunctive corticosteroids for the treatment of P. jiroveci pneumonia in patients with HIV may reduce the mortality rate of patients in the early phase of the disease.

Peritumoral cystic meningioma: A report of two cases and review of the literature.

The present study reported two cases of cystic meningioma. The clinical manifestations, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan and histological aspects of the lesion and the associated cyst were examined. The classification of cystic meningioma was also discussed. The present study focused on the formation, diagnosis and management of the peritumoral cystic meningioma, and aimed to clarify certain contradictions in the literature concerning the formation of the peritumoral cyst meningioma: MRI alone is inadequate to determine the type of cystic meningioma, or to identify neoplastic cells on the cystic wall. In conclusion, surgical removal of the entire cyst is recommended in peritumoral cyst meningioma.

Quercetin reduces cyclin D1 activity and induces G1 phase arrest in HepG2 cells.

Quercetin is able to inhibit proliferation of malignant tumor cells; however, the exact mechanism involved in this biological process remains unclear. The current study utilized a quantitative proteomic analysis to explore the antitumor mechanisms of quercetin. The leucine of HepG2 cells treated with quercetin was labeled as d3 by stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC). The isotope peaks of control HepG2 cells were compared with the d3-labeled HepG2 cells by mass spectrometry (MS) to identify significantly altered proteins. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot analyses were subsequently employed to verify the results of the MS analysis. A flow cytometry assay was designed to observe the influence of various quercetin treatment concentrations on the cell cycle distribution of HepG2 cells. The results indicated that quercetin is able to substantially inhibit proliferation of HepG2 cells and induce an obvious morphological alteration of cells. According to the MS results, the 70 credibly-changed proteins that were identified may play important roles in multiple cellular processes, including protein synthesis, signaling, cytoskeletal processes and metabolism. Among these functional proteins, the expression of cyclin D1 (CCND1) was found to be significantly decreased. RT-PCR and western blot analyses verified the SILAC-MS results of decreased CCND1 expression. In summary, flow cytometry revealed that quercetin is able to induce G1 phase arrest in HepG2 cells. Based on the aforementioned observations, it is suggested that quercetin exerts antitumor activity in HepG2 cells through multiple pathways, including interfering with CCND1 gene expression to disrupt the cell cycle and proliferation of HepG2 cells. In the future, we aim to explore this effect in vivo.

Effect of acute heat stress on adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol, interleukin-2, interleukin-12 and apoptosis gene expression in rats.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of acute heat stress on the neuroendocrine and immunological function in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups and respectively exposed to heat (32°C) or to room temperature (24°C). After 7 days of heat exposure, the heat-stress rat model was established. The organ coefficients of the pituitary and adrenal glands were determined. The body temperature was measured by telemetry. The average contents of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol (Cor), interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-12 in serum were detected. The expression of apoptotic genes in the spleen was measured. The results showed that acute heat stress did not evidently affect the body temperature and body weight (P>0.05), but the exposure increased the organ coefficients of the pituitary and adrenal glands (P<0.05). Heat exposure significantly elevated the level of ACTH, Cor, IL-2 and IL-12 (P<0.05). The expression of caspase-3 and Bax were not changed significantly (P>0.05), while Bcl2 was reduced (P<0.05).

Opioid receptors and associated regulator of G protein signaling are involved in the cathartic colon of rats.

A cathartic colon is characteristic of slow transit constipation (STC), which can result following the long-term use of irritant laxatives. In the present study, the involvement of three opioid receptor subtypes (µ, MOR; δ, DOR; and κ, KOR), regulator of G protein signaling 4 (RGS-4) and ß-arrestin-2 were investigated in the cathartic colon of rats. A rat model of a cathartic colon was established by feeding the animals with phenolphthalein, while normal rats were used as a control. The mRNA and protein expression levels of the opioid receptors, RGS-4 and ß-arrestin-2 were detected in the rat colon using semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis, respectively. The rat model of a cathartic colon was successfully established using the phenolphthalein stimulus, and was shown to result in shrunken myenteric neurons and loose muscle fibers in the intestinal wall. The mRNA and protein expression levels of the three opioid receptor subtypes, RGS-4 and ß-arrestin-2 were significantly higher in the cathartic colon group when compared with the levels in the normal control group (all P<0.01). With regard to the protein expression levels, MOR protein increased 2.4 fold, DOR expression increased 1.5 fold, KOR levels increased 1.5 fold, RGS-4 protein increased 3.5 fold and ß-arrestin-2 expression increased 2.0 fold. Therefore, the expression levels of opioid receptors were found to increase in the cathartic colons of the rats, indicating that opioid receptors and downstream RGS-4 and ß-arrestin-2 signaling may play an important role in the pathogenesis of STC.

Effect of the microtransplantation of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells as maintenance therapy for elderly patients with acute leukemia.

The incidence of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) increases with age. Elderly patients with AML are less tolerant to high-intensity consolidation therapy than younger patients, with significantly worse prognoses. Induction and consolidation therapy combined with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell microtransplantation may improve the prognosis of elderly patients with AML. The present study reports the effect of maintenance therapy with low-dose chemotherapy treatment combined with microtransplantation in elderly patients with AML following consolidation. Between January 2011 and April 2014, three elderly patients (>55 years old), including one 58-year-old patient with acute mixed lineage leukemia (AMLL) and two patients with AML aged 59 years and 62 years, underwent microtransplantation maintenance therapy. Following a complete response to induction chemotherapy and consolidation chemotherapy with two to four cycles of medium dose Ara-c (auto transplantation was performed in the patient with AMLL), maintenance therapy was performed using low-dose Ara-c combined with human leukocyte antigen haploidentical allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell microtransplantation, which was repeated every 3 to 6 months. The patients were followed up for 27, 20 and 16 months, respectively, and all three patients achieved disease-free survival. The bone marrow Wilms' tumor suppression gene (WT1) level of the case with AMLL was dynamically monitored. The results showed that the WT1 level was abnormally high prior to microtransplantation and gradually declined to normal levels subsequent to the process. None of the patients suffered from graft versus host disease during the microtransplantation process. In conclusion, microtransplantation maintenance therapy following consolidation therapy is feasible in elderly patients with AML, and is expected to be able to further remove residual lesions and improve treatment efficacy. A large-scale clinical trial is required to confirm the effect of maintenance therapy in elderly patients with AML.

Peripheral corneal relaxing incisions combined with cataract surgery.

PURPOSE: To analyze the effectiveness of peripheral corneal relaxing incisions (PCRIs) in correcting corneal astigmatism during cataract surgery. SETTING: Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA. METHODS: In 115 eyes of 94 patients (mean age 69 years +/- 12 [SD]), cataract surgery was combined with PCRIs. The PCRIs were created according to a nomogram based on age and preoperative keratometric astigmatism. Postoperative keratometric astigmatism was measured at 1 day and 1 and 4 months. Vector analyses using the Holladay-Cravy-Koch formula and Alpins method were performed. RESULTS: The PCRIs significantly decreased keratometric astigmatism in patients with preexisting with-the rule (WTR) or against-the-rule (ATR) astigmatism and increased the percentage of the eyes with lower keratometric astigmatism in each group. Four months postoperatively in patients with WTR astigmatism, single and paired 6.0 mm PCRIs induced mean with-the-wound minus against-the-wound changes (WTW-ATW) of -0.55 diopter (D) and -1.18 D, respectively. In eyes with ATR astigmatism, the mean WTW-ATW changes induced by single 4.5 mm, single 6.0 mm, and paired 6.0 mm PCRIs were -2.18 D, -2.02 D, and -2.72 D, respectively. These mean WTW-ATW changes did not significantly regress from 1 day to 4 months postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral corneal relaxing incisions were effective in reducing preexisting astigmatism during cataract surgery. A modified nomogram is proposed. The long-term effect of PCRIs should be evaluated.

Primary ovarian cancer at National Taiwan University Hospital: 1980-1989.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer is a silent killer. Most of the patients came with advanced stages. The retrospective review here was for a better understanding of the current situation of ovarian cancer patients treated at National Taiwan University Hospital. METHODS: One hundred and eighty-seven patients with primary ovarian cancer were treated at National Taiwan University Hospital from 1980 to 1989. Medical records were reviewed thoroughly. The WHO histological classification and FIGO staging system (1987) were used. RESULTS: The ages at diagnosis ranged from 2 to 87 years. Peak incidence was noted between 50-59 years. According to the WHO histological classification, the distribution of histological types included 79.1% epithelial, 4.3% sex-cord stromal tumors, 0.5% lipid cell, 12.8% germ cell, and 3.2% non-specific soft tissue origin. Based on FIGO staging system, 31.6% of the patients were in stage I, 11.2% in stage II, 40.6% in stage III and 16.6% in stage IV. Mean ages for common epithelial, non-epithelial, and germ cell ovarian cancers were 49, 26, 23 years, respectively. Cytoreductive surgery was done in 47.4% of stage I, 23.8% of stage II, 15.8% of stage III, and 12.9% of stage IV. The leading treatment modality was surgery plus chemotherapy, which was performed in 50.3% of whole series. Survival in patients with ovarian cancer is a function of clinical stage and histologic type. The 5-year observed survival rates for stage I to IV were 76.3%, 59.9%, 9.1%, and 4.3% respectively. The 5-year survival rate was 29.4% for epithelial ovarian cancer, 51.4% for non-epithelial ovarian cancer, and 64.5% for germ cell tumors. CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis and survival rate are still unsatisfactory despite the various modalities of treatment. Further improvements need the development of methods for early detection and multiple modalities of therapy.

[Inhibitory effect of interferon on expression of oncogene in over-proliferative smooth muscle cell].

The model of balloon angioplasty (BA) was founded in rabbit abdominal aorta. In situ hybridization was used with the probes of oncogenes c-fos, c-myc and N-ras labeled by digoxin in vessel segments after BA and with the probes of oncogenes c-fos, c-myc, and N-ras labeled by biotin in smooth muscle cell (SMC) irritated by cultured medium of vessel segments after BA. Overexpression of c-fos, c-myc and N-ras oncogenes occurred in vessel segments after BA mainly in atherosclerotic plaques. There was expression of oncogene in normal vessel segments. Overexpression appeared in the over-proliferative SMC irritated by cultured medium of vessel segments after BA. A expression of N-ras occurred on the membrane of cellular nucleus. There was no expression of oncogenes in the normal SMC of control group. Overexpression could be partly inhibited by interferon-gamma.

[Study of the relationship between human quality and reliability].

To clarify the relationship between human quality and reliability, 1925 experiments in 20 subjects were carried out to study the relationship between disposition character, digital memory, graphic memory, multi-reaction time and education level and simulated aircraft operation. Meanwhile, effects of task difficulty and enviromental factor on human reliability were also studied. The results showed that human quality can be predicted and evaluated through experimental methods. The better the human quality, the higher the human reliability.

Primary structure and function analysis of the Abrus precatorius agglutinin A chain by site-directed mutagenesis. Pro(199) Of amphiphilic alpha-helix H impairs protein synthesis inhibitory activity.

Abrus agglutinin (AAG), a low-toxicity protein from the plant Abrus precatorius, is less lethal than abrina (ABRa) in mice (LD(50) = 5 mg/kg versus 20 microg/kg of body weight). Nucleotide sequence analysis of a cDNA clone encoding full-length AAG showed an open reading frame with 1641 base pairs, corresponding to a 547-amino acid residue preproprotein containing a signal peptide and a linker region (two amino acid residues) between the AAG-A and AAG-B subunits. AAG had high homology to ABRa (77.8%). The 13 amino acid residues involved in catalytic function, which are highly conserved among abrins and ricins, were also conserved within AAG-A. The protein synthesis inhibitory activity of AAG-A (IC(50) = 3.5 nM) was weaker than that of ABRa-A (0.05 nM). Molecular modeling followed by site-directed mutagenesis showed that Pro(199) of AAG-A, located in amphiphilic helix H and corresponding to Asn(200) of ABRa-A, can induce bending of helix H. This bending would presumably affect the binding of AAG-A to its target sequence, GpApGpAp, in the tetraloop structure of the 28 S rRNA subunit and could be one of the major factors contributing to the relatively weak protein synthesis inhibitory activity and toxicity of AAG.