Comparison of walking quality variables between incomplete spinal cord injury patients and healthy subjects by using a footscan plantar pressure system

The main goal of spinal cord rehabilitation is to restore walking ability and improve walking quality after spinal cord injury(SCI). The spatiotemporal parameters of walking and the parameters of plantar pressure can be obtained using a plantar pressure analysis system. Previous studies have reported step asymmetry in patients with bilateral SCI. However, the asymmetry of other parameters in patients with SCI has not been reported. This was a prospective, cross-sectional study, which included 23 patients with SCI, aged 48.1 ± 14.5 years, and 28 healthy subjects, aged 47.1 ± 9.8 years. All subjects underwent bare foot walking on a plantar pressure measurement device to measure walking speed and spatiotemporal parameters. Compared with healthy subjects, SCI patients had slower walking speed, longer stride time and stance time, larger stance phase percentage, and shorter stride length. The peak pressures under the metatarsal heads and toe were lower in SCI patients than in healthy subjects. In the heel, regional impulse and the contact area percentage in SCI patients were higher than those in healthy subjects. The symmetry indexes of stance time, step length, maximum force, impulse and contact area were increased in SCI patients, indicating a decline in symmetry. The results confirm that the gait quality, including spatiotemporal variables and plantar pressure parameters, and symmetry index were lower in SCI patients compared with healthy subjects. Plantar pressure parameters and symmetry index could be sensitive quantitative parameters to improve gait quality of SCI patients. The protocols were approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University(approval No. 2015 PS54 J) on August 13, 2015. This trial was registered in the ISRCTN Registry(ISRCTN42544587) on August 22, 2018. Protocol version: 1.0.

Codonopsis tangshen Oliv.Amelioration Effect on Diabetic Kidney Disease Rats Induced by High Fat Diet Feeding Combined with Streptozotocin

Diabetic kidney disease(DKD)is the most serious microvascular complication during the development of diabetes with the characterizations of glomerular basement membrane thickening,mesangial expansion,and glomerular sclerosis,eventually leading to end-stage renal disease.This study aimed to investigate the melioration effect of Codonopisis tangshen Oliv.(COD)on the DKD model,which was established by unilateral nephrectomy(UN)-high fat diet feeding(HFD)combined with streptozotocin(STZ).After the DKD rats were oral treated with COD at a dose of 2.7 mg/kg for 4 consecutive weeks,the blood glucose,lipid metabolism,renal function,inflammatory mediators,and fibrosis-associated proteins were examined.In vivo,the COD administration obviously relieved the weight loss,water intake,and blood glucose;decreased the total cholesterol,triglyceride,and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels;and improved the renal function by reducing the expression of serum creatinine,uric acid,and urinary protein compared with the model group.The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines of tumor necrosis factor-a,interleukin-1β,and IL-6 were significantly inhibited by COD.Meanwhile,the deposition of collagen fiber was markedly increased,and the protein and mRNA expressions of transforming growth factor-b1 and a-smooth muscle actin were markedly elevated in DKD rats,but they were decreased to some extent after the COD treatment.In conclusion,COD exhibited a protective effect on the UN-HFD feeding combined with STZ-induced DKD model by improving the blood glucose and lipid metabolism,relieving the inflammatory response,and mitigating the renal fibrosis,which provided scientific evidence for its applications in clinic.

A Chinese Compound Prescription Ding Xin Recipe Combined with Amiodarone for Treating Premature Ventricular Complexes: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Multicenter, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Ding Xin Recipe(DXR)combined with amiodarone in patients with PVCs.Methods A total of360patients with PVCs across7centers in China were randomly assigned in a1:1:1ratio to receive up to8weeks of amiodarone combined with DXR placebo(amiodarone group),DXR combined with amiodarone placebo(DXR group),or DXR combined with amiodarone(DCA group)from July2012to December2013.Randomization was conducted according to a centralized randomization schedule prepared by an independent steering committee.Staff and patients at all sites were masked to treatment allocation.All patients received best-evidence advice.The primary outcome was the efficacy for treating PVCs,with efficacy assessed by the reduction of premature ventricular contractions.Other outcome measures included PVCs-related symptom scores.All data were analyzed by intention to treat.Results The efficacy for treating PVCs in the DCA group(90.7%)significantly increased compared with that in the amiodarone group(72.3%)and the DXR group(73.9%).The frequency,the degree,and the duration per week of heart palpitations,chest tightness,shortness of breath and fatigue improved significantly in the DCA group in comparison with the amiodarone group and the DXR group(P<0.05),while no significant difference was observed in the improvement of insomnia among the three groups(P>0.05).With regard to laboratory parameters for safety,there were no clinically relevant changes in the three groups.Conclusion The present study demonstrates that DXR combined with amiodarone is significantly more effective than DXR or amiodarone alone for treating PVCs.

Ballistic impact response of resistance-spot-welded(RSW) double-layered plates for Q&P980 steel

Ballistic impact response of resistance-spot-welded(RSW)double-layered(2×1.6 mm)plates(190 mm×150 mm)for Q&P980 steel impacted by a round-nosed steel bullet(12 mm diameter and 30 mm length)was investigated by using gas gun and high-speed camera system.The RSW specimens were spot welded using a 6 mm diameter electrode face producing a 7.2 mm diameter fusion zone of the spot weld.The ballistic curve and energy balance for the tests of the spot weld of the RSW specimens at different velocity were analyzed to characterize the ballistic behavior of the RSW specimens under bullet impact.The fracture mechanisms of the RSW specimens under bullet impact were presented.For the tests below the ballistic limit,the cracks initiated from the notch-tip and propagated along the faying surface or obliquely through the thickness depending on the impact velocity.For the tests above the ballistic limit,the plug fracture in the front plate of the RSW specimen could be caused by the thinning-induced necking in the BM near the HAZ,while the plug fracture in the rear plate of the RSW specimens may be consist of the circumferential cracking from the rear surface and the bending fracture of the hinged part of material.The effects of the electrode indentation and the weld interfaces on deformation and fracture of the RSW specimens under bullet impact were revealed.For the tests above the ballistic limit,the circumferential fracture from the rear surface of the RSW specimens was always initiated along the interior periphery of the electrode indentation and the crack paths were along the FZ/CGHAZ or CGHAZ/FGHAZ interface.When the circumferential crack also formed outside the electrode indentation,the fracture on the BM/HAZ interface could be found.On the front plate of the RSW specimens,the shear/bending induced cracking from the notch-tip were observed and the crack paths were along the FZ/CGHAZ or CGHAZ/FGHAZ interface.