BioMed research international
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The effect of joint pathologies, such as unilateral knee osteoarthritis (UKOA) or low back pain (LBP), on bilateral gait symmetry has gained increased attention during the past decade. This study is the first to compare gait patterns between patients with UKOA and LBP in combination and with UKOA only. Temporal, kinematic, and kinetic variables were measured bilaterally during gait stance phase in 31 subjects with UKOA and LBP (Group I) and 11 subjects with only UKOA (Group II). ⋯ Hip flexion patterns were significantly different between Groups I and II. Subjects in both groups adapted gait patterns that minimized vertical ground reaction force, knee flexion motion, and stance time on the UKOA affected limb. The distinct kinematic gait patterns that were revealed in this study may provide clinical value for assessment of patients with UKOA in conjunction with LBP.
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The aim of this study was to assess the influence of unilateral posterior crossbite on the electrical activity of the temporal and masseter muscles in patients with subjective symptoms of temporomandibular dysfunctions (TMD). The sample consisted of 50 patients (22 female and 28 male) aged 18.4 to 26.3 years (mean 20.84, SD 1.14) with subjective symptoms of TMD and unilateral posterior crossbite malocclusion and 100 patients without subjective symptoms of TMD and malocclusion (54 female and 46 male) aged between 18.4 and 28.7 years (mean 21.42, SD 1.06). The anamnestic interviews were conducted according to a three-point anamnestic index of temporomandibular dysfunction (Ai). ⋯ Recordings were carried out in the mandibular rest position and during maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). Analysis of the results of the EMG recordings confirmed the influence of unilateral posterior crossbite on variations in spontaneous muscle activity in the mandibular rest position and maximum voluntary contraction. In addition, there was a significant increase in the Asymmetry Index (As) and Torque Coefficient (Tc), responsible for a laterodeviating effect on the mandible caused by unbalanced right and left masseter and temporal muscles.
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Even though neuroimaging and clinical studies indicate that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) manifests with distinct clinical phenotypes, no objective test exists to assess upper motor degeneration in ALS. There is great interest in identifying biomarkers of ALS to allow earlier diagnosis and to recognize disease subtypes. Current quantitative neuroimaging techniques such as T2 relaxometry and diffusion tensor imaging are time-consuming to use in clinical settings due to extensive postprocessing requirements. ⋯ BPF was calculated using intracranial grey matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid volumes obtained in control and ALS subgroups using SPM8 software. Only ALS-FTD patients had significant reduction in BPF when compared to controls and nondemented ALS patients. Correlation of clinical measures such as disease duration with BPF further supports the view that the BPF could be a potential biomarker for clinical diagnosis of ALS-FTD patients.
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In this study, our aim was to investigate the effects of combined hypothermia with short duration maintenance on the resuscitation outcomes in a porcine model of ventricular fibrillation (VF). ⋯ Short duration combined cooling initiated after resuscitation improves survival and neurological outcomes in a porcine model of prolonged VF.
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Early Fluid Resuscitation and High Volume Hemofiltration Decrease Septic Shock Progression in Swine.
This study aimed to assess the effects of early fluid resuscitation (EFR) combined with high volume hemofiltration (HVHF) on the cardiopulmonary function and removal of inflammatory mediators in a septic shock swine model. Eighteen swine were randomized into three groups: control (n = 6) (extracorporeal circulating blood only), continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) (n = 6; ultrafiltration volume = 25 mL/Kg/h), and HVHF (n = 6; ultrafiltration volume = 85 mL/Kg/h). The septic shock model was established by intravenous infusion of lipopolysaccharides (50 µg/kg/h). ⋯ Both CRRT and HVHF groups showed improved removal of inflammatory mediators compared with controls. In conclusion, EFR combined with HVHF improved septic shock in this swine model. The combination decreased shock progression, reduced the need for vasoactive drugs, and alleviated the damage to cardiopulmonary functions.