This study was aimed to compare the variability of inter-joint coordination in the lower-extremities during gait between active individuals with transtibial amputation (TTAs) and healthy individuals (HIs). Fifteen active male TTAs (age: 40.6 ± 16.24 years, height: 1.74 ± 0.09 m, and mass: 71.2 ± 8.87 kg) and HIs (age: 37.25 ± 13.11 years, height: 1.75 ± 0.06 m, and mass: 74 ± 8.75 kg) without gait disabilities voluntarily participated in the study. Participants walked along a level walkway covered with Vicon motion capture system, and their lower-extremity kinematics data were recorded during gait. The spatiotemporal gait parameters, lower-extremity joint range of motion (ROM), and their coordination and variability were calculated and averaged to report a single value for each parameter based on biomechanical symmetry assumption in the lower limbs of HIs. Additionally, these parameters were separately calculated and reported for the intact limb (IL) and the prosthesis limb (PL) in TTAs individuals. Finally, a comparison was made between the averaged values in HIs and those in the IL and PL of TTAs subjects. The results showed that the IL had a significantly lower stride length than that of the PL and averaged value in HIs, and the IL had a significantly lower knee ROM and greater stance-phase duration than that of HIs. Moreover, TTAs showed different coordination patterns in pelvis-to-hip, hip-to-knee, and hip-to-ankle couplings in some parts of the gait cycle. It concludes that the active TTAs with PLs walked with more flexion of the knee and hip, which may indicate a progressive walking strategy and the differences in coordination patterns suggest active TTA individuals used different neuromuscular control strategies to adapt to their amputation. Researchers can extend this work by investigating variations in these parameters across diverse patient populations, including different amputation etiologies and prosthetic designs. Moreover, Clinicians can use the findings to tailor rehabilitation programs for TTAs, emphasizing joint flexibility and coordination.

• MeSH
• amputace * MeSH
• amputovaní MeSH
• biomechanika MeSH
• chůze (způsob) * fyziologie   MeSH
• chůze fyziologie   MeSH
• dolní končetina MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• hlezenní kloub patofyziologie   MeSH
• kolenní kloub patofyziologie   chirurgie   MeSH
• kyčelní kloub chirurgie   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• rozsah kloubních pohybů * MeSH
• tibie chirurgie   patofyziologie   MeSH
• umělé končetiny * MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

BACKGROUND: Foot morphology is associated with altered loading of the ankle-foot complex in adolescent footballers, predisposing to pain and injury. However, usual singular plane clinical assessments do not accurately capture the 3D nature of foot morphology. A new approach is 3D laser scanning, with statistical shape model techniques creating individual-to-group comparison. However, no research exists on the adolescent, football-playing foot. Furthermore, a link between 3D foot morphology, and usual clinical and performance measures would be beneficial for practical implementation. METHODS: Four hundred forty-seven 3D foot scans from 224 elite male footballers (U12-U19) in bilateral stance were collected and further processed with statistical shape model techniques. Weighted shape parameters for individual principal components (Modes) were extracted for each foot. Centre of pressure displacement expressed as total travelled way in millimetres was calculated for bilateral and unilateral postural stability measures. Clinical assessments (Clarke's Angle, Resting Calcaneal Stance Position) were calculated on the 3D foot scans. Differences in weighted shape parameters, postural stability measures, and clinical assessments between age groups were determined by ANOVA. Correlations determined the relationship of Modes and clinical assessments to postural stability measures. Linear regression established if clinical assessments predicted the mode describing foot arch variation. RESULTS: Age groups significantly differed for Mode 1 (foot length), Mode 2 (foot arch), and Mode 5 (tibial rotation relative to the foot) (p < 0.05). Resting Calcaneal Stance Position (r = .663) and Clarke's Angle (r = -.445) were low-to-moderately correlated to Mode 2 (both p < 0.001), and linear regression found they were both significant predictors of Mode 2, though only moderately (R2 = .522). There were low correlations of foot morphology to the postural stability tests. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to describe the 3D foot morphology of male football-playing adolescents, and discover the differences between age groups. This will improve understanding and assessment of foot morphology in male adolescents because 2D techniques, as discovered in this study, do not strongly correlate to, nor predict, the 3D foot arch. Foot morphology was only lowly correlated to postural stability, thus a multifaceted program would be required for improvements.

• MeSH
• dolní končetina * MeSH
• hlezenní kloub MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lineární modely MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• patní kost * MeSH
• tibie MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

A 3-year-old boy was found to have a painless mass over his right anterior lateral knee for the previous 6 months. The mass was hardly identified during knee extension and became visible upon squatting. There was no specific finding on ultrasound imaging over his right knee at the supine extended position. During squatting, ultrasound imaging showed an ill-demarcated hyperechoic mass protruding next to the cartilage overlying the distal femur towards the subcutaneous layer through a slit over the lateral patellar retinaculum. Herniation of the fat pad through a defect in the lateral patellar retinaculum was diagnosed. Our case highlights the usefulness of ultrasound examination as regards the lateral patellar retinaculum defect in pediatric knees, as well as its capability for dynamic scanning to capture the exact "pathological moment".

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Protontherapy is a rapidly expanding radiotherapy modality where accelerated proton beams are used to precisely deliver the dose to the tumor target but is generally considered ineffective against radioresistant tumors. Proton-Boron Capture Therapy (PBCT) is a novel approach aimed at enhancing proton biological effectiveness. PBCT exploits a nuclear fusion reaction between low-energy protons and 11B atoms, i.e. p+11B→ 3α (p-B), which is supposed to produce highly-DNA damaging α-particles exclusively across the tumor-conformed Spread-Out Bragg Peak (SOBP), without harming healthy tissues in the beam entrance channel. To confirm previous work on PBCT, here we report new in-vitro data obtained at the 62-MeV ocular melanoma-dedicated proton beamline of the INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Sud (LNS), Catania, Italy. For the first time, we also tested PBCT at the 250-MeV proton beamline used for deep-seated cancers at the Centro Nazionale di Adroterapia Oncologica (CNAO), Pavia, Italy. We used Sodium Mercaptododecaborate (BSH) as 11B carrier, DU145 prostate cancer cells to assess cell killing and non-cancer epithelial breast MCF-10A cells for quantifying chromosome aberrations (CAs) by FISH painting and DNA repair pathway protein expression by western blotting. Cells were exposed at various depths along the two clinical SOBPs. Compared to exposure in the absence of boron, proton irradiation in the presence of BSH significantly reduced DU145 clonogenic survival and increased both frequency and complexity of CAs in MCF-10A cells at the mid- and distal SOBP positions, but not at the beam entrance. BSH-mediated enhancement of DNA damage response was also found at mid-SOBP. These results corroborate PBCT as a strategy to render protontherapy amenable towards radiotherapy-resilient tumor. If coupled with emerging proton FLASH radiotherapy modalities, PBCT could thus widen the protontherapy therapeutic index.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Stable isotope probing (SIP) approaches are a suitable tool to identify active organisms in bacterial communities, but adding isotopically labeled substrate can alter both the structure and the functionality of the community. Here, we validated and demonstrated a substrate-independent protein-SIP protocol using isotopically labeled water that captures the entire microbial activity of a community. We found that 18O yielded a higher incorporation rate into peptides and thus comprised a higher sensitivity. We then applied the method to an in vitro model of a human distal gut microbial ecosystem grown in two medium formulations, to evaluate changes in microbial activity between a high-fiber and high-protein diet. We showed that only little changes are seen in the community structure but the functionality varied between the diets. In conclusion, our approach can detect species-specific metabolic activity in complex bacterial communities and more specifically to quantify the amount of amino acid synthesis. Heavy water makes possible to analyze the activity of bacterial communities for which adding an isotopically labeled energy and nutrient sources is not easily feasible. SIGNIFICANCE: Heavy stable isotopes allow for the detection of active key players in complex ecosystems where many organisms are thought to be dormant. Opposed to the labelling with energy or nutrient sources, heavy water could be a suitable replacement to trace activity, which has been shown for DNA and RNA. Here we validate, quantify and compare the incorporation of heavy water either labeled with deuterium or 18‑oxygen into proteins of Escherichia coli K12 and of an in vitro model of a human gut microbial ecosystem. The significance of our research is in providing a freely available pipeline to analyze the incorporation of deuterium and 18‑oxygen into proteins together with the validation of the applicability of tracing heavy water as a proxy for activity. Our approach unveils the relative functional contribution of microbiota in complex ecosystems, which will improve our understanding of both animal- and environment-associated microbiomes and in vitro models.

• MeSH
• izotopové značení MeSH
• izotopy uhlíku analýza   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mikrobiota * MeSH
• oxid deuteria MeSH
• proteiny * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Zlepšením a zvýšením dostupnosti celkové péče se doba dožití pacientů se spinální svalovou atrofií významně zvýšila. S tím vyvstaly i nové otázky a výzvy pro odbornou veřejnost pečující o dospělé pacienty s neuromuskulárními onemocněními. V dnešní době rozvoje nových léčebných postupů, modifikujících průběh onemocnění, i dalších symptomatologických intervencí se zvýrazňuje požadavek na měřítka schopná sledovat přirozené trajektorie průběhu nemoci, případně efekt terapeutické snahy. K tomu je důležité mít velmi senzitivní, spolehlivý a klinicky významný nástroj pro zohlednění celé široké škály motorických funkcí. Je výzvou najít metody hodnocení, které dokážou zachytit potíže velmi slabých pacientů a zároveň smysluplné aspekty funkce pacientů s řádově mnohonásobně větší sílou. Vyšetření by proto mělo zahrnovat různé prostředky testování síly, rozsahu pohybů v kloubech, relevantní motorické funkční škály a časované testy pro zaznamenání těch stránek funkce, které reflektují možnost pacienta zapojit se do aktivit denního života.

Along with the advance in wholesome/ overall care and its availability to patients with spinal muscular atrophy, longevity in this population has increased. This, however, brings up new questions and challenges to professionals in the neuromuscular field. Nowadays, with the development of therapeutic strategies modifying the course of the disease, and with availability of other symptomatic interventions, the need of outcome measures, which can follow the natural trajectory of the disease, and the effect of the therapy is emphasised. To observe the whole spectrum of motor functions, a very sensitive, reliable and clinically meaningful tool is necessary. However, it might be challenging to find suitable assessment methods which can capture complaints of very weak patients and, at the same time, meaningful aspects of much stronger individuals. That’s why the overall assessment should consist of tools measuring the muscle strength, range of motion in joints, relevant motor function scales and timed assessments reflecting patients’ activities of daily life.

• Klíčová slova
• funkční vyšetření, motorické škály,
• MeSH
• analýza chůze MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• motorické dovednosti MeSH
• spinální svalová atrofie * diagnóza   MeSH
• tělesná a funkční výkonnost MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

• MeSH
• kardiochirurgické výkony * MeSH
• kardiovaskulární nemoci MeSH
• Publikační typ
• atlasy MeSH

• Konspekt
• Ortopedie. Chirurgie. Oftalmologie
• NLK Obory
• kardiochirurgie

BACKGROUND: In Europe, the tapeworm Dibothriocephalus latus (syn. Diphyllobothrium latum) is a well-known etiological agent of human diphyllobothriosis, which spreads by the consumption of raw fish flesh infected by plerocercoids (tapeworm's larval stage). However, the process of parasite establishment in both intermediate and definitive hosts is poorly understood. This study was targeted mainly on the scolex (anterior part) of the plerocercoid of this species, which facilitates penetration of the parasite in intermediate paratenic fish hosts, and subsequently its attachment to the intestine of the definitive host. METHODS: Plerocercoids were isolated from the musculature of European perch (Perca fluviatilis) caught in Italian alpine lakes. Parasites were examined using confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Immunofluorescence tagging was held on whole mount larvae. RESULTS: The organisation of the central and peripheral nervous system was captured in D. latus plerocercoids, including the ultrastructure of the nerve cells possessing large dense neurosecretory granules. Two types of nerve fibres run from the body surface toward the nerve plexus located in the parenchyma on each side of bothria. One type of these fibres was found to be serotoninergic and possessed large subtegumental nerve cell bodies. A well-developed gland apparatus, found throughout the plerocercoid parenchyma, produced heterogeneous granules with lucent core packed in a dense layer. Three different types of microtriches occurred on the scolex and body surface of plerocercoids of D. latus: (i) uncinate spinitriches; (ii) coniform spinitriches; and (iii) capilliform filitriches. Non-ciliated sensory receptors were observed between the distal cytoplasm of the tegument and the underlying musculature. CONCLUSIONS: Confocal laser scanning microscopy and electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) showed the detailed microanatomy of the nervous system in the scolex of plerocercoids, and also several differences in the larval stages compared with adult D. latus. These features, i.e. well-developed glandular system and massive hook-shaped uncinate spinitriches, are thus probably required for plerocercoids inhabiting fish hosts and also for their post-infection attachment in the human intestine.

• MeSH
• Diphyllobothrium anatomie a histologie   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• larva anatomie a histologie   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• mikroskopie elektronová rastrovací MeSH
• nemoci ryb parazitologie   MeSH
• nervový systém ultrastruktura   MeSH
• potrava z moře (živočišná) parazitologie   MeSH
• transmisní elektronová mikroskopie MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

• MeSH
• cvičení MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• informační technologie MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• neinfekční nemoci MeSH
• obezita dětí a dospívajících MeSH
• pití alkoholu MeSH
• potraviny MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• reklama zaměřená na spotřebitele MeSH
• tabák MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH

• Konspekt
• Veřejné zdraví a hygiena
• NLK Obory
• veřejné zdravotnictví
• NLK Publikační typ
• publikace WHO

Acute changes in muscle architecture influenced by muscle swelling might be associated with chronic adaptations to resistance exercise, including skeletal muscle growth. Concentric (CON) and eccentric (ECC) muscle actions both play a role in hypertrophic processes, but the influence of each on acute indices of muscle swelling (i.e., muscle thickness (MT) and pennation angle (PA)) remains relatively unknown. Therefore, this study compared the acute changes in MT and PA in response to work-matched CON versus ECC isokinetic exercise. Twelve university-aged students performed 2 bouts of maximal isokinetic knee extensions at 120°·s-1 on the same day: 50 CON followed by a work-matched ECC bout (∼5000 J; 28 ± 5 reps) with the contralateral limb. Ultrasound images were captured from the middle and distal sites of the vastus lateralis before and immediately after each exercise bout. From these images, MT and PA were measured. Middle and distal MT (11% and 14%, respectively; p < 0.001) and middle PA (39%, p < 0.001) increased only after CON. In addition, changes in MT were strongly related to the amount of total work performed (r = 0.76) during CON. Our results suggest that when the workload is matched between CON and ECC muscle actions performed at a moderate velocity, CON actions seem to be a more potent stimulus for inducing acute changes in MT and PA.

• MeSH
• časové faktory MeSH
• čtyřhlavý sval stehenní diagnostické zobrazování   fyziologie   MeSH
• cvičení fyziologie   MeSH
• fyziologická adaptace MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• odporový trénink * MeSH
• svalová kontrakce * MeSH
• svalová síla - dynamometr MeSH
• svalová síla MeSH
• ultrasonografie MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH