The aim of this study was to investigate the change in body composition, leg girths, and muscle strength of patients with incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) after functional electrical stimulation cycling exercises (FESCE). Eighteen subjects with incomplete SCI were recruited. Each patient received FESCE three times per week for 8 weeks. Body composition, thigh and calf girths of bilateral legs, muscle strength of bilateral knee flexors and extensors were measured before and after 4 and 8 weeks of FESCE. A significant increase in bilateral thigh girth after 4 weeks of FESCE and significant increase in muscular peak torque of knee flexion and extension were found after 8 weeks of training. Besides, lean body mass increased significantly after complete treatment. FESCE can increase the thigh girth and muscular peak torque of patients with incomplete spinal cord injury.

The proposed virtual reality system can be customized for specific therapeutic purposes. Commercial development of the system could immediately provide stroke patients with an effective in-home rehabilitation therapy for improving hand problems.

Para (p)-phenylenediamine and its toxic metabolites induce excess reactive oxygen species formation that results in bladder voiding dysfunction. We determined the effects of synthetic Ni-containing superoxide dismutase mimics and the role of oxidative stress in p-phenylenediamine-induced urinary bladder dysfunction. P-phenylenediamine (60 μg/kg/day) was intraperitoneally administered for 4 weeks to induce bladder injury in female Wistar rats. Synthetic Ni-containing superoxide dismutase mimics, WCT003 (1.5 mg/kg) and WCT006 (1.5 mg/kg), were then intraperitoneally administered for 2 weeks. Transcystometrograms were performed in urethane-anesthetized rats. The in vitro and in vivo reactive oxygen species levels and pathological changes in formalin-fixed bladder sections were evaluated. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry elucidated the pathophysiological mechanisms of oxidative stress-induced apoptosis, autophagy, and pyroptosis. P-phenylenediamine increased voiding frequency, blood and urinary bladder levels of reactive oxygen species, and neutrophil and mast cell infiltration. It also upregulated biomarkers of autophagy (LC3 II), apoptosis (poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase), and pyroptosis (Caspase 1). WCT003 and WCT006 ameliorated reactive oxygen species production, inflammation, apoptosis, autophagy, pyroptosis, and bladder hyperactivity. P-phenylenediamine increased oxidative stress, inflammatory leukocytosis, autophagy, apoptosis, and pyroptosis formation within the urinary bladder. Novel synthetic nickel-containing superoxide dismutase mimics relieved p-phenylenediamine-induced bladder inflammation and voiding dysfunction.

Objective: In this study, in order to establish a more effective therapeutic model for the patients with chronic rotator cuff tendinosis, the authors attempted to compare the therapeutic effects of general physical therapy, eccentric contraction exercise, extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) and their combination for patients with noncalcific subscapular tendinosis.Methods: 120 patients with subscapular tendinosis Grade II tendinopathy were divided randomly into four groups: I-IV, with 30 patients in each group. In group I (GI): the patients received conventional rehabilitation program, which included 20 minute of local hot packs, 15 min interferential electrotherapy and 10 min of passive range motion exercise three times weekly for 8 weeks; in Group II: the patients received eccentric contraction exercise three times per day and a rehabilitation program as in GI; in GIII: the patients received ESWT therapy weekly except for a rehabilitation program as in GI; in GIV: they received three combination therapies including a conventional rehabilitation program, three rounds of eccentric contraction exercises per day and weekly ESWT for 8 weeks. The outcome measurements include visual analogue pain scale (VAS), range of shoulder motion, subscapular muscle peak torques, and proprioception of the affected shoulder. Results:The results showed that the combination therapy group GII-IV all had more improvement than the conventional rehabilitation program group I. However, the integrated therapy group IV had the best improvement over GII and GIII in pain reduction and improvement of range of motion, proprioception and muscle peak torques. Additionally, group III and IV had better improvement of range of motion and muscle peak torques than did GII. Conclusion:Eccentric exercise and ESWT had benefit in rehabilitation of patients with noncalcific subscapular tendinosis, and conventional rehabilitation combined with these two therapies will result in more therapeutic effects.