Effects of the walking independence on lower extremity and trunk muscle activity during straight-leg raising following incomplete cervical cord injury.

The purpose of this study was to compare the acceleration and surface electromyography (EMG) of the lower extremity and trunk muscles during straight-leg raising (SLR) in patients with incomplete cervical cord injury according to their levels of walking independence. Twenty-four patients were measured acceleration and EMG during SLR held for 10 s. Data were analyzed separately for the dominant and nondominant sides and compared between the nonindependent (NI) and independent (ID) groups based on their levels of walking independence.

Effects of reloading after chronic neuromuscular inactivity on the three-dimensional capillary architecture in rat soleus muscle.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of ambulatory reloading following hindlimb unloading on the three-dimensional (3D) capillary architecture of rat soleus muscle. In this study, 15 male Sprague-Dawley rats were used. The rats were randomly assigned to the following 3 groups: a normal weight bearing control group (CON), 14 days of hindlimb unloading group (HU), and 14 days of hindlimb unloading followed by 7 days of ambulatory reloading group (HU-RL).

Astaxanthin supplementation attenuates immobilization-induced skeletal muscle fibrosis via suppression of oxidative stress.

Immobilization induces skeletal muscle fibrosis characterized by increasing collagen synthesis in the perimysium and endomysium. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is associated with this lesion via promoting differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. In addition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are shown to mediate TGF-β1-induced fibrosis in tissues.

Abnormalities in three-dimensional capillary architecture and imbalance between vascular endothelial growth factor-A and thrombospondin-1 in soleus muscle of ovariectomized rat.

Reduced ovarian hormone levels associated with menopause or ovariectomy (OVX) not only result in vascular dysfunction but also lead to structural abnormalities in capillaries. Therefore, the effect of OVX on the three-dimensional (3-D) architecture of capillary networks and the underlying molecular mechanisms were investigated in rat soleus muscle. Seven-week-old female Wistar rats were divided into the OVX and sham-treated (Sham) groups.