Archaeological,radiological, and biological evidence offer insight into Inca child sacrifice

Examination of three frozen bodies, a 13-y-old girl and a girl and boy aged 4 to 5 y, separately entombed near the Andean summit of Volcán Llullaillaco, Argentina, sheds new light on human sacrifice as a central part of the Imperial Inca capacocha rite, described by chroniclers writing after the Spanish conquest. The high-resolution diachronic data presented here, obtained directly from scalp hair, implies escalating coca and alcohol ingestion in the lead-up to death. These data, combined with archaeological and radiological evidence, deepen our understanding of the circumstances and context of final placement on the mountain top. We argue that the individuals were treated differently according to their age, status, and ritual role. Finally, we relate our findings to questions of consent, coercion, and/or compliance, and the controversial issues of ideological justification and strategies of social control and political legitimation pursued by the expansionist Inca state before European contact.     

改良式冰袋对四肢骨折病人的护理干预

目的：探讨改良式冰袋在骨科四肢骨折病人的应用效果。方法：将100例四肢骨折的患者随机分为常规组和改良组各50例,两组病人按医嘱冷敷48h,改良组使用改良式冰袋外敷,根据病人患肢选用合适弧度冰袋。常规组应用传统橡胶冰袋外敷,观察两组间疼痛、肿胀程度等等。结果：与常规组对比,改良组冷敷后2h、12h、24h疼痛程度差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）,12h、24h、48h肿胀度差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）。结论：改良式冰袋的降温、止痛、消肿效果优于传统冰袋,而且病人感觉舒适,可广泛应用于早期四肢骨折患者。     

自制10％盐水冰袋在社区物理降温中的效果观察

目的探讨在社区护理中10％盐水冰袋的物理降温作用。方法按门诊病人就诊顺序将高热患者80例分为观察组和对照组，各40例，观察组采用一次性输液袋制成的10％盐水冰袋降温，对照组采用一次性输液袋制成的清水冰袋降温，冰袋用包布包裹放置于患者头部。两组均在冰敷后1、2、3、4h测量腋下温度，观察记录患者体温下降情况；将两种冰袋在室温22℃中放置4h，观察两种冰袋温度和形态变化。结果观察组降温效果明显优于对照组，两组比较有显著性差异（P〈0．05）。两种冰袋在室温22℃放置3h，10％盐水冰袋呈霜水状，温度为-5．0℃，而清水冰袋为2．0℃，已融化成水。结论用10％盐水冰袋物理降温效果优于清水冰袋，在社区护理工作中值得推广。     

Atypical glial cells in demyelinated and hypomyelinated mouse brains

Bis-cyclohexanone oxalyldihydrazone (cuprizone) was administered to young adult mice in order to investigate the hypothesis that the differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitors or precursors, or of immature oligodendrocytes, might be interrupted during cuprizone intoxication. Vibratome sections were prepared from brains from control mice, mice that were fed cuprizone for 27 days and mice that were fed cuprizone for 25 days, followed by normal diet for 2 days, and the sections were immunostained with monoclonal antibodies: MAbO4, which is directed against galactocerebroside sulfate (sulfatide); and RMAb, which is directed against galactocerebroside (GC). Process-bearing RMAb+/O4- cells were abundant in the brains of mice that had consumed cuprizone for 27 days, and the numbers of O4-positive cells were subnormal. Two days after refeeding the normal diet the RMAb+/O4- structures were less abundant and O4-positive cells more numerous. Moreover, the numbers of O4-positive cells were only approximately 20% of normal in the brains of hypomyelinating jimpy mutant mice, while the numbers of RMAb-positive cells were approximately 80% of normal, and the processes of the latter were associated with axons. It is suggested that RMAb+/O4- cells in the affected brains may be process-bearing oligodendrocyte precursors containing unsulfated GC or a toxic galactolipid.     

Predicting global atmospheric ice nuclei distributions and their impacts on climate

Knowledge of cloud and precipitation formation processes remains incomplete, yet global precipitation is predominantly produced by clouds containing the ice phase. Ice first forms in clouds warmer than -36 °C on particles termed ice nuclei. We combine observations from field studies over a 14-year period, from a variety of locations around the globe, to show that the concentrations of ice nuclei active in mixed-phase cloud conditions can be related to temperature and the number concentrations of particles larger than 0.5 μm in diameter. This new relationship reduces unexplained variability in ice nuclei concentrations at a given temperature from ∼10³ to less than a factor of 10, with the remaining variability apparently due to variations in aerosol chemical composition or other factors. When implemented in a global climate model, the new parameterization strongly alters cloud liquid and ice water distributions compared to the simple, temperature-only parameterizations currently widely used. The revised treatment indicates a global net cloud radiative forcing increase of ∼1 W m^-2 for each order of magnitude increase in ice nuclei concentrations, demonstrating the strong sensitivity of climate simulations to assumptions regarding the initiation of cloud glaciation.     

Pressure sore prevention pads as an infective source in orthopaedic theatres

Current theatre practice and protocol involves the use of pressure sore prevention pads in the positioning and support of all patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery. Microbiological swabs were taken from those pads placed adjacent to the operative field immediately before implant surgery. Eleven out of the 13 pads sampled yielded bacterial growth capable of causing deep-seated infection. The transfer of these pads between the designated orthopaedic theatres and the rest of the theatre complex was also noted. We recommend that the use of these pads should be closely reviewed. They should either be used with stricter guidelines for decontamination between use or disposable 'clean' alternatives sought.     

No effect of montelukast on asthma-like symptoms in elite ice hockey players

BACKGROUND: Controlled clinical trials on the effects of leukotriene antagonists on asthma-like symptoms, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and airway inflammation have not been performed in elite athletes. METHODS: In 2001, we examined 88 of 102 (86%) players from three junior, national league ice hockey teams in Helsinki. Athletes were included in the intervention if they reported at least two exercise-induced bronchial symptoms (wheeze, cough, shortness of breath) weekly during the previous month on a previously validated respiratory-symptom questionnaire. Sixteen male ice hockey players fulfilled the study criteria. A double-blind, randomized, cross-over, placebo-controlled study included 4-week active treatment (10 mg oral montelukast, bedtime), 1-week washout period, and 4-week placebo treatment. Before entering the study, all patients were clinically examined, skin prick tested, filled in a respiratory symptom questionnaire, performed a spirometry and a histamine challenge test, and gave induced sputum samples. Exhaled NO was measured. These measures were repeated after both treatment periods. During the treatment the athletes kept daily diary on lower respiratory tract symptoms on a scale from 0 (no symptoms) to 10 (most severe symptoms), morning peak expiratory flow (PEF), training amount, and use of study medication. Primary end-point was daily lower respiratory tract symptom score. RESULTS: Montelukast had no effect on daily lower respiratory symptom scores, spirometry parameters [forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC ratio, PEF], bronchial hyperresponsiveness, sputum eosinophil or neutrophil cell counts, exhaled NO measurements, or morning PEF. Nine subjects were atopic in skin prick test, but their results did not differ from the nonatopic subjects. CONCLUSION: A leukotriene antagonist, montelukast, was of no benefit in the treatment of asthma-like symptoms, increased bronchial hyperresponsiveness or a mixed type of eosinophilic and neutrophilic airway inflammation in highly-trained ice hockey players.     

The histology and histomorphometry of umbilical cord cross section in preeclampsia and normal pregnancies: a comparative study

ABSTRACT

The umbilical cord is the connecting link between the mother and the fetus and its morphology is an indicator of fetal well-being. Preeclampsia is a disorder of pregnancy associated with new-onset hypertension, which occurs most often after 20 weeks of gestation. There are structural differences in the umbilical cord of normotensive and hypertensive pregnant women. This research aimed to study the histology and histomorphometry of umbilical cord areas in preeclampsia and compare the parameters with normal uncomplicated pregnancies of gestational age 37–40 weeks. A total of 70 umbilical cords were studied from preeclampsia (n = 35) and normal (n = 35) pregnancies. The parameters studied included cross-sectional areas (CSA) of umbilical cord, umbilical vein lumen, umbilical vein wall, umbilical artery lumen, umbilical artery wall, and Wharton’s jelly, including the presence of edema in the vessel walls and Wharton’s jelly and basement membrane thickening. The mean umbilical cord CSA was significantly higher in preeclampsia (p = 0.014). The mean umbilical artery lumen CSA was significantly lower than the normal pregnancy cords (p = 0.006). The mean Wharton’s jelly CSA in preeclampsia was significantly higher than the normal pregnancy cords (p = 0.004). The parameters for umbilical vein lumen CSA, umbilical vein wall CSA, and umbilical artery wall CSA did not show any significant difference. Histological findings were edema (p < 0.001) and thickened basement membranes (p < 0.0001) were considered significant.     

Cryotherapy in sports medicine

The use of cryotherapy, i.e. the application of cold for the treatment of injury or disease, is widespread in sports medicine today. It is an established method when treating acute soft tissue injuries, but there is a discrepancy between the scientific basis for cryotherapy and clinical studies. Various methods such as ice packs, ice towels, ice massage, gel packs, refrigerant gases and inflatable splints can be used. Cold is also used to reduce the recovery time as part of the rehabilitation programme both after acute injuries and in the treatment of chronic injuries. Cryotherapy has also been shown to reduce pain effectively in the post-operative period after reconstructive surgery of the joints. Both superficial and deep temperature changes depend on the method of application, initial temperature and application time. The physiological and biological effects are due to the reduction in temperature in the various tissues, together with the neuromuscular action and relaxation of the muscles produced by the application of cold. Cold increases the pain threshold, the viscosity and the plastic deformation of the tissues but decreases the motor performance. The application of cold has also been found to decrease the inflammatory reaction in an experimental situation. Cold appears to be effective and harmless and few complications or side-effects after the use of cold therapy are reported. Prolonged application at very low temperatures should, however, be avoided as this may cause serious side-effects, such as frost-bite and nerve injuries. Practical applications, indications and contraindications are discussed.