Morphometric study of foramina transversaria in Jordanian population using cross-sectional computed tomography

Anatomical Science International - Foramina transversaria are bilateral landmarks of human cervical vertebrae. Morphometric analysis of foramina transversaria is valuable in both clinical and...     

Molecular Evidence of Helicobacter Pylori Infection in Prostate Tumors

Objectives

To determine whether Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is detectable in both benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (PCa). Epidemiological studies have shown significant associations between infective chronic prostatitis and prostatic carcinoma. Many bacteria have been found in the prostate of patients with chronic prostatitis, BPH, and PCa.

Methods

One hundred consecutive patients with prostate diseases were enrolled in the study. Detection of H. pylori DNA in prostate tissue from patients with BPH and PCa was performed using both immunohistochemistry and PCR, and the results were confirmed by DNA sequencing. Odds ratios and the Fisher Exact test were used for the analysis of the associations between the variables.

Results

Among the patients, 78% had BPH and 19% had PCa. While immunohistochemistry showed no positive sample for H. pylori, PCR combined with sequencing detected H. pylori DNA in prostate tissue samples from 5 patients. However, statistical analysis of the data showed that BPH and PCa are not significantly associated with the presence of H. pylori DNA in prostate tissue (odds ratio = 0.94, 95% confidence interval = 0.09–23.34, one-tailed Chi-square value = 0.660, p > 0.05). The limitation of this study was the small number of PCa patients.

Conclusions

This study provides, for the first time, molecular evidence of the presence of H. pylori DNA in prostatic tissue of patients with BPH and PCa. It paves the way for further comprehensive studies to examine the association of H. pylori infection with BPH and PCa.Key Words: Helicobacter pylori infection, Prostate cancer, Benign prostate hyperplasia, PCR     

Lipopolysaccharide-induced diaphragmatic contractile dysfunction in mice lacking the inducible nitric oxide synthase.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the importance of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced diaphragmatic contractile dysfunction. Many investigators have proposed that iNOS induction in the ventilatory and limb muscles of animals injected with Escherichia coli LPS leads to impaired muscle contractility and increased fatigability. We tested this proposal by examining wild-type mice and iNOS-deficient (iNOS knockout) mice. Both types of mice were injected with either saline (control) or E. coli LPS and killed after 12 h. Diaphragm nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity, NOS expression, and muscle contractility were assessed with L-citrulline assay, immunoblotting, and in vitro bath preparation, respectively. LPS injection in wild-type mice induced iNOS protein expression and augmented total diaphragmatic NOS activity, which coincided with impaired muscle force generated at frequencies higher than 30 Hz. In iNOS knockout mice, injection of LPS augmented constitutive muscle NOS activity, upregulated the expression of the neuronal NOS (nNOS), but elicited a significantly greater decline in force generated in response to high frequency of stimulation compared with wild-type animals. We conclude that iNOS may play a protective role in attenuating the inhibitory influence of LPS on muscle contractility.     

Immune response to hepatitis B vaccine among patients on hemodialysis

Infection with hepatitis B virus(HBV) poses a major health threat worldwide, where the magnitude and overburden of chronic carrier state approaches 150 million chronic carriers. The prevalence of HBV is greater among dialyzed patients compared to the general population owing to their increased vulnerability to blood and its products, along with hazards posed by contaminated hemodialysis tools and devices. Anelectronic systematic search of the published literature was carried and data on the immunological riposte to hepatitis B vaccination among hemodialysis patients was extracted from relevant studies. End stage renal disease patients on hemodialysis have a lower or an absolutely negative riposte to HBV vaccine. Several means have been tried to improve this response with some success, nevertheless none have been universally adopted. Genetic investigations are foreseen to make a break through concerning HBV vaccination.     

Effectiveness of MRA on embolized intracranial aneurysms: a comparison of DSA,CE-MRA,and TOF-MRA

Purpose: The endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms was proven safe and effective compared to the alternative method of surgical clipping, despite the high recurrence rate. Follow-up of embolized intracranial aneurysms is mandatory for the early detection of recurrence and improved outcomes. DSA is used as the reference standard for this assessment. To determine the effectiveness of MRA in follow-up evaluations of intracranial aneurysms after embolization by comparing DSA, CE-MRA, and TOF-MRA.Materials and Methods: Sixty-eight consecutive patients undergoing DSA, TOF-MRA, and CE-MRA during an interval of <1 week were enrolled in this 6-month study. Images were evaluated for occlusion status, patency of the parent vessels, and artifacts. The modified Raymond-Roy occlusion classification and Aneurysm Embolization Grades were used to assess the occlusion status and initial DSA images for detection of recurrence in two filtered study phases with optimized selection criteria. Seventeen observers (phase I: 9, phase II: 8) independently interpreted the double-blinded images. Agreement was expressed with a Fleiss kappa value; p < 0.05 was considered significant.Results: This study included 68 patients with 77 aneurysms; 38 (49.35%) were treated with coil alone and 39 (50.65%) with stent-assisted coiling. In both phases, DSA was superior to TOF-MRA and CE-MRA using MRRC (Phase I: k = 0.567, p ≤ 0.001; k = 0.287, p ≤ 0.001; k = 0.117, p ≤ 0.001, respectively; Phase II: k = 0.503, p ≤ 0.001; k = 0.303, p ≤ 0.001; k = 0.115, p = 0.038, respectively). TOF-MRA was as effective as DSA (TOF: k = 0.335, p ≤ 0.001; DSA: k = 0.323, p ≤ 0.001) for recurrence detection.Conclusion: We suggest TOF-MRA as a first-line follow-up tool to detect aneurysm recurrence, and DSA to quantify the filling space to make a definite decision on re-embolization.     

Proprioceptive acuity in active rotation movements in healthy knees

Muaidi QI, Nicholson LL, Refshauge KM. Proprioceptive acuity in active rotation movements in healthy knees.

Objectives

To investigate the ability of asymptomatic participants to discriminate between active knee rotation movements of different magnitude and to determine whether proprioceptive acuity of active knee rotation differs between limbs (dominant and nondominant and right and left).

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Laboratory in an Australian university.

Participants

Healthy volunteers (N=30) without previous cruciate ligament injury or surgery, previous fracture of the lower limbs, or other lower-limb disorders in the last 3 months.

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures

Knee rotation proprioceptive acuity was determined by using our custom-designed device. The measure of proprioceptive acuity used in this study was the just-noticeable difference (JND). Participants actively rotated the knee (internal or external rotation) to 1 of 4 movement blocks and judged the magnitude of the permitted motion. Proprioceptive acuity scores, representing a participant’s ability to detect small differences in magnitude of active knee rotation movements, were then calculated.

Results

The means of the JND for proprioceptive acuity of internal rotation (1.37°±.11°) were significantly (P=.04) lower than for external rotation (1.6°±.14°) regardless of side (right, left) or dominance. No significant difference was found between the mean JND for left and right knee rotations (P=.84) or between the mean JND for dominant and nondominant knee rotation (P=.69).

Conclusions

Participants perceived smaller differences between active internal rotation movements than external rotation. No significant difference was found between the dominant and nondominant leg or between the left and right leg; therefore, clinicians can establish whether a proprioceptive deficit exists after unilateral injury and can use acuity of the uninjured knee as a normal status for rehabilitation.     

Association of Postural Balance and Isometric Muscle Strength in Early- and Middle-School-Age Boys

Objective

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the isometric muscle strength (IMS) and dynamic balance in early- and middle-school-age boys and to assess the strength of association between the dynamic balance scores and 6 different IMS indexes.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study of a convenience sample of 94 boys who were 6 to 10 years of age and classified into an early school age (6-8 years) group (n = 50) and a middle school age (8-10 years) group (n = 44). Balance was tested using a Biodex Balance System. Anteroposterior Stability Index, Mediolateral Stability Index, and Overall Stability Index were recorded. IMS of 11 muscle groups was measured with a handheld dynamometer and categorized into 6 different muscle strength indices.

Results

The mean (SD) values of anteroposterior, mediolateral, and overall stability indexes observed for all study boys were 1.9 ± 1.0, 1.2 ± 0.7, and 2.5 ± 1.2 respectively. In the middle school age group, strong positive relationships were detected between the overall stability index and trunk, lower limb, anti-gravity, pro-gravity, and total strength indexes (r = –0.86/P < .001, r = –0.91/P < .001, r = –0.88/P < .001, r = –0.83/P < .001, and r = –0.84/P < .001 respectively), while no significant relationship was detected with the upper limb strength index (r = 0.159/P = .303). In the early school age group, moderate positive relationships were detected between the overall stability index and anti-gravity, lower limb, and total strength indexes (r = –0.404/P = .004, r = –0.356/P = .011, and r = –0.350/P = .013 respectively).

Conclusion

Dynamic balance did not appear to be mature by the age of 10 years. Better balance skills were recorded in the mediolateral direction than in the anteroposterior direction. In the middle school age group, the overall stability index had positive relationships with almost all examined muscle strength indexes excepting the upper limb strength index.