Effects ofSymphytum ointment on muscular symptoms and functional locomotor disturbances

In an open, uncontrolled study, 105 patients with locomotor system symptoms were treated twice daily with an ointment containing aSymphytum active substance complex. A clear therapeutic effect was noted on chronic and subacute symptoms that were accompanied mainly by functional disturbances and pain in the musculature. The preparation was most effective against muscle pain, swelling and overstrain, arthralgia/distortions, enthesopathy, and vertebral syndrome. Activity was weaker against degenerative conditions, for which the ointment may have an adjuvant role with the aim of improving muscular dysfunction and alleviating pain.     

Psychosocial job factors and symptoms from the locomotor system--a multicausal analysis

The effects of physical and psychosocial work environment factors on emotions, psychosomatic and endocrine (cortisol and testosterone) states, back pain, symptoms of degenerative joint disease, and absenteeism for sickness, were studied in 147 men and 60 women in six occupations representing widely different physical and psychological activities. In most subjects, measurements were carried out twice to four times over one year. Statistical analyses were performed of the associations between different factor levels, such as age, gender, height, body mass index, and physical stressors at work. It was found that psychological work demands were associated with physiological indicators of strain (plasma cortisol and self-reported muscle tension) and that self-reported muscle tension was associated with several emotional reactions as well as with symptoms from the back, neck and shoulders. Little possibility for decision-making was associated with a high rate of absenteeism for sickness. In men, a high plasma testosterone level was associated with self-reported muscle tension. The results indicate that work environment factors influence mood, bodily tension and somatic symptoms, but that load on the locomotor system and opportunity to influence decisions play an important and more direct role in absenteeism for sickness.     

运动训练对脊髓损伤大鼠运动及神经功能恢复的影响

目的探讨不同运动训练时程对大鼠脊髓损伤后运动、神经功能恢复的影响。 方法Sprague Dawley大鼠95只,分为模型组（未给予运动训练）、实验组（根据训练时程分为训练1周、2周、3周、4周组）和假手术组（切除椎板暴露脊髓,但不造成脊髓损伤）。采用改良Allen撞击法制作胸髓（T10）不完全损伤模型。运动方式采用重量支撑平板步行训练,在不同时间点采用斜板试验、改良Tarlov评分、Basso Beattie Bresnahan（BBB）评分、脊髓体感诱发电位进行运动及神经功能评定。 结果①运动功能：大鼠运动训练1,2,3和4周后,运动功能均较模型组有明显提高（P<0.05）;②脊髓体感诱发电位：大鼠运动训练2,3和4周后,N1波峰潜伏期较模型组显著缩短（P<0.05）,且随训练时程增加而逐步缩短（P<0.05）。 结论部分重量支撑平板步行训练能有效改善不完全性脊髓损伤大鼠运动及神经功能,并且其改善作用与运动训练时程相关。     

Effects of cranial electrical stimulation on sleep disturbances,depressive symptoms,and caregiving appraisal in spousal caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease

PurposeThe purpose of this work was to investigate the effects of cranial electrical stimulation (CES) on sleep disturbances, depressive symptoms, and caregiving appraisal.MethodsThirty-eight participants were randomly assigned to receive active CES or sham CES for 4 weeks.ResultsBoth intervention groups demonstrated improvement in study measures from baseline scores. A trend toward statistically significant differences in daily sleep disturbances was found between the groups. No differences in depressive symptoms and caregiving appraisal were found between the groups.ConclusionsThese findings did not fully support the efficacy of the short-term use of active CES versus sham CES to improve sleep disturbances, depressive symptoms, or caregiving appraisal.     

Effects of aerobic exercise on muscular pain sensitivity

Muscular pain sensitivity after aerobic exercise was investigated in ten healthy men aged 20 to 30 years in four tests at five-day intervals to determine if previous aerobic work leads to a hyperalgesic status. The intensity of pain was recorded, by visual analog scale, every 30 seconds after the injection of 1 ml of 10% and of 20% sodium chloride hypertonic solution, both during basal conditions, and 1 ml of 10% sodium chloride hypertonic solution 1 and 60 minutes after 30 minutes of submaximal rectangular exercise. The injection of 10% sodium chloride solution 60 seconds after exercise gave rise to a clear increase in pain, similar to that induced by the 20% sodium chloride solution given during basal condition. This observation shows that submaximal exercise produces a hyperalgesic state in the active muscle. This hyperalgesia probably explains the clinical manifestation of latent algogenic triggers during physical activity.     

Development and validation of a muscular dystrophy-specific functional rating scale

OBJECTIVE: To develop a reliable and valid new rating scale for measuring the functional impact of muscular dystrophy. DESIGN: Prospective and longitudinal investigation. SETTING: Three academic medical centres in Taiwan and the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Taiwan. MEASURES: The Brooke Scale, the Vignos Scale, the Barthel Index, muscular strength, contracture severity, and predicted forced vital capacity (FVC%). METHODS: Scale development was in three stages. In stage I, a preliminary pool of 53 items was generated from patient interviews (n = 25), literature review, existing functional rating scales and expert opinion. In stage II, these items were administered to 85 patients with muscular dystrophy. The resulting data were analysed to construct a rating scale (the Muscular Dystrophy Functional Rating Scale, MDFRS) that encompassed four unidimensional constructs: mobility, basic activities of daily living, arm function and impairment. In stage III, the measurement properties of this rating scale were assessed in 121 muscular dystrophy patients different from those examined with the preliminary instrument. RESULTS: Internal consistency reliability was excellent for all domains of the final 33-item scale, with values of Cronbach's alpha ranging from 0.84 to 0.97. Intraclass correlation coefficients for test-retest and inter-rater reliability were 0.99 for all domains of the MDFRS. The MDFRS showed moderate to high correlations with a range of functional rating scales measuring similar aspects and impairment parameters (Spearman's rho = 0.65-0.91; P < 0.001, each). Confirmatory factor analysis supported a unitary construct of the four-dimensional MDFRS. The MDFRS had small floor and ceiling effects in the study samples. Sensitivity to change was confirmed by large standardized response means for the MDFRS total score. CONCLUSIONS: The MDFRS is a reliable and valid disease-specific measure of functional status for patients with muscular dystrophy.     

电运动刺激增强肌力的研究

通过对照研究方法，对４０名新兵的右股四头肌进行电运动刺激训练６周，以观察电运动刺激干预对肌力、肌肉横截面积的影响。结果显示，电运动刺激可增强双侧股四头肌肌力，与对照组比较双侧均差异显著（Ｐ＜０．０５）；肌肉横截面积增加，每周训练３次优于５次（Ｐ＜０．０５）；可有效地消耗脂肪，使皮下脂肪变薄，每周训练３次优于５次（Ｐ＜０．０５）。本实验为电运动刺激训练提供有效的技术参数，并为其在康复医学、军事训练及运动员的体育训练等方面的应用提供科学依据。     

人脂肪间充质干细胞移植结合跑台训练对脊髓损伤大鼠运动功能的影响及机制

摘要 目的：探讨人脂肪间充质干细胞（hADSCs）结合跑台训练对脊髓损伤（SCI）大鼠运动功能的影响。 方法：成年雄性SD大鼠60只,采用改良Allen打击法制作T10不完全SCI模型。术后随机分为损伤组（模型组,未行处理）、细胞移植组（细胞组,行细胞移植）、跑台训练组（训练组,行跑台训练）和跑台训练结合细胞移植组（联合组,行跑台训练及细胞移植）。术前及术后采用BBB评分和Tarlov评分行运动功能评定,术后1、2、4周取脊髓行免疫荧光染色检测细胞存活,炎症反应相关细胞（ED1阳性巨噬细胞）,胶质瘢痕[胶质纤维酸性蛋白,GFAP及神经丝蛋白（NF-200）,5-羟色胺（5-HT)]。 结果：治疗组行为学评分及荧光定量检测均优于模型组（P＜0.05）;但联合组最明显,训练组和细胞组间无明显区别（P＞0.05）。 结论：hADSCs移植联合跑台训练对不完全性SCI大鼠运动功能恢复具有协同功效,治疗机制可能与进一步减轻伤后炎症反应,减少损伤面积,促进轴突再生有关。     

Relationship between symptoms and functional performance in COPD

We studied the relationships among functional performance and three symptoms--dyspnea, fatigue, and sleep difficulty--in a sample of 100 people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). All participants had an FEV(1) 60% or less of the predicted level for age, sex, and height. Consistent with the Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms, dyspnea correlated with both fatigue and sleep difficulty. Dyspnea and fatigue both had moderate negative correlations with functional performance, while sleep difficulty had a small nonsignificant negative correlation with functional performance. After controlling for age and oxygen use, dyspnea was the only symptom to predict variance in functional performance significantly. Of the three symptoms studied, only dyspnea was related to both the other symptoms and to functional performance. Focusing on dyspnea may be the best way to improve both symptom experience and functional performance in people with COPD.     

Sleep disturbances and depressive symptoms in healthy postpartum women: a pilot study

In this pilot study we examined the relationship between objective and subjective sleep disturbances and depressive symptoms in 22 healthy primiparous postpartum women within 3 months after delivery. We found that none of the women in our study had clinically significant depression scores on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; nonetheless, a variable duration of night-time sleep from night to night during the 7-day monitoring period and reported awakening too early were significantly correlated with increased depressive symptoms. Results suggest that first-time mothers who complain of irregular night-time sleep duration and waking up too early should be screened and evaluated for potential postpartum depressive symptoms.     

Effects of ankle disc training on muscular strength and postural control

Ankle disc training gave good objective results in patients with functional instability of the ankle joint, that is a feeling of giving way or recurrent sprains. The training programme improved both postural control, as demonstrated by stabilometry, and isokinetic pronator muscle strength. A 10-week training period was apparently sufficient, and further training could not be shown to be beneficial.     

氧化锌软膏在防治失禁性皮炎中的应用效果观察

目的 观察氧化锌软膏在防治失禁性皮炎中的效果。 方法 选取2014年1月-2015年8月住院的失禁患者128例,按随机数字表法分为对照组和观察组各64例。对照组给予凡士林油膏进行日常肛周护理,观察组则涂抹氧化锌软膏进行护理。比较2组患者住院期间失禁性皮炎的发生情况、患者及家属对护理工作的满意度。 结果 观察组失禁性皮炎发生率低于对照组(Z=-2.142,P=0.032),患者及家属对护理工作的满意度明显高于对照组(Z=-2.923,P=0.003)。 结论 在失禁性皮炎的防治中,氧化锌软膏具有更好的治疗效果。     

Muscle rehabilitation: its effect on muscular and functional performance of patients with knee osteoarthritis

Muscle function and functional performance are limited in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Although aerobic exercise can increase aerobic power and reduce fatigue, it does not appear to improve muscle function. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the effect of a muscle rehabilitation program on muscle strength, endurance, speed, and function for patients with OA of the knees. Fifteen men (67.6 +/- 6.1 years) with OA of the knees underwent a four-month exercise program, three times per week. Muscle strength, endurance, and speed were 50% less in OA patients than in controls. After rehabilitation, there was a significant increase in strength (35%), endurance (35%), and speed (50%). Deficiencies and improvements in the muscles were greater at longer muscle lengths. Increases in muscle function were associated with decreased dependency (10%), difficulty (30%), and pain (40%). The average increase in all measured parameters was 10% and 25% after two and four months of rehabilitation, respectively. Improvements were sustained for eight months after rehabilitation. The muscle rehabilitation program was designed specifically to improve function; the improved muscle function was translated into improved functional performance.