Increased Range of Motion and Decreased Strength of the Thumb in Massage Practitioners with Thumb Pain

The purpose of this study was to compare the range of motion (ROM) and strength of the metacarpophalangeal (MP) and interphalangeal (IP) joints among massage practitioners with and without thumb pain and control subjects. Sixteen massage practitioners with thumb pain, 16 practitioners without thumb pain, and 16 control subjects participated in this study. ROM of flexion, extension, and abduction in the MP joint; ROM of flexion and extension in the IP joint of the thumb; strength of the flexor pollicis brevis (FPB), extensor pollicis brevis (EPB), abductor pollicis brevis, flexor pollicis longus (FPL), and extensor pollicis longus measured in all subjects. ROM of extension and abduction in the MP joint were significantly increased in massage practitioners with and without thumb pain compared with control subjects. ROM of extension in the IP joint was significantly increased in massage practitioners with thumb pain compared with those without thumb pain. The strength of the EPB and FPL muscle was significantly decreased in massage practitioners with thumb pain compared with those without thumb pain and control subjects, respectively. In addition, there was significantly increased EPB/FPB strength in massage practitioners without thumb pain compared to those with thumb pain and control subjects.     

Nitric oxide expression in airway epithelial cells in response to tubercle bacilli stimulation

Abstract In order to investigate the role of airway epithelial cells in pulmonary tuberculosis, inducible nitric oxide synthetase (iNOS) expression and nitric oxide (NO) production were studied in A549 cells. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from normal volunteers were separated and cultured for 24h with LPS or tubercle bacilli (H37Rv, H37Ra). Thereafter, A549 cells were stimulated for another 24h with culture supernatant fluids of PBMC. iNOS messenger RNA (mRNA) expression was measured with Northern blot analysis and NO production was measured with the Griess reaction, which can measure nitrite concentration. iNOS mRNA expression and NO production were minimal in the control cells. iNOS mRNA expression and NO production were significantly increased with LPS ( P < 0.05) or tubercle bacilli ( P < 0.01) stimulation. However, there was no difference in iNOS mRNA expression and NO production between H37Rv and H37Ra stimulations. Interestingly, iNOS mRNA expression and NO production were greater in A549 cells stimulated with tubercle bacilli-conditioned media than in the cells stimulated with LPS-conditioned media. IL-1β, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interferon gamma concentrations were increased in culture supernatant fluids of PBMC stimulated with tubercle bacilli. These findings suggest that airway epithelial cells may play a certain role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary tuberculosis by producing NO. However, the role of airway epithelial cells, regarding the virulence of tubercle bacilli, was not clear in this study.     

滇西南山地农耕区蚤类物种多样性空间分布特征与鼠疫关系

为调查和分析云南西南部山地农耕区蚤类物种多样性空间分布格局、特征及其与人间鼠疫的关系,本文以云南西南部家鼠鼠疫疫源地中的耿马、临沧、陇川、龙陵、盈江、梁河、腾冲和云龙8县市为调查研究的空间范围,对各县市多个乡镇农耕区进行小型兽类及寄生蚤类的调查取样,所获蚤类数据进行群落组织水平的测定和统计学处理,就当地蚤类物种多样性空间分布格局与人间鼠疫之间的关系进行分析和探讨.结果 显示,(1)共捕获小型兽类2890只,隶属于7科19属35种;共采集宿主寄生蚤类2840只,隶属于6科16属27种.其中,印鼠客蚤(44.26％)和缓慢细蚤(20.39％)为数量上的优势种,偏远古蚤(8.56％)、长形病蚤(7.71％)和泸水栉眼蚤(6.76％)3蚤种数量相对较多,为当地的优势种,而其余的蚤种数量都相对较少;(2)蚤类水平分布和海拔分布的聚类分析结果显示均可聚为3类,它们整体反映了各调查样区或取样地点的地理位置、海拔高度和气候环境条件对农耕区蚤类群落和物种的组成、分布具有重要影响;(3)蚤类的Cody指数(β-多样性)沿海拔梯度的增加呈先逐步降低,后再升高的趋势,Sorenson指数随海拔增高呈先升高后降低的单峰分布格局,它们整体反映了滇西南山地农耕区蚤类群落和物种的组成与区系分布在2000～2500 m较高海拔的区域间发生了较大的变化;(4)蚤类的物种丰富度(γ-多样性)沿海拔梯度带变化规律总体呈现了随海拔升高呈先增高后降低的偏单峰分布格局,最大峰值出现在海拔1500～2000 m间,即在云南3类不同气候温层农耕区中,以中暖层气候农耕区蚤类物种丰富度最高;(5)蚤类的物种多样性指数(α-多样性)以腾冲市最高(1.9178),其他依次为梁河(1.6425)、云龙(1.6391)、陇川(1.5071)、龙陵(1.4948)、盈江(1.4778)、临沧(0.9402),而最低为耿马(0.2753);(6)蚤类的物种多样性、丰富度、均匀度、生态优势度和总蚤指数与人间鼠疫病例构成比之间的相关分析结果显示:物种多样性、均匀度与人间鼠疫均呈显著负相关,而生态优势度与人间鼠疫呈显著正相关;但总蚤指数与物种多样性、均匀度、生态优势度、物种丰富度和病例构成比均不相关.结果 表明,在蚤类物种多样性、均匀度高而生态优势度较低的区域,人间鼠疫发生率较低或未发生鼠疫,反之,人间鼠疫的发生率则较高;(7)优势种印鼠客蚤物种多度及其空间分布特征与人间鼠疫的发生与否和流行强度之间都具有重要关系.结果 表明滇西南家鼠鼠疫疫源地农耕区蚤类物种多样性和优势种印鼠客蚤物种多度的空间分布格局和特征与当地人间鼠疫的发生与否、流行强度都存在重要的关系.     

Ureteral cancer associated with dermatomyositis

Dermatomyositis is a rare inflammatory myopathy that has characteristic cutaneous lesions. Although many malignancies are associated with dermatomyositis, urogenital malignancies have rarely been reported to be associated with dermatomyositis. We report here on the first case of ureteral cancer associated with dermatomyositis. A 42-year-old man presented to us with a skin rash. A clinical diagnosis of dermatomyositis was made due to the skin lesions, muscle weakness, arthralgia, the increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate and the increased creatine kinase level. The patient revealed microscopic hematuria and abnormal urine cytology during the investigation for the underlying malignancy. Retrograde pyelography demonstrated a suspicious lesion in the right mid-ureter, and the ureteroscopic biopsy revealed the urothelial carcinoma. Although an operation was recommended, the patient died of pneumonia associated with his interstitial lung disease, which is one of the poor prognostic indicators of dermatomyositis.     

Effects of sevoflurane on collagen production and growth factor expression in rats with an excision wound

Background: Sevoflurane is a widely used inhalation anesthetic, but there are no studies on its effect on the wound‐healing process. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of exposure time to sevoflurane on wound healing. Method: Male Sprague–Dawley rats were used. Two circular full‐thickness skin defects 8 mm in diameter were made on the dorsum of the rats. The animals were divided into six groups according to exposed gas type and time: S1 (sevoflurane, 1 h), S4 (sevoflurane, 4 h), S8 (sevoflurane, 8 h), O1 (oxygen, 1 h), O4 (oxygen, 4 h), and O8 (oxygen, 8 h). The surface area of the wounds was measured 0, 1, 3, and 7 days after surgery. Separately, the mean blood pressures (MBP) and arterial oxygen pressures (PaO₂) were monitored during the sevoflurane exposure. Collagen type I production and transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) expression on the wound surface were analyzed. Routine histological analysis was also performed. Result: Exposure duration to sevoflurane had no influence on MBP and PaO₂. The reduction in wound size and collagen type I production was delayed in S8. The expression of TGF‐β1 and bFGF on the wound surface in S8 was significantly attenuated in S8. The histology of the S8 demonstrated a delayed healing status. Conclusions: Prolonged exposure to sevoflurane might alter the inflammatory phase of the wound‐healing process by attenuation of growth factor expression such as TGF‐β1 and bFGF and subsequently by reduced collagen production.     

中医药治疗肝囊肿验案2例

肝囊肿是临床较为常见的肝脏良性疾病,有单发和多发之分,其大小不一,从1cm至10cm以上不等,大于10cm称巨大肝囊肿,容易引起压迫症状,继发感染、出血、囊肿扭转等,严重者影响生活和工作.古代中医由于受历史条件的制约,没有现代医学的B超、计算机断层扫描(CT)等检测仪器,对肝囊肿缺乏认识,也缺乏明确的记载.近代对肝囊肿逐渐认识,根据肝囊肿的症状、体征多归属于中医的“胁痛”、“癥瘕”、“积聚”、“痰饮”、“痞症”等范畴.     

Penile erectile responses to electric stimulation are enhanced by a new phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitor

AIM: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of DA-8159, a new phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE5) inhibitor, on electrostimulation-induced penile erection in rats. METHODS: Intracavernous pressure (ICP) and arterial blood pressure (BP) were simultaneously recorded through electric pelvic-ganglion stimulation (2-10 Hz) after the oral administration of DA-8159 (3 or 10 mg/kg) in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Statistical analysis was performed on the maximal intracavernous pressure (ICP), detumescence time, maximal intracavernous pressure/blood pressure (ICP/BP) ratio, and the area under the curve (AUC) of the ICP/BP ratio. RESULTS: In normal and diabetic rats, electrical stimulation of the pelvic ganglion induced a frequency- and dose-dependent increase in the intracavernous pressure. The ICP/BP ratio and the corresponding AUC values were also significantly and dose-dependently increased after DA-8159 administration. In addition, the detumescence time significantly increased after DA-8159 administration compared to that of the controls. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that the DA-8159 significantly increased the intracavernous pressure response and prolonged the decay period induced by electrical stimulation of the pelvic ganglion, and suggest that DA-8159 might be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.     

Risk of hepatitis B virus reactivation in patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease treated with corticosteroids

Background and objective: Reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is thought to be associated with immunosuppressive treatments, but insufficient information is available on the effect of corticosteroids. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of HBV reactivation in hepatitis B surface antigen‐seropositive patients with asthma or COPD, who were treated with systemic corticosteroids (SCS) in addition to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). Methods: Patients with asthma or COPD (n = 198), who were hepatitis B surface antigen‐seropositive and had been treated with ICS, were identified retrospectively. To evaluate the additional effects of SCS, the SCS group was divided into those who received intermittent or continuous SCS (≥3 months of continuous SCS treatment), and into those who received low‐dose (≤20 mg/day of prednisolone) or medium‐to‐high‐dose SCS. The study outcome was HBV reactivation. Results: HBV reactivation occurred in 11.1% of patients in the SCS group, which was significantly higher than the reactivation rate in the ICS group. HBV reactivation was more frequent in the SCS group compared with the ICS group (OR 3.813, 95% CI: 1.106–13.145, P = 0.032), and in the continuous and medium‐to‐high‐dose SCS subgroups compared with the ICS group (OR 5.719, 95% CI: 1.172–27.905, P = 0.048 and OR 4.884, 95% CI: 1.362–17.511, P = 0.014, respectively). Conclusions: These results suggest that addition of SCS to ICS increases the risk of HBV reactivation, especially when SCS are administered chronically or at high doses.