The effects of strength,aerobic, and concurrent exercise on skeletal muscle damage in rats

Introduction: In this study we examined oxidative stress and skeletal muscle damage resulting from acute strength, aerobic, or concurrent exercise in rats. Methods: The animals were divided into control (C), strength (SE), aerobic (AE), and combined (CE) exercise groups. They were euthanized at 3 different time‐points (6, 24, and 48 h) after acute exercise. Results: SE exercise rats had increased dichlorofluorescein oxidation at 6 h post‐exercise and decreased superoxide dismutase activity at all time‐points. Glutathione peroxidase activity and sulfhydryl levels were increased in the AE group at 48 h post‐exercise. Serum lactate dehydrogenase activity was increased in the SE and CE groups at 24 h and in the AE group at 48 h. Echo intensity was elevated at 24 h for all groups. Conclusions: Forty‐eight hours was sufficient for complete recovery from oxidative stress and muscle damage in the SE and CE groups, but not in the AE group. Muscle Nerve 50 : 79–86, 2014     

Diabetes and COVID-19 in Congolese patients

BackgroundThe global pandemic Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is reported to be potentially severe in patients with morbid conditions. One common reported comorbidities is diabetes. We aimed in this study to precise the clinical characteristics and outcomes in a series of congolese diabetic patients affected by COVID-19 infection.Patients and methodsWe retrospectely studied from 256 COVID-19 patients, a cohort of 30 persons with previously known diabetes. The glycaemia controls have been obtained by plasma glucose assay. All patients have been tested positive to SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR method.ResultsThe COVID-19 diabetic patients represented 11,7% of all COVID-19 patients with confidence interval of 95% [7,77–15,65]. Older individuals and male sex were predominent. Dyspnea and sauration of oxygen < 90 were significatives and added risk factors were noted in 63.3% of patients, particulary hyperglycaemia with hypertension or obesity. The mortality rate at the percentage of 36.7% was more prevalent in patients with added comorbidities (30%) versus without comorbidities (6.7%).ConclusionCongolese COVID-19 diabetic patients of male sex and older age exhibiting arterial hypertension and obesity are the most exposed to severe COVID-19 and increasead mortality rate.     

Multiparameter immunofluorescence on paraffin-embedded tissue sections.

Immunohistochemical techniques have gained increasing importance in diagnostics and research. While formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded human tissue retains excellent morphology, the detection of antigens by immunofluorescence in its sections and especially the demonstration of multiple simultaneous antibodies have limitations. Double immunofluorescence labeling of routinely processed paraffin sections has been described previously. The signal intensity observed after triple labeling has been reported to be significantly inferior to that obtained by application of double fluorochromes. The authors show multicolor labeling of three and four primary antibodies in routinely processed paraffin-embedded tissue sections using a standardized immunofluorescence technique. In addition, procedures to reduce background staining and to avoid nonspecific double staining are described.     

Biological effects of rAAV-caAlk2 coating on structural allograft healing.

Structural bone allografts often fracture due to their lack of osteogenic and remodeling potential. To overcome these limitations, we utilized allografts coated with recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) that mediate in vivo gene transfer. Using beta-galactosidase as a reporter gene, we show that 4-mm murine femoral allografts coated with rAAV-LacZ are capable of transducing adjacent inflammatory cells and osteoblasts in the fracture callus following transplantation. While this LacZ vector had no effect on allograft healing, bone morphogenetic protein signals delivered via rAAV-caAlk2 coating induced endochondral bone formation directly on the cortical surface of the allograft by day 14. By day 28 there was evidence of remodeling of the new woven bone and massive osteoclastic resorption of the cortical surface of the rAAV-caAlk2-coated allografts only. Micro-CT analysis of rAAV-LacZ- vs rAAV-caAlk2-coated allografts after 42 days of healing demonstrated a significant increase in new bone formation (0.67 +/- 0.21 vs 2.49 +/- 0.40 mm(3); P < 0.005). Furthermore, the 3D micro-CT images of femurs grafted with rAAV-Alk2-coated allografts provided the first evidence that complete bridging of bone around a cortical allograft is possible. These results indicate that cell-free, rAAV-coated allografts have the potential to revitalize in vivo following transplantation.     

Comparative effectiveness study between negative pressure wound therapy and conventional wound dressing on perforator flap at the Chinese tertiary referral teaching hospital

Background

Perforator flap techniques with conventional wound dressing have being extensively used in the management of soft-tissue defects. However; the flap's survival rate is not always guaranteed and the wound healing time always long. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical effectiveness use of a freshly transplanted perforator flap in conjunction with Vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) for better clinical outcomes.

Allograft implants for posterior lumbar interbody fusion: results comparing cylindrical dowels and impacted wedges

OBJECTIVE: With the proliferation of implant types available for use in posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) procedures, the choices for surgeons have become increasingly complex. The goal of this study was to retrospectively review a series of 49 patients who underwent PLIF with the use of allograft cylindrical threaded cortical bone dowels (TCBDs) and allograft impacted wedges. Nerve root injury rates, fusion rates, and clinical outcomes of the allograft impacted wedge group are compared with those in the allograft cylindrical TCBD group. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart and radiographic review of 49 patients. Twenty-seven patients underwent PLIF with impacted allograft wedges, and 22 patients underwent PLIF with allograft cylindrical TCBD. Permanent nerve root injury rates, fusion rates, and clinical outcomes were assessed on the basis of a minimum of 1 year of follow-up data in this nonconsecutive series. RESULTS: Permanent nerve root injuries in the impacted wedge and TCBD groups were documented with physical examinations conducted pre- and postoperatively. The cylindrical TCBD group showed a 13.6% rate of permanent nerve root injury, and the impacted wedge group demonstrated a 0% rate, and these rates were statistically significant (analysis of variance, P = 0.049). The fusion rate at a mean of 13.9 months of follow-up was 95.4% in patients in whom the cylindrical TCBD was implanted and 88.9% after a mean of 17.4 months of follow-up in patients in whom impacted wedges were used. The fusion rate difference between the TCBD and impacted wedge groups was not significant. The satisfactory outcome rate was 72.7% for the TCBD group and 85.1% for the impacted wedge group, and the impacted wedge group was found to have a significantly higher rate of satisfactory outcomes (P = 0.016, analysis of variance). Analysis of the patient outcomes in the TCBD and impacted wedge groups according to sex, mean length of follow-up, workman's compensation claim rate, and smoking habit yielded no significant difference. CONCLUSION: With a minimum of 1 year of follow-up in this nonconsecutive series of 49 patients, a comparison of the use of allograft TCBD versus allograft impacted wedges in PLIF procedures reveals a statistically significant increase in permanent nerve root injury rates with the use of cylindrical TCBD implants as compared with impacted allograft wedges. There is no difference between the two groups in terms of fusion rates, and clinical outcomes with the use of impacted wedges were significantly better.     

Canonical nuclear factor kappaB pathway inhibition blocks myeloma cell growth and induces apoptosis in strong synergy with TRAIL.

PURPOSE: Intrinsic activation of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) characterizes various hematologic malignancies. In this study, we specifically address the role of NF-kappaB blockade in mediated antimyeloma activity using the IkappaB kinase-2 pharmacologic inhibitor, AS602868. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Human myeloma cell lines (n = 16) and primary myeloma cells (n = 10) were tested for their sensitivity to AS602868 in terms of proliferation and apoptosis. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted. Functional mechanisms regarding the apoptotic pathways triggered by AS602868 were studied. The potential proapoptotic synergy between AS602868 and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) was also evaluated. RESULTS: Our results show that AS602868 efficiently targeted the canonical NF-kappaB pathway in myeloma cells and potently inhibited their growth in inducing apoptosis through Bax and caspase-3 activation. AS602868 also induced apoptosis in primary myeloma cells even in the presence of bone marrow mononuclear cells. Moreover, the IkappaB kinase-2 inhibitor targeted the paracrine effect on the bone marrow environment. Indeed, it decreased the intrinsic and myeloma-induced secretion of interleukin-6 from bone marrow stromal cells. In addition, AS602868 inhibited myeloma cell growth in the MM.1S xenograft myeloma model. Of particular interest, AS602868 strongly increased myeloma sensitivity to TRAIL in blocking TRAIL-induced NF-kappaB activation and in decreasing the expression of antiapoptotic proteins such as cFLIP and cIAP-1/2. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our data point out the interest to inhibit the canonical NF-kappaB pathway in myeloma and clearly encourage clinical evaluation of novel therapies based on targeting NF-kappaB, especially in combination with TRAIL.     

The health of students in institutes of higher education: an important and neglected public health problem?

BACKGROUND: A survey of students in three UK higher education establishments was undertaken to obtain information about students' physical and emotional well-being, their attitudes to, and beliefs about health, and the prevalence of risk factors for future ill health. METHODS: Health was measured by the prevalence of longstanding illness and by the SF-36 health status measurement tool. Survey results were compared with equivalent data for 18- to 34-year-olds in the local population. The prevalence of long-standing illness was also compared with two national surveys. RESULTS: The survey achieved a 49 per cent response rate. More than one-third of respondents reported a long-standing illness, a higher prevalence than in all comparison surveys. Students scored significantly worse than their peers in the local population on all eight SF-36 dimensions. The greatest difference was for role limitations as a result of emotional problems. The main sources of emotional distress were study or work problems and money. CONCLUSION: The poor response rate in this survey dictates the need for caution in interpretation of the results. However, they suggest that the health of students is poor relative to that of their peers, and that their emotional health is more of a problem than their physical health. Public health practitioners might want to pay more attention to the health of this important and relatively neglected group. Worries about studies and money appear to be affecting students' academic work, and this should be of concern to higher education establishments.