The Associations Between Seven Different Types of Physical Activity and the Incidence of Fracture at Seven Sites in Healthy Postmenopausal UK Women

There is a paucity of information on associations between specific types of physical activity and fracture risk at different sites in otherwise healthy postmenopausal women. Therefore, we examined risk of fracture at seven different sites associated with seven different types of physical activity in the population-based prospective UK Million Women Study. A total of 371,279 postmenopausal women (mean age 59.8 years), rating their health as good or excellent and reporting participation in walking, cycling, gardening, doing housework, yoga, dance, and sports club activities, were followed for site-specific incident fracture through record linkage to national databases on day-case and overnight hospital admissions. Cox regression yielded adjusted relative risks (RRs) and, because of the large number of statistical tests done, 99% confidence intervals (CIs) for fracture at seven different sites in relation to seven different physical activities. During an average follow-up of 12 years, numbers with a first site-specific fracture were as follows: humerus (2341), forearm (1238), wrist (7358), hip (4354), femur (not neck) (617), lower leg (1184), and ankle (3629). For upper limb fractures there was significant heterogeneity across the seven activity types (test for heterogeneity p = 0.004), with gardening more than 1 hour/week associated with a lower risk (RR = 0.91; 99% CI, 0.86 to 0.96; p < 0.0001), whereas cycling more than 1 hour/week was associated with an increased risk (RR = 1.11; 99% CI, 1.00 to 1.23; p = 0.008). For fractures of the lower limb (including hip) there was no significant heterogeneity by type of activity, with significant approximately 5% to 15% reductions in risk associated with most activities, except cycling. For hip fractures, there was no significant heterogeneity by type of activity, but with significant 15% to 20% reductions in risk associated with walking for 1 hour/day and participating in yoga and sporting activities. Physical activity is a modifiable risk factor for fracture, but the effects differ between different types of activities and different fracture sites. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.     

AN UNUSUAL CASE OF LEFT PARADUODENAL HERNIA

Paraduodenal hernias are the commonest form of intra-abdominal hernia. We report on a rare paraduodenal hernia involving the duodenojejunal recess.     

Development of antirotavirus agents in Asia

Human rotaviruses are the major etiologic agents of diarrhea in infants and young children under 2 years of age worldwide. Rotavirus diarrhea is a life-threatening disease for children; many efforts are made to reduce the morbidity and mortality in Asia. To date many natural compounds and some Western medicines have exhibited their antirotavirus effects in clinical studies, in animal experiments and in vitro. Compared with antirotavirus agents in the USA and Europe, natural compounds have been identified as ideal candidates for antirotaviral drugs in Asia because they are cheaper and effective, have no side-effect and no toxicity. We have attempted to reveal the antirotavirus mechanism of some natural compounds. We found that cacao pigment, tea extract and pine seed shell extract inhibit rotavirus adsorption to cells while cacao pigment may also inhibit rotavirus reproduction in vitro. The usage of antirotavirus agents in Asia demonstrated that additional effective approaches to control rotavirus infection, such as antirotavirus agents, are necessary, in particular for the children with rotavirus diarrhea who have severe complications.     

Increased release of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2 accompanies the human mononuclear cell tissue factor response to lipopolysaccharide

Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) respond to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with increased release of a plasminogen activator (PA) inhibitor. This response is dose dependent and parallels the LPS-induced expression of PBM tissue factor activity. The PA inhibitors of control and LPS-stimulated PBMs appear identical as both are identified by antibodies to PA inhibitor type 2 of human placenta, but not by antibodies to type 1 inhibitor of bovine aortic endothelial cells. The PA inhibitor is specific for urokinase type PA as determined by the 125I-fibrin plate assay, and direct cleavage of 125I- plasminogen; it does not effectively inhibit tissue-type PA. The inhibitor forms an active site-dependent complex with 125I-urokinase, which then demonstrates an increase in mol wt from 33 kd to 68 kd on reduced sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gels. PBMs neither secrete nor express active PA. Hence, the exposure of PBMs to LPS results in conditions highly favorable to fibrin deposition and persistence: increased procoagulant and antifibrinolytic activities, accompanied by no measurable PA. Such modulation of these effectors may be important in the pathogenesis of fibrin characteristically found in tissue lesions of endotoxin-initiated processes.     

Aspergillus fumigatus colonisation and population density of place of residence in cystic fibrosis

The relation between antibody titres of aspergillus in patients with cystic fibrosis and the population density of their place of residence was investigated. Patients with high titres of antibodies to Aspergillus fumigatus were significantly more likely to live in an area of low population density. Living in a rural environment may predispose to A fumigatus colonisation.