Evaluation of sustained grip strength for a stroke patient with a mild paresis

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a sustained grip strength test is workable as an accurate assessment of activity limitation related to muscle weakness of the paretic hands of stroke patients with mild pareses. Sixty-one stroke patients with mild pareses participated in this study. The maximal grip strength and an ability to sustain grip strength were examined with the Sustained Grip Strength Test. The latter ability was measured by the sustained period of the maximal grip strength (a period that exhibited more than 80% of the peak force during a six-seconds trial). The activity limitation of squeezing an object was evaluated in four ADL tasks, and the difficulties were rated according to three scores. We found that there was a significant positive relationship between the degree of the task difficulty and the maximal grip strength for paretic hands whose sustained period was over three sec, in all four assessments (p < 0.05). However, for paretic hands whose sustained period was under three sec, no such relationship was found. Consequently, measuring both the maximal grip strength and the sustained period was needed to assess accurately an activity limitation related to muscle weakness of the paretic hands of stroke patients with mild pareses.     

Rotational acetabular osteotomy for hip dysplasia: spontaneous medial enlargement of the acetabulum

We followed 56 patients (63 joints) who had undergone rotational acetabular osteotomy (RAOs) between 1987 and 1993, mean 7 (5-12) years. The Merle d'Aubigné score increased by 15 points or more in 59 and decreased in 4 hips. The arthrosis progressed in 5 joints. In about 2/3 of the cases, we observed some medial and/or lateral expansion of the subchondral bone in the acetabulum 3 years postoperatively, suggesting enlargement of the load-bearing area.     

Inhibitory effect of liposomal MDP-Lys on lung metastasis of transplantable osteosarcoma in hamster

MDP-Lys (N2-[(N-acetylmuramyl)-L-alanyl-D-isoglutaminyl]-N6-stearoyl-L-lysine), a macrophage activator, is a lipophilic derivative of muramyl dipeptide (MDP). Multilamellar liposome incorporated MDP-Lys was prepared using phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine by conventional film method, and its inhibitory effect on lung metastasis was compared with MDP-Lys as a solution in hamster's osteosarcoma. The lung metastatic rates after transplantation of the tumor to a lower extremity, in which the extremity was amputated 3 weeks later, were 50% and 100% 3 and 7 weeks, respectively, after transplantation. The rates after amputation were reduced by the treatment with MDP-Lys proportionally to the logarithmic MDP-Lys dose, and the rates 7 weeks after transplantation were 55% and 60%, respectively, in the MDP-Lys solution (50 microg/day) and liposomal MDP-Lys (20 microg twice/week) groups. Fifty percent of hamsters treated with liposomal MDP-Lys survived for more than 6 months. Considering that hamsters had a lung metastasis rate of 50% before MDP-Lys treatment, liposomal MDP-Lys given at a dose of 20 microg twice/week was effective for inhibiting lung metastasis at a far lower dose of MDP-Lys than that given as a solution (40 microg vs. 350 microg per week). No significant side effect of liposomal MDP-Lys, as evaluated by the comparison of body weight changes among differently treated hamsters, was detected. This greater inhibitory effect of liposomal MDP-Lys can be considered to be due to the longer retention of the liposomal form in the lung.     

Differences in Human Group Mean SEP between Sexes: with Reference to the Rohrer's Index*

Abstract: With 200 SEPs of normal subjects, the differences in the Group Mean SEP between sexes were defined eliminating the differences attributable to another peripheral factor relating to the nutritional condition represented by the Rohrer's index. The differences in the baseline amplitude of the Group Mean SEP between males vs. females in the sections between roughly 23–111 msec, around 330 msec, and behind 389 msec in latency were verified, subtracting the differences between the groups with a high vs. low value of the Rohrer's index, not attributable to the different nutritional condition, and might be the central origin. Applying the Amplitude Scaling, the differences in the sections 23–104 msec in latency were verified similarly, being more a significant indication of the sex difference per se.     

Correlation p53 expression and human papilloma virus deoxyribonucleic acid with clinical outcome in early uterine cervical carcinoma

BACKGROUND: In the present study we assessed whether expression of p53 protein or HPV DNA correlates with recurrence as well as several known prognostic factors in uterine cervical carcinoma. METHODS: Forty-nine patients with FIGO stage IA-IIB who underwent hysterectomy between 1998 and 2002 were retrospectively studied. All 49 cancer tissue samples were used for immunohistochemical study. Twenty-five of 49 cases were also examined by PCR-RFLP for detection and typing of HPV DNA. RESULTS: Twenty of 49 (40.8%) specimens demonstrated nuclear staining for p53. A significant association between p53 overexpression and age, hormonal status, FIGO stage, or recurrence was observed (p=0.02, 0.01, 0.03, 0.01). However, no significant association was found between p53 overexpression and lymph node metastases, parametrium involvement, or risk of death (p=0.18, 0.06, 0.14). Nineteen of 25 (76%) were HPV DNA-positive and 6 (24%) were negative. Discussion: There was no relation between HPV DNA positivity and age, FIGO stage, lymph node metastases, parametrium involvement, recurrence, or risk of death. CONCLUSION: p53 overexpression is associated with age, hormonal status, FIGO stage, and recurrence in uterine cervical carcinoma.