Kinesio taping or just taping in shoulder subacromial impingement syndrome? A randomized,double-blind,placebo-controlled trial

Objective: To verify effects of kinesio taping (KT) in shoulder subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS) when compared to sham taping applied in the same way with KT. Patients and Methods: Patients were randomized as group 1 (n = 21) KT group and group 2 (n = 20) sham-taping group. Taping was applied every three days, three times during the study period. We assessed all the patients at baseline, at the end of the taping period (12th day), and at one-month post-intervention. We assessed pain on the 100 mm visual analog scale (VAS). Shoulder range of motion (ROM), Constant Scores, and Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) scores were evaluated. Results: Of the 41 participants, 13 were males (32%) and 28 were females (68%). The mean age was 45 ± 15 years (range 20–65 years). We documented a significant decrease in VAS for nocturnal pain, and Constant Score in both groups. The KT group showed additional significant change in NHP pain and physical activity scores. Conclusion: KT and sham taping generated similar results regarding pain and Constant Scores.     

Long-term management of corrosive esophageal stricture with balloon dilation in children

Background and purpose  

There are only a few studies focused on efficacy and safety of balloon dilation in corrosive esophageal stricture in children. The aim of this study is to assess the long-term clinical results of balloon dilation in the treatment of corrosive esophageal stricture in children.     

The cytotoxic effect of palytoxin on Caco-2 cells hinders their use for in vitro absorption studies

Palytoxin (PLTX), found in Palythoa zoanthids and Ostreopsis dinoflagellates, has also been detected in crabs and fish, through which it can enter into the food chain. Indeed, PLTX is considered the causative agent of several cases of human seafood poisoning resulting in systemic symptoms. Available epidemiological data on PLTX human toxicity suggest that the intestinal tract may be one of its in vivo targets and its potential site of access into the bloodstream. Hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate the suitability of the human intestinal Caco-2 cell line for evaluating PLTX oral absorption. A detailed analysis of PLTX cytotoxicity revealed a high sensitivity of Caco-2 cells: 4h toxin exposure reduced mitochondrial activity (MTT assay, EC(50) of 8.9±3.7×10(-12)M), cell density (SRB assay, EC(50) of 2.0±0.6×10(-11)M) and membrane integrity (LDH release, EC(50) of 4.5±1.4×10(-9)M and PI uptake, EC(50) of 1.0±0.8×10(-8)M). After low PLTX concentration (1.0×10(-11)M) exposure for 1-8h, followed by 24h recovery time in toxin-free medium, cell density reduction was only partially reversible. These results indicate that, due to the high susceptibility to PLTX cytotoxic effects, Caco-2 cells do not represent an appropriate and reliable model for investigating intestinal barrier permeation by this toxin.     

Upregulation of multi drug resistance genes in doxorubicin resistant human acute myelogeneous leukemia cells and reversal of the resistance

The major problem in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients results from multidrug resistance to administered anticancer agents. Drug resistance proteins, MDR1 and MRP1, which work as drug efflux pumps, can mediate the multidrug resistance of human leukemia cells. In this study, the mechanisms of resistance to doxorubicin-induced cell death in human HL60 AML cells were examined. Continuous exposure of cells to step-wise increasing concentrations of doxorubicin resulted in the selection of HL60/DOX cells, which expressed about 10.7-fold resistance as compared to parental sensitive cells. The expression analyses of MRP1 and MDR1 drug efflux proteins in doxorubicin-sensitive and -resistant HL60 cells revealed that there was an upregulation of MRP1 gene in HL60/DOX cells as compared to parental sensitive cells. On the other hand, while there was no expression of MDR1 gene in parental cells, the expression of MDR1 gene was upregulated in HL60/DOX cells. HL60/DOX cells also showed cross-resistance to cytosine arabinoside (Ara-c). This resistance was reversed by a combination therapy of Ara-c and cyclosporine A. However, the expression levels of CD15 and CD16 surface markers were significantly decreased in HL60/DOX cells.     

Cap disease caused by heterozygous deletion of the beta-tropomyosin gene TPM2

"Cap myopathy" or "cap disease" is a congenital myopathy characterised by cap-like structures at the periphery of muscle fibres, consisting of disarranged thin filaments with enlarged Z discs. Here we report a deletion in the beta-tropomyosin (TPM2) gene causing cap disease in a 36-year-old male patient with congenital muscle weakness, myopathic facies and respiratory insufficiency. The mutation identified in this patient is an in-frame deletion (c.415_417delGAG) of one codon in exon 4 of TPM2 removing a single glutamate residue (p.Glu139del) from the beta-tropomyosin protein. This is expected to disrupt the seven-amino acid repeat essential for making a coiled coil, and thus to impair tropomyosin-actin interaction. Missense mutations in TPM2 have previously been found to cause rare cases of nemaline myopathy and distal arthrogryposis. This mutation is one not previously described and the first genetic cause identified for cap disease.     

The effect of budesonide mouthwash on oral chronic graft versus host disease

Oral chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD) is common and a major cause of morbidity and loss of quality of life in long term survivors. Cyclosporine with prednisone remains the first line therapy for oral manifestations of cGVHD. However, even with routine administration of systemic agents, many patients with oral manifestations of cGVHD do not have resolution of their disease and may benefit from incorporation of local therapy. Budesonide is a highly potent steroid which has minimal systemic side effects and being used for oral cGVHD. We designed a retrospective study to compare treatment results of patients with oral cGVHD who received topical budesonide in addition to systemic therapy that consists of combined prednisone and cyclosporine (Group A, n = 12), with the treatment results of patients who were administered the same systemic therapy alone (Group B, n = 11) to determine whether budesonide mouthwash had any advantage on response rates. Three mg topical budesonide/10 ml saline was used 3-4 times a day for up to 6 months in group A. Diagnosis, clinical staging, and treatment response scoring for cGVHD were performed according to National Institutes of Health (NIH) consensus criteria. At the baseline examination, there were no statistically significant differences in terms of median oral cGVHD examination scores between two groups. After treatment, there was statistically significant decrease in median oral cGVHD examination scores compared to baseline (P < 0.001 and 0.021), and significant differences were found between two groups (P < 0.032). Overall response rate was 83% and 36% for group A and B, respectively (P = 0.036). However, no statistically significant differences were found between median pain scores of two groups before and after treatment (P = 0.740 and P = 0.091). No major systemic side effects and oral candidiasis were observed in two groups of patients. We concluded that topical budesonide might be added to systemic therapy to obtain better response rates in patients with oral cGHVD.     

Mice lacking CD200R1 show absence of suppression of lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha and mixed leukocyte culture responses by CD200

BACKGROUND: CD200:CD200R interactions deliver immunoregulatory signals. A family of CD200Rs (CD200R1-5) has been described, and engagement of CD200R1 by its ligand CD200 suppresses LPS-induced macrophage cytokine production, decreases alloimmune responses in vivo and in vitro, and suppresses collagen-induced arthritis. METHODS: We generated C57BL/6 mice lacking the genomic exons encoding the extracellular domains of the CD200R1 molecule using transformation of ES cells and explored cell subtypes and immune responses in these mice. RESULTS: Myeloid cells/splenocytes from CD200R1(-/-) mice were not stained in FACS by anti-CD200R1 mAb. Stimulation of splenic tumor necrosis factor-alpha production by lipopolysaccharide was enhanced relative to control (+/+) mice and was not suppressed by addition of exogenous CD200Fc. Modulation of alloreactivity in mixed leukocyte cultures by CD200Fc depended upon CD200R1+ stimulatory cells, although maximal immunoregulation by CD200Fc occurred only when CD200R1+ T responder cells also were used. CD200Fc failed to suppress graft rejection in CD200R1(-/-) mice. CONCLUSION: CD200:CD200R1 plays an immunoregulatory role in vivo.