Ear acupuncture points in newborn triplets

The current study demonstrates for the first time the presence of ear acupuncture points in prematurely delivered triplets of 31 weeks and two days gestational age. Pregnancy was an IVF pregnancy and caesarean section was performed because of preeclampsia. Ear acupuncture points were determined with the Svesa point selector 1070 and correlated well with the clinical state of the neonates meaning that the sickest child demonstrated the most active ear points. Psychotropic points were not found. For the future ear acupuncture points may be further used for diagnostics and therapy in neonates.     

Einzelreferate und Buchbesprechungen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Einzelreferate und Buchbesprechungen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Smoking decreases the level of circulating CD34+ progenitor cells in young healthy women - a pilot study

Background

Decreased levels of circulating bone marrow-derived progenitor cells have been associated with risk factors and cardiovascular diseases. Smoking is the most important modifiable risk factor for atherosclerosis in young women. The aim of this pilot study was to assess in healthy premenopausal women without other risk factors for cardiovascular disease the influence of nicotine abuse on the number of circulating progenitor cells in relation to endothelial function.

Methods

The number of endothelial progenitor cells, measured as colony-forming units in a cell-culture assay (EPC-CFU) and the number of circulating CD34 + and CD34 +/CD133 + cells, measured by flow cytometry, was estimated in 32 women at the menstrual phase of the menstrual cycle. In addition, flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was assessed as a marker for vascular function. In a subgroup of these women (n = 20), progenitor cells were also investigated at the mid-follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle.

Results

Compared to non-smokers, the abundance of circulating CD34 + cells was significantly lower in smoking women in the menstrual, mid-luteal, and mid-follicular phases of the menstrual cycle. The number of CD34 + progenitor cells was revealed to have significant positive correlation with FMD in young healthy women, whereas CD34 +/CD133 + progenitor cells and EPC-CFU showed no significant correlation.

Conclusion

The number of CD34 + progenitor cells positively correlates with FMD in young healthy women and is decreased by smoking.     

Patellofemoral joint: kinematic MR imaging to assess tracking abnormalities

The patellofemoral joint was imaged with magnetic resonance (MR) in the axial plane while the knee was positioned from 0 degrees to 32 degrees of flexion (nine positions). These multiple sequential images obtained within the early phases of flexion of the knee were viewed in a "cine-loop" format, producing a kinematic study that clearly demonstrated the relationship of the patella to the trochlear groove. Four healthy subjects and one patient with known bilateral subluxing patellae were studied. The preliminary results suggest that kinematic MR imaging of the patellofemoral joint is potentially useful for the evaluation of patellar tracking abnormalities.