The effects of dual-tasking on postural control in people with unilateral anterior cruciate ligament injury

Several studies have investigated postural control in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) deficient patients; yet the contribution of cognitive processing (attention) in the postural control of these patients is still unclear. A dual-task design was used to determine the effects of a concurrent digit span memory task on standing balance in a group of ACL patients (n = 27) compared with a group of matched, healthy participants (n = 27). In double limb stance, three levels of postural difficulty were studies on a force platform (rigid surface with eyes open, rigid surface with eyes closed, and foam surface with eyes closed). There were three cognitive conditions (no cognitive task, easy cognitive task and difficult cognitive task). For double limb stance, a mixed model analysis of variance showed that in the presence of a cognitive task, postural control was compromised yet there was no interaction between cognitive task difficulty and group (ACL or control). For single limb stance, the more difficult cognitive tasks were associated with lower standard deviations for velocity in the antero-posterior direction and the phase plane portraits. This cognitive task did not appear to compromise postural control in ACL injured patients to a greater extent than unimpaired people. Future studies should examine ACL patients with more severe disabilities and expose them to more demanding dynamic balance conditions to further explore dual-tasking effects.     

Effect of 4-Week Treatment with Oral N-Acetylcysteine on Plasma Homocysteine Concentration and Antioxidant Activity of Patients on Chronic Hemodialysis

Plasma oxidative stress (OS) including total homocysteine (tHcy) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations is usually elevated and antioxidant enzymes activities are decreased in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease. It is thought that OS in these patients may have a role in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular events. It has been suggested that N-acetylcysteine (NAC) may be effective to lower OS. This study was designed to evaluate the possible effect of 4-week treatment with oral NAC on plasma tHcy and MDA concentrations and status of antioxidant enzymes in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients who were receiving vitamin B group at least from the onset of dialysis program. Twenty patients were enrolled in this study. All subjects were treated with oral NAC (600 mg twice daily) for 4 weeks. Predialysis plasma tHcy and MDA concentrations and activities of glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase were assessed before the initiation of NAC and after 4-week NAC therapy. At baseline, moderately severe hyperhomocysteinemia was present in about 63% of patients. The results showed significant (19%) decline in plasma tHcy concentration after NAC therapy. However, moderately severe hyperhomocysteinemia was persistently seen in about 50% of the patients. NAC did not affect concentration of MDA and antioxidant enzymes activities. Because of the proposed relationship between cardiovascular morbidity and hyperhomocysteinemia in patients on HD, daily supplementation of patients with NAC may be recommended as adjunct to vitamins in those subjects who did not respond adequately to group B vitamins alone.     

Electrophysiological measurements of diabetic peripheral neuropathy: A systematic review

Introduction

Peripheral neuropathy is one of the main complications of diabetes mellitus. One of the features of diabetic nerve damage is abnormality of sensory and motor nerve conduction study. An electrophysiological examination can be reproduced and is also a non-invasive approach in the assessment of peripheral nerve function. Population-based and clinical studies have been conducted to validate the sensitivity of these methods. When the diagnosis was based on clinical electrophysiological examination, abnormalities were observed in all patients.

Short-term rapid atrial pacing produces electrical remodeling of sinus node function in humans

INTRODUCTION: Depression of sinus node function occurs in dogs and in patients after cessation of atrial flutter and fibrillation. We tested whether transient atrial pacing might produce similar changes in humans. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied the impact of short-term rapid atrial pacing, simulating atrial tachyarrhythmias, on sinoatrial conduction time (SACT) and corrected sinus node recovery time (CS-NRT) in 10 patients undergoing electrophysiologic study. None had recognizable structural heart disease, history of atrial fibrillation or flutter, autonomic dysfunction, or any tachycardia for at least 24 hours before study. All cardiac drugs were discontinued >5 half-lives prior to study. No patient had significant hypotension during atrial stimulation. SACT and CSNRT were measured at baseline, and sinus node reset zone was determined. Right atrial pacing was performed for 10 to 15 minutes, after which SACT and CSNRT were measured again. Both parameters increased significantly, from 423+/-208 msec to 491+/-214 msec and from 80+/-50 msec to 96+/-53 msec, respectively (P = 0.02 and P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Rapid atrial pacing for only 10 to 15 minutes, simulating transient atrial tachyarrhythmias, alters sinus node function in humans. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the mechanism, but the clinical implication is that even transient episodes of atrial tachyarrhythmias can cause sinus node remodeling in patients.     

Molecular changes in fibrillar collagen in myxomatous mitral valve disease

IntroductionMyxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is the single most common acquired cardiac disease of dogs and is a disease of significant veterinary importance. It also bears close similarities to mitral valve prolapse in humans and therefore is a disease of emerging comparative interest. We have previously mapped the structure of collagen fibrils in valve leaflets using synchrotron X-rays and have demonstrated changes in collagen structure associated with the regions of disease.MethodsDifferential scanning calorimetry (DSC), biochemical assay of collagen content, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and neutron diffraction were combined with further analysis of our previous X-ray data to elucidate molecular changes in fibrillar collagen in mild to moderately affected MMVD dogs.ResultsComparing diseases and adjacent grossly uninvolved areas in the same leaflets, there was a 20% reduction in collagen fibrils, but only a 10% depletion of collagen content. The enthalpy of collagen denaturation was reduced in affected areas. Chromatography showed a 25% decrease in mature nonreducible covalent cross-links in the affected samples, and neutron diffraction data showed fewer reducible immature covalent cross-links in grossly uninvolved tissue samples.ConclusionsMild to moderate MMVD in the dog is associated with a marginal decline in collagen content in overtly diseased areas of valves, but more importantly is associated with an increase in immature collagen content. These changes will contribute to the mechanical dysfunction of the leaflet, and this study provides important information on the structure–mechanical alterations associated with this disease. The data suggests MMVD involves a dyscollagenesis process in the development of valve pathology.     

Lithium attenuates peripheral neuropathy induced by paclitaxel in rats

Abstract: As a cancer chemotherapeutic agent, paclitaxel (Taxol^®) causes dose‐related peripheral neuropathy in human beings. The mechanisms underlying this toxicity are currently unknown, and there are no validated treatments for its prevention or control. To assess whether lithium as a pre‐treatment and at subtherapeutic dose could prevent the peripheral neuropathy produced by it, rats were treated with paclitaxel (2 mg/kg i.p. every other day for a total of 16 times) and/or lithium chloride (300 mg/l) via water supply. General toxicity and body‐weight were measured regularly during the experiment. To evaluate the sensory and motor neuropathy hot‐plate, open‐field test and nerve conduction velocity were used. In rats treated with only paclitaxel, there was behavioural, electrophysiological and histological evidence of a mixed sensorimotor neuropathy after 16 injections. Lithium robustly reduced the rate of mortality and general toxicity. Paclitaxel‐induced sensorimotor neuropathy was significantly improved as indicated by changes in hotplate latency, total distance moved and a significant increase in sciatic, sural and tail sensory or motor nerve conduction velocity. The same results were observed in histopathological examinations; however, dorsal root ganglion neurons did not significantly change in the paclitaxel‐treated groups. These results suggest that lithium, at subtherapeutic doses, can prevent both motor and sensory components of paclitaxel neuropathy in rats. Thus, lithium at these doses, as an inexpensive and relatively safe salt, may be useful clinically in preventing the neuropathy induced by paclitaxel treatment.     

Effects of Mentha longifolia L. essential oil and nisin alone and in combination on Bacillus cereus and Bacillus subtilis in a food model and bacterial ultrastructural changes

In the face of emerging new pathogens and ever-growing health-conscious customers, food preservation technology remains on the top agenda of food industry. This study was aimed at determining the effects of the essential oil of Mentha longifolia L., alone and in combination with nisin, on Bacillus cereus and Bacillus subtilis at 8°C and 25°C in a food model (commercial barley soup) during 15 days. The essential oil alone at 8°C inhibited bacterial growth significantly compared with the control (p?相似文献   

Efficacy of topical application of alcoholic extract of yarrow in the healing process of experimental burn wounds in rabbit

Medicinal herbs have been used for thousands of years to heal burn wounds, skin ulcers, and sores. The yarrow plant (Achillea millefolium) is a well-known medicinal plant. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and microbiological efficacy of the yarrow (alcoholic extract) on the healing of burn wounds in an animal model. Ten male New Zealand white rabbits, 4–6 months old and weighing 2,100 ± 240 g, were used. Experimental burn wounds (20 × 25 mm²) were created on the dorsal region of each animal. In the treatment group, the wounds were washed daily with normal saline followed by 5 ml of alcoholic extracted yarrow applied to each wounds. This procedure was repeated for 21 days. In the control group, the wounds were only washed with the same volume of normal saline over the same period. Clinical, histopathological, and microbiological evaluations of the burn wounds were carried out on days 0, 7, 14, and 21. Compared with the control group, wounds treated with the yarrow extract had a better quality of healing with a reduced microorganism count (p < 0.05). To conclude, topical application of alcoholic yarrow extract, as used in this study, not only improved the quality of healing of burn wounds but also reduced the microbiological burden of such wounds in rabbits.     

The Effect of Endotracheal Tube Suctioning Education of Nurses on Decreasing Pain in Premature Neonates

Objective

Endotracheal tube suctioning (ETS) is a painful and invasive procedure. Studies have shown that the performance of nurses in this procedure is weak, so we conducted a study to evaluate the effect of ETS education for nurses on neonates’ pain in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

Methods

In a quasi-experimental study, performance of 25 nurses working in NICU was assessed before and after ETS education by a checklist. In addition pain score of 50 neonates was measured using pain assessment tool (PIPP) one minute before, during and 5 minutes after ETS. The neonates had a gestational age of less than 37 weeks and were intubated (at least for 8 hours and up to 24 hours). A P. value of less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Findings

Mean scores of nurses’ performance were significantly different before and after education (P≤0.001) by Wilcoxon test. Friedman test revealed that PIPPs before, during and after ETS were significantly different before and after education (P≤0.05). Mann-Whitney test showed no significant differences between PIPPs before ETS, before and after education (P=0.2), but PIPPs during and after ETS were significantly different (P≤0.01).

Conclusion

ETS causes moderate to severe pain in neonates. Education improved performance of nurses and decreased pain in neonates during and after ETS. Despite education, neonates will experience mild pain during ETS, so other interventions need to be considerate.