Height changes among chronic low back pain patients during intense physical exercise

The possible effects of intense physical exercise on the total body stature of low back pain patients were monitored by circadian total body height measurements. The height was measured with a statiometer, and the change in height was correlated with the changes in the range of motion, pain and subjective disability and degree of disc degeneration seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) pictures. The stature of 24 low back pain patients was measured during a 3-week period. There was an increase of about 3 mm in height after only 4 days of exercise, and by the end of the programme the morning height increased on average by 7.2 mm.
There were also 12 non-rehabilitated low back pain patients but no such increase was noted among them. The gain of height and reduction of pain were found to be statistically signigicantly correlated ( P =0.0001, r =−0.41), as did the gain of height and teh decrease of back disablity (Oswestry index) ( P <0.0001, r =−0.39). Circadian total height measures but not the MR images will change due to the active back rehabilitation programme.     

Acute and chronic effects of dextropropoxyphene on behaviour and central inhibitory neurotransmission in the rat

There was no overt evidence of the development of physical dependence, as shown by a decrease in the body weight of rats following the abrupt withdrawal of dextropropoxyphene after two weeks administration. The ambulation and rearing scores in the 'open field' apparatus were increased after chronic, but not acute drug administration and returned to control values two days following drug withdrawal. GABA turnover, determined from the rise in GABA concentrations following GABA-transaminase inhibition, was reduced in the frontal and amygdaloid cortex after acute and chronic drug administration; a compensatory rise in GABA turnover in the amygdaloid cortex occurred two days after drug withdrawal. Na+, K+, ATP'ase activity, determined in a synaptosomal fraction from the mid-brain and hippocampus, was decreased in the latter region only during drug administration; a compensatory increase in the activity of this enzyme was found two days after drug withdrawal. These results support the view that chronically administered dextropropoxyphene may cause changes in inhibitory transmission and central neurotransmitter transport.     

Die klinische Bedeutung pathohistologischer Befunde an der Papilla Vateri

Zusammenfassung Bericht über 116 transduodenale Papillenplastiken wegen Choledochus oder Papillensteinen (74) und benignen Papillenstenosen (42). Die Indikation zur primären Papillenrevision erfolgte vorwiegend radiomanometrisch. Intraoperativ wurden aus der Papille und der Leber Biopsien entnommen. Es fanden sich 64% pathohistologische Veränderungen im Papillenbereich 69% in der Leber. Zusammenhänge zwischen Papillenveränderungen und Vergrößerung des Ductus choledochus sind nachweisbar. Es wird daher bei Verdacht auf Papillenaffektionen die primäre Papillenrevision empfohlen.

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Clinical significance of pathohistological findings of the ampulla of vater

Summary The 116 transduodenal papilloplasties were performed for common duct stones, ampulla, or for benign stenosis without stones. The indication for these operations were based on the results of intraoperative radiomanometry. Biopsies were taken from the papilla and the liver. Of the patients, 64% had pathohistological changes in the papilla and 69% in the liver. A close relationship existed between histological changes of the papilla and pathological liver biopsies or enlargement of the common duct. If it is suspected that the papilla is involved a primary operative revision is advised.

Vortrag gehalten auf der 96. Tagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Chirurgie     

Morphological Changes Induced in the Central Nervous System of Rats by Steroid Drug

Abstract: Wistar strain male rats (body weight 180 g) were given 0.5 mg β-methasone per kilogram of body weight orally each day for 180 days. Histopathologically, remarkable changes occurred only in the hypothalamus and thalamus. The mitochondria showed vacuolar degeneration not only in the nerve cells but also in the nerve fibers and glia cells, and the Golgi apparatus was well developed in the nerve cells. By the freeze fracture method, the intramembranous large globular molecules of mitochondria and nuclei of the nerve cells decreased in number. The steroid affects mainly the hypothalamus and thalamus. This might have a close relation to steroid psychosis.     

Degenerative changes of vein grafts in preparation media: Preliminary studies by electron microscopy and fibrinolytic autography

Degenerative changes of saphenous vein grafts in four preparation media (heparinized whole blood at room temperature and 4°C, and heparinized normal saline at same temperatures) were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy and fibrinolytic autography. Following 60–90 min. storage in heparinized normal saline at room temperature, marked morphological changes were present in the media, accompanied by swellingof the endothelial cells, however the tunica media and adventitia were well preserved even after 120 minutes in all of the four preparation media. The decrease in fibrinolytic activity was comparable to the observed morphological changes. In heparinized whole blood at 4°C, degenerative changes were slow and mostly of a slight nature.     

Uptake of 3H-uridine into brain and incorporation into brain RNA of rats exposed to various training tasks - a biochemical analysis.

Operant schedules were used to isolate component parts of a training task and rates of incorporation of 3H-uridine into the brain and brain RNA were determined. Rats that developed a discrimination in responding to a visual stimulus absorbed more radioactivity into the brain and incorporated a higher percentage of this radioactivity into total and cytoplasmic RNA than littermates exposed to the visual stimulus only. Of the component parts of the training task, the discrimination accounted for the greatest increase in absorption of radioactivity and incorporation of it into RNA. The schedule change had the second largest effect and the stimulus change the least.     

Cardiovascular changes during whole body hyperthermia treatment of advanced malignancy

Summary Cardiovascular studies were carried out on patients subjected to whole body hyperthermia treatment for advanced malignancy in order to assess the magnitude of the changes occurring and the degree of strain imposed on the system. The subjects, who were anaesthetised with a nitrous oxide/oxygen and relaxant sequence, were heated in a modified Siemens hyperthermia cabin and maintained at a body temperature of 41.8 C for 2 h. The results of 30 treatments are presented. Large increases in cardiac output and heart rate were accompanied by large decreases in peripheral resistance in both the systemic and pulmonary vascular beds. The pulmonary arterial pressure rose whereas that in the systemic circulation fell. This caused right ventricular work to increase proportionately more than left ventricular work. Care should be exercised when subjecting patients with limited right ventricular function to this treatment.This work was supported by K. W. F. Grant: EUR 77-4     

Age-related changes in human postural control of prolonged standing

The aim of this study was to characterize prolonged standing and its effect on postural control in elderly individuals in comparison to adults. It is unknown how elderly individuals behave during prolonged standing and how demanding such a task is for them. We recorded the center of pressure (COP) position of 14 elderly subjects and 14 adults while they performed prolonged standing (30 min) and quiet stance tasks (60 s) on a force plate. The number and amplitude of the COP patterns, the root mean square (RMS), speed, and frequency of the COP sway were analyzed. The elderly subjects were able to stand for prolonged periods but they produced postural changes of lesser amplitude and a decreased sway during the prolonged standing task. Both the adults and the elderly subjects were influenced by the prolonged standing task, as demonstrated by their increased COP RMS and COP speed in the quiet standing trial after the prolonged standing task, in comparison to the trial before. We suggest that the lack of mobility in elderly subjects may be responsible for the observed sub-optimal postural changes in this group. The inability of elderly individuals to generate similar responses to adults during prolonged standing may contribute to the increased risk of falls in the older population.     

An application of structural equation modeling to detect response shifts and true change in quality of life data from cancer patients undergoing invasive surgery

The objective is to show how structural equation modeling can be used to detect reconceptualization, reprioritization, and recalibration response shifts in quality of life data from cancer patients undergoing invasive surgery. A consecutive series of 170 newly diagnosed cancer patients, heterogeneous to cancer site, were included. Patients were administered the SF-36 and a short version of the multidimensional fatigue inventory prior to surgery, and 3 months following surgery. Indications of response shift effects were found for five SF-36 scales: reconceptualization of general health, reprioritization of social functioning, and recalibration of role-physical, bodily pain, and vitality. Accounting for these response shifts, we found deteriorated physical health, deteriorated general fitness, and improved mental health. The sizes of the response shift effects on observed change were only small. Yet, accounting for the recalibration response shifts did change the estimate of true change in physical health from medium to large. The structural equation modeling approach was found to be useful in detecting response shift effects. The extent to which the procedure is guided by subjective decisions is discussed.     

Disaster and associated changes in physical and mental health in older residents

BACKGROUND: Long-term health consequences of disasters have not been studied extensively, one reason amongst others is that no pre-disaster observation is available. This study focuses on an aeroplane crash on an Amsterdam suburb. The ongoing Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam has one pre-disaster and several post-disaster observations, making it possible to study changes in health, taking pre-disaster health characteristics into account. METHODS: Three exposure groups are distinguished: those living within a radius of 1 km from the disaster (initial n=39), those living between a radius of 1 and 2 km from the disaster (initial n=56), and those living in the rest of the city of Amsterdam (initial n=508). Health measures include general health, health in comparison with age peers, functional limitations, disability and cognitive functioning. These measures are based on self-ratings, interviewer observations, or both. RESULTS: Older persons living closest to the disaster area are likely to experience health decline in the wake of a disaster, over and above the health decline that would occur normally with aging. The disaster-associated health decline is small, and most obvious in the ability to perform actions (such as mobility), but is not observed in either disability in daily functioning, nor in self-perceptions of health. Cognitive functioning even shows a short-term improvement. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest substantial resilience in older adults, despite their common health problems.