A rare cause of deep peroneal nerve palsy due to compression of synovial cyst – Case report

INTRODUCTIONSynovial cyst is a rare cause of compression neuropathy and its differential diagnosis can be misleading.PRESENTATION OF CASEThis article presents clinical, radiological, and histological findings of deep peroneal nerve palsy due to compression of a synovial cyst in a 30-year-old patient admitted with sudden drop foot.DISCUSSIONFocal nerve entrapment in lower extremity due to synovial cystis a rare entity. Differential diagnosis is important. Surgical excision is the main treatment method with high success rate.CONCLUSIONSynovial cyst compression which can be treated easily with surgical excision should be considered in rapidly progressed drop foot.     

自制中药包加压理疗裤在预防和控制腹腔镜疝修补后并发症的临床研究

目的分析自制中药包加压理疗裤在腹腔镜腹股沟疝修补术后并发症的防治效果。 方法收集2019年8月至2021年8月山西省中医药研究院普外科收治的腹股沟疝患者128例,按照随机数字表法,随机分为对照组和试验组,每组患者64例。2组患者均接受腹腔镜腹股沟疝修补术。对照组术后于腹股沟区沙袋加压并穿戴传统疝气带。试验组术后穿戴我科自制中药包加压理疗裤。对比2组临床指标及并发症发生情况。 结果试验组术后疼痛视觉模拟评分较对照组低,住院时间较对照组短,PZB服务质量量表评分较对照组高（P<0.05）。术后24 h及7 d,试验组血肿及血清肿发生率、阴囊肿胀及阴囊血肿发生率低于对照组（P<0.05）。术后30 d,2组血肿及血清肿发生率、阴囊肿胀及阴囊血肿发生率差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。 结论腹腔镜腹股沟修补术后穿戴中药包加压理疗裤可减轻疼痛程度,降低血肿、血清肿及阴囊肿胀等术后并发症发生率,缩短住院时间,提高干预满意度。     

The effects of toxoplasma infection on rodent behavior are dependent on dose of the stimulus

Parasite Toxoplasma gondii blocks the innate aversion of rats for cat urine, putatively increasing the likelihood of a cat predating a rat. This is thought to reflect an adaptive behavioral manipulation, because toxoplasma can reproduce only in cat intestines. While it will be adaptive for the parasite to cause an absolute behavioral change, fitness costs associated with the manipulation itself suggest that the change is optimized and not maximized. We investigate these conflicting suggestions in the present report. Furthermore, exposure to cat odor causes long-lasting acquisition of learnt fear in the rodents. If toxoplasma manipulates emotional valence of cat odor rather than just sensory response, infection should affect learning driven by the aversive properties of the odor. As a second aim of the present study, we investigate this assertion. We demonstrate that behavioral changes in rodents induced by toxoplasma infection do not represent absolute all-or-none effects. Rather, these effects follow a non-monotonous function dependent on strength of stimulus, roughly resembling an inverted-U curve. Furthermore, infection affects conditioning to cat odor in a manner dependent upon strength of unconditioned stimulus employed. Non-monotonous relationship between behavioral manipulation and strength of cat odor agrees with the suggestion that a dynamic balance exists between benefit obtained and costs incurred by the parasite during the manipulation. This report also demonstrates that toxoplasma affects emotional valence of the cat odor as indicated by altered learned fear induced by cat odor.     

Lymphedema in breast cancer survivors: assessment and information provision in a specialized breast unit

OBJECTIVE: Assessment and adequate treatment of lymphedema is required by the European Society of Mastology. The purpose of our study was the evaluation of self-reported incidences of lymphedema in breast cancer survivors and the effect of providing the patients with information about lymphedema on the extent to which lymph-drainage massage services and compression garments were used. METHODS: A total of 742 breast cancer survivors were analysed in this questionnaire-based survey. The associations between lymphedema and the patients' medical history; morbidity located in the breast, axilla, and arm; the amount of information the patients had received concerning lymphedema; and the extent to which lymph-drainage massage services and compression garments were analyzed. RESULTS: 31.67% of the patients stated to have lymphedema. Radiotherapy was identified as a significant risk factor. Pain, paresthesia, and functional limitations were associated with the occurrence of lymphedema. The only independent positive predictive factor found to be associated with the use of lymph-drainage massage services (OR 5.74) was the provision of information about the condition. CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported assessment of lymphedema is feasible. The observed lymphedema incidence of approximately 30% may be able to serve as a basis for benchmarking in quality-assurance procedures at breast centers. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Control mechanisms are required to assess if the indication for lymphdrainage is adequate and the compliance to this subject is sufficient.     

An experimental animal model of spinal root compression syndrome: an analysis of morphological changes of myelinated axons during compression radiculopathy and after decompression

The treatment of radicular pain is mainly empirical because there are only few experimental studies dealing with morphological changes during compression radiculopathy. The goal of the study was to investigate changes in the morphology of myelinated axons during spinal root compression and the influence of decompression in a new rat model. The number of myelinated axons and their diameter were measured at 1, 2, 5, and 8 weeks during compression of the dorsal spinal root. The same approach was applied for 1-week compression followed by decompression for 1 or 2 weeks and compression for 5 weeks followed by 3-week decompression. A decrease in the number of myelinated axons (particularly those of large diameters) occurred after compression for 1 week. Continued compression for up to 8 weeks resulted in centripetal increase in the number of myelinated axons and the persistence of a small fraction of large myelinated axons at the site of compression. After that time, a decreased number of axons and a reduced fraction of large myelinated axons occurred again. Decompression after 1-week compression caused a rapid increase in the number of both small and large myelinated axons within the spinal root including the site of compression. A small fraction of regenerated axons was found after 5-week compression followed by 3-week decompression. Finally, we investigated the time course of the temporary increase in the number of regenerated myelinated axons during dorsal root compression for up to 8 weeks. The efficacy of decompression was superior when applied one week after compression or after regress of the acute phase of aseptic inflammation associated with fragility of spinal root. The results of the study verify the need for early surgical decompression to prevent irreversible damage of the spinal roots.     

关刺配合手法治疗对老年膝骨性关节炎疼痛程度和运动功能的影响

目的 观察经筋关刺法配合郑氏手法治疗老年膝骨性关节炎疼痛程度和运动功能的影响.方法 将68例老年膝骨性关节炎患者随机分为实验组(经筋关刺及郑氏手法组)与对照组(普通电针组).以临床疗效、Lysholm评分、膝HSS评分为观察指标,比较两组治疗方法对膝关节疼痛程度和运动功能的影响.结果 疗效评估:实验组有效率94.1%,优于对照组.Ly-sholm评分项目:闭锁感、肿胀度、楼梯攀爬得分均得到较大程度的改善,且实验组优于对照组(P<0.05).膝HSS评分项目:疼痛、功能、活动度得到较大程度的改善,且实验组优于对照组(P<0.05).结论 经筋关刺法配合郑氏手法发挥了良好的协同效应,恢复膝关节周围力学的平衡,能更有效的改善老年患者的膝关节疼痛程度及运动功能,适合老年患者,对老年膝骨性关节炎有显著疗效.     

激光光镊对生物细胞操纵的研究

目的：利用光镊实现对生物微粒的操作。方法：利用激光陷阱技术，用激光器、生物显微镜、CCD传感器和计算机图像处理系统构成一套光镊来进行操纵，结果：利用制作的装置成功地对多种细胞进行了捕获和操纵，结论：激光束陷阱能够方便地捕获和操纵生物微粒。