Can muscle weakness and disability influence the relationship between pain catastrophizing and pain worsening in patients with knee osteoarthritis? A cross-sectional study

ObjectiveTo verify if the relationship between pain catastrophizing and pain worsening would be mediated by muscle weakness and disability in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study in a hospital out-patient setting. Convenience sampling was used with a total of 50 participants with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. Pain and the activities of daily livings (ADL) were assessed using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) subscale. Pain catastrophizing was assessed using the Coping Strategy Questionnaire (CSQ) subscale. Muscle strength of knee extension and 30-s chair stand test (30CST) were also assessed. Path analysis was performed to test the hypothetical model. Goodness of fit of models were assessed by using statistical parameters such as the chi-square value, goodness of fit index (GFI), adjusted goodness of fit index (AGFI), comparative fit index (CFI), and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA).ResultsThe chi-square values were not significant (chi-square = 0.283, p = 0.594), and the indices of goodness of fit were high, implying a valid model (GFI = 1.000; AGFI = 0.997; CFI = 1.000; RMSEA = 0.000). Pain was influenced significantly by muscle strength and ADL; muscle strength was influenced significantly by ADL via 30CST; ADL was influenced by pain catastrophizing.ConclusionThe relationship between pain catastrophizing with pain worsening are mediated by muscle weakness and disability.     

Changes in central dopaminergic systems with the expression of Shh or GDNF in mice perinatally exposed to bisphenol-A.

In the previous study, we reported that exposure to bisphenol-A induced the potentiation of dopamine receptor functions in the mouse limbic area, resulting in supersensitivity to methamphetamine-induced pharmacological actions. The present study was undertaken to investigate whether prenatal exposure to bisphenol-A could produce morphological change in dopaminergic neuron and the pattern of expression of genes regulating the dopaminergic neuron development. Here we found that prenatal and neonatal exposures to bisphenol-A increased the tyrosine hydroxylase- and dopamine transporter-like immunoreactivities in the adult mouse limbic area. The present molecular biological study shows that chronic bisphenol-A treatment produced a significant decrease in the dopaminergic neuron development factors, sonic hedgehog and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor, which were also decreased by prenatal exposure to bisphenol-A. These results suggest that chronic exposure to bisphenol-A could disrupt the dopaminergic neurotransmission in the process of dopaminergic neuron development.     

Hyperthermic treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia by a prostathermer]

Prostate thermotherapy consisting of 6 sessions of intrarectal 60 min irradiation of 915 MHz microwave generated by a prostathermer (Blodan, Isreal) was performed once or twice a week on 30 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Excluding 2 cases who refused further therapy at the first session because of rectal discomfort, 28 cases were evaluated for the efficacy of the treatment. Good or fair improvement in subjective symptoms was observed in 24 (85.7%) of the cases. Nocturia was significantly relieved from 2.9 to 2.0 a night. Among the objective responses, no improvement was achieved as to residual urine or prostate size, while a significant increase of maximum or average flow rate on uroflowmetry was observed. Adverse effects were minor or moderate, including 2 cases of urethral bleeding and rectal discomfort, 2 cases of lower urinary tract infection and 1 case of hypotension, which occurred at the 5th session. The scoring criteria taking into account of both subjective and objective responses showed that the efficacy is good in 10 cases (33.3%) and fair or good in 20 cases (66.7%). These results indicated the usefulness of the prostathermer as one of non-surgical therapies for benign prostatic hyperplasia.     

Mass-fractal-like microstructure and proton disorder in nanostructured pseudoboehmite: a neutron-scattering study

Boehmite (γ-AlOOH) is often the initial product in sol–gel syntheses of high surface-area alumina powders. Depending on the processing routes, the microstructure of an AlOOH powder can be tailored to exhibit nanometer particle size and complex interfacial OH sites. Neutron small-angle scattering (SANS) and spectroscopy were utilized to characterize the microstructure and hydrogen vibrations of a nanostructured pseudoboehmite and a highly crystallized boehmite powder. The SANS data reveal a mass-fractal-like microstructure in pseudoboehmite. The vibrational bands of hydrogen atoms in pseudoboehmite are broad, which is indicative of a high degree of proton delocalization and disordered OH sites.     

Biological significance of enhanced mitochondrial ketogenesis during the early stages after 70% hepatectomy in rats

Ketogenic capacity of mitochondria from the remnant liver of 70% hepatectomized rats was studied in relation to mitochondrial phosphorylative activity. Ketogenic capacity increased to a maximum of 6.04 +/- 0.39 from 3.84 +/- 0.13 of control, with an enhancement of mitochondrial phosphorylative activity 6 hr after hepatectomy, and then decreased to normal levels within 24 hr. Adenylate energy charge, (ATP + 1/2ADP)/(ATP + ADP + AMP), of the remnant liver decreased to 0.825 +/- 0.006 as compared to 0.849 +/- 0.002 of control 6 hr after operation. At 12 hr, total ketone body concentrations of the arterial blood increased concomitant with a fall in ketone body ratio (acetoacetate/3-hydroxybutyrate) which reflects the decreased liver mitochondrial redox (NAD+/NADH) state. These findings suggest that an enhancement of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and ketogenesis occurs concomitant with an enhancement of mitochondrial phosphorylative activity in the remnant liver in response to a decreased energy charge after 70% hepatectomy.     

Availability of 4'galactosyllactose (O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1----4)-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1----4)- D-glucopyranose) in rat

O-beta-D-Galactopyranosyl-(1----4)-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1----4)-D- glucopyranose (designated as 4'GL) is produced from lactose by Cryptococcus laurentii. The influence of chronic ingestion of 4'GL on body weight gain, organ weight, serum lipids, and liver lipids was investigated in rats. The body weight gains of the 5% and 10% 4'GL-diet groups were higher than that of the control group. Food intake and fecal dry weight were significantly increased (p less than 0.05) by 4'GL feeding. The 4'GL diet produced a significant increase (p less than 0.01) in the wet weight and contents of both the cecum and the colon. However, no significant increase was observed in the weight of the stomach, small intestine, liver, or other organs. The effects of 4'GL on serum and liver lipid levels were not observed in this experiment. The digestion of 4'GL was measured in vitro using the artificial gastric juice, alpha-amylase of human saliva, alpha-amylase of hog pancreas, and mucosa of rat intestine. 4'GL was not hydrolyzed by these enzymes. Long-term ingestion of 4'GL did not cause any induction of 4'GL hydrolyzing enzyme activity in the rat small intestine.