A correlative study of the restorative effects of endogenous and exogenous hormones on the Leydig cells, the testis and the epididymis of the regressed hedgehog Effects of hormones on hedgehog Leydig cells

The study of the effects of morphogenesis at puberty on the Leydig cells in the testis of the young hedgehog and of the subsequent changes due to the seasonal varisations, has been done. Furthermore, the restorative changes induced by the exogenous hormones in the Leydig cells and the related sex organs of the regressed hedgehogs have also been studied. It was observed that the Leydig cells from the undifferentiated mesenchyme cell-like nature in the young hedgehog, develop into an adult form possessing large number of lipids, a well-developed Golgi apparatus, complex mitochondria and extensive smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The depletion of the lipids and other regression associated changes are found in the interstitial Leydig cells but not in those situated under tunica albuginea and the latter probably function as lipid storing cells during regression. Pituitary extract, either alone or in combination, but not testosterone, could restore completely the structure of the regressed Leydig cells. Similarly, the restoration of the complete process of spermatogenesis and the structure and function of the epididymis in the regressed hedgehog was found to be dependent upon the synergistic action of both testosterone and the gonadotrophic hormones.     

Synaptic connections from large afferents of wrist flexor and extensor muscles to synergistic motoneurones in man

 Short-latency excitatory Ia reflex connections were determined between pairs of human wrist flexor and extensor muscles. Spindle Ia afferents were stimulated by either tendon tap or electrical stimulation. The activity of voluntarily activated single motor units was recorded intramuscularly from pairs of wrist flexor or extensor muscles. Cross-correlation between stimuli and the discharge of the motor units provided a measure of the homonymous or heteronymous excitatory input to a motoneurone. Homonymous motoneurone facilitation was generally stronger than that of the heteronymous motoneurones. The principal wrist flexors, flexor carpi radialis (FCR) and flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU), were tightly connected through a bidirectional short-latency reflex pathway. In contrast, the extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) and the extensor carpi radialis (ECR) did not have similar connections. ECU motoneurones received no short-latency excitatory Ia input from the ECR. ECR motoneurones did receive excitatory Ia input from ECU Ia afferents; however, its latency was delayed by several milliseconds compared with other heteronymous Ia excitatory effects observed. The wrist and finger extensors were linked through heteronymous Ia excitatory reflexes. The reflex connections observed in humans are largely similar to those observed in the cat, with the exception of heteronymous effects from the ECU to the ECR and from the extensor digitorum communis (EDC) to the ECU, which are present only in humans. The differences in the reflex organization of the wrist flexors versus the extensors probably reflects the importance of grasping. Received: 19 August 1996 / Accepted: 6 March 1997     

Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma

A rare case of Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma of the middle ear and mastoid with distant metastasis in liver and spinal cord is presented.     

Does mindfulness improve outcomes in patients with chronic pain? Systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Chronic pain and its associated distress and disability are common reasons for seeking medical help. Patients with chronic pain use primary healthcare services five times more than the rest of the population. Mindfulness has become an increasingly popular self-management technique.

Aim

To assess the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for patients with chronic pain.

Design and setting

Systematic review and meta-analysis including randomised controlled trials of mindfulness-based interventions for chronic pain. There was no restriction to study site or setting.

Method

The databases MEDLINE^®, Embase, AMED, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Index to Theses were searched. Titles, abstracts, and full texts were screened iteratively against inclusion criteria of: randomised controlled trials of mindfulness-based intervention; patients with non-malignant chronic pain; and economic, clinical, or humanistic outcome reported. Included studies were assessed with the Yates Quality Rating Scale. Meta-analysis was conducted.

Results

Eleven studies were included. Chronic pain conditions included: fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic musculoskeletal pain, failed back surgery syndrome, and mixed aetiology. Papers were of mixed methodological quality. Main outcomes reported were pain intensity, depression, physical functioning, quality of life, pain acceptance, and mindfulness. Economic outcomes were rarely reported. Meta-analysis effect sizes for clinical outcomes ranged from 0.12 (95% confidence interval [CI] = −0.05 to 0.30) (depression) to 1.32 (95% CI = −1.19 to 3.82) (sleep quality), and for humanistic outcomes 0.03 (95% CI = −0.66 to 0.72) (mindfulness) to 1.58 (95% CI = −0.57 to 3.74) (pain acceptance). Studies with active, compared with inactive, control groups showed smaller effects.

Conclusion

There is limited evidence for effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for patients with chronic pain. Better-quality studies are required.     

Urinary bladder perforation, intra-corporeal knotting, and per-urethral extrusion of ventriculoperitoneal shunt in a single patient: case report and review of literature

Background

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) surgery is the most common procedure performed for the treatment of hydrocephalus. Erosive bladder perforation by a peritoneal catheter is an extremely rare complication of VPS. Only ten cases involving the normal (non-augmented) urinary bladder have been reported so far.

Case

We report a case of erosive bladder perforation, intra-corporeal knot formation, and perurethral extrusion of the distal end of VPS. This is the second only case report so far in the world literature showing triad of uncommon VPS complications in a single patient.

Conclusion

Prompt management could avoid further complications. Patient’s parents should be aware about this rare complication, so that they can seek timely medical help.     

Mobilizing political support proved critical to a successful switch from tOPV to bOPV in Kano,Nigeria 2016

Background

Kano is one of the high-risk states for polio transmission in Northern Nigeria. The state reported more cases of wild polioviruses (WPVs) than any other state in the country. The Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey of 2013 indicated that OPV3 coverage in the routine immunization (RI) programmewas 57.9%. Additionally, serial polio seroprevalence studies conducted from 2011 to 2015 in the eightmetropolitan LGAs indicated low immunity levels against all three polio serotypes in children below one year. Areas with sub-optimal RI coverage such as Kanothat fail to remove all tOPV during the tOPV-bOPV switchwill be at increased risk of VDPV2 circulation.

Methods

We assessed the impact of political leadership engagement in mobilizing other stakeholders on the outcomes of the bOPV-tOPV switch in Kano State from February to May 2016 using nationally-selected planning and outcome indicators.

Results

A total of 670 health facilities that provide RI services were assessed during the pre-switch activities. Health workers were aware of the switch exercise in 520 (95.1%) of the public health facilities assessed. It was found that health workers knew what to do should tOPV be found in any of the 521 (95.2%)public health facilities assessed. However, there was a wide disparity between the public and private health practitioners’ knowledge on basic concepts of the switch.There was 100% withdrawal of tOPV from the state and the seven zonal cold stores. Unmarked tOPVwas found in the cold chain system in 2 (4.5%) LGAs. Only one health facility (0.8%) had tOPV in the cold chain. No tOPVwas identified outside the cold chain without the “Do not use” sticker in any of the health facilities.

Conclusion

The engagement of the political leadership to mobilize other key stakeholders facilitated successful implementation of the tOPV-bOPVswitch exercise and provided opportunity to strengthen partnerships with the private health sector in Kano State.

     

Fourth Annual Conference of the American Society for Nanomedicine

The 20th conference of the Society on NeuroImmune Pharmacology will be held March 26-29, 2014. It features the latest in research examining the intersection of neuroscience, immunology and pharmacology, relevant for human health and disease. Particular emphases are placed on HIV and other infectious diseases, and abused substances, including illicit drugs and alcohol.     

Voluntary health workers' knowledge, attitude and practices regarding record keeping in Akinyele LGA of Oyo State, Nigeria

Lack of basic health data for monitoring and evaluation of health services continue to affect the planning, implementation and evaluation of health services in Nigeria. This has contributed to the poor health status and inefficient health services in the country. In the primary health care management information system (PHCMIS), Voluntary Village Health Workers (VHWs) and Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) are responsible for collecting information at the community/village level. Trained research assistants administered a pretested semi structured questionnaire and filled an observation checklist to all the voluntary health workers in Akinyele LGA of Oyo State in a cross-sectional survey conducted to assess their record keeping practices as well as their knowledge of and attitude towards it. Results showed that almost half of the respondents had no formal education and a similar proportion had been VHWs for between over 10 years. Over eighty per cent knew the uses of record keeping for monitoring and evaluation purposes. Their attitude towards it was positive and almost all felt it was easy to keep records. Ninety six percent keep records of their health activities and most forward them. It was observed that only 11 (10.8%) respondents had the VHW/TBA record of work produced and recommended by the Federal Ministry of Health because they were reportedly not supplied to them. The factors that were associated with record keeping practices were positive attitude towards record keeping, duration of work as a VHW/TBA, prior training on record keeping and receiving feedback on records kept. Recommendations made included periodic training and retraining of the VHWs on record keeping, ensuring consistent supply of record forms and providing regular feedback on records kept to the VHWs.     

Reduced short and long latency reflexes during voluntary tracking movement of the human wrist joint

In six healthy human subjects we compared changes in the strength of Hoffmann (H), short latency (30-55 ms) and long latency (55-100 ms) stretch reflexes of flexor carpi radialis (FCR) muscle during movement and isometric contractions. In one set of experiments, stretches were imposed to the wrist during voluntarily tracked sinusoidal movement and during matched isometric contractions to compare short and long latency stretch reflex responses. In the second set, H-reflexes were compared during similar matched conditions. All reflexes decreased significantly (P < 0.05) during the voluntary tracking movement. The H-reflex was reduced during the wrist flexion, on average, by 33% of its value obtained during the isometric condition. Compared with their values during isometric conditions, the short latency stretch reflex and long latency stretch reflex during movement were reduced by 52 and 40%, respectively. From the pattern changes of the stretch reflexes and the H-reflex, a movement-induced presynaptic inhibition combined with pronounced muscle spindle unloading is proposed to play an important role in decreasing the strength of the stretch reflexes during the tracking task as compared with a matched isometric contraction.