Neurofilament phosphorylation and axon diameter in the squid giant fibre system

Electron energy loss spectroscopic analysis of squid giant axons in a phosphorus energy window yielded bright signals, which were shown to originate from highly phosphorylated neurofilaments. The frequency and distribution of these signals were analysed at defined intervals in cross-sections of the giant axon, starting from its origin in the stellate ganglion and extending distally along the stellar nerve. The analysis revealed a proximodistal gradient of increasing neurofilament phosphorylation. Within the stellate ganglion and for some distance beyond, the increase in frequency of signals correlated with the widening of the neurofilament meshwork and the radial growth of the axon. This agrees with the hypothesis that neurofilament phosphorylation regulates axon calibre by affecting interfilament spacing. In distal axon domains where the axon diameter diminished, contrary to expectations, the spacing of signals increased and the signals were significantly larger. Hyperphosphorylation apparently compensated for a diminishing supply of neurofilament protein. Contrary to predictions, the presynaptic terminal of the giant synapse contained a distinct and highly phosphorylated neurofilament meshwork. We conclude that the growth of the axon diameter is a function of neurofilament phosphorylation, interfilament spacing and neurofilament density. A mature and highly phosphorylated neurofilament cytoskeleton completely filled the presynaptic terminal of the giant synapse.     

Less common gynecologic malignancies

OBJECTIVES: To review the incidence, etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and nursing implications of the uncommon gynecologic malignancies of vulvar carcinoma, vaginal carcinoma, sex cord-stromal tumors of the ovary, and gestational trophoblastic tumors. DATA SOURCES: Research studies, review articles, medical and nursing textbooks. CONCLUSIONS: Vulvar and vaginal cancers, sex cord-stromal tumors of the ovary, and gestational trophoblastic tumors are rare malignancies constituting less than 5% of all malignant diagnoses. If detected early these malignancies have a high possibility of cure. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Nurses play an important role in the education of women and patients to the signs and symptoms of gynecologic malignancies, the disease process, treatment options, follow-up care, and resources available to these women.     

Talking matters: abused women's views on disclosure of partner abuse to the family doctor and its role in handling the abuse situation

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore what women valued most in disclosing partner abuse to their doctor and whether disclosure played a role in handling their abuse situation. METHODS: A qualitative method was used to understand abused women's views and experiences with disclosure to their family doctor. Thirty-six women were interviewed within 4 weeks after disclosure to their family doctor. RESULTS: Most women went to see the doctor for some medical complaint, and only three women planned to disclose the abuse. Twenty-five women valued most their doctor's communicative approach with empathy or empowering and nine women valued most the instrumental approach. Eight women of the latter group wanted this combined with a communicative approach. After disclosure to the family doctor, a group of women (n=20) perceived a real change in their possibilities to handle their situation. They appeared to be in a position we named: 'in transition', a state in which they started or continued a process of change. Another group of women (n=13) appeared to be in a 'locked-up' position, a state without any prospect on change, feeling out of control and fearing the abuser. Three women reacted reserved towards change. CONCLUSION: A communicative approach, providing empathy and empowerment, is important to women in disclosing partner abuse. More than half of the women perceived possibilities for a change. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Talking about abuse is an important step in a woman's process of change. Doctors should acknowledge the advantage of their position as a professional confidant and ask women about abuse.     

Clinical total hip replacement with hydroxyapatite from 1984 to 1991

Hydroxyapatite (HA) has been used for revision and primary total hip replacement surgery. HA has been used on both textured and porous coated implants for both primary and revision surgery. The results with textured implants have been compared with those of textured press-fit implants; with both revision and primary surgery the HA-coated prostheses were superior both clinically and roentgenographically. The results with porous coated implants have shown better bone remodeling and less radiolucent lines around the implants. The author's conclusions are that HA is effective in providing earlier stability of the implant and demonstrates better remodeling of the bone around the implant than do implants without HA. The author recommends the use of HA on porous coated implants so that if resorption of the HA occurs, the fixation of the porous coating will be present to provide durability.     

European first aid guidelines

AIM: Our objectives were to determine the most effective, safe, and feasible first aid (FA) techniques and procedures, and to formulate valid recommendations for training. We focussed on emergencies involving few casualties, where emergency medical services or healthcare professionals are not immediately present at the scene, but are available within a short space of time. Due to time and resource constraints, we limited ourselves to safety, emergency removal, psychosocial FA, traumatology, and poisoning. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was not included because guidelines are already available from the European Resuscitation Council (ERC). The FA guidelines are intended to provide guidance to authors of FA handbooks and those responsible for FA programmes. These guidelines, together with the ERC resuscitation guidelines, will be integrated into a European FA Reference Guide and a European FA Manual. METHODS: To create these guidelines we used an evidence-based guideline development process, based on the methodology of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN). RESULTS: The recommendations cover FA for bleeding, wounds, burns, spinal and head trauma, musculoskeletal trauma, and poisoning, as well as safety and psychosocial FA. CONCLUSIONS: Where good evidence was available, we were able to turn science into practice. Where evidence was lacking, the recommendations were consensus-based. These guidelines provide systematically developed recommendations and justifications for the procedures and techniques that should be included in FA manuals and training programmes.     

Die Festigkeit von Tibiae nach Spanentnahme an verschiedenen Orten

Zusammenfassung An Hand von Bruchversuchen mit 52 Tibiae wurde nachgewiesen, daß die Entnahme eines vorderen und medialen Spanes zu einer unterschiedlichen Beeinträchtigung der Bruchfestigkeit führt. Das sehr uneinheitliche Untersuchungsmaterial wurde durch Erstellung zweier Vergleichsgruppen mit möglichst einheitlicher Form und Reduzierung der erhaltenen Bruchlastwerte auf einheitliche Hebelarme und einheitlichen Festigkeiten vergleichbar gemacht. Die Bruchfestigkeit der Tibia bleibt größer, wenn der Span in der Nähe der neutralen Faser entnommen wird. Die Ergebnisse bestätigten die auf Grund theoretischer Überlegungen 1950 von F. Pauwels erhobenen Postulate, die den Anstoß zu den Untersuchungen dieser Arbeit gaben.

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The strength of tibiae after the removal of grafts taken at different sites

Summary In tests on 52 Tibiae it has been shown, that the breaking strength is different, if the graft has been taken out of the anterior border or of the facies medials respectively. It was taken care, that the percentage of different bone forms was similar in the two test groups. After testing, breaking load, force lever and strength of the individuals were reduced mathematically to the same value for better comparability. The breaking strength remains greater if the graft is taken in vicinity of the neutral zone. The results support the postulate formulated theoretically by F. Pauwels in 1950, which stimulated these experiments.

D. 1970.     

Effects of A School-Based Intervention on BMI and Motor Abilities in Childhood

Obesity in childhood is increasing worldwide. To combat overweight and obesity in childhood, the school-based Children’s Health InterventionaL Trial (CHILT) project combines health education and physical activity. This paper examines the effect of intervention on the body mass index (BMI) and motor abilities after 20.8 ± 1.0 months in 12 randomly selected primary schools compared with 5 randomly selected control schools. The anthropometric data were assessed, BMI was calculated. Coordination was determined by lateral jumping and endurance performance by a 6-minute run. No difference in the prevalence of overweight and obesity was found between the intervention (IS) and control schools (CS) either at baseline or following intervention (each p > 0.05). The increase in the number of lateral jumps was significantly higher in the IS than in the CS (p < 0.001). For the 6-minute run the increase in distance run was significantly improved in IS (p = 0.020). All variables were controlled for gender and age. Overweight and obese children in both IS and CS produced significantly lower scores in coordination and endurance tasks than normal and underweight children during both examinations (each p ≤ 0.001), adjusted for gender and age. Preventive intervention in primary schools offers an effective means to improve motor skills in childhood and to break through the vicious circle of physical inactivity - motor deficits - frustration - increasing inactivity possibly combined with an excess energy intake and weight gain. To prevent overweight and obesity these measures have to be intensified.

Key Points

• School-based prevention improves motor abilities in primary school children.
• The incidence of obesity is not influenced by school-based intervention.
• To prevent obesity in early childhood the measures have to be intensified and parents should be included.

Key Words: Health education, children, obesity, inactivity, physical performance     

Natural autoreactive H-2-specific serum antibodies in a group of BALB/cBy (H-2d) mice

Natural autoreactive H-2-specific antibodies were detected by lymphocytotoxic test in sera of 15 BALB/cBy (H-2d) mice maintained in the same cage. The antibodies could be detected only for a short period of time; they reacted strongly with H-2d and H-2s and weakly with H-2k,q,r cells. Such antibodies could not be identified in sera of other groups of mice of the same strain maintained in the same environment. All serum-positive mice had a shorter life span than control mice. However, neither a real link between the antibodies and the disease nor a clear understanding of the disease was achieved.     

Spotlight influenza: Extending influenza surveillance to detect non-influenza respiratory viruses of public health relevance: analysis of surveillance data,Belgium, 2015 to 2019

BackgroundSeasonal influenza-like illness (ILI) affects millions of people yearly. Severe acute respiratory infections (SARI), mainly influenza, are a leading cause of hospitalisation and mortality. Increasing evidence indicates that non-influenza respiratory viruses (NIRV) also contribute to the burden of SARI. In Belgium, SARI surveillance by a network of sentinel hospitals has been ongoing since 2011.AimWe report the results of using in-house multiplex qPCR for the detection of a flexible panel of viruses in respiratory ILI and SARI samples and the estimated incidence rates of SARI associated with each virus.MethodsWe defined ILI as an illness with onset of fever and cough or dyspnoea. SARI was defined as an illness requiring hospitalisation with onset of fever and cough or dyspnoea within the previous 10 days. Samples were collected in four winter seasons and tested by multiplex qPCR for influenza virus and NIRV. Using catchment population estimates, we calculated incidence rates of SARI associated with each virus.ResultsOne third of the SARI cases were positive for NIRV, reaching 49.4% among children younger than 15 years. In children younger than 5 years, incidence rates of NIRV-associated SARI were twice that of influenza (103.5 vs 57.6/100,000 person-months); co-infections with several NIRV, respiratory syncytial viruses, human metapneumoviruses and picornaviruses contributed most (33.1, 13.6, 15.8 and 18.2/100,000 person-months, respectively).ConclusionEarly testing for NIRV could be beneficial to clinical management of SARI patients, especially in children younger than 5 years, for whom the burden of NIRV-associated disease exceeds that of influenza.     

Motorische Defizite – wie schwer wiegen sie?

Background

Overweight and obesity in childhood are increasing in frequency throughout the developed world. Besides lack of physical inactivity, other important factors in childhood obesity are lower socio-economic status, genetic predisposition and high caloric intake. We therefore checked for an association between motor abilities of children and adolescents attending three secondary schools and their BMI classification.

Methods

Anthropometric data on 831 boys and 808 girls (grades 5–10) were assessed, and the BMI of each pupil was calculated and classified. Strength (push-ups, sit-ups, standing long jump), endurance (6-min run), flexibility (sit and reach) and coordination (lateral jumping, standing on one –leg) were determined by means of the Dordel-Koch test. The mean age of the pupils was 13.5 (±1.8) years; their mean weight, 52.7 (±14,2) kg; mean height, 1.61 (±0.12) m; and mean BMI, 20.1 (±3.8) kg/m². We found that 6.9% of the pupils were obese, 10.4% were overweight, 73.8% were normal in weight and 8.9% were underweight.

Results

The overweight and obese children and adolescents had poorer results for strength, endurance and coordination (p<0.001 in each case when adjusted for age, gender, height where appropriate, and type of school), but not for flexibility.

Conclusion

Overweight and obese children show deficits in physical performance, and specifically in strength, endurance and coordination. The clinical implications of these findings are not yet known. Motor deficits certainly lead to a situation where attempts to play sports can be frustrating and to a preference for sedentary pastimes, however. Appropriate specific and early countermeasures are therefore absolutely essential.