Relationship between EMG-detected and ultrasound-detected fasciculations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A prospective cohort study

ObjectivesFasciculation potentials (FP) are an important consideration in the electrophysiological diagnosis of ALS. Muscle ultrasonography (MUS) has a higher sensitivity in detecting fasciculations than electromyography (EMG), while in some cases, it is unable to detect EMG-detected fasciculations. We aimed to investigate the differences of FP between the muscles with and without MUS-detected fasciculations (MUS-fas).MethodsThirty-one consecutive patients with sporadic ALS were prospectively recruited and in those, both needle EMG and MUS were performed. Analyses of the amplitude, duration, and number of phases of EMG-detected FPs were performed for seven muscles per patient, and results were compared between the muscles with and without MUS-fas in the total cohort.ResultsThe mean amplitude and phase number of FP were significantly lower in patients with EMG-detected FP alone (0.39 ± 0.25 mV and 3.21 ± 0.88, respectively) than in those with both FP and MUS-fas (1.22 ± 0.92 mV and 3.74 ± 1.39, respectively; p < 0.0001 and p = 0.017, Welch’s t-test).ConclusionSmall FP may be undetectable with MUS. MUS cannot replace EMG in the diagnostic approach for ALS.SignificanceClinicians should use a combination of EMG and MUS for the detection and quantitative analysis of fasciculation in ALS.     

骨骼肌最大收缩力与最适初长度及其参数的研究

本实验以免载体股直肌为实验模型,研究了该肌在一定脉冲电流刺激下其初长度与收缩力、肌张力及肌力变化的相互关系。同时测定了正常生理状态下兔伸屈膝时股直肌拉长度的变化。结果表明:兔股直肌延长在1.0cm内时,肌力随初长度的延长而增大,超过1.0cm时增大已不明显(p<0.0 1),1.0cm与股直肌的生理最大延长度1.1cm相似。说明兔股直肌的初长度变化不应超过生理最大延长度。而人的骨骼肌与哺乳动物的骨骼肌没有本质的区别,因此,人骨骼肌的初长度变化也不应超过生理最大延长度。肌腱转位后的活动范围应在原位的生理活动范围内,才能发挥最佳收缩效应。     

雄性大白鼠球海绵体肌和坐骨海绵体肌的运动神经元—HRP法研究

本实验用HRP注射于大白鼠的一侧球海绵体肌和坐骨海绵体肌后,在脊髓腰骶段的不同平面可观察到支配该两肌的运动神经元胞体出现标记并具有一定的局部定位关系。支配球海绵体肌的运动神经元主要位于L_5～S_1的背内侧群,而支配坐骨海绵体肌的运动神经元主要位于背外侧群和腹侧群。本文认为大白鼠腰骶段前角背内侧群和背外侧群同腹外侧群细胞一样,同属于Onuf's核的同源神经细胞。本文还观察了大白鼠腰骶段脊髓前柱细胞的配布。     

新疆塔城地区多房棘球蚴的鼠类宿主考察

1989～1991年由新疆的塔城、裕民、额敏和托里等4个县市采集各类鼠类4科11属14种共9832只。剖检结果发现有0.014％(1/6980)小家鼠(Mus musculus)和0.09％(2/2211)赤颊黄鼠(Citellus erythrogenys)自然感染多房棘球蚴。二者发育的多房棘球蚴均系不育囊,囊内没有原头节。小家鼠和赤颊黄鼠均是本虫在我国的鼠类宿主新记录,而赤颊黄鼠又是本虫鼠类宿主的首次报道。     

桡侧腕短伸肌腱部分移位修复第一腕掌关节脱位的应用解剖与手术设计

目的:为桡侧腕短伸肌腱部分移位修复第一腕掌关节脱位提供解剖学依据。方法:30侧成人上肢标本,将桡侧腕短伸肌腱分为上、中、下3部分,进行形态学测量。结果:桡侧腕短伸肌腱长度为(15.3±1.9)cm(10～22.5cm),其宽度:上段为(15.4±5.2)mm(5.3～23.8mm),中段(10.0±3.0)mm(4.2～18.5mm),下段(5.5±0.6)mm(3.7～9.6mm);厚度:上段为(0.6±0.3)mm(0.1～1.4mm),中段为(1.8±0.7)mm(0.7～3.0mm),下段为(2.1±1.2)mm(0.8～3.1mm)。结论:桡侧腕短伸肌腱部分转位有足够的长度以修复第一腕掌关节脱位。     

The reproducibility of test contractions for calibration of electromyographic measurements

Summary The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility of electromyographic (EMG) measurements and specifically to test a calibration procedure with submaximal test contractions. Bipolar surface electrodes (20 mm fixed distance) were repositioned by a tracing sheet on both trapezius muscles, halfway between acromion and processus prominens. Submaximal test contractions were performed by keeping both arms straight abducted 90° and forward flexed 10° for 15-s periods. The arm position could be precisely reproduced in the frontal plane, but deviated forwards by 4° in the horizontal plane, where the sensitivity of the EMG response to arm position was lowest. The electrodes were repositioned within a radius of 3 mm with a probability of 90%. Large deviations in the EMG response were found within this radius and a significant depression of the EMG response was recorded over the middle part of the muscle (the innervation zone?). This change in sensitivity of the EMG response with electrode position occurred in parallel for the test and maximal contractions. The total coefficient of variation was estimated to be 23% for recurrent EMG measurements using the calibration procedure described.     

全麻下改良额肌瓣悬吊术治疗儿童先天性重度上睑下垂临床观察

目的寻找一种治疗先天性重度上睑下垂的有效手术方法。方法总结94眼先天性重度上睑下垂行改良额肌瓣悬吊术。结果94眼中85眼满意(90%),94眼基本满意(100%)。结论该术式简单,效果好,是治疗先天性重度上睑下垂的首选方法。     

Anatomical status of the human musculus uvulae and its functional implications

In our ongoing series of anatomical studies to determine the three‐dimensional architecture of the human velar muscles, we have previously reported on the palatopharyngeus. The present study deals with the musculus uvulae (MU), in which the positional relationships of its origin to the posterior nasal spine and the palatine aponeurosis, as well as the interrelation between its anatomical status and functions, have yet to be clarified. Macroscopic and microscopic examinations were performed on 25 and 2 cadavers, respectively. In the former, bilateral MUs and their adjacent structures were exposed mainly from the nasal aspect. In the latter, the soft palates embedded in paraffin were cut into frontal and sagittal sections and alternately processed with HE and Azan stains. The left and right MUs adjacent to each other were found to run longitudinally along the midline beneath the nasal aspect of velum. It was overlaid by glandular tissue that increased in amount as it coursed distally. After originating from the oral surface of palatine aponeurosis, it ran backward to cross above the sling formed by the levator veli palatini muscles of both sides and reached the tip of uvula with its muscle fibers intermingled with glandular tissue. Past studies have proposed three functions of MU to enhance the efficiency of velopharyngeal closure: space occupier, stiffness modifier, and velar extensor. All of the above‐described anatomical characteristics of MU could be explained as being adapted for these functions. This implies that MU is actively responsible for maintaining the velopharyngeal closure efficiency. Clin. Anat. 27:1009–1015, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Impact of physical therapists’ instructions on function and the perception of post-dry needling soreness in mechanical cervical pain; a randomized clinical trial

BackgroundTo investigate the impact of physical therapists’ instructions on the perception of post dry needling (DN) soreness and function in patients with mechanical neck pain.MethodsSeventy-five patients with neck pain were randomly assigned to three groups: “positive” group (n = 25) received positive verbal input; “negative” group (n = 25) received negative verbal input, and control group (n = 25) did not receive any input about post-needling soreness. All three groups received DN of a trigger point in the upper trapezius muscle. The subjective pain experience, pressure pain threshold (PPT), and neck disability Index (NDI) were assessed before and after DN.ResultsPatients in all groups showed improvement in pain, PPT and NDI. There were no significant differences in pain (P = 0.41) and PPT (P = 0.68) in the positive and negative groups compared with the control group. Significant difference in function was seen with the NDI after DN of patients in the positive and negative groups compared with the control group (P = 0.011, standard error: 1.08–1.5).ConclusionConsidering that the power of our study may be too low to draw more definitive conclusions, DN appears to be an effective technique to improve pain and mechanical hyperalgesia. The experience of post-needling soreness does not appear to influence the outcome of DN on pain, PPT, and NDI. Post-needling soreness does not seem to be a limiting factor in achieving acceptable outcomes, especially when clinicians offer DN within a therapeutic emphasizing a positive patient response. This study questions whether any treatments need to be offered to patients receiving DN.     

流式细胞仪自动化快速初筛环磷酰胺诱导微核作用的研究

目的 利用单一荧光试剂吖啶橙（acridine orange, AO）和简单的单激光流式细胞仪计数骨髓嗜多染红细胞细胞的微核率,达到了解化合物诱导微核作用的目的。方法 采用经典的染色体断裂剂环磷酰胺(cyclophosphamide, CP)腹腔注射小鼠和大鼠,24h后采集骨髓细胞,经过固定和吖啶橙（acridine orange, AO）荧光染色,利用单激光流式细胞仪计数微核,计数结果用WinDMI软件进行分析,作出等高图并设置窗口。结果 随着CP浓度的增高,骨髓细胞的含微核的嗜多染红细胞（micronucleated PCE, MNPCE）也相应增多,呈良好的量效关系。实验结果同时和手工计数比较,没有显著差异。结论 采用单一荧光染色（AO染色）和单激光流式细胞仪快速初筛化合物诱导微核作用是可靠的,较传统的手工方法更为灵敏,并节省了大量时间和成本,操作也更为简单。