RESUMEN
Quality of life (QoL) is one of the most important health outcome concepts expressed subjectively. Chronic pain (CP) is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage. Taking into account the poor QoL and the CP already described in metabolic syndrome (MSy) individuals, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of whole body vibration exercises (WBVE) on these parameters in this population. Thirty-three MSy patients were divided in subgroups A [whole body vibration exercise group (WBVeG), n = 17, 15 females/2 males, 61.1 ± 8.4 yr] and B (control group, n = 16, 14 females/2 males, 58.2 ± 9.1 yr). Subgroup A performed 10 sessions (2 times/wk) of WBVE (18 min/session, with a frequency from 5 up to 14 Hz and a peak-to-peak displacement of 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 mm) on a side-alternating vibrating platform (VP). Subgroup B did the same protocol, but the VP was turned off. The individuals answered the World Health Organization Quality of Life bref (WHOQoL-bref) questionnaire before the first and after the 10th session. The chronic pain level (CPL) was measured by a numeric rating scale (0-10) before and at the end of each session. Significant improvements were found in physical health (P = 0.05) and psychological health (P = 0.04) domains of WHOQoL-bref in WBVeG. A significant acute reduction of the CPL was found in the WBVeG after the protocol, considering the first session and at the last session. WBVE marginally improved physical health and psychological health and decrease the CPL in acute interventions.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Metabolic syndrome patients experience poor quality of life, frequently associated with lack of exercise and bad dietary habits. Additionally, factors such as obesity, neuromusculoskeletal impairment, and peripheral endothelial dysfunction result in a chronic pain level. Whole body vibration exercise might represent a suitable physical therapy, since it is easy to perform, low cost, safe, and capable of promoting an improvement of quality of life and reducing chronic pain level during acute interventions in metabolic syndrome individuals.
Asunto(s)
Dolor Crónico , Síndrome Metabólico , Dolor Crónico/terapia , Estudios Cruzados , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Síndrome Metabólico/terapia , Calidad de Vida , Vibración/uso terapéuticoRESUMEN
Many local hemodynamic and vascular disorders may be the result of impaired bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO). Previous findings point to a therapeutic potential of dermal NO application in the treatment of hemodynamic disorders, but no reliable data are available on the mechanisms, kinetics, or biological responses relating to cutaneous exposure to NO in humans in vivo. Here we show that, owing to its excellent diffusion capacity, cutaneously applied NO rapidly penetrates the epidermal barrier in significant amounts, strongly enriching skin tissue and blood plasma with its vasoactive derivates. In parallel, it significantly increased vasodilatation and blood flow and reduced thrombocyte aggregation capacity. Data presented here for the first time show that, in humans, dermal application of NO has strong potential for use in the therapy of local hemodynamic disorders arising from insufficient availability of NO or its bioactive derivates.
Asunto(s)
Óxido Nítrico/administración & dosificación , Óxido Nítrico/uso terapéutico , Vasodilatadores/administración & dosificación , Vasodilatadores/uso terapéutico , Administración Tópica , Adulto , Tiempo de Sangría , Química Farmacéutica , Cámaras de Difusión de Cultivos , Espectroscopía de Resonancia por Spin del Electrón , Femenino , Hemodinámica/efectos de los fármacos , Humanos , Técnicas In Vitro , Masculino , Metahemoglobina/metabolismo , Microcirculación/efectos de los fármacos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Óxido Nítrico/farmacocinética , Pomadas , Agregación Plaquetaria/efectos de los fármacos , Flujo Sanguíneo Regional , Piel/irrigación sanguínea , Piel/metabolismo , Absorción Cutánea , Colgajos Quirúrgicos/efectos adversos , Colgajos Quirúrgicos/irrigación sanguínea , Vasodilatadores/farmacocinéticaRESUMEN
Bladder cancer is the fifth most common cancer in adults. Because of the high recurrence rate (up to 70%) new tumor markers for urine are necessary for monitoring patients. In this study, we investigated the value of M-FISH on cells from urine for the detection of bladder cancer. Urine samples from 141 patients suspicious of bladder cancer were analyzed in this study. Cells were isolated from urine before surgical therapy. For FISH analysis, a commercial kit (UroVysion) containing hybridization probes for chromosomes 3, 7, 9p21 and 17, was used. Twenty-five cells were analyzed in each case by two observers. A FISH result was obtained in 121 cases. Overall, sensitivity was 60% and specificity reached 82.6%. Sensitivity and specificity by cytology were 24.1% and 90.5%, respectively. Analyzing results concerning T-category, sensitivity of FISH and cytology was 36.1% and 15% in pTa, 65.2 and 25.7% in pT1, 100% and 66.7% in pT2-3 tumors, respectively. Concerning tumor grade, similar results were obtained: sensitivity was 37% and 14% in G1, 65.4% and 40% in G2, 91.7% and 50% in G3 tumors, for FISH and cytology, respectively. In conclusion, FISH on cells from urine has been shown in all studies to be highly sensitive and specific for detection of bladder cancer. Sensitivity of FISH is higher than conventional cytology and can be used in routine diagnosis additionally to conventional cytology especially in doubtful or negative cases. FISH can detect recurrence earlier than other methods like cytology, cystoscopy or biopsy histological examination.
Asunto(s)
Cromosomas Humanos Par 21 , Cromosomas Humanos Par 3 , Cromosomas Humanos Par 7 , Cromosomas Humanos Par 9 , Hibridación Fluorescente in Situ/métodos , Neoplasias de la Vejiga Urinaria/genética , Neoplasias de la Vejiga Urinaria/patología , Neoplasias de la Vejiga Urinaria/orina , Núcleo Celular/patología , Mapeo Cromosómico , Técnicas Citológicas , Humanos , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Neoplasias de la Vejiga Urinaria/clasificación , Neoplasias de la Vejiga Urinaria/cirugíaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between Alzheimer disease (AD) and worker functions and traits associated with occupations. BACKGROUND: Studies have reported that occupational attainment is related to AD. However, most have not identified specific worker functions and traits (i.e., occupational demands) of occupations that may explain the association, nor have they accounted for changing occupational demands over time. METHODS: Within- and between-group differences in mental, motor, physical, and social occupational demands of 122 AD cases and 235 control subjects were compared across four decades of life (20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s) using repeated-measures analyses of covariance adjusted for race, gender, year of birth, and education. RESULTS: Overall, mental occupational demands were significantly lower and physical occupational demands were significantly higher for cases than for control subjects. Case/control differences in mental demand scores were not found in their 20s but only in later decades. Differences in physical demands were found in all decades but their 30s. Social and motor demands did not differ between cases and control subjects. Among cases only, there were no significant occupational demand score differences across decades. In contrast, mental and social demand scores of control subjects increased in later decades, and motor demand scores declined. Like cases, physical demand scores of control subjects remained stable across the decades. CONCLUSIONS: The authors' results may indicate a relatively early influence of Alzheimer disease neuropathology on capacity to pursue mentally demanding occupations. However, results also are consistent with the notion that mentally demanding occupations have a direct influence on Alzheimer disease neuropathology.
Asunto(s)
Logro , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/epidemiología , Ocupaciones , Factores de Edad , Anciano , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/psicología , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Escolaridad , Femenino , Humanos , Relaciones Interpersonales , Perfil Laboral , Masculino , Competencia Mental , Procesos Mentales , Persona de Mediana Edad , Actividad Motora , Examen Neurológico , Pruebas Neuropsicológicas , Ocupaciones/clasificación , Ohio , Competencia ProfesionalRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: Extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2) modulate vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) growth and contractility, important factors in blood pressure regulation. In the present in vivo study, we investigated whether short-term inhibition of ERK1/2-dependent signaling pathways influences vascular function and blood pressure (BP) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). METHODS: SHR and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were injected subcutaneously with either PD98059, selective MEK1/2 inhibitor (20 mg/kg), or vehicle. BP was measured by telemetry. Rats were killed 24 h after injection and small mesenteric arteries mounted as pressurized systems for morphometric analysis and assessment of endothelial function and angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced contractility. ERK1/2 phosphorylation was measured by Western blots, using protein extracts from mesenteric arteries, aorta, heart and kidneys. RESULTS: BP was higher (P < 0.01) in SHR than in WKY rats. PD98059 did not influence BP in either group. Endothelial-dependent relaxation (acetylcholine-induced), which was impaired in SHR, was improved by PD98059 (P < 0.05). Ang II increased contraction, with greater responses in SHR (Emax = 25 +/- 4%) than WKY (Emax = 9 +/- 3%) (P < 0.01). PD98059 reduced Ang II-induced contraction in SHR (Emax = 5.8 +/- 0.4%) and WKY (Emax = 4 +/- 0.4%). Vascular structure was unaltered by PD98059. Vascular and renal ERK1/2 phosphorylation, which was higher in SHR than WKY, was decreased by PD98059 in SHR. CONCLUSION: Short-term treatment with PD98059 improves endothelial function and vascular contractility without influencing BP in SHR. These findings provide evidence that vascular ERK1/2 activity is upregulated and that MEK1/2-sensitive signaling pathways play an important role in the regulation of vascular function in SHR. Acute inhibition of MEK1/2 does not alter blood pressure despite improved endothelial function and reduced arterial reactivity to Ang II.
Asunto(s)
Endotelio Vascular/efectos de los fármacos , Inhibidores Enzimáticos/farmacología , Flavonoides/farmacología , Hipertensión/fisiopatología , Arterias Mesentéricas/efectos de los fármacos , Proteínas Quinasas Activadas por Mitógenos/antagonistas & inhibidores , Ratas Endogámicas SHR/fisiología , Vasoconstricción/efectos de los fármacos , Angiotensina II/farmacología , Animales , Presión Sanguínea , Endotelio Vascular/fisiopatología , Hipertensión/patología , Arterias Mesentéricas/patología , Arterias Mesentéricas/fisiopatología , Proteínas Quinasas Activadas por Mitógenos/metabolismo , Fosforilación/efectos de los fármacos , Ratas , Ratas Endogámicas WKY , Resistencia Vascular , Vasoconstrictores/farmacología , VasodilataciónRESUMEN
Differentiation between inflammatory and malignant lymph nodes by ultrasound is difficult. Electrical impedance scanning (EIS) is a new diagnostic tool, so far used primarily for the identification of malignant breast lesions. Cancer cells have altered dielectric properties compared with normal cells, thereby distorting the local electrical field. The induced changes in capacitance and conductivity are measurable using EIS. We evaluated EIS in demonstrating the cause of lymph node enlargement. 51 lymph nodes that were suspicious for malignancy on ultrasound (32 patients, mean age 32 years), with a mean size of 18 mm x 12 mm x 10 mm, were examined. The following lymph node locations were included in the study: cervical, inframandibular, axillary, paraaortic and inguinal. EIS results were compared with histopathological and follow-up findings. 30/34 malignant lymph nodes were correctly detected using EIS, while 14/17 inflammatory or benign lymph nodes were correctly identified as benign by EIS; thus, there were 4/51 false negative and 3/51 false positive cases. The sensitivity was 88.2% and the specificity was 82.4%. Corresponding negative and positive predictive values were 77.8% and 90.9%, respectively. Results from this initial study suggest the potential usefulness of EIS as an adjunctive imaging modality in the differentiation of lymphadenopathy that is equivocal on ultrasound. The best accuracy was obtained in the cervical, axillary and inguinal regions. Owing to technical restrictions of the present system, examination of inframandibular and paraaortic lymph nodes should be limited to special cases.
Asunto(s)
Electrodiagnóstico/métodos , Metástasis Linfática/diagnóstico , Adulto , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Reacciones Falso Negativas , Reacciones Falso Positivas , Humanos , Linfadenitis/diagnóstico , Linfadenitis/patología , Metástasis Linfática/diagnóstico por imagen , Metástasis Linfática/patología , Cuello , Valor Predictivo de las Pruebas , Sensibilidad y Especificidad , UltrasonografíaRESUMEN
The development of Alzheimer's disease (AD) later in life may be reflective of environmental factors operating over the course of a lifetime. Educational and occupational attainments have been found to be protective against the development of the disease but participation in activities has received little attention. In a case-control study, we collected questionnaire data about 26 nonoccupational activities from ages 20 to 60. Participants included 193 people with probable or possible AD and 358 healthy control-group members. Activity patterns for intellectual, passive, and physical activities were classified by using an adaptation of a published scale in terms of "diversity" (total number of activities), "intensity" (hours per month), and "percentage intensity" (percentage of total activity hours devoted to each activity category). The control group was more active during midlife than the case group was for all three activity categories, even after controlling for age, gender, income adequacy, and education. The odds ratio for AD in those performing less than the mean value of activities was 3.85 (95% confidence interval: 2.65-5.58, P < 0.001). The increase in time devoted to intellectual activities from early adulthood (20-39) to middle adulthood (40-60) was associated with a significant decrease in the probability of membership in the case group. We conclude that diversity of activities and intensity of intellectual activities were reduced in patients with AD as compared with the control group. These findings may be because inactivity is a risk factor for the disease or because inactivity is a reflection of very early subclinical effects of the disease, or both.
Asunto(s)
Actividades Cotidianas , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/epidemiología , Adulto , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/psicología , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Femenino , Estado de Salud , Humanos , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Ohio/epidemiología , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
The "reserve" hypothesis suggests that education should affect the clinical expression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but results from studies examining this idea are not consistent. In a single study, we evaluated the effects of educational attainment on three aspects of the clinical expression of AD: age at symptom onset, rate of cognitive decline, and survival. Subjects were 258 persons with mild- or moderate-stage Alzheimer's, drawn from our AD Research Registry. With statistical adjustment for confounding variables present in a clinic-based design, we found that higher educational attainment was associated with slightly earlier reports of symptom onset and a slower rate of cognitive decline on the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE). Education did not affect time of survival until death. We conclude that, for subjects in our sample, education had modest effects on aspects of the clinical expression of AD. These effects were not fully consistent with predictions derived from the "reserve" hypothesis.
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Enfermedad de Alzheimer/epidemiología , Sistema de Registros , Enseñanza , Anciano , Trastornos del Conocimiento/diagnóstico , Trastornos del Conocimiento/epidemiología , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Índice de Severidad de la EnfermedadRESUMEN
It has long been established that cancer cells exhibit altered local dielectric properties compared with normal cells. Consequently, different electrical conductivity and capacitance are measurable in malignant vs normal tissues. In this study we evaluated the reliability of electrical impedance scanning (EIS), a new technology, for the classification of suspicious lesions: differentiating benign from malignant, and as a primary means of detection of breast cancer. Fifty-two women with 58 sonographically and/or mammographically suspicious findings were examined using electrical impedance scanning. Two different examination modes of TransScan TS2000 (Siemens, Erlangen, Germany), the standard-resolution mode for a routine overview examination, and the targeted high-resolution mode for a local examination of the suspicious lesion were used. All patients were additionally imaged by MR mammography (MRM) and underwent core-biopsy and/or surgical treatment after the EIS examination. With respect to the histopathological findings (29 malignant and 29 benign lesions) 27 of 29 (93.1%) malignant lesions were correctly identified using the high-resolution mode of EIS, whereas 19 of 29 (65.5%) benign lesions were correctly identified as benign (10 of 29 benign lesions showed as false-positive findings). Negative and positive predictive values of 90.5 and 73.0% were observed, respectively. Using the standard-resolution mode 22 of 29 malignancies were correctly detected (sensitivity 75.9%), whereas 22 of 29 were correctly identified as benign (specificity 72.4%). Electrical impedance scanning appears to be a promising new technology providing a relatively high sensitivity for the verification of suspicious mammographic and/or sonographic lesions especially using the high-resolution mode for local examinations. Artifacts, such as signals from superficial skin lesions, poor contact, and air bubbles, are currently a limitation.
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Neoplasias de la Mama/clasificación , Neoplasias de la Mama/diagnóstico , Diagnóstico por Imagen/métodos , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Errores Diagnósticos , Impedancia Eléctrica , Femenino , Humanos , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Estudios Retrospectivos , Sensibilidad y Especificidad , Índice de Severidad de la EnfermedadAsunto(s)
Protocolos Clínicos , Abuso de Ancianos/legislación & jurisprudencia , Personal de Salud/legislación & jurisprudencia , Maltrato Conyugal/legislación & jurisprudencia , Anciano , Derecho Penal , Documentación/normas , Abuso de Ancianos/prevención & control , Femenino , Humanos , Kentucky , Maltrato Conyugal/prevención & controlRESUMEN
The investigation of the kinetics of chlorophyll-fluorescence under continuous background light enables the application of linearizing conditions. This approach, which provides a quantitative evaluation by means of curve-fitting routines, is applied to the investigation of the linear kinetics of the I-D-P phase. Using changes in PS II-light, PS I-light and in CO2-concentration as input signals showed that a pool at the acceptor side of PS I, in addition to the plastoquinone pool, plays an essential role in the generation of the dip. The occurrence of the dip is related to the sign of the faster one of the two components related to the I-D and the D-P phase. This sign can be inverted by the ratio of PS I and PS II light. However, model calculations show that the change of this sign does not allow a decision which one of the two components is related to which one of the two pools. The dependence of the sign of the faster component on light conditions can generate different types of I-D-P transitions, namely nearly monophasic increases, sigmoid responses or dips. As these phenomena are already created by the linear responses, non-linear effects or additional loops between PS II and PS I are not required for the explanation of the basic features.
RESUMEN
Past studies of bizarre imagery in which image-formation time is reported have not directly investigated the potential relation of that measure to recall. In the present study, 50 subjects spontaneously formed images from pairs of words to test the idea that quickly formed images are recalled more often. There was no relationship between image-formation time and recall. Image bizarreness and image interaction did not facilitate recall, and there were no differences in the times required to form bizarre and plausible images. The latter findings, which are inconsistent with much of the past research, may be the result of allowing subjects to form images spontaneously, rather than specifying the image to be formed.
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Imaginación , Memoria , Recuerdo Mental , Aprendizaje por Asociación de Pares , Humanos , Tiempo de ReacciónRESUMEN
In three studies, no evidence of nonconscious perception was found, although general procedures used in previous studies reporting the effect were followed. Presence/absence thresholds (Exps. 1 and 2) or recognition threshold (Exp. 3) were established for each subject. There was no difference in the effects of related and unrelated primes on voice reaction time during a word naming task. These findings raise questions about the robustness of nonconscious priming effects.
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Atención , Concienciación , Cognición , Aprendizaje por Asociación de Pares , Estimulación Subliminal , Adulto , Humanos , Recuerdo Mental , Umbral SensorialRESUMEN
Two methods were used to measure the Mueller-Lyer illusion. In the comparison procedure, subjects showed the difference between the lengths of the shafts; in the independent-judgment procedure they showed the length of each shaft individually. With both methods, one part of the figure was placed above the other and wings were removed from one part, either between or outside the two shafts. Removing the wings in the intershaft space reduced the illusion more than removing the wings outside the two parts of the figure with the comparison procedure but not with the independent-judgment procedure. The wings in the intershaft space contribute to the illusion, but only when the figure is considered as a whole.