Variations in posteroanterior stiffness in the thoracolumbar spine: preliminary observations and proposed mechanisms

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Evaluation of posteroanterior (PA) movement in the spine is commonly used in the clinic, but little is known about the mechanisms involved. The purposes of this study were to examine variations in PA stiffness along the thoracolumbar spine and to investigate possible factors that might determine the pattern of stiffness. SUBJECTS: Twenty-one pain-free volunteers (10 male, 11 female), aged 18 to 41 years (mean age=26.6, SD=7.5), participated. METHODS: Posteroanterior stiffness was measured at 5 locations (L4, L1, T10, T7, T4), together with various subject characteristics. RESULTS: Mean PA stiffness varied among locations, with the greatest stiffness at L4 (13.3 N/mm) and the lowest stiffness at L1 (10.4 N/mm). A relatively small, but important, proportion (22% or less) of the variance in stiffness data at some vertebral levels was accounted for by the variables describing subject characteristics. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION: Posteroanterior stiffness varies along the spine in a manner consistent with the nature of support for the spine. The observed pattern of variation of PA stiffness along the spine appears to be influenced by some factors other than those relating to the spine.     

Subcellular site of expression and route of vaccination influence pulmonary eosinophilia following respiratory syncytial virus challenge in BALB/c mice sensitized to the attachment G protein

The attachment glycoprotein (G) of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is synthesized as two mature forms: a membrane-anchored form and a smaller secreted form. Mutant cDNAs were constructed that encoded one or the other form of the protein and were expressed in recombinant vaccinia viruses (rVV). Mice were immunized with rVV by dermal scarification or i.p. injection to determine the contribution of the membrane-anchored and secreted forms of the G protein on the augmentation of pulmonary pathology seen following RSV challenge. Mice scarified with rVV expressing the membrane-anchored G protein had a markedly reduced pulmonary eosinophilic response following RSV challenge compared with mice scarified with rVV expressing either wild-type or secreted G protein. The induction of pulmonary eosinophilia in rVV-primed mice was also dependent upon the route of vaccination. An eosinophilic response was not observed in any groups of mice immunized i.p. with rVV expressing any of the different forms of the G protein. The difference in pulmonary pathology observed between dermal scarification or i.p. vaccinated mice was not reflected in a difference in cytokine production by splenocytes from vaccinated and challenged mice restimulated with RSV in vitro. Both groups produced significant levels of IL-4 and IL-5. These data suggest that the local APCs and lymphoid environment, together with the form of the G protein, influence pulmonary pathology following RSV challenge.     

Cytotoxicity-associated effects of reactive oxygen species on endothelin-1 secretion by pulmonary endothelial cells

In this study bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (BPAEC) were used as a model system to investigate the effects of the hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase (HXXO) oxygen radical donor system on ET-1 secretion into pulmonary vasculature. Incubation of BPAEC with HXXO for 4 h caused a significant reduction in ET-1 secretion, which was significantly offset by allopurinol or catalase, but not by Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD). ET-1 secretion was also reduced by H2O2, and this effect was again significantly offset by catalase. XO alone also reduced ET-1 secretion, but to a significantly lesser degree than did HXXO, and this effect was not offset by allopurinol, catalase, or SOD. None of the oxidant treatments were associated with a loss of immunoreactive ET-1 from endothelial cell medium containing synthetic peptide. The HXXO- and H2O2-mediated reductions in ET-1 secretion were accompanied by evidence of reduced cell viability. This loss of viability was absent when cells were treated with HXXO + catalase, allopurinol, or mercaptopropionyl glycine, but not when SOD was present. We conclude that under conditions of oxidative stress, the pulmonary vascular endothelium responds by secreting less ET-1. This may be relevant to its vasodilator functions in the pulmonary vasculature, which would therefore be compromised when the endothelium is exposed to oxidant stress.     

Intra-articular empyema due to Staphylococcus caprae following arthroscopic cruciate ligament repair

Complaints of racism from visible-minority students at dalhousie medical school led to a study of the problem. Nancy Robb reports that the results surprised some people.     

A genetic system involving superoxide causes F1 necrosis in wheat (T. aestivum L.)

A genetic system in wheat is described in which F1 produced by crossing a drought tolerant cultivar C306 and high yielding cultivar WL711 exhibits leaf necrosis leading to the death of the plant. The mechanism underlying hybrid necrosis is not yet known. The hybrid exhibited a higher level of superoxide anion compared to the healthy leaves of parents at similar developmental stages. This increase in superoxide generation preceded necrotic lesion formation and displayed a gradient from the leaf tip to base. The leaf tip where necrotic lesions make their first appearance exhibited a higher level of superoxide compared to the base. Superoxide anion thus appears to play a vital role in necrosis of leaves in F1 hybrid. This genetic system can be a model system for understanding cell death in higher plants.     

Hypohydration effects on skeletal muscle performance and metabolism: a 31P-MRS study

The purpose of this study was to determine whether hypohydration reduces skeletal muscle endurance and whether increased H+ and Pi might contribute to performance degradation. Ten physically active volunteers (age 21-40 yr) performed supine single-leg, knee-extension exercise to exhaustion in a 1.5-T whole body magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) system when euhydrated and when hypohydrated (4% body wt). 31P spectra were collected at a rate of one per second at rest, exercise, and recovery, and were grouped and averaged to represent 10-s intervals. The desired hydration level was achieved by having the subjects perform 2-3 h of exercise in a warm room (40 degrees C dry bulb, 20% relative humidity) with or without fluid replacement 3-8 h before the experiment. Time to fatigue was reduced (P < 0.05) by 15% when the subjects were hypohydrated [213 +/- 12 vs. 251 +/- 15 (SE) s]. Muscle strength was generally not affected by hypohydration. Muscle pH and Pi/beta-ATP ratio were similar during exercise and at exhaustion, regardless of hydration state. The time constants for phosphocreatine recovery were also similar between trials. In summary, moderate hypohydration reduces muscle endurance, and neither H+ nor Pi concentration appears to be related to these reductions.     

Expression of aquaporin-4 in fast-twitch fibers of mammalian skeletal muscle

OBJECT: Ependymomas in children continue to generate controversy regarding their histological diagnosis and grading. optimal management, and possible prognostic factors. To increase our knowledge of these tumors the authors addressed these issues in a cohort of children with prospectively staged ependymomas treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. METHODS: Children between the ages of 2 and 17.3 years harboring an intracranial ependymoma confirmed by a central review of the tumor's pathological characteristics were treated according to Children's Cancer Group Protocol 921 from 1986 to 1992. Treatment following surgery and postoperative tumor staging (including brain computerized tomography or magnetic resonance [MR] imaging, spinal MR imaging or myelography, and cerebrospinal fluid cytological investigation) included craniospinal irradiation with a local boost to the primary tumor and patient randomization to receive adjuvant chemotherapy with either 1) CCNU, vincristine, and prednisone, or 2) the eight-drugs-in-1-day regimen. Centralized review of the tumor pathological characteristics revealed 20 ependymomas and 12 anaplastic ependymomas in the 32 children included in the study. Diagnoses made at the individual institutions included anaplastic (malignant) ependymoma (15 patients), ependymoma (four patients), ependymoblastoma (nine patients), ependymoastrocytoma (one patient), and primitive neuroectodermal tumor (three patients), which were discordant with the centralized review diagnosis in 22 of 32 cases. Only three of the 32 patients had metastatic disease (two with M and one with M3 stages). At surgery, 47% of tumors were estimated to be totally resected. Among the 14 of 17 patients who suffered a relapse and were evaluated for site of relapse, 10 (71%) had an isolated local relapse, three (21%) had concurrent local and metastatic relapse, and only one (7%) had an isolated metastatic relapse. Kaplan-Meier estimates of 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival rates were 50 +/- 10% and 64 +/- 9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Predictors of PFS duration included an estimate of the extent of resection made at surgery (total compared with less than total, p = 0.0001) and the amount of residual tumor on postoperative imaging as verified by centralized radiological review (< or = 1.5 cm2 compared with > 1.5 cm2, p < 0.0001). No other factors, including centrally reviewed tumor histopathological type, location, metastasis and tumor (M and T) stages, patient age, race, gender, or chemotherapy treatment regimen significantly correlated with PFS duration. The pattern of predominantly local relapse and the important influence of residual tumor or the extent of resection on PFS duration confirms a prevailing impression that local disease control is the major factor in the prediction of outcome of ependymoma. Survival rates were comparable with those reported by other investigators who have treated patients with similar doses of radiation and no chemotherapy.