BACKGROUND: In recent years different types of immune interventions have been tried at the onset of type 1 diabetes. Although some have shown effects, none have proven to be sufficiently effective to justify the inherent risks and side effects. Antioxidants have no or minimal side effects. If they can protect the beta cells against free oxygen radicals during the inflammatory process this would be a safe and cheap intervention. To evaluate this hypothesis a combination of various antioxidative agents was employed in a double-blind randomized study. METHODS: The study group comprised 46 children aged 1-17 years at diagnosis. They were followed for 3 years: 2 years whilst taking the tablets and 1 year of follow-up. Twenty-four children were randomly allocated to active treatment with high doses of antioxidants and 22 children to placebo tablets. The tablets were the same size and tasted identical. RESULTS: Twenty patients had for more than 1 month an insulin dose <0.5 U/kg in parallel with a normal HbA(1c) value and stable blood glucose values, but with no difference observed between those with and without active treatment. Nor was any significant difference observed regarding C-peptide values, fasting as well as stimulated. Whilst the antioxidants demonstrated no positive effect, they also had no negative side effects. CONCLUSION: At diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in children, high doses of antioxidative agents have no effect either on the preservation of beta cell function or on metabolic balance.

Adolescent↗

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Appendicitis followed by reactive arthritis in an HLA B27-positive man after infection with Yersinia enterocolitica, diagnosed by serotype specific antibodies and antibodies to Yersinia outer membrane proteins.

A case of appendicitis followed by reactive arthritis in an HLA B27-positive, 29-year-old man after infection with Yersinia enterocolitica is reported. Infection with Y. enterocolitica was diagnosed by determination of serotype specific antibodies and antibodies to Yersinia outer membrane proteins. Bacteriological cultures from the appendix were not made. Although reactive arthritis is a well-known complication of Yersinia-associated enteric disease, there are only few reports of patients with Y. enterocolitica pseudo-appendicitis complicated by arthritis during follow-up.

Adult↗

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Antibacterial activity studies of flavonoids from Salvia palaestina.

Ten aglycones and six glycosides of luteolin and apigenin were identified from the leaves of Salvia palaestina Bentham (Labiatae). Among them cirsimaritin showed a high activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, while the others have little or no activity against the same bacterial strains.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

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6-Methoxylated and C-glycosyl flavonoids from Centaurea species.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Diterpenoids from the roots of Salvia hypargeia.

From the root extracts of Salvia hypargeia, in addition to the known diterpenoids cryptanol and horminone, six new abietane diterpenoids were isolated. The structures of the new and the known compounds were established by spectral data. The new compounds, hypargenins A, B, C, D, and F, showed antibacterial activity, while hypargenin F was also active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Hypargenin E did not exhibit antibacterial activity.

Anti-Infective Agents↗

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Long-term follow-up of anterior tibial spine fractures in children.

In a long-term follow-up (mean 16 years) of 61 children with anterior tibial spine fractures, subjective knee function (Lysholm score) was excellent or good in 87% of the subjects and fair in 13%. Eleven percent of the children had a lower activity level (Tegner score) than desired. Muscle performance was affected in those subjects with the lowest Lysholm scores. Pathological knee laxity was found in 38% of the subjects, but was not reflected in poor subjective knee function. Age at injury did not influence the outcome. There was no indication that young children can eliminate slackness of the anterior cruciate ligament by further growth. Only in type III fractures was there a correlation between fracture displacement after healing and knee laxity, as well as between knee laxity and Lysholm score. Arthroscopy-guided or open reduction and internal fixation seems to be a worthwhile procedure only in dislocated type III fractures.

Adolescent↗

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Effect of fluconazole on human polymorphonuclear leucocyte functions ex vivo against Candida albicans.

Polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNs) are important components of host defence against fungi. We investigated the ex vivo effect of fluconazole on chemotaxis, adherence, superoxide anion (O-2) generation and intracellular killing of Candida albicans blastoconidia after the administration of fluconazole (300 mg per os) to healthy volunteers. With regard to chemotaxis in response to zymosan-activated serum (ZAS), as measured using an agarose gel technique, fluconazole neither increased, nor decreased the chemotaxis of PMNs. The adherence was significantly enhanced after exposure of PMNs to fluconazole under ex vivo conditions, whereas, O-2 production after stimulation of PMNs with ZAS was not affected by fluconazole. The effect of fluconazole on intracellular killing of C. albicans blastoconidia by PMNs was determined by viable colony count, after release of yeast cells from disturbed neutrophils. Fluconazole under in vitro conditions, at a therapeutic concentration, significantly increased the intracellular killing of C. albicans by PMNs at 30 min when compared with the results obtained in ex vivo experiments (p < 0.001). During 90 min of exposure, no significant difference was found between in vitro and ex vivo conditions (p > 0.05).

Antifungal Agents↗

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Myringosclerosis develops within 9h of myringotomy.

The aim of the present experimental study was to elucidate the temporal development of myringosclerosis. Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were myringotomized bilaterally. At 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 48, 60, 72 and 84 h after the myringotomy, 2 animals at each time were examined otomicroscopically and thereafter sacrificed. The pars flaccida and pars tensa were excised and prepared for light- and electron-microscopic studies. Otomicroscopically, myringosclerosis was visible in the pars tensa 24 h after myringotomy, whereas no sclerotic lesions were noted in the pars flaccida. Histologically, sclerotic lesions were present in the pars tensa and pars flaccida 9 and 12 h, respectively, after myringotomy. The pars flaccida responds promptly with an inflammatory reaction characterized by abundant macrophages. Myringosclerosis develops promptly after myringotomy and its establishment is related to an inflammatory reaction.

Animals↗

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In vitro effect of amikacin, imipenem, cefodizime, IFNalpha-2a alone and combinations of antibiotics with IFNalpha-2a on polymorphonuclear leukocyte function in chronic hepatitis patients.

The in vitro effect of amikacin (8 microg/ml), imipenem (30 microg/ml), cefodizime (10 microg/ml), interferon alpha-2a (IFNalpha-2a) (10 IU/ml) and antibiotic combinations with IFNalpha-2a on polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) functions (phagocytosis and intracellular killing of Candida albicans blastospores) was investigated in chronic hepatitis B patients. Phagocytosis and candidacidal activity was not affected after pretreatment of PMNs with amikacin and imipenem (p > 0.05). Phagocytic activity was enhanced after pretreatment of PMNs with cefodizime and IFNalpha-2a compared with that of control PMNs (p < 0.05), but candidacidal activity was not affected by the same drugs (p > 0.05). Phagocytic and intracellular activity of PMNs were not affected by combinations of IFNalpha-2a and antibiotics (p > 0.05).

Adult↗

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Injuries in elite orienteers.

A prospective study of injuries in 89 elite orienteers showed a total incidence of three injuries per 1,000 training hours, with no difference between the sexes. Mean absence from training per year due to injury was 20 days for men and 19 days for women. Most injuries (80.3%) occurred during training, while the remaining injuries occurred during competition. The lower extremities were affected in 93.6% of the male injuries and in all of the female injuries. The majority of injuries (60.6%) were moderate, while 19.7% were minor and 19.7% were major injuries. Overuse injuries accounted for 57%; 43% of the injuries were due to trauma. Overuse injuries predominated in the preseason period, while the incidence was equal between overuse and traumatic injuries over the rest of the year. Of a total number of 38 overuse injuries, 60.5% occurred during running on tracks or roads. Thirteen injuries (19.7%) were major; the majority (84.6%) of these injuries were due to overuse, affecting the knee in eight cases (61.5%). Of the major injuries, 76.5% occurred during the period December to May. Of a total number of 28 traumatic injuries, 78.6% occurred while running on uneven ground, mainly in forests. Among the traumatic injuries, ankle sprains accounted for 57.1%, equally distributed between the sexes. The majority of these sprains (81.2%) were moderate. This paper will discuss injury mechanisms and possibilities of prevention.

Adolescent↗

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Isokinetic muscular performance of the quadriceps in elite ice hockey players.

On four occasions during a period of 17 months, isokinetic maximum knee extensor output (peak torque and contractional work) and input (integrated electromyographic activity) during single and repetitive contractions were measured in 10 male elite ice hockey players. The tests were performed in the middle and at the end of the competitive season, and after two office training periods involving different types of training. No significant changes in peak torque at single maximum contractions occurred for the whole group of players during the investigation. Nor did the slope of decline in contractional work or the plateau level of the ratio of contractional work:integrated electromyographic activity during repetitive contractions change significantly. The most obvious finding was great interindividual differences in muscular performance. Intraindividually, changes in both peak torque as well as in slope of decline in contractional work and in plateau level of the ratio of contractional work:integrated electromyographic activity occurred during the different training periods. We conclude that local muscle adaptations, measured by isokinetic procedures, occur in the quadriceps as a result of ordinary training and games in elite ice hockey players. Because of the great interindividual differences in muscular performance and the different responses to similar training, we suggest individual programs for leg muscle training in ice hockey players.

Adult↗

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Does a major knee injury definitely sideline an elite soccer player?

Injuries occurring in three Swedish elite soccer teams were analyzed during 1 year. A total of 49 of 64 players (75%) sustained 85 injuries. The incidence of injury during games was 13 injuries per 1000 hours, while the incidence during training was 3 injuries per 1000 hours. Twenty percent of the injuries required hospital facilities. The majority of the traumatic injuries (93%) were to the lower extremities, with one third of the total injuries occurring in the knee. Overuse injuries accounted for 35% of all injuries and occurred mainly during preseason training and at the end of each season. Conversely, the majority of traumatic injuries occurred during games, equally distributed between the first and second halves with a predominance toward the end of each half. The position of the player within the team did not influence injury rate. The referee considered 28% of the traumatic injuries to be caused by violation of existing rules. Thirty-four percent of the injuries were major, causing more than 1 month of absence from training and/or games. Eleven knee injuries required surgical intervention revealing seven ruptured ACLs, of which three were chronic. At followup, 9 to 18.5 months after injury, 4 of 12 players with major knee injuries had returned to play at the elite level. The others had either been transferred to lower divisions or were still in rehabilitation.

Adult↗

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Stress fractures of the femoral neck in athletes. The consequence of a delay in diagnosis.

Twenty-three patients with stress fractures of the femoral neck were followed up at an average of 6.5 years after the injury. There were 16 recreational athletes and seven elite athletes. Most injuries (N = 15) occurred during running. The diagnosis was confirmed within 3 to 104 weeks (mean, 14 weeks) after the initial onset of symptoms. Sixteen of the patients were treated with internal fixation, the remaining seven were treated conservatively. Seven patients (30%) developed complications requiring major surgery. Five of these patients had Type 3 fractures (displaced) and four had been treated with internal fixation initially. The remaining two patients had Type 1 fractures (endosteal or periosteal callus without an overt fracture line); one was treated operatively and the other conservatively. Three patients developed avascular necrosis and two were treated by hip replacement. The third patient was treated with arthrodesis. Three refractures and one pseudarthrosis were treated by osteotomy. At followup, all elite athletes stated that they had to end their career as a result of the injury. Results were rated by the ability of the athlete to return to sports. There were 9 bad or fair results, 13 good, and 1 excellent result. No difference in activity level or subjective rating was observed between the surgically and conservatively treated group either preinjury or postinjury. The most important factor influencing the complication rate seems to be the type of fracture. The high incidence of displaced fractures (Type 3) could speculatively be caused by undiagnosed tension side stress fractures. If so, the delay in correct diagnosis may be disastrous. However, we could only objectively observe this in one of our cases.

Adolescent↗