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At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources

S1 nuclease recognizes DNA conformational junctions between left-handed helical (dT-dG n. dC-dA)n and contiguous right-handed sequences.

The ability of negative supercoiling to induce a left-handed helix in the recombinant plasmid pRW777, which contains a tract of 64 base pairs of almost perfect (dT-dG) . (dC-dA) from the mouse kappa immunoglobin gene, was studied. S1 nuclease recognizes and cleaves within the junction region which must exist adjacent to the (dT-dG)n . (dC-dA)n tract when in a left-handed state. The cleavage pattern indicates conformational flexibility and structural differences between the two existing junctions. The 64-base pair alternating copolymer undergoes the supercoil-induced formation of a left-handed state over the superhelical density range of -0.04 to -0.06, indicating that (dT-dG)n . (dC-dA) sequences form a left-handed helix less readily than (dC-dG)n . (dC-dG)n sequences of equivalent length. However, these supercoil densities are within the range found in vivo. Supercoil relaxation and antibody binding studies confirmed that the (dT-dG)n . (dC-dA)n tract in supercoiled pRW777 was in a left-handed helix.

Base Sequence↗

Computerized image analysis of full-hand touch plates: a method for quantification of surface bacteria on hands and the effect of antimicrobial agents.

A method is described for quantification of the bacterial flora on the hand surface. Computer-assisted image analysis of bacterial growth of large full-hand touch plates provides a quantifiable measure of the bacterial flora on the hand surface. Image analysis pixel intensity values showed a significant correlation (P less than 0.0001) with colony forming unit values determined by the glove juice method. Image analysis of impressions from hands treated with various antimicrobial agents in detergent bases showed that 4% chlorhexidine gluconate produces a 96% reduction after a 30 s washing and 98% reduction after a 3 min washing while 7.5% povidone-iodine and 1% triclosan produce a 77% and 70% reduction after 3 min respectively, and 70% isopropanol produces a 98% reduction after a 30 s wash.

Adult↗

Providing care for hand disorders: trauma and elective. The Derby Hand Unit experience (1989-1990)

Data was collected prospectively on all patients from one health district attending the Hand Unit at Derbyshire Royal Infirmary to determine the needs for hand surgery and the resources utilised to meet them. 475 patients per 100,000 population presented with hand injuries and 289 patients per 100,000 with elective hand disorders each year. For every 100,000 population, the trauma cases required 139 inpatient days and 1723 outpatient visits. Elective cases required 221 inpatient days and 1039 outpatient visits.

Adult↗

Moisturizing alcohol hand gels for surgical hand preparation.

With the use of novel formulary technology, unique moisturizing hand gels have been developed that offer significant advantages in perioperative and other health care settings. These advantages include the time-saving capabilities of a waterless formulation, the persistence and effectiveness of a surgical scrub, and the moisturization and protective properties of a lotion. Extensive laboratory and clinical studies, involving in vivo antimicrobial activity against resident and transient flora, skin moisturization on normal and dry skin, and compatibility with latex gloves, have supported these advantages. Nondrying alcohol hand gels can be used for antiseptic hand washing, hand scrubs between procedures (i.e., reentry scrubs), brushless surgical scrubs, moisturizers, and glove-donning aids.

Antisepsis↗

Multiple microsurgical toe-to-hand transfer in the reconstruction of the severely mutilated hand. A series of fifty-nine cases.

The severely mutilated hand is defined as the hand which has lost opposable digit function either through: a) The amputation of all four fingers proximal to the PIP joint or b) The loss of the thumb proximal to the IP joint combined with the loss of at least three fingers proximal to the PIP joint. We have outlined guidelines for the restoration of useful function and appearance to such hands utilising a variety of microsurgical toe-to-hand transfers. Specific points regarding postoperative management have been made.

Adolescent↗

[Aims of hand therapy in treatment of rheumatoid hand].

When dealing with rheumatoid arthritis, the main issues of hand therapy are the treatment of hand and finger joints. We emphasize mobilisation of joints, muscle strengthening, correcting deformities by low temperature splints and joint protection. Further tasks of occupational therapy are: Informing patients about adaptive devices and training their use as well as educational programs for patients with reduced mobility of the upper limb. The most common surgery on the rheumatoid hand, that need postoperative treatment by a hand therapist are complete and limited arthrodesis of the wrist, surgical reconstruction of tendons, arthroplasty and arthrodeses of and for finger joints, and so on. At the Nordwestdeutsches Rheumazentrum St. Josef-Stift Sendenhorst we have designed a standard postoperative management for treating arthroplasty with a "Silikonspacer" in the metacarpophalangeal joints.

Adult↗

Effect of pressure garment work gloves on hand function in patients with hand burns: a pilot study.

This study aims to compare the effects of pressure garment work gloves (PGWGs) and standard-pressure garment gloves (SPGGs) on functional hand use in individuals with hand burns. A quasi-experimental, repeated-measure design was used. Each glove was worn for one week prior to testing. Grip strength, hand function, functional sensation, and functional task scores were assessed. Participants were asked to report which glove they preferred and why. Two individuals with three burned hands underwent this study. Grip and pinch strengths and functional sensation were decreased overall with the PGWG. However, better performance was noted with functional tasks involving gross and static fine-motor movements, and simple, dynamic fine-motor movements. These findings were found to be significant using a Cochran's test for related observations. Moreover, there was unanimous participant preference for the PGWG. In conclusion, use of PGWGs facilitated select functional performance, warranting further investigation.

Activities of Daily Living↗

The effect of dextranomer (Debrisan) on hand burns. A preliminary report on a new method in the treatment of hand burns.

Dextranomer (Debrisan, Pharmacia, Uppsala, Sweden) is synthetized by cross-linking of dextran chains with epichlorohydrin. It is an insoluble hydrophilic substance which is suitable for topical treatment of secreting wounds, such as burns. Thirteen patients with 17 burned hands were treated. The result of the treatment - decrease in pain, healing time and improved hand function - was registered clinically. No crust was formed. The risk of permanent restriction in range of movements decreased, since the treated hands were soft and mobile throughout the entire period of treatment. All hands treated recovered full mobility. Physiotherapy could be performed daily. No infection appeared because exudate and bacteria were continuously removed from the treated area. Pain rapidly decreased. No side reactions were observed.

Adolescent↗

Hand Mobility in Scleroderma (HAMIS) test: the reliability of a novel hand function test.

OBJECTIVE: Hand Mobility in Scleroderma (HAMIS) is a new hand function test developed for adults who have systemic sclerosis. HAMIS consists of 9 items designed to measure all movements assessed in an ordinary range of motion (ROM)-measured hand test. The aim of this study was to examine the reliability of the test. METHODS: Two observers (one occupational therapist and one physiotherapist) performed the assessments independently of each other on 30 adult subjects. There were 25 women and 5 men in the sample (mean age 53 years, average time since diagnosis 4 years). Subjects were tested twice by each rather. RESULTS: Internal consistency ranged from 0.80 to 0.85 (Cronbach's alpha). Agreement between the two observers was good for all items (estimated kappa 0.52 to 1.00). The agreement between the observers' first and second assessments was moderate to very good for most items (estimated kappa 0.48 to 1.00), but not for the assessment of supination (estimated kappa 0.25 to 0.59). CONCLUSION: HAMIS is a reliable instrument for evaluation of hand function on scleroderma patients.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Efficacy of selected hand hygiene agents used to remove Bacillus atrophaeus (a surrogate of Bacillus anthracis) from contaminated hands.

CONTEXT: The intentional use of Bacillus anthracis transmitted via the US mail in October-November 2001 resulted in 22 people developing inhalation or cutaneous anthrax. Glove use with handwashing prior to and after contact with potential contaminated environmental surfaces and cutaneous lesions has been recommended. However, only limited data are available on the susceptibility of B anthracis to antiseptics. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of several hand antiseptics (interventions) and soap and water (control) against Bacillus atrophaeus, a surrogate of B anthracis. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Challenge study conducted among healthy adult volunteers, using the Standard Test Method for Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Health Care Professional Handwash Formulations (American Society for Testing and Materials E 1174-94) to determine the efficacy of various hand hygiene products at wash times of 10, 30, and 60 seconds. Volunteers were excluded if they had eczema, psoriasis, or other chronic skin conditions; nonintact skin; or allergies to any study agent. Study agents were a waterless rub containing 61% ethyl alcohol, a 2% chlorhexidine gluconate preparation, and an antibacterial microfiber towel that releases hypochlorite. A nonantimicrobial soap was used as a control. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Reduction of B atrophaeus spores (log10 CFU/mL) on contaminated hands. RESULTS: Washes of 10, 30, and 60 seconds with either soap and water or 2% chlorhexidine gluconate eliminated 1.5 to 2.0 log10 CFUs/mL of B atrophaeus spores at wash 3. Mean reductions (95% confidence intervals) with 10-, 30-, and 60-second washes with soap and water were 2.4 (2.2-2.5), 2.3 (2.2-2.4), and 2.1 (1.9-2.4) log(10) CFUs/mL, respectively; and with 2% chlorhexidine gluconate, 2.1 (2.0-2.3), 1.8 (1.5-2.0), and 1.7 (1.5-1.9) log10 CFUs/mL, respectively. Handwashing with chlorine-containing towels was increasingly effective as the wipe time increased; reductions at 10, 30, and 60 seconds were 1.3 (1.1-1.5), 1.6 (1.2-2.0), and 2.2 (2.1-2.2) log10 CFUs/mL, respectively. A waterless rub containing 61% ethyl alcohol was ineffective in eliminating B atrophaeus spores at all times tested (0 [-0.1 to 0.1], -0.2 [-0.3 to -0.1], and 0 [-0.2 to 0.2] log10 CFUs/mL). CONCLUSIONS: In this evaluation of hand hygiene agents, handwashing with soap and water, 2% chlorhexidine gluconate, or chlorine-containing towels reduced the amount of B atrophaeus spore contamination, whereas use of a waterless rub containing ethyl alcohol was not effective in removing spores.

Adult↗

Both ALG-2 and peflin, penta-EF-hand (PEF) proteins, are stabilized by dimerization through their fifth EF-hand regions.

ALG-2 (apoptosis-linked gene-2 protein) and peflin are Ca(2+)-binding proteins and belong to the penta-EF-hand (PEF) protein family, which includes calpain, sorcin, and grancalcin. ALG-2 forms either a homodimer or a heterodimer with peflin like other PEF proteins. In this study, we found that the fifth-EF-hand (EF-5) regions of both ALG-2 and peflin are essential for dimerization and their stabilities. Exogenously expressed EF-5-deletion (DeltaEF-5) mutants of ALG-2 and peflin were unstable and were not detected in HEK293 cells by Western blotting. In a pulse--chase experiment, the DeltaEF-5 mutants were rapidly degraded, but they were stabilized by treatment with a proteasome inhibitor, MG132. In MG132-treated cells, DeltaEF-5 mutants were recovered in the insoluble fractions. Transient coexpression of ALG-2 increased the peflin level. These results indicate that the absence of a fifth EF-hand results in rapid degradation by the proteasome. On the other hand, stable expression of exogenous peflin decreased the amount of endogenous peflin. The amount of peflin that can dimerize with ALG-2 seems to be restricted in mammalian cells.

Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins↗

The right hand knows what the left hand is feeling.

The mislocalization profile, describing incorrect localization of faint tactile stimuli to different regions of the body, has been shown to provide insight into the processing of tactile stimuli. Interhemispheric somatosensory processing was examined in 15 subjects by studying the interference of left-hand stimulation on right-hand perception. In different conditions supra-threshold interference stimuli were applied to the left thumb or little finger either 200 or 500 ms prior to the application of a test stimulus on the right hand. Data show that interference stimuli applied to the left hand massively altered localization responses for stimuli applied to the right side. Stimulating the left thumb yielded an increased number of mislocalizations to the right thumb. Similarly, stimulating the left little finger caused a shift in localization responses towards the right ring finger. Results support the hypothesis that interaction of somatosensory information originating from different sides of the body follows a somatotopic organization.

Adult↗

A behavioral measure of hand preference as opposed to hand skill.

Twenty-five self-professed left-handers and 21 self-professed right-handers were given a variety of performance tests to assess handedness, along with a preference inventory and a dichotic listening test of language lateralization. The performance tests included the Annett pegboard task, that Tapley and Bryden dot-filling tasks, and two procedures, the long pegboard and long dots tasks, that were intended to assess the point in space at which a particular unimanual movement became sufficiently awkward for one to shift to the other hand. All four of these performance tests differentiated between left-handers and right-handers, although the differences between handedness groups were somewhat larger when handedness was defined in terms of the preference inventory rather than on the basis of self-report. When the difference between preferred and non-preferred hands was examined, the best predictor of hand preference was the long pegboard task. Such a finding is consistent with the view that the long pegboard provides a behavioral measure of hand preference, while the pegs and dots tasks are more closely linked to specific skills. In addition, the correlations between individual preference items and the dichotic right-ear advantage suggest that language lateralization is related to rather different handedness measures than those usually used to define handedness. This finding would suggest that handedness and language lateralization are determined by somewhat different mechanisms.

Dichotic Listening Tests↗

Analysis of the responses evoked in the cutaneous circulation of one hand by heating the contralateral hand.

In 9 healthy human subjects, cutaneous red cell flux in the thenor eminence of the left hand was measured by a Laser Doppler meter, while the right hand was transferred sequentially from water at 33 degrees C, to water at 42 degrees C for 5 min, to water at 33 degrees C (first experimental run) and then to water at 42 degrees C for 2 min (second experimental run). Red cell flux increased significantly by the end of the 2nd min of heating and had increased further by the end of the 5th min. Mean arterial pressure, measured by sphygmomanometry from the left arm, had not changed at either times indicating that the changes in red cell flux reflected progressive cutaneous vasodilation. Meanwhile heart rate was significantly increased by the 5th min. By contrast, when these experiments were carried out on 8 subjects with a cuff on the right arm inflated to approximately 60 mmHg to impede venous outflow from the heated limb, red cell flux in the contralateral hand showed a significant increase by the 5th min of heating, but this was accompanied by a fall in arterial pressure and no change in heart rate. By the 5th min after release of the occlusion and while the right arm was still in warm water, there was a further increase in red cell flux in the contralateral hand, but arterial pressure was not significantly different from the original control level and heart rate was significantly increased. Occlusion per se had no effect on red cell flux.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Antiviral activity of an alcoholic hand disinfectant. Comparison of the in vitro suspension test with in vivo experiments on hands, and on individual fingertips.

The inactivation of eleven viruses by a commercial alcoholic hand disinfectant ("Desderman') was tested by three different procedures, viz., in vitro in a standardized suspension test, in vivo on the entire surface of both hands, and in vivo on individual fingertips of a single volunteer. The test protocols were chosen such as to make results comparable. The influence of varying disinfectant/virus volume ratios, serum protein loads, and reaction temperatures was evaluated in vitro, and partly demonstrated in vivo. In some experiments, 5% formaldehyde was included as a reference disinfectant. The experiments support the prevailing concept, that enveloped viruses are considerably more susceptible to alcoholic disinfection than naked ones. Additionally, enveloped viruses were shown to be subject to more "spontaneous' decay on skin. The main result of the study appears to be that the in vitro model predicted a greater effectiveness of the disinfectant than was observed in vivo both in the "hand' test and the "finger' test, although some differences were noted between these tests. Reasons for the lesser in vivo inactivation may lie in the evaporation of the disinfectant with ensuing changes in disinfectant/virus volume ratio, effective temperature, and inactivation time, all shown to influence disinfection. Other mechanisms such as a "sheltering' effect of the skin may have also been operating. The results suggest that, at the present stand of knowledge, in vitro screening tests should be complemented by in vivo tests for the evaluation of antiviral hand disinfectants.

Alcohols↗

Application of the hygienic hand-disinfection test to the gloved hand.

The Austrian Standard Hygienic Hand-Disinfection Test was adapted for comparing the effect of washing artificially contaminated hands (using Escherichia coli) with contaminated gloved hands, using liquid soap and rinsing with water. Tests showed that a single soap wash completely removed all the bacteria from the glove, and was more than 1000 times more effective on the glove than on the hand.

Escherichia coli↗

Dermal absorption of isopropyl alcohol from a commercial hand rub: implications for its use in hand decontamination.

Isopropyl alcohol-containing hand rubs are widely used in healthcare for hand decontamination. Ten healthy adult volunteers applied a commercially available isopropyl alcohol-containing hand rub to their hands every 10 min over a 4 h period. Blood isopropyl alcohol levels were measured at the beginning and end of the study. At the end of the study, measurable blood isopropyl alcohol levels (range 0.5-1.8 mg/l) were recorded in nine subjects. We confirmed that isopropyl alcohol could be absorbed through the intact skin of adult humans. The social and medical implications are discussed.

2-Propanol↗

Communicating hands: ERPs elicited by meaningful symbolic hand postures.

Meaningful and meaningless hand postures were presented to subjects who had to carry out a semantic discrimination task while electrical brain responses were recorded. Both meaningful and control sets of hand postures were matched as closely as possible. The ERPs elicited by meaningless hand postures showed an anteriorly distributed N300 and a centro-posteriorly distributed N400 component. The N300 probably reflects picture-specific processes, whereas the N400-effect probably reflects processing in an amodal semantic network. The scalp-distribution of the N400-effect, which is more posterior than usually reported in picture processing, suggests that the semantic representations of the concepts expressed by meaningful hand postures have similar properties to those of abstract words.

Adult↗