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Mental object rotation and the planning of hand movements.

Recently, we showed that the simultaneous execution of rotational hand movements interferes with mental object rotation, provided that the axes of rotation coincide in space. We hypothesized that mental object rotation and the programming of rotational hand movements share a common process presumably involved in action planning. Two experiments are reported here that show that the mere planning of a rotational hand movement is sufficient to cause interference with mental object rotation. Subjects had to plan different spatially directed hand movements that they were asked to execute only after they had solved a mental object rotation task. Experiment 1 showed that mental object rotation was slower if hand movements were planned in a direction opposite to the presumed mental rotation direction, but only if the axes of hand rotation and mental object rotation were parallel in space. Experiment 2 showed that this interference occurred independent of the preparatory hand movements observed in Experiment 1. Thus, it is the planning of hand movements and not their preparation or execution that interferes with mental object rotation. This finding underlines the idea that mental object rotation is an imagined (covert) action, rather than a pure visual-spatial imagery task, and that the interference between mental object rotation and rotational hand movements is an interference between goals of actions.

Adult↗

[Mental rotation of kinesthetic hand images and modes of stimulus presentation].

Three experiments on mental rotation were carried out to investigate conditions under which hand images are operated kinesthetically. In Experiment 1 a, either a left or right hand was presented in a photographic slide, and subjects' task was left-right identification. In Exp. 2, each slide consisted of two hands, identical hands or mirror-imaged hands, and same-different judgment was required. In Exp. 3, two hands were presented successively, requiring same-different (mirror-reversed) judgement. On the other hand, subjects in Exp. 1 b were asked to rate physical difficulty of actual hand movements to imitate stimuli. Six to 12 undergraduate students served as subjects in each experiment. The results suggested that subjects' mental operations of hand images were kinesthetic in Exp. 1 a but visual in Exp. 2 and 3, on the basis of comparison between reaction times in the three experiments and the ratings in Exp. 1 b. Conditions which give rise to kinesthetic image processes were argued in relation with task structures.

Adult↗

Development of in-hand manipulation and relationship with activities.

OBJECTIVES: This study examines the age-related increase of in-hand manipulation, the consistency of using a manipulation strategy, and the relationship between the frequency of in-hand manipulation and activities that typically require use of intrinsic hand control. METHOD: Children (N = 184) between 2 years and 7 years of age were observed during selected activities that could elicit three forms of in-hand manipulation: rotation, finger-to-palm translation, and palm-to-finger translation. The child's use of a manipulation strategy was recorded. Activities that required manipulation of objects including a spoon, buttons, and crayons were also observed. RESULTS: The study demonstrated that the frequency of two types of in-hand manipulation increases with age and illustrated the uneven nature of development of different types of in-hand manipulation. Even when the child had the ability, use of in-hand manipulation as a movement strategy was inconsistent. Small but significant relationships between in-hand manipulation skill and performance in selected activities were found when the effects of age were controlled. CONCLUSION: On a practical level, the findings raise questions as to whether maturity of in-hand manipulation may be a factor limiting performance in the everyday activities of typically developing children.

Age Factors↗

Acute response of finger circulation to force and vibration applied to the palm of the hand.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the effects of force at the palm on acute changes in finger circulation during exposure to vibration. METHODS: Ten persons attended five sessions consisting of the following five successive 5-minute periods: (i) no force and no vibration, (ii) force and no vibration, (iii) force and vibration, (iv) force and no vibration, and (v) no force and no vibration. During the second and fourth periods, the palm of the right hand applied 5 N or 20 N to a platform that vibrated (125 Hz, 64 m/s2 root mean square) during the third period. Finger blood flow was measured in the middle and little fingers of the right (exposed) hand and the middle finger of the left (unexposed) hand. RESULTS: A force of 20 N alone reduced the mean finger blood flow in the ipsilateral and contralateral fingers. Finger blood flow was also reduced by vibration, with greater reductions when vibration was combined with 20 N of force. Vibration caused vasoconstriction in the fingers of both the vibrated and nonvibrated hands. CONCLUSIONS: Force applied to the palm reduced blood flow in the fingers of the exposed hand, probably due to compression of the vascular system supplying the fingers. There was evidence that force may reduce finger blood flow in the contralateral hand, possibly due to a central sympathetic effect. Vibration at 125 Hz applied to the palm of the hand reduced finger blood flow in fingers of that hand and also in a finger of the contralateral hand. In this study, any local effects of vibration were less than those of central sympathetic origin.

Adult↗

Susceptibility to and incidence of hand dermatitis in a cohort of apprentice hairdressers and nurses.

OBJECTIVES: The role of atopic constitution, contact sensitization, transepidermal water loss, and dry skin in the development of hand dermatitis was investigated in a prospective study of 74 apprentice hairdressers and 111 apprentice nurses. METHODS: Base-line measurements included a questionnaire on personal characteristics and anamnestic information, examination of hand skin, measurements of transepidermal water loss, patch tests, and prick tests. The condition of the hands, previous exposure, and transepidermal water loss were followed at intervals of four to six weeks. Cox proportional hazard models were used in the statistical analysis. RESULTS: The average incidence rate of hand dermatitis was 32.8 cases per 100 person-years for the hairdressers and 14.5 cases per 100 person-years for the nurses. The rate ratio of having a dry versus normal skin type was 7.3 for the hairdressers [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 2.2-24.3] and 1.7 for the nurses (95% CI 0.5-6.4). Apprentice nurses with a history of (atopic) mucosal symptoms had a 3.4-fold increased incidence rate of hand dermatitis (95% CI 1.05-11.2). The rate ratio of mucosal atopy for the apprentice hairdressers was 2.2 (95% CI 0.7-6.7). Graphic display of the results suggested an increased risk of hand dermatitis among the apprentice hairdressers with transepidermal water loss on the hand greater than 15 g.m-2.h, but the relative risk of increased transepidermal water loss was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The most important endogenous risk factors for hand dermatitis among the apprentice hairdressers and nurses were the presence of dry skin and a history of mucosal atopy. No relationship between increased transepidermal water loss and the risk of hand dermatitis was observed.

Adolescent↗

Hand hygiene among physicians: performance, beliefs, and perceptions.

BACKGROUND: Physician adherence to hand hygiene remains low in most hospitals. OBJECTIVES: To identify risk factors for nonadherence and assess beliefs and perceptions associated with hand hygiene among physicians. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey of physician practices, beliefs, and attitudes toward hand hygiene. SETTING: Large university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: 163 physicians. MEASUREMENTS: Individual observation of physician hand hygiene practices during routine patient care with documentation of relevant risk factors; self-report questionnaire to measure beliefs and perceptions. Logistic regression identified variables independently associated with adherence. RESULTS: Adherence averaged 57% and varied markedly across medical specialties. In multivariate analysis, adherence was associated with the awareness of being observed, the belief of being a role model for other colleagues, a positive attitude toward hand hygiene after patient contact, and easy access to hand-rub solution. Conversely, high workload, activities associated with a high risk for cross-transmission, and certain technical medical specialties (surgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, and intensive care medicine) were risk factors for nonadherence. LIMITATIONS: Direct observation of physicians may have influenced both adherence to hand hygiene and responses to the self-report questionnaire. Generalizability of study results requires additional testing in other health care settings and physician populations. CONCLUSION: Physician adherence to hand hygiene is associated with work and system constraints, as well as knowledge and cognitive factors. At the individual level, strengthening a positive attitude toward hand hygiene and reinforcing the conviction that each individual can influence the group behavior may improve adherence among physicians. Physicians who work in technical specialties should also be targeted for improvement.

Adult↗

[Polydactyly of the hand and foot].

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to establish the differences between polydactyly of the hand, the foot and those affecting both the hands and feet. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred twenty-five cases of hand polydactyly (HP), 105 of foot polydactyly (FP) and 25 cases of combined hand and foot polydactyly (HFP) were reviewed. We differentiated between preaxial, postaxial, axial and peculiar polydactyly and a group constituted by all other non-preaxial location (OTHERL) was also formed. In all patients the following parameters were analyzed: sex, laterality, antecedence of malformation in the family (FAANT) and the existence of other malformations (OTHERM). RESULTS: Polydactyly was commonly preaxial in the hand (72%), OTHERL in the foot (64.7%) and equally located in hands and feet in HFP, with the most frequent being postaxial/postaxial combination (36% of the cases). Bilaterality is rare in preaxial HP (3.3% versus 77.7% of right unilaterality) and remarkable in OTHERL (54.2%). Bilaterality is greater in preaxial FP (64.8%) and strongly marked in HFP, which accounts for 72% of hands and 80% of feet. There is a slight global dominance of males in all forms. The existence of FAANT is higher in OTHERL in the hand (45.7% versus 34.4% in preaxial) and in preaxial of the foot (45.9% versus 25% in OTHERL), being very high (48%) in HFP. The coexistence with other malformations, either in the hand or foot, is higher in OTHERL.

Child↗

[Hand motor cortical area reorganization following cerebral infarction evaluated with functional MRI, near infrared spectroscopic imaging, and transcranial magnetic stimulation].

A 60-year-old, right-handed man suffered from left hemiparesis with upper limb dominance. CT and MRI revealed cerebral infarction of the entire right middle cerebral artery territory. His hemiparesis recovered excellently and residual neurological deficits 6 years later were left hand weakness(grasping power 9 kg vs. 35 kg in the right) and clumsiness. Functional MRI was performed. During right(normal) hand grasping, activation was seen in the left sensorimotor cortex and supplementary motor area. During left(paretic) hand grasping, activation was seen in the left (ipsilateral) sensorimotor cortex, right parietal cortex, and bilateral supplementary motor areas. Near infrared spectroscopic imaging showed similar results. During right hand grasping, left sensorimotor cortex was activated, and during left hand grasping, bilateral sensorimotor cortices were activated with ipsilateral predominance. Transcranial magnetic stimulation of the left motor hand area evoked right hand movement and stimulation of a point near that area evoked ipsilateral left hand muscle movement. Thus, the findings of the three techniques consistently suggest that the recovery of left hemiparesis of this patient was promoted by motor cortical area reorganization including the ipsilateral motor cortex.

Brain↗

[Surgery of the hand in Poland--a controversial issue].

Since hand surgery separated from orthopedic and general surgery as an independent subspeciality, the problem of training new surgery came into life. Many studies indicate that a country with Poland's population should have about 250-300 trained hand surgeons. Current estimates show that there are three to four times less hand surgeons than necessary. The establishment of the Section of Hand Surgery by the Polish Orthopedic Society in 1965 and the founding of the Polish Society for Surgery of the Hand (1998) made formal ground for taking up both training in hand surgery and assenting it as a separate clinical sub-category. No official statement has been made in this matter neither by the Ministry of Health or by any scientific society. The authors suggest the need for organizing a system for training and achieving certified qualifications in hand surgery, for example like the FESSH European diploma in hand surgery. It seems that this matter should be discussed broadly among both general and orthopedic surgeons in order to create a separate sub-category for hand surgery.

Clinical Competence↗

[Long-term result of repair of deeply burned hands with large sheet of split-thickness autoskin grafting with the preservation of denatured dermis].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term results of repair of burn hands with large sheet of split-thickness autoskin grafting with the preservation of denatured dermis. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-two hands in 86 burn patients with deep partial thickness and full thickness burn were enrolled in the study. The burned hands were treated by tangential excision and grafted with large sheet of split-thickness autoskin with the preservation of denatured dermis. The patients were followed-up from 3 months to 3 years. The skin color, elasticity, degree of contracture and the functional grading of the operated hands were observed. RESULTS: Good function was found in one hundred and forty-one out of the 152 burn hands (92.8%). For the rest 11 hands, pigmentation was found in 4, poor appearance in 4, and 3 hands with both poor appearance and function. CONCLUSION: Large sheet of split-thickness autoskin grafting with the preservation of denatured dermis could be an optimal choice for the management of hands with deep partial thickness burn, and it could restore the appearance and function of the hands satisfactorily.

Adolescent↗

[Study on the effect of pedicle skin flap of subdermal vascular plexus on repairing the hand injury].

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the operation opportunity and recovery effect of pedicle skin flap of subdermal vascular plexus on repairing the raw surface of hand injury. METHODS: From January 1999 to June 2004, the thoracic or abdominal pedicle skin flap of subdermal vascular plexus was used to repair the raw surface of hand with defect of skin and soft tissue in 22 patients with hand injury. 17 cases were males, 5 cases were females, the ages ranged from 9 to 42. The causes of hand injury including avulsed wound in 12 cases, mangled injury in 2 cases, hot crush injury in 5 cases, electric burn in 3 cases; 13 cases needed emergency operation, 9 cases needed operation in 3 to 7 days. The thoracic or lower abdominal flap was selected depending on the raw surface of hand injury. Subcutaneous fat was trimmed and retained the thickness of 2 to 4 mm. The skin flap was designed into 2 to 3 leaves to form several pedicle skin flap of subdermal vascular plexus, which were used to repair defect of skin and soft tissue of several fingers. The defect site of skin and soft tissue of hand were put into flap. RESULTS: A little of skin flap in distal end became necrosis in 1 case after operation, but recovered fully after changing dressing to the raw surface. The rest of the flaps all survived. Follow-up was conducted 3 months to 2 years. The pedicle skin flap was living,the skin of the recipient site was smooth and integrated, color and luster was satisfactory and texture was soft. The disrupted pedicle skin flap needed no trimming. The hand function was significantly recovered. CONCLUSION: To repair the defect of skin and soft tissue in the hand injury by using thoracic or lower abdominal pedicle skin flap of subdermal vascular plexus has the forte of shorter course of treatment and better functional recovery and good outlook. It is one of the ideals for repairing the hand injury with defect of skin and soft tissue.

Adolescent↗

The hands in alcoholic liver disease.

Chronic liver disease is frequently associated with a hyperdynamic circulation, with warm hands and capillary pulsations. In our experience, however, a significant number of patients with alcoholic liver disease complain of cold hands. In this study, we have investigated the presence of the subjective feeling of hand temperature in 114 patients with alcoholic liver disease compared with 96 healthy controls, and studied possible correlations of this subjective feeling with the severity of liver disease. Significantly more patients with alcoholic liver disease complained of cold hands than did normals, and these differences were more prominent in the male group. The awareness of cold hands appears to be commoner in an intermediate group of patients, between those with noncirrhotic liver disease without varices and those with cirrhosis with varices. A similar pattern of awareness of hand temperature was found when patients were staged according to the severity of their liver disease. We conclude that a staging can be made; at an early stage of liver disease, patients tend to have warm hands, subsequently develop cold hands, and at a later stage, their hands become warm again.

Adult↗

[Transpalmar transplantation of a severed hand to the opposite side: a case report].

A man of 20 got both his upper limbs badly injured by an accident on May 28, 1989. Crush of all the 4 fingers of right hand, traumatic amputation through the left arm with severe damage of soft tissue and burst fracture of bones around left elbow. And so, the chance of providing him a useful hand could only be transpalmar transplantation of the undamaged left hand to the opposite side. This was done urgently to reconstruct a new hand, a hand with its fingers in a reversed order. The wound healed up nicely, the transplanted fore-hand was well taken and the new hand functions satisfactorily, though the natural little finger of left hand takes the place of and works as index one, and the original ring finger of left hand seats the position in and acts as long one; and so on. The details of operative procedure are described and the importance of rehabilitation training is particularly emphasized.

Adult↗

[Early treatment of third degree burns of the entire hand].

Treatment and result of burned total hand was reported here in 4 hands (4 cases). According to the treatment and anatomical characteristics, burned hand was divided into 4 areas: dorsum of hand, dorsum of finger, thenar-wrist area and volar-digit area. The treatment of total hand in third degree burns included emergency escharotomy of hand and digits, early escharotomy and immediate skin grafting on the dorsum of hand, thenar-wrist and volar-digit area. But on the dorsum of digit area this sort of hand was often deepen to the phalangeal bones and joints. After healing of early graft, the exposed bones and joints were decorticated with immediate grafting on the fresh bone marrow surface and with the finger tip repair so as to preserve the length of digits. When the bone marrow surface grafting healed metallic finger splints were bent sequentially to functional position for 8 weeks in order to ankylosis of interphalangeal joints. Followed up 4 hands with good results. And only 5 distal phalanges were loss in 20 digits. But in previous cases this kinds of digits were often amputated with poor results.

Burns↗

Principles of hand ontogenesis in man.

Human hand anlagen of different developmental stages are studied light and scanning electron microscopically. The findings are compared with experimental and ultrastructural results obtained from avian limb anlagen. Shaping, cell differentiation and the spatial arrangement of different cells are found to be the basic processes of hand development. The shaping of the arm and hand seems to anticipate future grasping movements. Factors controlling this developmental process are on the one hand the apical ectodermal ridge (AER) that maintains in the underlying mesoderm a high level of mitotic activity, and on the other hand a species-specific pattern of cell death in different zones of arm and hand. Interdigital cell death, microfilament bundles included in the basal compartment of AER cells, and local anchorings of the AER ectoderm by collagen fibrils are involved in finger separation. The flexion creases are genetically fixed and their development cannot be explained by mechanical factors. It is found that the early hand anlage is already composed of relatively autonomous founder cells committed to different lineages. This is true for the muscle precursor cells which originate from the brachial somites. These migrating somite cells are determined to belong to the myogenic lineage. However, their distribution, mitotic activity and later arrangement in single muscles are controlled by factors localized within the hand itself. Tendons develop autonomously from somatopleural cells. Other already committed cells are the angioblasts forming the endothelial lining of the blood vessels, the neural crest cells differentiating into melanocytes and Schwann cells, and the blood-derived cells like chrondro- or osteoclasts. The differentiation of somatopleural cells into cartilage, connective tissue or smooth muscle depends on their position within the hand anlage. Possible mechanisms leading to the specific pattern are discussed.

Animals↗

Some aspects of microbial contamination of hands of workers in food industries.

With regard to food hygiene, the question is posed whether carriers of pathogenic organisms, like Salmonella can contaminate a product by their hands. This might especially be possible in case of bad toilet hygiene. Experiments were carried out in 13 food and 3 non-food establishments. An inquiry was made into habits of toilet use and hand washing. The following microbiological examinations were performed on workers' hands: total colony-forming-units per hand, and the presence of Salmonella, E. coli, Enterobact., Staph. aureus, faecal Streptococci and Cl. perfringens. Approximately 42% of workers in the food industry and approximately 64% of workers in other industries seems to use the factory toilet regularly for defaecation. Because of the presence of contaminated raw materials in food industries, it is impossible to get direct proof that faecal contamination of the hands is due to toilet use. However, there is indirect evidence that contamination of workers' hands by raw materials, especially of animal origin, is of much more importance than the consequences of toilet use. This is shown by the occurrence of Salmonella on the hands (5-36% pos.) in only those factories where raw materials of animal origin are handled, by the low incidence of E. coli on the hands in food industries where "clean" materials (vegetables, biscuits, chocolate) are handled, and by the total absence of E. coli on the hands of workers in two non-food industries.

Bacteria↗

Macrodactyly of the feet and hands.

We reviewed the records of 16 patients with true macrodactyly and analyzed the typical clinical features and methods of treatment. Fourteen feet were involved in 13 patients (one was bilaterally affected). Three hands were involved in three patients. Clinically, all lesions in the hands and lesions in 11 of 14 feet involved the preaxial side. There was multiple digit involvement in two hands and 11 feet. Progressive macrodactyly (10 feet and two hands) was more common than the static type (four feet and one hand). Proximal involvement of the sole or palm occurred in seven feet and one hand; all cases were of progressive macrodactyly. Enlargement of the metatarsals or the metacarpals was frequent (11 feet and two hands). The growth behavior and extent of bony involvement were similar in patients with hand involvement and those with foot involvement. Fourteen patients had additional clinodactyly, either medial or lateral. The toes of eight feet had angular deformities in the sagittal plane; most were angulated dorsally. Nine patients underwent surgery and two had repeated surgery. The reduction procedures included debulking, ray resection, toe resection, phalangeal resection, and phalangeal epiphysiodesis; the corrective procedures included wedge osteotomy, interdigitalization, and split thickness skin graft. Of the nine patients surgically treated, five had good results and four had fair results. Of the seven patients without surgical repair, three had fair results and four had poor results. Surgical debulking, phalangeal resection, ray resection, and phalangeal epiphysiodesis produced significant improvement in macrodactyly of the feet and hands. Toe resection was not as beneficial.

Adolescent↗

Improvements in activities of daily living following functional hand surgery for treatment of lesions to the cervical spinal cord: self-assessment by patients.

STUDY DESIGN: Tetraplegic patients were tested for hand strength before and after hand surgery. They also answered questions about how they rated the results of surgery. OBJECTIVES: Presentation of the efficacy of reconstruction of hand raising, lateral grip, and cylindrical grip in the tetraplegic hand. SETTING: The study was conducted in the Werner Wicker Clinic, Bad Wildungen, Germany, from 1991 to 1998. METHODS: The results of reconstruction surgery performed on 23 tetraplegic hands, as reflected in lifting the hand (n=3), lateral grip (n=21), and cylindrical grip (n=14), are presented. In a follow-up study in 22 patients, their management of activities of daily living 34.1 months (9-51 months) after the surgery is compared with the preoperative situation. Subjective satisfaction levels were elicited for each of the 22 patients by means of a questionnaire. RESULTS: The gain in force corresponded to 893 g (150-1500 g) for cyclindrical grip and 488 g (100-1200 g) for lateral grip, while they were able to develop grade 4 force for lifting the hand. After the operation 28 aids/appliances that patients had formerly used regularly were no longer necessary. There were 75 separate activities listed in the questionnaire, and on average the 22 patients were able to perform 8.7 (0-20) more of these. Most patients (19) said they would advise others to have the operation and 18, that they would have the operation again. There were 12 complications in nine patients. CONCLUSION: Reconstructive surgery on the hands of tetraplegic patients leads to gains in both cylindrical grip and lateral grip force and to increased manual dexterity. Patient satisfaction with the procedure is high.

Activities of Daily Living↗