The Effectiveness of Exercise-Based Rehabilitation in People With Hand Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of exercise-based rehabilitation programs compared with nonexercise intervention or no intervention for people with hand osteoarthritis (OA). DESIGN: Intervention systematic review with meta-analysis. LITERATURE SEARCH: We searched 5 databases on July 23, 2023. STUDY SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomized controlled trials that compared the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs that included an exercise component, with nonexercise intervention or no intervention for people with hand OA. DATA SYNTHESIS: Standardized mean differences (SMDs) were pooled using a random-effects model. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool. The certainty of the evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) approach. RESULTS: Fourteen trials were included in the meta-analysis (n = 1341 participants). In the immediate term (<24 weeks), there was low-certainty evidence of an effect of exercise-based rehabilitation on improving pain (13 trials; SMD = -0.65; 95% CI: -1.06, -0.25), function (11 trials; SMD = -0.35; 95% CI: -0.54, -0.15), and grip strength (14 trials; SMD = 0.21; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.38). There was moderate-certainty evidence of an effect on reducing stiffness (7 trials; SMD = -0.33; 95% CI: -0.51, -0.16). There was low-certainty evidence of no effect on improving pinch strength and quality of life. For the long term (≥24 weeks), there was low-certainty evidence that exercise-based rehabilitation had no additional effect on improving pain, function, and stiffness. CONCLUSION: Exercise-based rehabilitation improved pain, function, stiffness, and grip strength in people with hand OA in the immediate term; the benefits were not maintained in the long term. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2024;54(7):1-11. Epub 20 March 2024. doi:10.2519/jospt.2024.12241.

Most of the pelvic floor muscle functions in women differ in different body positions, yet others remain similar: systematic review with meta-analysis.

Objectives: This systematic literature review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the effect of body position on the measurement of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) contractility and to analyze the influential factors. Data sources: Five databases (PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Scopus) were searched for relevant studies published up to 12nd October 2023. Study selection or eligibility criteria: Included cross-sectional studies had to involve the assessment of pelvic floor muscle function in at least two positions. Study appraisal and synthesis methods: We calculated standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) to ascertain the potential effect of body position on outcomes. Results: In total, we included 11 cross-sectional studies to ascertain the potential effect of body position on outcomes. There was no statistical difference in the results of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) of the pelvic floor muscles when assessed in between supine and standing positions (SMD -0.22; 95% CI -0.72 to 0.28; p = 0.38). The results of the meta-analysis showed significantly larger values of resting voluntary contractions (RVC) measured in the standing position compared to the supine position (SMD -1.76; 95% CI -2.55 to -0.97; p < 0.001). Moreover, pelvic floor muscle movement during pelvic floor muscle contraction in the standing position was significantly better than that measured in the supine position (SMD -0.47; 95% CI -0.73 to 0.20; P < 0.001). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the RVC and PFM movement varied with the position of the assessment. In contrast, MVC values are independent of the assessment position and can be selected according to clinical needs. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO, identifier CRD42022363734, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022363734.

Can we trust computers to assess the cognition of stroke patients? A systematic review.

Purpose: To summarize the classification of computerized cognitive assessment (CCA) tools for assessing stroke patients, to clarify their benefits and limitations, and to reveal strategies for future studies on CCA tools. Methods: A literature review was performed using PubMed, Embase, Scopus, JAMA Network, Cochrane Library and PsycINFO databases from January 1st, 2010, to August 1st, 2022. Two authors independently screened the literature following the same criteria, evaluated the study quality, and collected data from the articles. Results: A total of 8,697 papers were acquired from the six databases. A total of 74 potentially eligible articles were selected for review. Of these, 29 articles were not relevant to this research, 3 were reviews, 2 were not written in English, and 1 was on an ongoing trial. By screening the references of the reviews, 3 additional articles were included in this study. Thus, a total of 42 articles met the criteria for the review. In terms of the CCA tools analyzed in these studies, they included five types: virtual reality (VR)-based, robot-based, telephone-based, smartphone-based, and computer-based cognitive assessments. Patients' stages of the disease ranged from the subacute phase and rehabilitation phase to the community phase. A total of 27 studies supported the effectiveness of CCA tools, while 22 out of 42 articles mentioned their benefits and 32 revealed areas for future improvement of CCA tools. Conclusions: Although the use of CCA tools for assessing the cognition of post-stroke patients is becoming popular, there are still some limitations and challenges of using such tools in stroke survivors. More evidence is thus needed to verify the value and specific role of these tools in assessing the cognitive impairment of stroke patients.

HBsAg (-)/HBsAb (-)/HBeAg (-)/HBeAb (+)/HBcAb (+) predicts a high risk of hepatitis B reactivation in patients with B-cell lymphoma receiving rituximab based immunochemotherapy.

Patterns of hepatitis B virus reactivation (HBV-R) in HBsAg (-)/HBcAb (+) patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) receiving rituximab based immunochemotherapy have not been well described. The retrospective study included 222 HBsAg (-)/HBcAb (+) NHL patients as training cohort and 127 cases as validation cohort. The incidence of HBV-R in HBsAg (-)/HBcAb (+) B-cell NHL patients was 6.3% (14/222), of which that in HBsAg (-)/HBsAb (-)/HBeAg (-)/HBeAb (+)/HBcAb (+) population was 23.7% (9/38). Multivariate analysis showed that HBsAg (-)/HBsAb (-)/HBeAg (-)/HBeAb (+)/HBcAb (+) correlated with a high risk of HBV-R in B-cell lymphoma patients (training phase hazard ratio [HR], 10.123; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.389-30.239; p < 0.001; validation phase HR, 18.619; 95% CI, 1.684-205.906; p = 0.017; combined HR, 12.264; 95% CI, 4.529-33.207; p < 0.001). In the training cohort, the mortality rate of HBsAg (-)/HBcAb (+) B-cell NHL caused by HBV-R was 14.3% (2/14) while that for HBV reactivated HBsAg (-)/HBsAb (-)/HBeAg (-)/HBeAb (+)/HBcAb (+) population was up to 44.4% (4/9). As a high incidence of HBV-R and high mortality after HBV-R was found in HBsAg (-)/HBsAb (-)/HBcAb (+)/HBeAg (-)/HBeAb (+) patients with B-cell NHL receiving rituximab based immunochemotherapy, prophylactic antiviral therapy is recommended for these patients.

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 presenting with dyspnea: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a genetic neuromuscular disease involving multiple systems, especially the cardiopulmonary system. The clinical phenotype of DM1 patients is highly variable, which limits early diagnosis and treatment. In the present study, we reported a 35-year-old female DM1 patient with dyspnea as the primary onset clinical manifestation, analyzed her family's medical history, and reviewed related literature. CASE SUMMARY: A 35-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with dyspnea of 1 mo duration, and sleep apnea for 3 d. Her respiratory pattern and effort were normal, but limb muscle tension was low. Investigation into the patient's medical history revealed that she might have hereditary neuromuscular disease. Electromyography showed that her myotonia potentials were visible in the resting state of the examined muscles, with decreased motor unit potential time limit and amplitude. Genetic testing for DM1 revealed that the cytosine-thymine-guanine (CTG) repeat number of the DMPK gene exceeded 50, while cytosine-CTG expansion in intron 1 of ZNF9 gene was < 30 repeats. The patient was diagnosed with DM1. CONCLUSION: DM1 is a genetic neuromuscular disease involving multiple systems, and the clinical phenotype in DM1 is extremely variable. Some patients with DM1 may be presented at the respiratory department because of dyspnea, which should be cautioned by the pulmonologists. There may be no obvious or specific symptoms in the early stage of disease, and clinicians should improve their understanding of DM1 and make an early diagnosis, which will improve patients' quality of life.

Sexual Dysfunction After Traumatic Injury Can Be Corrected by Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: A Case Report.

Neurogenic sexual dysfunction (NSD) is a common problem in patients after spinal and pelvic trauma. New treatment is needed beyond medicine or psychological therapies. A 24-year-old man who fell from a six-floor building suffered from subsequent NSD. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) was the only method used to treat his NSD caused by multiple spinal and pelvic injuries. The therapy lasted for 3 courses. Motor and sensory conduction, as well as sexual function, were evaluated before and after the rTMS intervention. Improvements on patient's nerve conduction and sexual activity were confirmed at a 1-year follow-up. Our findings indicate that rTMS delivered a novel, positive and low-cost modality treatment to the patient with NSD. Clinical efficacy and potential mechanisms by which rTMS regulate NSD need to be investigated by further clinical trials.

A novel Mn(2+)-doped core/shell quantum dot-based intracellular probe for fluoride anions sensing in MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells.

In this paper, 3-aminobenzeneboronic acid functionalized Mn(2+)-doped ZnTe/ZnSe quantum dots (APBA-dQDs) were prepared. The APBA functional groups had strong binding ability with F(-), resulting in the quenchment of dQDs photoluminescence (PL). Under the optimal condition, the fluorescence intensity of APBA-dQDs was related linearly to the concentration of F(-) in the range of 0.25-1.5µmol/L with a detection limit of 0.1µmol/L. The selectivity of fluorescence quenching of APBA-dQDs for F(-) was enhanced. Moreover, the proposed methodology for the sensing of F(-) at EM 560nm in MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells was demonstrated and got a satisfactory results. The results indicate that the APBA-dQDs are promising candidates for intracellular in MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells. To the best of our knowledge, it was the first report of F(-) sensing by using the quenched fluorescence of APBA-dQDs in non-cancerous cells.

Mechanisms of Intracellular Calcium Homeostasis in MC3T3-E1 Cells and Bone Tissues of Sprague-Dawley Rats Exposed to Fluoride.

Calcium homeostasis of osteoblasts (OBs) has an important role in the physiology and pathology of bone tissue. In order to study the mechanisms of intracellular calcium homeostasis, MC3T3-E1 cells and Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with different concentrations of fluoride. Then, we examined intracellular-free calcium ion ([Ca(2+)]i) in MC3T3-E1 cells as well as mRNA and protein levels of Cav1.2, the main subunit of L-type voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCCs), Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchange carriers (NCS), and plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase (PMCA), inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) channels, sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase 2b (SERCA2b)/ATP2A2 in vitro, and rat bone tissues in vivo. Our results showed that [Ca(2+)]i of fluoride-treated OBs increased in a concentration-dependent manner with an increase in the concentration of fluoride. We also found that the low dose of fluoride led to high expression levels of Cav1.2, NCS-1, and PMCA and low expression levels of IP3R and SERCA2b/ATP2A2, while the high dose of fluoride induced an increase in SERCA2b/ATP2A2 levels and decrease in Cav1.2, PMCA, NCS-1, and IP3R levels. These results demonstrate that calcium channels and calcium pumps of plasma and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes keep intracellular calcium homeostasis by regulating Cav1.2, NCS-1, PMCA, IP3R, and SERCA2b/ATP2A2 expression.

Fluoride Affects Calcium Homeostasis by Regulating Parathyroid Hormone, PTH-Related Peptide, and Calcium-Sensing Receptor Expression.

Parathyroid hormone (PTH), PTH-related peptide (PTHrP), and calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) play important roles in maintaining calcium homeostasis. Here, we study the effect of fluoride on expression of PTH, PTHrP, and CaSR both in vitro and in vivo. MC3T3-E1 cells and Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with different concentrations of fluoride. Then, the free calcium ion concentration in cell culture supernatant and serum were measured by biochemical analyzer. The expression of PTH, PTHrP, and CaSR was analyzed by qRT-PCR and Western blot. We found that the low dose of fluoride increased ionized calcium (i[Ca(2+)]) and the high dose of fluoride decreased i[Ca(2+)] in cell culture supernatant. The low dose of fluoride inhibited the PTH and PTHrP expression in MC3T3-E1 cells. The high dose of fluoride improved the PTHrP expression in MC3T3-E1 cells. Interestingly, we found that NaF decreased serum i[Ca(2+)] in rats. Fluoride increased CaSR expression at both messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels in MC3T3-E1 cells and rats. The expression of PTHrP protein was inhibited by fluoride in rats fed regular diet and was increased by fluoride in rats fed low-calcium diet. Fluoride also increased the expression of PTH, NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL), and osteoprotegerin (OPG) in rats. The ratio of RANKL/OPG in rats fed low-calcium food in presence or absence of fluoride was significantly increased. These results indicated that fluoride might be able to affect calcium homeostasis by regulating PTH, PTHrP, and CaSR.

Fluoride affects calcium homeostasis and osteogenic transcription factor expressions through L-type calcium channels in osteoblast cell line.

Osteoblast L-type voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCC) play important roles in maintaining intracellular homeostasis and influencing multiple cellular processes. In particular, they contribute to the activities and functions of osteoblasts (OBs). In order to study how L-type VDCC modulate calcium ion (Ca(2+)) homeostasis and the expression of osteogenic transcription factors in OBs exposed to fluoride, MC3T3-E1 cells were exposed to a gradient of concentrations of fluoride (0, 2.0, 5.0, 10.0 mg/L) in combination with 10 µM nifedipine, a specific inhibitor of VDCC, for 48 h. We examined messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels of Cav1.2, the main subunit of VDCC, and c-fos, c-jun, runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osterix (OSX), and intracellular free Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)]i) concentrations in MC3T3-E1 cells. Our results showed that [Ca(2+)]i levels increased in a dose-dependent manner with increase in concentration of fluoride. Meantime, results indicated that lower concentrations of fluoride (less than 5 mg/L, especially 2 mg/L) can lead to high expression of Cav1.2 and enhance osteogenic function, while high concentration of fluoride (10 mg/L) can induce decreased Cav1.2 and osteogenic transcriptional factors in MC3T3E1 cells exposed to fluoride. However, the levels of [Ca(2+)]i, Cav1.2, c-fos, c-jun, Runx2, and OSX induced by fluoride were significantly altered and even reversed in the presence of nifedipine. These results demonstrate that L-type calcium channels play a crucial role in Ca(2+) homeostasis and they affect the expression of osteogenic transcription factors in fluoride-treated osteoblasts.

Sphingobium jiangsuense sp. nov., a 3-phenoxybenzoic acid-degrading bacterium isolated from a wastewater treatment system.

A non-sporulating, non-motile, catalase- and oxidase-positive, Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated BA-3T, was isolated from activated sludge of a wastewater treatment facility. The strain was able to degrade about 95 % of 100 mg 3-phenoxybenzoic acid l(-1) within 2 days of incubation. Growth occurred in the presence of 0-2 % (w/v) NaCl [optimum, 0.5 % (w/v) NaCl], at pH 5.5-9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and at 10-37 °C (optimum, 28 °C). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons revealed that strain BA-3T was a member of the genus Sphingobium; it showed highest gene sequence similarity to Sphingobium qiguonii X23T (98.2 %), and similarities of <97.0 % with strains of other Sphingobium species. The polar lipid pattern, the presence of spermidine and ubiquinone Q-10, the predominance of summed feature 8 (C18:1ω6c and/or C18:1ω7c) in the cellular fatty acid profile and the DNA G+C content also supported affiliation of the isolate to the genus Sphingobium. Strain BA-3T showed low DNA-DNA relatedness values (21.3±0.8 %) with Sphingobium qiguonii X23(T). Based on phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic data, strain BA-3T represents a novel species of the genus Sphingobium, for which the name Sphingobium jiangsuense sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is BA-3T (=CCTCC AB 2010217T= KCTC 23196T=KACC 16433T).

[Characteristics of a 3-phenoxybenzoic acid degrading-bacterium and the construction of a engineering bacterium].

A bacterium capable of utilizing 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) as sole carbon source was isolated from petroleum-contaminated soil. This bacterium, designated as BA3, was identified as Sphingobium sp. according to its physiological & biochemical characteristic and the similarity analysis of its 16S rDNA sequence. Strain BA3 was able to degrade 99% of 100 mg x L(-1) 3-phenoxybenzoic acid within 60 h. The optimal pH and temperature for the degradation were 7.0 and 30 degrees C, respectively. The degradation efficiency was related positively to initial inoculum size. The pyrethroid hydrolase gene (pytH) gene was amplified from the genomic DNA of Sphingobium sp. JZ-2 by PCR. Recombinant plasmids pPYTH was constructed by ligating pytH gene into the broad host vector pBBRMCS- 5. Under the help of plasmid RK600, pPYTH was transferred into Sphingobium sp. BA3 to construct engineering strain BA3-pytH; Fenpropathrin degradation experiments showed that strain JZ-2 was able to degrade only 60% of 50 mg x L(-1) fenpropathrin in 48 h while engineering strain BA3-pytH was able to degrade over 95% of 50 mg x L(-1) fenpropathrin under the same conditions. Even more, BA3-pytH could rapidly degrade 3-PBA, metabolic products of pyrethroid insecticides, eliminating the inhibition of 3-PBA to pyrethroid hydrolase. Therefore, in contrast to strain JZ-2, engineering strain BA3-pytH had more advantages in bioremediation of pyrethroid insecticides contaminated environment.