The Dynamic Computer Workstation-A Pilot Study of Clinical and Biochemical Investigation during Work at Static Respectively Mobile Keyboards.

A large and increasing number of the work force in the population spend their work hours at the keyboard. There is evidence that repetitive high levels of static work, or extreme working postures involving the neck-shoulder muscles are an increased risk for chronic neck-shoulder pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dynamic computer working (DCW), using a mobile application to the desk surface, on pain characteristics and biomarkers in office workers. We included 10 female subjects. All subjects answered questionnaires about general health, pain intensity and characteristics. The pressure pain threshold (PPT), neck range and motion, neck and shoulder strength were measured. Microdialysis was conducted in trapezius muscle. Measurements were performed before and 4 weeks after DCW. Multivariate analysis, orthogonal partial least square discriminate analysis (OPLS-DA) and univariate analysis paired test, Wilcoxon, was performed. There was significant improvement in reported neck pain, quality of life, and psychological distress after 4 weeks DCW. The PPT and strength in neck and shoulder were significantly increased after DCW. A significant OPLS-DA model showed clear separation between the samples collected before and after 4 weeks DCW. In conclusion, these results show that keyboard work at a movable desk application might decrease the risk of repetitive strain injuries in the neck and shoulder muscles.

The Influence of a load of L-arginine on serum amino acids and pancreatic apoptosis/proliferation and ATP levels in the rat.

OBJECTIVES: Administration of high doses of amino acids like ethionine, methionine, and arginine causes pancreatic tissue damage. The initial mechanism behind these effects is not known. The aim of this study was to show the early effects of a load of L-arginine on programed cell death/proliferation and ATP levels in the pancreas. METHODS: We analyzed in rats the effects of intraperitoneal administration of L-arginine on serum amino acids, pancreatic cell apoptosis/proliferation, and ATP levels at 8, 16, and 24 hours. Serum amino acid concentrations were measured with HPLC, tissue ATP was measured fluorometrically, apoptosis was studied with caspase-3 activity and histone-associated DNA-fragments, and proliferation was studied with thymidine autoradiography. RESULTS: After a load of l-arginine, there were initially increased serum levels of L-arginine and L-citrulline, but these fell below control levels after 24 hours as well as amino acids in the glutamate family (ornithine, proline, histidine, and glutamine). Initially, increased ATP levels in the pancreatic tissue returned to control levels at 24 hours. The acinar cells proliferation was suppressed and the apoptosis rate strongly increased at 16 and 24 hours. Pancreatic histology showed vacuole formation in the acinar cells at 8 hours. At 16 hours, there was less vacuolization, but apoptotic bodies were seen, and at 24 hours there was cell degeneration but no necrosis. CONCLUSIONS: After a load of l-arginine, amino acid metabolism causes a high ATP production in the pancreatic tissue that may cause mitochondrial initiation of cell death.

Telomerase activity in surgical specimens and fine-needle aspiration biopsies from hyperplastic and neoplastic human thyroid tissues.

BACKGROUND: Telomerase activity (TA) indicates malignancy, but activated lymphocytes also express TA. Correlation between TA in thyroid tissues and fine-needle aspiration (FNA) samples and knowledge about TA in adjacent tissue are of importance. METHODS: The telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay followed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay detection was performed on 78 thyroid cases including 53 suspected malignancies, preoperative and perioperative FNA specimens, and adjacent tissue. RESULTS: Benign lesions in cancer-suspected cases were TA negative. Eight of 13 papillary (62%) and 4 of 5 follicular (80%) tumors were TA positive (TA+). Lower TA was observed in conventional papillary cancer than in follicular, tall cell variant of papillary and anaplastic cancers. Adjacent tissues with lymphocyte infiltration were TA+ in 9 of 17 cases (53%). Nine of 65 adjacent tissues (14%) were TA+. Three of 6 preoperative and 9 of 11 perioperative FNA samples from malignant tumors corresponded to the tissue TA. CONCLUSIONS; High TA may reflect more severe thyroid cancer. Telomerase activity in FNA biopsies does not add reliable diagnostic information, and presence of lymphocytes can give false-positive results.