Effectiveness of re-education based on appropriate care methods using welfare equipment on the prevention of low back pain among care workers: a 1.5†year follow-up study.

Many care workers at elderly care facilities in Japan suffer occupational low back pain (LBP) despite the utilization of welfare equipment. When introducing welfare equipment such as hoists and sliding boards, education on appropriate care methods using welfare equipment is usually conducted, but the effect of education diminishes with time. This intervention study aimed to examine the effect of re-education on appropriate care methods using welfare equipment on the prevention of care workers' LBP at an elderly care facility. At the intervention facility, 49 care workers were enrolled in ergonomic education program for 1.5 yr in order to improve care methods using welfare equipment. At the non-intervention facility, 33 care workers were not enrolled in the program. Rates of severe LBP were not significantly different between the facilities. However, during the study period, the rate of severe LBP among care workers did not increase at the intervention facility, while it doubled among care workers at the non-intervention facility. The care workers at the intervention facility showed improvement in care methods using welfare equipment during the study period. Hence, we think that re-education regarding appropriate care methods using welfare equipment has the potential to prevent exacerbation of LBP.

Oxcarbazepine antinociception in animals with inflammatory pain or painful diabetic neuropathy.

1. Diabetic neuropathy is one of the most frequent complications of diabetes mellitus. However, the mechanisms underlying these disorders are not yet well defined and it has been reported that currently available analgesics have hardly any ameliorating effect on painful diabetic neuropathy. 2. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the antinociceptive effect of oxcarbazepine (OCBZ), a keto derivative of carbamazepine (CBZ), in animal models generally used in pain research and in rats and mice with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. In addition, we compared the effect of OCBZ with those of CBZ, mexiletine and morphine. 3. Diabetes was induced by injection of STZ at a dose of 300 mg/kg (i.p.) in mice and 50 mg/kg (i.v.) in rats. Experiments were conducted 2 weeks after STZ injection and those animals with a serum glucose level above 400 mg/dL were used for data analysis. Antinociceptive effects of the drugs were evaluated by the paw withdrawal test (normal, STZ-induced diabetic and carrageenin-injected rats), tail-flick test (normal and STZ-induced diabetic mice) and nociceptive behaviour (formalin-injected mice). 4. In the present study, diabetic mice showed thermal hyperalgesia and diabetic rats exhibited mechanical hyperalgesia. From these results, the STZ-induced diabetic animals used in the present study were found to be suitable for research on painful diabetic neuropathy. In STZ-induced diabetic animals, the antinociceptive effects of OCBZ, CBZ and mexiletine were facilitated, whereas the effect of morphine was attenuated, compared with effects in normal animals. 5. Oxcarbazepine inhibited the formalin-induced biphasic pain responses and increased the nociceptive threshold in the case of carrageenin-induced hyperalgesia. In view of these results, inhibition of substance P-mediated pain transmission may be involved in the antinociceptive action of OCBZ. 6. These results indicate that OCBZ has an analgesic action and is a possible therapeutic agent for the treatment of neuropathic pain, such as occurs in painful diabetic neuropathy.

Effect of ozagrel, a selective thromboxane A2-synthetase inhibitor, on cerebral infarction in rats. Comparative study with norphenazone, a free-radical scavenger.

The effects of ozagrel (CAS 82571-53-7), a thromboxane A2-synthetase inhibitor, and norphenazone (CAS 89-25-8), a free-radical scavenger, on cerebral infarction were assessed using the suture-induced middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model and a microthrombosis model. In the former model, the middle cerebral artery was occluded for 2 h, and the infarction area and volume were evaluated 24 h after the start of reperfusion. In the latter model, microthrombosis were induced by two injections of sodium laurate (interval, 2 days) into the internal carotid artery, and the neurologic deficits were evaluated on the day afer the 2nd injection. Ozagrel at 3 mg/kg decreased both the area and volume of the cortical infarction after ischemia-reperfusion of the middle cerebral artery. Ozagrel also had suppressive effects on the neurologic deficits in the microthrombosis model. Norphenazone at 1 and 3 mg/kg had no clear effects in either model. Since the suture-induced MCAO model and the microthrombosis model are models for occlusion-reperfusion of the major cerebral arteries and lacunar infarction, respectively, these results suggest a highly beneficial effect of ozagrel in the clinical therapy for stroke.

Study of the insulinotropic effect of the novel antihyperglycemic agent KAD-1229 using HIT T15 cells, a hamster's insulinoma cell line.

The insulinotropic effect of (+)-monocalcium bis [(2S)-2-benzyl-3-(cis-hexahydro-2-isoindolinyl-carbonyl)propionate] dihydrate (CAS 145375-43-5, KAD-1229) was assessed by comparing it with those of glibenclamide (CAS 10238-21-8), nateglinide (CAS 105816-04-4), and repaglinide (CAS 135062-02-1) using HIT T15 cells, a hamster insulinoma cell line. Although their potencies were different, KAD-1229, glibenclamide, nateglinide, and repaglinide all concentration-dependently and significantly induced insulin release from these cells. Further, each agent displaced the binding of 3H-glibenclamide to the cell membrane and inhibited 86Rb+ efflux from the cells. These results indicate that KAD-1229, glibenclamide, nateglinide, and repaglinide each exert their insulinotropic effect by binding to the glibenclamide binding sites (sulfonylurea receptors) on pancreatic beta-cells and closing K+ channels. Diazoxide, a K+ channel opener, and nitrendipine, a Ca2+ blocker, suppressed the insulin release induced by KAD-1229 or glibenclamide. These results demonstrate that the insulinotropic actions of KAD-1229 and glibenclamide involve similar underlying pathways.

Effect of KAD-1229, a novel hypoglycaemic agent, on plasma glucose levels after meal load in type 2 diabetic rats.

1. The effects of KAD-1229 (a novel non-sulphonylurea agent), voglibose (an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor) and nateglinide (a non-sulphonylurea antihyperglycaemic agent) on hyperglycaemia induced by a meal load were assessed in diabetic rats. 2. KAD-1229 suppressed the increase in plasma glucose levels seen after a meal load and the area under the curve for plasma glucose levels (AUCglucose) up to 5 h after the meal load. 3. Voglibose also suppressed the increase in plasma glucose levels; however, a significant decrease in AUCglucose following voglibose was not observed. 4. Nateglinide suppressed the increase in plasma glucose levels at 30 min and 1 h after the meal load; however, plasma glucose levels was above control thereafter and the AUCglucose was not decreased. 5. The results indicate that KAD-1229 has an antihyperglycaemic effect and KAD-1229 is suggested to be a suitable agent for controlling post-prandial hyperglycaemia.