Work-related musculoskeletal symptoms in otorhinolaryngology and their relationship with physical activity. A nationwide survey.

OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms in otolaryngology and head and neck surgery specialists and trainees in Spain, and to measure the effect that physical exercise could have on muscular discomfort. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was administered between September and December 2017 to practising otolaryngologists. RESULTS: Four hundred and three ENT surgeons responded, with a median age of 44.9 years, and 89.8 per cent reported discomfort or physical symptoms that they attributed to surgical practice. More female surgeons reported musculoskeletal symptoms (92.8 per cent vs 87.1 per cent; p = 0.04). When the level of physical activity was compared with the frequency of physical discomfort, no significant difference was found. CONCLUSION: This study has shown a high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among ENT surgeons in Spain but has failed to demonstrate an important role of physical exercise in the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders.

Plant regeneration from cultured protoplasts of the cooking banana cv. Bluggoe (Musa spp., ABB group).

Suspensions of embryogenic cells of a triploid banana (Musa spp., cv. Bluggoe) were initiated from the uppermost part of meristematic buds, and used as protoplast source. After 20 weeks in culture, the suspension contained a mixture of globular structures or globules and embryogenic cell clusters, as well as single cells. Two types of protoplasts were obtained from embryogenic suspension culture: small (20-30 µm) and larger (30-50 µm) protoplasts with a dense cytoplasm and large starch grains respectively. The small protoplasts probably originated from embryogenic cell clusters, and also from pseudocambial cells of globules, while larger protoplasts were probably released from oval starchy cells and those of the globule peripheral area. In co-culture with a suitable feeder, consisting of suspensions of diploid banana cells, the protoplasts of triploid banana reformed the cell wall within 24 h and underwent sustained divisions leading to the formation of small clusters of 2-3 cells within 7 days. The latter developed directly into embryos without passing through an apparent callus phase. 10% of such embryos gave rise to plantlets when subcultured in 2.2 µM 6-benzylaminopurine and 2 µM 4 amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid for 1 week, before transfer to MS medium containing 10 µM 6-benzylaminopurine. The rest of the embryos underwent intensive direct secondary embryogenesis which could lead to the formation of plantlets with a frequency of up to 50% upon further transfer to hormone-free medium.