Comparison of sensory mid-palm studies to other techniques in carpal tunnel syndrome.

This prospective study was done to assess a technique of comparing Median-Ulnar sensory latency differences across the wrist (Sensory Palm [M-U]) to diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and to compare the relative sensitivities of other previously reported techniques: Median-Radial sensory difference (Sensory Thumb [M-R]), Median-Ulnar mixed palm difference (Mix Palm [M-U]) and Median-Ulnar sensory digit difference (Sensory Digits [M-U]). 90 Hands met the electrodiagnostic (EDX) criteria for mild CTS. The Sensory Thumb (M-R) was abnormal in 90% of the hands followed in order by Mix Palm (M-U) 61%, Sensory Digits (M-U) 42% and Sensory Palm (M-U) 33%. All differences were statistically significant (p < .01). Sensory Palm (M-U) did not significantly add to the diagnosis of CTS. The Sensory Thumb (M-R) was relatively the most sensitive followed by Mix Palm (M-R) was relatively the most sensitive followed by Mix Palm (M-U), Sensory Digits (M-U) and Sensory Palm (M-U).

A rapid field test for the determination of colostral ingestion by calves, based on gamma-glutamyltransferase.

A qualitative field test for determining the blood level of the enzyme gamma-glutamyltransferase is described for the evaluation of colostral ingestion. The method for enzyme determination is based on dry chemistry technology, and a simple 37 degrees C incubator and colour chart for estimating the activity. There were good correlations between results obtained with the field tests and those obtained with the Reflotron and the wet chemistry conventional methods. Following colostral intake by the calf, blood gamma-glutamyltransferase increased more than 100 fold. There were good correlations between gamma-glutamyltransferase and total globulins in the serum on days 2 and 3 after colostrum intake. Lower but significant correlations were seen between the enzyme and serum total proteins. Good correlation was also seen between the serum enzyme activity and the albumin to globulin ratio. Electrophoretic separation of calf serum showed a significant increase of gamma-globulins after colostral ingestion. The implications and importance of field test are discussed.

On specificity in the impact of social participation on physical and psychological health.

Although it has been suggested that social participation is likely to be beneficial for health and well-being, there is little research demonstrating specifically which aspects of socializing may be responsible. This study distinguishes specific components of social interaction and health and examines differential relationships among them. Three distinct categories of social participation variables were posited: quality, quantity, and social traits. If was hypothesized that health problems would be more frequent among persons with poor quality interaction. The only exception to this prediction was that illnesses that are socially communicated were expected to be more prevalent among persons with a greater quantity of social participation, regardless of quality. Results confirmed these predictions for females. For males, the pattern of results was more complex, in that masculinity and femininity influenced the manner in which symptoms were expressed. These results supported the notion that social relations have a specific impact on health, and that if research is to provide useful information for intervention, we must learn more about which specific aspects of social participation are beneficial as well as how this occurs.

Facial, autonomic, and subjective components of emotion: the facial feedback hypothesis versus externalizer-internalizer distinction.

Two different models have been advanced concerning the role of facial expression in the experience of emotion. The facial feedback hypothesis states that facial expressions regulate affective experience. This position has been supported by findings that experimentally induced changes in facial expressiveness produced corresponding changes in autonomic responses and self-reports of emotion. A second model posits that expressive behavior and autonomic responses are negatively related. Evidence supporting this view consists of correlational analyses showing that facially expressive people (externalizers) exhibit less autonomic arousal than do those who are not facially expressive (internalizers). In the present study, the facial feedback hypothesis and the externalizer-internalizer distinction were evaluated by manipulating facial expressiveness and measuring subsequent autonomic responses and self-reports of emotion. Results showed that higher levels of facial expressiveness were accompanied by higher levels of autonomic activity and subjective reports of affective experience. This relationship was obtained in comparisons among experimental conditions as well as correlational analyses within conditions.