High-load strength training improves outcome in patients with plantar fasciitis: A randomized controlled trial with 12-month follow-up.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of shoe inserts and plantar fascia-specific stretching vs shoe inserts and high-load strength training in patients with plantar fasciitis. Forty-eight patients with ultrasonography-verified plantar fasciitis were randomized to shoe inserts and daily plantar-specific stretching (the stretch group) or shoe inserts and high-load progressive strength training (the strength group) performed every second day. High-load strength training consisted of unilateral heel raises with a towel inserted under the toes. Primary outcome was the foot function index (FFI) at 3 months. Additional follow-ups were performed at 1, 6, and 12 months. At the primary endpoint, at 3 months, the strength group had a FFI that was 29 points lower [95% confidence interval (CI): 6-52, P = 0.016] compared with the stretch group. At 1, 6, and 12 months, there were no differences between groups (P > 0.34). At 12 months, the FFI was 22 points (95% CI: 9-36) in the strength group and 16 points (95% CI: 0-32) in the stretch group. There were no differences in any of the secondary outcomes. A simple progressive exercise protocol, performed every second day, resulted in superior self-reported outcome after 3 months compared with plantar-specific stretching. High-load strength training may aid in a quicker reduction in pain and improvements in function.

Use of non-thermal plasma and UV-light for removal of odour from sludge treatment.

Non-thermal plasma (NTP) systems can be used for abatement of odour nuisances. Odour reductions are achieved by radical-initiated oxidation and dust collection in the plasma reactor. For some emissions a sequence of NTP followed by UV-light can improve the odour reduction further. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of NTP technology combined with UV-light towards odour emissions from sludge treatment. Air from a pilot sludge dryer was treated with a pilot NTP and a UV unit. The effect of using an acid scrubber upstream the NTP system was also tested. Thermal desorption gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (TD-GC/MS) was used to analyse samples taken from the inlet and the outlet of the NTP system. The TD-GC/MS used was also equipped with a sniffing port that made it possible to record odour-active compounds eluting from the column. Relative amounts of odour-active compounds in the inlet and the outlet flow from the NTP system were compared. Bag samples from inlet and outlet were also separately analysed by an external lab and by two operators using a one-man olfactometer, a modified NasalRanger(TM). These results indicated a significant odour removal efficiency of 70-90% depending on the settings and combinations of abatement equipment.

Characterization of retrovirus-induced SC-1 cell fusion.

Virus-mediated cell-cell fusion with Moloney MLV and SC-1 cells was characterized. The level of fusion was highly dependent on the cell line used for propagation of the virus. Efficient fusion appeared to be very sensitive to negative charges on the cell surface and surroundings. Addition of polycations, removal of serum, and treatment with neuraminidase or hyaluronidase all stimulated fusion. Conversely, fusion was inhibited by fibronectin. Kinetic results and the time of action of inhibitors indicated that virus particles (or virus material) on the cell surface lead directly to fusion. The fusion then proceeded rapidly and required actin movement as shown by cytochalasin inhibition.

K+ ionophores stimulate retrovirus-induced fusion-from-within.

Fusion-from-without (FFWO) and fusion-from-within (FFWI) for Moloney MLV in SC-1 cells were selectively stimulated by the polycation polybrene and the ionophore amphotericin B, which can be used to discriminate between the two fusion types. FFWI was stimulated by a number of different K+ ionophores. The stimulation occurred within few hours, did not require protein synthesis, and depended on the uninfected cell type, which suggests that FFWI is stimulated by a permutation of the K+ gradient of the uninfected cell. Plasma membrane vesicles from infected cells could also stimulate fusion with the same stimulation pattern as FFWI.

Fusion between uninfected cells in retrovirus-induced fusion-from-within.

We previously examined Moloney murine leukemia virus-induced fusion-from-within (FFWI) and fusion-from-without (FFWO) of SC-1 mouse cells. FFWI and FFWO can be distinguished by their stimulation by ionophores and polycations, respectively. FFWI is caused by infected cells. Normally, fusion between an infected cell and uninfected cells (heterofusions) is described, but we have surprisingly found that the infected cells also caused homofusion between uninfected cells in their vicinity (named neighbor homofusions). It was shown that neighbor homofusions were not induced by free virus particles (by FFWO). Transfectants expressing envelope proteins only induced heterofusions, indicating that virus production is necessary for the formation of neighbor homofusions. Both plasma membrane fragments and easily removable material from the surface of infected cells were able to induce fusion with the same stimulation pattern as FFWI and neighbor homofusion. These materials, especially the latter, have properties in common with virions, and it is discussed whether immature virions are involved in the formation of the neighbor homofusions.

Rational selection of antisense oligonucleotide sequences.

The purpose of this review is to identify rational selection procedures for the identification of optimal antisense oligonucleotide sequences. The review is firstly focused on how to find optimal hybridization sites, and secondly on how to select sequences that bind to structured RNA. The methods reviewed range from the more empirical testing of large numbers of mRNA complementary sequences to the more systematic techniques, i.e. RNase H mapping, use of combinatorial arrays and prediction of secondary structure of mRNA by computational methods. Structures that bind to structured RNA, i.e. aptastrucs and tethered oligonucleotide probes, and foldback triplex-forming oligonucleotides are also discussed. Relating to selection of antisense sequences by aid of computational analysis, valuable www addresses are given along with examples of folded structures of mRNA.

[Thoracic surgery in children]. / Thoraxkirurgi hos børn.

In order to study non-cardiac thoracic surgery in children we reviewed the files of all children under 16 years, who had surgery at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Odense University Hospital from 1987 to 1996. Thirty-three children had chest tube insertion because of neonatal pneumothorax. Twelve of these died within five days after birth. Fifty-five children had surgery for primary intrathoracic diseases. Congenital pulmonary malformations were most common in the youngest children. Traumatic diseases were most common in the oldest. No immediate postoperative deaths occurred, but seven children were dead at the follow-up. Thirty-eight had surgery for involvement of the thoracic organs secondary to other often malignant diseases. Eleven of these were dead at the follow-up. It is concluded, that thoracic surgery is required for a number of diseases in children and is well tolerated. However, severe primary diseases lead to an increased mortality.

[Surgical treatment of cancer of the esophagus and cardia]. / Kirurgisk behandling af cancer esophagi og cancer cardiae.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the results following surgical resection for cancer of the gastro-oesophageal junction. From 1. january 1988 to 1. april 1996 radical resection was intended in 107 patients at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at Odense University Hospital. Resection was possible in 75 patients. The operative mortality was 6.7% insufficiency of the gastro-oesophageal anastomosis was found in 6.7%. Five year survival was 24.1%. However in 52 patients where the resection was found to be radical the five-year survival was 35.3%. The results show that oesophago-gastrectomy could be performed with low mortality and morbidity. Long term survival is still low. To improve the results efforts should be directed toward earlier diagnosis, better selection and minimising post-operative complications.

[Ambulatory continuous recording of pH and pressure in the esophagus]. / Ambulant kontinuerlig registrering af pH og trykaktivitet i esophagus.

Ambulatory simultaneous recording of oesophageal pressures and pH is a recently developed technique for evaluation of oesophageal function. The paper describes the experience gained with this technique at the Oesophagus Laboratory, department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery T, Odense University Hospital. A combined pH and pressure probe is positioned in the oesophagus and connected to a portable recorder. Data are digitised on-line and stored for later transfer to a computer. Analysis of pH-variations and contractile activity is performed automatically. Sections with normal and abnormal acid clearing are shown. A normal pressure response to reflux consists of frequent contractions of normal amplitude and propagation resulting in a stepwise clearing of acid from the oesophagus. Repetitive simultaneous contractions and periods of failed peristalsis are illustrated in sections from a patient with oesophagitis. Contractions of high amplitude and prolonged duration, as well as frequent non-propagating contractions in the distal oesophagus, are elements of a normal peristaltic pattern. The conventional manometric investigation performed under laboratory conditions still has first priority when esophageal dysmotility is suspected. In several instances, however, ambulatory recording of motility and pH may add valuable additional information.

[Asymptomatic benign mediastinal teratoma]. / Asymptomatisk benignt mediastinalt teratom.

A case of asymptomatic benign mediastinal teratoma is presented. The necessity for definite diagnosis of mediastinal tumours is stressed together with the need for conferences involving several specialties.

[Video-assisted thoracic surgery--1]. / Videoassisteret thoraxkirurgi--1.

Due to the latest advances in video technology and endoscopic instruments, thoracoscopy has changed from being mainly diagnostic to include many threapeutic procedures in the thorax. The article reviews equipment and techniques as well as attempts to reflect current attitudes to indications for their use.

[Video-assisted thoracic surgery--2]. / Videoassisteret thoraxkirurgi--2.

The study presents our experience with video-assisted thoracoscopy and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) at the Dept. of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at Odense University Hospital. All VATS-procedures performed in the period 1/1 1993-30/9 1994 were prospectively registered. Sixty-seven procedures were undertaken on 63 patients with a median age of 35 years (range, 13-75 years). Twenty diagnostic and 47 combined diagnostic and therapeutic procedures were performed. The indications were spontaneous pneumothorax, pleural changes, diffuse interstitial lung disease, Raynaud's disease, localized lung lesion, and abnormal chest X-ray in patients with previous extrathoracic malignancy. In patients with pneumothorax, the most frequent procedures were pleurodesis with fibrin glue sealant, wedge resection with endostapler, and pleural abrasion. In the remaining groups, the most frequent procedures were pleural biopsy, wedge resection of lung parenchyma, and thoracic sympathectomy. The median time consumption during the surgical part of the VATS-procedures was 50 minutes (15-130 min.), and median hospitalization time after VATS was three days (1-10). Drains were left for more than two days after 13 procedures (22%), most often due to air leakage or persisting pneumothorax. Four VATS-procedures were converted to thoracotomy, and three had thoracotomy at a later stage during hospitalization. All thoracotomies were related to preexisting disease. No major procedure-related complications occurred. A diagnosis was achieved in every case where VATS was aimed at being purely diagnostic. Two patients had sympathectomy with good results. We conclude that VATS seems of advantage for diagnosis and therapy in many cases of benign intrathoracic disease. In addition, a histological diagnosis can be achieved and operability assessed in many cases of intrathoracic malignancy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Esophageal resections in Denmark 1985-1988. A retrospective study of complications and early mortality]. / Esophagusresektioner i Danmark 1985-1988. En retrospektiv opgørelse af komplikationer og tidlig mortalitet.

In a retrospective investigation, 17 Danish Departments of Surgery reported on morbidity and mortality following surgical treatment of cancer of the oesophagus and cardia in the years 1985-1988. The study comprised 352 men and 112 women, representing 98% of the total number of resections performed in Departments of General Surgery (11%), Departments of Surgical Gastroenterology (24%) and Departments of Thoracic Surgery (65%). Nine departments performed less than five resections per year. Frequency of anastomotic leaks were 8.2%, and the mean hospital mortality was 16.6%. Mortality was significantly lower (median 9.6% and 7.0%) in departments performing more than 20 resections per year. It is concluded that in Denmark, surgical treatment of cancer of the oesophagus or cardia should be centralized to departments performing more than 20 resections per year.

Cleavage fragments of the retrovirus surface protein gp70 during virus entry.

The surface protein gp70 of an ecotropic murine retrovirus was followed during entry of [3H]glucosamine-labelled virions into SC-1 mouse fibroblasts. Upon entry, gp70 was cleaved into fragments with molecular weights 35K, 30K and 17K. The 35K and 17K fragments were also observed after trypsin or thermolysin cleavage of the virion, indicating that certain locations on the gp70 molecule are easily accessible from the outside of the virion. The conformation of gp70 on the membrane was shown to have a major effect on the cleavage. This protein is known to be important for early interactions with the cell (binding and membrane fusion). The results indicate that gp70 cleavage may be important for membrane fusion.