Quantification of regional blood flow to canine flexor tendons.

Although the blood supply and the microcirculation of flexor tendons have been studied and defined extensively using qualitative methods, the quantitative assessment of blood flow has been lacking because of the limitations of the available experimental techniques. We studied the regional blood supply to the flexor tendons of dogs by the technique of radionuclide-labeled microspheres. Seven adult mongrel dogs were used. Microsphere injection and tissue-counting techniques previously used for other tissues were applied. Samples of proximal, isthmus, and distal portions of the profundus and superficialis flexor tendons were harvested from each digital unit of available limbs from each dog. Mean (+/- SE) flows (ml/100 g dry tissue/min) were proximal profundus 1.78 +/- 0.60 and superficialis 7.10 +/- 1.50. The differences were significant (p less than 0.01). The study suggests that regional variation in blood flow to canine digital flexor tendons exists, so that a single value for blood flow to these tendons is not relevant. Furthermore, the study supports the concept of dual (vascular and synovial) nutrition to the digital flexor tendons in dogs. These observations may have implications regarding tendon repair techniques.

Use of medical services and satisfaction with ambulatory care among a rural Minnesota population.

Patient satisfaction with health care services and the use of ambulatory care in rural southeastern Minnesota were surveyed before and after physician manpower was increased. This report is confined to the findings in 1974, before the three local practicing physicians were joined by two additional physicians. The physician to population ratio at the time of the initial survey was 1 to 6,200 in 1974 and 1 to 2,500 with the additional physicians in 1975.In this area the population of 12,400 centered around the town of Zumbrota. A total of 1,332 persons completed questionnaires, and 796 filled out a second questionnaire concerning patient satisfaction with health care. The scores on 40 items formed 18 satisfaction indices.Use of health services was lower than in the National Health Survey of 1969; the mean number of visits per year in Zumbrota was 3.3 compared with 4.3 for the national sample. The volume of use in the Zumbrota region was low, particularly among adults. Use of services was not significantly related to the education, occupation and income of the residents. About 10 percent of the population accounted for half of the total number of visits.Only a few of the 18 patient satisfaction indices were related to the respondent's income and occupation, but 5 were related to educational level. Satisfaction with health care services was generally higher in this rural population than among the people in four urban areas that were surveyed using the same satisfaction indices.The question raised by the findings in this survey-are rural areas in general as deprived and unsatisfied with health care as the literature suggests-remains unsettled. Changes over time in use and patient satisfaction are being assessed in the resurvey to seek possible explanations of the low utilization and high degree of patient satisfaction in this area.

Management of acute flexor tendon injury in the hand.

In this report, we have attempted to review the current state of the art with regard to the treatment of partial flexor tendon injuries, the strength of the flexor tendons and its relationship to complete tendon lacerations, and the importance of passive joint motion to improve tendon excursion. At this time, it appears that most partial flexor tendon injuries are best treated by nonsurgical repair and an early active assisted or passive range-of-motion exercise program for a period of 3 to 4 weeks. Protecting the hand up to a total of 10 to 12 weeks seems reasonable based on studies of tendon strength. Surgical intervention is necessary to prevent complications of triggering, entrapment, or rupture, which generally occur with lacerations of greater than 60%. We would reserve the repair of partial flexor tendon injuries to lacerations where tendon rupture, triggering, or entrapment would be expected. After flexor tendon repair, knowledge of the strength of tendons and the need for passive mobilization are important. There is not sufficient strength within the flexor tendon repair site to allow for active mobilization sooner than 17 days. Probably only with a lateral trap stitch similar to that described by Becker or with extremely well supervised and trusted patients can active motion be started this early. There is insufficient intrinsic tendon strength to consider active motion (without assistance) earlier than 3 1/2 to 4 weeks. Passive range of motion using the Kleinert-Atasoy or Durand technique before this period is important in not only increasing tendon gliding (or excursion) but also being a stimulus to improve flexor tendon healing strength.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cleavage of transcriptional activator Oct-1 by poliovirus encoded protease 3Cpro.

In HeLa cells, RNA polymerase II mediated transcription is severely inhibited by poliovirus infection. Both basal and activated transcription are affected to bring about a complete shutoff of host cell transcription. We demonstrate here that the octamer binding transcription factor, Oct-1, is cleaved in HeLa cells infected with poliovirus. Incubation of Oct-1 with the purified, recombinant 3Cpro results in the generation of the cleaved Oct-1 product seen in virus infected cells. Poliovirus infection leads to the formation of altered Oct-1 DNA complexes that can also be generated by incubation of Oct-1 with purified 3Cpro. We also show that Oct-1 cleaved by 3Cpro loses its ability to inhibit transcriptional activation by the SV40 B enhancer. These results suggest that cleavage of Oct-1 in poliovirus infected cells leads to the loss of its activity.