Kompressiovaatteiden vaikutus lihasaktivaatioon EMG:llä mitattuna

Kompressiovaatteiden suosio on kasvanut jatkuvasti ja niitä käyttävät useat tavallisista kuntoliikkujista ammat-tiurheilijoihin. Saatavissa on useilta eri merkeiltä kompressiotrikoita, -paitoja, -säärystimiä, -sukkia sekä -hihoja. Kompressiovaatteiden vaikutus perustuu ulkoisen paineen eli kompression aikaansaamiin vaikutuksiin kudoksissa. Niiden luvattuja hyötyjä ovat muun muassa lihasvammojen ennaltaehkäisy, verenkierron tehostuminen, lyhyempi palautumisaika ja kehonhallinnan paraneminen. Fysioterapeutin asiakaskunnan koostuessa hyvin erilaisista asiak-kaista eri taustoineen kompressiovaatteiden hyödyntäminen on mahdollinen apukeino erilaisissa kuntoutusproses-seissa ja urheilufysioterapiassa. Tutkimuksen tilaaja oli Mika Rouhiainen (Embreis AB). Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää kahden tutkimusvii-kon aikana onko kompressiovaatteiden käytöllä vaikutusta lihasaktivaatioon liikuntasuorituksen aikana EMG-älyshortseilla mitattuna. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli saada uutta tutkimustietoa kompressiovaatteiden hyödyistä, jotta niitä voitaisiin hyödyntää fysioterapiassa monipuolisemmin. Tutkimus toteutettiin tapaustutkimuksena yhdellä koehenkilöllä kahden tutkimusviikon ajan. Ennen tutkimusviikkoja teimme koehenkilölle alkukartoituksen. Haastattelimme koehenkilöä, tarkistimme ryhdin ja testasimme liikkuvuudet ja lihaskireydet. Kummallakin viikolla koehenkilö käytti Myontec Oy:n EMG-älyshortseja urheilusuorituksien aikana, jotta saimme mitattua koehenkilön lihasaktivaatiota. Mittasimme lihasaktivaatiota valitsemillamme testiliikkeillä. Ensimmäisellä tutkimusviikolla koehenkilö ei käyttänyt kompressiovaatteita ja viikko toimi verrokkiviikkona toiselle viikolle, jolloin koehenkilö käytti 2XU:n kompressiotrikoita, -paitaa ja -sukkia. EMG-mittausten lisäksi käytimme aineiston analysoinnissa havainnointia. Tutkimuksen perusteella voitiin todeta, että kompressiovaatteiden käytöllä on vaikutusta lihasaktivaatiotasoon silloin, kun kyseessä on maksimaalista voimankäyttöä vaativa harjoite. Kompressiovaatteista ei kuitenkaan näyttäisi olevan hyötyä eri lihasryhmien tai puolierojen lihasaktivaatiotasojen tasaamisessa. Otanta oli kuitenkin hyvin pieni, eivätkä tulokset ole luotettavasti yleistettävissä. Tulevaisuudessa ilmiötä voitaisiin tutkia tarkemmin isommalla otannalla.The popularity of compression garments has increased continuously and they are used by athletes as well as ordinary people. Many different brands offer a wide range of compression garments for example compression tights, shirts, socks and sleeves. The effect of compression garments is based on the pressure on tissues. The benefits of compression garments are for example muscle damage prevention, better blood circulation, a shorter recovery time and better body control. Compression garments can be used in physiotherapy multiple ways in rehabilitation and in sports physiotherapy. The client of the study was Mika Rouhiainen (Embreis AB). The purpose of the study was to find out during two weeks if compression garments have an effect on muscle activation during exercise measured by EMG-shorts. The aim of the study was to develop new knowledge of the benefits of compression garments so that they could be used more diversely in physiotherapy. The study was a case study. We had one participant and two test weeks. Before we started our measurements, we interviewed the participant, checked her posture, tested mobility and muscle tension. The participant wore Myontec’s EMG-shorts during exercises so that we could measure her muscle activation. We measured muscle activation with test moves that we had chosen in advance. On first test week the participant didn’t wear compression garments and on the second week she wore 2XU’s compression tights, shirt and socks. We also used observation as a method so we can pay attention to all variables. According to this study compression garments have an effect on muscle activation when exercising maximal strength. Wearing compression garments does not have a balancing effect on muscle activation levels between different muscle groups or body sides. The sample size was so small that the results cannot be reliably generalized. In the future, more research is needed with more participants

Impact of ball milling on maize (Zea mays L.) stem structural components and on enzymatic hydrolysis of carbohydrates

The impact of ball milling on structural components of maize (Zea mays L.) stem was investigated in relation to enzymatic hydrolysis of carbohydrates. Ball milling of extractive-free maize stem material was carried out with different milling times up to 12 h. Carbohydrate conversion from ball-milled maize stem material with cellulolytic preparation Onozuka R-10 increased to 79% with increasing ball milling time up to 4 h, but did not thereafter increase further. Ball milling caused drastic depolymerization of hemicelluloses as revealed by increasing amounts of monosaccharides released in absence of enzymes. Infrared spectroscopy showed that cellulose crystallinity decreased within the first 6 h milling thereafter reaching a plateau. Thioacidolysis of solid residue fractions obtained after treatment of ball-milled samples with Onozuka R-10 suggested that no extensive degradation of lignin occurred during the milling. The effect of lignin structure on enzymatic hydrolysis of associated carbohydrates was further studied independently of cellulose crystallinity. Two lignin-carbohydrate fractions comprising hemicellulose and lignin with either high or low amount of aryl ether linkages were used as model materials. Lignins abundant in aryl ether linkages appeared more detrimental than condensed lignins to enzymatic hydrolysis of associated carbohydrates

Determination of surface-accessible acidic hydroxyls and surface area of lignin by cationic dye adsorption

A new colorimetric method for determining the surface-accessible acidic lignin hydroxyl groups in lignocellulose solid fractions was developed. The method is based on selective adsorption of Azure B, a basic dye, onto acidic hydroxyl groups of lignin. Selectivity of adsorption of Azure B on lignin was demonstrated using lignin and cellulose materials as adsorbents. Adsorption isotherms of Azure B on wheat straw (WS), sugarcane bagasse (SGB), oat husk, and isolated lignin materials were determined. The maximum adsorption capacities predicted by the Langmuir isotherms were used to calculate the amounts of surface-accessible acidic hydroxyl groups. WS contained 1.7-times more acidic hydroxyls (0.21 mmol/g) and higher surface area of lignin (84 m2/g) than SGB or oat husk materials. Equations for determining the amount of surface-accessible acidic hydroxyls in solid fractions of the three plant materials by a single point measurement were developed. A method for high-throughput characterization of lignocellulosic materials is now available

Isolation of structurally distinct lignin–carbohydrate fractions from maize stem by sequential alkaline extractions and endoglucanase treatment

Sequential fractionation of extractive-free maize stems was carried out using two mild alkaline extractions (0.5 and 2 M NaOH, 20 'C, 24 h) before and after endoglucanase treatment. This procedure provided two lignin–carbohydrate fractions (LC1 and LC2) recovered after each alkali treatment. LC1 and LC2 contained 39% and 8% of the total lignin amount, respectively. These two fractions contained structurally distinct lignin molecules. While the content of resistant interunit bonds in lignin was 77% in LC1, it was increased up to 98% in LC2. Not unexpectedly, both alkali-soluble fractions contained substantial amount of p-coumaric and ferulic acids ether-linked to lignins. These results outline heterogeneity of maize stem lignins related to fractionation of grass materials

Challenges in evaluation of screening for gastric cancer among men based on nonrandomized design

Background: Objective was to quantify biases in screening for gastric cancer when comparing attenders to nonattenders using serum pepsinogen I (SPGI) level as primary test.Methods: In mid 1990s, all men aged 51-65 years from two Finnish cities were invited to SPGI screening. Mortality and premature mortality in attenders were compared to nonattenders. Efficacy of screening was studied by 15 years' follow-up of standardized mortality ratio (SMR) and potential years of life lost (PYLL) due to gastric cancer. Bias due to selective attendance was quantified using corrective coefficients based on total cancer incidence and mortality, and gastric cancer-specific incidence and mortality for total population and nonattenders.Results: In 1994-1996, men aged 51-65 years (16,872) were invited to SPGI assay and 12,175 men (72%) attended. SPGI was 25 microg/l or less in 610 (5%) men, indicating severe atrophic gastritis (AG). Post-screening gastroscopy was performed to 435 men with low SPGI. Of these, 168 men were referred for treatment due to abnormal focal lesions. Attributable proportions in reductions of SMR and PYLL from gastric cancer due to screening were 59% and 67%. After correcting for selective participation, attributable proportions were reduced to 23% and 39%.Conclusions: Biomarker screening by low SPGI among middle-aged men followed by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy decreased long-term and premature mortality due to gastric cancer. However, in spite of methodological corrections done, the results do not justify any firm conclusions or recommend general screening programs. Randomized trials are warranted for this purpose.Peer reviewe

A prospective evaluation of the predictive value of faecal calprotectin in quiescent Crohn’s disease

Background: The faecal calprotectin (FC) test is a non-invasive marker for gastrointestinal inflammation. Aim: To determine whether higher FC levels in individuals with quiescent Crohn’s disease are associated with clinical relapse over the ensuing 12 months.<p></p> Methods: A single centre prospective study was undertaken in Crohn's disease patients in clinical remission attending for routine review. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the primary endpoint of clinical relapse by 12 months, based on FC at baseline, was calculated. Kaplan-Meier curves of time to relapse were based on the resulting optimal FC cutoff for predicting relapse.<p></p> Results: Of 97 patients recruited, 92 were either followed up for 12 months without relapsing, or reached the primary endpoint within that period. Of these, 10 (11%) had relapsed by 12 months. The median FC was lower for non-relapsers, 96µg/g (IQR 39-237), than for relapsers, 414µg/g (IQR 259-590), (p=0.005). The area under the ROC curve to predict relapse using FC was 77.4%. An optimal cutoff FC value of 240µg/g to predict relapse of quiescent Crohn’s had sensitivity of 80.0% and specificity of 74.4%. Negative predictive value was 96.8% and positive predictive value was 27.6%. FC≥240μg/g was associated with likelihood of relapse 5.7 (95% CI 1.9-17.3) times higher within 2.3 years than lower values (p=0.002).<p></p> Conclusions: In this prospective dataset, FC appears to be a useful, non-invasive tool to help identify quiescent Crohn’s disease patients at a low risk of relapse over the ensuing 12 months. FC of 240µg/g was the optimal cutoff in this cohort.<p></p&gt

Faecal haemoglobin and faecal calprotectin as indicators of bowel disease in patients presenting to primary care with bowel symptoms

OBJECTIVE: In primary care, assessing which patients with bowel symptoms harbour significant disease (cancer, higher-risk adenoma or IBD) is difficult. We studied the diagnostic accuracies of faecal haemoglobin (FHb) and faecal calprotectin (FC) in a cohort of symptomatic patients. DESIGN: From October 2013 to March 2014, general practitioners were prompted to request FHb and FC when referring patients with bowel symptoms to secondary care. Faecal samples were analysed for haemoglobin (EIKEN OC-Sensor io) and calprotectin (BÜHLMANN Calprotectin ELISA). Patients triaged to endoscopy were investigated within 6 weeks. All clinicians and endoscopists were blind to the faecal test results. The diagnostic accuracies of FHb and FC for identification of significant bowel disease were assessed. RESULTS: 1043 patients returned samples. FHb was detectable in 57.6% (median 0.4 µg/g, 95% CI 0.4 to 0.8; range 0–200). FC at 50 µg/g or above was present in 60.0%. 755 patients (54.6% women, median age 64 years (range 16–90, IQR 52–73)) returned samples and completed colonic investigations. 103 patients had significant bowel disease; the negative predictive values of FHb for colorectal cancer, higher-risk adenoma and IBD were 100%, 97.8% and 98.4%, respectively. Using cut-offs of detectable FHb and/or 200 µg/g FC detected two further cases of IBD, one higher-risk adenoma and no additional cancers. CONCLUSIONS: In primary care, undetectable FHb is a good ‘rule-out’ test for significant bowel disease and could guide who requires investigation

Interleukin-1 polymorphisms associated with increased risk of gastric cancer

Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with a variety of clinical outcomes including gastric cancer and duodenal ulcer disease. The reasons for this variation are not clear, but the gastric physiological response is influenced by the severity and anatomical distribution of gastritis induced by H. pylori. Thus, individuals with gastritis predominantly localized to the antrum retain normal (or even high) acid secretion, whereas individuals with extensive corpus gastritis develop hypochlorhydria and gastric atrophy, which are presumptive precursors of gastric cancer. Here we report that interleukin-1 gene cluster polymorphisms suspected of enhancing production of interleukin-1-beta are associated with an increased risk of both hypochlorhydria induced by H. pylori and gastric cancer. Two of these polymorphism are in near-complete linkage disequilibrium and one is a TATA-box polymorphism that markedly affects DNA-protein interactions in vitro. The association with disease may be explained by the biological properties of interleukin-1-beta, which is an important pro-inflammatory cytokine and a powerful inhibitor of gastric acid secretion. Host genetic factors that affect interleukin-1-beta may determine why some individuals infected with H. pylori develop gastric cancer while others do no