Carpal tunnel syndrome and the use of computer mouse and keyboard: A systematic review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This review examines evidence for an association between computer work and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A systematic review of studies of computer work and CTS was performed. Supplementary, longitudinal studies of low force, repetitive work and CTS, and studies of possible pathophysiological mechanisms were evaluated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Eight epidemiological studies of the association between computer work and CTS were identified. All eight studies had one or more limitation including imprecise exposure and outcome assessment, low statistical power or potentially serious biases. In three of the studies an exposure-response association was observed but because of possible misclassification no firm conclusions could be drawn. Three of the studies found risks below 1. Also longitudinal studies of repetitive low-force non-computer work (n = 3) were reviewed but these studies did not add evidence to an association. Measurements of carpal tunnel pressure (CTP) under conditions typically observed among computer users showed pressure values below levels considered harmful. However, during actual mouse use one study showed an increase of CTP to potentially harmful levels. The long term effects of prolonged or repeatedly increased pressures at these levels are not known, however.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>There is insufficient epidemiological evidence that computer work causes CTS.</p

What is the valence of a correlated solid? The double life of delta-plutonium

Plutonium displays phase transitions with enormous volume differences among its phases and both its Pauli like magnetic susceptibility and resistivity are an order of magnitude larger than those of simple metals. Curium is also highly resistive but its susceptibility is Curie-like at high temperatures and orders antiferromagnetically at low temperatures. The anomalous properties of the late actinides stem from the competition between the itinerancy and localization of its f electrons, which makes the late actinides elemental strongly correlated materials. A central problem in this field is to understand the mechanism by which these materials resolve these conflicting tendencies. In this letter we identify the electronic mechanisms responsible for the anomalous behaviour of late actinides. We revisit the concept of valence using theoretical approach that treats magnetism, Kondo screening, atomic multiplet effects, spin orbit coupling and crystal field splitting on the same footing. Plutonium is found to be in a rare mixed valent state, namely its ground state is a superposition of two distinct valencies. Curium settles in a single valence magnetically ordered state at low temperatures. The f7 atomic configuration of Curium is contrasted with the multiple configuration manifolds present in Plutonium ground state which we characterize by a valence histogram. The balance between the Kondo screening and magnetism is determined by the competition between spin orbit coupling and the strength of atomic multiplets which is in turn regulated by the degree of itinerancy. The approach presented here, highlights the electronic origin of the bonding anomalies in plutonium and can be applied to predict generalized valences and the presence or absence of magnetism in other compounds starting from first principles.Comment: 2 figures, 1 tabl

Sentinel node detection in N0 cancer of the pharynx and larynx

Neck lymph node status is the most important factor for prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Sentinel node detection reliably predicts the lymph node status in melanoma and breast cancer patients. This study evaluates the predictive value of sentinel node detection in 50 patients suffering from pharyngeal and laryngeal carcinomas with a N0 neck as assessed by ultrasound imaging. Following 99m-Technetium nanocolloid injection in the perimeter of the tumour intraoperative sentinel node detection was performed during lymph node dissection. Postoperatively the histological results of the sentinel nodes were compared with the excised neck dissection specimen. Identification of sentinel nodes was successful in all 50 patients with a sensitivity of 89%. In eight cases the sentinel node showed nodal disease (pN1). In 41 patients the sentinel node was tumour negative reflecting the correct neck lymph node status (pN0). We observed one false-negative result. In this case the sentinel node was free of tumour, whereas a neighbouring lymph node contained a lymph node metastasis (pN1). Although we have shown, that skipping of nodal basins can occur, this technique still reliably identifies the sentinel nodes of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the pharynx and larynx. Future studies must show, if sentinel node detection is suitable to limit the extent of lymph node dissection in clinically N0 necks of patients suffering from pharyngeal and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

A phase III placebo-controlled study in advanced head and neck cancer using intratumoural cisplatin/epinephrine gel

Patients with recurrent or refractory head and neck squamous cell carcinoma received cisplatin/epinephrine injectable gel or placebo gel injected directly into the clinically dominant tumour. The double-blind phase III trial comprised of up to 6 weekly treatments over 8 weeks, 4 weekly evaluation visits, and then monthly follow-up; open-label dosing began as needed after three blinded treatments. Tumour response was defined as complete (100% regression) or partial (50–99% regression) sustained for ⩾28 day, and patient benefit as attainment of palliative or preventive goals prospectively selected by investigators and patients. With cisplatin/epinephrine gel, 25% (14 out of 57) of tumours responded (16% complete regression, 9% partial regression), vs 3% (one out of 35, complete regression) with placebo (P=0.007). Patient benefit was positively associated with target tumour response in the blinded period among cisplatin/epinephrine gel recipients (P=0.024): 43% (six out of 14) of responders benefited, vs 12% (five out of 43) of non-responders. The most frequent adverse event was pain during injection and the next most frequent was local cytotoxic effects consistent with the gel's mode of action. Systemic adverse events typical of intravenous cisplatin were uncommon. Intratumoural therapy with cisplatin/epinephrine gel provided safe, well-tolerated, effective palliative treatment for patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, who lack other satisfactory treatment options

Site-specific labeling of nucleotides for making RNA for high resolution NMR studies using an E. coli strain disabled in the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a versatile organism for making nucleotides labeled with stable isotopes (13C, 15N, and/or 2H) for structural and molecular dynamics characterizations. Growth of a mutant E. coli strain deficient in the pentose phosphate pathway enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (K10-1516) on 2-13C-glycerol and 15N-ammonium sulfate in Studier minimal medium enables labeling at sites useful for NMR spectroscopy. However, 13C-sodium formate combined with 13C-2-glycerol in the growth media adds labels to new positions. In the absence of labeled formate, both C5 and C6 positions of the pyrimidine rings are labeled with minimal multiplet splitting due to 1JC5C6 scalar coupling. However, the C2/C8 sites within purine rings and the C1′/C3′/C5′ positions within the ribose rings have reduced labeling. Addition of 13C-labeled formate leads to increased labeling at the base C2/C8 and the ribose C1′/C3′/C5′ positions; these new specific labels result in two- to three-fold increase in the number of resolved resonances. This use of formate and 15N-ammonium sulfate promises to extend further the utility of these alternate site specific labels to make labeled RNA for downstream biophysical applications such as structural, dynamics and functional studies of interesting biologically relevant RNAs

Joint Practice Guidelines for Radionuclide Lymphoscintigraphy for Sentinel Node Localization in Oral/Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Involvement of the cervical lymph nodes is the most important prognostic factor for patients with oral/oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and the decision of whether to electively treat patients with clinically negative necks remains a controversial topic. Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) provides a minimally invasive method for determining the disease status of the cervical node basin, without the need for a formal neck dissection. This technique potentially improves the accuracy of histologic nodal staging and avoids overtreating three-quarters of this patient population, minimizing associated morbidity. The technique has been validated for patients with OSCC, and larger-scale studies are in progress to determine its exact role in the management of this patient population. This document is designed to outline the current best practice guidelines for the provision of SNB in patients with early-stage OSCC, and to provide a framework for the currently evolving recommendations for its use. Preparation of this guideline was carried out by a multidisciplinary surgical/nuclear medicine/pathology expert panel under the joint auspices of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) Oncology Committee and the Sentinel European Node Trial (SENT) Committee

Joint practice guidelines for radionuclide lymphoscintigraphy for sentinel node localization in oral/oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Involvement of the cervical lymph nodes is the most important prognostic factor for patients with oral/oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and the decision whether to electively treat patients with clinically negative necks remains a controversial topic. Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) provides a minimally invasive method of determining the disease status of the cervical node basin, without the need for a formal neck dissection. This technique potentially improves the accuracy of histological nodal staging and avoids over-treating three-quarters of this patient population, minimizing associated morbidity. The technique has been validated for patients with OSCC, and larger-scale studies are in progress to determine its exact role in the management of this patient population. This article was designed to outline the current best practice guidelines for the provision of SNB in patients with early-stage OSCC, and to provide a framework for the currently evolving recommendations for its use. These guidelines were prepared by a multidisciplinary surgical/nuclear medicine/pathology expert panel under the joint auspices of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) Oncology Committee and the Sentinel European Node Trial Committee

TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

Search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum in pp collisions at √ s = 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Results of a search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum are reported. The search uses 20.3 fb−1 of √ s = 8 TeV data collected in 2012 with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Events are required to have at least one jet with pT > 120 GeV and no leptons. Nine signal regions are considered with increasing missing transverse momentum requirements between Emiss T > 150 GeV and Emiss T > 700 GeV. Good agreement is observed between the number of events in data and Standard Model expectations. The results are translated into exclusion limits on models with either large extra spatial dimensions, pair production of weakly interacting dark matter candidates, or production of very light gravitinos in a gauge-mediated supersymmetric model. In addition, limits on the production of an invisibly decaying Higgs-like boson leading to similar topologies in the final state are presente