1) Departments of Pathology, Jikei University Katsushika Medical Center (6-41-2, Aoto, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo 125-8506, Japan) 2) Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jikei University Katsushika Medical Center 3) Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jikei University School of Medicine 4) Department of Pathology and Laboratory, Omori Red Cross Hospital 5) Department of Molecular Pathology, Graduate School of Health Care Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University
Several application developers have offered an application on iPhone for the physical therapist to measure range of motion. This application can be used to investigate lumbar proprioception in patients with low back pain. However, this iPhone application and measurement protocol should be tested for test-retest reliability prior to clinical usage. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to determine test-retest reliability of an iPhone application and measurement protocol. Thirty healthy subjects (mean age20.4±1.4 years; 93% female; BMI 21.0±2.7 kg/m 2 ) were recruited into this present study. Two iPhones were attached at lumbar spine (L1) and sacrum (S2) by Velcro straps. Each subject performed 2 sets of 3 repetitions of active forward trunk bending (Test). Angle from each iPhone was recorded. The angle difference between the two iPhones represented lumbar range of motion. Mean across 3 repetitions was calculated for each set. After completion of 2 sets of forward bend, subjects rested for 15 minutes, and all iPhones were detached from the subjects. After 15 minute rest, subjects underwent the same testing protocol again (Retest). Mean of set 1 and 2 were used to determine test-retest reliability of an iPhone application, while mean of test and retest were used to determine test-retest reliability of our protocol. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Minimal detectable change (MDC) were used for statistical analysis. The results demonstrated ICC 3,k of an iPhone application was 0.95 with MDC equaled to 4.77 ๐ , and ICC 2,k of our protocol was 0.67 with MDC equaled to 12.27 ๐ . Based upon our results, it could be concluded that an iPhone application and our measurement protocol have adequate test-retest reliability, and can be clinically used to further investigate lumbar proprioception in patients with low back pain.
Specific anti- Candida activity against planktonic forms of lemongrass essential oil is well established nowadays. However, little is known about the effect of this oil on biofilm formation of Candida albicans . The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of lemongrass essential oil on biofilm formation of one reference and two clinical strains of Candida albicans namely C. albicans ATCC 90028, C. albicans No.2 and C. albicans No.4. The effect of sub-MICs of the oil (0.5xMIC; 0.015%,v/v), 1xMIC, 2xMIC and 4xMIC on the ability of Candida to form biofilm at 2, 4 and 24 hrs was determined by crystal violet assay. The results showed that lemongrass essential oil was able to interfere biofilm formation starting from the initial phase. The effect of the oil on initial cell attachment and biofilm eradication revealed in dose, exposure time and strain dependent manner. However, complete inhibition of cell attachment and biofilm eradication were not achieved.
Extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing Klebsiella pneumoniae strains (ESBLKPs) and multidrug resistant Klebsiella pneumonia (MDRKP) is frequently found in Thailand. The infected patients are difficult to treat and may lead to treatment failure. The aim of this study was to investigate the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of ESBLKPs from the clinical specimens of patients at Roi Et Hospital. The study was conducted between January1, 2014 to October 31, 2015. The clinical specimens were examined including urine, sputum, pus, body fluids and blood. The antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by disk diffusion, and β-lactamase enzymes produced were tested by combined disk diffusion methods and using Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 700603 to be a reference strain. All laboratory processes were performed according to guideline of CLSI January, 2010. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard derivation, percent) were used for data analysis. From 125 patients, most of them were female 50.4%, mean age 62.2 years ( + SD =15.6), more than 7 days admitted 52.5%. Clinical specimens were sputum 71.2%. Of 90 subjects were diagnosed with ESBLKPs for 98.0%, 98.0%, 98.0%, 97.0%, 97.0%, 72.0% and 81.0% susceptible to amikacin, imipenem, meropenem, ertapenem, doripenam, gentamicin andtigecycline respectively. Also, 35 subjects were identified as ESBL+ MDRKPs and 98.0%, 97.0%, 96.0%, 96.0%, 86.0%, 68.0% respectively which were susceptible to meropenem, doripenem, impipenem, ertapenem, amikacin and tigecycline respectively. In conclusion, this study revealed that ESBLKPs and ESBL+ MDRKPs were high susceptible to carbapenem, amikacin and tigecycline.
The extended International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health core set for stroke (eICFCS-stroke) is an assessment tool for describing stroke-related health. However, there were no reports of its use in Thailand. Before this core set could be applied to Thai population, there was a need to investigate its quality of measurement. This study aimed to evaluate rater reliability of the eICFCS-stroke in Thai population. Participants were 43 community-dwellers with stroke (27 males and 16 females, mean age ± SD 65.6 ± 10.6 years). Raters were 2 physical therapists who independently assessed the participants and filled in the eICFCS-stroke with a qualifying scale ranging from 0 (no problem/facilitator/barrier) to 4 (complete problem/facilitator/barrier) or the qualifiers 8 (not specified) and 9 (not applicable). The ratings were based on information obtained through interviews with the participants and their caregivers, observations and physical therapy examinations. Rater reliability was analyzed by using the percent observed agreement and the weighted kappa for each category. Based on the kappa coefficients and respective confidence intervals, the results revealed that of 166 categories of the eICFCS-stroke, 123 (74.1%) and 119 (71.7%) had intra- and inter-rater reliability, respectively. Most categories of the eICFCS-stroke had rater reliability when assessing within the context of Thai community. However, reduction of some categories which were difficult to make a judgment in the community as well as reduction the number of qualifiers and simplification of the "environmental factors" categories should be considered to improve the efficient use of this core set.
Large blood pressure difference between arms was associated with early atherosclerosis as well as cardiovascular events. The aim of this quasi-experiment study was to determine the effect of isometric handgrip training on an inter-arm systolic blood pressure difference and incidence of impaired vascular properties in middle-age prehypertensive adults. Thirty prehypertensive individuals with resting blood pressure were 120-139/80-89 mmHg, age range 40-59 years, were participated in this study for 8 weeks. Subjects were required to exercise using handgrip dynamometer at an intensity of 30% maximum voluntary contraction, hold for 2 minutes, 4 times/set with a 1-minute rest period, 1 set/day, 3 times/week. Blood pressure was measured in both arms sequentially, an inter-arm blood pressure difference was calculated from the absolute systolic blood pressure value between right arms minus left arms |R – L|. At the end of the study, an inter-arm systolic blood pressure difference reduced significantly when compared with baseline ( p u003c0.05). In addition, the incidence of impaired vascular properties, which was indicated by the inter-arm systolic blood pressure difference equal or more than 5 mmHg reduced significantly compared with baseline ( p =0.026). Therefore, isometric handgrip exercise contributed to reducing the blood pressure difference together with vascular impairment in prehypertensive adults.
Increasing of dengue cases each year burdens the public health and economic problems worldwide. Dengue virus (DENV) is the causative agent of the disease. Vaccine against this virus is a goal to prevent and eliminate dengue disease. The surface proteins, prM and E on top of the dengue virion are the major targets for vaccine. Variation of DENV strains is the key factor to target the vaccine antigens. A number of live-attenuated DENV vaccine candidate have been entering into different clinical trials. The breakthrough was the successful of the world first dengue vaccine development named Dengvaxia. This vaccine showed the overall efficacy to all 4 DENV serotypes about 60%. Due to its moderate efficacy, the use of this vaccine is therefore to reduce the hospitalization from DENV infection. The vaccine use is recommended in the dengue endemic region including Thailand, where high circulation of 4 DENV serotypes is observed. Unfortunately, the limitation of this vaccine is imbalance protection against 4 DENV serotypes, with the lowest level of protection to DENV-2. History of DENV-primed in individuals is the useful information to convey the effective and safe use of this dengue vaccine.
