Efficient differentiation of human neutrophils with recapitulation of emergency granulopoiesis in human G-CSF knockin humanized mice

Neutrophils are critical mediators during the early stages of innate inflammation in response to bacterial or fungal infections. A human hematopoietic system reconstituted in humanized mice aids in the study of human hematology and immunology. However, the poor development of human neutrophils is a well-known limitation of humanized mice. Here, we generate a human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (hG-CSF) knockin (KI) NOD/Shi-scid-IL2rg^null (NOG) mouse in which hG-CSF is systemically expressed while the mouse G-CSF receptor is disrupted. These mice generate high numbers of mature human neutrophils, which can be readily mobilized into the periphery, compared with conventional NOG mice. Moreover, these neutrophils exhibit infection-mediated emergency granulopoiesis and are capable of efficient phagocytosis and reactive oxygen species production. Thus, hG-CSF KI mice provide a useful model for studying the development of human neutrophils, emergency granulopoiesis, and a potential therapeutic model for sepsis.

Perceptual differences between stroke patients with cerebral infarction and intracerebral hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE

To assess perceptual performances of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) compared with those of ischemic patients early after stroke and to analyze the psychometric properties of three perceptual tests used in the study.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

A rehabilitation unit at a teaching hospital.

PATIENTS

Twenty-two stroke patients with ICH and 22 demographically matched stroke patients with infarction.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment (LOTCA), Rivermead Perceptual Assessment Battery (RPAB), and Motor-Free Visual Perception Test (MVPT).

RESULTS

Stroke patients with ICH had significantly more severe deficits on a task of thinking operations than did patients with infarction. A significant lateralized effect of stroke existed in the ICH group, with patients with right-hemisphere strokes scoring lower than patients with left-hemisphere strokes on the figure-ground discrimination subtest of the RPAB. A considerable overlap among the three instruments was found. Yet, the observed correlations between supposedly similar subtests from the tests proved to be moderate, indicating that to a certain extent these test measures tap different perceptual processes. Four factors were generated from a joint LOTCA-RPAB-MVPT factor analysis. They assessed different facets of perceptual functioning, including higher-level and lower-level perceptual skills, part/whole conceptual integration, and color perception. This factor pattern accounted for 75.5% of the variance.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher-level perceptual functions tend to be relatively susceptible to ICH stroke pathology early in the course of the disease. This information has important clinical implications in the early treatment planning for the stroke patients with ICH, such that specific compensatory strategies for these deficiencies should be devised to facilitate a successful rehabilitation. Knowledge regarding the influences of specific deficits on the performance of daily activities may also be useful to the patients' family.

Performance of older adults with and without cerebrovascular accident on the test of visual-perceptual skills

OBJECTIVES

The purposes of this study were to (a) investigate whether older subjects with brain damage score lower on the Test of Visual-Perceptual Skills (TVPS) than control subjects without brain damage matched for age and education, (b) determine the demographic effects on test performance in both groups, and (c) determine the capacity of TVPS in identifying visual-perceptual deficits in adults with brain damage.

METHOD

The study sample consisted of 22 subjects with cerebrovascular accident (CVA) and 155 subjects who were neurologically intact (control group). The TVPS was administered individually to each subject. Raw scores (total response time and accuracy) were analyzed to generate descriptive statistics. Other statistical analysis included analysis of variance, analysis of covariance, discriminant analysis, and Pearson product-moment correlations.

RESULTS

There were significant between-group differences on all TVPS measures, with control subjects performing better than subjects with CVA. Age was shown to affect performance on most subtests of the TVPS in the control group. Education had significant influence over each measure, whereas gender differences were significant only in two subtests. No demographic effects were found in the group with CVA. The total TVPS accuracy score was the most powerful discriminator between the two groups, correctly classifying 74.4% of the subjects. Finally, the total accuracy score inversely correlated with total time score.

CONCLUSION

The TVPS may be useful in screening for visual-perceptual impairments in adults with CVA. Age, gender, and educational level have no significant impact on the magnitude of visual-perceptual dysfunctions.

A study of pinch strength in normal Taiwanese adults

The purpose of this study was to describe norms of pinch strength for normal Taiwanese adults and to investigate the effects of age, gender, height, weight, and digit length on pinch strength. Three types of pinch (i.e. tip, key, and palmar pinch) were measured for a sample of 356 adults aged 20 to 88 years from a major metropolitan city located in southern Taiwan. A newly calibrated B&L pinch gauge was used for strength measurements with a standardized position during testing. The dominant hand was tested first, followed by the nondominant hand. The average of two trials for each pinch strength test was used as the subject's test scores. The results indicated that in the male group, pinch strength remained relatively stable up to 50 to 59 years old before a decline began, whereas pinch strength peaked with the 40- to 59-year-old group for female subjects. Males were stronger than females on all prehension patterns. Pinch strength of the right hand was significantly affected by such variables as the lengths of thumb and index finger and height, along with weight. With regard to the left hand, only height and weight had significant impact on pinch strength. Finally, there was an overall 13% pinch strength difference between the dominant and nondominant hands for the total sample. These findings provide therapists with objective data concerning the pinch strength of the Taiwanese adult's hand for clinical use.

Grip strength in different positions of elbow and shoulder

This study investigated the effect of shoulder position on grip strength in 80 men and 80 women. A Jamar dynamometer was used to measure the grip strength in the four testing positions. The four hand strength tests consisted of three positions in which the elbow was maintained in full extension combined with varying degrees of shoulder flexion (ie, 0 degrees, 90 degrees, and 180 degrees) and of one position in which the elbow was flexed at 90 degrees with the shoulder in 0 degrees of flexion. Only the dominant hand was tested. The highest mean grip strength measurement was recorded when the shoulder was positioned at 180 degrees of flexion with elbow in full extension; whereas the position of 90 degrees elbow flexion with shoulder in 0 degrees of flexion had the lowest grip strength score. In addition, the grip strength measured with the elbow in extension, regardless of shoulder position (ie, 0 degrees, 90 degrees, and 180 degrees of flexion), was significantly higher than when the elbow was flexed at 90 degrees with the shoulder positioned at 0 degrees of flexion. Finally, grip strength differed significantly for both sexes and for each age group. The grip values of the standardized 90 degrees elbow flexed position were further analyzed to determine the average performances in the study population. For men, grip strength peaked within the 20 to 39 years age group and gradually declined thereafter. For women, the highest mean grip strength measurement was recorded in the 40- to 49-year-old age group and then deteriorated with age.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Performance of normal Chinese adults on grip strength test: a preliminary study

This study investigated grip strength performance in normal Chinese adults. Grip strength of 160 Chinese subjects (80 males and 80 females) from a major metropolitan city in southern Taiwan was measured with a newly calibrated Jamar dynamometer. The subject was tested in a standing position, with shoulder adducted and neutrally rotated, elbow flexed at 90 degrees and forearm and wrist in neutral position. Subjects exerted one maximal effort with both right and left hands. Results indicate that the grip strength of Chinese males peaked within the 20 to 39 year-old group. For Chinese females, the highest grip strength score occurred in the 40 to 49 year-old age group and declined as a function of age. Males consistently had higher grip strength than females across age ranges. Finally, there was no 10% variance in grip strength from the dominant to nondominant hand for each age group of both sexes. Instead, there were 49 (31%) of all subjects who had nondominant hand strength scores that were equal to or greater than their dominant hand strength scores. Clinical implications and recommendations for future research are suggested.

Grip strength: relationship to shoulder position in normal subjects

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of shoulder position on grip strength. A Jamar dynamometer was used to measure the grip strength of 160 subjects (80 males and 80 females), stratified on both sex and age, in the four testing positions. For each of the tests of grip strength, the subject stood with the shoulder adducted and neutrally rotated while the forearm and wrist were held in the neutral position. The four hand strength tests consisted of three positions in which the elbow was maintained in full extension combined with varying degrees of shoulder flexion (i.e., 0 degree, 90 degrees, and 180 degrees) and of one position in which the elbow was flexed at 90 degrees with the shoulder in 0 degree of flexion. Only the dominant hand was tested. The results showed that the highest mean grip strength measurement was recorded when the shoulder was positioned at 180 degrees of flexion with elbow in full extension; whereas the position of 90 degrees elbow flexion with shoulder in 0 degree of flexion had the lowest grip strength score. In addition, the grip strength measured with the elbow in extension, regardless of shoulder position (i.e., 0 degree, 90 degrees, and 180 degrees of flexion), was significantly higher than when the elbow was flexed at 90 degrees with the shoulder positioned at 0 degree of flexion. Finally, grip strength differed significantly for both sexes and for each age group. The findings are valuable in the evaluation and rehabilitation training of hand injured patients.

[Comparison of various patterns of chopstick use and functional performance]

Three hundred and ninety-seven normal adult subjects were tested in order to investigate the prevalences of various patterns of chopstick-use. Manipulation speed was also compared. According to the movement of the fingers, finger positions and contact areas, we can divide the various chopstick-use patterns into 3 basic patterns with 13 variations. Prevalences of the 3 basic patterns were palmar prehension (68.5%), lateral prehension (14.2%), and dynamic palmar prehension (17.3%). There was a statistically significant difference in manipulation speed among the 3 basic patterns. The influence of sex and age on manipulation speed was also analyzed for each of the 3 basic chopstick-use patterns. The results of this study will serve as a reference for occupational therapists in the evaluation and training for eating activities.