Study Design: Prospective, experimental, randomized, single-factor, pretest/posttest design. Objectives: To examine the effects of a calcaneal and Achilles-tendon-taping technique, utilizing only 4 pieces of tape and not involving the medial arch, on the symptoms of plantar heel pain. Background: Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel and foot pain. Physical therapists have applied many techniques in an attempt to relieve the symptoms of plantar heel pain, including various taping methods for which there is little existing evidence. Methods and Measures: Subjects (n = 41) were randomly assigned into 4 groups: (1) stretching of the plantar fascia, (2) calcaneal taping, (3) control (no treatment), and (4) sham taping. A visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and a patient-specific functional scale (PSFS) for functional activities were measured pretreatment and after 1 week of treatment (posttreatment). Results: A significant difference was found posttreatment among the groups for the VAS (P Ͻ .001). Specifically, significant differences were found between stretching and calcaneal taping (mean ± SD, 4.6 ± 0.7 versus 2.7 ± 1.8; P = .006), stretching and control (mean ± SD, 4.6 ± 0.7 versus 6.2 ± 1.0; P = .026), calcaneal taping and control (mean ± SD, 2.7 ± 1.8 versus 6.2 ± 1.0; P Ͻ .001), and calcaneal taping and sham taping (mean ± SD, 2.7 ± 1.8 versus 6.0 ± 0.9; P Ͻ .001). No significant difference among groups was found for posttreatment PSFS (P = .078). Conclusions: Calcaneal taping was shown to be a more effective tool for the relief of plantar heel pain than stretching, sham taping, or no treatment.

A placebo controlled, double-blind study was carried out in six centres in general practice to assess the effectiveness of Trancopal in treating sleep disturbances due to rheumatic disorders. Eighty-five patients received a usual dose of two tablets of Trancopal or matching placebo at night for two weeks. Patients were assessed weekly and kept a daily record of the quality of sleep. All ratings showed that patients slept significantly better on Trancopal than on placebo. Day-time rheumatic stiffness however was not significantly reduced. Six patients receiving Trancopal reported side-effects chiefly drowsiness (five patients) which was controlled by dose reduction. It was concluded that for rheumatic patients Trancopal offers an acceptable alternative to current hypnotics over which it may prove to have some advantages, particularly for the elderly.

Background Postoperative pain is common in patients hospitalized in surgical departments, yet it is currently not sufficiently controlled by analgesics. Acupuncture, a complementary medical practice, has been evaluated for its benefits in postoperative pain with heterogeneous results. We tested the feasibility of a controlled study comparing the postoperative analgesic effect of acupuncture together with standard-of-care to standard-of-care only. Methods In this pilot non-randomized controlled study conducted at a tertiary medical center in Israel, patients received either acupuncture with standard-of-care pain treatment (acupuncture group) or standard-of-care treatment only (control group) following surgery. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) ratings for pain level at rest and in motion were evaluated both at recruitment and two hours after treatment. Acupuncture-related side effects were reported as well. Results We recruited 425 patients; 336 were assigned to the acupuncture group and 89 to the control group. The acupuncture group exhibited a decrease of at least 40% in average level of pain both at rest (1.8±2.4, p<0.0001) and in motion (2.1±2.8, p<0.0001) following acupuncture, whereas the control group exhibited no significant decrease (p=0.92 at rest, p=0.98 in motion). Acupuncture's analgesic effect was even more prominent in reducing moderate to severe pain at baseline (VAS ≥4), with a decrease of 49% and 45% of pain level at rest and in motion respectively (p<0.001), compared with no significant amelioration in the control group (p=0.20 at rest, p=0.12 in motion). No major side effects were reported. Conclusion Integrating acupuncture with standard care may improve pain control in the postoperative setting.

The Meis family oncoproteins play a crucial role in leukemogenesis and are highly expressed in other types of cancer as well. The transforming potential of Meis proteins depends on their ability to activate gene expression and therefore, revealing the identity of their target genes is very important. The genome of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster contains a single Meis gene, homothorax (hth), which plays multiple roles in embryonic and adult development. Mutations in hth affect the development of numerous embryonic and adult tissues, suggesting that Hth regulates the transcription of a large number of genes. However, it is not known how many genes are regulated directly by Hth and what is the nature of these genes. To address this question, we examined the distribution of the in vivo binding sites of Hth on polytene chromosomes. We found that in the salivary glands (SG) of third instar larvae, Hth binds to approximately 150 chromosomal sites in a very reproducible pattern. More than hundred of these sites were mapped cytologically. Interestingly, Hth accumulates at high levels in some of the most prominent hormone-induced chromosomal puffs, pointing to a possible role of Hth in activation of ecdysone-induced targets. Interfering with the normal transcriptional activity of Hth in larval SGs leads to dramatic reduction in cell size and DNA content implicating Hth in the regulation of cell growth and endoreplication in larval SGs.

BackgroundAcne vulgaris, a common skin disease, affects up to 80 % of the population. Moderate to severe acne requires treatment with a combination of topical and oral drugs such as antibiotics, hormones and retinoids. Retinoids have many contraindications and adverse effects requiring close monitoring. The study’s objectives were to describe prescribing trends in acne medication over time in a military setting, and assess physician adherence to guidelines for acne treatment, including drug precautions, clinical monitoring, and treatment progression.MethodsWe conducted a descriptive, serial cross-sectional study of acne drugs prescribed in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the years 2002–2007, analyzing the classes of drugs prescribed and patient characteristics. In addition, the clinical quality of the medical encounter was assessed by examining physician adherence to IDF guidelines.ResultsBetween 2002 and 2007, 64,281 patients were treated for acne. Treatment courses generally persisted for 1–2 months. Over 70 % of female patients receiving oral retinoids were not concomitantly receiving oral contraceptives.ConclusionThis study provides a unique perspective of acne treatment in a military setting, overall displaying good adherence to general guidelines. The common prescription of oral retinoids to young females without concomitant contraception is alarming.