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BACKGROUND: Clinical results for the treatment of displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures are mainly expressed using disease-specific outcome scores, physical examination and radiographs. We hypothesized that plantar pressure and foot position analysis is a valuable tool in assessing foot function in patients with a unilateral displaced intra-articular calcaneal fracture treated percutaneously. MATERIALS AND METHODS: With a followup of at least one year, 21 patients with a unilateral displaced intra-articular calcaneal fracture treated percutaneously participated in the study. The pedobarographic measurements in the injured foot were compared with the contralateral control foot. Correlations between the ratios (injured/control) of plantar pressure and foot position variables and outcome scores, the physical exam items ratios, the fracture classification, and the radiological parameters were calculated. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences between the injured and the control foot were found for the weight distribution (p = 0.002), total contact time (p < 0.001), and the maximum pressure under the first metatarsal (p = 0.02) after a median followup of 18 months. Of all correlations calculated, only the heel time ratio correlated significantly with the heel width ratio (p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Significant differences in plantar pressure distribution between the injured and uninjured foot were found, indicating that plantar pressure analysis and foot position analysis is an objective test to assess deviations in foot function. Plantar pressure data revealed limited correlation with outcome scores. Therefore, plantar pressure analysis should not be used instead of but in addition to established outcome scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several naturally occurring food components or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may reduce gastrointestinal cancer rates. Recently we have shown that dietary administration of such compounds enhanced the glutathione S-transferase (GST) enzyme activity and class alpha, mu and pi isoenzyme levels in the rat gastrointestinal tract. Elevation of the levels of GSTs, a family of biotransformation enzymes with many functions such as detoxification of carcinogens, might be one of the mechanism that lead to cancer prevention. We therefore investigated whether the anticarcinogens α-angelicalactone, α-tocopherol, β-carotene, coumarin, ellagic acid, flavone, indole-3-carbinol, d-limonene, oltipraz, phenethylisotheiocyanate (PEITC) and the sulphoraphane analogue compound-30 affect gastrointestinal rGSTT1-1 protein levels in male Wistar rats. rGSTT1-1 protein levels were determined in cytosolic fractions of liver and oesophageal-, gastric-, small intestinal- and colonic mucosa by densitometrical analyses of western blots after immunodetection with an anti-human GSTT1-1 monoclonal antibody, that cross-reacts with rGSTT1-1. In control Wistar rats, gastrointestinal rGSTT1-1 protein levels were highest in the liver and decreased in the order liver > stomach > colon > oesophagus > small intestine. Gastric rGSTT1-1 protein levels were enhanced by α-angelicalactone, α-tocopherol, coumarin, ellagic acid, oltipraz, PEITC and the sulphoraphane analogue compound-30. Oesophageal rGSTT1-1 protein levels were elevated by α-angelicalactone and coumarin, whereas colonic rGSTT1-1 protein levels were elevated by coumarin. Ellagic acid, on the other hand, reduced hepatic rGSTT1-1 protein levels to 53% of the control. In conclusion, dietary anticarcinogens are capable of inducing rGSTT1-1 protein levels in the rat gastrointestinal tract, and are most pronounced in the stomach. Enhanced rGSTT1-1 protein levels might lead to an increase of enzyme activity and to a more efficient detoxification of carcinogens and thus could contribute to prevention of carcinogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are a family of enzymes involved in the detoxification of a wide range of chemicals including chemical carcinogens. Human cytosolic GSTs are divided into four major classes; α, μ, π, and θ. This study was performed to evaluate the influence of age and gender on the GST isoenzyme expression and glutathione (GSH) content in lymphocytes. Blood was collected from 124 healthy controls, which were divided into age groups of 20-40 years (21 females, 20 males), 40-60 years (20 females, 21 males) and 60-80 years (20 females, 22 males). Lymphocytes were isolated by density centrifugation on Histopaque-1077. After homogenization, cytosolic fractions were isolated. Herein, GST isoenzyme levels were determined by densitometrical analysis of western blots after immunodetection with monoclonal antibodies. Total GSH content was determined by high performance liquid chromatography after conjugation with monobromobimane. Spearman rank correlation and Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used for statistical evaluation. Lymphocytic GSTμ and π levels were not correlated with age or gender. GSTα was not detectable in lymphocytes. GSH contents were not different in males and females, but decreased with age in both males and females. In age group 60-80, GSH content was significantly lower as compared with age groups 20-40 and 40-60 in both sexes. Since high GSH is an essential factor in the detoxification of many compounds, these data indicate that the detoxification potential of the GSH/GST system in lymphocytes may decrease with age in man. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]