Trabecular microfractures have been described in the bodies of the lumbar vertebrae (Vernon-Roberts, 1973). The author started this study to clarify the possibility of the participation of such microfractures in the physiological remodelling of the vertebral body. The number, distribution and microstructure of the trabecular microfractures were assessed in the 5mm thick macerated slices of lumbar vertebral bodies taken from 36 post mortem subjects mainly above the age of 40 years. The characteristics of the vertebral bodies with microfractures were further examined by a semiquantitative histology and soft X-ray radiography of the 2mm thick macerated specimens. Trabecular microfractures had little displacement. The repair process, however, might be very slow. The number of microfractures were increased in the vertebral body with decreased bone mass. It was, however, predominantly denoted in the almost normal vertebral body comparing with the deformed one. Microfractures were not regularly distributed within each vertebral bodies. The appearance of microfractures was therefore a little different from the usual fatigue fracture. In conclusion, the trabecular microfracture might be caused by relatively hyper-loading that could not be resorbed in normal turnover of formation and resorption as a remodelling process. The healing of microfractures might be related to the compensatory hypertrophy of the trabeculae.

Adult↗

PubMed1979

The use of arthroscopy for follow-up in knee joint surgery.

Fifty-three joints in 48 patients were examined arthroscopically after surgery in order to evaluate postoperative results and particularly to reveal the causes of poor results. The chief arthroscopic findings in unsatisfactory cases were the following: recurrence of synovitis or osteoarthritic changes after synovectomy for rheumatoid arthritis, residual meniscal or osteoarthritic changes after meniscectomy, loose ligamentous or meniscal lesions after ligamentous repair or reconstruction, and poor regeneration of cartilage after high tibial osteotomy.

Adult↗

PubMed1979

Histochemical study of the human intervertebral disc.

The human intervertebral discs which were obtained by cadavers and anterior discectomy are investigated histochemically. Chondroitin-4S, chondroitin-6S, dermatan sulfate, hyaluronic acid and keratan sulfate were detected in the human intervertebral disc by various histochemical methods. pH2.5, pH1.1 toluidin blue metachromasia and 0.4M MgCl2 alcianophilia became weaker with increasing age, and the herniated disc were weaker than controlled discs in the same age group. Chondroitin-4S and chondroitin-6S were distributed throughout the discs. There was no clear localization of the various glycosaminoglycans in the human intervertebral disc, with the exception of keratan sulfate. There was no histologically and histochemically observable difference in the cervical and lumbar discs.

Adult↗

PubMed1976

[Vomiting in newborn, infants and children--differential diagnosis (author's transl)].

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Acidosis↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical role of Tc-99m-MIBI scintigraphy in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between Tc-99m-hexakis-2-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) scintigraphy and outcome of treatment in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Forty-five patients with NHL were studied with Tc-99m-MIBI before any treatment. Images of the lesions were obtained at 20 min and 2 h after radionuclide administration. Visual semi-quantitative interpretation was performed for Tc-99m-MIBI (grade 0-4) scintigraphy. Patients underwent 3-5 cycles of CHOP chemotherapy with/without involved field radiotherapy for large tumors. Their responses to treatment were evaluated at the end of chemotherapy and during the follow-up period. Forty of 45 patients (89%) showed abnormal uptake of Tc-99m-MIBI. There was no correlation between intensity of MIBI accumulation and response to chemotherapy. However, patients with negative or decreased MIBI activity 2 h after radionuclide administration showed worse response to chemotherapy compared to those with continued MIBI activity. MIBI activity could not predict the development of relapse in the follow-up study. In this study, the number of patients was small and we could not reach definite conclusions. However, we think that MIBI scintigraphy is not valuable for predicting the chemotherapy outcome in patients with NHL.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cyclosporin in psoriasis: continuous monotherapy versus intermittent long-term therapy.

Using two methods (continuous monotherapy and intermittent therapy) for the treatment of psoriasis with cyclosporine, we observed the clinical efficacy and adverse reactions of each treatment method for more than 36 months to evaluate the clinical usefulness of both methods. Thirty-seven cases were analyzed and the following results were obtained: 1) The PASI score evaluated at each visit was maintained between 5 and 10 by both treatment methods and the improvement rate was more than 70%, while there was no difference in the daily dose between the two treatment methods; 2) The period required to achieve remission tended to be prolonged by intermittent therapy, while no change was observed with continuous monotherapy; 3) The period up to relapse tended to become shorter with both treatment methods but this tendency was more marked with intermittent therapy; 4) E-PAP(evaluation for prognosis with averaged PASI) was lower in the continuous monotherapy group and the patients were more satisfied; 5) The incidence of adverse reactions was similar to that reported in previous studies, with no difference between the two treatment methods in this regard; 6) A significant increase in BUN levels was observed in elderly patients; 7) There were only three cases in which the drug was discontinued due to exacerbation and adverse reactions. Based on the above findings, continuous monotherapy seems to be of greater clinical usefulness than intermittent therapy.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Improved long-term survival following complete eradication of esophageal varices by sclerotherapy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Conflicting results have been reported concerning the effect of endoscopic injection sclerotherapy upon the long-term survival of cirrhotic patients with esophageal varix. The recurrence and rebleeding of esophageal varices seems to be an important factor influencing long-term survival. We investigated the long-term survival of patients after complete eradication of esophageal varices. METHODOLOGY: Forty patients treated by endoscopic injection sclerotherapy for acute esophageal variceal bleeding were studied. The recurrence rate of varices and the long-term survival of patients in whom complete eradication of esophageal varices was obtained were compared with those of patients in whom the eradication of varices was incomplete. RESULTS: The frequency of the recurrence/deterioration rate of varices and rebleeding in the complete eradication group was significantly lower than that in the incomplete eradication group (10.7% vs. 100%, 0% vs. 58.3%, respectively, p < 0.01). Accumulated 5-year survival rate of the complete eradication group was significantly higher than that of the incomplete eradication group (68.2% vs. 43.2%, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Complete eradication of esophageal varices by endoscopic injection sclerotherapy is effective both in preventing variceal re-bleeding and in improving the survival of cirrhotic patients with esophageal varices.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of antibodies to exogenous avian leukosis virus.

A microplate enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting antibodies to avian leukosis virus (ALV) of subgroups A and B in infected chickens was developed with the use of Rous-associated virus (RAV)-1 (subgroup A) and RAV-2 (subgroup B) antigens purified by sucrose-gradient centrifugation. The antigen was used for ELISA after treatment with Triton X-100. In the ELISA, the subgroup viral antigen reacted strongly with homologous antiserum but also reacted with heterologous antiserum. Tests with serum absorbed with purified homologous and heterologous virus and tests for antigen-blocking by group-specific antibodies to ALV revealed that the reaction was caused mainly by subgroup-specific antibodies. The ELISA was 8 to 32 times more sensitive than the virus-neutralization (VN) test and detected antibodies to ALV earlier than the VN test in chickens infected experimentally with RAV-1 and RAV-2. In field application of the ELISA, 44.2% of 484 chicken sera were positive for RAV-1 and/or RAV-2 antigen, and 80.4% of flocks were positive. These findings indicate that ELISA is superior to the VN test in sensitivity, simplicity, rapidity, and applicability for large-scale field surveys for ALV infection.

Animals↗