Two review articles (Arokoski et al., Tyyni & Karlsson) dealing with articular cartilage in this and the coming issue treat two different aspects of joint cartilage and disease.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to H Roos.
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The purpose of this study was to register prospectively the injuries in female soccer and to study their correlation to potential risk factors. A total of 123 senior players from eight teams of different levels were followed during one season. Isokinetic knee muscle strength at 60 and 180 degrees/s, one-leg-hop, vertical jump, square-hop, and continuous multistage fitness test (MFT) were tested at the end of the pre-season. In addition, Body Mass Index (BMI) and general joint laxity were measured. During the season, April-October, all injuries resulting in absence from one practice/game or more were registered. Forty-seven of the 123 players sustained altogether 65 injuries. The total injury rate was 14.3 per 1000 game hours and 3.7 per 1000 practice hours. The knee (26%) was the most commonly injured region followed by the foot (12%), ankle (11%), thigh (11%) and back (11%). The risk of sustaining moderate and major injuries increased in the later part of the game or practice. Significant risk factors for injuries were an increased general joint laxity (odds ratio (OR)=5.3, P<0.001), a high performance in the functional test square-hop (OR=4.3, P=0.002), and an age over 25 years (OR=3.7, P=0.01). The injury rate was not different compared to male soccer, but knee injuries were more common, which is in accordance with previous studies. None of the risk factors identified in this study is easily applicable for future intervention studies in the attempts to reduce the injury rate in female soccer.
The feline claws in the forepaw and hind paw are very different in shape. An objective method of comparison will be described. The differences in function and the factors with regard to the shape are discussed.
The differences in the skeleton of the forepaw and hindpaw of the domestic cat are an expression of a highly specialized, functional adaption: The mesaxonic forepaw with abducable first digit is used for running as well as for catching and climbing. The paraxonic hindpaw becomes, particularly through the arched construction of the metacarpus, a long and strong caulking tool both in sprinting and climbing up. The discussion focuses on evolutionary considerations. Moreover, common points and differences in the skeleton of the forepaw and hindpaw of the domestic cat and their importance are summarized and briefly compared with the situation in the dog.
According to form and range of mobility the joints of the cat's paw (articulationes manus et pedis) are adjusted to two basic functions: as far as they are used for walking in the different gaits they show components in the sagittal plane that particularly correspond to the digitigrade dog. With regard to cat-specific behaviour, i.e. climbing and catching, specific characteristics of the joints for movements in the R-plane (rotation) and A-plane (abduction/adduction) can be distinguished. For this reason highly specialized types of articulations occur in cat's paw that are unique compared to other mammals and that mostly have not been described yet. In this context, like in the skeleton (see first communication), function-adapted divergences can also be found between the joints of the forepaw and hindpaw of the cat.
BACKGROUND: Growth factors are known to play a major role in the regeneration of the periodontium. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is a polypeptide growth factor considered to have a role in chemotaxis and mitogenesis of periodontal ligament cells (PLC). The aim of this study was to assess the dose-dependent effect of bFGF administration on the levels of gene expression of collagen type I (a1) (col I), collagen type III (col III), and collagenase-1 (MMP-1) in PLC. METHODS: PLC were cultured in different concentrations of bFGF (0.1 to 10 ng of bFGF) for 14 and 21 days. At each time point, the gene expression of the examined molecules was assessed semi-quantitatively by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. RESULTS: The results indicated that bFGF exhibits an inverse time- and dose-dependent effect on the gene expression of col I and MMP-1: it simultaneously downregulates the gene expression of col I and upregulates the gene expression of MMP-1. On the other hand, bFGF had no dose-dependent effect on col III gene expression. The effect of bFGF on the expression of the three genes was modulated by the time of incubation with bFGF. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that bFGF is one of the important regulators involved in the active remodeling of col I in the periodontal ligament and possibly in other connective tissues.
With respect to distribution and flow, the Vasa pulmonalia resemble those of the normal grown domestic pig to a great extent. The present article investigates whether, like the human lung (Hayek, 1970), the arrangement of the blood vessels has a function over and above that of directing blood; that is to say, a mechanical function. The arteries through which the blood streams act as flexible supporting structures, and the veins as elastic holding structures, for the quadrupede animal also.
The blood vessels in the lung of the goat, which until now have received little attention, are described in detail for the first time. With regard to the segments of the lung, blood vessels are bronchovascular units in the lobi craniales, lobus medius and lobus accessorius, but bronchoartery units in the lobi caudales. We investigated the types of branches of the Aa. pulmonales dextra et sinistra, the inter- and intraspecific principles of the outlet of the pulmonary veins and the importance of bronchopulmonary segmentation of the lungs.
We evaluated the impact of acute, isolated ACL disruption on knee joint proprioception by means of passive-active and active-active joint position sense (JPS) measurement techniques. 18 subjects with acute, isolated and unilateral ACL disruption were tested for JPS in a standing position. The test protocol included 6 trials for each leg. In each trial, the lower leg was passively positioned to an index angle approximating either 30 degrees or 70 degrees, followed by 5 active repetitions of the index angle where the subjects attempted to reproduce the index angle to the best of their ability. The errors from the exact index angle reproduction were calculated as both real (showing both magnitude and direction) and absolute values (only magnitude). All subjects had a tendency to reproduce the index angle with both the injured and normal knees in a more flexed position (overestimation). Only the absolute error produced by the active-active test at flexion angles greater than 45 degrees produced a significant difference with a larger error for the normal knee. In all other comparisons between the injured and the normal knee no differences were found. We conclude that the afferent signals which are compromised by an acute tear of the ACL are insignificant compared to afferent signals from the other joint and muscle receptors.
Development of the gonometrical measuring method has allowed the respiratory movement of the lateral chest wall and the sternum to be investigated. The mobility of a single rib varies enormously in gradual transitions. There are distinct differences between species. For a number of reasons, the cat can achieve more intense thoracic respiration than the dog.
Both joint injury and joint stress contribute to the development of arthrosis. The article consists in a review of literature in this field which sheds light on the risk of developing hip or knee arthrosis as a result of sports participation. Soccer is a sport associated with manifest joint overload and risk of injury to the knee. Owing to the increased incidence of cruciate ligament and meniscus injury among soccer players, there is a markedly increased risk of arthrosis (or post-traumatic arthrosis), radiological signs of arthrosis being present in 50 per cent of cases after 15 years. Moreover, elite level soccer is associated with an increased risk of knee arthrosis, even if cases of trauma-induced arthrosis are excluded. There is also a markedly increased risk of hip arthrosis among former elite soccer players. Below the elite level, however, soccer is not associated with an increased risk of knee or hip arthrosis; nor is long-distance running associated with an increased risk of arthrosis, though extremely long-distance running may cause arthrosis, primarily in the hip, but possibly also in the knee.
Interactions between the immobilized weak-affinity monoclonal IgG antibody 39.5, which is specific for the glucose-alpha 1,4-glucose motif, and various oligosaccharides were studied with surface plasmon resonance technology. The antibody was immobilized at high levels on the surface of the sensor chip and different concentrations of the analytes were injected at 25 and 40 degrees C. The 39.5 antibody exhibited specific binding to maltose, tetraglucose and maltotriose, with dissociation constants Kd in the range from 0.07 mM (25 degrees C) to 1.0 mM (40 degrees C). Association and dissociation rate constants (ka and kd) were rapid and baseline was obtained almost immediately after the end of each antigen injection. This excluded the need for a regeneration step but also made calculation of the kinetic values impossible. Owing to the weak affinity and the small size of the analytes (< 1000 Da), a careful design of control surfaces is demanded to exclude artefactual results.
A methodology using biosensor technology for combined kinetic and thermodynamic analysis of biomolecular interactions is described. Rate and affinity constants are determined with BIAcore. Thermodynamics parameters, changes in free energy, enthalpy and entropy, are evaluated from equilibrium data and by using rate constants and transition state theory. The methodology using van't Hoff theory gives complementary information to microcalorimetry, since only the direct binding is measured with BIAcore whereas microcalorimetry measures all components, including e.g. hydration effects. Furthermore, BIAcore gives possibilities to gain new information by thermodynamic analysis of the rate constants.
OBJECTIVE: To study the long-term outcome of surgical removal of a meniscus in the knee with regard to radiographic signs of osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: Of the 123 patients who underwent an open meniscectomy due to an isolated meniscus tear in 1973 at Lund University Hospital, 107 were followed up 21 years later by clinical examination and by review of knee radiographs obtained with weight bearing. Seventy-nine of the 107 patients were men, and the mean age of the total study group at examination was 55 years (range 35-77). Sixty-eight sex- and age-matched individuals with healthy knees served as controls. RESULTS: Mild radiographic changes were found in 76 (71%) of the knees, while more advanced changes, comparable with a Kellgren-Lawrence grade of 2 or higher, were seen in 51 (48%). The corresponding prevalence values in the control group were 12 (18%) and 5 (7%), respectively. The relative risk for the presence of the more advanced radiographic changes representing definite radiographic tibiofemoral OA was 14.0 (95% confidence interval 3.5-121.2), using age- and sex-matched pairs for comparison. No correlation with sex, localization to compartment, type of meniscus tear, or work load was found. Knee symptoms were reported twice as often in the study group as in the controls. CONCLUSION: Surgical removal of a meniscus following knee injury represents a significant risk factor for radiographic tibiofemoral OA, with a relative risk of 14.0 after 21 years.
Irradiation of human lymphocytes by x-rays has been seen, in past studies, to produce increasing frequencies of chromosome aberrations at lower x-ray energies. However, in one earlier irradiation experiment with chromium x-rays, the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) did not appear to be larger than that of hard x-rays, especially at higher doses. A possible reason for this unexpected result may have been the irradiation and culture conditions. We have, therefore, in the present study used a technique that has been developed in our laboratory to ensure uniformity of irradiation within lymphocytes and to avoid artefacts due to the cell cycle kinetics. Monolayers of 3-h-stimulated lymphocytes were exposed to 5.4 keV x-rays. A linear-quadratic dose-response was found for dicentrics. The comparison to an earlier finding with 220 kV x-rays shows the expected result of the RBE of the 5.4 keV x-rays to be above that of 220 kV x-rays. The intercellular distribution of dicentrics did not differ significantly from a Poisson distribution.
A long-term soccer career seems to increase the risk for early development of osteoarthritis in the lower extremity. Soccer constitutes a risk for osteoarthritis in two different ways. First, by the increased risk for knee injuries in soccer, such as meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament injuries; and second, by the high loading on hip and knee joints that occurs in soccer. The risk for these undesirable effects of soccer are higher in top-level players.
BACKGROUND: Several scoring systems have been proposed in order to quantify the degree of cartilage damage observed by arthroscopy of the knee in patients with osteoarthritis. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the inter-observer reliability of five different scoring systems of arthroscopic evaluation for chondropathy in osteoarthritis of the knee and to evaluate the utility of a training session between different observations on these scoring systems. METHODS: Videotapes of knee arthroscopies on five patients with osteoarthritis demonstrating different levels of severity of cartilage damage of the medial tibiofemoral compartment were analyzed by nine observers prior to (pre-training evaluation) and 2 months after a 6 h training session (post-training evaluation) by the following scoring systems: (1) cartilage deterioration by a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS), (2) overall assessment of degeneration in the entire medial compartment (cartilage, meniscus, osteophyte) using a 100 mm VAS, (3) French Society of Arthroscopy (SFA) Scoring System, (4) SFA Grading System, (5) American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Scoring System. RESULTS: At the pre-training evaluation, the SFA grading system produced the highest coefficient of reliability (r = 0.94), the other systems recording levels of < or = 0.80. At the post-training evaluation, the coefficient of reliability was r > 0.80 for four of the five scoring systems, with lack of improvement in the ACR Scoring System. CONCLUSION: There was an improved and acceptable inter-observer reliability for at least 2 months follow-up in four of five evaluated scoring systems of arthroscopically graded osteoarthritis of the knee following a training session. A scoring system using a 100 mm VAS may produce the best inter-observer reliability. These results show that scoring chondropathy is possible and demonstrate the importance of training in the analysis of articular cartilage breakdown.
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