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Since 1969 corrective osteotomy has been performed at our institute in young patients (under 40 years) with bowlegs, knock knees and flexion or rotational deformities around the knee. Fifty-seven knees (29 left, 28 right) of 45 patients (19 boys, 26 girls) were followed-up for a period ranging from 30 to 38 years in seven patients with seven knees, from 20 to 29 years in nine patients with 11 knees, and from ten to 19 years in 29 patients with 39 knees. Supracondylar femoral osteotomy was performed on 12 knees (11 patients), high tibial osteotomy above the tibial tuberosity on eight knees (six patients) and below the tuberosity on 37 knees (28 patients). At the final follow-up (age range 42-73 years), all of the deformities were satisfactorily corrected, with no symptoms apart from nine knees, seven of which had dull pain after strenuous sport with osteophytes, etc. in the radiograph. Total knee arthroplasty was performed in the remaining two knees, at ten and 26 years, respectively, after the initial osteotomy. Osteoarthritis developed in the contralateral knee to the initial osteotomy in two patients after 34 years at age 73 and after 33 years at age 67. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PurposeTo analyse clinical outcomes of trabeculectomy with mitomycin C (MMC) in eyes with uveitic glaucoma (UG) with inactive uveitis and compare them to those in eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).DesignRetrospective non-randomized comparative interventional case series.MethodsA total of 53 eyes with UG and 80 eyes with POAG that received MMC trabeculectomy as an initial ocular surgery with average follow-up of 5.4 years were reviewed retrospectively. The intraocular pressure (IOP) control and persistence of filtering bleb were analysed using the Kaplan–Meier life-table method based on two definitions of successful IOP control, ie complete success (IOP15 mm Hg without anti-glaucoma medications) and qualified success (IOP15 mm Hg with topical anti-glaucoma medications). The incidences of postoperative complications were also examined.ResultsComplete success rate for postoperative IOP control at 5 years after trabeculectomy was 57.1±7.5% (mean±SE) in UG, being comparable to that in POAG (53.7±6.1%), and those of qualified success was 64.7±7.0 and 65.9±5.5% (P=0.60 and 0.53) respectively. Persistence of filtrating blebs was shorter in UG than in POAG (P=0.031). Postoperative inflammation in UG was associated with worse postoperative IOP control and loss of filtering bleb (P=0.027 and 0.021). Postoperative long-standing ocular hypotony was more frequent in UG (P=0.0063).ConclusionsAn MMC trabeculectomy for UG with inactive uveitis as an initial ocular surgery had IOP control comparable to that for POAG, suggesting that pre-existing uveitis itself is not a risk factor for failure of a filtering surgery.Eye (2009) 23, 1509–1517; doi:10.1038/eye.2009.117; published online 12 June 2009 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing evidence for the role of basophils in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. To examine the presence of basophils in the airways of patients with fatal asthma by immunohistochemistry, we stained lung tissues from four post-mortem cases who had died from severe asthmatic attacks and four controls with a monoclonal antibody raised against tryptase (AA-1) and anti-IgE. Mast cells and basophils were identified in the bronchioles as AA-1- and anti-IgE-positive cells, and anti-IgE-positive cells, respectively. Airway mast cells were found beneath the basement membrane, near blood vessels in the submucosa, and adjacent to the submucosal glands, and scattered throughout the muscle bundles. There was a significant increase of mast cells in the asthma group compared with the control group (203.5±84.6/mm², mean± s.d. vs 37.7±8.7/mm², P<0.05, n = 4). In contrast, basophils were observed in the airway lumen, in the bronchial epithelium and in the submucosa. The number of basophils in the bronchioles was 81.8 ± 55.5/mm² (n = 4); however, basophils were not found at all in the airways of the control group. Although eosinophils, B lymphocytes and macrophages bear low affinity IgE receptors and could react with anti-IgE, the location of these cells in the close sections did not correspond closely with basophils. The presence of basophils in lung tissues obtained from fatal asthma patients supports the view that basophils play a role in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which conducted beam test for non-irradiated and irradiated ATLAS silicon microstrip (SCT) barrel and endcap modules. Discussion on SCT silicon microstrip modules; Results of the beamtest; Analysis of pulse shape reconstruction.

Abstract Objective To assess the inter- and intraobserver reproducibilities of pulsed Doppler measurements of the maternal renal circulation in normal pregnancies and those affected by pregnancy-induced hypertension. Materials and methods Color and pulsed Doppler ultrasound was used to measure acceleration time and resistance index in the renal segmental and interlobar arteries. For the investigation of interobserver reproducibility, two sonographers performed measurements blindly in six normal pregnant women and 14 women with pregnancy-induced hypertension between 28 and 36 weeks’ gestation. A second group of 10 patients between 30 and 35 weeks’ gestation were examined by one sonographer to assess the level of intraobserver reproducibility of measurements. For each patient in this group, the flow waveform was measured three times in succession. Calculations of the intraclass correlation coefficient Ri were used to determine the level of reproducibility. Results The interobserver Ri and intraobserver Ri for acceleration time in the segmental artery were 0.95 and 0.96 and for the interlobar artery they were 0.97 and 0.98, respectively. For the resistance index, these values were 0.01 and 0.01 in the segmental artery and 0.52 and 0.29 in the interlobar artery. Conclusion Both the inter- and intraobserver reproducibility of acceleration time measurements in the renal segmental and interlobar arteries were clinically acceptable but the equivalent reproducibilities of resistance index measurements were poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We constructed a recombinant replication defective adenovirus vector containing the env gene (Ad-Bal) derived from macrophage-trophic HIV-1 (HIV-1 Bal). We then immunized mice with this vector using several administration routes and protocols, and examined the immune response. When the Ad-Bal viral vector (over 1 × 107 pfu) was injected subcutaneously, both humoral and cell-mediated immunities were induced. However, immune response induced by the Ad-Bal vector alone was weaker than that induced by the recombinant vaccinia viral vector. We then employed the following three immunization protocols: (l) DNA vaccination followed by immunization with the Ad-Bal; (2) vaccination using the Ad-Bal vector followed by DNA vaccination; and (3) DNA vaccination followed by Ad-Bal infection and passive transfer of dendritic cells (DCs) infected with the Ad-Bal. Among the three protocols, the last gave the strongest humoral and cell-mediated immunity. These results suggest that the combination of DNA vaccination, Ad-Bal vector infection and passive transfer of Ad-Bal-infected DCs can induce strong immunity against HIV-1 Bal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adhesion molecule CD44 is thought to play an important role in the inflammatory process. To identify the expression of CD44 in articular chondrocytes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), monoclonal anti-CD44 antibodies were immunohistochemically used to react with articular cartilage specimens of 15 patients with RA, 9 with osteoarthritis (OA), and 6 with femoral neck fracture (FF). The proportion of CD44-positive chondrocytes in RA was 93 +/- 2% (N=16), which was significantly higher than that in OA (59 +/- 7%, N=9, p<0.001) and FF (46 +/- 5%, N=6, p<0.001). Among CD44 isoforms examined, the hemopoietic form was dominant in chondrocytes in RA. Therefore, up-regulation of CD44 on chondrocytes may play a significant role in cartilage degeneration in RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]