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The aim of this study was to evaluate adverse and therapeutic effects of applicated holmium-boro-macroaggregates (HBMAs) in the radiosynoviorthesis (RSO) of knees in patients suffering from chronic synovitis. We started RSO of the knees by means of a new radiopharmaceutical (RF) HBMA in patients with gonarthrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic synovitis, psoriatic arthritis, and gout arthropathy. Seventeen (17) intra-articular injections were performed in 15 patients who were receiving a mean activity of 972 MBq (range, 904-1057) of 166Ho-HBMA. Patient inclusion to the study followed a series of inclusion and exclusion criterions. The patients were hospitalized for 3 days. Side-effects were evaluated during their hospital stay and again after 6-8 weeks. Static scintigraphy of knee joints and measurements of blood radioactivity were performed. Therapeutic effects were evaluated after 6-8 weeks and at 6 months. In 2 hours and 2 days following the application, we proved, by means of knee and inguinal scintigraphy, only insignificant radiopharmaceutical leakage from the joint cavity to the inguinal lymph nodes in 4 patients. In the treated patients, no serious adverse effects occurred. Nine (9) patients were without complaints, 4 patients had slight knee exudation, and 2 patients had great exudation. Therapeutic effects were as follows: 2 patients were without pain, 9 were with lower pain, 3 were with the same pain, and 1 patient was with increased pain. Joint motion was improved in 7 patients, remained the same in 7 patients, and was impaired in 1 patient. Analgesics consumption was lower in 5 patients, the same in 9 patients, and greater in 1 patient. Knee exudation was absent in 2 patients, lower in 4 patients, the same in 6 patients, and greater in 3 patients. In 3 patients it was necessary to do surgical RSO. This RF can extend the range of clinically used radiopharmaceuticals for RSO and to supplement space between 90Y with high energy and 186Re with 169Er with lower beta energy. The energy of 166Ho is suitable for great and medium joints (i.e., knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, wrists, and ankles).

The authors evaluate their experience with ultrasonographic (USG) examinations of the shoulder they performed in the period between 1992 and 1999. They concentrate mainly on the diagnosis of the lesion of the rotator cuff. They describe methodology of the examination, the used examination positions, instruments and present some pathological findings. They also present possibilities of these diagnostic methods and the indications where the efficiency of its use is limited or zero.They emphasize the necessity of a perfect mastering of the examination technique, a simultaneous clinical examination, x-ray examination and special x-ray projections, if need be. In total they performed 1000 examinations and processed the total number of 762 examinations. Of this number they performed 499 examinations for a suspected rupture of the rotator cuff. They compare the results with per-operative arthroscopic and open revision findings. In this way they processed a group of 78 patients operated on shoulders with preoperative USG. Key words: ultrasonography of shoulder, examination technique, normal and pathological findins.

The authors of the article describe possibilities of dealing with thumb CMC joint degenerative changes, concentrating on arthrodesis. They compare individual operations and refer about fixation of arthrodesis with micro plate osteosynthesis which enables early functional treatment. They perform the arthrodesis in patients with radiologically proved arthrosis, in most cases of stage III, who do not respond to conservative therapy. They state both short-term and long-term results in their own group of 18 operations (all of the operated patients state improvement of thumb function and relief of pain following the operation) and analyse reasons for failure of the technique and for the necessity of revision in 3 of them. Key words: carpo-metacarpal I. joint, arthrodesis, osteoarthritis of trapezio-metacarpal joint.

Autosomal recessive rat hypodactylous mutation Hd leads in homozygous condition to reductive changes of the digital arch of all feet. There is a variable preaxial reduction of the number of fingers in both sexes. Moreover, homozygous males are sterile. Testes of homozygous Hd/Hd and +/Hd adult rats were examined in the light and electron microscopes. Spatial organization of stages of the spermatogenetic cycle was not confirmed in Hd/Hd testes comparing with +/Hd males. Significant decrease in the number of germ cells in seminiferous tubules of Hd/Hd testes was accompanied with loosening and vacuolization of the seminiferous epithelium. The assignment of the Hd locus to RNO10 excluded the suspected homology between rat and mouse Hd mutations. More precise mapping using microsatellite markers revealed close linkage of the Hd locus with the D1OMit8 marker defining Syb2 gene coding for synaptobrevin 2. A chromosomal segment of RNO10 carrying Hd and Syb genes is being incrossed onto BN and SHR inbred strains in order to examine the modifying influences of different genetic backgrounds.

The height of the apical ectodermal ridge on limb buds of the embryo laboratory rat was studied in the polydactyly-luxate syndrome and compared with the controls. The following findings were obtained: (a) On the 14th embryonal day, prior to the development of the anlage of mesenchymal condensates, the AER is higher in polydactylous animals as compared with the controls. (b) On the 15th, 16th and 17th embryonal day the height of the AER in the praeaxial region of the polydactylous limb bud largely predominates over the controls. A comparison of the height of the AER above digital rays and interdigital grooves of polydactylous and normodactylous animals does not thus exhibit any marked differences. This fact is attributed to the existence of more powerful induction processes of the underlying mesenchymal component where rudiments of supernumerary digital rays are formed.

In hindlimb buds of normodactylous and polydactylous embryos in the stage of the 16th and 17th embryonal day the mesenchymal region, closely adjoining the site below the AER, was investigated. This space is called the subridge zone and is filled with a large amount of variously formed processes of mesenchymal cells, chiefly with filopodia. With the use of the morphometric point-couting method it was found that in normodactylous limb buds the density of filopodia in the given area of the subridge zone was 2.15% as compared with the 6.48% representation of filopodia in the same zone of polydactylous animals. Numerous filopodia localized right under the AER established connection between the mesenchyma and the intact basal membrane, and their higher density is undoubtedly related to the existence of the maintenance factor.

Limb buds in normally developing foetal rats and rats with the polydactyly-luxate syndrome at day 14 and 15 of intrauterine growth were studied at the optical and electron microscopic levels. Four sets of limb buds were collected and evaluated: 14th e.d.N., 14th e.d.P., 15th e.d.N., and 15th e.d.P. (e.d. embryonic day, N - normodactylous, P - polydactylous); they were studied for apical ectodermal ridge development with reference to the rates of cell death and mitosis. Both phenomena were evaluated quantitatively. A significant difference was found in the rate of physiological cell death, which was far lower in polydactylous (4.33 and 28.73) as compared with normodactylous individuals (62.40 and 82.11 cell deaths per 300 cells in the ridge on days 14 and 15). The difference found documents a considerable retardation in cell death rate in the polydactylous apical ectodermal ridge epithelium. Physiological cell death is associated with a process called apoptosis, which is characterized by the presence of "apoptotic bodies" in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells and in the intercellular space. The total number of mitoses in the ridge epithelium was relatively low (4.63 - 6.33 per 300 cells) and the differences between norm and polydactyly were not statistically significant.