Three-dimensional architecture and development of lumber intervertebral discs.

The three-dimensional architecture of the collagen framework of human lumbar intervertebral discs was studied with scanning electron microscopy and polarized light microscopy concentrating on the fibrillar interconnection between the intervertebral disc and the vertebral bodies. The fibrillar framework of the annulus fibrosus and the cartilage end-plates encircled the nucleus pulposus as a closed-pack system in the adult. This closed-pack system developed in the seventh embryonic month and was completed by the tenth month. In general, fibrils composing the framework in the fetus were thinner than in the adult. There was no fibrillar interconnection between the cartilage end-plate and subchondral bone. In the inner one-third of the annulus, obliquely oriented fibrillar lamellae interconnected with the cartilage end-plate. In the outer two-thirds, the fibrillar bundles of the lamellae were firmly anchored into the vertebral bodies. This fibrillar anchoring system was already present in the full-term fetus although the vertebral rim was not ossified.</p

Carpal tunnel syndrome induced by two types of calcium deposition

Two rare cases of carpal tunnel syndrome caused by calcification in the carpal tunnel are reported. One case involved a tumorous calcification consisting of basic calcium phosphate, and the other involved a diffuse calcification consisting of a mixture of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate and basic calcium phosphate. These cases suggest that the shape of carpal tunnel calcifications is influenced by the nature of calcifying substance itself, i.e., whether it is heterogenous or homogenous.</p

森林生態系の保全を訴える南方熊楠の思想

明治時代の日本で，田中正造と南方熊楠はいずれも，地域の人々の生活と身近にある自然環境を守るため，人生の一部をささげた先覚者として知られる．このうち南方熊楠は，和歌山県の田辺を拠点として，神社の森を守るために友人や協力者にあてて数多くの書簡をしたためたり，幾回にもわたって新聞や雑誌に記事を投稿したりした． 本論文は，まずこれまで知られていない森林保全を訴える南方の筆による新聞記事を紹介し，次に彼が生涯にわたり自然保護を訴えつづけた背後にある思想の一端を，哲学者プラトンの宇宙観を参考にしつつ解きあかそうとするものである．南方は神社林などで過ごすひとときこそ，『パイドロス』などでプラトンが述べているような古代ギリシアにおいて人々が秘儀に参加し，神々しさに触れる体験がなされたことと同様に，言語などを介せずに人間の内面深く感化するものであると主張した．万物に創造主の息吹がかけられていることを確信していた南方が，自然環境の保全を訴えるのは当然のことであった．世界規模で環境破壊が進行する今日にあっても，およそ百年前に活躍した南方の環境思想は色あせることなく，今後ますます輝きを増していくものと考えられる． Both Shozo Tanaka and Kumagusu Minakata, who were active during the Meiji era in Japan, are known as the pioneers who have dedicated a part of their lives to protect the lives of local people as well as the natural environment. One of them, Minakata, based in Tanabe in Wakayama Prefecture, wrote a number of letters addressing his friends and collaborators to protect the forest of shrines, and submitted articles in newspapers and magazines. This paper introduces a newspaper article that Minakata wrote to appeal for forest conservation, which has not yet been known so far. At the same time, it clarifies part of the underlying thoughts behind Minakata’s appeal for nature protection throughout his lifetime. Minakata insisted that a moment we spent in the shrine forest and the like is the same opportunity to participate in a secret religious ceremony (mystery) to touch the divinity, as described by the philosopher Plato of ancient Greece. It was a matter of course that Minakata, who was convinced that all things are inspired by the breath of Creator, appealed for the conservation of the natural environment. Even today when environmental destruction is progressing in a global scale, we believe that the environmental ideas of Minakata who lived about a century ago will never fade but will continue to shine in the future

Biomechanical Evaluation of the Fixation Methods for Transcondylar Fracture of the Humerus:ONI Plate Versus Conventional Plates and Screws

We biomechanically evaluated the bone fixation rigidity of an ONI plate (Group I) during fixation of experimentally created transcondylar humerus fractures in cadaveric elbows, which are the most frequently observed humeral fractures in the elderly, and compared it with the rigidity achieved by 3 conventional fixation methods:an LCP reconstruction plate 3.5 using a locking mechanism (Group II), a conventional reconstruction plate 3.5 (CRP) with a cannulated cancellous screw (Group III), and a CRP with 2 cannulated cancellous screws (CS) in a crisscross orientation (Group IV). In the axial loading test, the mean failure loads were:Group I, 98.9+/-32.6;Group II, 108.5+/-27.2;Group III, 50.0+/-7.5;and Group IV, 34.5+/-12.2 (N). Group I fixations failed at a significantly higher load than those of Groups III and IV (p0.05). In the extension loading test, the mean failure loads were:Group I, 34.0+/-12.4;Group II, 51.0+/-14.8;Group III, 19.3+/-6.0;and Group IV, 14.7+/-3.1 (N). Group IV fixations showed a significantly lower failure load than those of Group I (p0.05). The fixation rigidities against mechanical loading by the ONI plate and LCP plate were comparable. These results suggested that an ONI system might be superior to the CRP and CS method, and comparable to the LCP method in terms of fixation rigidity for distal humerus fractures.</p

Occult Compression Fracture of Metacarpal Head without Evidence of Avascular Necrosis

We report a case of 4th metacarpal head collapse of a 19-year-old healthy man. MRI revealed T1 low and T2 high regions in the collapsed 4th metacarpal head, as well as in the right 3rd and left 4th metacarpal head. Our initial diagnosis was occult compression fracture due to avascular necrosis, known as Dieterich's disease. However, pathological findings of surgically resected right 4th metacarpal head were compatible with transient osteoporosis and metacarpal head fracture followed by active tissue repair. The autologous osteochondral transplants from costchondral junction survived and maintained their size and shape even at 10-year follow-up

Osteoporosis due to testicular atrophy in male leprosy patients

A study was conducted to examine the relationship of testicular atrophy to bone metabolism in male leprosy patients. The study consisted of 31 leprosy patients (mean age: 62.0 years) and 31 healthy control men (mean age: 60.0 years). Measurements were made of their serum levels of free testosterone (FT), estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone (LH) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 OHD). Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured at radial sites and the lumbar vertebral bodies (L2-L4) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry using a Hologic QDR-2000 densitometer. FT and E2 levels were significantly lower and LH levels higher in leprosy patients than in controls. This represents a primary hypogonadal pattern. A value of 7.20pg/ml of FT (= Mean -1 SD of control) was used as a cut off value, and the subjects were subdivided into a hypogonadal group (HG) and a non hypogonadal group (non-HG). When the subjects were compared for differences in age, age at onset of disease, duration of disease, body mass index and BMD, only the duration of disease and BMD were significantly different between the two groups. Furthermore, BMD of the forearm significantly correlated with FT levels (r = 0.689, P &#60; 0.0001). Low BMD may be due to orchitis and testicular atrophy.</p

Bi-directional of a Built-in Test Circuit for Interconnect Defects in Assembled PCBs

Bi-directional of a built-in test circuit is proposed to detect open defects at inputs and output interconnects between ICs and a PCB. The test circuit is based on an electrical characteristic of an inverter gate. A test method is related to supply current which flows to the inverter by providing a test signal to the test circuit. The test signal is generated by an AC voltage signal with a DC offset voltage. The open defects which occur at the interconnects will be detected by the large supply current flows to the inverter. On the other hand, if the defects don't occur, the supply current of the inverter is almost zero. Testability of the test circuit is examined using a Spice simulation. The results show that the open defects at the interconnects can be detected and located

BRAKING AND PROPULSIVE IMPULSES ACROSS A RANGE OF RUNNING SPEEDS IN UNILATERAL TRANSFEMORAL AMPUTEES

Braking and propulsive ground reaction force impulses (GRIs) are mechanical parameters affecting the running performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the braking and propulsive GRIs across a range of speeds in unilateral transfemoral amputees. Ten unilateral transfemoral amputees ran on an instrumented treadmill at incremental speeds of 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, and 70% of their maximum speed. At all given speeds, the braking GRI of affected limb was significantly smaller than unaffected limb; however, the propulsive GRIs were similar for both limbs. Consequently, the net anteroposterior GRI was positive in affected limb and negative in unaffected limb. These results suggest that the functional role of braking and propulsion is not the same between the limbs. Training for unilateral transfemoral amputees could focus on reducing the braking GRI of unaffected limb

タソウ ハイセン LSI ノ ダンセン コショウ ケンサ ニ カンスル ケンキュウ

Open faults are difficult to test since the floating wire occurred by an open fault has unstable voltage. In this work, the effect of adjacent lines around an open fault in multi-layered wiring LSIs is discussed. To observe the relation between an open fault and the adjacent lines, a 0.35μm CMOS IC is designed and fabricated. The open fault macros with a transmission gate and with an intentional break are included in the IC. The adjacent lines in the same layer and the different layers are placed in the test chip. The simulation and experimental results show that the voltage at the floating wire is affected by the adjacent lines

Comparative studies of MRI and operative findings in rotator cuff tear.

A prospective study was performed to determine the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compared with operative findings in the evaluation of patients associated with rotator cuff tears. Fifty-four of 60 shoulders (58 patients) examined by MRI were confirmed as full-thickness tears and 6 as partial-thickness tears at the time of surgery. The oblique coronal, oblique sagittal, and axial planes of T2-weighted images with the 0.5 tesla MRI system were obtained preoperatively and compared with operative findings. MRI correctly identified 46 of 54 full-thickness rotator cuff tears and 5 of 6 partial-thickness tears. A comparison of MRI and operative findings in full-thickness cuff tears showed a sensitivity of 85%, a specificity of 83%, and a positive prospective value (PPV) of 99%. A comparison of partial-thickness tears showed a sensitivity of 83%, a specificity of 85%, and PPV of 39%. Linear regression analysis showed an excellent correlation between the MRI assessment and measurement at the time of surgery (r = 0.90, P &#60; 0.01). MRI was useful in evaluating large and medium-sized rotator cuff tears, but less useful in distinguishing small full-thickness tears from partial-thickness tears.</p