Morphology of the femoral neck in Japanese persons: Analysis using CT data

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to analyze proximal femoral morphology in Japanese persons using computed tomography (CT) data.Materials and methods: Data from 19 normal hips (N group) and 19 dysplastic hips (DH group) in women who underwent total hip arthroplasty were randomly selected from a CT database. The femur 3D model created by computer software was imported to a computer-aided design software package to analyze the medullary morphology. Center edge angle (CE angle), Sharp angle, femoral head diameter (FHD), and the offset were measured. The femoral neck isthmus space (FNIS), which is the narrowest part of the femoral neck, at neck-shaft angles of 125°, 130°, and 135°, was also measured.Results: In the N group, CE angle was 36.2°, Sharp angle was 39.8°, FHD was 42.6 mm, and offset was 39.5 mm. In the DH group, CE angle was 24.7°, Sharp angle was 46.1°, FHD was 45.2 mm, and offset was 33.6 mm. Each parameter was significantly different between the groups. FNIS was 21.8 mm, 22.1 mm, and 22.1 mm, respectively, in the N group and 21.7 mm, 21.6 mm, and 21.5 mm, respectively, in the DH group.Discussion: This is the first report to clarify the medullary morphology of the proximal femur in Japanese women. Results show that there is sufficient space for currently available implant to fit in. This study also elucidated the morphologic characteristics of dysplastic hip, which will be useful information in developing hip prostheses and fixation devices suitable for Asian patients

A newly developed snack effective for enhancing bone volume

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The incidence of primary osteoporosis is higher in Japan than in USA and European countries. Recently, the importance of preventive medicine has been gradually recognized in the field of orthopaedic surgery with a concept that peak bone mass should be increased in childhood as much as possible for the prevention of osteoporosis. Under such background, we have developed a new bean snack with an aim to improve bone volume loss. In this study, we examined the effects of a newly developed snack on bone volume and density in osteoporosis model mice.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Orchiectomy (ORX) and ovariectomy (OVX) were performed for C57BL/6J mice of twelve-week-old (Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbar, ME, USA) were used in this experiment. We prepared and given three types of powder diet <it>e.g.</it>: normal calcium diet (NCD, Ca: 0.9%, Clea Japan Co., Tokyo, Japan), low calcium diet (LCD, Ca: 0.63%, Clea Japan Co.,) and special diet (SCD, Ca: 0.9%). Eighteen weeks after surgery, all the animals were sacrified and prepared for histomorphometric analysis to quantify bone density and bone mineral content.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>As a result of histomorphometric examination, SCD was revealed to enhance bone volume irrespective of age and sex. The bone density was increased significantly in osteoporosis model mice fed the newly developmental snack as compared with the control mice. The bone mineral content was also enhanced significantly. These phenomena were revealed in both sexes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>It is shown that the newly developed bean snack is highly effective for the improvement of bone volume loss irrespective of sex. We demonstrated that newly developmental snack supplements may be a useful preventive measure for Japanese whose bone mineral density values are less than the ideal condition.</p

Two cases of multiple infarctions due to vertebral arterial occlusion associated with atlantoaxial subluxation caused by rheumatoid arthritis

Case 1: A 58-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) suffered from pontine and cerebellar infarctions and underwent three-dimensional computed tomography angiography (3D-CTA) of the vertebral artery (VA) with left-sided rotation of the head. This revealed a destroyed right atlantoaxial (AA) joint and right VA occlusion, which had caused the infarction. No recurrent infarctions have been observed after transarticular screw fixation (Magerl technique) was performed. Case 2: A 68-yearold woman with RA also suffered from pontine and cerebellar infarctions and underwent 3D-CTA of the VA with right-sided rotation of the head. This revealed a destroyed left AA joint and left VA occlusion, which had caused the infarction. No recurrentinfarctions have been observed after posterior fusion between the occiput and 3rd cervical vertebra was performed. In both cases of RA, who had multiple infarctions due to VA occlusion and a temporary thrombus formation, 3D-CTA in a rotated position helped to diagnose arterial occlusion. In addition, posterior fusion of the AA joint was a useful surgical technique

Characterization of Individuals with Sacroiliac Joint Bridging in a Skeletal Population: Analysis of Degenerative Changes in Spinal Vertebrae

Theaimof this study was to characterize the individualswith sacroiliac joint bridging (SIB) by analyzing the degenerative changes intheirwhole vertebral column and comparing themwith the controls.Atotal of 291modern Japanesemale skeletons,with an averageage at death of 60.8 years, were examined macroscopically. They were divided into two groups: individuals with SIB and thosewithout bridging (Non-SIB).The degenerative changes in their whole vertebral column were evaluated, and marginal osteophytescores (MOS) of the vertebral bodies and degenerative joint scores in zygapophyseal jointswere calculated. SIBwas recognized in 30individuals froma total of 291 males (10.3%).The average of age at death in SIB group was significantly higher than that in Non-SIBgroup. The values ofMOS in the thoracic spines, particularly in the anterior part of the vertebral bodies, were consecutively higherin SIB group than in Non-SIB group. Incidence of fused vertebral bodies intervertebral levels was obviously higher in SIB groupthan in Non-SIB group. SIB and marginal osteophyte formation in vertebral bodies could coexist in a skeletal population of men.Some systemic factors might act on these degenerative changes simultaneously both in sacroiliac joint and in vertebral column

Development and Function of Invariant Natural Killer T Cells Producing TH2- and TH17-Cytokines

Four distinct subsets of invariant natural killer T (NKT) cells are shown to differentiate in the thymus, then migrate to peripheral tissues where they retain their phenotypic and functional characteristics

Effect of surface roughness of biomaterials on Staphylococcus epidermidis adhesion

Background: Implant-related infections are caused by adhesion of bacteria to the surface of biomaterials. In this in vitro research, we evaluated the ability of Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC35984) to adhere to the surface of solid biomaterials at different levels of roughness below 30 nm Ra and investigated the minimum level of roughness required to promote bacterial adhesion on five kinds of biomaterials: oxidized zirconium-niobium alloy (Oxinium), cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy (Co-Cr-Mo), titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4 V), commercially pure titanium (Cp-Ti) and stainless steel (SUS316L), samples of which were categorized into a fine group and a coarse group according to surface roughness. The test specimens were physically analyzed and the viable bacterial density of the adhered bacteria was quantitatively determined (n = 20).Results: The amount of bacteria that adhered to the biomaterials in the coarse group was higher than those in the fine group. Oxinium, Ti-6Al-4 V and SUS316L in particular demonstrated statistically significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.05). Of the materials, the Co-Cr-Mo specimens exhibited significantly lower amounts of adhered bacteria than the Ti-6Al-4 V, Cp-Ti and SUS316L specimens in the fine group. Similarly, the Co-Cr-Mo specimens in the coarse group exhibited significantly lower values than the other four materials.Conclusions: These results suggest that minimum level of roughness affecting initial bacterial adherence activity differs according to the type of biomaterial used, and that even a surface roughness of below 30 nm Ra in Oxinium, Ti-6Al-4 V and SUS316L can promote bacterial adhesion. Relative hydrophobic Co-Cr-Mo surfaces were less susceptible to bacterial adherence

Early Staphylococcal Biofilm Formation on Solid Orthopaedic Implant Materials: In Vitro Study

Biofilms forming on the surface of biomaterials can cause intractable implant-related infections. Bacterial adherence and early biofilm formation are influenced by the type of biomaterial used and the physical characteristics of implant surface. In this in vitro research, we evaluated the ability of Staphylococcus epidermidis, the main pathogen in implant-related infections, to form biofilms on the surface of the solid orthopaedic biomaterials, oxidized zirconium-niobium alloy, cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy (Co-Cr-Mo), titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V), commercially pure titanium (cp-Ti) and stainless steel. A bacterial suspension of Staphylococcus epidermidis strain RP62A (ATCC35984) was added to the surface of specimens and incubated. The stained biofilms were imaged with a digital optical microscope and the biofilm coverage rate (BCR) was calculated. The total amount of biofilm was determined with the crystal violet assay and the number of viable cells in the biofilm was counted using the plate count method. The BCR of all the biomaterials rose in proportion to culture duration. After culturing for 2-4 hours, the BCR was similar for all materials. However, after culturing for 6 hours, the BCR for Co-Cr-Mo alloy was significantly lower than for Ti-6Al-4V, cp-Ti and stainless steel (P0.05). These results suggest that surface properties, such as hydrophobicity or the low surface free energy of Co-Cr-Mo, may have some influence in inhibiting or delaying the two-dimensional expansion of biofilm on surfaces with a similar degree of smoothness

The color pattern inducing gene wingless is expressed in specific cell types of campaniform sensilla of a polka-dotted fruit fly, Drosophila guttifera

A polka-dotted fruit fly, Drosophila guttifera, has a unique pigmentation pattern on its wings and is used as a model for evo-devo studies exploring the mechanism of evolutionary gain of novel traits. In this species, a morphogen-encoding gene, wingless, is expressed in species-specific positions and induces a unique pigmentation pattern. To produce some of the pigmentation spots on wing veins, wingless is thought to be expressed in developing campaniform sensillum cells, but it was unknown which of the four cell types there express(es) wingless. Here we show that two of the cell types, dome cells and socket cells, express wingless, as indicated by in situ hybridization together with immunohistochemistry. This is a unique case in which non-neuronal SOP (sensory organ precursor) progeny cells produce Wingless as an inducer of pigmentation pattern formation. Our finding opens a path to clarifying the mechanism of evolutionary gain of a unique wingless expression pattern by analyzing gene regulation in dome cells and socket cells