Familial osteorarthritis : risk factors and determinants of outcome

Osteoarthritis (OA) refers to a heterogeneous group of conditions. This thesis focuses on OA with a hereditary background; Familial OA at multiple joint sites and radiological hand OA at middle age. The main objective is to identify risk factors that play a role in the development of OA in order to gain further insight in the aetiology of OA. The secondary objective is to investigate factors that determine the outcome in OA. This thesis provides evidence that familial clustering of symptomatic OA is most prominent for hand and hip OA. In search for genetic risk factors, we present data suggesting that a proportion of the genetic susceptibility for OA at multiple sites is encoded by variation in innate cytokine activity. Further, we find HLA-DR antigens to be associated with radiological hand OA. In addition to genetic risk factors, this thesis demonstrates that other systemic risk factors such as hormonal status and local factors, to be important in the susceptibility of familial OA at multiple sites, underscoring the multicausal etioliology of this phenotype. Finally, this thesis addresses the resulting disability from OA. Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health as framework, we show illness perceptions and mental health to be important modifying factors in OA in the hands and lower extremities.LEI Universiteit LeidenPfizer BV, MSD, Abbot BV, Astra Zeneca, Nationaal ReumafondsKlinische epidemiologi

Pharmakologische Untersuchungen zum Antiemetischen Wirkungsmechanismus des ätherischen Öls von Ingwer ( Zingiber Officinale Roscoe)

Der Beitrag des ätherischen Öls von Ingwer zu dessen antiemetischen Wirksamkeit wurde bisher nicht untersucht. In dieser Arbeit wird eine mögliche Interaktion des ätherischen Öls mit dem 5-HT3-Rezeptor-Ionenkanalkomplex und dem serotoninergen System des Darmnervensystems aufgezeigt. Das ätherische Öl wurde durch Wasserdampfdestillation gewonnen und mit einer Kieselgelsäule fraktioniert. Die Inhaltsstoffe wurden per GC-MS identifiziert. Der Einfluss des ätherischen Öls, seiner Fraktionen und Inhaltsstoffe auf den serotonin-induzierten Einstrom von [14C]Guanidinium in N1E-115 Zellen wurde gemessen. Die stärkste Inhibierung zeigten das ätherische Öl, Fraktion 4, ß-Pinen, Terpinolen, (-Copaen und (-Phellandren. Das ätherische Öl und die Fraktionen 1 und konnten weder die durch Serotonin (10 (M) ausgelöste Maximalkontraktion noch die Restkontraktion des Rattendarms nach 2,5 min signifikant beeinflussen. ß-Pinen, Terpinolen und (-Phellandren reduzierten beide Kontraktionen signifikant. The contribution of the volatile oil of ginger to the antiemetic effect of the drug have not been elucidated so far. In the present study, a possible interaction of the volatile oil with the 5-HT3 receptor ionchannel system and the serotoninergic system of the rat ileum could be shown. The volatile oil was obtained by steam distillation and fractioned using a silica gel column. Identification of compounds was done by GC-MS. The influence of the volatile oil, its fractions and components on serotonin-induced [14C]guanindinium influx into N1E-115 cells was measured. Most potent inhibitors of cation influx were the volatile oil, fraction 4, ß-pinene, terpinolene, (-copaene and (-phellandrene.The volatile oil and fractions 1 and 4 were not able to significantly influence neither serotonin (10 (M) induced maximum contraction of the rat ileum nor the remaining contraction 2.5 min after serotonin addition. ß-Pinene, terpinolene and (-phellandrene reduced both contractions in a significant way

Age affects joint space narrowing in patients with early active rheumatoid arthritis

Background: Joint space narrowing ( JSN) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may be a manifestation of (primary) osteoarthritis becoming more prominent with age. We investigated the severity and predictors of JSN progression among different age groups. Methods: 10-year follow-up data of the BeSt study, a randomised controlled treat-to-target trial in early RA were used. Annual X-rays of hands and feet were scored using the Sharp/van der Heijde score (SHS). Subgroups were defined by age at baseline: 55, 40<55 and <40 years. JSN progression predictors were assessed by Poisson regression. Results: Baseline JSN scores (median (IQR)) were igher in patients 55 (2.0 (0.0-6.0)) compared with the other age groups: 1.0 (0.0-3.0) 40<55 and 0.3 (0.0-3.0) <40, p<0.001. After 10 years, total JSN and SHS were similar in all age groups. In patients 55 the mean erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) over time (relative risk 1.02 (95% CI 1.00 to 1.03)

Recommendations of RILEM TC 260-RSC for using superabsorbent polymers (SAP) for improving freeze–thaw resistance of cement-based materials

This recommendation is focused on application of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) for the improvement of the resistance of cement-based materials to freeze—thaw attack with or without deicing salts. A simple approach to the determination of the amount and properties of SAP as well as methods to verify SAP effectiveness for frost resistance protection are presented

Positive association between increased popliteal artery vessel wall thickness and generalized osteoarthritis: is OA also part of the metabolic syndrome?

This is the final version of the article. Available from Springer Verlag via the DOI in this record.PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to determine if a positive association exists between arterial vessel wall thickness and generalized osteoarthritis (OA). Our hypothesis is that generalized OA is another facet of the metabolic syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical ethical review board of our institution approved the study. Written informed consent was obtained from each patient prior to the study. Magnetic resonance (MR) images of the knee were obtained in 42 patients who had been diagnosed with generalized OA at multiple joint sites. Another 27 MR images of the knee were obtained from a matched normal (non-OA) reference population. Vessel wall thickness of the popliteal artery was quantitatively measured by dedicated software. Linear regression models were used to investigate the association between vessel wall thickness and generalized OA. Adjustments were made for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Confidence intervals (CI) were computed at the 95% level and a significance level of alpha = 0.05 was used. RESULTS: Patients in the generalized OA population had a significant higher average vessel wall thickness than persons from the normal reference population (p < or = alpha), even when correction was made for sex, age, and BMI. The average vessel wall thickness of the popliteal artery was 1.09 mm in patients with generalized OA, and 0.96 mm in the matched normal reference population. CONCLUSION: The association found between increased popliteal artery vessel wall thickness and generalized osteoarthritis suggests that generalized OA might be another facet of the metabolic syndrome

Novel genetic variants associated with lumbar disc degeneration in northern Europeans: A meta-analysis of 4600 subjects

Objective: Lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) is an important cause of low back pain, which is a common and costly problem. LDD is characterised by disc space narrowing and osteophyte growth at the circumference of the disc. To date, the agnostic search of the genome by genome-wide association (GWA) to identify common variants associated with LDD has not been fruitful. This study is the first GWA meta-analysis of LDD. Methods: We have developed a continuous trait based on disc space narrowing and osteophytes growth which is measurable on all forms of imaging (plain radiograph, CT scan and MRI) and performed a meta-analysis of five cohorts of Northern European extraction each having GWA data imputed to HapMap V.2. Results: This study of 4600 individuals identified four single nucleotide polymorphisms with p<5×10-8, the threshold set for genome-wide significance. We identified a variant in the PARK2 gene (p=2.8×10-8) associated with LDD. Differential methylation at one CpG island of the PARK2 promoter was observed in a small subset of subjects (β=8.74×10-4, p=0.006). Conclusions: LDD accounts for a considerable proportion of low back pain and the pathogenesis of LDD is poorly understood. This work provides evidence of association of the PARK2 gene and suggests that methylation of the PARK2 promoter may influence degeneration of the intervertebral disc. This gene has not previously been considered a candidate in LDD and further functional work is needed on this hitherto unsuspected pathway. Copyright Article author (or their employer) 2012

The comprehensive study of possibility ecological control Mnemiopsis leidyi in Caspian Sea activity: The study and recognization parasitic fauna and Bacterial flore in ctenophore (Mnemiopsis leidyi and Bereo ovata)

Bacterial flora and parasitic fauna of M. leidyi an exotic invader jelly fish to Caspian Sea ecosystem and B. ovata to Black sea an alternative biological control agent was studied. During summer 1382 to spring 1383, using routine Bacteriological work. 72 sample of sea water Caspian Sea obtained from depth 20 and 50 meters, 36 sample of M. leidyi from depth 20 meters, 10 sample of B. ovata and 3 sample of sea water (Black sea) were collected and according to Bacteriological was studied. 216 sample of M. leidyi from depth 10 to 50 meters of Caspian Sea and 47 sample of B. ovata from Black and Marmarreh Sea (Turkey) were collected and was studied. In this study no parasite from was identified in M. leidyi (Caspian sea) but 64 percentage and 73 percentage of B. ovata (Marmarreh and Black sea respectively) contaminated to Trichodina ctenophore at varians concentration B. ovata of Black sea (130 min 1050 max) and B. ovata Marmarre sea (420 min 2100 max). While B. ovata kept at high salinity of 21 ppt was more contaminated with this pretrichial protozoan (Trichodina) than in low salinity (12/5 ppt). in comparision of bacterial flore in two cetenophore (M. leidyi and B. ovata) was observed that some of bacteria such as micrococcus sp, Aeromonas sp. Bacillus coagulans in both ctenophore and some other bacteria such as Agromobacterium and chromobacterium only observed in B. ovata but other researcher have reported fram Caspin sea and some of bacteria to specific Shewanella , Vibrio harveiy and bacillus linens was observed in B. ovata . Of course specific bacteria cannot transfer to Caspian Sea (different of salinity black sea (2/1%) to Caspian Sea (1/25 %)). Therefore if B. ovata to introduce to south Caspian Sea for biological control population M. leidyi. it is necessary at first some of viral pathogen in aquatic animal (fish) such as VNN, IPN,IHN,VHS,SVC was studied and then with confidence 95% non-infestation B. ovata to viruses and pass from bath anti parasite and anti-bacterial must be introduce to south Caspian sea