Multiple Regression Analysis for Grading and Prognosis of Cubital Tunnel Syndrome:Assessment of Akahori’s Classification

The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate Akahori's preoperative classification of cubital tunnel syndrome. We analyzed the results for 57 elbows that were treated by a simple decompression procedure from 1997 to 2004. The relationship between each item of Akahori's preoperative classification and clinical stage was investigated based on the parameter distribution. We evaluated Akahori's classification system using multiple regression analysis, and investigated the association between the stage and treatment results. The usefulness of the regression equation was evaluated by analysis of variance of the expected and observed scores. In the parameter distribution, each item of Akahori's classification was mostly associated with the stage, but it was difficult to judge the severity of palsy. In the mathematical evaluation, the most effective item in determining the stage was sensory conduction velocity. It was demonstrated that the established regression equation was highly reliable (R＝0.922). Akahori's preoperative classification can also be used in postoperative classification, and this classification was correlated with postoperative prognosis. Our results indicate that Akahori's preoperative classification is a suitable system. It is reliable, reproducible and well-correlated with the postoperative prognosis. In addition, the established prediction formula is useful to reduce the diagnostic complexity of Akahori's classification

Uniform Silica Coated Fluorescent Nanoparticles: Synthetic Method, Improved Light Stability and Application to Visualize Lymph Network Tracer

BACKGROUND: The sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) was developed as a new modality in the surgical diagnosis of lymph node metastases. Dye and radioisotope are major tracers for the detection of sentinel lymph nodes (SLN). Dye tends to excessively infiltrate into the interstitium due to their small size (less than several nanometers), resulting in difficulties in maintaining clear surgical fields. Radioisotopes are available in limited number of hospitals. Fluorescent nanoparticles are good candidates for SLN tracer to solve these problems, as we can choose suitable particle size and fluorescence wavelength of near-infrared. However, the use of nanoparticles faces safety issues, and many attempts have been performed by giving insulating coats on nanoparticles. In addition, the preparation of the uniform insulating layer is important to decrease variations in the quality as an SLN tracer. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We herein succeeded in coating fluorescent polystyrene nanoparticles of 40 nm with uniform silica layer of 13 nm by the modified Stöber method. The light stability of silica coated nanoparticles was 1.3-fold greater than noncoated nanoparticles. The popliteal lymph node could be visualized by the silica coated nanoparticles with injection in the rat feet. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The silica coated nanoparticles in lymph nodes could be observed by transmission electron microscope, suggesting that our silica coating method is useful as a SLN tracer with highly precise distribution of nanoparticles in histological evaluation. We also demonstrated for the first time that a prolonged enhancement of SLN is caused by the phagocytosis of fluorescent nanoparticles by both macrophages and dendritic cells

Variants of C-C Motif Chemokine 22 (CCL22) Are Associated with Susceptibility to Atopic Dermatitis: Case-Control Studies

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disease caused by multiple genetic and environmental factors. AD is characterized by the local infiltration of T helper type 2 (Th2) cells. Recent clinical studies have shown important roles of the Th2 chemokines, CCL22 and CCL17 in the pathogenesis of AD. To investigate whether polymorphisms of the CCL22 gene affect the susceptibility to AD, we conducted association studies and functional studies of the related variants. We first resequenced the CCL22 gene and found a total of 39 SNPs. We selected seven tag SNPs in the CCL22 gene, and conducted association studies using two independent Japanese populations (1st population, 916 cases and 1,032 controls; 2nd population 1,034 cases and 1,004 controls). After the association results were combined by inverse variance method, we observed a significant association at rs4359426 (meta-analysis, combined P = 9.6×10−6; OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.65–0.85). Functional analysis revealed that the risk allele of rs4359426 contributed to higher expression levels of CCL22 mRNA. We further examined the allelic differences in the binding of nuclear proteins by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. The signal intensity of the DNA-protein complex derived from the G allele of rs223821, which was in absolute LD with rs4359426, was higher than that from the A allele. Although further functional analyses are needed, it is likely that related variants play a role in susceptibility to AD in a gain-of-function manner. Our findings provide a new insight into the etiology and pathogenesis of AD

Fluorescence images of sentinel nodes of rat lower extremities by silica coated and noncoated nanoparticles.

<p>(A) Fluorescence image at 0 min after injection of noncoated nanoparticles. (B) Fluorescence image at 180 min after injection of noncoated nanoparticles. (C) Fluorescence image at 180 min after injection of noncoated nanoparticles with skin stripping. (D) Image at 180 min under light illumination after injection of noncoated nanoparticles with skin stripping. (E) Fluorescence image at 0 min after injection of silica coated nanoparticles. (F) Fluorescence image at 180 min after injection of silica coated nanoparticles. (G) Fluorescence image at 180 min after injection of silica coated nanoparticles with skin stripping. (H) Image at 180 min under light illumination after injection of silica coated nanoparticles with skin stripping.</p

High-speed Videomicroscopic Analysis of Human Capillary Loop

人の末梢血管は皮膚表層の表皮下真皮乳頭層の血管を最小血管とする血流網を形成している.乳頭層の細小血管は皮膚表面を拡大すると,そのループの頂点を観察できるわけであるが,指爪郭の爪上皮(あまかわの所)部では,その全容を観察することが可能である.たとえば皮膚筋炎では,毛細管の拡張や出血が認められるが,爪郭の毛細管ではその病態がはっきりと可視化されている.本研究では,皮膚毛細管動静脈ループを流れる血流の血行動態を,毛細血管顕微鏡と高速度ビデオカメラとを組み合わせることにより,非侵襲・非観血で高時空間分解能に観察する手法を開発した

Fluorescence images and intensities of silica coated and noncoated nanoparticles.

<p>(A) Fluorescence image of silica coated and noncoated nanoparticles with continuous laser irradiation. (B) Changes in the fluorescence intensity of silica coated and noncoated nanoparticles with continuous laser irradiation. Open circles and squares show noncoated nanoparticles and silica coated nanoparticles, respectively (n = 10). Error bar, s.e.m. (C) Changes in the relative value of fluorescence intensity of silica coated and noncoated nanoparticles in (B). The mean value of fluorescence intensity at 0 min was defined as 1. Open circles and squares show noncoated nanoparticles and silica coated nanoparticles, respectively.</p

Electron microscopic images and distribution of silica thickness on fluorescent nanoparticles of 20 and 40 nm.

<p>(A) Electron microscopic image of 20 nm fluorescent nanoparticles with silica coating. (B) Electron microscopic image of 40 nm fluorescent nanoparticles with silica coating. (C) Distribution of silica coating thickness on 20 nm fluorescent nanoparticles. (D) Distribution of silica coating thickness on 40 nm fluorescent nanoparticles.</p