Infrastructure and regional cooperation

Continuing Asia's extraordinary transformation will require increasing attention on regional connectivity and logistic systems. The article focuses on the role of cross-border infrastructure in the process of regional integration in developing Asia. Given that most cross-border infrastructure projects are very complex, actions will need to be taken by various stakeholders-Asian governments, the private sector, civil society organizations, and multilateral institutions-in connecting Asia

Strategies for increasing gait speed in patients with hip osteoarthritis: their clinical significance and effects on hip loading

BACKGROUND: Changes in gait speed are required in various situations and can be achieved by changing stride length, cadence, or both. Differences in strategies for increasing gait speed may have different effects on hip joint and physical function. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of strategies for increasing gait speed on hip pain, physical function, and changes in hip loading during gait in patients with hip osteoarthritis (OA). We hypothesized that patients who increase gait speed mainly by increasing cadence would have lesser hip pain, a higher physical function, and a lower rate of increase in hip moments with increasing gait speed. METHODS: Forty-seven patients with secondary hip OA (age, 48.3 ± 11.0 years) were included. Gait speed, stride length, cadence, and peak and impulse of the hip moments were measured during gait at self-selected normal and fast gait speeds. The patients were classified as types S (with mainly increasing stride length, n = 11 [23.4%]), C (with mainly increasing cadence, n = 23 [48.9%]), and SC (with increasing stride length and cadence, n = 13 [27.7%]) according to whether they used changes in stride length and/or cadence to transition from normal to fast gait. Hip pain, physical function, and hip moment changes during gait were compared between types. RESULTS: The physical function was higher in types C (38.0 ± 8.8, P = 0.018) and SC (40.6 ± 8.5, P = 0.015) than in type S (28.2 ± 7.8), even after adjustment for age and minimum joint space width. Hip pain was not significantly different between types. The robustness of these results was confirmed with sensitivity analysis. The rates of increases in peak external hip adduction (P = 0.003) and internal rotation moments (P = 0.009) were lower in type C than in type SC. CONCLUSIONS: Type C tended to suppress the increase in hip moments during fast gait. Types C and SC, which included increased cadence, maintained higher physical function levels than type S. Encouraging the use of cadence-increasing strategy may be useful for reducing hip loading and maintaining physical function in patients with hip OA

Gait- and Posture-Related Factors Associated With Changes in Hip Pain and Physical Function in Patients With Secondary Hip Osteoarthritis: A Prospective Cohort Study

Objective: To identify gait- and posture-related factors associated with changes in hip pain and physical function in patients with hip osteoarthritis (OA). Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Clinical biomechanics laboratory of a university. Participants: Consecutive sampling of female patients with mild-to-moderate secondary hip OA (N=30). Main Outocome Measures: Hip pain (visual analog scale) and physical function (physical component summary of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey) were measured at baseline and 12 months later. With changes in hip pain and physical function as dependent variables, linear regression analyses were performed with gait- and posture-related factors as independent variables with and without adjustment for age, joint space width, and hip pain or physical function at baseline. Posture-related factors included angles of thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, sacral inclination, spinal inclination, and spinal mobility. Gait-related factors were walking speed, steps per day, joint angles, external hip joint moment impulses, and daily cumulative hip moments. Results: Multiple linear regression analyses showed that limited hip extension (adjusted standardized B coefficient [95% confidence interval]: −0.52 [−0.88 to −0.17]) and limited external rotation angles (−0.51 [−0.85 to −0.18]) during walking were associated with the worsening of hip pain. An increased thoracic kyphosis (−0.54 [−0.99 to −0.09]), less sacral anterior tilt (0.40 [0.01-0.79]), reduced thoracic spine mobility (0.59 [0.23-0.94]), less steps per day (0.53 [0.13-0.92]), and a slower walking speed (0.45 [0.04-0.86]) were associated with deterioration in physical function. Conclusions: Gait- and posture-related factors should be considered when assessing risk and designing preventive interventions for the clinical progression of secondary hip OA

Effects of pentazocine and concomitant clonidine on opioid receptors in the rat brain.

The changes in opioid receptors (Op-R) caused by repeated administration of pentazocine and the effect of concomitant clonidine were investigated. Binding of [3H] naloxone was markedly decreased in the absence of Na+, but was increased in the presence of Na+ in the diencephalon-mesencephalon of chronic pentazocine-treated rats. No significant changes were observed in the cerebral cortex of pentazocine-treated rats. The pentazocine-induced changes in Op-R were abolished by the concurrent use of clonidine, an alpha-adrenergic agonist, which has been shown to relieve the withdrawal symptoms of morphine. This result indicated that the behavioral action of clonidine can also be observed at the Op-R level.</p

Sagittal alignment and mobility of the thoracolumbar spine are associated with radiographic progression of secondary hip osteoarthritis

姿勢の悪化と脊柱の柔軟性低下が変形性股関節症の進行に影響. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2017-12-26.Objective: To identify predictors of radiographic progression of hip osteoarthritis (OA) over 12 months among functional hip impairments and spinal alignment and mobility. Design: Fifty female patients with secondary hip OA, excluding those with end-stage hip OA, participated in this prospective cohort study. Joint space width (JSW) of the hip was measured at baseline and 12 months later. With radiographic progression of hip OA over 12 months (>0.5 mm in JSW) as dependent variable, logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors for hip OA progression among functional impairments of the hip and spine with and without adjustment for age, body mass index (BMI), and minimum JSW at baseline. The independent variables were hip pain, Harris hip score, hip morphological parameters, hip passive range of motion and muscle strength, and alignment and mobility of the thoracolumbar spine at baseline. Results: Twenty-one (42.0%) patients demonstrated radiographic progression of hip OA. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that larger anterior inclination of the spine in standing position (adjusted OR [95% CI], 1.37 [1.04–1.80]; P = 0.028) and less thoracolumbar spine mobility (adjusted OR [95% CI], 0.96 [0.92–0.99]; P = 0.037) at baseline were statistically significantly associated with radiographic progression of hip OA, even after adjustment for age, BMI, and minimum JSW. Conclusions: The findings suggest that spinal alignment and mobility should be considered when assessing risk and designing preventive intervention for radiographic progression of secondary hip OA

Cytological Features of a Variant NUT Midline Carcinoma of the Lung Harboring the NSD3-NUT

Background. Nuclear protein in testis (NUT) midline carcinoma (NMC) is a very rare and aggressive malignancy. In more than two-thirds of these NMC cases, a fusion between NUT and BRD4 or BRD3 has been documented; other variants are rare. The cytology of NMC itself has been sparsely documented and that of variant NMC has never been reported. Case Presentation. A 36-year-old woman was admitted because of a rapidly progressing lung tumor with metastases to the breast and bone. We recently reported this patient as the first case of a variant NMC of the lung harboring an NSD3-NUT fusion, based on immunohistochemical and genetic analyses. Cytological material was available for the present review. A highly cellular smear contained a predominantly noncohesive pattern of monomorphic cells with diameters 2–2.5 times greater than those of small lymphocytes, with a round-to-oval nucleus, slightly irregular nuclear contours, variably prominent nucleoli, scant cytoplasm, and identifiable mitotic figures. Foci of stratification and overt pearl formation, including a dyskeratocyte, were occasionally observed. The necrotic background contained naked nuclei, karyorrhectic debris, apoptotic cells, and macrophages phagocytizing karyorrhectic debris; nuclear crushing was noted. Conclusion. The cytological features of a variant NMC of the lung are described for the first time

Recombinant human FGF-2 for the treatment of early-stage osteonecrosis of the femoral head: TRION, a single-arm, multicenter, Phase II trial

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the 2-year outcomes from a clinical trial of recombinant human FGF-2 (rhFGF-2) for osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). Patients & methods: Sixty-four patients with nontraumatic, precollapse and large ONFHs were percutaneously administered with 800 μg rhFGF-2 contained in gelatin hydrogel. Setting the end point of radiological collapse, we analyzed the joint preservation period of the historical control. Changes in two validated clinical scores, bone regeneration and safety were evaluated. Results: Radiological joint preservation time was significantly higher in the rhFGF-2 group than in the control group. The ONFHs tended to improve to smaller ONFHs. The postoperative clinical scores significantly improved. Thirteen serious adverse events showed recovery. Conclusion: rhFGF-2 treatment increases joint preservation time with clinical efficacy, radiological bone regeneration and safety