Benefit in physical function and quality of life to nonsurgical treatment of varicose veins: Pilot study.

Background: Studies on varicose veins have focused its effects on physical function; however, whether nonsurgical treatments alter muscle oxygenation or physical function remains unclear. Moreover, the differences in such functions between individuals with varicose veins and healthy individuals remain unclear.

Aim: To investigate changes in physical function and the quality of life (QOL) following nonsurgical treatment of patients with varicose veins and determine the changes in their muscle oxygenation during activity.

An Association between Lower Extremity Function and Cognitive Frailty: A Sample Population from the KFACS Study.

The present study aimed to define the physical function and lipid profile for physical and cognitive frailty in community-dwelling Korean older adults. A total of 229 participants (age = 76.76 ± 3.

Effects of prunetin on the proteolytic activity, secretion and gene expression of MMP-3 in vitro and production of MMP-3 in vivo.

We investigated whether prunetin affects the proteolytic activity, secretion, and gene expression of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) in primary cultured rabbit articular chondrocytes, as well as in vivo production of MMP-3 in the rat knee joint to evaluate the potential chondroprotective eff ect of prunetin. Rabbit articular chondrocytes were cultured in a monolayer, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to measure interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-induced expression of MMP-3, MMP-1, MMP-13, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs-4 (ADAMTS-4), and ADAMTS-5. In rabbit articular chondrocytes, the effects of prunetin on IL-1β-induced secretion and proteolytic activity of MMP-3 were investigated using western blot analysis and casein zymography, respectively.

Changes in tendon length with increasing rotator cuff tear size.

Purpose: To investigate the change in tendon length with increasing size of rotator cuff tears in patients receiving arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

Methods: This is a prospective evaluation of 100 consecutive patients who met the inclusion criterion of a U-shaped or crescent-shaped full-thickness tear and who were treated by arthroscopic rotator cuff (supraspinatus and/or infraspinatus) repair from 2009 to 2010. The anterior-to-posterior dimension of the cuff tear was estimated under arthroscopic guidance, and the medial-to-lateral dimension was estimated on pre-operative MRI.

Prognostic factors that affect the surgical outcome of the laminoplasty in cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

Background: This study examined the prognostic factors that affect the surgical outcome of laminoplasty in cervical spondylotic myelopathy patients by comparative analysis.

Methods: Thirty nine patients, 26 males and 13 females, who were treated with laminoplasty for cervical myelopathy from September 2004 to March 2008 and followed up for 12 months or longer, were enrolled in this study. The mean age of the subjects was 62.