Volume Phase Transition of Chemically Cross-linked Curdlan Hydrogels Dependent on pH.

Curdlan is a polysaccharide that is expected to work as a gene carrier. We synthesized chemically cross-linked Curdlan (CCC) gel and examined its characterization. CCC gels were swollen with alkaline water over pH ∼10.

Factors affecting cartilage repair after medial opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy.

Purpose: This study documented the healing potential of degenerated articular cartilage after opening-wedge valgus high tibial osteotomy (HTO) in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. It was hypothesized that regeneration of articular cartilage is affected by several factors, including preoperative cartilage degeneration grade, difference between the medial femoral condyle (MFC) and the medial tibial condyle (MTC), and postoperative knee alignment.

Methods: Medial opening-wedge valgus HTO was performed in 131 knees of 100 patients (mean age 66 ± 7.

Clinical results of unicompartmental arthroplasty for knee osteoarthritis using a tibial component with screw fixation.

Purpose: Unicompartmental knee prostheses with screw fixation into the proximal tibia were employed and postoperative clinical results for osteoarthritis of the knee, especially regarding relief of pain, range of motion and satisfactory limb alignment are reported and discussed.

Methods: A total of 140 knees (131 medial and 9 lateral) of 85 patients (21 men and 64 women) were followed up for two to 17 years with an average of 7.0 ± 3.

[Efficacy of combined local therapy especially with hepatic arterial infusion for liver metastasis from gastric cancer].

Herein, we report four cases of a single liver metastasis after gastric cancer resection. Initially, we chose to perform hepatic arterial infusion( HAI) with high-dose 5-fluorouracil( 5-FU)( 6,000 mg/week) or weekly 500-750 mg of 5-FU. Three patients showed a partial response (PR) and one patient showed no change (NC).

A mid term comparison of open wedge high tibial osteotomy vs unicompartmental knee arthroplasty for medial compartment osteoarthritis of the knee.

Background: The choice of surgical treatments for unicompartmental osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is still somewhat controversial. Midterm results from cases treated using unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) or open wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO) were evaluated retrospectively.

Methods: Twenty-seven knees of 24 patients with varus deformities underwent OWHTO and 30 knees of 18 patients underwent UKA surgeries for the treatment of medial compartmental osteoarthritis (OA).

Clinical features and classification of bipartite or tripartite patella.

The purposes of this study were to report clinical features of the developmental anomaly of ossification type bipartite or tripartite patella using a large series and to propose a new classification for the developmental anomaly of ossification type bipartite or tripartite patella. The first author prospectively examined 111 patients with symptomatic or asymptomatic bipartite (131 knees) or tripartite (8 knees) patellae. Eighty-six (77%) were male and 25 (23%) were female.

In vitro stability of open wedge high tibial osteotomy with synthetic bone graft.

It has been predicted that significant stress will be applied to the plate and lateral cortical hinge of an osteotomy site when early full weight bearing is commenced after an open wedge high tibial osteotomy. We hypothesized that the stress concentration on the plate or at the lateral cortical hinge would be reduced by inserting bone substitutes into the osteotomy gap. Two different types of tibia model were investigated: Group A, fixation with TomoFix with the osteotomy site left as an open space; and Group B, two beta-TCP wedges are inserted into osteotomy site and fixed with TomoFix.

Osteotomy around young deformed knees: 38-year super-long-term follow-up to detect osteoarthritis.

Since 1969 corrective osteotomy has been performed at our institute in young patients (under 40 years) with bowlegs, knock knees and flexion or rotational deformities around the knee. Fifty-seven knees (29 left, 28 right) of 45 patients (19 boys, 26 girls) were followed-up for a period ranging from 30 to 38 years in seven patients with seven knees, from 20 to 29 years in nine patients with 11 knees, and from ten to 19 years in 29 patients with 39 knees. Supracondylar femoral osteotomy was performed on 12 knees (11 patients), high tibial osteotomy above the tibial tuberosity on eight knees (six patients) and below the tuberosity on 37 knees (28 patients).

Initial trabeculectomy with mitomycin C in eyes with uveitic glaucoma with inactive uveitis.

Purpose: To analyse clinical outcomes of trabeculectomy with mitomycin C (MMC) in eyes with uveitic glaucoma (UG) with inactive uveitis and compare them to those in eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).

Design: Retrospective non-randomized comparative interventional case series.

Methods: A total of 53 eyes with UG and 80 eyes with POAG that received MMC trabeculectomy as an initial ocular surgery with average follow-up of 5.

Clinical results of a valgus high tibial osteotomy for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee and the ipsilateral ankle.

The treatment of patients with osteoarthritic knees accompanied by ipsilateral osteoarthritic ankles is not well documented. We here report both clinical results and radiographic evaluations of such patients treated using a high tibial osteotomy (HTO). HTO was performed on 16 knees of 10 patients (all women with a mean age; 68 years; range 58 to 73 years) who had a varus deformity of both their legs as a result of medial compartmental osteoarthritis of their knees.

Bone scintigraphy in patients with bipartite patella.

This study was performed to assess the diagnostic value of bone scintigraphy to differentiate symptomatic bipartite patella from asymptomatic bipartite patella. Thirty-seven bipartite patellae (15 symptomatic and 22 asymptomatic) were evaluated by bone scintigraphy. Bone scintigraphic activity in bipartite patella was classified into the following four groups.

[Four cases of successful multidisciplinary treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal venous thrombus].

CASE 1: TAI and radiation therapy were performed for a lateral segment and tumor thrombus extended into the left portal branch. Then, we diagnosed a tumor thrombus that extended into the right portal branch and TAI and operation were performed. The patient died about 9 months after the diagnosis of tumor thrombus.

[A case of primary duodenal cancer near the papilla of Vater which had initial symptoms of obstructive jaundice].

A 63-year-old man visited our hospital complaining of brown urine. A physical examination showed jaundice of the skin and conjunctiva bulbar. Blood tests showed elevated serum levels of bilirubin and hepatobiliary enzymes.

Histopathological abnormalities in painful bipartite patellae in adolescents.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the etiology of painful bipartite patella in adolescents by histopathological examination of excised specimens. We performed excision of a fragment of painful bipartite or tripartite patella from six patients (six knees). The articular cartilage, interposed tissue, bone, and bone marrow of the excised specimens were histologically examined.

[A case of unresectable cholangiocellular carcinoma treated with surgery followed by combination chemotherapy].

The patient was a 44-year-old man, who was investigated for lateral abdominal pain and liver dysfunction, and subsequently referred to our department with a diagnosis of unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC). Radiological examinations revealed the huge mass in the right lobe of the liver with intrahepatic metastasis in the left lobe. The main tumor was surgically removed, but the metastases were not removed.

[A case report of hepatocellular carcinoma (Vp4)--an attempt to reduce residual tumor thrombus using combination therapy (hepatic arterial infusion, hepatic arterial embolization and radiation)].

A 57-year-old man was found to have elevated levels of HCC markers during an observation of chronic hepatitis C. Diffused hepatoma was involved in the posterior lobe, and tumor thrombus extended into the main portal vein (Vp4). Posterior segmentectomy and tumor thrombectomy were performed.

[Nerve distribution in synovium of osteoarthritic knees].

Neural elements are widely distributed in synovium of osteoarthritic knees. In medial compartmental osteoarthritic knees, medial synovium is exposed to mechanical stimuli due to osteophytes and lateral thrust, which may accumulate neuropeptides, especially substance P, in free nerve endings. Free nerve endings containing a large amount of substance P may provoke pain sensation in synovium, and release substance P to the surrounding tissue in subsynovial tissue, which induces synovitis.

Repair of articular cartilage defect by autologous transplantation of basic fibroblast growth factor gene-transduced chondrocytes with adeno-associated virus vector.

Objective: To examine the effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) gene-transduced chondrocytes on the repair of articular cartilage defects.

Methods: LacZ gene or bFGF gene was transduced into primary isolated rabbit chondrocytes with the use of a recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector. These gene-transduced chondrocytes were embedded in collagen gel and transplanted into a full-thickness defect in the articular cartilage of the patellar groove of a rabbit.

Fifteen to twenty-eight years' follow-up results of high tibial valgus osteotomy for osteoarthritic knee.

A long-term follow-up study was performed on 75 knees of 53 patients after high tibial valgus osteotomy. The earlier results have previously been reported. There were 15 knees in 11 men and 60 knees in 42 women.

[Non-surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with tumor thrombus in the right atrium].

A 65-year-old Japanese man who had been suffering from severe and progressive dyspnea for more than 2 months underwent an extended right hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in August 2001. Radiological examination, performed in August 2003, revealed the mass in the left lobe of the liver extended into the left hepatic vein, the inferior vena cava and the right atrium. Those clinical manifestations were supposedly attributed to HCC tumor thrombus in the right atrium.

[A case of Vp3 hepatocellular carcinoma with a good QOL after multidisciplinary treatments].

A 74-year-old male was examined with abdominal CT scan because of general fatigue. Abdominal CT scan indicated enhanced tumors, 9x8 cm in size in subsegment 6/7 and 5 mm in size in subsegment 3. Tumor thrombus was observed in the right portal branch to the main portal vein.

[A case report--Efficacy of combination therapy to unresectable advanced gall bladder carcinoma--palliative operation, hepatic arterial infusion therapy, and radiation therapy].

A patient of advanced gall bladder carcinoma with liver metastases and direct invasions to the duodenum and liver underwent a palliative operation, 3 hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) therapies, and radiation therapy at the obstructive common biliary duct. (Palliative operation was a partial resection of duodenum and transverse colon, HAI therapy with 5-FU (1 g/day) was given as a continuous infusion for 6 days, radiation therapy was given 2 Gy/day for 20 times) After the combination therapy, the main tumor of gall bladder and hepatic metastases were decreased and tumor markers were normalized. (CEA 15.

Polymorphisms in the prostaglandin E2 receptor subtype 2 gene confer susceptibility to aspirin-intolerant asthma: a candidate gene approach.

Aspirin-intolerant asthma (AIA) is a subtype of bronchial asthma characterized by development of bronchoconstriction evoked by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs inhibit the cyclooxygenase pathway, leading to enhancement of the lipoxygenase pathway. We evaluated allelic association of 370 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of 63 candidate genes, mostly from the arachidonic acid metabolic cascade, with AIA.

Transepicondylar line and condylar line as parameters for axial alignment in knee arthroplasty.

In order to investigate the reliability of the transepicondylar line and the condylar line as indicators for lower limb alignment in knee arthroplasty, the femorotibial angle (FTA), and the angle between the transepicondylar line and the tangential line of tibial plateau (angle epsilon) and condylar-plateau angle (CPA) were measured in 107 (78 patients) full-length standing X-ray films of lower limbs. The mean FTA was measured to be 178.0+/-9.

15-year follow-up study of total knee arthroplasty in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

In 25 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 36 cases of cemented Kinematic total knee arthroplasty were reviewed clinically and radiographically at 13 to 19 years after surgery. The mean age at the time of surgery was 51.6 +/- 8.