ADAPT system is a dramatic advance in computer-assisted surgery for femoral trochanteric fractures.

Introduction: In recent years, computer-assisted surgery has made it possible to undergo surgery with a high degree of precision. This study aimed to investigate the usefulness of computer-assisted surgery for femoral trochanteric fractures using the ADAPT (ADAptive Positioning Technology) system.

Methods: A total of forty patients with femoral trochanteric fracture underwent intramedullary nailing for fracture fixation: in twenty patients, the ADAPT system (ADAPT group), and in the other twenty, it was not used (control group).

Investigation of the effect of intraoperative mediolateral stability on postoperative sagittal stability after bi-cruciate stabilized total knee arthroplasty.

Purpose: This study investigated the effect of mediolateral stability on sagittal stability in bi-cruciate stabilized total knee arthroplasty.

Method: This study included 59 patients. We intraoperatively assessed the component gap with a joint distraction force of 60 N for each compartment.

Ultrasonography-detected synovitis of hand is associated with the presence of synovitis in the forefoot of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: In rheumatoid arthritis, forefoot disease activity can lead to joint damage, pain, and disability during weight-bearing activities; therefore, the evaluation and control of forefoot disease activity is important. We aimed to investigate an association between the prevalence of abnormalities in the forefoot based on ultrasonography (US) and the clinical and US findings related to arthritis and identify factors related to the presence of synovitis in the forefoot of RA patients.

Methods: In total, 810 metatarsophalangeal joints of 81 rheumatoid arthritis patients were examined using US.

Early diagnosis of septic arthritis using synovial fluid presepsin: A preliminary study.

Therapeutic outcomes for septic arthritis vary greatly depending on the span of time between disease-onset and surgery. The most important factor is making an early and definitive diagnosis; however, some cases may be difficult to diagnose. We investigated presepsin, a biomarker of sepsis, to determine whether or not presepsin in synovial fluid would be useful for the diagnosis of septic arthritis.

Continuous infusion of PTH delayed fracture healing in mice.

Hyperparathyroidism, which is increased parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels in the blood, could cause delayed or non-union of bone fractures. But, no study has yet demonstrated the effects of excess continuous PTH exposure, such as that seen in hyperparathyroidism, for fracture healing. Continuous human PTH (teriparatide) infusion using an osmotic pump was performed for stabilized tibial fractures in eight-week-old male mice to determine the relative bone healing process compared with saline treatment.

Risk Factors Associated With Short-term Clinical Results After Total Hip Arthroplasty for Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Clinical outcomes of total hip arthroplasty for rheumatoid arthritis are reportedly worse than those of total hip arthroplasty for osteoarthritis of the hip. The authors examined pre- and postoperative factors associated with the modified Harris hip score (mHHS). Fifty-one joints of 48 rheumatoid arthritis patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty were studied retrospectively.

Structural basis of efficient electron transport between photosynthetic membrane proteins and plastocyanin in spinach revealed using nuclear magnetic resonance.

In the photosynthetic light reactions of plants and cyanobacteria, plastocyanin (Pc) plays a crucial role as an electron carrier and shuttle protein between two membrane protein complexes: cytochrome b(6)f (cyt b(6)f) and photosystem I (PSI). The rapid turnover of Pc between cyt b(6)f and PSI enables the efficient use of light energy. In the Pc-cyt b(6)f and Pc-PSI electron transfer complexes, the electron transfer reactions are accomplished within <10(-4) s.

Expression of RANKL/OPG during bone remodeling in vivo.

The interaction between receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) plays a dominant role in osteoclastogenesis. As both proteins are produced by osteoblast lineage cells, they are considered to represent a key link between bone formation and resorption. In this study, we investigated the expression of RANKL and OPG during bone remodeling in vivo to determine the relationship between osteoclastogenic stimulation and osteoblastic differentiation.

Effects of basic fibroblast growth factor on osteoblast-related gene expression in the process of medullary bone formation induced in rat femur.

The effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on osteogenic differentiation in-vivo were investigated using a rat bone marrow ablation model. bFGF was infused directly into rat femora for 6 days after bone marrow ablation. The contralateral femur was infused with vehicle only and used as control.

Effect of IGF-I and PDGF administered in vivo on the expression of osteoblast-related genes in old rats.

In order to establish the cellular basis for using growth factors as possible therapeutic agents for the age-dependent deficit in bone formation activity, we examined the individual and combined effects of IGF-I and/or platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) on the gene expression of osteoblast-related markers in male rats. The expression of osteoblast markers was examined in the femurs of adult and old rats following marrow ablation, which amplifies gene expression activity. The mRNA levels of collagen(alpha1) (I) (COLI), alkaline phosphatase (AP), osteopontin (OP) and osteocalcin (OC) were significantly lower in the old as compared with the adult rats.

Local and systemic expression of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) mRNAs in rat after bone marrow ablation.

Local and systemic expression of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) during bone formation was studied using the rat bone marrow ablation model. The temporal expression pattern of IGF-I mRNA in rat femurs was examined. The IGF-I mRNA level was enhanced rapidly after ablation reaching a level threefold greater than basal by day 3 (P < 0.

Treatment of osteoporosis with MMP inhibitors.

In the current study, we examined the effects of minocycline on the osteopenia of ovariectomized (OVX) aged rats using the marrow ablation model. This injury induces rapid bone formation followed by bone resorption in the marrow cavity. Old female rats were randomly divided into five groups: sham, OVX, OVX + minocycline (5-15 mg/day, orally), OVX + 17 beta-estradiol (25 micrograms/day, subcutaneously), and OVX + both agents.

Actions of bFGF on mitogenic activity and lineage expression in rat osteoprogenitor cells: effect of age.

Rat osteoprogenitor cells were used to examine the effects of bFGF on DNA synthesis and the expression of osteoblast (OB)-related genes. bFGF, as low as 0.1 ng/ml, stimulated DNA synthesis.

Cloning of a cDNA encoding the human transforming growth factor-beta type II receptor: heterogeneity of the mRNA.

We have isolated two novel cDNAs encoding the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) type II receptor (TGF-beta IIR), termed TGF-beta IIR alpha and TGF-beta IIR beta 1 from a human fetal liver library. They have unique nucleotide (nt) sequences, compared with the reported TGF-beta IIR sequence, at the 5' end. Southern blot analysis using probes from each clone detected the specific genomic DNA fragments.