Influence of knee alignment on quadriceps cross-sectional area.

Previous studies of methods for stimulating the individual muscles composing the quadriceps femoris have not considered the structural features of a subject's knee joint. In this study, we compared the ratios of the individual muscles composing the quadriceps between subjects with different knee alignments using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. A total of 18 healthy males were examined: 6 normal knees (age, 23.

Reduced T cell response to beta-lactoglobulin by conjugation with acidic oligosaccharides.

We have previously reported that the conjugation of beta-lactoglobulin (beta-LG) with alginic acid oligosaccharide (ALGO) and phosphoryl oligosaccharides reduced the immunogenicity of beta-LG. In addition, those conjugates showed higher thermal stability and improved emulsifying properties than those of native beta-LG. We examine in this study the effect of conjugation on the T cell response.

Reduced immunogenicity of beta-lactoglobulin by conjugation with acidic oligosaccharides.

Bovine beta-lactoglobulin (beta-LG) was conjugated with the acidic oligosaccharides, alginic acid oligosaccharide (ALGO) and phosphoryl oligosaccharides (POs) by the Maillard reaction to reduce the immunogenicity of beta-LG. The molar ratios of beta-LG to ALGO and POs in the conjugates were 1:6 and 1:8. The carbohydrate-binding sites in the beta-LG-ALGO conjugate were partially identified to be (60)Lys, (77)Lys, (100)Lys, (138)Lys, and (141)Lys.

Degeneration of skeletal muscle fibers in the rat administrated carbon tetrachloride: similar histological findings of the muscle in a 64-year-old patient of LC with muscle cramp.

It is well known that painful muscle cramps occur frequently in patients with advanced liver cirrhosis (LC). Although many studies discuss the pathophysiological causes of these muscle cramps in various conditions, the results are not clear as far as the cause associated to LC is concerned. In order to investigate the cause of muscle cramps in LC, we examined the histological findings of skeletal muscle fibers in LC rat model and in a patient with LC.

Resorbability and solubility of zinc-containing tricalcium phosphate.

Using zinc-containing tricalcium phosphate (ZnTCP) as the zinc carrier for zinc-releasing calcium phosphate ceramic implants promoted bone formation around the implants. Because no quantitative information was available on the equilibrium solubility and resorbability of ZnTCP, in vitro equilibrium solubility and in vivo resorbability of ZnTCP were determined and compared quantitatively in this study. The solubility of ZnTCP decreased with increasing zinc content.