Wear resistance of the biocompatible phospholipid polymer-grafted highly cross-linked polyethylene liner against larger femoral head.

The use of larger femoral heads to prevent the dislocation of artificial hip joints has recently become more common. However, concerns about the subsequent use of thinner polyethylene liners and their effects on wear rate have arisen. Previously, we prepared and evaluated the biological and mechanical effects of a novel highly cross-linked polyethylene (CLPE) liner with a nanometer-scaled graft layer of poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC).

Transcription factor Hes1 modulates osteoarthritis development in cooperation with calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase 2.

Notch signaling modulates skeletal formation and pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) through induction of catabolic factors. Here we examined roles of Hes1, a transcription factor and important target of Notch signaling, in these processes. SRY-box containing gene 9 (Sox9)-Cre mice were mated with Hes1(fl/fl) mice to generate tissue-specific deletion of Hes1 from chondroprogenitor cells; this deletion caused no obvious abnormality in the perinatal period.

Effects of posterior vitreous detachment on aqueous humour levels of VEGF and inflammatory cytokines.

Purpose: To investigate the association of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) with aqueous levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and other inflammatory cytokines.

Methods: These are prospective comparative studies. Subjects comprised 98 eyes for VEGF concentration and 80 eyes for other cytokines, which are normal except for cataract.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VISUAL PROGNOSIS AND DELAY OF INTRAVITREAL INJECTION OF RANIBIZUMAB WHEN TREATING AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION.

Background: In age-related macular degeneration, various factors in clinical practice cause delays to arise between the time exudative change is observed and the time anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs are actually injected. We investigated the influence of injection delay on prognosis.

Methods: Subjects were 50 eyes (50 patients from 2 hospitals) that were administered ranibizumab monotherapy for age-related macular degeneration for 1 year since exudative change was first observed.

Joint space narrowing, body mass index, and knee pain: the ROAD study (OAC1839R1).

Objective: The objective of the present study was to clarify the association of joint space narrowing with knee pain in Japanese men and women using a large-scale population-based cohort of the Research on Osteoarthritis/osteoporosis Against Disability (ROAD) study.

Methods: This study examined the association between minimum joint space width (mJSW) in the medial compartment and pain at the knee. mJSW was measured in the medial and lateral compartments of the knee using a knee osteoarthritis (OA) computer-aided diagnosis system.

Abdominal obesity, hypertension, antihypertensive medication use and biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine whether abdominal obesity, including visceral adipose tissue (VAT) measured by computed tomography and blood pressure (BP) were associated with biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer after prostatectomy.

Methods: We investigated 283 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer retrospectively. We obtained information on body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), VAT, BP, antihypertensive drug use, pretreatment prostate-specific antigen levels, pathological Gleason scores and postoperative surgical margin status.

Identification of SCAN domain zinc-finger gene ZNF449 as a novel factor of chondrogenesis.

Transcription factors SOX9, SOX5 and SOX6 are indispensable for generation and differentiation of chondrocytes. However, molecular mechanisms to induce the SOX genes are poorly understood. To address this issue, we previously determined the human embryonic enhancer of SOX6 by 5'RACE analysis, and identified the 46-bp core enhancer region (CES6).

Independent validation of the modified prognosis palliative care study predictor models in three palliative care settings.

Context: Accurate prognostic information in palliative care settings is needed for patients to make decisions and set goals and priorities. The Prognosis Palliative Care Study (PiPS) predictor models were presented in 2011, but have not yet been fully validated by other research teams.

Objectives: The primary aim of this study is to examine the accuracy and to validate the modified PiPS (using physician-proxy ratings of mental status instead of patient interviews) in three palliative care settings, namely palliative care units, hospital-based palliative care teams, and home-based palliative care services.

The association of combination of disc degeneration, end plate signal change, and Schmorl node with low back pain in a large population study: the Wakayama Spine Study.

Background Context: Disc degeneration (DD) reportedly causes low back pain (LBP) and is often observed concomitantly with end plate signal change (ESC) and/or Schmorl node (SN) on magnetic resonance imaging.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between DD and LBP, considering ESC and/or SN presence, in a large population study.

Study Design/setting: Cross-sectional population-based study in two regions of Japan.

Clot-clearance rate in the sylvian cistern is associated with the severity of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Rapid clot removal and clearance has been proposed as an effective tool for preventing cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). We examined the relationship between clot-clearance rate and the severity of cerebral vasospasm in 110 consecutive patients with aneurysmal SAH. We measured clot-clearance rates per day in the basal and Sylvian cisterns, and evaluated the presence of symptomatic vasospasm based on changes in clinical symptoms and the appearance of a new low-density area on a computed tomography (CT) scan.

Relationship between drug lag and factors associated with clinical trials in Japan.

What Is Known And Objective: Drug lag is a major public concern in Japan. During the development of new drugs, some factors related to clinical trials in the marketing application package, such as trial design and the number of trials, can affect drug approval. The aim of this study was to determine whether those clinical trial factors were associated with drug lag in Japan.

The prevalence of cervical myelopathy among subjects with narrow cervical spinal canal in a population-based magnetic resonance imaging study: the Wakayama Spine Study.

Background Context: A narrow cervical spinal canal (CSC) is a well-known risk factor for cervical myelopathy (CM). However, no epidemiologic data of the CSC based on a population-based cohort are available.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate the age-related differences in CSC diameters on plain radiographs and to examine the associated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities including cervical cord compression and increased signal intensity (ISI) as well as the clinical CM with the narrow CSC.