Regeneration of ring-shaped lateral meniscus after partial resection of discoid meniscus with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

INTRODUCTIONThe ring-shaped lateral meniscus is very rare. Although it is essentially known as a congenital anomaly, a central tear in an incomplete discoid meniscus or an old bucket-handle tear in a meniscus may be easily mistaken for a ring-shaped meniscus. We experienced a ring-shaped lateral meniscus that regenerated after partial resection of a discoid meniscus together with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.PRESENTATION OF CASEA 37-year-old female patient still experienced unrelenting knee pain 6 months after ACL reconstruction and partial meniscectomy of a discoid lateral meniscus. A repeat arthroscopy was performed. The lateral tibial plateau was covered in the form of a ring by meniscus-like tissue. The meniscus-like tissue appeared to have regenerated inward toward the center from the stump after the partial meniscectomy and was connected from the anterior to posterior horn, forming an interhorn bridge. Partial meniscectomy was repeated. Histologically, the regenerated tissue was not meniscal, but comprised mature fibrocartilage; macroscopically; however, it was very similar to meniscal tissue. Two years after the initial operation, the patient had no complaints and experienced full return of function.DISCUSSIONThe reason for such regeneration is unknown, but may have been attributed to the specific intra-articular environment that developed after the ACL reconstruction.CONCLUSIONThis is the first report of regenerative development of a ring-shaped lateral meniscus. When a ring-shaped lateral meniscus is diagnosed, we must accurately determine whether it is a true congenital anomaly in consideration of the present case.     

The effects of 28-day early-life exposure to triphenyl phosphate (TPhP) on odor preference and sexual behavior in female rats

Many chemical substances are detectable in house dust, and they are consequently taken into our bodies via the mouth and nose. Triphenyl phosphate (TPhP), a flame retardant that has an estrogen-like effect in vitro, is present in house dust at high concentrations. Estrogen exposure during development has significant influences on reproductive behavior in rodents, and its effects persist until maturity. In the present study, we investigated the effect of early life exposure to TPhP on the reproductive behavior of female rats. Oral treatment with TPhP (25 or 250 mg/kg), ethinyl estradiol (EE; 15 μg/kg) as a positive control, or sesame oil as a negative control, were given to female rats (from birth to 28 days of age). The 8-week-old rats were bilaterally ovariectomized. At 12–15 weeks of age, the rats were subjected to odor preference and sexual behavior tests. In the odor preference test, the oil group showed significantly higher preference for male odor than female odor, but the low-dose TPhP treatment group lost the preference for male odor, indicating a possible outcome of early life TPhP exposure on sexual recognition. In the sexual behavior test, both the EE and TPhP treatment groups displayed significantly less proceptive behavior. These results suggest that early life exposure to TPhP disturbs the normal sexual behavior of female rats.     

Moderate exercise attenuated airway resistance and inflammation induced by cigarette smoke solution and endotoxin in rats

Purpose

Our aim was to investigate whether exercise would ameliorate the impaired diaphragm muscle function and the inflammation induced by cigarette smoke solution (CSS) and endotoxin in rat lungs.

Methods

We induced inflammation using intratracheal injections of CSS plus endotoxin in rats. After 2 weeks (day 15), half of these rats (CSS-Run group) began daily treadmill exercise (CSS-Run group) and the other half remained sedentary (CSS group). A third group received intratracheal saline injections and remained sedentary (sham group). Injections continued for 28 days during the study period. To investigate inflammation in the lungs, respiratory function was evaluated and leukocytes were measured. Muscle tension was measured in diaphragm and skeletal muscles, and muscle morphology was histochemically assessed.

Results

Compared with the sham group, the inspiratory to expiratory ratios were significantly higher in the CSS group but not in the CSS-Run group. Treadmill exercise increased the percentage of circulating neutrophils. Histology of lungs from the CSS group and the CSS-Run group showed proliferating macrophages; however, aggregation and cell numbers were more remarkable in the CSS group. The peak diaphragm muscle twitch force was significantly higher in the CSS-Run group than in the sham group; additionally, the relative area of fast-twitch glycolytic fibers was more extensive (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

We demonstrated that 2 weeks of treadmill exercise improved airway resistance and diaphragm muscle contractile force in rats exposed to repetitive CSS plus endotoxin. We propose that local inflammation was attenuated by aerobic exercise, which increased diaphragm muscle contractility.

     

Prediction of urine volume soon after birth using serum cystatin C

Background

Urine volume is an important clinical finding particularly during the early neonatal period. Oliguria is not a sign of impaired renal function but also a predictive factor for various complications and prognoses. It has been postulated that serum cystatin C (S-CysC) is a more sensitive biomarker for renal function than serum creatinine (S-Cr) in both adults and children. The objective of the current study was to investigate whether urine volume during 24 h after birth can be predicted using S-CysC.

Methods

The subjects were 87 infants. The average gestational age was 34.7 ± 2.9 weeks and the average birth weight was 2135 ± 614 g. Blood samples were obtained from either the umbilical cord or the peripheral veins or artery of the newborn at birth. Data regarding the amount of urine volume and fluid intake during the first 24 h of life, maternal S-Cr and S-CysC levels within 48 h before delivery, and neonatal S-Cr and S-CysC levels at birth were collected from the medical records.

Results

A significantly positive correlation was observed between maternal and neonatal S-Cr levels (r = 0.84, p < 0.0001) but not between maternal S-Cr levels and neonatal S-CysC levels (r = ?0.069, p = 0.52). A significant negative correlation was seen between neonatal S-CysC levels and urine volume (r = ?0.47, p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

The present study findings indicate that it may be possible to use S-CysC levels at birth to predict urine volume during the first 24 h of life.

     

Re-evaluation of waist circumference in metabolic syndrome: a comparison between Japanese men and women

We re-evaluated the criteria for waist circumference to predict the accumulation of the components of metabolic syndrome. We used data for 3,185 Japanese, aged 20-79 years. Metabolic syndrome has recently been redefined by a new criterion in Japan, in which waist circumference cutoff points, i.e. 85 cm for men and 90 cm for women, are employed. Among the 3,185 Japanese considered in the present study, 335 men (26.8%) and 69 women (3.6%) were diagnosed as having metabolic syndrome. A cutoff point as a predictor for 2 or more components of metabolic syndrome was evaluated by sensitivity/specificity and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The optimal point was estimated as being approximately 85 cm of waist circumference in men and 75 cm in women. We therefore recommend a cutoff value, 75 cm of waist circumference, for the criterion of metabolic syndrome in women.     

Extramural cancer deposits without nodal structure in colorectal cancer: optimal categorization for prognostic staging

To establish an optimal categorization of cancer deposits without lymph node structure (extranodal cancer deposits [EX]) in a prognostic staging system, we analyzed 1,027 cases in which patients underwent potentially curative surgery for advanced colorectal adenocarcinoma. EX was classified as vascular invasion-type (VAS) or non-VAS.A total of 512 foci of EX were identified in 205 patients (20.0%), with VAS and non-VAS found in 68 and 182 patients, respectively. The hazard ratio for patients with nodal involvement was 3.6 and for patients with VAS and non-VAS, 2.5 and 4.7, respectively. Based on multivariate analysis of these 3 parameters, only nodal involvement and non-VAS were significant prognosticators. By using the Akaike information criterion, N staging was capable of predicting survival outcome with the highest accuracy when both nodal involvement and non-VAS were treated together as an N factor and VAS was treated as a T factor ("new categorization"). The clinical significance of the TNM grading system for colorectal cancer would be enhanced if we treat EX as a new categorization.     

Nutritional Status Changes and Activities of Daily Living after Hip Fracture in Convalescent Rehabilitation Units: A Retrospective Observational Cohort Study from the Japan Rehabilitation Nutrition Database

Background

Several studies have suggested that malnutrition impedes functional recovery in patients with hip fracture, but there are few reports on improvement in nutritional status and return to activities of daily living (ADL) in these patients.

Ultrasonography to Measure Swallowing Muscle Mass and Quality in Older Patients With Sarcopenic Dysphagia

Background

Sarcopenic dysphagia is characterized by difficulty swallowing due to a loss of whole-body skeletal and swallowing muscle mass and function. However, no study has reported on swallowing muscle mass and quality in patients with sarcopenic dysphagia.