Prioritization of nasal polyp-associated genes by integrating GWAS and eQTL summary data

Background: Nasal polyps (NP) are benign inflammatory growths of nasal and paranasal sinus mucosa that can substantially impair patients' quality of life by various symptoms such as nasal obstruction, insomnia, and anosmia. NP often relapse even after surgical treatment, and the curative therapy would be challenging without understanding the underlying mechanisms. Genome wide association studies (GWASs) on NP have been conducted; however, few genes that are causally associated with NP have been identified. Methods: We aimed to prioritize NP associated genes for functional follow-up studies using the summary data-based Mendelian Randomization (SMR) and Bayesian colocalization (COLOC) methods to integrate the summary-level data of the GWAS on NP and the expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) study in blood. We utilized the GWAS data including 5,554 NP cases and 258,553 controls with 34 genome-wide significant loci from the FinnGen consortium (data freeze 8) and the eQTL data from 31,684 participants of predominantly European ancestry from the eQTLGen consortium. Results: The SMR analysis identified several genes including TNFRSF18, CTSK, and IRF1 that were associated with NP due to not linkage but pleiotropy or causality. The COLOC analysis strongly suggested that these genes and the trait of NP were affected by shared causal variants, and thus were colocalized. An enrichment analysis by Metascape suggested that these genes might be involved in the biological process of cellular response to cytokine stimulus. Conclusion: We could prioritize several NP associated genes including TNFRSF18, CTSK, and IRF1 for follow-up functional studies in future to elucidate the underlying disease mechanisms.

Formation and evolution of carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu: Direct evidence from returned samples

Samples of the carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu were brought to Earth by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft. We analyzed 17 Ryugu samples measuring 1 to 8 millimeters. Carbon dioxide-bearing water inclusions are present within a pyrrhotite crystal, indicating that Ryugu's parent asteroid formed in the outer Solar System. The samples contain low abundances of materials that formed at high temperatures, such as chondrules and calcium- and aluminum-rich inclusions. The samples are rich in phyllosilicates and carbonates, which formed through aqueous alteration reactions at low temperature, high pH, and water/rock ratios of <1 (by mass). Less altered fragments contain olivine, pyroxene, amorphous silicates, calcite, and phosphide. Numerical simulations, based on the mineralogical and physical properties of the samples, indicate that Ryugu's parent body formed ~2 million years after the beginning of Solar System formation.

Prevalence and determinants of sexual abuse among adolescent girls during the COVID-19 lockdown and school closures in Ghana: A mixed method study

BACKGROUND

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns have been raised that the pandemic may derail global efforts against child sexual abuse (CSA).

OBJECTIVES

This study examines the prevalence and associated factors of sexual abuse among adolescent girls in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

The sample comprised 853 adolescent girls aged 13-19 (16.03 ± 2.04 years) in Ghana.

METHODS

The study employed a concurrent mixed-method design.

RESULTS

Overall, the prevalence of CSA during the COVID-19 lockdown and school closures was 32.5 %. Protective factors for CSA were feeling safe in neighbourhood (AOR = 0.526, 95 % CI = [0.325, 0.850]) and parents often listen to opinions (AOR = 0.446, 95 % CI = [0.241, 0.826]). Risk factors for CSA were physical activity (AOR = 1.649, OR = 1.783, 95 % CI_AOR = [1.093, 2.487, 95 % CI_OR = [1.241, 2.561]), parents sometimes listen to opinions (AOR = 1.199, OR = 1.924, 95 % CI_AOR = [0.504, 2.853], 95 % CI_OR = [1.034, 3.582]), living with another relative (AOR = 2.352, OR = 2.484, 95 % CI_AOR = [0.270, 20.523], 95 % CI_OR = [0.317, 19.475]), Akan ethnicity (AOR = 1.576, OR = 1.437, 95 % CI_AOR = [0.307, 8.091], 95 % CI_OR = [0.316, 6.534]), having no disability (AOR = 1.099, OR = 1.138, 95 % CI_AOR = [0.679, 1.581], 95 % CI_OR = [0.786, 1.649]) and having a close relationship with parents (AOR = 1.334, OR = 1.752, 95 % CI_AOR = [0.746, 2.385], 95 % CI_OR = [1.096, 2.802]).

CONCLUSION

Knowledge of the risk and protective factors identified in this study can guide and inform the development of CSA prevention programmes during disruptive occurrences like school closures and lockdown.

Ku-band multichannel frequency comb Doppler reflectometer on the GAMMA 10/potential control and divertor simulating experiment (PDX) tandem mirror

A Ku-band (12-18 GHz) multichannel Doppler reflectometer (DR) has been developed in the GAMMA 10/potential control and divertor simulating experiment (PDX) tandem mirror device to improve the applicability of DR measurement for simultaneous monitoring of velocity of electron density turbulence at different locations. Our previous single-channel DR circuit has been replaced by the multichannel microwave system using a nonlinear transmission line based comb generator with heterodyne technique. The multichannel DR system has been installed in the central cell of GAMMA 10/PDX. Initial results of application to GAMMA 10/PDX plasma are presented, showing Doppler frequency shifts during an additional ion cyclotron resonance frequency heating and gas-puffing experiment.

Pebbles and sand on asteroid (162173) Ryugu: In situ observation and particles returned to Earth

The Hayabusa2 spacecraft investigated the C-type (carbonaceous) asteroid (162173) Ryugu. The mission performed two landing operations to collect samples of surface and subsurface material, the latter exposed by an artificial impact. We present images of the second touchdown site, finding that ejecta from the impact crater was present at the sample location. Surface pebbles at both landing sites show morphological variations ranging from rugged to smooth, similar to Ryugu's boulders, and shapes from quasi-spherical to flattened. The samples were returned to Earth on 6 December 2020. We describe the morphology of >5 grams of returned pebbles and sand. Their diverse color, shape, and structure are consistent with the observed materials of Ryugu; we conclude that they are a representative sample of the asteroid.

Finch: Prosthetic Arm with Three Opposing Fingers Controlled by a Muscle Bulge

Forearm amputees can use body-powered hooks and myoelectric hands for their daily activities. The body-powered hooks are suitable for delicate manipulation. However, their appearance is not always preferred by amputees, and a harness to pull a control cable is not easy to wear. Although the myoelectric hands have a natural appearance similar to the human hand and can be intuitively controlled by a myoelectric control system, they are not easy to try out and are heavy. This paper reports on the Finch, a prosthetic arm with three opposing fingers controlled by a muscle bulge. The aim of developing the Finch is to realize a lightweight prosthetic arm that is easy to wear and use. Three opposing fingers are controlled according to the degree of muscle bulge measured with a muscle bulge sensor on the user's forearm caused by muscle contraction. A supporter socket, consisting of a resin socket frame and a fabric supporter, allows easy fitting. A simple design using a linear actuator and 3D-printed parts achieved light weight (330 g) and low cost. Six functional tests and user tests using Southampton Hand Assessment Procedure showed that the Finch had a practical function that could be used in daily activities.

Estimating causal effects of genetically predicted type 2 diabetes on COVID-19 in the East Asian population

BACKGROUND

Observational studies suggested that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was associated with an increased risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, Mendelian randomization (MR) studies in the European population failed to find causal associations, partly because T2DM was pleiotropically associated with body mass index (BMI). We aimed to estimate the causal effects of T2DM on COVID-19 outcomes in the East Asian (EAS) population using a two-sample MR approach.

METHODS

We obtained summary statistics from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) that included 433,540 EAS participants as the exposure dataset for T2DM risk and from COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative GWAS meta-analyses (round 7) of EAS ancestry as the outcome dataset for COVID-19 susceptibility (4,459 cases and 36,121 controls), hospitalization (2,882 cases and 31,200 controls), and severity (794 cases and 4,862 controls). As the main MR analysis, we performed the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method. Moreover, we conducted a series of sensitivity analyses, including IVW multivariable MR using summary statistics for BMI from a GWAS with 158,284 Japanese individuals as a covariate.

RESULTS

The IVW method showed that the risk of T2DM significantly increased the risk of COVID-19 susceptibility (odds ratio [OR] per log (OR) increase in T2DM, 1.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.20; P = 0.014) and hospitalization (OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.04-1.26; P = 0.005), although the risk of severity was only suggestive. Moreover, IVW multivariable MR analysis indicated that the causal effects of T2DM on COVID-19 outcomes were independent of the effect of BMI.

CONCLUSIONS

Our MR study indicated for the first time that genetically predicted T2DM is a risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection and hospitalized COVID-19 independent of obesity in the EAS population.

Causal effect of atrial fibrillation/flutter on chronic kidney disease: A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and atrial fibrillation are both major burdens on the health care system worldwide. Several observational studies have reported clinical associations between CKD and atrial fibrillation; however, causal relationships between these conditions remain to be elucidated due to possible bias by confounders and reverse causations. Here, we conducted bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses using publicly available summary statistics of genome-wide association studies (the CKDGen consortium and the UK Biobank) to investigate causal associations between CKD and atrial fibrillation/flutter in the European population. Our study suggested a causal effect of the risk of atrial fibrillation/flutter on the decrease in serum creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and revealed a causal effect of the risk of atrial fibrillation/flutter on the risk of CKD (odds ratio, 9.39 per doubling odds ratio of atrial fibrillation/flutter; 95% coefficient interval, 2.39–37.0; P = 0.001), while the causal effect of the decrease in eGFR on the risk of atrial fibrillation/flutter was unlikely. However, careful interpretation and further studies are warranted, as the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Further, our sample size was relatively small and selection bias was possible.

Estimating causal effects of atherogenic lipid-related traits on COVID-19 susceptibility and severity using a two-sample Mendelian randomization approach

BACKGROUND

As the number of COVID-19 deaths continues to rise worldwide, the identification of risk factors for the disease is an urgent issue, and it remains controversial whether atherogenic lipid-related traits including serum apolipoprotein B, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, are risk factors. The aim of this study was to estimate causal effects of lipid-related traits on COVID-19 risk in the European population using a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach.

METHODS

We used summary statistics from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) that included 441,016 participants from the UK Biobank as the exposure dataset of lipid-related traits and from COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative GWAS meta-analyses of European ancestry as the outcome dataset for COVID-19 susceptibility (32,494 cases and 1,316,207 controls), hospitalization (8316 cases and 1,549,095 controls), and severity (4792 cases and 1,054,664 controls). We performed two-sample MR analyses using the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method. As sensitivity analyses, the MR-Egger regression, weighted median, and weighted mode methods were conducted as were leave-one-out sensitivity analysis, the MR-PRESSO global test, PhenoScanner searches, and IVW multivariable MR analyses. A P value below 0.0055 with Bonferroni correction was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

This MR study suggested that serum apolipoprotein B or LDL-cholesterol levels were not significantly associated with COVID-19 risk. On the other hand, we inferred that higher serum triglyceride levels were suggestively associated with higher risks of COVID-19 susceptibility (odds ratio [OR] per standard deviation increase in lifelong triglyceride levels, 1.065; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.001-1.13; P = 0.045) and hospitalization (OR, 1.174; 95% CI, 1.04-1.33; P = 0.012), and were significantly associated with COVID-19 severity (OR, 1.274; 95% CI, 1.08-1.50; P = 0.004). Sensitivity and bidirectional MR analyses suggested that horizontal pleiotropy and reverse causation were unlikely.

CONCLUSIONS

Our MR study indicates a causal effect of higher serum triglyceride levels on a greater risk of COVID-19 severity in the European population using the latest and largest GWAS datasets to date. However, as the underlying mechanisms remain unclear and our study might be still biased due to possible horizontal pleiotropy, further studies are warranted to validate our findings and investigate underlying mechanisms.

Table Tennis Prosthetic Hand Controlled Based on Distance Measurement Using a ToF Sensor

Table tennis is a popular sport for forearm amputees. However, forearm amputees with limited pronation and supination movements cannot switch the racket angle properly for forehand and backhand drives. This paper reports a table tennis prosthetic hand controlled based on distance measurement using a ToF Sensor. The developed hand can switch the racket angle between forehand drive and backhand drive based on the distance between the wrist and the trunk or upper arm measured by the ToF sensor attached to an electric wrist. The participant with forearm amputation could play table tennis with the developed hand in the test play. The racket angle was switched to the appropriate angle for the forehand drive and the backhand drive, and the participant could return a ball 6.3 times in 10 seconds. The satisfaction of the participant with the prosthetic hand was good.

Educational Attainment Decreases the Risk of COVID-19 Severity in the European Population: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study

Observational studies have reported that the severity of COVID-19 depends not only on physical conditions but also on socioeconomic status, including educational level. Because educational attainment (EA), which measures the number of years of schooling, is moderately heritable, we investigated the causal association of EA on the risk of COVID-19 severity using the Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. A two-sample MR analysis was performed using publicly available summary-level data sets of genome-wide association studies (GWASs). A total of 235 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were extracted as instrumental variables for the exposure of EA from the Social Science Genetic Association Consortium GWAS summary data of 766,345 participants of European ancestry. The effect of each SNP on the outcome of COVID-19 severity risk was obtained from the GWAS summary data of 1,059,456 participants of European ancestry gathered from the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative. Using inverse variance weighted method, our MR study shows that EA was significantly associated with a lower risk of COVID-19 severity (odds ratio per one standard deviation increase in years of schooling, 0.540; 95% confidence interval, 0.376–0.777, P = 0.0009). A series of sensitivity analyses showed little evidence of bias. In conclusion, we show for the first time using a two-sample MR approach the associations between higher EA and the lower risk of COVID-19 severity in the European population. However, the genetic or epidemiological mechanisms underlying the association between EA and the risk of COVID-19 severity remain unknown, and further studies are warranted to validate the MR findings and investigate underlying mechanisms.

Measurement of axial phase difference of density fluctuations owing to spontaneously excited waves by using microwave reflectometer on GAMMA 10/PDX

In the GAMMA 10/PDX tandem mirror, plasma with strong ion-temperature anisotropy is produced by using the ion cyclotron range of frequency waves. This anisotropy of ion temperature causes several Alfvén-Ion-Cyclotron (AIC) waves to spontaneously excite in the frequency range just below the ion cyclotron frequency. In addition, difference-frequency (DF) waves are excited in the radial inner region of the plasma by wave-wave coupling among the AIC waves. The radial density profiles were measured at multi-axial positions using a frequency-modulation reflectometer with an axial array of microwave antennas, and an axial variation of the density was found to be significant. In addition, a relative phase difference of the DF wave between axially separated two points was first obtained by finely choosing the probing frequency of the reflectometers with a maximum coherence used as a measure, indicating that the DF wave is a propagating wave, while the pump AIC waves are standing waves in the axial region of measurement.

Improvement in multipass Thomson scattering system comprising laser amplification system developed in GAMMA 10/PDX

The multipass Thomson scattering (MPTS) technique is one of the most useful methods for measuring low-electron-density plasmas. The MPTS system increases Thomson scattering (TS) signal intensities by integrating all multipass (MP) signals and improving the TS time resolution by analyzing each pass signal. The fully coaxial MPTS system developed in GAMMA 10/potential-control and diverter-simulator experiments has a polarization-based configuration with image-relaying optics. The MPTS system can enhance Thomson scattered signals for improving the measurement accuracy and megahertz-order time resolution. In this study, we develop a new MPTS system comprising a laser amplification system to obtain continuous MP signals. The laser amplification system can improve degraded laser power and return an amplified laser to the MP system. We obtain continuous MP signals from the laser amplification system by improving the laser beam profile adjuster in gas scattering experiments. Moreover, we demonstrate that more MP signals and stronger amplified MP signals can be achieved via multiple laser injections to the laser amplification system in the developed MP system comprising a laser amplification system.

The APLNR gene polymorphism rs7119375 is associated with an increased risk of development of essential hypertension in the Chinese population: A meta-analysis

Hypertension (HT) has recently been defined as a systolic blood pressure (BP) of ≥130 mm Hg and/or a diastolic BP of ≥80 mm Hg. It is important to further understand the pathophysiology of essential HT as its proportion is larger among most of the diagnosed HT cases. The apelin and apelin receptor (APLNR) are known to play roles in regulating BP, but the putative associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the APLNR gene with the risk of development of essential HT have not yet been fully investigated. Herein, we conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms in the APLNR gene and the risk of essential HT.We conducted a search in the PubMed and Web of Science databases for eligible studies. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using random-effects models when heterogeneity was expected across the studies. Otherwise, fixed-effect models were used.Regarding the SNP rs7119375, 5 studies were analyzed, which included a total of 3567 essential HT patients and 3256 healthy controls. Four of the 5 studies were from China and 1 was from Mexico. The meta-analysis showed the existence of a significant association between the AA genotype of rs7119375 and the risk of developing essential HT in the Chinese population, as determined using additive and recessive models (OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.12-3.96; I = 86% for AA vs GG. OR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.21-1.94; I = 28% for AA vs AG. OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.13-3.12; I = 79% for AA vs AG + GG).Our study showed, for the first time, the existence of an association between rs7119375 and the risk of development of essential HT in the Chinese population, although the sample size was small and there was considerable population heterogeneity. The apelin/APLNR system could be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of essential HT, and more studies are warranted to further investigate the association.

An Electric Cosmetic Prosthetic Hand with Vibrotactile Sense

Prosthetic hands are developed to replace lost hands. However, it has been hard to ensure the same level grasping and manipulating objects as human hands and the cosmetic appearance is also important. In a previous work, Rehand II: an electric and cosmetic prosthetic hand was developed. Its function is limited to simple object grasping, but it has the cosmetic appearance and is relatively light. This paper aimed to improve Rehand II by introducing tactile sense. Tactile sense is available to detect physical contact, recognize physical attributes of objects such as their softness and texture, and ensure delicate operation while handling the objects. Additionally, tactile sense is relevant to build the body recognition. We focused on vibrotactile sense from the aspects of a wide receptive field, contribution to contact detection and various frequency information involved. A simple electric and cosmetic prosthetic hand with vibrotactile sense was developed by improving Rehand II with polyvinylidene difluoride film sensors for detecting skin-propagated vibrations and soft vibrators for the feedback. The sensors were embedded at the thumb, index finger, and back of the hand of the prosthetic hand. First, recognition tests involving tapped part were conducted. Then, recognition and realistic rating tests involving operations were conducted. Results showed high recognition of tapped parts and operations and the good realistic.

A Prosthetic Gripper with Three Opposing Fingers Driven by a Hydraulic Actuator

Electric prosthetic hands have problems of heavyweight, unsuitability for working near water, and driving noise. Although body-powered prosthetic hands solve these problems, they have operability and wearability problems related to a cable control system. In this paper, we report a prosthetic gripper with three opposing fingers driven by a hydraulic actuator without electrical components. The three fingers are controlled simultaneously by pushing the lever of an operating interface mounted on the user's upper arm on the affected side. The hydraulic actuator enables users to open the fingers with a force of 16.6 N. The operating interface can be worn without a harness. The total weight is 316 g. Grasping tests of abstract and daily objects in which two amputees participated demonstrated that two amputees were able to grasp various objects. Quietness was also confirmed by them.

Collisional formation of top-shaped asteroids and implications for the origins of Ryugu and Bennu

Asteroid shapes and hydration levels can serve as tracers of their history and origin. For instance, the asteroids (162173) Ryugu and (101955) Bennu have an oblate spheroidal shape with a pronounced equator, but contain different surface hydration levels. Here we show, through numerical simulations of large asteroid disruptions, that oblate spheroids, some of which have a pronounced equator defining a spinning top shape, can form directly through gravitational reaccumulation. We further show that rubble piles formed in a single disruption can have similar porosities but variable degrees of hydration. The direct formation of top shapes from single disruption alone can explain the relatively old crater-retention ages of the equatorial features of Ryugu and Bennu. Two separate parent-body disruptions are not necessarily required to explain their different hydration levels.

Controlling gene activation by enhancers through a drug-inducible topological insulator

While regulation of gene-enhancer interaction is intensively studied, its application remains limited. Here, we reconstituted arrays of CTCF-binding sites and devised a synthetic topological insulator with tetO for chromatin-engineering (STITCH). By coupling STITCH with tetR linked to the KRAB domain to induce heterochromatin and disable the insulation, we developed a drug-inducible system to control gene activation by enhancers. In human induced pluripotent stem cells, STITCH inserted between MYC and the enhancer down-regulated MYC. Progressive mutagenesis of STITCH led to a preferential escalation of the gene-enhancer interaction, corroborating the strong insulation ability of STITCH. STITCH also altered epigenetic states around MYC. Time-course analysis by drug induction uncovered deposition and removal of H3K27me3 repressive marks follows and reflects, but does not precede and determine, the expression change. Finally, STITCH inserted near NEUROG2 impaired the gene activation in differentiating neural progenitor cells. Thus, STITCH should be broadly useful for functional genetic studies.

An artificial impact on the asteroid (162173) Ryugu formed a crater in the gravity-dominated regime

The Hayabusa2 spacecraft investigated the small asteroid Ryugu, which has a rubble-pile structure. We describe an impact experiment on Ryugu using Hayabusa2's Small Carry-on Impactor. The impact produced an artificial crater with a diameter >10 meters, which has a semicircular shape, an elevated rim, and a central pit. Images of the impact and resulting ejecta were recorded by the Deployable CAMera 3 for >8 minutes, showing the growth of an ejecta curtain (the outer edge of the ejecta) and deposition of ejecta onto the surface. The ejecta curtain was asymmetric and heterogeneous and it never fully detached from the surface. The crater formed in the gravity-dominated regime; in other words, crater growth was limited by gravity not surface strength. We discuss implications for Ryugu's surface age.

Images from the surface of asteroid Ryugu show rocks similar to carbonaceous chondrite meteorites

The near-Earth asteroid (162173) Ryugu is a 900-m-diameter dark object expected to contain primordial material from the solar nebula. The Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout (MASCOT) landed on Ryugu's surface on 3 October 2018. We present images from the MASCOT camera (MASCam) taken during the descent and while on the surface. The surface is covered by decimeter- to meter-sized rocks, with no deposits of fine-grained material. Rocks appear either bright, with smooth faces and sharp edges, or dark, with a cauliflower-like, crumbly surface. Close-up images of a rock of the latter type reveal a dark matrix with small, bright, spectrally different inclusions, implying that it did not experience extensive aqueous alteration. The inclusions appear similar to those in carbonaceous chondrite meteorites.

Compact and Lightweight Transradial Electric Prosthesis for Children with Forearm Deficiency

Children with congenital forearm deficiency have difficulty in daily activities and body balance problem. Since most electric prostheses have been developed for adult amputees, it is necessary to develop a compact and lightweight electric prosthesis for children to manipulate various daily objects. In this paper, we report a compact and lightweight transradial electric prosthesis for children with forearm deficiency. Based on an electric prosthesis termed as Finch for adult amputees, we designed a smaller electric prosthesis by using a compact actuator and a control unit. We downsized the fingers of the Finch without impairing the workability. The total weight of the developed prosthesis was 274 g, which was about 100 g lighter than that of the conventional electric prosthesis for children. The result of upper limb function evaluation using developed prosthesis participated in a child with congenital forearm deficiency demonstrated that the effectiveness of the prosthesis to manipulate daily objects.

Oral function and vertical jump height among healthy older people in Japan

OBJECTIVE

Vertical jump height and oral function affect the general muscle condition. This study aimed to evaluate the association between vertical jump height and oral function among healthy older individuals.

BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN

Cross-sectional analytic study.

PARTICIPANTS

231 independent older people (mean age, 74.4 ± 5.6 years) who participated in the Kyoto Elders Physical Fitness Measurement Research Project. Individuals with partial or complete edentulousness who did not use a prosthetic device or complained of oral/maxillofacial pain were excluded from the study.

INTERVENTIONS

Grip strength was measured using a Smedley Hand Dynamometer. To measure masticatory performance, the participants were instructed to chew a gummy jelly on their habitual chewing side (left or right) for 20 s. Occlusal force, contact area, and pressure were also assessed.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The outcome variable was vertical jump height. The predictor variables were physical status (age, body mass index, and grip strength), oral status (number of present teeth and denture use), and oral function (masticatory performance, occlusal force, occlusal contact area, occlusal pressure, and tongue pressure). These relationships were evaluated with univariate analysis, and then multiple regression analysis was performed with age as the covariate for each male and female participant.

RESULTS

Vertical jump height was significantly associated with grip strength in both men and women. Moreover, in women, it was associated with masticatory performance, occlusal force, and occlusal contact area.

CONCLUSIONS

Vertical jump height was closely associated with oral function among healthy older women.

Rehand II: Wire-Driven Five-Fingered Electric Prosthetic Hand Utilizing Elasticity of a Cosmetic Glove

Five-fingered electric prosthetic hands have been commercialized to assist the activities of forearm amputees in their daily life. Since the five-fingered electric prosthetic hands use a complicated mechanism and several actuators, the total weight is 1 kg or more. Although some hands are covered with a dedicated silicon glove, the appearance of them is not realistic compared to a general cosmetic hand. In this paper, we report a wire-driven five-fingered electric prosthetic hand utilizing elasticity of a cosmetic glove termed as Rehand II. The five fingers are flexed by pulling wires with a single servo motor and are extended by the elasticity of the cosmetic glove. In addition, a fitting mechanism in the hand allows the hand to fit the shape of various objects. With this approach, we developed an electric prosthetic hand with a simple grasping function that solves appearance and weight problems in conventional hands. The total weight of the developed hand was 562 g. The results of evaluation tests via Southampton Hand Assessment Procedure (SHAP) and grasping test of daily necessities in which a forearm amputee participated demonstrated that the developed prosthesis exhibited function to manipulate various objects used in daily activities.

Hayabusa2 arrives at the carbonaceous asteroid 162173 Ryugu-A spinning top-shaped rubble pile

The Hayabusa2 spacecraft arrived at the near-Earth carbonaceous asteroid 162173 Ryugu in 2018. We present Hayabusa2 observations of Ryugu's shape, mass, and geomorphology. Ryugu has an oblate "spinning top" shape, with a prominent circular equatorial ridge. Its bulk density, 1.19 ± 0.02 grams per cubic centimeter, indicates a high-porosity (>50%) interior. Large surface boulders suggest a rubble-pile structure. Surface slope analysis shows Ryugu's shape may have been produced from having once spun at twice the current rate. Coupled with the observed global material homogeneity, this suggests that Ryugu was reshaped by centrifugally induced deformation during a period of rapid rotation. From these remote-sensing investigations, we identified a suitable sample collection site on the equatorial ridge.

The surface composition of asteroid 162173 Ryugu from Hayabusa2 near-infrared spectroscopy

The near-Earth asteroid 162173 Ryugu, the target of the Hayabusa2 sample-return mission, is thought to be a primitive carbonaceous object. We report reflectance spectra of Ryugu's surface acquired with the Near-Infrared Spectrometer (NIRS3) on Hayabusa2, to provide direct measurements of the surface composition and geological context for the returned samples. A weak, narrow absorption feature centered at 2.72 micrometers was detected across the entire observed surface, indicating that hydroxyl (OH)-bearing minerals are ubiquitous there. The intensity of the OH feature and low albedo are similar to thermally and/or shock-metamorphosed carbonaceous chondrite meteorites. There are few variations in the OH-band position, which is consistent with Ryugu being a compositionally homogeneous rubble-pile object generated from impact fragments of an undifferentiated aqueously altered parent body.

The geomorphology, color, and thermal properties of Ryugu: Implications for parent-body processes

The near-Earth carbonaceous asteroid 162173 Ryugu is thought to have been produced from a parent body that contained water ice and organic molecules. The Hayabusa2 spacecraft has obtained global multicolor images of Ryugu. Geomorphological features present include a circum-equatorial ridge, east-west dichotomy, high boulder abundances across the entire surface, and impact craters. Age estimates from the craters indicate a resurfacing age of [Formula: see text] years for the top 1-meter layer. Ryugu is among the darkest known bodies in the Solar System. The high abundance and spectral properties of boulders are consistent with moderately dehydrated materials, analogous to thermally metamorphosed meteorites found on Earth. The general uniformity in color across Ryugu's surface supports partial dehydration due to internal heating of the asteroid's parent body.

Characteristic morphology of the proximal tibiofibular joint in patients with discoid lateral meniscus

BACKGROUND

Patients with discoid lateral meniscus (DLM) are prone to meniscal injuries related to its shape and abnormal mobility. The anatomical joint inclination of the proximal tibiofibular joint (PTFJ) can also affect joint movement in knee motion. However, an association between PTFJ morphology and DLM remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the morphology of the PTFJ on MRI and how this differs between patients with and without DLM.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fifty-eight patients with DLM and 58 age-matched controls (normal meniscus) were included in this study. Slices from preoperative MRI sagittal images that clearly showed the PTFJ were used for measurements. The angle between the PTFJ and the perpendicular line of the fibula axis was measured as the inclination angle, and patients were classified as horizontal-type (<20°) or oblique-type (>20°). The inclination angle was also compared among patients with open and closed epiphysis in both groups to assess the effect of age.

RESULTS

Patients in the horizontal-type PTFJ group frequently had DLM. Before epiphyseal closure, most patients had a horizontal-type PTFJ, with or without DLM. However, in older patients with a closed epiphysis, most with a normal meniscus had an oblique-type PTFJ, and those with DLM retained the horizontal-type joint.

CONCLUSION

The horizontal-type PTFJ was significantly associated with DLM, and patients with DLM tended to retain a horizontal-type PTFJ after epiphyseal closure. In contrast, in patients with a normal meniscus, the PTFJ may change from a horizontal-type to an oblique-type PTFJ in line with bone maturity.

F3Hand: A Five-Fingered Prosthetic Hand Driven with Curved Pneumatic Artificial Muscles

Recently, many five-fingered prosthetic hands have been commercialized. However, most five-fingered prosthetic hands have heavyweight problems. In addition, their fingers with high rigidity are difficult to fit the object to be grasped. This paper reports a five-fingered prosthetic hand driven with curved pneumatic artificial muscles. By using the curved pneumatic artificial muscles as a skeleton and an actuator of the finger, flexible grasps and natural motions are achieved. Its weight of 255 g is less than one-third of the conventional fivefingered prosthetic hand. An evaluation using SHAP demonstrated that an amputee was able to operate various abstract objects.

Development of a laser amplification system for the multi-pass Thomson scattering system for GAMMA 10/PDX

The multi-pass Thomson scattering (MPTS) system is a useful technique for increasing the Thomson scattering (TS) signal intensities and improving the TS diagnostic time resolution. The MPTS system developed in GAMMA 10/PDX has a polarization-based configuration with an image relaying system. The MPTS system has been constructed for enhancing the Thomson scattered signals for the improvement of measurement accuracy and the megahertz sampling time resolution. However, in the normal MPTS system, the MPTS signal intensities decrease with the pass number because of the damping due to the optical components. Subsequently, we have developed a new MPTS system with the laser amplification system. The laser amplification system can improve the degraded laser power after six passes in the multi-pass system to the initial laser power. For the first time worldwide, we successfully obtained the continued multi-pass signals after the laser amplification system in the gas scattering experiments.

Control of directionality of chromatin folding for the inter- and intra-domain contacts at the Tfap2c-Bmp7 locus

BACKGROUND

Contact domains of chromatin serve as a fundamental unit to regulate action of enhancers for target genes. Looping between a pair of CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF)-binding sites in convergent orientations underlies the formation of contact domains, while those in divergent orientations establish domain boundaries. However, every CTCF site is not necessarily engaged in loop or boundary structures, leaving functions of CTCF in varied genomic contexts still elusive. The locus containing Tfap2c and Bmp7 encompasses two contact domains separated by a region between the two genes, termed transition zone (TZ), characterized by two arrays of CTCF sites in divergent configuration. In this study, we created deletion and inversion alleles of these and other regions across the locus and investigated how they impinge on the conformation.

RESULTS

Deletion of the whole two CTCF arrays with the CRISPR/Cas9 system resulted in impairment of blocking of chromatin contacts by the TZ, as assessed by the circular chromatin conformation capture assay (4C-seq). Deletion and inversion of either of the two arrays similarly, but less pronouncedly, led to reduction in the blocking activity. Thus, the divergent configuration provides the TZ with the strong boundary activity. Uniquely, we show the TZ harbors a 50-kb region within one of the two arrays that contacts broadly with the both flanking intervals, regardless of the presence or orientation of the other CTCF array. Further, we show the boundary CTCF array has little impact on intra-domain folding; instead, locally associating CTCF sites greatly affect it.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show that the TZ not only separates the two domains, but also bears a wide interval that shows isotropic behavior of chromatin folding, indicating a potentially complex nature of actual boundaries in the genome. We also show that CTCF-binding sites inside a domain greatly contribute to the intra-domain folding of chromatin. Thus, the study reveals diverse and context-dependent roles of CTCF in organizing chromatin conformation at different levels.

Evaluation of Articular Cartilage Injury Using Computed Tomography With Axial Traction in the Ankle Joint

BACKGROUND

Although chondral or osteochondral injuries are usually assessed by magnetic resonance imaging, its accuracy can be low, presumably related to the relatively thin cartilage layer and the close apposition of the cartilage of the talus and tibial plafond. We hypothesized that axial traction could provide a contrast between the articular cartilage and joint cavity, and it enabled the simultaneous evaluation of cartilage and subchondral bone. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of using computed tomography (CT) imaging with axial traction for the diagnosis of articular cartilage injuries.

METHODS

Chondral lesions in 18 ankles were evaluated by CT with axial traction using a tensioning device and ankle strap for enlargement of the joint space of the ankle. CT was done in 3-mm slices and programmed for gray scale, and then CT images were allocated colors to make it easier to evaluate the cartilage layer. The International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) grades on CT were compared with those on arthroscopic findings.

RESULTS

The respective sensitivity and specificity of CT imaging with traction using ICRS grading were 74.4%, and 96.3%. The level of agreement of the ICRS grading between CT images and arthroscopic findings was moderate (kappa coefficient, 0.547). Adding axial traction to CT increased the delineation of the cartilage surface, including chondral thinning, chondral defect, and cartilage separation.

CONCLUSIONS

CT with axial traction produced acceptable levels of sensitivity and specificity for the evaluation of articular cartilage injuries, in addition to the assessment of subchondral bone.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, comparative case series.

Relationship Between Bone Marrow Lesions on MRI and Cartilage Degeneration in Osteochondral Lesions of the Talar Dome

BACKGROUND

In the evaluation of osteochondral lesions of the talar dome (OLT), bone marrow lesions (BML) are commonly observed in the subchondral bone on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, the significance of BML, such as the histology of the overlying cartilage, is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the BML and cartilage degeneration in OLT.

METHODS

Thirty-three ankles with OLT were included in this study. All ankles underwent CT and MRI and had operative treatment. The ankles were divided into 2 groups, depending on the presence of bone sclerosis (ie, with or without) in the host bone just below the osteochondral fragment (nonsclerosis group and sclerosis group). The area of BML was compared between the 2 groups. Biopsies of the osteochondral fragment from 20 ankles were performed during surgery, and the correlation between the BML and cartilage degeneration was analyzed. The remaining 13 ankles had the CT and MRI compared with the arthroscopic findings.

RESULTS

The mean area of BML in the nonsclerosis group was significantly larger than that in the sclerosis group. In the histologic analysis, there was a significant and moderate correlation between the Mankin score and the area of BML. The mean Mankin score in the nonsclerosis group was significantly lower than that in the sclerosis group.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed that a large area of BML on MRI exhibited low degeneration of cartilage of the osteochondral fragment, while a small area of BML indicated sclerosis of the subchondral bone with severe degeneration of cartilage. The evaluation of BML may predict the cartilage condition of the osteochondral fragment.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, comparative series.

Relationship between osteophyte and arthroscopic findings in osteoarthritis of ankle

Category:

Ankle

Introduction/Purpose:

Mortise view weight-bearing radiograph is widely used for the diagnosis of osteoarthritis of ankle. Thickness of the articular cartilage cannot be accurately evaluated in the evaluation of joint space from weight-bearing radiograph, because lateral tibiotalar joint space is maintained in valgus type osteoarthritis in some cases. There are few reports on the relation between osteophyte and the articular cartilage injury. We considered that it might be possible to estimate the cartilage injury more accurately by examining osteophytes. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between the location and grade of osteophytes in weight-bearing radiograph and cartilage injury in arthroscopic findings was analyzed.

Methods:

Twenty-one anklets of 21 patients consisted of 10 males and 10 females, with mean age of 61.4 years (31-79 years), who underwent arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis in our department were included. Weight-bearing radiograph were taken before surgery. Location and grade of osteophytes were evaluated using Ankle and Hindfoot Radiographic Osteoarthritis Scoring reported by Kraus et al. Arthroscopic findings were evaluated with International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) Grade at a total of 20 sites (9 areas of tibia and talar in tibiotalar joint, medial malleolus and lateral malleolus). The correlation between radiographic findings and arthroscopic findings were analyzed.

Results:

In Mortise view, strong correlations were found between lateral tibial osteophyte grade and ICRS grade of the center (talus R = 0.69, tibia R = 0.76), the central lateral (tibia R = 0.79), the posterior center (talus R = 0.72, tibia R = 0.74) and the posterior lateral of the tibiotalar joint (talus R = 0.63, tibia R = 0.76). There are moderate correlations between distal fibular osteophyte grade and ICRS grade of the medial inner (tibia R = 0.74) and the posterior medial of the tibiotalar joint (talus R = 0.61, tibia = 0.63). In lateral view, there are moderate correlations between posterior talar osteophyte grade and ICRS grade at the center of the tibiotalar joint (talus R = 0.61, tibia R = 0.60).

Conclusion:

From this study, there was a strong correlation between location and grade osteophyte and the articular cartilage injury. Osteoarthritis progression is caused by degeneration of the cartilage because of the joint instability, and osteophytes were formed by traction force or impaction. This study showed that local cartilage injury is thought to be related to osteophytes. By evaluating the location and size of osteophytes, the articular cartilage injury might be predicted accurately before arthroscopic surgery.

Evaluation of articular cartilage injury using computed tomography with axial traction in ankle joint

Category:

Ankle

Introduction/Purpose:

Although chondral or osteochondral injuries are usually assessed by MRI, its accuracy is reportedly low because of the relatively thin cartilage layer and its close apposition to the cartilage talus and tibial plafond. The subchondral bone plays a role in cartilage metabolism, therefore the evaluation of subchondral bone is crucial for cartilage treatment. A method which enables the simultaneous evaluation of cartilage and subchondral bone is useful for the treatment of cartilage injury. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of CT imaging with axial traction for the diagnosis of articular cartilage injuries.

Methods:

Chondral lesion in 18 ankles of 17 patients were evaluated. These 18 ankles consisted of 11 ankles of osteochondral lesion of the talar dome (OLT), 5 ankles of osteoarthritis of ankle joints and 2 ankles of anterior impingement syndrome. Twelve males and 5 women were included, with a mean age of 33.7 years (range, 15 -70 years). An ankle distractor foot strap was placed on the ankle with 30 degrees flexion of the knee joint, and a traction force of 80 N was applied during CT scanning. Gray scale CT images were allocated colors to make it easier to evaluate the cartilage layer. The international Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) grades on CT were compared with those in arthroscopic findings.

Results:

The respective sensitivity and specificity of CT imaging with traction compared to ICRS grading were 74.4%, and 96.3%. The level of agreement of the ICRS grading between CT images and arthroscopic findings showed moderate (kappa coefficient; 0.547). The diagnosis of grade 3 or 4 lesions had 80.0% sensitivity. Axial traction to CT enabled the delineation of the cartilage surface including chondral thinning, defect and cartilage separation more visible (Figure 1).

Conclusion:

CT with axial traction could obtain acceptable levels of sensitivity and specificity for the evaluation of articular cartilage injuries in addition to the assessment of subchondral bone.

Morphological change of OLT after excision of osteochondral fragment with microfracture on MRI

Category:

Ankle

Introduction/Purpose:

Osteochondral lesion of talus (OLT) is treated by several procedures such as bone marrow stimulation technique, cartilage fragment fixation, or autologous osteochondoral bone implantation. The choice of surgical methods depends on the size of lesion and cartilage condition. For unstable small lesion, excision of osteochondral fragment is usually performed. Good clinical results after this procedure is reported, but it is unclear that the morphological repair of subchondral bone and cartilage like tissue at the lesion. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the restoration of subchondral bone and cartilage like tissue after arthroscopic microfracture with excision of osteochondral fragment, and to investigate the clinical outcomes of this operation for the athletes.

Methods:

From 2005 to 2015, 11 patients (6 men and 5 women) were performed arthroscopic microfracture with excision of osteochondral fragment for OLT. Average age was 28.6 years old (17 - 59 years old). The site of OLT was 10 medial and 1 lateral. The cases of athletes were 7 of 11 cases. The size of preoperative OLT by MRI, measure the depth of the resected site on 3-month postoperative MRI. And we evaluated the appearance of the repair site on 1 year postoperative MRI, clinical outcome using American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society Clinical Rating System (AOFAS), return rate to sports, and period of return to the sports.

Results:

Preoperative size of lesion on MRI was 9.8 mm in sagittal view, and 6.0 mm in coronal view. Depth of the resected site in 3 months postoperative MRI was 3.1 mm. On one year postoperative MRI, the resected site was filled with cartilage like tissue, and the shape of restored site was good that mimicked the original shape (Figure 1). As for clinical outcome, AOFAS score was 65.4 points preoperatively, and it improved to 93.4 points 1 year postoperatively. In clinical outcomes of the athletes, all cases could return to sports. Average period to return sports was 5.6 months. Only in 1 case, mild pain during sports activity was remained. Preoperative AOFAS score of athletes was 71.4 points and it improved to 98.5 points postoperatively.

Conclusion:

According to this study, even if a symptom is mild, an early operation will be more likely to result in the early return to sports and good outcomes. In addition, these good outcomes and good congruency on 1 year postoperative MRI suggest that the restored cartilage like tissue is enough for the high activities. The cartilage is repaired with maintaining original shape of talus cartilage. And this method was effective for athletes and was able to get them return to sports with good outcome.

Outcome of Autologous Bone Grafting with Preservation of Articular Cartilage to Treat Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus with Large Subchondral Cysts

Category:

Ankle

Introduction/Purpose:

Treatment options for osteochondral lesion of the talus (OLT) have substantially increased over the last decade. There are a wide variety of surgical treatments for OLT, and good clinical results have been reported. However, treatment for OLT with large subchondral bone cysts remains under discussion. The combination of autologous bone grafting for subchondral bone cyst with fixation of articular cartilage would be the desirable procedure for the repair of the large subchondral cyst preserving the original cartilage with native structure and geometry. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical outcome of autologous cancellous bone graft and fixation of cartilage fragment for OLT with large subchondral cysts.

Methods:

Patients comprised seven men and five women, aged 14–70 (mean 35.9) years. All OLTs included full-thickness articular cartilage, extended through subchondral bone and were associated with subchondral cysts. The mean size of the cysts was 9 ×8.6 ×12.3 mm on preoperative CT. Medial lesions were exposed through an oblique medial malleolar osteotomy; lateral lesions through expansion of an anterolateral arthroscopic portal. After refreshed the subchondral cyst, it was grafted with autologous cancellous bone from the distal tibial metaphysis, then cartilage fragments were fixed with nylon suture to surrounding cartilage. Postoperative MRI and CT scans were acquired for all patients at one year after surgery. Seven patients requested screw removal although none had symptoms. The screws were removed and simultaneous arthroscopic examination was performed at 1.5–2 years after surgery with the patients’ permission. The cartilage repair was assessed according to the criteria of the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS).

Results:

Functional outcome was evaluated at 25.3 (15–50) months after surgery. Mean American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle-hindfoot outcome score improved from 65.7 to 92 (90–100) postoperatively, with 100% patient satisfaction. All follow-up CT scans showed that the grafts were well consolidated with the surrounding subchondral bone. On MRI one year after surgery, no scans showed any signs of osteochondral graft instability. The mean ICRS arthroscopic score from follow-up arthroscopy was 11.1 (8–12) points, and represented nearly normal cartilage.

Conclusion:

Our study demonstrated good results of autologous bone grafting in preserving articular cartilage in cases of symptomatic OLT with subchondral cysts. In seven cases, we performed follow-up arthroscopy at 1.5–2 years after primary operation and the chondral fragment showed a smooth surface and good stability. The technique of autologous bone grafting with chondral fragment fixation could be a promising option for treatment of OLT with subchondral cysts.

Evaluation of the ankle position sense in the fatigue foot

Category:

Ankle

Introduction/Purpose:

Previous studies have described the damage of sensori-motor control in ankle sprain as being a possible cause of functional instability. The methods to demonstrate the functional instability, have included the postural balance test, peroneal muscle reaction time to sudden ankle inversion, peroneal nerve conduction velocity, and joint position sense of the ankle. On the other hand, isokinetic fatigue of ankle plantar flexion and dorsiflexion exhibits the correlation with postural instability. We hypothesize muscle fatigue around ankle joint causes abnormality of joint position sense, especially inversion at ankle joint, and it will be one of the causes of the ankle sprain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the inversion angle replication errors of before fatigue and after fatigue.

Methods:

11 subjects were included in this study. The subjects were placed in a sitting position with the knee flexed at 70°. Each subject placed the foot on a goniometer footplate with the ankle at 20° planter flexion. Subjects were blindfolded to eliminate visual input and to facilitate concentration during testing. The foot was passively rotated internally at random to one of six positions (5°to 30°), always starting from 0°. The footplate was rotated manually to the index angle in approximately 1 s, and held in position for 5 s. Then the ankle was returned to the 0° position. After that, the subjects moved their ankle to match the previous test angle actively. The difference between the index angle and replication angle was measured. Ankles were enforced planter and dorsiflexion according to previous reports, and replication error was measured before and after fatigue.

Results:

The side-to-side difference of the replication errors was 1.9±1.7° in the before-fatigue group and 2.6±1.8° in the after-fatigue group. There was a statistically significant difference between both the groups (p<0.05). In each inversion angle, there were significant differences of the side-to-side differences of the replication errors at 5°and 10°inversion angles (0.8±0.9°, 1.5±1.4° in the before-fatigue group and 2.2±1.7°, 2.6±1.5° in the after-fatigue group respectively).

Conclusion:

This study revealed the deficit of joint position sense in ankle inversion induced by fatigue. Fatigue may be one of the risk factor of ankle sprain through the deficit of joint position sense in inversion angle during sports activity.

Gait analysis using the Oxford Foot Model for ankle arthrodesis compared with normal control

Category:

Ankle Arthritis

Introduction/Purpose:

Ankle arthrodesis is still the primary treatment for end-stage arthritis of the ankle that does not respond to conservative treatment. However, comparative studies demonstrated that the patients’ functional outcomes remain significantly lower than normal, progression of subtalar and midfoot arthritis and there could be measurable abnormalities in their gait parameters. Previous studies demonstrated gait analysis after ankle arthrodesis using 3D motion capture system. These studies used a single segment foot model, which had the limitation of detailed motion analysis. 3D multi-segmental foot model enables to perform detailed analysis segmentally such as fore foot and hind foot. The purpose of this study was to examine foot kinematics during walking after ankle arthrodesis using 3D multi-segment foot model as compared with a healthy control group.

Methods:

Between 2014 and 2016, nine patients who underwent an isolated ankle arthrodesis were followed for a mean 2 years after surgery, and five control subjects were included for comparison. Physical examination, radiographic examination and gait examination were performed. For gait analysis Vicon Nexus system with 16 MX-Cameras was used to capture foot kinematics during barefoot walking at self-selected speed along a 10 m walkway. Markers were placed according to the Oxford Foot Model (OFM). Patients completed preoperative and annual postoperative functional outcome scores including the Japanese Society for Surgery of the Foot (JSSF) scale.

Results:

JSSF scale was significantly improved from pre-operation to post-operation (50 points versus 85 points; p<0.05). The range of sagittal motion in hind foot during one gait cycle was significantly smaller in the arthrodesis group than in the healthy group (4.6 degrees versus 20 degrees; p<0.05). The range of coronal motion in hind foot was also significantly smaller in the arthrodesis group than that in the healthy group (3.7 degrees versus 15.1 degrees; p<0.05). There was no significant difference in the range of sagittal motion in forefoot between arthrodesis group and healthy group (20.2 degrees versus 16.6 degrees). However, there were significant differences at heel contact. Forefoot in arthrodesis group was significantly toward plantarflexion (6.1 degrees versus -2.0 degrees; p<0.05).

Conclusion:

In this study, detailed motion of foot after ankle arthrodesis could be analyzed by using OFM. Range of sagittal motion in hind foot in arthrodesis group during one gait cycle was significantly smaller than that in healthy group. However, no significant difference was observed in the forefoot. The same result was also obtained on the frontal plane. In arthrodesis group, forefoot tended to be more plantarflexion than healthy group in gait, especially there was significant difference at heel contact. These findings suggested to cause lower functional outcomes and the progression of subtalar and midfoot arthritis after ankle arthrodesis.

Outcome of autologous bone grafting with preservation of articular cartilage to treat osteochondral lesions of the talus with large associated subchondral cysts

Aims

The aim of this study was to evaluate antegrade autologous bone grafting with the preservation of articular cartilage in the treatment of symptomatic osteochondral lesions of the talus with subchondral cysts.

Patients and Methods

The study involved seven men and five women; their mean age was 35.9 years (14 to 70). All lesions included full-thickness articular cartilage extending through subchondral bone and were associated with subchondral cysts. Medial lesions were exposed through an oblique medial malleolar osteotomy, and one lateral lesion was exposed by expanding an anterolateral arthroscopic portal. After refreshing the subchondral cyst, it was grafted with autologous cancellous bone from the distal tibial metaphysis. The fragments of cartilage were fixed with 5-0 nylon sutures to the surrounding cartilage. Function was assessed at a mean follow-up of 25.3 months (15 to 50), using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot outcome score. The radiological outcome was assessed using MRI and CT scans.

Results

The mean AOFAS score improved from 65.7 (47 to 81) preoperatively to 92 (90 to 100) at final follow-up, with 100% patient satisfaction. The radiolucent area of the cysts almost disappeared on plain radiographs in all patients immediately after surgery, and there were no recurrences at the most recent follow-up. The medial malleolar screws were removed in seven patients, although none had symptoms. At this time, further arthroscopy was undertaken, when it was found that the mean International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) arthroscopic score represented near-normal cartilage.

Conclusion

Autologous bone grafting with fixation of chondral fragments preserves the original cartilage in the short term, and could be considered in the treatment for adult patients with symptomatic osteochondral defect and subchondral cysts. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2018;100-B:590-5.

Efficacy and safety of anti-CD20 antibody rituximab for patients with refractory systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective

We examined the efficacy and safety of rituximab in patients with refractory systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

The study enrolled 63 SLE patients who were treated with rituximab between 2002 and 2015. The participants underwent a battery of tests before treatment and at one year. Treatment ranged from two to four times at 500 or 1000 mg.

Results

Baseline characteristics were males:females = 6:57, age 33.9 years, and disease duration 87.2 months. The primary endpoint: The rate of major clinical response (MCR) was 60% while the partial clinical response (PCR) was 25%. Thirty of 36 (83%) patients with lupus nephritis (WHO II: 2, III: 5, IV: 22, V: 4, IV+V: 2, not assessed: 1) and 22 of 24 patients (92%) with neuropsychiatric SLE, who could be followed at one year, showed changes from BILAG A or B score to C or D score at one year. Multivariate analysis identified high anti-dsDNA antibody and shorter disease duration as significant determinants of MCR at one year. Repeat examination was conducted at five years. Primary failure was recorded in 8.8% and secondary failure in 32.4% (time to relapse: 24.4 months). Rituximab was well tolerated although 65 adverse events, mostly infections, were recorded within one year.

Conclusion

Rituximab is potentially efficacious for the treatment of patients with refractory SLE.

A case of refractory lupus nephritis complicated by psoriasis vulgaris that was controlled with secukinumab

It has been reported that T helper 17 cells are involved in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus, but there is no report on interleukin-17-targeted therapy. We report a case of a 62-year-old female who presented with psoriasis vulgaris and refractory lupus nephritis. Because her conditions were resistant to conventional treatment, and flow cytometry confirmed the proliferation of activated T helper 17 cells in peripheral blood, and examination of a renal biopsy tissue sample confirmed infiltration of numerous interleukin-17-positive lymphocytes to the renal interstitium, administration of the anti-interleukin-17A antibody secukinumab was initiated. After starting secukinumab the clinical and biological features were improved.