The prevalence of mild and severe radiological osteoarthritis was investigated in a random sample of 6585 inhabitants of a Dutch village. Radiographs were graded 0-4 according to the criteria described by Kellgren and Lawrence. The prevalence of radiological osteoarthritis increased strongly with age and was highest for cervical spine (peak: men 84.8%, women 84.3%), lumbar spine (peak: 71.9%, w...

The capacity of exudative neutrophils to phagocytose and digest fibrin, an important constituent of inflammatory exudates, was investigated in various types of arthritis. In addition, the catheptic enzyme content of inflammatory cells was established directly with the aid of fluorescent anticathepsin. The intracellular organization of cathepsin varied considerably among the patients. The distri...

Fractures are planar discontinuities, i.e. interruption of the rock physical continuity, due to stresses. The geological fractures occur at every scale, so that any large volume of rock has some or many. These discontinuities are related to sudden elastic relaxation of elastic energy stored in the rock. The geological fractures have their economic importance. The loss of continuity in intact ro...

numbers in the series rose; still, a drop from high excellence to mediocrity in the progress of an undertaking is disappointing. Not only is this work not up to the standard of the series; it is distinctly inferior to at least two other well-known works in the English language on the same subject. The work is in no sense original. This we should not complain of if the author had made himself fa...

List of Symbols ej Measured strain wave at the position of the gauge j (j = a, b) e; e Positive and negative strain waves, respectively epj ; e n j Positive and negative strain waves at the position of the gauge j (j = a, b), respectively ei; er; et Incident, reflected and transmitted strain waves, respectively e ; epþ Positive strain waves at the front and back sides of rock joints, respective...

This study aimed to optimize the design and application of semi-constrained integrated artificial discs (SIADs) using a finite element (FE) analysis following implantation, wherein the zygapophysial joints of the segment were biomechanically reconstructed. An FE model of the L4-L5 segment was constructed. Variations in the stresses on the discs and zygapophysial joints were observed during 5° a...

feet. RA affects the wrist and many of the hand joints, but usually not the joints that are closest to the fingernails; joints most often affected are the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) and metacarpophalangeal joints. Recent studies have suggested that this devastating disease might well be prevented, or at least delayed, by early diagnosis and consequent treatment. Given the widespread availab...

Synovial joints are the lubricated connections between the bones of our body that are commonly affected in arthritis. It is assumed that synovial joints first evolved as vertebrates came to land, with ray-finned fishes lacking lubricated joints. Here, we examine the expression and function of a critical lubricating protein of mammalian synovial joints, Prg4/Lubricin, in diverse ray-finned fishe...