Objective - To detect evidence for localised changes in bone matrix metabolism after joint trauma and in post-traumatic osteoarthritis by quantification of bone sialoprotein in joint fluid and serum after knee injury in a cross sectional study. Methods - Samples of knee joint fluid and serum were obtained from volunteers with normal knees (n = 19), patients with rupture of the anterior cruciate li

This article examines the relationship between theories of the ‘new’ public diplomacy and recent attemptsby foreign ministries in the United Kingdom, United States and Sweden to develop public diplomacystrategies for the early twenty-first century. It provides a summary of policy debates in each nation alongsideanalysis of the evaluation methods that have been designed to support them. The article

This article investigates innovations in public diplomacy and nation brands through the example of Sweden's Embassy in Washington, DC, the House of Sweden (HoS). The analysis explores the styles of communication and public outreach made possible by the interaction between its architectural design, brand values and public diplomacy applications. Aimed at practitioners and scholars with an interest

The new public diplomacy is a major paradigm shift in international political communication. Globalisation and a new media landscape challenge traditional foreign ministry ‘gatekeeper’ structures, and foreign ministries can no longer lay claim to being sole or dominant actors in communicating foreign policy. This demands new ways of communicating foreign policy to a range of nongovernmental intern

In this paper, we present a photoemission study of the interaction of Cu, Ag and Au with clean single-crystal Bi2CaSr2Cu2O8 superconductor surfaces. Both the valence-band and the Bi 5d, O 1s and Sr 3d core levels were monitored for all overlayers. Cu, Ag and Au were deposited as consecutively thicker layers starting with a third of a monolayer and progressing in steps up to a deposition in the ran

A nonimmunocompromised 32-year-old man with arthrosis of the knee participated as a placebo control in a clinical trial of intraarticular injections of hya-luronan. After the fourth weekly injection of saline, he developed a warm and swollen knee, and synovia! fluid cultures revealed growth of Candida albicans. Oral fluconazole treatment was instituted 2 weeks after onset of symptoms, but failed t

This is the first study which quantifies aggrecan fragments, stromelysin-1 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) in SF samples prospectively obtained from the same patient at different time intervals after a cruciate ligament injury of the knee. Aggrecan fragment concentrations were determined by dye precipitation with Alcian Blue. Stromelysin-1 and TIMP-1 were analysed by immunoas

The prevalence of radiographic signs of gonarthrosis and its relation to knee injuries were studied in 286 former soccer players-215 nonelite and 71 elite players-and were compared with 572 age-matched controls with a mean age of 55 years. The prevalence of gonarthrosis among the nonelite players was 4.2%, among the elite players 15.5%, and among the controls 1.6%. Seven of the soccer players had

To examine the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and aggrecanase in control and diseased human articular cartilage, metabolic fragments of aggrecan were detected with monospecific antipeptide antibodies. The distribution and quantity of MMP-generated aggrecan G1 fragments terminating in VDIPEN341 were compared with the distribution of aggrecanase-generated G1 fragments terminating in NI

The concentrations of proteoglycan fragments and stromelysin were analyzed in joint aspirates in 19 children with Legg-Calve-Perthes disease. We found increased levels of proteoglycan fragments and stromelysin consistent with the presence of synovitis, an important clinical and possibly also prognostic factor in these children.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is associated with a loss of the normal balance between synthesis and degradation of the macromolecules that provide articular cartilage with its biomechanical and functional properties. The destruction of joint cartilage involves the degradation of matrix molecules which are released as fragments to joint fluid, blood, and urine, where they may be detected, for example, by imm

One challenge in the area of supply chain management has been achieving sustainable compliance with labour rights throughout the entire production chain, including lower tiers of production. This article inquires specifically around sub-contracting, especially what is a brand’s or a buyer’s responsibility regarding workers’ rights beyond its first tier of suppliers. In-depth literature on this iss

The mechanisms involved in the disease process in arthrosis are largely unknown, with genetics, joint malalignment, overload or trauma, obesity, and aging as some of the known or suspected contributing factors. Even less well known is how these general factors are translated into disease mechanisms at the cell and tissue levels. However, it may be argued that degradation of cartilage matrix is a k

Objective-To examine if unilateral knee injury affects the synovial fluid concentrations of aggrecan fragments, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) fragments, stromelysin-l, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-l (TIMP-1) in the contralateral uninjured knee. Methods-Synovial fluids from the injured and uninjured knees were obtained at different times in a group of patients after unila

Biochemical markers for osteoarthritis (OA) may serve different purposes. Since markers reflect ongoing dynamic metabolic processes in the joint tissues (cartilage, synovium, bone, etc.), they are most likely to be useful to predict prognosis and response to treatment, to monitor response to treatment, and for disease staging. Markers are currently being used at the research level for these purpos