OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate the reproducibility of a new grading system for lumbar foraminal stenosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Four grades were developed for lumbar foraminal stenosis on the basis of sagittal MRI. Grade 0 refers to the absence of foraminal stenosis; grade 1 refers to mild foraminal stenosis showing perineural fat obliteration in the two opposing directions, vertical ...

A low molecular weight antigen of Mycobacterium leprae and other mycobacteria was previously defined in our laboratory by means of IgG2a monoclonal antibody termed L4. The antigen had an apparent molecular mass of 4.5-6 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and was assumed to be a glycoprotein on the basis of its staining with periodic acid Schiff and sensitivity to p...

OBJECTIVES Pedicle-lengthening osteotomy is a novel surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), which achieves substantial enlargement of the spinal canal by expansion of the bilateral pedicle osteotomy sites. Few studies have evaluated the impact of this new surgery on spinal canal volume (SCV) and neural foramen dimension (NFD) in three different types of LSS patients. METHODS CT scans were p...

This paper gives an overview of a pilot project on the specification and verification of the L4 highperformance microkernel. Of the three aspects examined in the project, we describe one in more detail: the formalisation of the kernel’s Application Programming Interface using the B Method. We conclude that machine-supported formal verification of software is at a turning point; that it is now f...

Introduction: Over time, the body, including spine, undergoes anatomical and morphological changes. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is a good modality to analyse degenerative processes by evaluating joint deformity fat accumulation in bone muscle. We studied MR images from 22 patients diagnosed with spondylolisthesis at level L4-5 characterise factors that cause spondylolisthesis, disc degenera...

The sequence of a gene for ribosomal protein L4 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been determined. Unlike most ribosomal protein genes of S. cerevisiae this gene has no intron. The single open reading frame predicts that L4 is highly homologous to mammalian ribosomal protein L7a. There appear to be two genes for L4, both of which are active.

The thalamocortical (TC) projection to layer 4 (L4) is thought to be the main route by which sensory organs communicate with cortex. Sensory information is believed to then propagate through the cortical column along the L4→L2/3→L5/6 pathway. Here, we show that sensory-evoked responses of L5/6 neurons in rats derive instead from direct TC synapses. Many L5/6 neurons exhibited sensory-evoked pos...

The adenovirus L4-22K protein both activates and suppresses transcription from the adenovirus major late promoter (MLP) by binding to DNA elements located downstream of the MLP transcriptional start site: the so-called DE element (positive) and the R1 region (negative). Here we show that L4-22K preferentially binds to the RNA form of the R1 region, both to the double-stranded RNA and the single...

Silencing of the Fmr1 gene causes fragile X syndrome. Although defects in synaptic plasticity in the cerebral cortex have been linked to cognitive impairments in Fmr1 knock-out (ko) mice, the specific cortical circuits affected in the syndrome are unknown. Here, we investigated the development of excitatory projections in the barrel cortex of Fmr1 ko mice. In 2-week-old Fmr1 ko mice, a major as...

The purpose of this retrospective study is to determine the reliability of a novel palpation method for identifying the L4 spinous process. The traditional method uses the iliac crests as the landmark for identifying L4 spinous process which has a reported accuracy of 50-60%. MRI scans from an earlier project “Relationship of Cavitation to Gapping Following Spinal Manipulation” (H-0906) will be...