The Joints and Synovial Fluid II is a collection of papers that deals with the basic aspects of the articular apparatus, including the general pathology of the appendicular and axial structures, the disease processes, and comparative anthology. Some papers discuss in vitro culture of joints and articular tissues, the chemistry of the ground substance of joint cartilage, and the structure of the intervertebral disc in relation to its function and to the aging process. As a humans being ages, the whole nucleus found in the disc will behave more like a sponge than a shock absorber as regards its ability to distribute stress and pressure from the end plates of the disc. Another paper describes load distribution of the knee, ankle joint, the spine, the arms, elbows, fingers. One paper deals with the pathology of the spine covering infectious diseases, metabolic and developmental disease of cartilage and bones, traumatic and degenerative diseases, autoimmune connective tissue diseases (such as ankylosing spondylitis), and miscellaneous diseases (such as tumors). The collection is suitable for researchers, scientists, medical practitioners, and academicians in the fields of biochemistry, bioengineering, anatomical sciences, immunology, organ physiology, cell biology, orthopedics, rheumatology, or rehabilitation medicine.

Like all specialized areas of medicine, that of joint disease informative. The techniques, practical and interpretive, has become surrounded by a practical mystique and are highly reproducible and simple, allowing them to be applied in any laboratory. jargon specific to itself. The number of clinicians working Although we see this volume as being of value to all in the field is large but the number of pathologists small. interested in joint disease it is specifically aimed at It follows that the majority of pathologists are at somewhat laboratory staff wishing to offer a synovial fluid analytical of an immediate disadvantage when discussing and ana service. Like most cytology we believe much of the cell lysing articular problems with their rheumatological and and non-cell identification and quantitation can, and orthopaedic colleagues. should, be undertaken by trained technical staff. The book In the specific area of synovial fluid examination the is therefore aimed primarily at two groups: pathologists difficulties for the pathologist are compounded because who do not specialize in joint disease and technical staff to date there have been no basic texts that detail the who will be generating the data on which interpretation methods, findings and interpretation of the macroscopic will be based. It is therefore both a text book and a bench and microscopic characteristics of the fluid in the common reference manual. arthropathies. In this book we hope to go some way We do not believe our data or methodology represent towards rectifying this omission.

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Recent research, especially in fields of orthopaedic surgery and rehabilita tion, point to the importance of periodic, moderate stress for maintaining normal structure and function of tissues. Moreover, growth and healing of load-bearing tissues such as bone, cartilage, and intervertebral disc are especially dependent upon stress-related stimuli. Extreme levels of stress, however, are usually detrimental to tissue integrity, and most treatment regimens today address problems related to trauma and other conditions of abnormally high stress. Therefore, the purpose of this book is to bring together experts in fields of tissue nutrition and growth in order to review previous work and examine new ideas and results concerning the importance of mechanical stress in tissues. This book is unique in that the topic of tissue nutrition and growth, especially related to possible benefits of periodic moderate stress, has never been addressed comprehensively, drawing together experts on vari ous tissues and organs. One objective is to focus attention on tissue nutrition where controversy still exists regarding basic mechanisms of metabolite transport and fluid homeostasis within the interstitium. An other objective is to examine the pathophysiology of tissue compression and discuss strategies to improve viability. Tissues which are treated in this book include bone, cartilage, intervertebral disc, lung, nerve, skeletal muscle, umbilical cord, synovium, skin, and subcutaneous tissues. Based upon these objectives, this book is primarily addressed to students, inves tigators, and teachers in fields of physiology, biochemistry, biomechan ics, exercise, orthopaedic surgery, rehabilitation, and sports medicine.