The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of physical inactivity, produced by prolonged bed rest, on the excitability of the spinal motor neuron pool in humans, using the activity of soleus H-reflex.
Eight healthy male subjects underwent continuous bed rest with 6 degree head-down tilt for 20 days (BR group) . Ten different healthy male subjects maintained their usual daily life during the observation period for 20 days (control group) . Recruitment curves of H-reflex and M-wave were obtained from every subject. H slope/M slope (H slp/M sip) which shows the excitability of spinal motor neurons was calculated by using data in the recruitment curve.
The H sip/M sip in the BR group significantly increased after BR, compared to the pre-BR values (p<0.05) . In the control group, however, there were no significant differences in the H slp/M sip between the pre and the post-observation values. At the baseline, the H slp/M sip showed no significant differences between the BR group and the control group. After the BR, the H slp/M sip in the BR group significantly increased compared to the control group after the observation period (p<0.05) .
This study suggests that the excitability of the monosynaptic spinal motor neuron pool is facilitated by physical inactivity during BR.

We began gastric mass survey at our hospital in May, 1980. During 3 years and 8 months since then, (May, 1980-December, 1983) we performed screening examinations to 16, 341 people by indirect radiography, and checked 2, 824 cases (17.3%) for thorough examination. Among these cases, 2, 083 (73.8%) received endoscopic examination actually, and 55 cases of gastric cancer were discovered. The discovery rate of gastric cancer was 0.336 per cent.
35 cases of these 55 gastric cancer were operated in the surgical department of our hospital. 34 cases were resected (rate of resection was 97.1%) and 33 cases were resected curatively (rate of curative resection was 94.3%). These results were better than that of gastric cancer cases from out-patient clinic of the same period. The results of cases from out-patient clinic of our hospital were: total number of cases 321, resected cases 254 (79.1%), curative resection 189 cases (58.9%), respectively.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze whether sufficient energy intake (EI) improves performance of activities of daily living (ADL) in patients with hip fracture admitted to rehabilitation hospitals. The adequate amount of EI for improving performance of ADL in patients with hip fracture remains unknown. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included all patients with hip fracture (n=234) admitted to rehabilitation hospitals in Japan. The inclusion criteria for this study were age >65 years and body mass index <30.0 kg/m². Patients who were transferred to an acute hospital and those with missing case data were excluded. According to the amount of EI, the patients were classified into energy sufficiency and shortage groups (EI/total energy expenditure ≥1.0 and <1.0, respectively). The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and FIM gain were used to evaluate the patient disability level and change in patient status in response to rehabilitation. Finally, FIM gain was calculated as the discharge FIM score minus the admission FIM score. RESULTS: The final analysis targeted 202 patients—53 (26.2%) were in the energy shortage group and 149 (73.8%) were in the energy sufficiency group. The energy sufficiency group had a greater FIM gain than the energy shortage group (mean, 25.1±14.2 vs. 19.7±16.4; p=0.024). Furthermore, sufficient EI in the first week since admission (β=0.165; 95% confidence interval, 0.392–5.230; p=0.023) was an independent factor of FIM gain. CONCLUSION: Among elderly patients with hip fracture admitted to rehabilitation hospitals in Japan, the amount of EI during the first week after admission was an independent factor of FIM gain.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Body Mass Index ; Cohort Studies ; Energy Intake ; Energy Metabolism ; Femoral Fractures ; Hip ; Humans ; Japan ; Nutritional Support ; Recovery of Function ; Rehabilitation ; Retrospective Studies