In the central part of Shizuoka Prefecture, tea growing is carried out on hillsides. From the posture taken by farmers while they are picking tea-leaves, it is assumed that a heavy load is laid on the cervical region and that they must have complaints in that region frequently.
On this assumption, we have conducted a survey covering a total of 228 persons working in tea plantations, with 42 persons living in plains as a control group.
Of the total, 172 persons filled out a questionnaire and the remaining 56 underwent a physical checkup.
Of those surveyed, 92.8% said that they feel fatigued from work. Complaints in the cervical region were filed by 69.5% of the males and 89.0% of the females.
X-ray pictures revealed abnormal signs in 69.5% of the males and 89.0% of the females. Radiographic observation suggested that 77.0% of the abnormalities have some bearing on their complaints. It was also found that the stiffness in the shoulders accounted for most of the complaints.
From these findings, we have keenly felt it is necessary for us to continue to engourage them into practicing calisthenics designed to prevent the stiffness in the shoulders.

Purpose: Stress urinary incontinence is a postoperative complication occurring in patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Although the 1-hour pad test measures the degree of urinary incontinence qualitatively and quantitatively, some elderly women undergoing POP surgery do not have the daily activities of living to perform the pad test. Therefore, we examined whether the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form (ICIQ-SF) could be used as an alternative tool for pad tests. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 132 patients with POP. In our hospital, 57 patients were treated by laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC), whereas 75 were treated by transvaginal mesh surgery (TVM). We measured the changes in symptoms preand postoperatively using the ICIQ-SF and 1-hour pad weight testing, and investigated the correlation between the total plus component question scores of the ICIQ-SF and 1-hour pad weight. Results: The preoperative ICIQ total scores in all patients decreased significantly as the amount of leakage on the 1-hour pad weight decreased. The component question scores also decreased significantly with decreasing levels of 1-hour pad weight. The LSC and TVM groups had decreased ICIQ-SF total and component question scores as pad weight decreased. At 12 months postoperatively, the ICIQ total scores in all patients significantly declined as the amount of leakage on the 1-hour pad weight decreased. In the LSC group, the ICIQ-SF total and component question scores also decreased with decreased pad weight, but the differences were not always significant between ICIQ scores and pad weight. In the TVM group, the ICIQ-SF total and component question scores also significantly decreased as the pad weight decreased. Conclusions The ICIQ-SF could be an appropriate substitute for the 1-hour pad weight testing in predicting the severity of urinary incontinence. In the future, we hope to predict the level of urine leakage based on the ICIQ-SF score.

Purpose: Stress urinary incontinence is a postoperative complication occurring in patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Although the 1-hour pad test measures the degree of urinary incontinence qualitatively and quantitatively, some elderly women undergoing POP surgery do not have the daily activities of living to perform the pad test. Therefore, we examined whether the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form (ICIQ-SF) could be used as an alternative tool for pad tests. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 132 patients with POP. In our hospital, 57 patients were treated by laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC), whereas 75 were treated by transvaginal mesh surgery (TVM). We measured the changes in symptoms preand postoperatively using the ICIQ-SF and 1-hour pad weight testing, and investigated the correlation between the total plus component question scores of the ICIQ-SF and 1-hour pad weight. Results: The preoperative ICIQ total scores in all patients decreased significantly as the amount of leakage on the 1-hour pad weight decreased. The component question scores also decreased significantly with decreasing levels of 1-hour pad weight. The LSC and TVM groups had decreased ICIQ-SF total and component question scores as pad weight decreased. At 12 months postoperatively, the ICIQ total scores in all patients significantly declined as the amount of leakage on the 1-hour pad weight decreased. In the LSC group, the ICIQ-SF total and component question scores also decreased with decreased pad weight, but the differences were not always significant between ICIQ scores and pad weight. In the TVM group, the ICIQ-SF total and component question scores also significantly decreased as the pad weight decreased. Conclusions The ICIQ-SF could be an appropriate substitute for the 1-hour pad weight testing in predicting the severity of urinary incontinence. In the future, we hope to predict the level of urine leakage based on the ICIQ-SF score.

Purpose: Stress urinary incontinence is a postoperative complication occurring in patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Although the 1-hour pad test measures the degree of urinary incontinence qualitatively and quantitatively, some elderly women undergoing POP surgery do not have the daily activities of living to perform the pad test. Therefore, we examined whether the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form (ICIQ-SF) could be used as an alternative tool for pad tests. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 132 patients with POP. In our hospital, 57 patients were treated by laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC), whereas 75 were treated by transvaginal mesh surgery (TVM). We measured the changes in symptoms preand postoperatively using the ICIQ-SF and 1-hour pad weight testing, and investigated the correlation between the total plus component question scores of the ICIQ-SF and 1-hour pad weight. Results: The preoperative ICIQ total scores in all patients decreased significantly as the amount of leakage on the 1-hour pad weight decreased. The component question scores also decreased significantly with decreasing levels of 1-hour pad weight. The LSC and TVM groups had decreased ICIQ-SF total and component question scores as pad weight decreased. At 12 months postoperatively, the ICIQ total scores in all patients significantly declined as the amount of leakage on the 1-hour pad weight decreased. In the LSC group, the ICIQ-SF total and component question scores also decreased with decreased pad weight, but the differences were not always significant between ICIQ scores and pad weight. In the TVM group, the ICIQ-SF total and component question scores also significantly decreased as the pad weight decreased. Conclusions The ICIQ-SF could be an appropriate substitute for the 1-hour pad weight testing in predicting the severity of urinary incontinence. In the future, we hope to predict the level of urine leakage based on the ICIQ-SF score.

Purpose: Stress urinary incontinence is a postoperative complication occurring in patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Although the 1-hour pad test measures the degree of urinary incontinence qualitatively and quantitatively, some elderly women undergoing POP surgery do not have the daily activities of living to perform the pad test. Therefore, we examined whether the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form (ICIQ-SF) could be used as an alternative tool for pad tests. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 132 patients with POP. In our hospital, 57 patients were treated by laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC), whereas 75 were treated by transvaginal mesh surgery (TVM). We measured the changes in symptoms preand postoperatively using the ICIQ-SF and 1-hour pad weight testing, and investigated the correlation between the total plus component question scores of the ICIQ-SF and 1-hour pad weight. Results: The preoperative ICIQ total scores in all patients decreased significantly as the amount of leakage on the 1-hour pad weight decreased. The component question scores also decreased significantly with decreasing levels of 1-hour pad weight. The LSC and TVM groups had decreased ICIQ-SF total and component question scores as pad weight decreased. At 12 months postoperatively, the ICIQ total scores in all patients significantly declined as the amount of leakage on the 1-hour pad weight decreased. In the LSC group, the ICIQ-SF total and component question scores also decreased with decreased pad weight, but the differences were not always significant between ICIQ scores and pad weight. In the TVM group, the ICIQ-SF total and component question scores also significantly decreased as the pad weight decreased. Conclusions The ICIQ-SF could be an appropriate substitute for the 1-hour pad weight testing in predicting the severity of urinary incontinence. In the future, we hope to predict the level of urine leakage based on the ICIQ-SF score.

Thoracic ossification of the ligamentum flavum (T-OLF) is a relatively rare spinal disorder that generally requires surgical intervention, due to its progressive nature and the poor response to conservative therapy. The prevalence of OLF has been reported at 3.8%-26%, which is similar to that of cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). The progression of OPLL after cervical laminoplasty for the treatment of OPLL is often shown in long-term follow-up. However, there have been no reports on the progression of OLF following surgery. We report a case of thoracic myelopathy secondary to the progressive relapse of OLF following laminectomy.
Follow-Up Studies ; Laminectomy ; Ligamentum Flavum* ; Longitudinal Ligaments ; Prevalence ; Recurrence* ; Spinal Cord Diseases

STUDY DESIGN: Animal study. PURPOSE: To review the present warning point criteria of the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) and investigate new criteria for spinal surgery safety using an animal model. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Little is known about correlation palesis and amplitude of spinal cord monitoring. METHODS: After laminectomy of the tenth thoracic spinal lamina, 2-140 g force was delivered to the spinal cord with a tension gage to create a bilateral contusion injury. The study morphology change of the CMAP wave and locomotor scale were evaluated for one month. RESULTS: Four different types of wave morphology changes were observed: no change, amplitude decrease only, morphology change only, and amplitude and morphology change. Amplitude and morphology changed simultaneously and significantly as the injury force increased (p<0.05) Locomotor scale in the amplitude and morphology group worsened more than the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: Amplitude and morphology change of the CMAP wave exists and could be the key of the alarm point in CMAP.
Action Potentials* ; Animals* ; Contusions ; Gravitation ; Laminectomy ; Models, Animal* ; Spinal Cord

Total of 216 animals conserved in Seoul Grand Park were examined on the antibody titers of Toxoplasma by the indirect latex agglutination test, 20 out of 131 cases (15.3%) in mammals, 2 out of 75 cases (2.7%) in birds, and none in reptiles, according to species, 15 out of 68 species (22.1%) in mammals, 2 out of 36 species (5.6%) in birds showed positive antibody titers when the titers of 1:32 or higher were regarded as positive. In mammals, it appeared as positive in 2 out of 6 cases (1 out of 3 species ) in marsupials, 1 out of 15 cases (1 out of 11 species) in primates, 1 out of 1 case in bats, 6 out of 13 cases (5 out of 10 species) in carnivores, 1 in 12 cases (1 species out of 3) in odd-toed ungulates, 9 out of 80 cases (6 species out of 38) in even-toed ungulates, and none in rodents and in whales. In birds, 1 out of 21 cases (1 out of 7 species) in gallinaceous birds and 1 out of 6 (5 species ) in parrots appeared to have the positive antibody titers of Toxoplasma. And, none of reptiles showed positive. Frequencies of positive antibody titers were high in 1: 64, 9 cases in mammals followed by 1: 32, 6 cases, 1: 128, 3 cases, and 1: 256, 2 cases, respectively. Two positive cases in birds appeared to be 1: 64.
parasitology-protozoa ; Toxoplasma gondii ; epidemiology ; marsupial ; primate ; bat ; rodent ; whale ; carnivore ; ungulate