The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical fitness and coronary risk factor profiles in Japanese women. The subjects were 1, 483 women (ages 30 to 69) who participated in a practical health promotion program. After medical examination, physical fitness was evaluated by conducting a symptom limited maximal exercise test by ergometer to measure maximum oxygen uptake (peakVO2) with an expired gas analyzer. The subjects were classified into 3 groups (high fitness, moderate fitness, and low fitness) according to age and physical fitness level. The results showed that the subjects in higher fitness groups had lower levels in: body mass index (BMI), percentage of body fat, waist−hip ratio, resting blood pressure, and atherogenic index, and higher HDL−cholesterol compared to those in lower fitness group. Even after adjustment for the effects of age and BMI, the subjects in the higher fitness groups had better coronary risk factor profiles. These results suggest that among Japanese women a high level of physical fitness is related to favorable coronary risk factor profiles.
Physical Fitness ; Risk Factors ; Japanese language ; Cardio- ; Human Females

Although several cases of a dumbbell tumor of thoracic nerve roots have been reported, reports on the surgical procedures for a dumbbell tumor of the first thoracic (T1) nerve root are rare. Surgeons should be cautious, especially when performing a surgical procedure for a dumbbell tumor of the T1 nerve root because the tumor is anatomically located adjacent to important organs and because the T1 nerve root composes the lower trunk of the brachial plexus with the eighth cervical nerve root. We present cases with dumbbell tumors of the T1 nerve root that were treated with combined surgical treatment to remove the tumor. We first performed video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) to release the organs anteriorly and then performed posterior spinal surgery in the prone position. The combined VATS and posterior spinal surgery may become a standard surgical procedure for the treatment of dumbbell tumors of the T1 nerve root.
Brachial Plexus ; Prone Position ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms ; Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive ; Thoracic Nerves* ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted*

Methods: We retrospectively examined patients with HSA who underwent dynamization–PLIF at our hospital between April 2010 and March 2018. The radiographic measurements included lumbar lordosis and local lordosis in the fused segment. The evaluation points were before surgery, immediately after surgery, 1 year after surgery, and 2 years after surgery. The preoperative and postoperative radiographic findings were compared using a paired t-test. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: We included 50 patients (28 males, 22 females). Lumbar lordosis and local lordosis were significantly improved through dynamization– PLIF (lumbar lordosis, 28.4°–35.5°; local lordosis, 2.7°–12.8°; p<0.01). The mean local lordosis was maintained throughout the postoperative course at 1- and 2-year follow-up (12.9°–12.8°, p=0.89 and 12.9°–11.8°, p=0.07, respectively). Solid fusion was achieved in 59 (89%) of 66 fused segments. Solid fusion of all fixed segments was achieved in 42 cases (84%). Within 2 years postoperatively, only six cases (12%) were reoperated (two, surgical debridement for surgical site infection; two, reoperation for pedicle screw loosening; one, laminectomy for epidural hematoma; one, additional fusion for adjacent segment disease). Conclusions Dynamization–PLIF showed local lordosis improvement, a high solid fusion rate, and a low reoperation rate within 2 years of follow-up.