With multiple-choice questions presenting one, two, or three of five choices (types A, K or X), the expected probability of a correct answer (P) can be obtained with a five-dimensional equation for the knowledge level (q), which is the probability of discriminating correct and incorrect items. From equations for each question type, we inversely estimated the q value (the estimated knowledge level), replacing P with the raw score rate in the actual examinations for promotion. The distribution and mean value of the raw score rate of type X differed from those for types A and K. However, distributions of estimated q values for the three question types were similar. This method can be used to estimate the actual knowledge level of students without the question type affecting the raw score but cannot be used to estimate incorrect knowledge.

AIM: To describe a case in which vitrectomy was required for vitreous hemorrhage and fibrovascular proliferation after laser-induced chorioretinal venous anastomosis (LCVA) for non-ischemic central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).METHODS: Observational case report.RESULTS: A 72-year-old man complained of central scotoma in the left eye, and was diagnosed as suffering from non-ischemic CRVO. LCVA was performed in another hospital. Although favorable visual function was briefly maintained postoperatively,severe vitreous hemorrhage developed in his left eye, necessitating vitrectomy. CONCLUSION: Considering that LCVA carries a risk of serious complications, we must apply this treatment with caution, especially in ethnic groups, such as the Japanese, in whom pigmentation reacts to photocoagulation excessively.

OBJECTIVEThe association between clustering health-promoting components of lifestyle and bone status was examined among middle-aged women.

METHODSA cross-sectional study was conducted in Tadami Town, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, in 2007. A total of 305 middle-aged women (mean age 55.2 years) participated. The Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II was used to assess health-promoting components of lifestyle. Participants' bone status was examined using quantitative ultrasonic calcaneal measurement.

RESULTSA total of 139 participants (45.6%) were defined as having low bone stiffness. In the low bone stiffness group, the mean age was significantly higher, and prevalence of interpersonal relationships score over 3.0 was lower than that in the normal bone stiffness group. There were significant trends in the prevalence of low bone stiffness, each health-promoting component of lifestyle, and presence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus, based on the number of frequently selected health-promoting components of lifestyle. The number of frequently selected health-promoting components of lifestyle correlated negatively with the prevalence of low bone stiffness in both crude and adjusted results.

CONCLUSIONThis research is particularly important as we suggest health-promotion strategies for the prevention of osteoporosis. A synthetic approach, which includes health responsibility, spiritual growth, interpersonal relations, and stress management, and physical activity and nutrition, may be effective and complement traditional strategies.

Boi-ogi-to is frequently prescribed to relieve pain for osteoarthritis in the therapy of Kampo formulation. However, it has been pointed out that the evaluation of this formulation differs among the patients. It is often showed lower effectiveness and/or non-effectiveness in the patients with advanced roentgenographic deformity, obesity, and suffering from more severe pain.
We thought that it was resulted from ingoring the abdominal-sho (symptom). Therefore, in this study, we defined the abdominal-sho of Boi-ogi-to as “frog abdominal-sho”, and administered Boi-ogi-to to 17 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee who had frog abdominal sho. As a result, in the patients with frog abdominal-sho, the formulation was moderately or even better effective in relieving pain in 77% of these patients. It was acknowledged that the effect was independent of the severity of pain, the degree of obesity, and whether the roentgenographic deformity was slight or moderate.

Loss of muscle tissues in cancer cachexia has been partly attributed to the activation of autophagy; however, because the experimental animal models involved only canonical cell lines, this conclusion cannot be confirmed until it is evaluated for different pathological conditions. Hence, in the present study, we histologically examined the punctate signal for LC3, an autophagosome marker, in patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mice. When 10 PDX mice grafted with colorectal cancer tissues were examined, their body weight, muscle (gastrocnemius) weight, and area of muscle fiber were all significantly lesser than those of control mice. In addition, immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that the number of LC3-positive puncta per muscle fiber or fiber area was significantly higher in the PDX mice than in control mice. These results indicate that the autophagy-lysosomal degradation system is involved in cancer cachexia-induced muscle wasting, and that PDX mice are a useful model for pathological analyses of cachexic muscle loss.

[Objective] We report a successfully treated case by a combined therapy of acupuncture and Kampo medicine for a patient with lower limb pain associated with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS).[Case] The patient was a 74-year-old man whose chief complaints were severe lower limb pain, gait difficulty, and hyposthenia. Clinical history: In late September in X year, the patient had a cold infection. On October 14, he became aware of weakness in his lower limbs on both sides, difficulty in walking, and severe pain in his lower limbs. He visited our hospital's general internal medicine department and was diagnosed with GBS. The patient was hospitalized and started to receive intravenous immunoglobulin therapy for GBS. Since pain in the lower limbs continued after treatment, he received analgesics, which was not effective. Therefore, acupuncture treatment was started on October 30 aiming to alleviate lower limb pain. Evaluation: Pain and burning sensation were evaluated using a numerical rating scale (NRS), and Hughes' function grade scale (FG) as an objective evaluation. [Acupuncture treatment] The acupuncture treatment was based on Chinese medicine. The basic combination of meridian points for treatment of the case were LR3 (Taichong), LI4 (Hegu), KI6 (Zhaohai), KI3 (Taixi), ST36 (Zusanli), PC6 (Neiguan), and SI8 (Xiaohai). The patient received acupuncture treatments once a day for 12 weeks.[Progress] The first evaluation of the patient's pain in his lower limbs on both sides was 10 points in NRS and 4 units in FG. Pain was alleviated immediately after acupuncture treatment was started, and a significant improvement in pain was observed by the seventh acupuncture treatment. However, the　patient started to complain of burning sensation on his soles. Therefore, the combined use of Kampo medicine (Choutousan, Rokumijiougan) were introduced in addition to the acupuncture treatment, and his burning sensation disappeared. Since then, rehabilitation was enhanced, and after three months from the start of acupuncture treatment, he was discharged since the FG was improved to 2 units. [Discussion] Lower limb pain and burning sensation in this case were considered to be neuropathic pain associated with GBS, and conventional analgesics were only temporarily effective. In contrast, the combined use of acupuncture and Kampo medicine alleviated the pain and burning sensation, and ADL was improved. Acupuncture and Kampo medicine were effective for lower limb pain and burning sensation from GBS.

No abstract available.
Skin Diseases*

BACKGROUND: It has recently been suggested that skeletal muscle has an important role in insulin resistance in obesity, in addition to exercise tolerance and the fat index. The aim of this study was to identify body composition factors that contribute to improvement of insulin resistance in female patients with obesity who reduce body weight. METHODS: We studied 92 female obese patients (age 40.9±10.4 years, body mass index 33.2±4.6 kg/m2) who reduced body weight by ≥5% after an intervention program including diet, exercise therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Before and after the intervention, body composition was evaluated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to examine changes in skeletal muscle mass. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was measured as an index of insulin resistance. Cardiopulmonary exercise was also performed by all patients. RESULTS: There were significant improvements in body weight (-10.3%±4.5%), exercise tolerance (anaerobic threshold oxygen uptake 9.1%±18.4%, peak oxygen uptake 11.0%±14.2%), and HOMA-IR (-20.2%±38.3%). Regarding body composition, there were significant decreases in total body fat (-19.3%±9.6%), total fat-free mass (-2.7%±4.3%), and % body fat (-10.1%±7.5%), whereas % skeletal muscle significantly increased (8.9%±7.2%). In stepwise multiple linear regression analysis with change in HOMA-IR as the dependent variable, the change in % skeletal muscle was identified as an independent predictor (β=-0.280, R2=0.068, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Improvement of insulin resistance in female obese patients requires maintenance of skeletal muscle mass.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Adipose Tissue ; Body Composition ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight* ; Cognitive Therapy ; Diet ; Exercise Therapy ; Exercise Tolerance ; Female* ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance* ; Insulin* ; Linear Models ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Obesity* ; Oxygen

No abstract available.
Arthritis, Psoriatic* ; Cryptococcosis* ; Humans ; Infliximab

No abstract available.
Arthritis, Psoriatic* ; Cryptococcosis* ; Humans ; Infliximab