Electromyographic muscle activities of the shoulder muscles during shoulder external rotation with reference to load magnitude were studied in 8 healthy male subjects without history of shoulder injuries. In addition, we discussed the relationship between rotator cuff muscles and superficial muscles. The subjects performed shoulder external rotation from 60°internal rotation to 45° external rotation at 20° of shoulder abduction and 20° of flexion. A Cybex dynamometer used to prescribe angle and velocity of the shoulder movement. At the same time, intramuscular wire electrodes were inserted into the supraspinous, infraspinous and teres minor muscles, and then surface electrodes were placed over the posterior deltoid and middle trapezius muscles. The load magnitude ranged 2-18 Nm and the angle velocity was set at 15 deg/sec. The rotator cuff muscles became significantly to be activated from 2 Nm (the supraspinous and infraspinous m.) and from 4-5 Nm (the teres minor m.) compared with the muscle activity during non-load. The superficial muscles became significantly to be activated from 4-7 Nm (the posterior deltoid m.) and from 3-6 Nm (the middle trapezius m.) compared with the muscle activity during non-load. Within the load range (18 Nm 46.8% MVC), %iEMG of the rotator cuff muscles was always larger than that of the superficial muscles. Therefore, we concluded that the contribution of the rotator cuff muscles was larger than that of the superficial muscles up to 3-4 Nm, and activities of the superficial muscles increased gradually from 3-4 Nm during shoulder external rotation.

A 84-year-old woman underwent aortic root replacement with stentless bioprosthesis and coronary artery bypass grafting. Four years later, she presented with dyspnea. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed aortic regurgitation, dilation and dissection of the sinus of Valsalva. A Bentall operation was performed by using prosthetic graft and bioprosthetic valve. Intimal tear caused the aortic wall dissection and aneurysm of the Freestyle valve.

Background: There are currently no guidelines for the postoperative wound management of the hard-palate donor site in cases involving mucosal harvesting. This study describes our experiences with the use of an artificial dermis for early epithelialization and transparent plate fixation in cases involving hard-palate mucosal harvesting.
Methods: A transparent palatal plate was custom-fabricated using a thermoplastic resin board. After mucosal harvesting, an alginic acid-containing wound dressing (Sorbsan) was applied to the donor site, which was then covered with the plate. After confirming hemostasis, the dressing was changed to artificial dermis a few days later, and the plate was fixed to the artificial dermis. The size of the mucosal defect ranged from 8×25 to 20×40 mm.
Results: Plate fixation was adequate, with no postoperative slippage or infection of the artificial dermis. There was no pain at the harvest site, but a slight sense of incongruity during eating was reported. Although the fabrication and application of the palatal plate required extra steps before and after harvesting, the combination of the artificial dermis and palatal plate was found to be very useful for protecting the mucosal harvest site, and resulted in decreased pain and earlier epithelialization.
Conclusions The combination of artificial dermis and a transparent palatal plate for wound management at the hard-palate mucosal donor site resolved some of the limitations of conventional methods.

This paper proposes a method for evaluating and scoring the activities of rehabilitation service users in order to pinpoint the problems with the health service of this kind and set the adequate targets for each user. Sincs the Nursing Care Insurance System was introduced in Japan in 2000, it has been argued that home-visit rehabilitation services should be excluded from home-nursing care services. However, the methods of certifing that nursing care is required are not fully established yet for setting the rehabilitation targets for service users. As things stand, it is recommended that such a method as the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) or the Barthel Index (BI) should be utilized. However, these methods only evaluate “performing activities” (the activities that a user usually performs). In order to set the users' targets, we thought it necessary to establish a method for evaluating “possible activities” (the activities that a user is able to perform at his/her full capacity). We have established a method called Functional Scoring (FS) which evaluates and scores the both performing and possible activities based on the same evaluation items. We conducted experimental evaluations on the home-visit rehabilitation users for one year from October 2005 to September 2006. When the first evaluations in 2005 were compared with the second evaluations in 2006, the total score of the performing activities significantly increased from 44.1±13.7 to 47.8±14.2 (P<0.05). Although the total score of the possible activities did not significantly increase, it demonstrated an upward trend from 49.6±13.2 to 51.6±13.5. The result suggests that our method is useful for distinguishing between the performing and possible activities. The proposed method enables us to adequately recognize the problems each user has, and to set the rehabilitation target for each user, which can be shared between the user, care personnel, and care service provider.
Rehabilitation aspects ; Functional ; FS ; Care given by nurses ; Published Comment

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study. PURPOSE: To determine whether kissing spine is a risk factor for recurrence of sciatica after lumbar posterior decompression using a spinous process floating approach. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Kissing spine is defined by apposition and sclerotic change of the facing spinous processes as shown in X-ray images, and is often accompanied by marked disc degeneration and decrement of disc height. If kissing spine significantly contributes to weight bearing and the stability of the lumbar spine, trauma to the spinous process might induce a breakdown of lumbar spine stability after posterior decompression surgery in cases of kissing spine. METHODS: The present study included 161 patients who had undergone posterior decompression surgery for lumbar canal stenosis using a spinous process floating approaches. We defined recurrence of sciatica as that resolved after initial surgery and then recurred. Kissing spine was defined as sclerotic change and the apposition of the spinous process in a plain radiogram. Preoperative foraminal stenosis was determined by the decrease of perineural fat intensity detected by parasagittal T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Preoperative percentage slip, segmental range of motion, and segmental scoliosis were analyzed in preoperative radiographs. Univariate analysis followed by stepwise logistic regression analysis determined factors independently associated with recurrence of sciatica. RESULTS: Stepwise logistic regression revealed kissing spine (p=0.024; odds ratio, 3.80) and foraminal stenosis (p<0.01; odds ratio, 17.89) as independent risk factors for the recurrence of sciatica after posterior lumbar spinal decompression with spinous process floating procedures for lumbar spinal canal stenosis. CONCLUSIONS: When a patient shows kissing spine and concomitant subclinical foraminal stenosis at the affected level, we should sufficiently discuss the selection of an appropriate surgical procedure.
Case-Control Studies ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Decompression ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; Logistic Models ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Odds Ratio ; Postoperative Complications ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Sciatica* ; Scoliosis ; Spinal Canal ; Spine ; Weight-Bearing

PURPOSE: To examine the effects of conservative and surgical treatments for nocturnal leg cramps in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Nocturnal leg cramps is frequently observed in patients with peripheral neuropathy. However, there have been few reports on the relationship between nocturnal leg cramps and LSS, and it remains unknown whether conservative or surgical intervention has an impact on leg cramps in patients with LSS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects were 130 LSS patients with low back and leg pain. Conservative treatment such as exercise, medication, and epidural block was used in 66 patients and surgical treatment such as decompression or decompression and fusion was performed in 64 patients. Pain scores and frequency of nocturnal leg cramps were evaluated based on self-reported questionnaires completed before and 3 months after treatment. RESULTS: The severity of low back and leg pain was higher and the incidence of nocturnal leg cramps was significantly higher before treatment in the surgically treated group compared with the conservatively treated group. Pain scores improved in both groups after the intervention. The incidence of nocturnal leg cramps was significantly improved by surgical treatment (p=0.027), but not by conservative treatment (p=0.122). CONCLUSION: The findings of this prospective study indicate that the prevalence of nocturnal leg cramps is associated with LSS and severity of symptoms. Pain symptoms were improved by conservative or surgical treatment, but only surgery improved nocturnal leg cramps in patients with LSS. Thus, these results indicate that the prevalence of nocturnal leg cramps is associated with spinal nerve compression by LSS.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Decompression, Surgical ; Female ; Humans ; Leg/*pathology ; Low Back Pain/epidemiology/etiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pain/*epidemiology/*etiology ; Prospective Studies ; Questionnaires ; Spinal Stenosis/*complications/*physiopathology/surgery

PURPOSE: The pathological mechanism of lumbar spinal stenosis is reduced blood flow in nerve roots and degeneration of nerve roots. Exercise and prostaglandin E1 is used for patients with peripheral arterial disease to increase capillary flow around the main artery and improve symptoms; however, the ankle-brachial index (ABI), an estimation of blood flow in the main artery in the leg, does not change after treatment. Lumbar spinal nerve roots contain somatosensory, somatomotor, and unmyelinated autonomic nerves. Improved blood flow by medication with prostaglandin E1 and decompression surgery in these spinal nerve roots may improve the function of nerve fibers innervating muscle, capillary, and main vessels in the lower leg, resulting in an increased ABI. The purpose of the study was to examine whether these treatments can improve ABI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and seven patients who received conservative treatment such as exercise and medication (n=56) or surgical treatment (n=51) were included. Low back pain and leg pain scores, walking distance, and ABI were measured before treatment and after 3 months of conservative treatment alone or surgical treatment followed by conservative treatment. RESULTS: Low back pain, leg pain, and walking distance significantly improved after both treatments (p<0.05). ABI significantly increased in each group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This is the first investigation of changes in ABI after treatment in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. Improvement of the spinal nerve roots by medication and decompression surgery may improve the supply of blood flow to the lower leg in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alprostadil/therapeutic use ; *Ankle Brachial Index ; Decompression, Surgical/methods ; Female ; Humans ; Low Back Pain/drug therapy/physiopathology/surgery/*therapy ; Lumbar Vertebrae/physiopathology/*surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pain/surgery ; Spinal Nerve Roots/physiopathology ; Spinal Stenosis/physiopathology/*surgery/*therapy ; Treatment Outcome

Background/Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of sedation with propofol as an alternative to benzodiazepine drugs in outpatient endoscopy. Methods: In this prospective study, examinees who underwent outpatient endoscopy under propofol sedation and submitted a nextday questionnaire with providing informed consent were evaluated. Periprocedural acute responses, late adverse events within 24 hours, and examinee satisfaction were evaluated. Results: Among the 4,122 patients who received propofol in the 17,978 outpatient-based endoscopic examinations performed between November 2016 and March 2018, 2,305 eligible examinees (esophagogastroduodenoscopy for 1,340, endoscopic ultrasonography for 945, and total colonoscopy for 20) were enrolled, and their responses to a questionnaire were analyzed. The mean propofol dose was 69.6±24.4 mg (range, 20–200 mg). Diazepam, midazolam, and/or pentazocine in combination with propofol was administered to 146 examinees. Mild oxygen desaturation was observed in 59 examinees (2.6%); and mild bradycardia, in 2 (0.09%). Other severe reactions or late events did not occur. After eliminating 181 invalid responses, 97.7% (2,065/2,124) of the patients desired propofol sedation in future examinations. Conclusions Propofol sedation was found to be safe—without severe adverse events or accidents—for outpatient endoscopy on the basis of the patients’ next-day self-evaluation. Given the high satisfaction level, propofol sedation might be an ideal tool for painless endoscopic screening.

Background/Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of sedation with propofol as an alternative to benzodiazepine drugs in outpatient endoscopy. Methods: In this prospective study, examinees who underwent outpatient endoscopy under propofol sedation and submitted a nextday questionnaire with providing informed consent were evaluated. Periprocedural acute responses, late adverse events within 24 hours, and examinee satisfaction were evaluated. Results: Among the 4,122 patients who received propofol in the 17,978 outpatient-based endoscopic examinations performed between November 2016 and March 2018, 2,305 eligible examinees (esophagogastroduodenoscopy for 1,340, endoscopic ultrasonography for 945, and total colonoscopy for 20) were enrolled, and their responses to a questionnaire were analyzed. The mean propofol dose was 69.6±24.4 mg (range, 20–200 mg). Diazepam, midazolam, and/or pentazocine in combination with propofol was administered to 146 examinees. Mild oxygen desaturation was observed in 59 examinees (2.6%); and mild bradycardia, in 2 (0.09%). Other severe reactions or late events did not occur. After eliminating 181 invalid responses, 97.7% (2,065/2,124) of the patients desired propofol sedation in future examinations. Conclusions Propofol sedation was found to be safe—without severe adverse events or accidents—for outpatient endoscopy on the basis of the patients’ next-day self-evaluation. Given the high satisfaction level, propofol sedation might be an ideal tool for painless endoscopic screening.

  In Brunei Darussalam, obesity and diabetes mellitus are serious national health challenges, and there is an urgent, nationwide need to develop measures against these diseases. This project provides training in various efforts unique to Japan aimed at preventing lifestyle-related diseases mainly through specific medical check-ups and health guidance. The objective of this project is to form a basis for introducing a Japanese-style system in Brunei Darussalam.  In this training program, the Bruneian staff learned specific medical check-ups, strategies for applying the results of these check-ups, actual and detailed contents of the specific counselling guidance, and so forth. We can reasonably expect that implementation of these practices and the skills acquired in Brunei will enable the Bruneian staff to more effectively prevent and control diabetes and obesity.  Moreover, this project not only contributes to health promotion for Bruneian citizens, but can also be expected to have a spillover effect on neighboring Muslim countries with similar problems (e.g., Malaysia and Indonesia). The prevalence of obesity and diabetes mellitus is increasing globally in both developed and developing countries, and preventive measures are urgently needed worldwide. It seems that recognition and introduction of the efforts made in Japan are extremely meaningful and important for solving international issues.