Pelvis/lower extremity alignment and range of motion in knee osteoarthritis: A case-control study in elderly Japanese women.

Background: The prevalence of radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA) in Japan is high, with an estimated 25,300,000 affected individuals.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to clarify the characteristics of knee osteoarthritis by comparing differences between patients with knee osteoarthritis and healthy elderly individuals with respect to alignment of the pelvis and lower extremities and range of motion.

Methods: Twenty-six women (13 with medial knee osteoarthritis and 13 healthy elderly) participated in this study.

A Maximum Muscle Strength Prediction Formula Using Theoretical Grade 3 Muscle Strength Value in Daniels et al.'s Manual Muscle Test, in Consideration of Age: An Investigation of Hip and Knee Joint Flexion and Extension.

This study attempted to develop a formula for predicting maximum muscle strength value for young, middle-aged, and elderly adults using theoretical Grade 3 muscle strength value (moment fair: )-the static muscular moment to support a limb segment against gravity-from the manual muscle test by Daniels et al. A total of 130 healthy Japanese individuals divided by age group performed isometric muscle contractions at maximum effort for various movements of hip joint flexion and extension and knee joint flexion and extension, and the accompanying resisting force was measured and maximum muscle strength value (moment max, ) was calculated. Body weight and limb segment length (thigh and lower leg length) were measured, and was calculated using anthropometric measures and theoretical calculation.

Comparative analysis of ultrasound changes in the vastus lateralis muscle following myofascial release and thermotherapy: a pilot study.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the effects of myofascial release (MFR) and hot pack therapy (HPT) on fascial gliding and flexibility of the vastus lateralis muscle.

Methods: Three treatments were applied to the left vastus lateralis muscles of each participant (12 healthy males): MFR for 4 min, superficial HPT for 10 min, and superficial HPT for 20 min. Deep fascial motion was measured by B-mode ultrasound, whereas muscle stiffness was measured by real-time elastography (RTE) and a durometer before and after the interventions.

Difference in the electromyographic onset of the deep and superficial multifidus during shoulder movement while standing.

Based on the current literature, it remains unclear whether electromyographic onset of the deep fibers of the multifidus (DM) is dependent on the direction of shoulder movement and the position of the center of foot pressure (CFP). In the present study, we re-examined the electromyographic onset of the DM during shoulder flexion and extension and investigated the influence of the CFP position before arm movement. Intramuscular and surface electrodes recorded the electromyographic onset of the DM, superficial fibers of the multifidus (SM), rectus abdominis, and anterior and posterior deltoid.

Muscle hardness measurement by using ultrasound elastography: a feasibility study.

Background: Muscle hardening, including delayed onset muscle soreness, can be found after vigorous exercise. Some techniques for measuring muscle hardness have been proposed. Freehand ultrasound (US) elastography has been developed and applied to breast imaging.

Origin and migration of interneurons of the olfactory bulb in the musk shrew, Suncus murinus.

The olfactory bulb of the musk shrew, Suncus murinus, is characterized by the presence of various interneurons. Our previous report (Kakuta et al., 2001) demonstrated that positive immunoreactions for calretinin were observed in periglomerular and perinidal cells in the glomerular layer, small ovoid neurons in the external plexiform layer, and granule cells in the granule cell layer of the olfactory bulb in the musk shrew aged 1 to 5 weeks, in addition to calretinin-immunoreactive bipolar cells distributed in the anterior subependymal layer and in each layer of the olfactory bulb.