Relationship between the floating toe and the center-of-pressure position in an upright posture among students.

[Purpose] The incidence of floating toes in children is increasing. Although the anteroposterior center of pressure in children is present posteriorly, its relationship with the floating toe is unclear. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between the position of the anteroposterior center of pressure and the floating toe in an upright posture in children.

Effects of Competition Level on the Prevalence and Incidence of Lumbar Disk Degeneration in Japanese Collegiate Gymnasts.

Background: Lumbar disk degeneration (LDD) occurs frequently in athletes. Researchers have found that LDD occurs mainly in the lower disks (L4/L5 and L5/S1) in the general and athletic populations. However, a retrospective study showed a high prevalence of LDD in the upper lumbar disks (L1/L2), especially in elite gymnasts.

Central Tendon Injury Impairs Regional Neuromuscular Activation of the Rectus Femoris Muscle.

We aimed to uncover which rectus femoris strain injury types affect regional activation within the rectus femoris. The rectus femoris has a region-specific functional role; the proximal region of the rectus femoris contributes more than the middle and distal regions during hip flexion. Although a history of strain injury modifies the region-specific functional role within the rectus femoris, it was not obvious which rectus femoris strain injury types affect regional activation within it.

Fabrication of GaN/Diamond Heterointerface and Interfacial Chemical Bonding State for Highly Efficient Device Design.

The direct integration of gallium nitride (GaN) and diamond holds much promise for high-power devices. However, it is a big challenge to grow GaN on diamond due to the large lattice and thermal-expansion coefficient mismatch between GaN and diamond. In this work, the fabrication of a GaN/diamond heterointerface is successfully achieved by a surface activated bonding (SAB) method at room temperature.

The Effect of a Previous Strain Injury on Regional Neuromuscular Activation Within the Rectus Femoris.

The rectus femoris (RF) has a region-specific functional role; that is, the proximal region of the RF contributes more than the middle and distal regions during hip flexion. This study aimed to investigate whether RF strain injury affected the region-specific functional role of the muscle. We studied seven soccer players with a history of unilateral RF strain injury.

Cervical Intervertebral Disc Degeneration and Low Cervical Extension Independently Associated With a History of Stinger Syndrome.

Background: Stinger syndrome frequently occurs in athletes who compete in collision sports. Sharp pain and impairment of neck motion are major symptoms. Cervical intervertebral disc degeneration (CIDD) is also frequently observed in those who compete in collision sports.

Association of COL11A1 4603C/T polymorphism with cervical disc degeneration in collegiate wrestlers.

Background: The authors previously identified that COL11A1 gene polymorphism is not a susceptibility factor for lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) in athletes. However, the relationship between COL11A1 gene polymorphism and cervical disc degeneration (CDD) remains unclear. We hypothesized that significant associations between COL11A1 4603C/T gene polymorphism and CDD, but not LDD, in collegiate wrestlers exist.

Discovery of SMP-304, a novel benzylpiperidine derivative with serotonin transporter inhibitory activity and 5-HT weak partial agonistic activity showing the antidepressant-like effect.

We report the discovery of a novel benzylpiperidine derivative with serotonin transporter (SERT) inhibitory activity and 5-HT receptor weak partial agonistic activity showing the antidepressant-like effect. The 3-methoxyphenyl group and the phenethyl group of compound 1, which has weak SERT binding activity, but potent 5-HT binding activity, were optimized, leading to compound 35 with potent and balanced dual SERT and 5-HT binding activity, but also potent CYP2D6 inhibitory activity. Replacement of the methoxy group in the left part of compound 35 with a larger alkoxy group, such as ethoxy, isopropoxy or methoxy-ethoxy group ameliorated CYP2D6 inhibition, giving SMP-304 as a candidate.

Asymmetrical and smaller size of trunk muscles in combat sports athletes with lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration.

Background: Lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration (LDD) frequently occurs in athletes. Associations between LDD and trunk muscles still remain unclear.

Purpose: This study examined whether there is an association between the prevalence of LDD and the symmetry and size of the cross-sectional areas (CSAs) of the trunk muscles in combat sports athletes.

Layer matching epitaxy of NiO thin films on atomically stepped sapphire (0001) substrates.

Thin-film epitaxy is critical for investigating the original properties of materials. To obtain epitaxial films, careful consideration of the external conditions, i.e.

Evaluation of human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) and Risk of Ovarian Malignancy Algorithm (ROMA) as diagnostic tools of type I and type II epithelial ovarian cancer in Japanese women.

Human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) levels and the Risk of Ovarian Malignancy Algorithm (ROMA) have recently been shown to improve the sensitivity and specificity of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) diagnosis. We evaluated HE4 levels and ROMA as diagnostic tools of type I and type II EOC in Japanese women. Women who had a pelvic mass on imaging and were scheduled to undergo surgery were enrolled as ovarian mass patients.

Anterior Limbus Vertebra and Intervertebral Disk Degeneration in Japanese Collegiate Gymnasts.

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have shown that gymnasts have a high prevalence of radiological abnormalities, such as intervertebral disk degeneration (IDD) and anterior limbus vertebra (ALV). These 2 abnormalities may coexist at the same spinal level. However, the relationship between IDD and ALV remains unclear.

Diagnosis and treatment of immunologically infertile women with sperm-immobilizing antibodies in their sera.

Detection of sperm-immobilizing antibodies in women may have relevance for diagnosis of immunological infertility. Infertile women in whom sperm-immobilizing antibodies are detected can be refractory to conventional treatments such as timed intercourse or intrauterine insemination (IUI) because the antibodies secreted in the female reproductive tract might impair sperm passage, inhibit fertilization, and prevent normal post-fertilization processes. Hence, manipulation of gametes and embryos from patients with sperm-immobilizing antibodies should be carried out with additional care to avoid fertilization failure resulting from the presence of antibodies during in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Functional aspects of CD52 in reproduction.

CD52 is a GPI-anchored protein present in lymphocytes and male reproductive tissues (mrt) including mature sperm and seminal plasma. It has been shown that mrt-CD52 is synthesized in epithelial cells of the epididymis and vas deferens, but not in the testis. The mrt-CD52 is transported to mature sperm during sperm transition in the male reproductive tract.

[Testicular tumor detected in a male infertility patient with prior orchiopexy].

A 37-year-old man was referred to our hospital with the chief complaint of infertility. Semen analysis at another clinic had demonstrated severe oligozoospermia and he had a history of bilateral orchiopexy for undescended testes. Scrotal ultrasonography revealed a hypoechoic heterogeneous mass (1.

Harmful effects of anti-zona pellucida antibodies in folliculogenesis, oogenesis, and fertilization.

The zona pellucida (ZP) is an extracellular matrix that surrounds the mammalian oocyte and plays an important role in normal folliculogenesis and fertilization. Because of its strong immunogenicity and its possible relation with premature ovarian failure, we conducted the present study to examine whether or not anti-ZP antibodies impaired folliculogenesis. Mouse preantral follicles were cultured with anti-ZP antibodies to evaluate the effects on follicle growth and antral formation.

A long-term user of cosmetic cream containing estrogen developed breast cancer and endometrial hyperplasia.

A 93-year-old woman was referred to our clinic for abnormal genital bleeding. It was found that she had endometrial hyperplasia and breast cancer. Her uterus was as large as that of a normal adult menstruating woman.

CD52 is synthesized in cumulus cells and secreted into the cumulus matrix during ovulation.

Problem: Early studies have shown that an antibody to male reproductive tissue CD52 is a pathogenic factor of infertility. The molecule contains a unique carbohydrate antigen that induces antibodies interfering with sperm function. However, the characteristic properties of CD52 in female reproductive tissues are not known.

Molecular diversity of TEX101, a marker glycoprotein for germ cells monitored with monoclonal antibodies: variety of the molecular characteristics according to subcellular localization within the mouse testis.

TEX101 was characterized as a unique germ cell marker molecule using the specific monoclonal antibody (mAb), TES101. Although this mAb has strong affinity/specificity for TEX101, TES101 mAb loses its reactivity under reducing conditions. In this study, we have generated new mAbs against TEX101 to compensate for the shortcomings of the TES101 mAb using different approaches.

Vaginal infection with Ureaplasma urealyticum accounts for preterm delivery via induction of inflammatory responses.

U. urealyticum, a member of the family Mycoplasmataceae, is often detected in the vagina of pregnant women. In this study, the possible association of ureaplasmal infection with preterm delivery was examined, as was the capacity of ureaplasmal LP to stimulate monocytes in vitro to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines relevant to preterm delivery.

Comparison of urinary and recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone in in vitro growth, maturation, and fertilization of mouse preantral follicles.

Objective: To compare the effects of urinary and recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) on follicular development, oocyte maturation, and fertilization.

Design: Prospective randomized animal study.

Setting: University-based research laboratory.

Contribution of zona proteins to oocyte growth.

The zona pellucida is an extracellular matrix surrounding growing oocytes, ovulated eggs and preimplantation embryos. In mice, the zona pellucida is composed of three glycoproteins designated as ZPA, ZPB and ZPC. ZpA and ZpC knockout mice are infertile due to incomplete folliculogenesis.

Role of male reproductive tract CD52 (mrt-CD52) in reproduction.

Human CD52 antigen is a highly glycosylated molecule with an unusually small core peptide exclusively expressed on lymphocytes and mature sperm. In the male reproductive tract, it is secreted mainly from the epididymis and inserted into the sperm membrane via the glycosyl-phosphatidyl inositol (GPI) anchor during the passage of the spermatozoa through the epididymis. It has recently been found that the male reproductive tract CD52 (mrt-CD52) is a target antigen of human monoclonal antibody (Mab H6-3C4) obtained from an antisperm antibody-mediated infertile woman.