A Method of Predicting Posture-related Pain Using Biomechanical Parameters for Patients with Lumbar Spinal Disc Herniation.

Lumbar spinal disc herniation is a disease in which the protruding nucleus pulposus presses on the nerve due to actions that place loads on the disc, causing pain in the lower back and lower limbs. About 80% of treatments of disc herniation are conservative treatments, and although it is necessary to live with pain for a long time, there have been no studies that clearly define the relationship between pain and biomechanical parameters. In this study, we proposed a method of identifying biomechanical parameters that predict posture-related pain in patients with lumbar spinal disc herniation.

A new single-reference quantitative method using liquid chromatography with relative molar sensitivity based on H-qNMR for khellactone esters from Peucedanum japonicum root extract.

Khellactone ester (KLE) quantification using the absolute calibration method is difficult owing to the unavailability of standard reagents that can guarantee purity. Herein, a new method was developed to quantify KLEs from Peucedanum japonicum root extracts using liquid chromatography (LC) without utilizing standards. This method used relative molar sensitivity (RMS) and 7-ethoxy-4-methylcoumarin as a single-reference (SR) compound instead of KLE standards.

Classification of Older and Fall-Experienced Subjects by Postural Sway Data Using Mass Spring Damper Model.

The quiet standing test is used to detect diseases of the postural control system. The descriptive statistics of the center of pressure (COP) of older people during the test tend to be larger than those of healthy young people, but they cannot indicate structural problems in postural control. COP trajectories can be mathematically modeled with structural parameters such as viscosity, stiffness, and stochastic terms; however, the classification accuracy of older and fall-experienced people using such parameters has not been sufficiently verified.

A multi-sensory dataset for the activities of daily living.

The article describes a multi-sensory dataset related to the Activities of Daily Living (ADL). These are the activities that contribute to an assessment of the overall status of elderly or people with special needs, possibly suffering from mild cognitive impairments. Typical basic ADLs include walking, such postural transitions as getting up or sitting down, as well as behaviours related to feeding, such as drinking or eating with knife and fork, or personal hygiene, e.

Long-Term Outcomes of Cerebral Blood Flow and Neurotransmitter Receptor Function on Iodine-123-Iomazenil Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography and Cognitive Assessments After Parent Artery Occlusion Combined with Cerebral Revascularization for Internal Carotid Artery Aneurysms.

Objective: Many studies of external-internal carotid artery (EC-IC) bypass as cerebral revascularization for unclippable internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysms have reported surgical outcomes, including bypass patency and aneurysm resolution. However, no previous studies have assessed the long-term outcomes of cerebral blood flow (CBF), brain neural density, and cognition. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of CBF and neurotransmitter receptor function using early and late images of iodine-123 (I)-iomazenil (IMZ) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and the cognitive function of patients who had undergone EC-IC bypass for symptomatic aneurysms in the cavernous portion of the ICA.

Evaluation of Langevin Model for Human Stabilogram Based on Reproducibility of Statistical Indicators.

Fall risk is a serious problem especially for the elderly. Fall accident causes fracture, and it leads to bedridden. Early detection of balance inability and rehabilitation training is important to decrease the risk.

Improving quality control of yucca extracts used as food additives by screening antimicrobial activity using NMR metabolomics.

Yucca schidigera is mainly distributed in southwestern US and the northern desert of Mexico. Its extract is widely used as a food additive for its antimicrobial activity. However, this antimicrobial activity is subject to significant variability across production lots.

Apparent brain temperature imaging with multi-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy compared with cerebral blood flow and metabolism imaging on positron emission tomography in patients with unilateral chronic major cerebral artery steno-occlusive disease.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to determine whether apparent brain temperature imaging using multi-voxel proton magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy correlates with cerebral blood flow (CBF) and metabolism imaging in the deep white matter of patients with unilateral chronic major cerebral artery steno-occlusive disease.

Methods: Apparent brain temperature and CBF and metabolism imaging were measured using proton MR spectroscopy and O-positron emission tomography (PET), respectively, in 35 patients. A set of regions of interest (ROIs) of 5 × 5 voxels was placed on an MR image so that the voxel row at each edge was located in the deep white matter of the centrum semiovale in each cerebral hemisphere.

New ellagitannins from Tiencha and their inhibitory activity against dental plaque.

Four new galloyl-oxygen-diphenyl (GOD)-type ellagitannins, brambliins A-D (1-4), were isolated from the leaves of Rubus suavissimus. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses and the absolute configurations of 1-4 were determined by chemical and phytochemical evidence. These GOD-type ellagitannins inhibited the formation of dental plaque, which is beneficial for oral hygiene.

Oxygen extraction fraction measurement using quantitative susceptibility mapping: Comparison with positron emission tomography.

The purposes of this study are to establish oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) measurements using quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and to compare QSM-OEF data with the gold standard (15)O positron emission tomography (PET). Twenty-six patients with chronic unilateral internal carotid artery or middle cerebral artery stenosis or occlusion, and 15 normal subjects were included. MRI scans were conducted using a 3.

Brain temperature measured by 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy in acute and subacute carbon monoxide poisoning.

Introduction: Brain temperature (BT) is associated with the balance between cerebral blood flow and metabolism according to the "heat-removal" theory. The present study investigated whether BT is abnormally altered in acute and subacute CO-poisoned patients by using (1)H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS).

Methods: Eight adult CO-poisoned patients underwent 3-T magnetic resonance imaging in the acute and subacute phases after CO exposure.

Microsurgical clipping for the true posterior communicating artery aneurysm in the distal portion of the posterior communicating artery.

Background: Aneurysms arising from the posterior communicating artery (PCoA) itself are rare in which aneurysms usually located in the proximal portion of the PCoA. The authors report a case of the true PCoA ruptured aneurysm in the distal portion of the PCoA.

Case Description: The patient was an 83-year-old man who suffered subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Early onset of PRES in a patient with a subarachnoid haemorrhage due to a ruptured intracranial aneurysm.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is rarely associated with subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). We present a case involving a patient who developed PRES, prior to induction of hypertensive therapy, 2 days after the onset of a SAH due to a ruptured intracranial aneurysm.

Changes in cognitive function after carotid endarterectomy in older patients: comparison with younger patients.

Objective and subjective assessments of changes in cognition after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) were compared between older patients (≥76 years old) and younger patients (<76 years old). Patients underwent subjective cognitive assessment by a neurosurgeon and the patient's next of kin, and neuropsychological testing (five parameters) before and after surgery. Of 37 older patients studied, 4 (11%), 28 (75%), and 5 (14%) patients were defined as having subjectively improved, unchanged, and impaired cognition, respectively, following surgery.

Postoperative increase in cerebral white matter fractional anisotropy on diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging is associated with cognitive improvement after uncomplicated carotid endarterectomy: tract-based spatial statistics analysis.

Background: Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) might improve cognitive function. Fractional anisotropy (FA) values in the cerebral white matter derived from diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DTI) correlate with cognitive function in patients with various central nervous system diseases.

Objective: To use tract-based spatial statistics to determine whether postoperative changes of FA values in the cerebral white matter derived from DTI are associated with cognitive improvement after uncomplicated CEA.

Brain temperature measured by using proton MR spectroscopy predicts cerebral hyperperfusion after carotid endarterectomy.

Purpose: To determine whether brain temperature measured by using preoperative proton magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy could help identify patients at risk for cerebral hyperperfusion after carotid endarterectomy (CEA).

Materials And Methods: Institutional review board approval and informed consent were obtained. Acquisition of proton MR spectroscopic data by using point-resolved spectroscopy without water suppression was performed before CEA in the bilateral cerebral hemispheres of 84 patients with unilateral internal carotid artery stenosis (> or =70%) and without contralateral internal carotid artery steno-occlusive disease.

Structures of new cucurbitane-type triterpenes and glycosides, karavilagenins and karavilosides, from the dried fruit of Momordica charantia L. in Sri Lanka.

Three new cucurbitane-type triterpene called karavilagenins A, B, and C and five new cucurbitane-type triterpene glycosides called karavilosides I, II, III, IV, and V were isolated from the dried fruit of Sri Lanka Momordica charantia L. (Cucurbitaceae) together with two known cucurbitane-type triterpenes, 19(R)-methoxy-5beta,19-epoxycucurbita-6,23-dien-3beta,25-diol and 5,19-epoxycucurbita-6,23-diene-3,25-diol, and nine known cucurbitane-type triterpene glycosides, goyaglycosides-b, -c, and -d, and momordicosides F1, F2, G, I, K, and L. The structures of karavilagenins and karavilosides were elucidated on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence.

Blood pressure-depressing activity of a peptide derived from silkworm fibroin in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Peptides showing inhibitory activity against the angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) were investigated from the fibroin fraction of discarded silk fabric. Fibroin, which was hydrolyzed with alcalase after partial hydrolysis with hot aqueous 40% CaCl(2), released two major active peptides showing ACE-inhibitory activity. The two peptides were identified as glycyl-valyl-glycyl-tyrosine (GVGY) and glycyl-valyl-glycyl-alanyl-glycyl-tyrosine (GVGAGY) by analyses with a protein sequencer and LC/MS/MS.

Hepatoprotective activity of tocha, the stems and leaves of Ampelopsis grossedentata, and ampelopsin.

Hepatoprotective effect of the leaves and stems of Ampelopsis grossedentata together with its main constituent, ampelopsin, were examined on D-galactosamine induced liver injury in rats. The diet containing 50% ethanolic extract (1%) and ampelopsin (0.1%) markedly suppressed the increase of LDH, ALT, AST, alpha-tocopherol levels and GSG/GSSH caused by GalN treatment.

Absolute stereostructures of polypodane-type triterpenes, myrrhanol A and myrrhanone A, from guggul-gum resin (the resin of Balsamodendron mukul).

Two new polypodane-type triterpenes, myrrhanol A and myrrhanone A, were isolated from the 50% aqueous methanolic extract of guggul-gum resin [the resin of Balsamodendron (=Commiphora) mukul HOOK]. The structures of the new constituents, including their absolute configurations, were determined on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence.

Oral Kohki Tea and its protective effect against in vitro ischemic damage to the bladder.

Aims: Results of several studies indicate that ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) is an etiological factor in the contractile dysfunctions induced by partial bladder outlet obstruction in animal models. In support of this hypothesis, pretreatment of rabbits with Kohki Tea (Engelhardtia chrysolepis), a Japanese herbal drink very high in antioxidant activity, significantly reduced the contractile dysfunctions induced by partial outlet obstruction. The current study was designed to determine if pretreating rabbits with Kohki Tea could protect the bladder against the contractile damage induced by in vitro ischemia followed by re-oxygenation.

Absolute stereostructures of polypodane- and octanordammarane-type triterpenes with nitric oxide production inhibitory activity from guggul-gum resins.

The methanolic extract from guggul-gum resin, the resin of Balsamodendron mukul, was found to inhibit nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-activated mouse peritoneal macrophages (IC(50) = 13 microg/mL). From the methanolic extract, three new polypodane-type triterpenes, myrrhanol B and myrrhanones B and A acetate, and a new octanordammarane-type triterpene, epimansumbinol, were isolated together with 17 known compounds including progesterone and the related steroids. The absolute stereostructures of new triterpenes were elucidated on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence.

Relationship between adjuvant activity and amphipathic structure of soyasaponins.

A correlation between adjuvant activity and amphipathic structure of saponin was first demonstrated on an experimental basis using structurally consecutive analogues. To clarify the physicochemical factors regulating the adjuvanticity of saponin, we compared the profile of the antibody response against chicken ovalbumin (OVA) in mice and hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) of eight purified soyasaponins. Soyasaponins bearing sugar chain(s) showed adjuvanticity stimulating anti-OVA total-IgG and IgG1 antibody responses, while their corresponding aglycones soyasapogenols A and B, did not.

Characterization of new sweet triterpene saponins from Albizia myriophylla.

Five new oleanane-type triterpene saponins, albiziasaponins A-E (1-5), were isolated from the stems of Albizia myriophylla collected in Thailand, together with two known triterpene saponins, licorice-saponin F3 and yunganoside B(1). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence. In addition, when sensory tests were performed on sweetness, albiziasaponin B (2), with a carbonyl group at the C-30 position, was found to show a potent sweetness intensity relative to sucrose (600 times).