Abnormal theta-band rhythm: EEG abnormality as potential biomarkers for disease severity in pediatric anti-NMDAR encephalitis.

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis in children often requires early immunosuppressive therapy before antibody detection. While various electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns, including extreme delta brushes (EDBs), have been reported in adults, pediatric EEG characteristics remain understudied. This study aims to assist clinicians in identifying severe cases early, potentially improving treatment outcomes through prompt intervention.

Classification of upper-limb dysfunction severity and prediction of independence in activities of daily living after cervical spinal-cord injury.

Study Design: Prospective observational study.

Objectives: Classification of spinal-cord injury and prediction of independence in activities of daily living (ADL) based on performance evaluations such as upper-limb function have not been reported. Therefore, this study aimed to establish a severity classification and calculate cutoff values for independence in ADL using the Capabilities of Upper Extremity Test (CUE-T) for individuals with cervical spinal-cord injury (CSCI).

Relationship between the amount of physical activity and brain structure in patients with chronic stroke.

Objectives: The association between the amount of physical activity and the brain structure in patients with stroke is unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the structural characteristics of the brain in patients with chronic stroke engaging in varying levels of physical activity.

Methods: This study included 10 healthy participants and 10 patients with stroke.

Cross-cultural adaptation, validity and reliability of the Japanese version of ABILHAND-kids for children with cerebral palsy using Rasch measurement model.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop the Japanese version of the ABILHAND-Kids and to examine its psychometric properties for Japanese children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods: The experimental version of 75 items was developed using forward-backward translation method. Parents of 137 children with CP answered it.

Verification of the minimal clinically important difference of the Capabilities of Upper Extremity Test in patients with subacute spinal cord injury.

Context: The number of patients with cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) is increasing, and the Capabilities of Upper Extremity Test (CUE-T) is recommended for introduction in clinical trials. We calculated the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of the CUE-T using an adjustment model with an interval of 1 month.

Design: This was a prospective study.

Verification of biomechanical factors of gait related to medial knee loading in patients 6 Months after total knee arthroplasty.

Background: The knee adduction moment (KAM) is considered an index for estimating the knee mechanical load, and increased KAM peak and KAM impulse are related to increased medial knee load and progression of knee joint degeneration. We aimed to verify the biomechanical factors of gait related to medial knee loading in patients 6 months after TKA.

Methods: Thirty-nine women who underwent TKA were enrolled.

Effects of a treatment program based on constraint-induced movement therapy for the lower extremities on gait and balance in chronic stroke: a 6-month follow-up pilot study.

Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) for the lower extremities CIMT (LE-CIMT) has been shown feasible and promising but the long-term outcomes remain uncertain. In this pilot study, we recruited eight participants with chronic stroke from our facility for persons with disabilities to determine changes in gait and balance throughout an extended treatment program based on the principles of LE-CIMT. The program consisted of a run-in phase (3 weeks), LE-CIMT phase (3 weeks), and maintenance phase (6 months).

Postoperative femoral component rotation using posterior condylar referencing is difficult to predict preoperatively in total knee arthroplasty.

Background: Many modern total knee arthroplasty (TKA) systems use posterior condylar axis (PCA) to derive the surgical trans-epicondylar axis (sTEA), which is widely regarded as the gold standard for femoral component rotation. However, the previous imaging studies showed that cartilage remnants can alter component rotation. We therefore conducted this study to determine how the postoperative femoral component rotation deviated from the preoperative plan using three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) which does not consider cartilage thickness.

Built environments and frailty in older adults: A three-year longitudinal JAGES study.

Background: This study investigated the relationship between built environments and the onset of frailty after 3 years.

Methods: This was a longitudinal study using prospective cohort data from the 2013 Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study on 38,829 older adults nested in 562 comunnities who were not frail. The dependent variable, frailty, was assessed using the Kihon checklist.

Assessment of safety of self-controlled repetitive trans-vertebral magnetic stimulation.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess safety issues of self-controlled repetitive trans-vertebral magnetic stimulation (rTVMS) in humans.

Methods: We investigated effects of self-controlled rTVMS (≤20 Hz, ≤90% intensity) on vital signs and subjective sensations in 1690 trials of 30 healthy volunteers and 12 patients with spinal cord disorders.

Results: Healthy volunteers and the patients received 4595 ± 2345, and 4450 ± 2304 pulses in one day, respectively.

Early postoperative relationship between patient-reported outcome measures and gait biomechanical factors after total hip arthroplasty.

Background: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) have recently been considered as indicating clinical outcomes after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Although various factors are reportedly associated with post-THA and PROMs, the relationship with gait parameters, which are objective assessment factors after THA, remains unclear.

Research Question: What is the relationship between PROMs and gait biomechanical factors four weeks after THA?

Methods: Forty-five patients (six men and 39 women) who underwent THA were included.

Anatomical Increased/Decreased Changes in the Brain Area Following Individuals with Chronic Traumatic Complete Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate anatomical changes in the brain following chronic complete traumatic thoracic spinal cord injury (ThSCI) using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). That is, it attempted to examine dynamic physical change following thoracic injury and the presence or absence of regions with decreased and increased changes in whole brain volume associated with change in the manner of how activities of daily living are performed.

Methods: Twelve individuals with chronic traumatic complete ThSCI (age; 21-63 years, American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale; grade C-D) participated in this study.

Sigma 1 receptor agonist cutamesine promotes plasticity of serotonergic boutons in lumbar enlargement in spinal cord injured rats.

Cutamesine, a sigma-1 receptor agonist, functions in both neuroprotection and neurite outgrowth. We assessed the therapeutic effects of cutamesine in a rodent spinal cord injury (SCI) model to demonstrate pre-clinical proof-of-concept. First of all, in order to determine optimal cutamesine dose, cutamesine was administered to normal rats and BDNF protein levels in the lumbar spinal cord were assessed by Western blot.

False malalignment after computer-navigated total knee arthroplasty.

Background: Although computer navigation has improved component alignment in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), radiographic outliers are reported with a wide range in literature even using this technique. We hypothesized that the postoperative malalignment after computer-navigated TKA was partially derived from the inherent problems with two-dimensional (2D) measurement such as inaccuracies in measurement due to the knee position during the radiographic examination and the direction of the X-ray beam. We therefore conducted this study to determine how often knees with malalignment on 2D imaging were truly mal-aligned on three-dimensional (3D) reconstructed imaging.

Relationships between early postoperative gait biomechanical factors and patient-reported outcome measures 6 months after total knee arthroplasty.

Background: This study was focused on the gait parameters of the knee extensor and hip abductor muscle groups, which are believed to contribute to knee joint function improvement in early postoperative TKA. The associations between patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) 6 months after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and the early postoperative internal knee extension moment, knee extension negative joint power, and internal hip abduction moment while walking were investigated.

Methods: Twenty-one patients who underwent primary TKA for knee osteoarthritis were included.

Intra- and interobserver reliability and agreement in three-dimensional computed tomography measurements of component positions after total knee arthroplasty.

Background: Accurate evaluation of the postoperative position of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) components is crucial in the analysis of the association of alignments with clinical outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability of measurements of component positions after TKA using three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) reconstruction.

Methods: Two independent orthopedic surgeons (an attending surgeon and a fellow) examined 30 knees after primary TKA.

Preoperative planned distance between the skin surface and the guide rod provides accurate posterior tibial slope in total knee arthroplasty.

Background: Although sagittal tibial alignment in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is important, no landmark exists to achieve reproducible slope. It is theoretically demonstrated that the preoperative planned distance between the skin surface and the rod can be a useful guide for the tibial slope in the previous imaging study. We conducted this retrospective study to confirm whether the results of the study are repeatable in an intra-operative situation.

An accelerometer-based navigation did not improve the femoral component positioning compared to a modified conventional technique of pre-operatively planned placement of intramedullary rod in total knee arthroplasty.

Introduction: Although the most commonly used method of femoral component alignment in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is intramedullary (IM) guides, this method demonstrated a limited degree of accuracy. Because of the femoral anterior bowing, the tip of the guide rod will impinge on the anterior cortex if a long rod is inserted. We hypothesized that the pre-operative planned insertion depth of the rod could increase the accuracy of the femoral component positioning in conventional TKA (modified conventional technique).

[Evaluation of supplemental and oral deglutition foods in bedridden elderly patients receiving parenteral nutrition].

Background And Aim: We examined oral dyskinesia (OD), wearing artificial tooth, food test findings and conducted a video - fluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) in bedridden elderly patients before they were received parenteral nutrition once daily. However, the validity and properties of these deglutition foods have not been evaluated. Therefore, in this study, we clarified four deglutition foods as four aspects.

Residual medial tightness in extension is corrected spontaneously after total knee arthroplasty in varus knees.

Purpose: Although soft tissue balancing is considered important for successful total knee arthroplasty (TKA), it is unclear whether the laxity and balance achieved intraoperatively change postoperatively. A recent study demonstrated anaesthesia significantly influenced knee joint laxity after TKA; however, there has been no comparison of the varus-valgus laxity immediately after TKA and in the postoperative period under the same anesthetic conditions. Therefore, quantitative stress arthrometric studies were conducted under identical conditions to identify changes in coronal ligament laxity after TKA spontaneously.

Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty Using a Cementless Cup Supporter and Iliac Autograft: A Minimum of 15-Year Follow-Up.

Background: Bone deficiency in revision total hip arthroplasty is a surgical challenge. The Murata-Chiba cup supporter (MC support ring) is an acetabular component supporter for a cementless porous-coated cup. The purpose of this study is to examine the clinical and radiographic outcomes of reconstruction of acetabular bone deficiency using iliac autografts supported by an MC support ring in a revision setting with minimum 15-year follow-up.

The rectangular flexion gap is associated with an increased knee flexion angle in a cruciate-sacrificing rotating platform mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty.

Background: The knee flexion angle after a total knee arthroplasty is an important indicator of clinical outcome. However, there is little appropriate information about the correlation between the ligament balancing and knee flexion angle after total knee arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the ligamentous balance in extension and flexion on knee flexion angle one year after posterior cruciate ligament sacrificing rotating platform total knee arthroplasty.

Case-related factors affecting cutting errors of the proximal tibia in total knee arthroplasty assessed by computer navigation.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine factors that contribute to bone cutting errors of conventional instrumentation for tibial resection in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) as assessed by an image-free navigation system. The hypothesis is that preoperative varus alignment is a significant contributory factor to tibial bone cutting errors.

Methods: This was a prospective study of a consecutive series of 72 TKAs.