The relationship between balance ability and walking ability using the Berg Balance Scale in people with transfemoral amputation.

Background: Few reports have examined the relationship between balance ability and walking ability in people with transfemoral amputation using the Berg Balance Scale.

Objectives: To assess the construct validity (known groups discrimination, convergent validity, and floor/ceiling effects) of Berg Balance Scale for people with transfemoral amputation.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

The factors of deterioration in long-term clinical course of lumbar spinal canal stenosis after successful conservative treatment.

Background: The treatment of lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSS) depends on symptom severity. In the absence of severe symptoms such as severe motor disturbances or bowel and/or urinary dysfunction, conservative treatment is generally the first choice for the treatment of LSS. However, we experienced cases of worsening symptoms even after successful conservative treatment.

Transcutaneous carbon dioxide application suppresses bone destruction caused by breast cancer metastasis.

Hypoxia plays a significant role in cancer progression, including metastatic bone tumors. We previously reported that transcutaneous carbon dioxide (CO2) application could decrease tumor progression through the improvement of intratumor hypoxia. Therefore, we hypothesized that decreased hypoxia using transcutaneous CO2 could suppress progressive bone destruction in cancer metastasis.

Postural control before and after cerebrospinal fluid shunt surgery in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.

Objectives: This study aimed to confirm whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting for idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) improves postural instability, and to investigate the relationship between postural control and gait ability.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-three iNPH patients and 18 age-matched healthy controls (HC) were examined using the timed up and go (TUG) test and a force platform for calculating the center of pressure (COP) trajectory during voluntary multidirectional leaning and quiescent standing. We determined the patients' TUG values and COP trajectories before and after shunt surgery.

Index markers of chronic fatigue syndrome with dysfunction of TCA and urea cycles.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a persistent and unexplained pathological state characterized by exertional and severely debilitating fatigue, with/without infectious or neuropsychiatric symptoms, lasting at least 6 consecutive months. Its pathogenesis remains incompletely understood. Here, we performed comprehensive metabolomic analyses of 133 plasma samples obtained from CFS patients and healthy controls to establish an objective diagnosis of CFS.

Results of prosthetic rehabilitation on managing transtibial vascular amputation with silicone liner after wound closure.

Objective: To investigate the effect of a standardized silicone liner programme on the duration of prosthetic rehabilitation in patients who underwent transtibial amputation as a result of peripheral arterial disease.

Methods: This retrospective study enrolled patients who underwent transtibial amputation followed by one of two stump management programmes at the same rehabilitation centre over a period of 14 years. The study compared the duration of rehabilitation following a standardized silicone liner programme compared with that following a conventional soft dressing programme.

T-5224, a selective inhibitor of c-Fos/activator protein-1, improves survival by inhibiting serum high mobility group box-1 in lethal lipopolysaccharide-induced acute kidney injury model.

Background: Sepsis is a potentially fatal syndrome mediated by an early [e.g., tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)] and late [high mobility group box-1 (HMGB-1)] proinflammatory cytokine response to infection.

Frontier studies on fatigue, autonomic nerve dysfunction, and sleep-rhythm disorder.

Fatigue is defined as a condition or phenomenon of decreased ability and efficiency of mental and/or physical activities, caused by excessive mental or physical activities, diseases, or syndromes. It is often accompanied by a peculiar sense of discomfort, a desire to rest, and reduced motivation, referred to as fatigue sensation. Acute fatigue is a normal condition or phenomenon that disappears after a period of rest; in contrast, chronic fatigue, lasting at least 6 months, does not disappear after ordinary rest.

Satisfactory results at 8 years mean follow-up after ADVANCE® medial-pivot total knee arthroplasty.

Background: Although good overall results have been reported with TKA, certain problems and limitations remain, primarily due to postoperative differences in joint kinematics, when compared with the normal knee. ADVANCE® Medial-Pivot TKA involves replicating the medial pivoting behavior observed in normal knees. Here, we aimed to investigate the clinical and radiological results and complications of TKA using this implant, at mid-term follow-up.

Long-term subjective outcomes of computer-assisted total knee arthroplasty.

Purpose: This study aimed to clarify the results of computer-assisted total knee arthroplasty (TKA) after ten years using patient-derived scores.

Methods: Thirty posterior-stabilised total knee prostheses implanted using a computed tomography-free navigation system were compared with 30 matched total knee prostheses of the same type implanted using a conventional, manual technique. At an average of ten years after surgery, we investigated patient-reported outcomes using the Knee Society's new scoring system.

No difference between double-high insert and medial-pivot insert in TKA.

Purpose: To compare the clinical midterm results in ADVANCE total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with double-high (DH) insert, with same type implant with medial-pivot (MP) insert.

Method: Forty ADVANCE TKAs were randomly divided into two groups, and two different design insert, DH insert, and MP insert were used in each group. At midterm, 4-5 years after surgery, Knee Society Scores (KSS), Knee Society Functional Scores (KSFS), range of motion (ROM), and UCLA activity score were assessed and reported in this study.

In vivo comparisons of patellofemoral kinematics before and after ADVANCE Medial-Pivot total knee arthroplasty.

Purpose: ADVANCE Medial-Pivot (MP) (Wright Medical Technology, Arlington, TN, USA) total knee arthroplasty (TKA) was developed to replicate normal tibiofemoral knee joint kinematics, allowing medial-pivot knee motion. The design concept of the prosthesis is unique; therefore, the influence on the patellofemoral knee joint remains unclear at present. The purpose of this study was to determine the in vivo patellofemoral kinematics with ADVANCE MP TKA and compare them with the pre-operative conditions.

Intra-articular injection of tranexamic acid reduces not only blood loss but also knee joint swelling after total knee arthroplasty.

Purpose: This is a randomised controlled trial to examine whether intra-articular injection of tranexamic acid (TXA) decreases blood loss, as well as reducing leg swelling after total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Methods: We performed 100 TKA in osteoarthritis patients. At closure, a total of 2,000 mg/20 ml TXA was injected into the knee joint through a closed suction drain (TXA group).

Mid-term outcomes of computer-assisted total knee arthroplasty.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical results of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using a navigation system after a minimum of 5 years.

Method: Thirty cases of posterior-stabilized, TKA-implanted using a computed tomography-free navigation system were compared with 30 cases having matched TKA of the same type implanted via a classical, manual technique. At mid term, a minimum of 5 years after surgery, Knee Society scores (KSSs), Knee Society Functional scores (KSFSs), range of motion (ROM), and radiographic results of 27 patients in each group were assessed and reported in this study.

Medial orbitofrontal cortex is associated with fatigue sensation.

Fatigue is an indispensable bioalarm to avoid exhaustive state caused by overwork or stresses. It is necessary to elucidate the neural mechanism of fatigue sensation for managing fatigue properly. We performed H(2) ( 15)O positron emission tomography scans to indicate neural activations while subjects were performing 35-min fatigue-inducing task trials twice.

Thermal necrosis after simultaneous tibial osteotomy and total knee arthroplasty using press-fit extension-stem.

One-staged tibial corrective osteotomy and total knee arthroplasty is a challenging but effective treatment for arthritic knees with extra-articular deformity. Although osteocutaneous thermal necrosis is accepted as a complication of intramedullary reamed nailing following long bone fractures, only 15 cases have been reported in the English literature at present. This report illustrates a rare case of thermal necrosis in a patient undergoing tibial corrective osteotomy coincident with long-stemmed total knee arthroplasty.

Predicting the probability for fall incidence in stroke patients using the Berg Balance Scale.

This observational study investigated the relationship between balance, mobility and falls in 72 hemiplegic stroke inpatients, with the aim of developing a model for predicting fall risk. Fall history was recorded by interview, balance was assessed using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and activities of daily living were evaluated using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). Variables differing between fallers and non-fallers were identified, and a stepwise regression analysis was performed to identify a combination of variables that effectively predicted fall status.

Fasting insulin and leptin serum levels are associated with systolic blood pressure independent of percentage body fat and body mass index.

Objective: To examine the relationship between leptin and insulin serum levels and systolic and diastolic blood pressure in young men.

Setting: Kobe University of Mercantile Marine, Kobe, Japan.

Participants: One hundred and ninety-eight male students aged 18-20 years (comprising 100% of those eligible).

The efficacy of physiological cost index (PCI) measurement of a subject walking with an Intelligent Prosthesis.

The Intelligent Prosthesis may enable lower limb amputees to walk faster than with conventionally damped prostheses and as a result the physical burden involved in walking could be expected to be considerably higher. The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not physiological cost index (PCI) is applicable as an indicator for monitoring the amount of exercise load involved in walking with an Intelligent Prosthesis. The method used a treadmill and monitored gas exchange, ventilation and heart rate (HR) in 6 unilateral trans-femoral amputees, ages were between 17 and 34 with an average age of 23.

The efficacy of the one-leg cycling test for determining the anaerobic threshold (AT) of lower limb amputees.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not the one-leg cycling test driven by the subject's sound leg as the exercise load method is an applicable method for determining the anaerobic threshold (AT) of lower limb amputees. To evaluate physical fitness, a graded exercise test that monitored gas exchange, ventilation and heart rate (HR) was performed in 51 unilateral lower limb amputees. AT was successfully measured for 42 out of 51 subjects, an 82.

Cardiorespiratory function as assessed by exercise testing in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Exercise testing was used to examine 19 cardiorespiratory diabetes mellitus patients, aged 32-68 years (body mass index, 27.8 +/- 4.8 kg/m2), and 16 healthy volunteers, aged 23-57 years (body mass index, 22.