[Muscle and bone health as a risk factor of fall among the elderly. Vitamin D for prevention of fall and fracture].

We considered the effect of vitamin D on fall and fracture prevention, since it has been suggested that vitamin D acts on cellular receptors in the muscles and nervous system to reduce muscle weakness and body sway, thereby preventing fall. Bone strength is defined by the bone mineral density plus bone quality, and vitamin D is also thought to improve bone quality and increase bone strength, although its effect on bone mineral density is only small. Vitamin D insufficiency is prevalent at a high rate in senior citizens and we suggest that vitamin D supplementation in this population is useful for prevention of fracture and fall.

Diagnostic limitations of 10 mm thickness single-slice computed tomography for patients with suspected appendicitis.

Purpose: The aim of this retrospective analysis was to evaluate the accuracy of 10 mm thickness single helical computed tomography (CT) examination for confirming the diagnosis of appendicitis or providing a diagnosis other than appendicitis, including underlying periappendical neoplasms.

Materials And Methods: From April 1, 2001 to March 30, 2005, a total of 272 patients with suspected appendicitis underwent CT examinations. Of the 272 patients, 106 (39%) underwent surgery.

Development and evaluation of a teleradiology and videoconferencing system.

We developed a teleradiology system linking a general hospital on Sado Island to tertiary care hospitals in Niigata City. The island is 40 km from Niigata City on the mainland and has only one diagnostic radiologist (for 72,000 islanders). Fibre optic cables between Sado Island and Niigata City were used for transmission.

Postoperative ambulatory level after hip fracture in the elderly predicts survival rate.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the ambulatory level premorbid or at discharge reflected the survival rate better. Ambulatory level was retrospectively evaluated as a postoperative indicator of survival rate following operative treatment in 301 consecutive patients over 65 years old. All of the patients were followed up for a mean of 62 months.

[The function of spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) gene product, ataxin-2 and the mechanism of pathogenesis for SCA2].

This review summarizes the current progress in the research on the function of ataxin-2 and the mechanism of pathogenesis for SCA2. Recent studies on genomic structure of the human gene for SCA2 and on the mouse homolog of the SCA2 gene have shed light on the molecular mechanism of pathogenesis of SCA2. Analysis of the expression pattern of ataxin-2 in human brain revealed that both wild-type and mutant form of ataxin-2 were expressed and the wild-type ataxin-2 was localized in the cytoplasm with strong labeling of Purkinje cells and that intranuclear inclusions were not seen in SCA2 brain.

Comparison of joint position sense after total knee arthroplasty.

A comparison of joint position sense, determined by reproducibility of index angles and their subsequent change, was performed in 55 knees that had undergoing a semiconstrained total knee arthroplasty. Knees were stratified into groups that represented arthroplasties performed with or without posterior cruciate ligament retention, with or without resurfacing of the patella, and with or without cement for fixation. There was no significant difference in joint position sense among all the arthroplasty groups.

[A clinical study of persistent hypotension in patients on chronic hemodialysis].

In order to clarify the pathogenesis of hypotension seen in the patients on chronic hemodialysis, we studied the vascular reactivity to exogenous vasoactive substances and the change of plasma ANP level during hemodialysis treatment. The vascular responsiveness to intravenously infused norepinephrine was decreased in hemodialysis patients, particularly in hypotensive group, compared with healthy controls (< 0.05).

[Treatment of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura--retrospective analysis on Japanese patients and review. Japan TTP Research Group].

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), uncommon and still unclarified in pathogenesis, has been treated by various methods, including antiplatelet drugs, steroids, heparin and recently, plasma infusion, and plasma exchange. To evaluate the effectiveness of each therapy or its combination, we analyzed the data of 56 patients with TTP in Japan by a questionnaire. The mortality was 26.

[Platelets-morphology, shape changing factor, and platelet agglutinating factor. TTP Research Group].

The morphology of circulating platelets in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) was studied, and basic mechanism of the characteristic shape abnormality found in TTP was investigated in in vitro condition. The platelet shape was spineless sphere (spherical platelets without pseudopods), and shape change persisted 2 months after remission. This type of platelets were produced by long term of activation of normal resting platelets by several agonists except ADP, and induced by dysfunction of both microtubules and microfilaments.

[An autopsy case of a persistent primitive trigeminal artery aneurysm].

A case of an aneurysm on the persistent primitive trigeminal artery (PPTA) is reported. A seventy-five-year-old woman with subarachnoid hemorrhage was admitted to the Hospital six hours after the onset. She was lethargic and had stiffness of her neck with severe headache and vomiting.