Practice of gait training using lower-limb orthosis and body weight-supported walker for severe acute motor axonal neuropathy: a case report.

Unlabelled: Kikkawa T, Takashima A. Practice of gait training using lower-limb orthosis and body weight-supported walker for severe acute motor axonal neuropathy: a case report. Jpn J Compr Rehabil Sci 2023; 14: 49-53.

Validating the trauma care system developed by Yokohama City local government.

Background: Since becoming the city with the first government-designated major trauma center in 2014, Yokohama has been striving to centralize care for extensive trauma patients. Hence, in this study, the Yokohama City Major Trauma Care Advisory Committee tested the efficacy of the centralization of care for trauma patients.

Methods: This investigation included all cases of deaths due to road traffic accidents that occurred in the 2-year period following the establishment of the major trauma center.

The Emerging Roles of Chromogranins and Derived Polypeptides in Atherosclerosis, Diabetes, and Coronary Heart Disease.

Chromogranin A (CgA), B (CgB), and C (CgC), the family members of the granin glycoproteins, are associated with diabetes. These proteins are abundantly expressed in neurons, endocrine, and neuroendocrine cells. They are also present in other areas of the body.

Psychometric properties of a short version of the Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale-Japanese (Short ABC-J) in community-dwelling people with stroke.

Background And Purpose: The Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale has been widely used as patient-reported outcome measures for community stroke rehabilitation and its short version is beginning to be used. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the short version of the ABC scale-Japanese (Short ABC-J).

Methods: Eighty-four participants with chronic stroke (mean age was 66.

Pathologic basis of the preferential thinning of thecorpus callosum in adult-onset leukoencephalopathy with axonal spheroids and pigmented glia (ALSP).

Background: Adult-onset leukoencephalopathy with axonal spheroids and pigmented glia (ALSP) is an early onset dementia characterized by axonal loss in the cerebral white matter with swollen axons (spheroids). It had been reported that the preferential thinning and "focal lesions" of the corpus callosum were observed on T2-weighted MRI in ALSP patients. The present study aimed to reveal the pathologic basis of them in relation to brain lesion staging (I ~ IV: Oyanagi et al.

Forms of direction change during walking and effect on movement and reaction time.

[Purpose] To elucidate factors that affect walking before and after direction changes and their effects on reaction time by investigating different angles of direction changes. [Participants and Methods] A total of 29 healthy young males and females participated in this study. The task was to walk along a 20-m path and perform three direction changes while walking: straight walking, 45° direction change, and 90° direction change.

Neopterin derivatives - a novel therapeutic target rather than biomarker for atherosclerosis and related diseases.

This review provides an updated overview of the emerging roles of neopterin derivatives in atherosclerosis. Neopterin, a metabolite of guanosine triphosphate, is produced by interferon-γ-activated macrophages and is expressed at high levels in atheromatous plaques within the human carotid and coronary arteries as well as in the aorta. Plasma concentrations of neopterin are higher in patients with carotid, cerebral, and coronary artery diseases as well as aortic aneurysm.

Reliability and validity of the Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale-Japanese (ABC-J) in community-dwelling stroke survivors.

Objective: In Japan, there were 1.17 million people with stroke in 2014; however, studies on community rehabilitation among stroke survivors are lacking. The Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale is used in many languages to evaluate patients undergoing stroke rehabilitation.

Roles of the kisspeptin/GPR54 system in pathomechanisms of atherosclerosis.

Aims: Kisspeptin-10 (KP-10), a potent vasoconstrictor and inhibitor of angiogenesis, and its receptor, GPR54, have currently received much attention with respect to atherosclerosis, since both KP-10 and GPR54 are expressed at high levels in atheromatous plaques and restenotic lesions after wire-injury. The present review introduces the emerging roles of the KP-10/GPR54 system in atherosclerosis.

Data Synthesis: KP-10 suppresses migration and proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and induces senescence in HUVECs.

-Endorphin Mediates the Development and Instability of Atherosclerotic Plaques.

-Endorphin, an endogenous opioid peptide, and its -opioid receptor are expressed in brain, liver, and peripheral tissues. -Endorphin induces endothelial dysfunction and is related to insulin resistance. We clarified the effects of -endorphin on atherosclerosis.

[The Life of Mokichi Saito].

Mokichi Saito (1882-1953) was born in Yagamata in 1882. After he graduated from junior high school, he was adopted by the Saito family. He started writing songs from the time he was in school.

Lipocalin-2 exerts pro-atherosclerotic effects as evidenced by in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Lipocalin-2 (LCN2), a multiple bioactive hormone particularly expressed in adipose tissue, neutrophils, and macrophages, is known to exhibit anti-microbial effect, increase inflammatory cytokine levels, and maintain glucose homeostasis. Serum LCN2 level is positively correlated with the severity of coronary artery disease. However, it still remains unknown whether LCN2 affects atherogenesis.

[An Autopsy Case of Amiotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Characterized by Upper Motor Neuron Degeneration and Progressive Pseudobulbar Palsy].

This is a case report of autopsy findings for a male Japanese patient who presented with progressive gait disturbance and dysarthria. Neurological examination at the age of 61 years revealed pseudobulbar palsy and upper motor neuron disorder. The patient appeared unaware of his illness.

[Prosopometamorphopsia].

Facial perception relies on both configural processing and analytical processing. Seventeen years ago, Haxby and colleagues proposed an influential neural model in which a core system and an extended system were involved in facial processing. Herein, first analyze configural processing on the basis of the Haxby model.

Adult onset leukoencephalopathy with axonal spheroids and pigmented glia (ALSP) and Nasu-Hakola disease: lesion staging and dynamic changes of axons and microglial subsets.

The brains of 10 Japanese patients with adult onset leukoencephalopathy with axonal spheroids and pigmented glia (ALSP) encompassing hereditary diffuse leukoencephalopathy with axonal spheroids (HDLS) and pigmentary orthochromatic leukodystrophy (POLD) and eight Japanese patients with Nasu-Hakola disease (N-HD) and five age-matched Japanese controls were examined neuropathologically with special reference to lesion staging and dynamic changes of microglial subsets. In both diseases, the pathognomonic neuropathological features included spherically swollen axons (spheroids and globules), axon loss and changes of microglia in the white matter. In ALSP, four lesion stages based on the degree of axon loss were discernible: Stage I, patchy axon loss in the cerebral white matter without atrophy; Stage II, large patchy areas of axon loss with slight atrophy of the cerebral white matter and slight dilatation of the lateral ventricles; Stage III, extensive axon loss in the cerebral white matter and dilatation of the lateral and third ventricles without remarkable axon loss in the brainstem and cerebellum; Stage IV, devastated cerebral white matter with marked dilatation of the ventricles and axon loss in the brainstem and/or cerebellum.

Japanese elderly persons walk faster than non-Asian elderly persons: a meta-regression analysis.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to clarify ethnic differences in walking speed by comparing walking speed in both Japanese and non-Asian elderly individuals and to investigate the necessity of consideration of ethnic differences in walking speed. [Subjects and Methods] Articles that reported comfortable walking speeds for community-dwelling elderly individuals were identified from electronic databases. Articles that involved community-dwelling individuals who were 60 years old or older and well functioning were included in the study.

Reference values for hand grip strength in Japanese community-dwelling elderly: a meta-analysis.

Objectives: Reference values for hand grip strength in Japanese community-dwelling elderly independent in activities of daily living (ADLs) were calculated by meta-analysis.

Methods: Papers reporting data on hand grip strength in elderly Japanese adults ≥60 years of age and independent in ADLs were retrieved from electronic databases. Data were extracted from the selected papers and the weighted mean for hand grip strength by sex was calculated by random effect model.

The handkerchief guide: a simple and practical method to improve ataxic gait in cerebellar subjects.

Objective: Ataxic gait can be remarkably improved by a simple method called the "handkerchief guide" involving the patient and caregiver holding opposite ends of a handkerchief and walking together. Our objective was to assess the effect of the handkerchief guide on gait in patients with cerebellar ataxia.

Methods: Gait analysis was carried out on seven patients with degenerative cerebellar disease (DCD), seven patients with unilateral cerebellar vascular disease (CVD), and seven healthy control (HC) subjects.

The Reference Values for the Chair Stand Test in Healthy Japanese Older People: Determination by Meta-analysis.

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to determine the reference values for the chair stand test (CST) in healthy older Japanese people. [Methods] Relevant research articles for the 5-repetition chair stand test (CS-5) and the 30-second chair stand test (CS-30) were identified by electronic database and manual searching. Research articles involving healthy Japanese people aged 60 years and older were included in a meta-analysis.

[Samuel Alexander Kinnier Wilson].

Samuel Alexander Kinnier Wilson is considered a pioneer in extrapyramidal system research largely due to his dissertation on progressive lenticular degeneration, later known as "Wilson's Disease". His concept of neurological symptomatology was based on the clinical observations of Pierre Marie, Joseph Babinski and John Hughlings Jackson, who he observed when he was young. To keep focusing on the nature of actual symptoms while performing medical examinations is the essence of neurological symptomatology, which in turn form the spirit of neurology.

Lumbar Extension during Stoop Lifting is Delayed by the Load and Hamstring Tightness.

[Purpose] This study investigated the relationship between lumbar pelvic rhythm and the physical characteristics of stoop lifting. [Subjects and Methods] Participants performed a stoop lifting task under two conditions: with and without load. We assessed the lumbar kyphosis and sacral inclination angles using the SpinalMouse(®) system, as well as hamstring flexibility.

[A case of hypothyroidism displaying "dropped head" syndrome].

We describe a patient with hypothyroidism displaying "dropped head" syndrome. A 50-year-old man visited our clinic because he was unable to hold his head in the natural position. He had weakness and hypertrophy of the neck extensor muscles.

The platinum ball a new embolic material.

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles have been widely used as an embolic material for endovascular treatment of vascular enriched tumors, especially for meningiomas. However, there are disadvantages with their use due to the fact that they are radiolucent, with a very irregular shape and a tendency for self-adhesion. With alternative organic liquids there is also a possibility of toxicity.