Risk of “silent stroke” in patients older than 60 years: risk assessment and clinical perspectives

With the increasing size of the elderly population and evolving imaging technology, silent brain infarction (SBI) has garnered attention from both the public and the physicians. Over 20% of the elderly exhibit SBI, and the prevalence of SBI increases steadily with age, ie, 30%–40% in those older than 70 years. Well-known cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension has been identified as a risk factor of SBI (odds ratio [OR] = 3.47) Besides this, blood pressure (BP) reactivity to mental stress, morning BP surges, and orthostatic BP changes have been demonstrated to contribute to the presence of SBI. Further, a metabolic syndrome not only as a whole syndrome (OR =2.18) but also as individual components could have an influence on SBI. Increased C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, coronary artery disease, body mass index, and alcohol consumption have also been associated with SBI. The ORs and possible mechanisms have been discussed in this article. Overt stroke, dementia, depression, and aspiration pneumonia were all associated with SBI. (overt stroke: hazard ratio [HR] =1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2–2.8; dementia: HR =2.26, 95% CI: 1.09–4.70). We also looked into their close relationship with SBI in this review

Unintended complication of intracranial subdural hematoma after percutaneous epidural neuroplasty.

Percutaneous epidural neuroplasty (PEN) is a known interventional technique for the management of spinal pain. As with any procedures, PEN is associated with complications ranging from mild to more serious ones. We present a case of intracranial subdural hematoma after PEN requiring surgical evacuation. We review the relevant literature and discuss possible complications of PEN and patholophysiology of intracranial subdural hematoma after PEN

Numerical modeling to analysis the abrasion of knee joint by walking pattern

In current studies, growing up of treatment of the knee joint damage such as arthritis, the research to prevent knee joint is under way. As knee joints could be damaged by various types of motion, one of the most influential factor of the abrasion on the knee joint is progressed by walking. It could be classified as 3 types of walking, 1. Walking plain, 2. Climbing stairs or uphill and 3. Going down. In this study, to find the damaged point of knee joint, the following ways would be used. After comparing the knee joint angle with interior and exterior movement of the knee in accordance with the joint dynamics of typical height, the walking pattern for walking up the stairs can be comprehended. It could be shown the variation of the center of rotation of knee joint. From this, the contact point which is pressed on the knee joints in accordance with each walking pattern could be derived. The numerical modeling could be made by quantifying the variety that is caused by the center of mass of knee bone. It would be expected to calculate the contact point on the knee joint through walking patterns. This numerical model is considered of the kinematics system in our knee

EFFECT OF VIBRATION APPLICATION INTO DYNAMIC LEG PRESS EXERCISE WITH EXTRA LOAD: MULTI-BODY DYNAMIC ANALYSIS

INTRODUCTION: Many studies have emphasized the importance of resistive exercise in maintaining a healthy human body, particularly in prevention of weakening of physical strength (Kostka, 2002). Recently, some of studies advocated that an application of vibration as a supplementary means in regular training was effective in encouraging physical strength (Annino et al., 2007). Aim of the current study was, therefore, to identify if an application of vibration in a resistive exercise is effective in encouraging physical strength as that in a regular training

Prediction of abundance of arthropods according to climate change scenario RCP 4.5 and 8.5 in South Korea

AbstractAbundance and diversity of arthropods were projected according to climate warming in South Korea. The taxa highly linked with temperature were selected for the projection. The values of abundance and richness were estimated using the mean values of abundance and richness in each temperature range. Temperature changes were based on the RCP (Representative Concentration Pathway) 4.5 and RCP 8.5, and the abundance and richness during two periods (2011 -2015, 2056 -2065) were projected. From these projected results, change of other common taxa (> 1% occurrence) were qualitatively predicted (i.e., decrease or increase). The projections showed that 45 of a total of 73 taxa will increase, 6 will change a little and 24 will decrease: the number of taxa that were expected to increase was two times more than the number of taxa that were expected to decrease. However, the overall abundance and diversity of arthropods were expected to decline as the temperature rises

Acupuncture for Poststroke Shoulder Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective. To summarize and evaluate evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture in relieving poststroke shoulder pain. Methods. Seven databases were searched without language restrictions. All randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effects of acupuncture for poststroke shoulder pain compared with controls were included. Assessments were performed primarily with the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), and effective rates. Results. In all, 188 potentially relevant articles were identified; 12 were randomized controlled trials that met our inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis showed that acupuncture combined with rehabilitation treatment appeared to be more effective than rehabilitation treatment alone for poststroke shoulder pain, as assessed by VAS (weighted mean difference, 1.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20–2.54; <0.001); FMA (weighted mean difference, 8.70; 95% CI, 6.58–10.82; P<0.001); and effective rate (RR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.18–1.47; P<0.001). Conclusions. Although there is some evidence for an effect of acupuncture on poststroke shoulder pain, the results are inconclusive. Further studies with more subjects and a rigorous study design are needed to confirm the role of acupuncture in the treatment of poststroke shoulder pain

Leukoaraiosis is associated with pneumonia after acute ischemic stroke

Diagnostic criteria for stroke associated pneumonia based on the CDC criteria. (DOCX 25 kb

Arctic-North Pacific Coupled Impacts on the Late Autumn Cold in North America

The Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) is known to bring an anomalously cold (warm) period to southeastern (northwestern) North America during the cold season of its positive phase through a Rossby wave linkage. This study provides evidence that the remote connection between the North Pacific and the downstream temperature over central North America is strengthened by the warm arctic conditions over the Chukchi and East Siberian Sea, especially in the late autumn season. The modulation effect of the Arctic manifests itself as an altered Rossby wave response to a transient vorticity forcing that results from an equatorward storm track shift, which is induced collaboratively by the PDO and the warm Arctic. This observational finding is supported by two independent modeling experiments: 1) an idealized coupled GCM experiment being nudged toward the warm arctic surface condition and 2) a simple stationary wave model (SWM) experiment forced by transient eddy forcing