A study of the upper limb motion of patients with spinal cord injury while eating using two types of self-helping device

頸髄損傷者の食事動作に関して,スプーンの使用方法を替えることにより,上肢各関節(肩･肘・前腕・手関節)の角度と運動の範囲がどのように変化するかを明らかにするために,三次元動作解析を行った.対象はC6レベルの頸髄損傷者5人で,「ヨーグルトを食べる」という課題を2種類の自助具(自助具1:母指側使用,自助具2:手掌側使用)を用い実施した.撮影された画像から時間と上肢各関節角度を求め,自助具1,自助具2使用時で比較検討した.結果,自助具1使用時には自助具2使用時と比べ,1回の食事動作におけるすくう動作が占める割合が多い傾向にあった.また,食物をすくう際に肩関節屈曲,肩関節外転の運動が多く必要とされ,一連の動作を通じて前腕が回内方向に移行し,肩関節が屈曲・外転方向に移行することが明らかとなった.以上より,前腕の回外運動が十分可能である場合には手掌側使用の自助具の導入が望ましく,また母指側使用で食事を行う場合には,食物を口へ運ぶ動作だけでなく,すくう動作においても肩関節の運動が必要になることを十分に考慮した上で,自助具の提供やセッティングを行うことが重要であることが示唆された.The purpose of the present experiment was to examine how the upper limb movements (shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist) of patients with spinal cord injury (C6 level) were affected while using two types (type 1: pronation type, type 2: supination type) of self-helping device. Five subjects were required to eat 5 spoonfuls of yoghurt. We recorded the position of 11 light reflecting markers attached to the subjects' body with three cameras. We divided the eating action into three phases, the scoop phase, reach-to-mouth phase, and reach-to-plate phase. These kinematic landmarks were used to define the dependent variables. We calculated five joint angles (shoulder flexion, shoulder abduction, elbow flexion, forearm supination, wrist extension) with a three-dimensional video-based motion analysis system (APAS System, Ariel Dynamics), and analyzed how they changed at each phase. We compared them while using type 1 and type 2. While using type 1, the scoop phase played a larger part than other phases, and shoulder flexion, shoulder abduction and elbow flexion angles increased, not only in the reach-to-mouth phase but also in the scoop phase, and the supination angle decreased. This result suggests that patients who can supinate their forearm had better use type 2, and also that it is important to consider upper limb movements in the scoop phase when we provide patients with a self-helping device. In this study, however, we focused only on upper limb movements. We also have to analyze head, neck and trunk movements and examine the relationship among upper limb, head, neck and trunk

Aerobic exercise training enhances cerebrovascular pulsatility response to acute aerobic exercise in older adults

The brain\u27s low resistance ensures a robust blood flow throughout systole and diastole and is susceptible to flow pulsatility. Increased cerebral pulsatility contributes to the progression of cerebrovascular disease. Although aerobic exercise affects vascular function, little is known about the effect of exercise on the cerebral pulsatility index in older adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of exercise training on the post‐exercise cerebral pulsatility response in older adults. Ten healthy older adults participated in a 12‐week exercise training intervention. Before and after the intervention, we measured the pulsatility index of the middle cerebral artery by means of transcranial Doppler method at baseline and following a cycling exercise bout performed at an intensity corresponding to the ventilatory threshold. Before exercise training, there was no significant change in the cerebral pulsatility response to an acute bout of cycling exercise. However, after the intervention, cerebral pulsatility decreased significantly following 30 min of an acute cycling exercise (P < 0.05). This study demonstrated that cerebral pulsatility index did not change following an acute bout of cycling exercise at an intensity corresponding to ventilatory threshold, but that, after 12 weeks of exercise training, cerebral pulsatility index was reduced at 30 min after a single bout of cycling exercise. These results suggest that long‐term aerobic exercise training may enhance the post‐exercise reduction in pulsatility index in older adults

SORL1 Is Genetically Associated with Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease in Japanese, Koreans and Caucasians

To discover susceptibility genes of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD), we conducted a 3-stage genome-wide association study (GWAS) using three populations: Japanese from the Japanese Genetic Consortium for Alzheimer Disease (JGSCAD), Koreans, and Caucasians from the Alzheimer Disease Genetic Consortium (ADGC). In Stage 1, we evaluated data for 5,877,918 genotyped and imputed SNPs in Japanese cases (n = 1,008) and controls (n = 1,016). Genome-wide significance was observed with 12 SNPs in the APOE region. Seven SNPs from other distinct regions with p-values ,261025 were genotyped in a second Japanese sample (885 cases, 985 controls), and evidence of association was confirmed for one SORL1 SNP (rs3781834, P=7.3361027 in the combined sample). Subsequent analysis combining results for several SORL1 SNPs in the Japanese, Korean (339 cases, 1,129 controls) and Caucasians (11,840 AD cases, 10,931 controls) revealed genome wide significance with rs11218343 (P=1.7761029) and rs3781834 (P=1.0461028). SNPs in previously established AD loci in Caucasians showed strong evidence of association in Japanese including rs3851179 near PICALM (P=1.7161025) and rs744373 near BIN1 (P = 1.3961024). The associated allele for each of these SNPs was the same as in Caucasians. These data demonstrate for the first time genome-wide significance of LOAD with SORL1 and confirm the role of other known loci for LOAD in Japanese. Our study highlights the importance of examining associations in multiple ethnic populations

Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the ADL-focused Occupation-based Neurobehavioural Evaluation (A-ONE J): Applying Rasch analysis methods.

To access publisher's full text version of this article, please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field or click on the hyperlink at the top of the page marked DownloadThe rating scale structure might be improved by collapsing two categories twice (from five categories to three categories). Unidimensionality of the items was obtained for 20 items. Targeting was acceptable, and separation reliability for item calibrations was high and acceptable for people.Conclusion/limitations: This study provides important information regarding the possibilities for revising the ordinal A-ONE J FI Scale, converting it into a unidimensional scale. Further study with increased and more diverse sample is needed.Japanese Association of Occupational Therapist

Factors Regulating or Regulated by Myogenic Regulatory Factors in Skeletal Muscle Stem Cells

MyoD, Myf5, myogenin, and MRF4 (also known as Myf6 or herculin) are myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs). MRFs are regarded as master transcription factors that are upregulated during myogenesis and influence stem cells to differentiate into myogenic lineage cells. In this review, we summarize MRFs, their regulatory factors, such as TLE3, NF-κB, and MRF target genes, including non-myogenic genes such as taste receptors. Understanding the function of MRFs and the physiology or pathology of satellite cells will contribute to the development of cell therapy and drug discovery for muscle-related diseases

Synthesis of Anthranilic Acid Derivatives through Iron-Catalyzed Ortho Amination of Aromatic Carboxamides with <i>N</i>‑Chloroamines

Arenes possessing an 8-quinolinylamide group as a directing group are ortho aminated with <i>N</i>-chloroamines and <i>N</i>-benzoyloxyamines in the presence of an iron/diphosphine catalyst and an organometallic base to produce anthranilic acid derivatives in high yield. The reaction proceeds via iron-catalyzed C–H activation, followed by the reaction of the resulting iron intermediate with <i>N</i>-chloroamine. The choice of the directing group and diphosphine ligand is crucial for obtaining the anthranilic acid derivative with high yield and product selectivity

Iron-Catalyzed Directed Alkylation of Aromatic and Olefinic Carboxamides with Primary and Secondary Alkyl Tosylates, Mesylates, and Halides

Alkenes, arenes, and heteroarenes possessing an 8-quinolylamide group as the directing group are alkylated with primary and secondary alkyl tosylates, mesylate, and halides in the presence of Fe­(acac)₃/diphosphine as a catalyst and ArZnBr as a base. The reaction proceeds stereospecifically for alkene substrates and takes place without loss of regiochemical integrity of the starting secondary tosylate, but with loss of the stereochemistry of the chiral center

Genetic association of swine leukocyte antigen class II haplotypes and body weight in Microminipigs

Objective Microminipigs are a novel animal model with extensive applications in laboratory studies owing, in part, to their extremely small body sizes. In this study, the relationship between swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) class II haplotype and body weight was evaluated in the Microminipig population. Methods A total of 1,900 haplotypes, covering SLA class II haplotypes Lr−0.7, Lr−0.23, Lr−0.17, Lr−0.37, Lr−0.16, Lr−0.11, Lr−0.13, and Lr−0.18, were analyzed in 950 piglets. Birth weights and weights on postnatal day 50 were examined in piglets with eight different SLA class II haplotypes. Results The mean birth weight of piglets with the Lr−0.23 haplotype (0.415 kg, n = 702) was significantly lower than that of piglets with Lr−0.17 (0.445 kg, n = 328) and Lr−0.37 (0.438 kg, n = 383) haplotypes. At postnatal day 50, the mean body weight of piglets with the Lr−0.23 haplotype (3.14 kg) was significantly lower than that of piglets with the Lr−0.13 haplotype (3.46 kg, p<0.01). There were no significant differences in daily gains (DGs) among the eight haplotypes. However, piglets with the Lr−0.11 and −0.18 haplotype combination or any heterozygous haplotype combinations containing Lr−0.23 had significantly lower DGs than those of piglets with the Lr−0.18, 0.37 haplotype combination. Conclusion Piglets with the Lr−0.23 haplotype had relatively low body weights at birth and on postnatal day 50 and slightly lower DGs than those of piglets with other haplotypes. Therefore, the Lr−0.23 SLA class II haplotype may be a suitable marker for the selective breeding of Microminipigs with small body sizes