Identifying vertebral fractures in the Japanese population using the trabecular bone score : a cross-sectional study

Background: The trabecular bone score (TBS) is reported to be an independent predictor of fracture risk in patients with primary or secondary osteoporosis. However, there have been few reports on its use in the Japanese population. This study aimed to investigate the risk factors for vertebral fracture in the Japanese population and to evaluate the usefulness of TBS. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 279 patients aged 60–90 years in whom bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). TBS was calculated based on the DXA scans. The presence or absence of vertebral fractures was assessed from T11 to L5. The patients were divided into those with vertebral fractures (VF group, n = 104) and those without vertebral fractures (non-VF group, n = 175). Results: Of the 104 patients in the VF group, 75 had 1 vertebral fracture and 29 had 2 or more fractures. The mean TBS was 1.28 in the VF group and 1.35 in the non-VF group (p  1.23). Conclusion: TBS was a significant indicator of vertebral fractures in the Japanese population and might contribute to identifying patients with vertebral fractures, particularly those with osteopenia who need pharmacologic therapy

Pulse compression and beam focusing with segmented diffraction gratings in a high-power chirped-pulse amplification glass laser system

This paper was published in Optics Letters and is made available as an electronic reprint with the permission of OSA. The paper can be found at the following URL on the OSA website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OL.35.001783 Systematic or multiple reproduction or distribution to multiple locations via electronic or other means is prohibited and is subject to penalties under law

Magnetized Fast Isochoric Laser Heating for Efficient Creation of Ultra-High-Energy-Density States

The quest for the inertial confinement fusion (ICF) ignition is a grand challenge, as exemplified by extraordinary large laser facilities. Fast isochoric heating of a pre-compressed plasma core with a high-intensity short-pulse laser is an attractive and alternative approach to create ultra-high-energy-density states like those found in ICF ignition sparks. This avoids the ignition quench caused by the hot spark mixing with the surrounding cold fuel, which is the crucial problem of the currently pursued ignition scheme. High-intensity lasers efficiently produce relativistic electron beams (REB). A part of the REB kinetic energy is deposited in the core, and then the heated region becomes the hot spark to trigger the ignition. However, only a small portion of the REB collides with the core because of its large divergence. Here we have demonstrated enhanced laser-to-core energy coupling with the magnetized fast isochoric heating. The method employs a kilo-tesla-level magnetic field that is applied to the transport region from the REB generation point to the core which results in guiding the REB along the magnetic field lines to the core. 7.7 $\pm$ 1.3 % of the maximum coupling was achieved even with a relatively small radial area density core ($\rho R$ $\sim$ 0.1 g/cm$^2$). The guided REB transport was clearly visualized in a pre-compressed core by using Cu-$K_\alpha$ imaging technique. A simplified model coupled with the comprehensive diagnostics yields 6.2\% of the coupling that agrees fairly with the measured coupling. This model also reveals that an ignition-scale areal density core ($\rho R$ $\sim$ 0.4 g/cm$^2$) leads to much higher laser-to-core coupling ($>$ 15%), this is much higher than that achieved by the current scheme

Cryogenic deuterium target experiments with the GEKKO XII, green laser system

Copyright 1995 American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas, 2(6), 2495-2503, 1995 and may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.87121

Opacity effect on extreme ultraviolet radiation from laser-produced tin plasmas

Opacity effects on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) emission from laser-produced tin (Sn) plasma have been experimentally investigated. An absorption spectrum of a uniform Sn plasma generated by thermal x rays has been measured in the EUV range (9-19 nm wavelength) for the first time. Experimental results indicate that control of the optical depth of the laser-produced Sn plasma is essential for obtaining high conversion to 13.5 nm-wavelength EUV radiation; 1.8% of the conversion efficiency was attained with the use of 2.2 ns laser pulses.</p

Physical performance disorder（Locomotive syndrome）closely relates to both hypertension and diabetes mellitus which are components of metabolic syndrome

Locomotive syndrome is physical performance disorder in the elderly person. The physical performance disorder can become cause of metabolic syndrome. This study focused on the locomotive syndrome’s relationship to the hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia which are components of the metabolic syndrome. To evaluate the locomotive syndrome, questionnaire score system : brand-new loco-check-score and established locomo-５-score were adopted. In the questionnaire, current medications were also listed especially about hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia. A correlation between loco-check-score and locomo-５-score was statistically evaluated by Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Moreover correlations between body mass index（BMI）and loco-check-score, BMI and locomo-５-score were statistically evaluated by Spearman rank correlation coefficient. In a health consultation event, １４６ persons checked the questionnaire （mean age ７２．５yo）. Differences of the loco-check-score and the locomo-５-score in the hypertension-group, diabetes mellitus group, and the hyperlipidemia group were statistically evaluated by the Mann-Whitney U test respectively. Age matched persons with no medications comprised control groups. Significant differences were observed in the hypertension group and diabetes mellitus group both in the loco-check-score and locomo-５-score systems. These two groups showed significantly high loco-check-score and locomo-５-score than the control groups. The loco-check-score closely related to the locomo-５-score. On the other hand, no relations were observed between BMI and the loco-check-score, and between BMI and the locomo-５-score

Physical performance disorder（Locomotive syndrome）closely relates to both hypertension and diabetes mellitus which are components of metabolic syndrome

Locomotive syndrome is physical performance disorder in the elderly person. The physical performance disorder can become cause of metabolic syndrome. This study focused on the locomotive syndrome’s relationship to the hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia which are components of the metabolic syndrome. To evaluate the locomotive syndrome, questionnaire score system : brand-new loco-check-score and established locomo-５-score were adopted. In the questionnaire, current medications were also listed especially about hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia. A correlation between loco-check-score and locomo-５-score was statistically evaluated by Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Moreover correlations between body mass index（BMI）and loco-check-score, BMI and locomo-５-score were statistically evaluated by Spearman rank correlation coefficient. In a health consultation event, １４６ persons checked the questionnaire （mean age ７２．５yo）. Differences of the loco-check-score and the locomo-５-score in the hypertension-group, diabetes mellitus group, and the hyperlipidemia group were statistically evaluated by the Mann-Whitney U test respectively. Age matched persons with no medications comprised control groups. Significant differences were observed in the hypertension group and diabetes mellitus group both in the loco-check-score and locomo-５-score systems. These two groups showed significantly high loco-check-score and locomo-５-score than the control groups. The loco-check-score closely related to the locomo-５-score. On the other hand, no relations were observed between BMI and the loco-check-score, and between BMI and the locomo-５-score

Radiographic changes of cervical destructive spondyloarthropathy in long-term hemodialysis patients : A 9-year longitudinal observational study

Analyses of radiographic changes and clinical symptom of destructive spondyloarthropathy (DSA) on consecutive 42 patients managed with long-term hemodialysis were performed to elucidate radiographic changes of DSA and the factors that influence to the destructive changes. Patients underwent plain radiographs of the cervical spine with 9 years interval. Grading of radiological feature from lateral view was classified into grade 0 to grade 3. Clinical symptom was evaluated using modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association scoring system for cervical myelopathy (mJOA score). Destructive changes were observed in 3 patients at the first examination, and those were observed in 15 patients 9 years after the first examination. There is no statistically significant difference between the duration of hemodialysis and the grade. The mean age at the onset of hemodialysis, however, was significantly higher in patients of grade 2 and 3 than those of grade 1. Older patients with long-term hemodialysis had destructive changes. Destructive changes commonly observed in lower cervical spine. The average numbers of the involved disc level were 1.6 in grade 2 and 1.0 in grade 3. Clinical symptoms were varied in each grade and there was no statistically significant difference in total mJOA score among these grades