Treatment Strategy According to Findings on Pressure-Flow Study for Women with Decreased Urinary Flow Rate

Purpose. In women who reported a weak urinary stream, the efficacy of treatment chosen according to the urodynamic findings on pressure-flow study was prospectively evaluated. Materials and Methods. Twelve female patients with maximum flow rates of 10 mL/sec or lower were analyzed in the present study. At baseline, all underwent pressure-flow study to determine the degree of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) and status of detrusor contractility on Schäfer's diagram. Distigmine bromide, 10 mg/d, was given to the patients with detrusor underactivity (DUA) defined as weak/very weak contractility, whereas urethral dilatation was performed using a metal sound for those with BOO (linear passive urethral resistance relation 2–6). Treatment efficacy was evaluated using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), uroflowmetry, and measurement of postvoid residual urine volume. Some patients underwent pressure-flow study after treatment. Results. Urethral dilatation was performed for six patients with BOO, while distigmine bromide was given to the remaining six showing DUA without BOO. IPSS, QOL index, and the urinary flow rate were significantly improved in both groups after treatment. All four of the patients with BOO and one of the three with DUA but no BOO who underwent pressure-flow study after treatment showed decreased degrees of BOO and increased detrusor contractility, respectively. Conclusions. Both BOO and DUA cause a decreased urinary flow rate in women. In the short-term, urethral dilatation and distigmine bromide are efficacious for female patients with BOO and those with DUA, respectively

A case study on the rainfall distribution over the Japan Islands associated with the approach of Ty0423 in late October (Comparison with that for Ty0418)

Rainfall distribution in the Japan Islands associated with the approach of Typhoon No.23 around 20 October 2004 (referred to Ty0423, hereafter) showed considerably different features from those in late summer of this year. The present study examined the detailed rainfall features around the Japan Islands brought by Ty0423 and the atmospheric processes based on the operational observation data by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), comparing with those in association with Ty0418 around 7 September 2004. During the stage when Ty0423 was approaching or landing on the western part of the Japan Islands, the areal mean precipitation from Kyushu to Kanto District attained much larger than that for Ty0418, with wider extension of the area with the large amount of precipitation. It is interesting that, although the intense rainfall was observed only at the upstream side of the mountain range from Kyushu to Honshu District for Ty0418 except for the area near its center, strong rainfall with 10~30 mm/h persisted in wider regions from the western to the eastern part of the Japan Islands, resulting in the considerably large total rainfall for Ty0423. As for the case for Ty0423, the surface front with stable frontal surface was located just to the east of the Ty0423 center just before its landing at the Japan Islands. Thus, the huge moisture inflow mainly in the eastern region from the typhoon center seems to be redistributed widely over the Japan Islands area associated with the large-scale convergence around the stable frontal surface. In late October, the colder air associated with the high pressure system in the eastern Siberia can cover the northern part of the Japan Sea area as the seasonal march. Such basic field might be favorable for sustaining the synoptic-scale front just around the southern coast of the Japan Islands, even when the strong southerly wind invades associated with the typhoon approach there

美しい歩き方に関する研究―高齢者の健康への取り組み―

This study tried to develop a method of analyzing a style of walking. As a result, it was found that the analysis could be made using data collected by an accelerometer. We also propose a style of walking which is suitable for the elderly in this paper

美しい歩き方に関する研究―加速度計による評価法―

This paper presents the measurement of the walking that uses the potable acceleration device and the estimation method of walking. By measuring the walking which uses the potable accelerometer device,the walking action was able to be grasped. In addition, the measured data of the walking made the walking evaluation on progressing direction, the deflection of the body in right and left, up and down movement possible

美しい歩き方に関する研究―歩き方と文化―

Since Edo era, walking style of Japanese people has been significantly changed along with cultural transitions. This article compiles a research on features of Japanese traditional walking style,such as"Nanba"and"Suriashi", then discusses issues of today\u27s walking style

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor activity is involved in the osteoblastic differentiation regulated by bone morphogenetic proteins and tumor necrosis factor-α.

Recent studies have suggested possible adverse effects of thiazolidinediones on bone metabolism. However, the detailed mechanism by which the activity of PPAR affects bone formation has not been elucidated. Impaired osteoblastic function due to cytokines is critical for the progression of inflammatory bone diseases. In the present study, we investigated the cellular mechanism by which PPAR actions interact with osteoblast differentiation regulated by BMP and TNF-alpha using mouse myoblastic C2C12 cells. BMP-2 and -4 potently induced the expression of various bone differentiation markers including Runx2, osteocalcin, type-1 collagen and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in C2C12 cells. When administered in combination with a PPAR alpha agonist (fenofibric acid) but not with a PPAR gamma agonist (pioglitazone), BMP-4 enhanced osteoblast differentiation through the activity of PPAR alpha. The osteoblastic changes induced by BMP-4 were readily suppressed by treatment with TNF-alpha. Interestingly, the activities of PPAR alpha and PPAR gamma agonists reversed the suppression by TNF-alpha of osteoblast differentiation induced by BMP-4. Furthermore, TNF-alpha-induced phosphorylation of MAPKs, NF kappa B, I kappa B and Stat pathways was inhibited in the presence of PPAR alpha and PPAR gamma agonists with reducing TNF-alpha receptor expression. In view of the finding that inhibition of SAPK/JNK. Stat and NF kappa B pathways reversed the TNF-alpha suppression of osteoblast differentiation, we conclude that these cascades are functionally involved in the actions of PPARs that antagonize TNF-alpha-induced suppression of osteoblast differentiation. It was further discovered that the PPAR alpha agonist enhanced BMP-4-induced Smad1/5/8 signaling through downregulation of inhibitory Smad6/7 expression, whereas the PPAR gamma agonist impaired this activity by suppressing BMPRII expression. On the other hand, BMPs increased the expression levels of PPAR alpha and PPAR gamma in the process of osteoblast differentiation. Thus, PPAR alpha actions promote BMP-induced osteoblast differentiation, while both activities of PPAR alpha and PPAR gamma suppress TNF-alpha actions. Collectively, our present data establishes that PPAR activities are functionally involved in modulating the interaction between the BMP system and TNF-alpha receptor signaling that is crucial for bone metabolism