Osteoporosis inspection using ultrasound evaluates speed and attenuation of the domain that transmitted. In other words it is a macro-value of the whole measurement domain. On the other hand, osteoporosis is seen a symptom of an omission of local bone, therefore, technical establishment is urgent problem that images trabecular architecture of cancellous bone and evaluates fracture risk. This study describes imaging of trabecular structure of cancellous bone with ultrasound technique.
This study expresses a novel active vibration control method for a house structure by using magnetic levitation. The magnetic levitation system is easy to install to the ceiling because there is no need to use linear guides or bearings. In this study, a magnetic levitation device is attached to the iron plate fixed firmly to ceiling of the structure and it will levitate when a vibration occurs. The total mass of structure will be decreased while levitating, resulting in the change of its natural frequency. Moreover, an efficient vibration control method is examined. Finally the results of experiments are shown to confirm its feasibility.
Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is an established surgical procedure for carotid stenosis. We present the case of a 74-year-old man who underwent CEA for symptomatic internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis. During the operation, we found that the hyoid bone (HB) and the superior horn of the thyroid cartilage covered the carotid sheath, preventing adequate visualization. Since this was anticipated based on preoperative examinations, the superior horn of thyroid cartilage was removed with the help of an otorhinolaryngologist. The HB was preserved because it could be retracted, and thereafter we performed CEA. Although CEA is a common procedure, the HB and thyroid cartilage are rarely involved in the operation. We present a case report including literature review of acute cerebrovascular syndrome (ACVS) due to HB and thyroid cartilage obstruction.
Sensory input is essential for the normal development of sensory centers in the brain, such as the somatosensory, visual, auditory, and olfactory systems. Visual deprivation during a specific developmental stage, called the critical period, results in severe and irreversible functional impairments in the primary visual cortex. Olfactory deprivation in the early postnatal period also causes significant developmental defects in the olfactory bulb, the primary center for olfaction. Olfactory bulb interneurons are continuously generated from neural stem cells in the ventricular-subventricular zone, suggesting that the olfactory system has plasticity even in adulthood. Here, we investigated the effect of transient neonatal olfactory deprivation on the addition of interneurons to the glomerular layer of the adult mouse olfactory bulb. We found that the addition of one subtype of interneurons was persistently inhibited even after reopening the naris. BrdU pulse-chase experiments revealed that the neonatal olfactory deprivation predominantly affected an early phase in the maturation of this neuronal subtype in the olfactory bulb. Subjecting the mice to odor stimulation for 6 weeks after naris reopening resulted in significant recovery from the histological and functional defects caused by the olfactory deprivation. These results suggest that a subtype-specific critical period exists for olfactory bulb neurogenesis, but that this period is less strict and more plastic compared with the critical periods for other systems. This study provides new insights into the mechanisms of postnatal neurogenesis and a biological basis for the therapeutic effect of olfactory training.
Here we report a rare case of capillary hemangioma (CH) in a 28-year-old woman suffering from gradual worsening diplopia at 28 weeks of pregnancy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a mass lesion (about 3 cm in diameter) in the right parasellar region. We decided to observe as she was pregnant, and had no symptoms other than right abducent nerve palsy. Fortunately, her symptoms did not worsen until delivery. Computed tomography, enhanced MRI, and angiography after delivery revealed that the lesion was highly calcified and vascularized. A dorsum sellae meningioma or highly calcified pituitary adenoma was suspected and the endoscopic transsphenoidal approach was used for tumor removal. The postoperative course was uneventful. The histological diagnosis was CH. Intracranial CHs or CHs of skull are rare vascular tumors. These tumors are reportedly more common in female patients and may change in size in adults according to menstrual cycle and pregnancy. Only six cases, including that of the present study, were diagnosed during the perinatal period. Some of them experienced rapid symptom progression and tumor growth in their course; thus, we should pay further attention to pregnant or peripartum patients with brain tumor, suspected hemangiomas.
To examine involvement of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis and vascular complications of diabetes.This cross sectional study was conducted at the Joint Laboratory Office (JLO), Dokkyo Medical University Koshigaya Hospital, Koshigaya, Japan from April 2010 to December 2011. Fasting glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), serum lipids, urinary albumin excretion (UAE), ankle brachial index and pulse wave velocity were measured in 51 patients with type 2 diabetes and 20 healthy controls. The fundus oculi and Achilles` tendon reflex were also examined in the patients. Oxidative stress was measured by a reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM) test and antioxidant potency was evaluated by a biological antioxidant potential (BAP) test in the Free Radical Analytical System (FRAS)-4. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was assayed using electron spin resonance (ESR).Diabetic patients tended to have increased ROM compared with healthy subjects, and ROM showed a marked increase with progression of diabetic retinopathy. A significant reduction of BAP was found in patients who were smokers, and BAP was significantly negatively correlated with UAE (p=0.029). Serum SOD activity significantly decreased with progression of diabetic retinopathy (p=0.017).The FRAS-4 measurements showed that increased oxidative stress and decreased antioxidative potency are linked to deteriorated blood glucose control, heavy smoking, and progression of retinopathy and nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Chiari III malformation, a rare and severe subtype of Chiari malformations, is frequently associated with hydrocephalus. The conventional treatment approaches for hydrocephalus in Chiari III malformations have mainly focused on ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunting, but optimal methods and timing remain uncertain. We report a case of a newborn girl with Chiari III malformation who underwent surgical closure of an occipitocervical encephalocele and ventricular reservoir implantation on her third day of life. This procedure successfully managed her hydrocephalus without significant short-term complications. Three months post-surgery, she developed secondary external hydrocephalus, which was managed through subdural-peritoneal shunting, allowing her to thrive until at least five years of age. This case demonstrates the potential of ventricular reservoir implantation in treating hydrocephalus associated with Chiari III malformation and brings to light secondary external hydrocephalus, subsequently managed by VP shunting.