JCOA The Japanese Clinical Orthopaedic Association the questionnaire survey on the physical changes after the self-restraint of outdoor activities with the COVID-19 crisis (2nd report).

BACKGROUND: In March 2021, the 3rd wave of COVID-19 pandemic had ended and the second emergency declaration in January in Tokyo and 3 other prefectures had been lifted. The restrictions on the social activities imposed on the Japanese people and it had become established as "the new lifestyle norm" for each age group. Following our first survey, we conducted a questionnaire survey again to determine the physical changes in all age groups and compared the findings. METHODS: The 1st survey was conducted after the initial emergency declaration lifted in July 2020, and the 2nd survey was 10 months after the first survey March 2021. And the analysis was conducted by simple and cross tabulation. RESULTS: The number of valid responses were obtained over 12,000 samples for the both surveys. One year later, "Corona locomo" decreased from the previous year in all age groups, especially school students, while it increased in "80s∼". "Corona stress" decreased sharply among children, especially elementary school students, while it increased slightly in 20s, 30s, and "80s∼". The physical condition was closely related to the proportion of exercising population and duration in each age group. CONCLUSIONS: "The new lifestyle norm" as a countermeasure against COVID-19 crisis had a significant influence on physical condition in each age group as "the secondary health damage". Forcusing on "With Corona era", it is considered necessary for preventing "locomo-frail", to improve the exercise lifestyles by selecting tailor-made training methods.

JCOA The Japanese Clinical Orthopaedic Association the questionnaire survey on the physical changes after the self-restraint of outdoor activities with the COVID-19 crisis- corona locomo and corona stress.

BACKGROUND: Problems with COVD-19 are not limited to the infection itself, but also include the secondary health damage arising from the prolonged self-restraint, which has affected all age groups in the Japanese population. Numerous studies have reported clear evidence of the secondary health damage. Published reports cover a wide range of damages, from locomotive dysfunction caused by decreased physical activity to decreased cognitive function and changes in eating and oral functions, and further to decreased opportunities for social participation. Such damage can also lead to worsening of so-called frailty. Under this circumstance, orthopedic surgeons conducted a questionnaire survey to determine the physical changes observed after the start of the COVD-19 self-restraint period. In this article, we report findings of the survey, along with some literature considerations. METHODS: The survey was started two months after the state of emergency in Japan was lifted, July 20 to August 12, 2020 (16 days total). And the analysis was conducted by simple and cross tabulation. RESULTS: Valid responses to the questionnaire were obtained from 12,254 participants. Approximately 40% of the subjects felt a lack of physical strength (Corona stress), with the percentage peaking in high school, in the elderly it remained rather below average. On the other hand, locomotive dysfunction (Corona locomo) increased with age, independent of physical activity, and was not correlated with Corona stress. CONCLUSIONS: Japanese citizens need to change their behaviors for the purpose of improving their exercise and lifestyle habits towards shifting to a new lifestyle norm. Looking ahead to the ``With Corona'' era, it is considered necessary by selecting a tailor-made training method suitable for each age group.

Immediate effect of mechanical lumbar traction in patients with chronic low back pain: A crossover, repeated measures, randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Lumbar traction is a treatment method traditionally used for chronic low back pain (CLBP) in many countries. However, its clinical effectiveness has not been proven in medical practice. The purpose is to conduct a multi-center, crossover, randomized controlled trial (RCT) to prove the efficacy and safety of traction on CLBP patients, using equipment capable of precise traction force control and of reproducibility of the condition based on the previous biomechanical and pre-clinical studies. METHODS: Ninety-five patients with non-specific CLBP from 28 clinics and hospitals were randomly assigned to either the intermittent traction with vibration (ITV) first group (A: sequence ITV to ITO) or the intermittent traction only (ITO) first group (B: sequence ITO to ITV); the former was treated with repeated traction and vibration force added to preload. All patients were followed up weekly for 2 periods after study-initiation. The primary outcome measures were disability level including pain and quality of life (based on Japan Low back pain Evaluation Questionnaire; JLEQ), and JLEQ was measured repeatedly. Statistical analysis was performed using linear mixed model. RESULTS: Comparing to pre-traction data, both traction modes significant improvement except the first intervention of ITO treatment. The differences in JLEQ scores over time showed significant improvements in the treatment to which vibrational force was added in contrast to the conventional traction treatment; Mean difference was significant to compare ITV treatment and ITO treatment (-1.75 (p = 0.001), 95% CI; -2.69 to -0.80). However, neither difference between the two sequences (p = 0.884) nor carryover effect (p = 0.527) was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Altogether, the results indicate that lumbar traction was able to improve the pain and functional status immediately in patients with CLBP. This study contributes to add some evidence of the efficacy of lumbar traction.

Effect and usability of anti-inflammatory drug plasters for knee osteoarthritis: A crossover, double-blind, repeated measures, randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The use of plasters is a well-accepted treatment with high adherence. However, the characteristics such as its cool feeling or extensibility favored by elderly have a possibility to contribute to clinical utility. The purpose is to examine the effect of anti-inflammatory drug plasters for knee osteoarthritis and the clinical preference of the patients for using plasters. We conducted a crossover, double-blind, randomized controlled trial (RCT) recruited 168 patients with knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: We included a "run-in-period" to evaluate the patients' preference among A (first-generation; methyl salicylate), B (second-generation; indomethacin), and N (base substrate for B) before the crossover sequence of two treatment periods with A and B plasters; four arms (N-A-B, A-A-B, N-B-A, and B-B-A) were made to compare the assessment of A, B, and N plasters. We used two measures: The Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure (JKOM), for clinical functions, and the usability questionnaire to evaluate the clinical value of plasters. RESULTS: At baseline, there were no significant differences in characteristics. The subjects in groups A and B showed improved overall JKOM scores at the end of each intervention. Comparison of the change of the mean difference showed that A and B were statistically significant improvement over N (-2.40, (95%CI = -3.58 to -1.21), -2.52, (-3.65 to -1.40)) but no significant difference between A and B - 0.13, (-1.14 to 0.89)). In network analysis for usability, twelve items were independent of JKOM's network structure and consisted of two domains. The analysis of usability showed that N and B were preferred over A significantly. CONCLUSION: Both the first- and second-generation plasters were statistically superior to the base only, but no significant difference between two generations. The patient is surely aware of the effect of the drug itself, but the two feelings are important in the preference.

Lumbar mechanical traction: a biomechanical assessment of change at the lumbar spine.

BACKGROUND: Lumbar traction is a traditional treatment modality for chronic low back pain (CLBP) in many countries. However, its effectiveness has not been demonstrated in clinical practice because of the following: (1) the lack of in vivo biomechanical confirmation of the mechanism of lumbar traction that occurs at the lumbar spine; (2) the lack of a precise delivery system for traction force and, subsequently, the lack of reproducibility; and (3) few randomized controlled trials proving its effectiveness and utility. METHODS: This study was planned as a preparatory experiment for a randomized clinical trial, and it aimed (1) to examine the biomechanical change at the lumbar area under lumbar traction and confirm its reproducibility and accuracy as a mechanical intervention, and (2) to reconfirm our clinical impression of the immediate effect of lumbar traction. One hundred thirty-three patients with non-specific CLBP were recruited from 28 orthopaedic clinics to undergo a biomechanical experiment and to assess and determine traction conditions for the next clinical trial. We used two types of traction devices, which are commercially available, and incorporated other measuring tools, such as an infrared range-finder and large extension strain gauge. The finite element method was used to analyze the real data of pelvic girdle movement at the lumbar spine level. Self-report assessments with representative two conditions were analyzed according to the qualitative coding method. RESULTS: Thirty-eight participants provided available biomechanical data. We could not measure directly what happened in the body, but we confirmed that the distraction force lineally correlated with the movement of traction unit at the pelvic girdle. After applying vibration force to preloading, the strain gauge showed proportional vibration of the shifting distance without a phase lag qualitatively. FEM simulation provided at least 3.0-mm shifting distance at the lumbar spine under 100 mm of body traction. Ninety-five participants provided a treatment diary and were classified as no pain, improved, unchanged, and worsened. Approximately 83.2% of participants reported a positive response. CONCLUSION: Lumbar traction can provide a distractive force at the lumbar spine, and patients who experience the application of such force show an immediate response after traction. TRIAL REGISTRATION: University Hospital Medical Information Network - Clinical Trial Registration: UMIN-CTR000024329 (October 13, 2016).

Li⁺ selective podand-type fluoroionophore based on a diphenyl sulfoxide derivative bearing two pyrene groups.

New podand-type fluoroionophores having two pyrene moieties: 2,2´-bis(1-pyrenylacetyloxy)diphenyl sulfide (3), 2,2´-bis(1-pyrenylacetyloxy)diphenyl sulfoxide (4), and 2,2´-bis(1-pyrenylacetyloxy)diphenyl sulfone (5), have been synthesized by connecting two 1-pyrenecarbonylmethyl groups with the two hydroxy groups of 2,2´-dihydroxydiphenyl sulfide, sulfoxide, and sulfone, respectively. Their complexation behavior toward alkali metal ions was examined by fluorescence spectroscopy. Among these fluoroionophores, compound 4, having a sulfinyl group, showed high selectivity toward Li⁺.

HPLC separation of all aldopentoses and aldohexoses on an anion-exchange stationary phase prepared from polystyrene-based copolymer and diamine: the effect of NaOH eluent concentration.

To investigate the separations of all aldopentoses (ribose, arabinose, xylose and lyxose) and aldohexoses (glucose, galactose, allose, altrose, mannose, gulose, idose and talose) on the D6 stationary phase prepared by the reaction of chloromethylated styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer and N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-1,6-diaminohexane, we examined the effect of varying the concentration of the NaOH eluent on the elution orders. Separations of these aldoses were achieved using a 20 mM NaOH eluent. The elution behaviors of the aldoses were probably due to not only the individual pK(a) values, but also the chemical structures of the cyclic aldoses.

Synthesis of monodispersed molecularly imprinted polymer particles for high-performance liquid chromatographic separation of cholesterol using templating polymerization in porous silica gel bound with cholesterol molecules on its surface.

Monodispersed molecularly imprinted polymer particles selective for cholesterol were prepared by the copolymerization of styrene and divinylbenzene in the presence of template silica gel particles (particle size: 5 µm; pore size: 10 nm) functionalized with cholesterol on the surface, followed by dissolution of the cholesterol-bonded silica gel with a NaOH aqueous solution. Transmission and scanning electron micrographs of the molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) particles revealed good monodispersity and porous structure. The MIP particles were packed into a high performance liquid chromatographic column, and its recognition ability of cholesterol was evaluated using cholesterol, cholesterol esters and fatty acid methyl esters by comparison with the non-imprinted polymer (NIP) particles prepared from styrene and divinylbenzene without cholesterol. The MIP particles showed a high affinity for cholesterol and cholesterol esters (K(MIP)'/K(NIP)' > 5.7).

Anticancer activity of phenoxazines produced by bovine erythrocytes on colon cancer cells.

The present study investigated the anticancer activity of 2-aminophenoxazine-3-one (Phx-3) and 2-amino-4,4 alpha-dihydro-4 alpha,7-dimethyl-3H-phenoxazine-3-one (Phx-1), which were obtained by improved preparation methods using bovine erythrocyte suspension, on colon cancer cell lines COLO201, DLD1 and PMCO1 in vitro. The preparation methods for Phx-1 and Phx-3 had the advantages of extensively shortening reaction time and reducing sample volumes up to one-seventh during treatment, compared with the conventional method using bovine hemoglobin solution, resulting in extensive reduction of handling time. Phx-1 and Phx-3 thus obtained were identified as pure by the absorption spectra and NMR spectra. These phenoxazines exerted strong, dose-dependent anticancer activity against colon cancer cell lines COLO201, DLD1 and PMCO1 in vitro and induced apoptosis of these cells. The present results demonstrate that Phx-1 and Phx-3, which were prepared by extensively improved methods using bovine erythrocytes, may be useful as therapeutic drugs against colon cancer that is intractable to chemotherapy.

Preparation of monodispersed vinylpyridine-divinylbenzene porous copolymer resins and their application to high-performance liquid chromatographic separation of aromatic amines.

For the separation of aromatic amines, two types of monodispersed porous polymer resins were prepared by the copolymerization of 2-vinylpyridine and 4-vinylpyridine with divinylbenzene in the presence of template silica gel particles (particle size 5 microm), followed by dissolution of the template silica gel in an alkaline solution. The transmission electron micrographs and the scanning electron micrograph revealed that these templated polymer resins have a spherical morphology with a good monodispersity and porous structure. Using these monodispersed polymer resins, the high-performance liquid chromatographic separation of aromatic amines in the mobile phases of pHs 2.0, 2.9, 4.1, 7.2 and 11.7 were carried out. The 2-vinylpyridine-divinylbenzene copolymer resins showed slightly stronger retentions for aromatic amines than the 4-vinylpyridine-divinylbenzene copolymer resins. Under acidic conditions (around pH 2.0), aniline and the toluidines showed no retention on these copolymer resins due to the repulsion between the cationic forms of these amines and pyridinium cations in the stationary phase, whereas less basic aromatic amines or non-basic acetanilide showed slight retentions. Above pH 4.1, the separation of aromatic amines with these polymer resins showed a typical reversed-phase mode separation. Therefore, the separation patterns of aromatic amines are effectively tunable by changing the pH value of the mobile phases. A good separation of eight aromatic amines was achieved at pH 2.9 using the 2-vinylpyridine-divinylbenzene copolymer resins.

Complexation behavior of mono- and disaccharides by the vinylbenzeneboronic acid-divinylbenzene copolymer resins packed in a high-performance liquid chromatographic column.

Using an HPLC column packed with monodispersed vinylbenzeneboronic acid-divinylbenzene (V-D) copolymer resins, the elution behaviors of the mono- and disaccharides were studied under different pH mobile phases. The monodispersed V-D copolymer resins were prepared by the copolymerization of 4-vinylbenzeneboronic acid and divinylbenzene in the presence of template silica gel particles (particle size: 5 microm; pore size: 10 nm), followed by dissolution of the template silica gel using a NaOH solution. Similarly, styrene-divinylbenzene (S-D) copolymer resins as the control resins were also synthesized. The transmission electron micrographs of these polymer resins revealed a good monodispersity. The complexation behavior of the saccharides was evaluated by comparison of the peak area eluted through the V-D column for that through the S-D column. Four aldopentoses (D-ribose, D-arabinose, D-xylose, and D-lyxose) and four aldohexoses (D-glucose, D-mannose, D-galactose, and D-talose) were retained completely at pH 11.9. Especially, ribose and talose were totally retained even under acidic and neutral conditions. For the disaccharides, unlike sucrose and maltose, palatinose was completely retained in basic mobile phases.

Metabolism of pyrogallol to purpurogallin by human erythrocytic hemoglobin.

The aim of this study was to investigate the oxido-reductive reactions of human hemoglobin with pyrogallol and the metabolism of pyrogallol by the protein, which contains a protoporphyrin IX like cytochrome P-450. Pyrogallol, having three hydroxy groups at the adjacent positions in the benzene ring, oxidized human oxyhemoglobin to methemoglobin and reduced human methemoglobin to oxyhemoglobin. Since superoxide dismutase and catalase inhibited these reactions extensively, active oxygens such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide were considered to be involved in the oxido-reductive reaction of human hemoglobin by pyrogallol. It was also found that the metabolism of pyrogallol to purpurogallin occurred quickly in human erythrocytes, i.e., when pyrogallol was added to human erythrocyte suspension, it oxidized intracellular hemoglobin and produced purpurogallin. The metabolism of pyrogallol to purpurogallin was explained by the pyrogallol oxidation with superoxide and hydrogen peroxide produced during the oxido-reductive reactions of human hemoglobin with pyrogallol. The present results show that human erythrocytes can metabolize pyrogallol, suggesting that the cells may be involved in the metabolism of some drugs in the human body.

Phenoxazine compounds produced by the reactions with bovine hemoglobin show antimicrobial activity against non-tuberculosis mycobacteria.

We studied the anti-microbial effects of phenoxazines produced by the reaction of o-aminophenol or its derivatives with bovine hemoglobin, on seven species of mycobacteria such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium marinum, Mycobacterium intracellulare, Mycobacterium scrofulaceum, Mycobacterium fortuitum, Mycobacterium kansasii and Mycobacterium smegmatis and some bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogeneses. These phenoxazines, including 2-amino-4, 4alpha-dihydro-4alpha, 7-dimethyl-3H-phenoxzine-3-one (Phx-1), 3-amino-1, 4alpha-dihydro-4alpha, 8-dimethyl-2H-phenoxazine-2-one (Phx-2), and 2-aminophenoxazine-3-one (Phx-3), prevented the proliferation of four non-tuberculosis mycobacteria including M. scrofulaceum, M. kansasii, M. marinum, and M. intracellulare dose-dependently, though the inhibitory effects of these phenoxazines differed according to the species of mycobacteria. However these phenoxazines failed to prevent the proliferation of M. tuberculosis, M. fortuitum, and M. smegmatis, and the concerned bacteria other than mycobacteria. The present results may contribute to development of novel antibiotics against non-tuberculolsis mycobacteria.

Quantitative determination of sugars and myo-inositol in citrus fruits grown in Japan using high-performance anion-exchange chromatography.

Fifteen commercial samples of citrus fruits grown in Japan were analyzed for their sugar contents by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC) and electrochemical detection (ED) coupled with a stationary phase D10 column prepared using chloromethylated styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer and N,N,N',N'-tetramethyldiaminodecane. Myo-inositol, glucose, fructose, and sucrose in all of these various citrus fruits could be successfully separated within 25 min using 0.5 M NaOH eluent at a flow-rate of 0.4 mL/min. Myo-inositol, as a better nutritional source, was found in all the citrus fruits grown in Japan (0.7 +/- 0.04-2.1 +/- 0.2 g/L). The sugar contents of twelve citrus fruits grown in other countries were also determined.

An azonia derivative of hexahelicene.

In 8a-azonia[6]helicene hexafluorophosphate or 8a-azoniaphenanthro[3,4-c]phenanthrene hexafluorophosphate, C(25)H(16)N(+) x PF(6)(-), replacement of an outer bridgehead carbon of hexahelicene by a quaternary Nsp(2) atom results in a geometrical change in the helical structure. The racemic heterohelicene forms homochiral columnar stacks through intermolecular pi-pi donor-acceptor interactions in the crystalline state.

High-performance liquid chromatographic separation of carbohydrates on a stationary phase prepared from polystyrene-based resin and novel amines.

New anion-exchange stationary phases On (n = 1, 2 and 3) with a dimethylamino terminal functional group, where n is the number of oxyethylene units [-(CH2CH2O)n-], were prepared by the reaction of chloromethylated porous styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer beads and amines [(CH3)2N-(CH2CH2O)nCH2CH2-N(CH3)2]. HPLC separations of monosaccharides (sorbitol, fucose, glucosamine, mannose, glucose, galactose, fructose, allose and altrose) and disaccharides (trehalose, lactose, cellobiose and maltose) were performed successfully on these stationary phases. The ether group of the stationary phases On was found to affect the separation of carbohydrates.