3D imaging and body measurement of riding horses using four scanners simultaneously.

Although there have been advances in the technology for measuring horse body size with stereoscopic three-dimensional (3D) scanners, previously reported methods with a single scanner still face a significant challenge: the time necessary for scanning is too long for the horses to remain stationary. This study attempted to scan the horse simultaneously from four directions using four scanners in order to complete the scans in a short amount of time and then combine the images from the four scans on a computer into one whole image of each horse. This study also compared body measurements from the combined 3D images with those taken from conventional manual measurements. Nine riding horses were used to construct stereoscopic composite images, and the following 10 measurements were taken: height at the withers, back, and croup; chest depth; width of the chest (WCh), croup, and waist; girth circumference, cannon circumference (CaC), and body length. The same 10 measurements were taken by conventional manual methods. Relative errors ranged from -1.89% to 7.05%. The correlation coefficient between manual and 3D measurements was significant for all body measurements (P<0.01) except for WCh and CaC. A simple regression analysis of all body measurements revealed a strong correlation (P<0.001, R2=0.9994, root-mean-square error=1.612). Simultaneous scanning with four devices from four directions reduced the scanning time from 60 sec with one device to 15 sec. This made it possible to perform non-contact body measurements even on incompletely trained horses who could not remain stationary for long periods of time.

[Pulmonary Herniation Requiring Reconstructive Surgery Caused by Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery:Report of a Case].

A 72-year-old man who underwent aortic valve replacement by a minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) approach two years ago was visited our hospital complaining of swelling and pain in the right anterior chest. A chest computed tomography (CT) scan showed that the right upper lobe protruded beyond the right second intercostal space and outside the thorax. He was diagnosed as a right intercostal lung hernia and underwent chest wall reconstruction with a substitute method. Postoperative course was uneventful without any evidence of recurrence. Postoperative intercostal lung hernias in MICS may increase with the increment in MICS, and it is necessary to accumulate cases as one of the complications.

Effect of three-hour ankle joint immobilization with an ankle foot orthosis on corticospinal excitability and ankle joint angle excursion during gait.

[Purpose] Ankle foot orthosis (AFO) is widely used to regain gait function after injuries and/or stroke; however, limited information is currently available on their effects. We herein examined the effects of three-hour immobilization with AFO on corticospinal excitability and ankle joint movement during gait in healthy volunteers. [Participants and Methods] The participants comprised of seven healthy volunteers. Corticospinal excitability and ankle joint excursions were evaluated before and after three hours of immobilization with left limb AFO. We measured motor evoked potentials in the tibialis anterior (TA) and gastrocnemius (Ga) muscles induced by transcranial magnetic stimulation. In a kinematic analysis, we focused on transition points, such as the timing from dorsiflexion to plantarflexion of the ankle joint and/or vice versa, during gait. [Results] Corticospinal excitability in TA and Ga both significantly decreased. During the normalized gait cycle (GC), ankle angles showed less dorsiflexion at 0% GC and 100% GC, and during loading response and mid-swing and terminal swing phases. Furthermore, less plantarflexion was observed during the initial swing phase. [Conclusion] This study showed that short-term ankle joint immobilization with AFO induces a significant decrease in corticospinal excitability and has an effect on ankle joint excursion during gait. Further studies are needed on the effects of long-term immobilization by AFO.

Obstacle avoidance movement-related motor cortical activity with cognitive task.

Lack of attention to obstacles on the floor or walking path may cause trip and fall accidents. The preparatory activity in the motor cortex to the perturbation associated with obstacle avoidance movements with cognitive task is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the motor cortical activity involved in the preparation and execution of concurrent obstacle avoidance movement and cognitive task. Twenty young adults were required to step over obstacles that were projected on the floor while performing a cognitive task. The electroencephalogram was recorded, and the movement-related cortical potentials (MRCP) aligned by foot dorsiflexion were evaluated. There was no significant difference in the number of contacts between the toe and the obstacle between the obstacle avoidance task and obstacle avoidance with cognitive task; however, the distance between the toe and the obstacle just before obstacle avoidance movement was significantly extended in the latter task. The amplitude and the onset of MRCP during the dual task were decreased and delayed, respectively, compared with the simple obstacle avoidance movement task. These results suggest that the young participants changed their clearance strategy to stepping over the obstacle during the concurrent motor and cognitive dual task to reduce motor cortical activity.

Purification, crystallization and X-ray analysis of Pf-SCP (sarcoplasmic Ca-binding protein), related to storage and transport of calcium in mantle of Pinctada fucata.

Pf-SCP, a 21 kDa protein with two EF-hand motifs and a phosphorylation site, was identified from mantle tissue and binds to calcium ions and transports calcium components from cell to the shell of Pinctada fucata. To reveal the molecular basis of the calcium binding activity of Pf-SCP, we expressed the recombinant protein of full-length Pf-SCP in Escherichia coli. Recombinant Pf-SCP (rPf-SCP) purified by Ni affinity chromatography and size exclusion chromatography appeared as a single band on SDS-PAGE. The circular dichroism spectroscopy showed that the α-helix content decreased when rPf-SCP interacted with both calcium ions and calcium carbonate. Western blotting and immunostaining verified the Pf-SCP expression in the shell and localization most in the mantle epithelial cells. To further understand the structural and functional regulation of Pf-SCP by calcium ions and calcium carbonate, the crystallization experiments of rPf-SCP in the presence of calcium ions were performed. A crystal of rPf-SCP obtained in the presence of calcium ions diffracted X-rays up to a resolution of 1.8 Å. The space group of the crystal is C2 with unit cell parameters of a = 96.828 Å, b = 55.906 Å, c = 102.14 Å and ß = 90.009°, indicating that three molecules of rPf-SCP are contained in an asymmetric unit as estimated at the value of the Matthews coefficient. These results suggest that Pf-SCP may play a role in calcium ions transportation and shell mineralization by concentrating calcium ions inside the mantle epithelial cells and interacting with calcium carbonate molecules.

Body measurement of riding horses with a versatile tablet-type 3D scanning device.

The measurement of various body dimensions of horses plays a significant role in quality improvement, genetic breeding, health, and soundness. There has been significant advancement in the technology for acquiring stereoscopic images with a three-dimensional (3D) scanner. This study aimed to validate the accuracy of body measurements obtained from stereoscopic images taken with a 3D scanner. We manually took the following body measurements for 8 riding horses: height at the withers, height at the back, height at the croup, chest depth, width of the chest, width of the croup, width of the waist, girth circumference, cannon circumference, and body length. Using a versatile tablet-type 3D scanning device, we captured a 3D image of each horse. Relative errors varied from -1.37% to 6.25%. The correlation coefficient between manual and 3D measurements was significant for all body measurements (P<0.01) except for width of the waist and cannon circumference. The low accuracy of cannon circumference (r=0.248) was due to effect of hair. A simple regression analysis of all body measurements revealed a strong correlation (P<0.001, R2=0.9994, root-mean-square error [RMSE]=1.522). Notable advantages of this methodology include high accuracy, good operability, non-contact, high versatility, and low cost. Further studies are required for the establishment of an accurate measurement methodology that can scan the whole body in a shorter time.

Structural and functional analyses of calcium ion response factors in the mantle of Pinctada fucata.

The pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata, is cultured for pearl production in Japan. The shell of the pearl oyster consists of calcium carbonate and a small amount of organic matrix. Despite many studies of the shell matrix proteins, the mechanism by which calcium elements are transported from the mantle to the shell remains unclear. Investigating the molecular mechanism of calcium transportation, we prepared artificial seawater with a high concentration of calcium ions (10ASW) to induce calcification in the pearl oyster. When pearl oysters were cultured in 10ASW, unusual nanoparticles were precipitated on the surface of the nacreous layer. SDS-PAGE and 2D-PAGE analyses revealed that some calcium-sensing proteins (Sarcoplasmic Ca-binding Protein (Pf-SCP) and Pf-filamin A) might be related to the synthesis of these nanoparticles. The recombinant proteins of Pf-SCP can bind to calcium ions and accumulate nanoparticles of calcium carbonate crystals. However, transcriptomic analysis of the pearl oysters grown in 10ASW showed that the matrix protein genes in the shell did not differ before and after treatment with 10ASW. These results suggest that, despite increasing calcium transportation to the shell, treatment with a high concentration of calcium ions does not induce formation of the organic framework in the shell microstructure. These findings offer meaningful insights into the transportation of calcium elements from the mantle to the shell.

Gait variability analysed using an accelerometer is associated with locomotive syndrome among the general elderly population: The GAINA study.

BACKGROUND: Gait variability analysed using an accelerometer provides a unique measurement of locomotive dysfunction in patients with musculoskeletal disease or in frail elderly subjects. Therefore, assessing gait variability may become a clinical screening method for the locomotive syndrome. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether gait variability analysed using an accelerometer was associated with locomotive syndrome in the general elderly population. METHODS: A total of 273 residents were screened after a yearly medical check-up, and of these, 223 subjects (mean age, 73.6 ± 8.3 years) met the eligibility criteria. Demographic information, body function and structure measurements (bone mass, grip strength, muscle mass, and postural alignment), and gait parameters were assessed. Gait variability analysis was based on acceleration using a wireless tri-axial accelerometer attached to the 3rd lumbar vertebra process by a trunk belt. Autocorrelation coefficients were used to represent gait variability in three directions: vertical, mediolateral, and anteroposterior. The subjects were classified as either having or not having the locomotive syndrome based on the 5-question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale. RESULTS: Of the 223 subjects, 41 (18.3%) had the locomotive syndrome. Autocorrelation coefficients in three directions were lower in the subjects with locomotive syndrome. Using multivariate logistic regression analysis with adjustment factors, of the autocorrelation coefficients only gait variability in the vertical axis remained a significant independent associated with the locomotive syndrome. CONCLUSION: This finding suggested that gait variability based on evaluation of autocorrelation coefficients in the vertical axis measured using an accelerometer has the potential to become a screening method for the locomotive syndrome in the general elderly population.

Renal Cell Carcinoma and Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Patient with Wilson's Disease.

No reports of renal cancer in patients with Wilson's disease (WD) exist. We herein report a 37-year-old Japanese man diagnosed with WD who had been treated with d-penicillamine 9 years prior. Hepatocellular carcinoma had been diagnosed at 36 years old and treated with radiofrequency ablation therapy. One year later, renal cancer and recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma had developed. The hepatocellular carcinoma was treated after renal cancer surgical resection of a clear-cell-type renal cell carcinoma, with iron, rather than copper, deposited on the renal cancer cells. This patient harbored a novel mutation, p. Leu1395Terfs in ATP7B.

Transcranial direct current stimulation to dorsolateral prefrontal cortex improves performance of obstacle avoidance gait task.

We aimed to investigate the effect of dual-task interference between cognitive and obstacle avoidance walking tasks, and the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the performance of this cognitive-motor dual task. The healthy young subjects participated in a single task consisting of a three-digit subtraction task (e.g. 783 - 7) or a 15-m track with six 7.5-cm high obstacles. Then, the subjects performed two single tasks simultaneously as dual tasks, before and after sham and anodal tDCS (2 mA, 20 min) to left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC, the F3 region of the 10/20 electroencephalogram electrode placement system). The effect of tDCS on each outcome (number of correct answers, the clearance height above the obstacle, and foot placement position) was analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance. Model effects included tDCS (real, sham), time (pre-, post-tDCS), and task (single task, dual task) conditions. A significant difference in the tDCS, time, and task conditions was observed; the correct number of subtraction tasks increased, and the clearance height and the distance between the obstacle and foot decreased in front of the obstacle. Our findings suggest that dual task performance is causally related to left DLPFC activation under complicated walking tasks and tDCS over this cortical area increases overloaded its information processing capacity.

Effects of outdoor housing of piglets on behavior, stress reaction and meat characteristics.

Well-designed housing systems are important from the viewpoint of animal welfare and improvement of meat production. In this study, we investigated the effects of outdoor housing of pigs on their behavior, cortisol levels, and meat characteristics. Two groups that were born and raised in a spacious outdoor pen (4×10 m for every two sows) or a minimum-sized standard pen in a piggery (1.9×2.2 m for every sow) were studied. When their behaviors at the age of 2 to 3 wk were observed, the number of rooting episodes tended to be larger (p = 0.0509) and the total time of rooting tended to be longer (p = 0.0640) in the outdoor-housed piglets although the difference was not significant. Basal salivary cortisol levels of the outdoor piglets at the age of 4 wk were significantly lower than those of the indoor piglets (5.0±0.59 ng/ml vs. 11.6±0.91 ng/ml, 30 min after treatment), although their plasma cortisol levels were similar (53.3±3.54 ng/ml vs. 59.9±4.84 ng/ml, 30 min after treatment). When the ears were pierced at weaning, plasma and salivary cortisol levels were increased in both groups, even at 15 min after piercing. However, the increase in the outdoor-housed group was significantly less than that in the indoor-housed group. Throughout their lives, body weight and daily gain of the pigs were not significantly different between the two groups. In a meat taste preference test taken by 20 panelists, saltiness, flavor, and color of the outdoor-housed pork were found to be more acceptable. Moreover, when an electronic taste-sensing device was utilized, the C00 and CPA-C00 outputs (3.78±0.07 and -0.20±0.023), which correspond to compounds of bitterness and smells, respectively, were significantly lower in the outdoor-housed pork (5.03±0.16 and -0.13±0.009). Our results demonstrate that the outdoor housing system for piglets induces natural behaviors such as rooting and suppresses the strongest stress reaction of piglets, which could be important for animal welfare. Moreover, the outdoor housing system might change muscle characteristics and improve pork bitterness, flavor, and color. These changes may be preferred by consumers, increasing the sale of these meats.

Effect of Cooling Blanket on the Heat Stress of Horses in Hot and Humid Environments.

Heat stress is serious problem for livestock. While riding horses and racehorses spend the majority of their days in stalls, there are few reports on effective methods for reducing stall heat stress. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an ice horse blanket in hot and humid environments. Twenty healthy horses were measured first without the blanket (C) and then measured with the blanket (IB), or vice versa, in a cross-over trial. The blanket was designed to keep cooling the front back, the rear back, and the loin. Skin surface temperature, respiratory rate, rectal temperature, and plasma cortisol level in both C and IB were measured at 10:00, 12:30, and 15:00. The skin surface temperature of the front back was decreased with cooling time in IB, whereas it was not changed in C. Similarly, heart rate, respiratory rate, and plasma cortisol level also decreased only in IB. The blanket used in the present study had the advantage of allowing for gentle cooling of the horse's body without the use of water or fans. Applying this methodology should enable effective reduction of heat stress not only in horses but also in other mammals kept in barns.

Interactive effects of exercise and sleep on frailty severity in community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: This study examined the effects of the interaction between exercise and sleep on frailty severity in community-dwelling older adults. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Data were collected in July 2019. In total, 2021 adults participated who responded to a questionnaire. Among them, 672 participants (317 men and 355 women) with valid responses were included in the analysis. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association between frailty severity and the interaction between exercise and sleep. The dependent variable represents three different levels of frailty. The independent variables included basic information and interaction between exercise and sleep. Results: The results of ordinal logistic regression analysis (odds ratio [OR]) showed that the period from the start of exercise (OR=0.96), age (OR=1.00 for participants in their 60 s, OR=1.65 for those in their 70s, and OR=3.13 for those aged >80 years), poor subjective health perception (OR=2.12), poor quality of sleep (OR=1.88), stress (OR=1.62), and exercise-sleep interaction (OR=1.00 based on good-exercise-good-sleep interaction, OR=3.09 poor-exercise-good-sleep interaction, and OR=3.50 poor-exercise-poor-sleep interaction) significantly contributed to the model. The Nagelkerke coefficient of determination adjusted for degrees-of-freedom (R2), which represents the contribution rate of the regression equation, was 0.334. Conclusions: Our results suggest that a combination of good exercise and good sleep is needed to prevent frailty progression in community-dwelling older adults.

Mirror movement-like muscle hypertonia stroke model based on ipsilateral weight load.

In stroke patients, muscle tone on the unaffected side is often increased during voluntary tasks. This is known as a mirror movement and might be an impediment to function recovery, but its neural background is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of unilateral muscle hypertonia on ipsilateral cortical activity and contralateral motor function. Fourteen right-handed healthy young subjects lifted a weight of 10% body weight with the right upper limb to increase muscle tone (weight task), while no weight lifting was set as the control 'nonweight' task. We recorded the motor-evoked potential (MEP), resting motor threshold and H-reflex from the left flexor carpi radialis muscle during both tasks. To estimate the functional effect of the weight task, subjects performed the 'Purdue pegboard test', consisting of examination for 30 seconds (peg-30) and assembly for 60 seconds (peg assembly). Left-hand grip strength was also measured. When subjects performed the weight task, the MEP amplitude increased significantly and the MT decreased significantly. There was no significant difference of H-reflex amplitude between the two tasks. No significant difference of the peg-30 score was observed between weight and nonweight tasks, but the peg assembly score was significantly lower during the weight task. Grip strength showed a significant increase during the weight task. These results indicate that the present weight load model may have the potential to advance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying mirror movements after stroke.

Influence of equine conformation on rider oscillation and evaluation of horses for therapeutic riding.

To obtain basic knowledge about selecting horses for therapeutic riding, the influence of equine conformation on rider oscillation and relationships between these factors and the evaluation on horses as the therapeutic riding were studied. Thirty-five riding horses were used. Equine conformation was estimated by 24 indices. Rider oscillation was measured by an accelerometer fixed at the rider's waist. The spatial position of the oscillation was estimated by a double integration of the acceleration. Horses were evaluated for therapeutic riding by a Riding for the Disabled Association instructor as a rider. Evaluations were on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest score for 27 items. Horses were classified into 4 groups: the short and narrow (SN), short and wide (SW), tall and narrow (TN), and tall and wide (TW). The frequencies of rider oscillation both at walk and trot were higher (P<0.01), and the vertical (P<0.01) and longitudinal (P<0.05) amplitudes at trot were smaller, on short horses than on tall horses. The vertical amplitude at walk was smaller (P<0.05) and the lateral amplitude at trot was larger (P<0.01) on wide horses than on narrow horses. Short horses could be used for the rider who requires side walkers. Wide horses could be used for relieving muscular tension and for the rider who could not maintain good balance on the horse. Short and wide horses should be suitable for therapeutic riding.

Maximum permissible load for Kiso horses trotting over a short, straight course.

This study aimed to determine the load-bearing capacity of trotting Kiso horses using gait analysis. Ten Kiso horses with a height at withers of 128 cm were included. Their riders were fitted with a marker (70 mm in diameter placed on their chest) recorded by two digital DVD cameras while trotting along a short, straight course. In total, eight tests were performed for each horse: the first with a 70 kg load; six with randomly loaded weights ranging 80-130 kg; and then a final test again with a 70 kg load. Three-dimensional movement of the marker was analyzed using a motion capture system. The time series of vertical displacement of the marker underwent spectrum analysis by the maximum entropy method, and the autocorrelation coefficient was calculated. The first two peaks of the autocorrelation were defined as symmetry and regularity, and their sum was defined as stability. Regularity in the 120 kg test (0.54) was lower than that in the first 70 kg test (0.61), and stability in the 120 kg test (1.31) was lower than that in the first 70 kg test (1.42). We concluded that the maximum permissible load for a trotting Kiso horse is < 120 kg, which represents 31% of its bodyweight.

Effect of hemoglobin vesicle, a cellular-type artificial oxygen carrier, on middle cerebral artery occlusion- and arachidonic acid-induced stroke models in rats.

Hemoglobin vesicle (HbV), which is also called liposome-encapsulated hemoglobin, functions as a hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier and is expected to be utilized in emergency situations including hemorrhagic shock and several kinds of ischemic diseases. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of HbV for improving stroke-related symptoms induced by middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion/reperfusion and an intra-internal carotid arterial injection of arachidonic acid (AA) in rats. When HbV (10 mL/kg, i.v.) was administered to rats immediately after the MCA occlusion, it reduced the cerebral infarct volumes of the cortex and total of the cortex plus sub-cortex significantly as compared with saline as a vehicle. In AA-induced stroke model, HbV (10 mL/kg, i.v.) improved the motor dysfunction score and inhibited the increase in cerebral water content suggesting it could suppress cerebral edema. These results strongly suggest that HbV would provide a novel beneficial option for the treatment of stroke, especially acute ischemic stroke.

Time course of changes in corticospinal excitability after short-term forearm/hand immobilization.

The short-term joint immobilization induces a decrease of corticospinal excitability; however, detailed time course of the immobilization-induced central nervous system changes and their extent have not yet been clarified. To evaluate the time course of changes in corticospinal excitability during forearm/hand immobilization for 24 h and investigate the effect on muscle strength, adhesive casting tape was used to immobilize the nondominant forearm/hand. The amplitude of the motor-evoked potential of the flexor pollicis brevis muscle induced by transcranial magnetic stimulation was measured during immobilization and after cast removal. The muscle strength was evaluated after the termination of immobilization. The resting motor-evoked potential recorded from flexor pollicis brevis muscle showed a significant decrease 3 h after initiation of immobilization and gradually declined further until the end of immobilization. It then increased over 2 h after cast removal, but was still significantly below baseline. However, no significant difference from baseline was observed at 3 h. Both pinch power and integrated electromyogram were significantly reduced by immobilization, and then gradually returned to baseline after the cast was removed. These results indicate that short-term forearm/hand immobilization rapidly reduces corticospinal excitability, and this change is rapidly reversed after resumption of movement.

Correlation between changes of contralesional cortical activity and motor function recovery in patients with hemiparetic stroke.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between changes of contralesional cortical excitability evaluated by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and functional recovery in patients with hemiparetic stroke. METHODS: Eight inpatients (mean age: 75.9±13.8 years) with mild to moderate hemiparesis were enrolled. TMS was delivered to the optimal scalp position over the contralesional (ipsilateral to the paresis) primary motor cortex (M1) to activate the unaffected flexor carpi radialis muscle (FCR) while the patient picked up a wooden block with the affected hand. The amplitude of the motor-evoked potential (MEP) was measured and then was divided by the resting MEP amplitude (MEP ratio). For evaluation of motor function, we tested grip strength (GS), performed the upper extremity motor section of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA-UE), and performed the Purdue Pegboard Test (PPT) when the patients were admitted to our hospital (T1) and 2 months after admission (T2). RESULTS: The MEP ratio was significantly decreased at the second examination. The partial correlations between the MEP ratio and FMA-UE at T1, and PPT of an affected hand at T2 were observed while controlling for the period after stroke onset as the confounding variable. CONCLUSION: The reduction of contralesional cortical hyperactivity is related to the functional recovery in part, but not related with the period after stroke onset. This suggests that enhanced reduction of contralesional M1 hyperactivity contributes to functional recovery after stroke.

The beneficial effects of horse trekking on autonomic nervous activity in experienced rider with no disability.

The aim of this study was to determine whether autonomic nervous activity of a rider with no disability was altered by one practical and applicable horse trekking (HT) exercise. Changes in autonomic nervous activity were analyzed by heart rate variability (HRV). Twenty-three participants with no disability rode horses along a predetermined HT course at trotting and walking for 60 min. HRV was sampled at 60 min before and immediately, following 60 min, and 120 min after HT. As a control, the same measurements were performed for 22 age-matched participants during their rest. Only in the HT group, the value of normalized unit in high frequency component (HF nu), an index of parasympathetic nervous activity, was higher at 120 min after treatment than before HT (P < 0.05). The low / high frequency ratio (LF / HF), believed to reflect sympathetic nervous activity, was lower in the HT group than those in the control group at 60 min (P < 0.05) and 120 min after treatment (P < 0.01). These findings suggest that a single HT shifted the autonomic nervous balance of a rider toward parasympathetic dominance. The results obtained by the present study could accelerate the use of horses for human health.