Effects of Lifetime Volleyball Exercise on Bone Mineral Densities in Lumbar Spine, Calcaneus and Tibia for Pre-, Peri- and Postmenopausal Women

To clarify the effects of habitual volleyball exercise on bone in women during the menopausal periods, we measured bone mineral densities (BMDs) of the lumbar spine, calcaneus and tibia every 12 months for 2 years and estimated factors related to the baseline values and annual loss rates. Forty Japanese female volleyball players 42–62 years of age, who had belonged to the district non-professional club for more than 10 years on average, were recruited. Twenty women had regular menstruation at the start, but 7 underwent menopause during the study. Fifty-nine healthy women who did not participate in habitual exercise, but were otherwise comparable with the players, were recruited as the controls. The lumbar and calcaneus BMDs were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and both the volumetric BMDs and cross-sectional geometry at the diaphysis of the tibia were measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomography. The baseline BMDs of all measured sites and the values of the cortical area and moment of inertia of the tibia in the players were significantly higher than the values in the control women. In the peri- and postmenopausal players, the baseline values of the lumbar and calcaneus BMDs related to total years of participating in regular exercises during adulthood including volleyball (TYE), body mass index (BMI) and years since menopause (YSM). Tibia cortical area and moment of inertia values related to TYE. Annual bone loss rates in the tibia and calcaneus of players were significantly smaller than those values in the controls. However, the bone loss rates in the lumbar spine did not differ significantly between the groups. The bone loss rate in the calcaneus was significantly related to the current number of training hours per week and YSM. The rate of bone loss in the tibia was related to BMI. These data indicated that the total number of years participating in exercise activity during adulthood have positive effects on lumbar and calcaneus BMDs and the cortical structure of the tibia. Habitual volleyball exercise apparently did not alleviate the menopause-related bone loss in the lumbar spine. Received: 3 September 1999 / Accepted: 10 July 2000     

Association Between Exposure to Cadmium and Blood Pressure in Japanese Peoples

The authors studied the effects of environmental cadmium exposure on blood pressure (BP). Subjects 1,140 men and 1,713 women, aged ≥ 50 yr lived in three areas of Japan considered “unpolluted” by cadmium. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate relationships between hypertension/nonhypertension and cadmium concentrations in blood (B-Cd) or urine (U-Cd). Age, body mass index, drinking and smoking habits, and blood and urine chemistry data were incorporated into the model. Odds ratios for hypertension were significantly less than 1 in either gender when U-Cd was the indicator of cadmium exposure and hypertension was defined as systolic BP ≥ 140 mmHg and/or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg. The results suggest a significant negative association between cadmium exposure and BP in inhabitants in Japan.     

Osteoporotic changes of subchondral trabecular bone in osteoarthritis of the knee: a 3-T MRI study

Summary  

Subchondral trabecular bone structure was analyzed in knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients using 3-T MRI to investigate structural features of subchondral trabecular bone of knee OA. With OA progression, osteoporotic changes were observed in the lateral joint, showing a higher correlation than sclerotic changes in the medial joint.     

Usefulness of an artificial neural network for a beginner to achieve similar interpretations to an expert when examining myocardial perfusion images

This study examined whether using an artificial neural network (ANN) helps beginners in diagnostic cardiac imaging to achieve similar results to experts when interpreting stress myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). One hundred and thirty-eight patients underwent stress MPI with Tc-labeled agents. An expert and a beginner interpreted stress/rest MPI with or without the ANN and the results were compared. The myocardium was divided into 5 regions (the apex; septum; anterior; lateral, and inferior regions), and the defect score of myocardial blood flow was evaluated from 0 to 4, and SSS, SRS, and SDS were calculated. The ANN effect, defined as the difference in each of these scores between with and without the ANN, was calculated to investigate the influence of ANN on the interpreters' performance. We classified 2 groups (insignificant perfusion group and significant perfusion group) and compared them. In the same way, classified 2 groups (insignificant ischemia group and significant ischemia group) and compared them. Besides, we classified 2 groups (normal vessels group and multi-vessels group) and compared them. The ANN effect was smaller for the expert than for the beginner. Besides, the ANN effect for insignificant perfusion group, insignificant ischemia group and multi-vessels group were smaller for the expert than for the beginner. On the other hand, the ANN effect for significant perfusion group, significant ischemia group and normal vessels group were no significant. When interpreting MPI, beginners may achieve similar results to experts by using an ANN. Thus, interpreting MPI with ANN may be useful for beginners. Furthermore, when beginners interpret insignificant perfusion group, insignificant ischemia group and multi-vessel group, beginners may achieve similar results to experts by using an ANN.

     

Emergency radiology after a massive earthquake: clinical perspective

Earthquakes are unpredictable and inevitable disasters, causing various earthquake-related disorders. Medical imaging, including digital radiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging, plays a key role in the evaluation of earthquake-related disorders. We here demonstrate the concept of diagnostic imaging after a massive earthquake and review the common imaging features of various disorders in casualties and evacuees. This summary of imaging features can facilitate the diagnosis of various earthquake-related disorders and promote judicious therapy planning.     

Cyclic stretch upregulates interleukin-8 and transforming growth factor-beta1 production through a protein kinase C-dependent pathway in alveolar epithelial cells

OBJECTIVE: Positive-pressure mechanical ventilation can injure the lung, causing oedema and alveolar inflammation, which is termed 'ventilator-induced lung injury' (VILI). We postulated that cyclic stretch upregulates the release of cytokines, which may cause lung damage, and explored which cytokines were released after cyclic stretch in type II alveolar epithelial cells (A549). METHODOLOGY: To test this hypothesis, A549 cells were cultured on a silicoelastic membrane and interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-8, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor, activin, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1, insulin-like growth factor-2 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha mRNA and protein were assessed after stimulation of the cells by cyclic stretch. RESULTS: Cyclic stretch induced activation of protein kinase C and resulted in the release of IL-8 and TGF-beta1 from A549 cells. CONCLUSIONS: The release of IL-8 and TGF-beta1 from alveolar epithelial cells may be a contributing factor in alveolitis associated with VILI.     

RS3PE syndrome presenting as vascular endothelial growth factor associated disorder

OBJECTIVES: To characterise serum concentrations of various cytokines and detection by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of synovial hypervascularity in patients with remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting oedema (RS3PE) syndrome before and after corticosteroid treatment. METHODS: Vascular endothelial growth factor(165) (VEGF(165)), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), and interleukin 1beta (IL1beta) were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in serum samples from three patients with RS3PE syndrome. As controls, serum samples from 26 healthy volunteers, 12 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 10 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, 13 patients with polymyositis/dermatomyositis, 13 patients with vasculitis syndrome, and 6 patients with mixed connective tissue disease were also analysed. Synovial hypervascularity of patients with RS3PE syndrome was estimated by rate of enhancement (E-rate) in a dynamic MRI study. RESULTS: Serum concentrations of VEGF(165) (mean (SD) 2223.3 (156.3) pg/ml) were significantly higher in patients with active RS3PE syndrome than in controls before corticosteroid treatment. TNFalpha and IL1beta levels were similar in patients and controls. Synovial hypervascularity in affected joints and subcutaneous oedema decreased during corticosteroid treatment, in parallel with the fall in serum VEGF(165). CONCLUSIONS: VEGF promotes synovial inflammation and vascular permeability in patients with RS3PE syndrome, suggesting that RS3PE can be classified as a VEGF associated disorder.