Morphometric analysis of the thoracic and lumbar spine in Japanese on the use of pedicle screws

The pedicle screw and hook have become popular instruments in treating spinal deformity and disease. This study gathered morphological data on thoracic and lumbar spines in a Japanese population that should serve as useful reference for posterior instrumentation surgery. One hundred and three dry bones were used to investigate the morphology of pedicle and facet in thoracic and lumbar spines. Measurements included the diameter and axial length of pedicle from T8 to L5, height and width of facets and thickness of articular processes from T1 to T12, and axial angle of pedicle from T1 to L5. The diameter and axial length of pedicle were smallest at T8, diameter was largest at L5 and axial length was largest at L3. Height of facets and thickness of articular processes were largest at T12. Men tended to have larger pedicles and facets than women. Transverse angle of pedicle was smallest at T12. These precise data may provide useful information when performing posterior instrumentation surgery and when developing new spinal implant systems for Asians.     

Comparative study on deletions of the dystrophin gene in three Asian populations

The frequency and distribution of deletions of 19 deletion-prone exons clustered in two hot spots in the proximal and central regions of the dystrophin gene were compared in three populations from Singaporean, Japan, and Vietnam. DNA samples obtained from 105 Singaporean, 86 Japanese, and 34 Vietnamese Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients were examined by polymerase chain reaction amplification. Deletions of the examined exons were found in 51.2% of Japanese patients but in 40.0% or less of the Singaporeans and Vietnamese. About two thirds of the deletions were localized in the central region and the remaining deletions were clustered at the proximal region. The most commonly deleted exons at the central deletion hot spot were exon 50 in the Singaporean, exons 49 and 50 in the Japanese, and exon 51 in the Vietnamese population. At the proximal deletion hot spot, the most commonly deleted exons were exons 6 and 8 in the Singaporeans, exons 12 and 17 in the Japanese, and exons 8 and 12 in the Vietnamese. Two cases each from Singapore and Japan had large-scale gross mutations spanning both deletion hot spots. Our results suggest that, although the presence and frequency of the two deletion hot spots may be similar in the three Asian populations analyzed, the distribution and frequency of deletions among the different exons can vary as a result of population-specific intronic sequences that predispose individuals to preferential deletion breakpoints. Received: May 20, 2002 / Accepted: July 1, 2002     

Survey of recognition and utilization of guidelines for the diagnosis and management of bronchial asthma in Japan

BACKGROUND: In Japan in 1993, the Japanese Society of Allergology (JSA) developed guidelines for diagnosis and management of asthma (JGL), which were based on the concept that asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airway. METHODS: This survey study was intended to investigate the recognition and utilization of JGL among physicians who had treated asthma. The survey comprised two methods: a quantitative mail survey and a qualitative door-to-door survey conducted by trained interviewers. RESULTS: In the mail survey, a total of 1028 physicians responded; 552 members of the JSA and 476 nonmembers. Ninety-four percent of JSA members were aware of adult asthma management guidelines, while 53% of nonmembers were aware of them. Although approximately half of the physicians, both members and nonmembers, found differences between the asthma management policies in JGL and their previous policies, most of them utilized JGL once they read it. In the qualitative door-to-door survey, 80-90% of physicians evaluated JGL as good after they read it. CONCLUSIONS: JGL was recognized and utilized by most JSA members, but only half of nonmember physicians were aware of JGL, although they utilized JGL after they read it. Further action to implement JGL among nonspecialist physicians is needed to improve management of asthma.     

A racial difference in apolipoprotein E allele frequencies between the Japanese and Caucasian populations

We have examined the apo E phenotype frequencies in the Japanese population (n = 576, 16-78 years of age). Apo E phenotypes were determined by the rapid flat gel isoelectric focusing method that we previously reported. The apo E phenotype frequencies in the Japanese were 0.3% for E2/2, 6.1% for E3/2, 71.9% for E3/3, 0.7% for E4/2, 19.3% for E4/3 and 1.7% for E4/4. The apo E allele frequencies were 0.037, 0.846 and 0.117 for the epsilon 2, epsilon 3 and epsilon 4 alleles, respectively. These frequencies were compared with those in the Caucasian populations (n = 3033) reported by Sing & Davignon (1985). There was a significant difference in the apo E phenotype frequencies between the Japanese and Caucasian populations. In addition, a significantly lower frequency of the epsilon 2 and epsilon 4 alleles and a significantly higher frequency of the epsilon 3 allele were found in the Japanese than those reported for the Caucasian populations. It is concluded that there is a racial difference in the apo E allele frequencies between the Japanese and Caucasian populations.     

Physical parameters in Japanese newborns

Summary A total of 19 physical parameters of the head, face, chest, and the fingers were examined in Japanese 50 male and 50 female newborns, measured 8 to 64 hr after birth. Exceptional values were excluded referring to the estimated mean and standard deviations. Normal values are presented as mean ±2 S.D. for each sex. As compared with Caucasian newborns, the Japanese newborns showed longer inner canthal and shorter outer canthal distances, shorter ear lengths, and longer palm and middle finger lengths.     

Approximately 80% of Japanese osteoarthritic patients fall out of the safety range in restricted kinematically-aligned total knee arthroplasty in an analysis of preoperative long-leg radiograms

BackgroundRestricted kinematically-aligned total knee arthroplasty (KA-TKA) is a reasonable modification to avoid the alignment outlier that may cause implant failure. However, despite a noted high incidence of constitutional varus in Japanese individuals, there has been no investigation into how many knees require the restriction in restricted KA-TKA (RKA-TKA) among Japanese patients. Therefore, we conducted a study using preoperative long-leg radiograms.MethodsWe studied long-leg radiographs of 228 knees in 114 consecutive patients. The numbers of knees within the safety range and their corrective osteotomy angle in the restriction algorithms advocated by Almaawi et al. (2017) and MacDessi et al. (2020) were evaluated.ResultsAccording to the algorithms used by Almaawi et al. and MacDessi et al., out of 228 knees, 46 (20%) and 39 (17%) fell within the safety range, respectively. The mean correction angles of the hip-knee-ankle angle, lateral distal femoral angle and medial proximal tibial angle were 2.8 ± 3.4°, 0.4 ± 1.4° and 2.4 ± 2.8° in the algorithm used by Almaawi et al., while they were −4.9 ± 4.7°, 1.1 ± 2.5° and −6.0 ± 3.4° in the algorithm used by MacDessi et al. Most of the knees needed to be restricted in order to perform RKA-TKA, regardless of the algorithm used.ConclusionsBased on a preoperative analysis of long-leg radiograms in a Japanese population, most knees fall out of the safety range in RKA-TKA. Surgeons must consider whether to allow component outlier or to perform corrective osteotomy that likely requires soft tissue release.     

HLA-DRB1, -DQA1, -DQB1, -DPA1 and -DPB1 genes in Japanese multiple sclerosis patients

Japanese MS patients and controls were examined for the distribution of HLA-DRB1, -DQA1, -DQB1, -DPA1 and -DPB1 alleles using in vitro amplification of genomic DNA and probing with sequence-specific oligonucleotides. No significant difference in frequency of the examined alleles was observed among the two groups. This is in contrast to Norwegian MS patients, where an association to a combination of certain DQA1 and DQB1 alleles has previously been demonstrated.     

Genetic variations in five genes involved in the excitement of cardiomyocytes

We provide here 29 genetic variations, including 28 novel ones, in five genes that are potentially involved in the excitement of cardiomyocytes: we found 4 in KCNA10, 2 in KCNK1, 8 in KCNK6, 11 in SLC18A1 (VMAT1), and 4 in SLC6A2 (norepinephrine transporter). We also examined their allelic frequencies in a Japanese population of long QT syndrome-affected and nonaffected individuals. These data would be useful for genetic association studies designed to investigate acquired arrhythmias. Received: May 22, 2001 / Accepted: June 8, 2001     

Composition of Dietary Fatty Acids and Health Risks in Japanese Youths

In the overall composition of dietary fatty acids (FAs), the quantity of each FA is interrelated with that of others. We examined the associations between dietary FA composition and cardiometabolic risk in Japanese youths. Risk factors (anthropometric characteristics, serum lipid and liver enzyme levels, and blood pressure) were measured in 5485 junior-high-school students. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. The mean saturated FA (SFA), monounsaturated FA (MUFA), omega-6 polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs), and omega-3 PUFAs intake were 9.6%E, 10.3%E, 6.3%E, and 1.1%E, respectively. In compositional regression analysis controlled for confounders, a high intake of omega-6 PUFAs relative to others was associated with low low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol levels (LDL-C; p = 0.003), and relative SFA intake was associated with high levels of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (p = 0.019). Relative omega-3 PUFAs intake was associated with low blood pressure (p = 0.005–0.034) but had unfavorable effects on adiposity and alanine transaminase. Substitutional models showed similar results for omega-6 PUFAs on LDL-C, but MUFA had inconsistent effects on risk factors. The results from the compositional data analysis were consistent with previous studies and clinical practice/knowledge. Focusing on increasing omega-6 PUFAs in Japanese youths could have favorable consequences in the long term.     

流行性乙型脑炎患者体内干扰素变化的临床意义

目的 :了解流行性乙型脑炎 (乙脑 )患者体内干扰素 (IFN)水平的变化。方法 :采用细胞病变抑制法 (CPE)检测5 1例乙脑患者血清及脑脊液 (CSF)中的IFN水平。结果 :(1)急性期血清及CSF中的IFN水平均显著升高 ,恢复期显著下降 ,但仍明显高于正常对照 ;CSF中的含量高于血液 ,并与病情的严重程度关系密切。 (2 )采用IFN肌肉注射治疗的患者用药后血清中IFN升高 ,但CSF中IFN水平未见升高 ,而且临床主要症状及体征改善与未用IFN组无显著差异。结论　 (1)IFN参与了乙型脑炎的发病过程。 (2 )IFN治疗并不能提高疗效 ,临床上不易贸然使用 ,需寻找其它更为有效的抗病毒治疗方法。