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Masaaki Isaka,1– 3 Ken Sugimoto,1,4 Hiroshi Akasaka,1 Yukiko Yasunobe,1 Toshimasa Takahashi,1 Keyu Xie,1 Yuri Onishi,1 Shino Yoshida,1 Tomohiro Minami,1 Koichi Yamamoto,1 Kei Kamide,1,2 Hiromi Rakugi1 1Department of Geriatric and General Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan; 2Department of Health Science, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan; 3Physical Therapy, Osaka Yukioka College of Health Science, Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan; 4Department of General Geriatric Medicine, Kawasaki Medical School, Okayama, Okayama, JapanCorrespondence: Ken Sugimoto, Department of General Geriatric Medicine, Kawasaki Medical School, 2-6-1, Nakasange, Kita-ku, Okayama, Okayama, 700-8505, Japan, Tel +81 86 225 2111, Fax +81 86 232 8343, Email ksugimoto@med.kawasaki-m.ac.jpPurpose: Muscle mass, a key index for the diagnosis of sarcopenia, is currently assessed using the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI) by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Muscle thickness (MT) assessed by ultrasonography (US) may be a better determinant and/or predictor of muscle condition than ASMI. Thus, we compared it to the ASMI determined by the BIA.Patients and Methods: Our study included 165 ambulatory older adults (84 males, 81 females, mean age: 76.82 years). The ASMI by the BIA method, MT by US, and the distribution of body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage (BFP) were examined using defined values for men and women. These were used as the basis for examining the association of MT and ASMI with handgrip strength (HGS), leg muscle strength (LMS), gait speed (GS), and echo intensity (EI). We compared HGS, LMS, GS, and EI for high and low ASMI among lower BMI or BFP. The same was also done for MT assessed by US.Results: MT, as well as ASMI, was strongly associated with HGS and LMS. There was a correlation between MT and GS and EI but not between ASMI and GS and EI. There were significant differences in the prevalence between high ASMI and high MT or low ASMI and low MT in those with lower BMI or BFP. In non-overweight participants, HGS, LMS, GS, and EI were significantly higher in those with high MT than in those with low MT; however, there were no significant differences in them between those with high and low ASMI.Conclusion: In the non-overweight group, the MT assessment by US showed a stronger relationship to muscle strength and muscle quality than the ASMI assessment by BIA. The MT assessment using US is a useful alternative to BIA-assessed ASMI, especially in non-overweight participants.Keywords: tibialis anterior muscle, muscle thickness, echo intensity, body type, muscle strength

Mitsuru Seki, Takaomi Minami Department of Pediatrics, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, JapanCorrespondence: Mitsuru Seki, Department of Pediatrics, Jichi Medical University, 3311-1, Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan, Tel +81-285-58-7366, Fax +81-285-44-6123, Email m-seki@jichi.ac.jpAbstract: Kawasaki disease (KD), first reported as an acute febrile mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, is a self-limiting vasculitis of unknown etiology. The most important aspect of KD is the prevention of coronary artery lesion (CAL) because myocardial ischemia or infarction due to CAL might be lethal. In addition to the CAL, patients with KD develop systemic vasculitis, which indicates the presence of vascular endothelial damage. Studies assessing pulse wave velocity or percentage change in flow-mediated dilatation have shown that aortic stiffness is increased in patients with KD history. In contrast, the cardio-ankle vascular index, a novel parameter not affected by blood pressure, has not demonstrated increased aortic stiffness in patients with KD. Although many studies using various parameters have suggested a risk of atherosclerosis in patients with a history of KD, a few others have reported no significant differences between KD patients and controls. Therefore, it will be necessary to thoroughly understand the characteristics of each parameter, before evaluating the results of those studies, to understand systemic vascular dysfunction in these populations, and to manage their vascular health. Although it is controversial whether the risk of atherosclerosis in patients with KD is higher, those with CAL are thought to be at a high risk of atherosclerosis. Therefore, appropriate treatment to prevent CAL in the acute phase and subsequent regular follow-up is important. Here, we review the pathology, risk, and management of vascular disorders, especially systemic vascular disorders, in patients with KD history.Keywords: vasculitis, aortic stiffness, atherosclerosis, vascular health

The distribution pattern of the connection length in the divertor region of Heliotron J was calculated by the field line tracing method. A multifold layer structure, characterized by the range of connection length, was revealed to interpret the response of the transport of the lower‐charged impurity ions to the divertor structure. Impurity transport simulated by the EMC3‐EIRENE code shows that lower‐charged impurity ions tend to concentrate in the first multifold layer. This result is consistent with the line‐integral extreme ultraviolet spectroscopy measurement, which implies that the impurity's response to the divertor topological structure needs to be considered in interpreting the spectroscopy result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mamoru Hashimoto,1 Nobutaka Shimizu,1 Mitsuhisa Nishimoto,1 Takafumi Minami,1 Kazutoshi Fujita,1 Kazuhiro Yoshimura,1 Akihide Hirayama,2 Hirotsugu Uemura1 1Department of Urology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Japan; 2Department of Urology, Kindai Nara Hospital, Osaka-Sayama, JapanCorrespondence: Nobutaka ShimizuDepartment of Urology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, 377-2, Ohno-Higashi, Osaka-Sayama, Osaka, 589-8511, JapanTel +81-72-366-0221Fax +81-72-365-6273Email shimizun@med.kindai.ac.jpPurpose: This study aimed to elucidate the relationship of psoas muscle atrophy and visceral obesity with lower urinary tract symptoms in geriatric female patients.Patients and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of female patients aged ≥ 65 years. The psoas muscle index was defined, using computed tomography, as the cross-sectional area of the psoas muscle at the third lumbar vertebral level divided by the body surface area. We also measured visceral fat area at the umbilical level using computed tomography. We used logistic regression analysis to examine the relationships between the International Prostate Symptom Score (total score, voiding subscore, and storage subscore) and variables, such as age, body mass index, psoas muscle index, and visceral fat area. The International Prostate Symptom Score was categorized as mild, moderate, or severe.Results: One hundred thirty-nine patients were included in our study. In the logistic regression analysis, we found statistically significant relationships between severe (versus mild-to-moderate) International Prostate Symptom Score storage subscore and variables, including low and high levels of psoas muscle index and visceral fat area, respectively. We could not find any significant relationships between the International Prostate Symptom Score total score and voiding subscore and the variables.Conclusion: Psoas muscle atrophy and visceral fat accumulation are potential risk factors for severe storage symptoms in female patients aged ≥ 65 years.Keywords: female, International Prostate Symptom Score, overactive bladder symptom, psoas muscle, visceral fat

The experimental studies on zonal flows and turbulence have been carried out in Compact Helical System [K. Matsuoka, S. Kubo, M. Hosokawa, in Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research, Proc. 12th Int. Conf., Nice, 1988 (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1989, Vol. 2, p. 411] using twin heavy ion beam probes. The paper presents the experimental observations of stationary zonal flow, nonlinear couplings between zonal flow and turbulence, and the role of zonal flow in the improved confinement, together with the recent discovery of zonal magnetic field. The presented experimental results strongly support the new paradigm that the plasma transport should be considered as a system of drift wave and zonal flows, and provides the first direct evidence for turbulence dynamo that the structured magnetic field can be really generated by turbulence. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.

A zonal magnetic field is found in a toroidal plasma. The magnetic field has a symmetric bandlike structure, which is uniform in the toroidal and poloidal directions and varies radially with a finite wavelength of mesoscale, which is analogous to zonal flows. A time-dependent bicoherence analysis reveals that the magnetic field should be generated by the background plasma turbulence. The discovery is classified as a new kind of phenomenon of structured magnetic field generation, giving insight into phenomena such as dipole field generation in rotational planets.

(Introduction) Anemia is believed to be caused by dilutional anemia in boys due to an increase in circulating blood volume as height increases, and anemia in girls is attributed to blood loss caused by menstruation. At each phase we observed iron deficiency related to anemia in children playing sports. (Methods) A total of 349 subjects, 209 boys and 140 girls, aged 9 to 17, who were playing sports, were included in the study. phases were identified from growth records and blood measurements were compared. (Results) In boys, there was an increase in hemoglobin volume and total testosterone in each phase, but a significant decrease in ferritin in phaseII (p<0.01). In girls, there was also an significant increase in creatinine in phaseIV. (Discussion) Before menarche in boys and girls, before the maximum annual growth rate, phase II showed increased hemoglobin levels and no dilutional anemia. What occurred in phase II in boys was iron deficiency due to decreased ferritin. In boys, hemoglobin levels did not decrease due to hematopoietic effects of increased total testosterone. In girls, iron deficiency was always present, and the decrease in ferritin in phaseIV was thought to be related to an increase in skeletal muscle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(Objective) Growth-related bone disorders in boys' sports injuries are known to occur frequently during growth spurt, and growth phase (phase) s are used to categorize the timing of sports disorder (SD) s. On the other hand, the relationship between fatigue fractures and growth phases is not clear. We examined the occurrence of SDs based on body composition. (Methods) 151 boys and 123 girls, aged 9 to 18 years, who engaged in sports activities at least 5 days per week, were included. The incidence of 306 SDs that occurred were reviewed. (Results) EDs were observed most frequently in phase II among boys (26 cases) and those who developed EDs had significantly lower height and lean body mass. In girls, only 8 cases of Eds were reported. FFs were most common in phase III (20 boys and 18 girls, respectively). (Discussion) EDs were more common in boys before their peak growth period, while in girls, a low BMI was considered a risk factor for FFs, but there was no inferiority in the physique of the affected individuals. In boys, The results suggest that increased skeletal muscle may contribute to the development of FFs in boys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Letter presents experimental confirmation of the presence of zonal flows in magnetically confined toroidal plasma using an advanced diagnostic system--dual heavy ion beam probes. The simultaneous observation of an electric field at two distant toroidal locations (approximately 1.5 m apart) in the high temperature (approximately 1 keV) plasma provides a fluctuation spectrum of electric field (or flow), a spatiotemporal structure of the zonal flows (characteristic radial length of approximately 1.5 cm and lifetime of approximately 1.5 ms), their long-range correlation with toroidal symmetry (n=0), and the difference in the zonal flow amplitude with and without a transport barrier. These constitute essential elements of turbulence-zonal flow systems, and illustrate one of the fundamental processes of structure formation in nature.

Koichi Sugimoto,1,2 Takahiro Akiyama,2 Nobutaka Shimizu,1 Naoki Matsumura,1,2 Mamoru Hashimoto,1 Takafumi Minami,1 Kazuhiro Nose,1 Masahiro Nozawa,1 Kazuhiro Yoshimura,1 Hirotsugu Uemura1 1Department of Urology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Osaka, Japan; 2Department of Urology, Sakai-Onshinkai Hospital, Sakai, Osaka, Japan Abstract: Acute urinary retention is the most common urological emergency. To resolve this emergency, urethral catheterization is performed. If the procedure fails and permanent transurethral catheterization is required, the patient’s quality of life is significantly affected. Therefore, catheter-free treatment is the ideal goal of therapy for patients with acute urinary retention. Especially, for women, placement of a catheter poses a cosmetic problem. Therefore, the aim of this study was to treat female patients who had already received urapidil/distigmine bromide with acotiamide. Acotiamide was administered at a dose of 100 mg three times daily for 2 weeks, and the outcome of trial without catheter was evaluated. Only female patients were enrolled for this study. Treatment proved successful and all patients become catheter free. Keywords: female, acute urinary retention, acotiamide hydrochloride hydrate