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Biomedical subjects

J Kitagawa

Publications and source records attributed to J Kitagawa.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Effect of daily walking steps on ultrasound parameters of the calcaneus in elderly Japanese women.

In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the effect of daily walking steps on ultrasound parameters of the calcaneus in elderly Japanese women. The subjects were 143 community-dwelling elderly women aged 61-87 years (mean age 71.4+/-5.5 years). The speed of sound (SOS), broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) and the stiffness index (Stiffness) of the calcaneus were measured. Walking steps were recorded using a pedometer for 7 consecutive days as an outcome measure of physical activity. In univariate analyses, steps/day significantly decreased with aging. SOS, BUA and Stiffness showed negative correlations with age and positive correlations with weight. Linear relationships were not seen between any of the ultrasound parameters and daily walking steps. Then, the ultrasound parameters were adjusted for age and/or weight using multiple regression models, and the relationships between the adjusted ultrasound measurements and walking steps were examined using quadratic regression models. Walking activity up to approximately 12,000 steps/day was positively associated with the adjusted ultrasound measurements, above which additional walking steps had no positive effect. We conclude that daily walking steps may be suitable for evaluating the relationship between ultrasound parameters and physical activity in elderly women, but further research is needed to confirm the effect of daily walking steps on the rate of bone loss.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1985

A new index of autonomic neuropathy in diabetes mellitus: heat stimulated thermographic patterns.

Autonomic neuropathy, especially sympathicopathy, a life-threatening complication of diabetes mellitus, has been difficult to evaluate, and remains undetermined. We studied the thermographic patterns of 62 patients (50-69 years old), revealing the vasodilated activities of one leg by immersing the other leg in a warm water bath, for the detection of sympathetic neuropathy, using Thermoviewer MDJTG-MD. The normal pattern shows an increase in skin temperature, while the flat pattern shows no rise or even a paradoxical decrease. The latter had a significantly longer duration of diabetes and poor blood sugar control. The thermographic pattern is closely related to microangiopathy, R-R interval variation and motor nerve conduction velocity. However, R-R interval variation is often abnormal in patients with normal thermographic patterns, showing vasosympathetic abnormalities appearing far later in the development of diabetic neuropathy. The flat pattern develops slowly after at least several years of poor blood sugar control. Change in the pattern is also gradual and slow. The reproducibility of the pattern is excellent and requires relatively simple and noninvasive techniques. Thermography is one of the most reliable, reproducible and noninvasive indexes for finding and following diabetic sympathetic abnormalities.

Aged↗
PubMed1976

[Pharmacological comparison between enflurane and halothane].

General pharmacological properties of enflurane (E) and halothane (H) were investigated. Maximum blood concentrations of both drugs reached 30 min after inhalation. E showed lower maximum blood concentration, initial velocity of uptake and shorter half life than H. Neither drug had any effect on neuromuscular junction, but E increased N-M effect of succinylcholine. Both drugs decreased tension of uterine and intestine muscles. Poly- and monosynaptic reflexes were inhibited more by H. ED50's of E and H for intestine muscles. Poly- and monosynaptic reflexes were inhibited more by H. ED50's of E and H for righting reflux were 1.25 and 1.40%, respectively. Tonic and clonic convulsions and death induced by electric shock were inhibited more by E. Almost equal anticonvulsive potency was observed for chemoshocks. Death due to electric and chemoshock was remarkably inhibited by both drugs. Spontaneous EEG was altered in a different manner, although flattened with spikes at 4% concentration of both drugs. E altered rhythmicity of recruiting response and both drugs inhibited this response. H inhibited more remarkably the augmenting response and E inhibited the arousal response. E increased negative potentials of the primary response evoked by sensory stimulation, while H decreased these potentials. Both drugs completely inhibited the secondary response.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Event-related potentials (ERPs) associated with omitted somatosensory stimuli.

Late positive ERP components elicited by omitted somatosensory stimuli in passive paradigm (passive MSPP) and in active time-estimation paradigm (active MSPP) were studied in healthy subjects with single-trial analysis and conventional averages. The active MSPP was also compared with P3 component elicited by somatosensory target stimuli (target P3). Single-trial analysis showed clearly discernible passive MSPP in response to omitted stimuli of the median nerve, whereas passive MSPP was hardly detected in response to omitted stimuli of the index finger. The subjects might pay passive attention to absence of somatosensory stimuli together with absence of the thumb muscle twitches. Single-trial analysis revealed a significantly greater latency fluctuation in passive MSPP than in active MSPP. The active MSPP showed a greater latency fluctuation than the target P3. The active MSPP showed a significantly longer latency and a smaller amplitude than the target P3 in conventional averages. Topography of active MSPP showed a symmetric central-parietal maximal distribution similar to that of target P3.

Adult↗