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[Purpose] This study aimed to investigate the differences in the acute effects of virtual and actual throwing training on throwing performance. [Participants and Methods] Twenty healthy men and six women with no boccia experience were randomly divided into the virtual and non-virtual groups. The task involved throwing boccia balls at target sets of 2 (short), 5 (middle), and 9 m (long). Both the groups were trained in three rows for each condition. The distance from the ball to the target was calculated as throwing accuracy for both pre- and post-training. Confidence in throwing was measured using a visual analog scale pre-and immediately post-training. A two-way analysis of variance with a post-hoc Bonferroni test or t-test was conducted for throwing accuracy and confidence. [Results] For throwing accuracy, the post hoc test results showed that both groups improved after training, but only in the middle-distance throw. Throwing confidence improved after training in both groups. [Conclusion] Boccia-throwing training using virtual reality may have an acute training effect comparable to that of actual training., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest to declare., (2024©by the Society of Physical Therapy Science. Published by IPEC Inc.)

Safety evaluation is essential for the development of chemical substances. Since in vivo safety evaluation tests, such as carcinogenesis tests, require long-term observation using large numbers of experimental animals, it is necessary to develop alternative methods that can predict genotoxicity/carcinogenicity in the short term, taking into account the 3Rs (replacement, reduction, and refinement). We established a prediction model of the hepatotoxicity of chemicals using a DNA adductome, which is a comprehensive analysis of DNA adducts that may be used as an indicator of DNA damage in the liver. An adductome was generated with LC-high-resolution accurate mass spectrometer (HRAM) on liver of rats exposed to various chemicals for 24 h, based on two independent experimental protocols. The resulting adductome dataset obtained from each independent experiment (experiments 1 and 2) and integrated dataset were analyzed by linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and found to correctly classify the chemicals into the following four categories: non-genotoxic/non-hepatocarcinogens (-/-), genotoxic/non-hepatocarcinogens (+/-), non-genotoxic/hepatocarcinogens (-/+), and genotoxic/hepatocarcinogens (+/+), based on their genotoxicity/carcinogenicity properties. A prototype model for predicting the genotoxicity/carcinogenicity of the chemicals was established using machine learning methods (using random forest algorithm). When the prototype genotoxicity/carcinogenicity prediction model was used to make predictions for experiments 1 and 2 as well as the integrated dataset, the correct response rates were 89 % (genotoxicity), 94 % (carcinogenicity) and 87 % (genotoxicity/carcinogenicity) for experiment 1, 47 % (genotoxicity), 62 % (carcinogenicity) and 42 % (genotoxicity/carcinogenicity) for experiment 2, and 52 % (genotoxicity), 62 % (carcinogenicity), and 48 % (genotoxicity/carcinogenicity) for the integrated dataset. To improve the accuracy of the toxicity prediction model, the toxicity label was reconstructed as follows; Pattern 1: when +/+ and -/- chemicals were used from the toxicity labels +/+, +/-, -/+ and -/-; and Pattern 2: when +/+, +/-, and -/+ other than -/- were replaced with the label "Others". As a result, chemicals with only +/+ and -/- toxicity labels were used and the correct response rates were approximately 100 % for the measured data in experiment 1, 53 %-66 % for the data in experiment 2, and 59-73 % for the integrated data, all of which were 10 %-30 % higher compared with the data before the label change. In contrast, when the toxicity labels were replaced with -/- and "Others", they reached nearly 100 % in the measured data from experiment 1, 65 %-75 % in the data from experiment 2, and 70 %-78 % in the integrated data, all of which were 10 %-50 % higher compared with the data before the label change., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament injuries are serious conditions encountered in volleyball players and occur frequently during spike jump landings. During spike jumps, the lower limb kinematics and kinetics during landing may be altered in relation to the ball position., Research Question: Does the ball position have an effect on lower-limb kinematics and kinetics during spike jumps?, Methods: We measured the lower limb kinematics and kinetics of 20 healthy female college volleyball athletes during a spike jump using a three-dimensional motion analysis system. The ball positions were set to normal, dominant, and non-dominant positions. A repeated analysis of variance was used to compare the lower limb kinematics and kinetics at the initial contact and the maximum knee flexion during jump landing. Additionally, statistical parametric mapping analysis was used to analyze changes over time during the spike jumps., Results: At the initial contact of the spike jump landing, the knee valgus angle, trunk lateral bending angle, and maximum knee valgus moment when the ball was set at the non-dominant position increased compared to those at the dominant position. Statistical parametric mapping analysis showed no significant change in knee valgus angle and moment of jump landing., Conclusion: Knee valgus angle, trunk lateral bending angle, and maximum knee valgus moment increased with the non-dominant position; furthermore, the risk of ACL injury may also be increased., Significance: The posture at ball impact may influence the landing kinematics and kinetics. Therefore, it is necessary to pay close attention to movements during and prior to landing., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest We have no any financial and personal relationships with people or organizations that could inappropriately influence (bias) this work., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The forced turnout has a perceived risk of development of hallux valgus (HV) in ballet dancers. We determined how the forced turnout affects the sagittal mobility of the first tarsometatarsal (TMT) joint, which is one of the pathogenic factors of HV development. Seventeen female ballet dancers (body mass index: 18.2 ± 1.8 kg/m 2 ) were included and performed demi-plié in control, functional turnout, and forced turnout conditions. Ultrasound imaging synchronized with a three-dimensional motion analysis system was used for measuring the vertical locations of the first metatarsal and medial cuneiform (MC) to evaluate the first TMT joint mobility. Plantar displacement of MC and the first TMT joint mobility in the forced turnout were the greatest among the 3 conditions. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the greater extent of the forcing angle might increase the displacement of MC and the first TMT joint mobility. Evaluating the sagittal mobility of the first TMT joint in the forced turnout can assist in understanding the association between inappropriate techniques including the forced turnout and HV development in ballet dancers. Since the excessive mobility of the first TMT joint is a factor in HV development, the acquirement of adequate active turnout may have the potential to prevent HV development in ballet dancers., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This study aimed to investigate how width affects the design evaluation of sliding boards with a new shape. Ten caregivers at a senior facility evaluated five types of boards every two weeks. The new shape board received high ratings as the width increased, with a SUS (System Usability Scale) score of 68.5 points (95% CI 60.6-76.4). Compared to the traditional rectangular board, which had a width of 250 mm and a thickness of 5 mm, the new shape board (with a central width of 163 mm and a thickness of 8 mm) received higher ratings by 0.68 points (95% CI 0.31-1.05)using a paired comparison method. The results of a quantitative study on the usability of sliding boards from the perspective of caregivers indicated that for similar board shapes with a length of 650 mm and a thickness of 8 mm, the evaluation increases as the width increases in the range of 130 mm to 163 mm at the center.

Objective: In Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, there were the rule and goal size changes at the blind football competition. This study aimed to compare the scoring and head impact characteristics during blind football competition between the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games using the official videos., Design: Video-based observational study., Participants: In total, 36 blind football (men's football 5-a-side) game videos were obtained from the official International Paralympic Committee., Primary and Secondary Outcome Measures: Head impact was defined as the sudden contact of any object with the head. Videos were analysed to assess the number of scores and head impacts along with their corresponding details (ie, round, playing phase, scoring situation, impact situation, occurrence area, impact object, head impact site, fall and foul)., Results: The total number of goals scored at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games was nearly double that at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Regarding head impacts, a total of 2036 cases (Rio 2016, n=1105; Tokyo 2020, n=931) were evaluated. Significant differences were observed in head impact characteristics between the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games among seven outcomes (round, scoring situation, impact situation, occurrence area, impact object, site of head impact and fall)., Conclusions: Compared with the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games showed an increase in the number of points scored and different head impact characteristics., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Purpose: To quantify the vertical translation between the first metatarsal and medial cuneiform during the stance phase of gait in young individuals with and without hallux valgus., Design: This cross-sectional observational study included 34 young adults (male, n = 4; female, n = 30) who were divided into three groups according to the hallux valgus angle: control (< 20°, n = 13), mild hallux valgus (≥ 20° to < 30°, n = 12), and moderate hallux valgus (≥ 30°, n = 9). The mobility of the first tarsometatarsal joint was evaluated during the stance phase using B-mode ultrasound synchronized with a motion analysis system., Results: The medial cuneiform shifted more plantar during the early phase in mild hallux valgus and during the middle and terminal phases in moderate hallux valgus than in control. The severity of the hallux valgus was correlated with a trend toward plantar shift of the medial cuneiform. The first metatarsal was located more dorsal than the medial cuneiform; however, there was no significant variation. No significant differences in the peak ankle plantarflexion angle and moment were noted between the groups., Conclusion: The hypermobility of the first tarsometatarsal joint, especially plantar displacement of the medial cuneiform in the sagittal plane, was found in young individuals with hallux valgus during the stance phase of gait, and the mobility increased with the severity of hallux valgus. Our findings suggest the significance of preventing hallux valgus deformity early in life., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Difficulties in the accurate evaluation of tibiofibular clear space in plain radiographs are diagnostic problems in the clinical setting of syndesmosis injury. This study aimed to quantify the anterior tibiofibular gap (ATFG) with weight-bearing using ultrasonography., Methods: In total, 32 healthy adults (16 men and 16 women) with 64 feet participated in this cross-sectional study. The ATFG was measured along the anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament for a US assessment conducted in both sitting and standing postures. The ankle joint was set on the tilt table at four different angles as follows: plantar flexion, 20° (P20); neutral position (N); dorsiflexion, 20° (D20); and dorsiflexion, 20°+ external rotation, 30° (D20ER30). The ankle joint position, sex, and side-to-side values were compared with and without weight-bearing., Results: Under all ankle angle conditions, the ATFG was wider in the standing posture than in the sitting posture (p < 0.001). In both sitting and standing postures, the ATFG widened with increasing dorsiflexion angle, eventually reaching a maximum at D20ER30. The widening ratio (D20ER30/N) in the standing posture was higher in women than in men (p < 0.05). No statistical differences were identified side-to-side differences in the ATFG., Conclusions: Ultrasound measurements for identifying unphysiological increases in ATFG with weight bearing, especially given the side-to-side differences, may provide a means for quantitatively assessing syndesmosis injury in a clinical setting. Further research is warranted to clarify direct attribution as a clinical diagnostic utility of the ATFG measurements for syndesmosis injuries., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 The Japanese Orthopaedic Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to investigate the 8-week selective training effect of the peroneus longus (PL) and the peroneus brevis (PB) on muscle morphology, echogenicity, and ankle strength and to examine post-intervention detraining effects. Twenty healthy participants without orthopedic disease in the lower extremities were assigned to either the PL intervention group (training consisted of pushing the Thera-Band® out from the ball of the foot to emphasize ankle eversion) or the PB intervention group (training consisted of pulling the Thera-Band® from the base of the fifth metatarsal to enhance ankle valgus and external rotation). Each intervention was performed three times per week for 8 weeks. The cross-sectional area (CSA), thickness, echogenicity, and ankle strength of the PL and the PB were measured before week 1 and after each training session. Detraining effects were evaluated after the 8-week intervention. The results revealed a significant interaction between within-group (week) and between-group (type of intervention) variables on CSA and ankle strength of both the PL and the PB. Over the 8-week training period, the CSA and ankle strength of the PL significantly increased in the PL intervention group, as did the CSA and ankle strength of the PB in the PB intervention group (p < 0.05). The residual effect of muscle hypertrophy was observed during the detraining period. In conclusion, 8-week selective PL and PB training interventions can increase the CSA and ankle strength of these muscles over time. Long-term selective intervention is required to improve peroneus muscle morphology and function, with separate assessments of the CSA and ankle strength of the PL and the PB., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © Academy of Physical Education in Katowice.)

Background: In response to the serious lack of physical activity among young adults, recent attempts have been made to encourage young people to exercise through exercise video distribution. However, merely distributing videos does not lead to improved physical activity levels. Metaverse space, which enables web-based interaction through avatars, allows users to watch exercise videos in the same space as other avatars., Objective: This study explored whether exercise video distribution using metaverse space is effective in improving physical activity levels, along with mental health and locomotive function, among young people., Methods: In this parallel-group randomized controlled trial participants were recruited using printed poster displays. A total of 48 young adults aged between 18 and 30 years were assigned to 3 groups of 16 each: the metaverse, YouTube, and control group. To encourage exercise, the metaverse group was given an exercise video each week with a load of around 4-8 metabolic equivalents of tasks (METs) for 8 videos delivered in the metaverse space. The YouTube group was sent a URL on YouTube every week to view exercise videos with the same content as the metaverse group. The control group was given no special instructions. The intervention period was 8 weeks. Pre- and postintervention physical activity, well-being, locomotive syndrome risk tests, and social capital were measured. Although this study was not blinded to the participants, the measurers did not know to which group the participants belonged. Mixed model repeated-measures analyses and a post hoc Wilcoxon signed rank sum test were performed to detect the effects of the intervention in all groups., Results: The results of the mixed model repeated-measures analyses showed a significant interaction between groups and before and after the intervention for total physical activity (metaverse group: pre 737.1, SD 609.5 METs/week, post 1575.4, SD 1071.8 METs/week; YouTube group: pre 661.7, SD 710.7 METs/week, post 911.9, SD 1103.3 METs/week; and control group: pre 930.6, SD 665.1 METs/week, post 844.7, SD 701.8 METs/week; P=.04) but none for the indicators of well-being (P=.40), locomotive function scale (P=.17), and social capital (P=.23). A post hoc test showed a significant increase in physical activity in the metaverse group before and after the intervention (P=.006)., Conclusions: This study is the first to show that delivering exercise videos through metaverse space can increase physical activity in young adults by providing a gathering space for individuals similarly motivated for exercise practice. This way, the sense of isolation during exercise is reduced compared with merely distributing videos on YouTube. The use of metaverse space in health promotion is likely to spread, and this study provides a useful reference for its exploration., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06019156; https://ichgcp.net/clinical-trials-registry/NCT06019156., (©Rami Mizuta, Noriaki Maeda, Tsubasa Tashiro, Yuta Suzuki, Sayo Kuroda, Ayano Ishida, Sakura Oda, Tomoya Watanabe, Yuki Tamura, Makoto Komiya, Yukio Urabe. Originally published in JMIR mHealth and uHealth (https://mhealth.jmir.org), 16.01.2024.)

Background: Foot arch dynamics play an important role in dynamic postural control. Association between foot arch dynamics and postural control among adolescent athletes remains poorly explored., Objective: To examine the relationship between foot arch dynamics, intrinsic foot muscle (IFM) morphology, and toe flexor strength and dynamic postural stability after jump landing and repetitive rebound jump performance in competitive adolescent athletes., Methods: Based on foot arch dynamics, evaluated from relative change in the foot arch height in sitting and standing positions, 50 adolescent athletes were classified as stiff, normal, or flexible. IFM morphology was evaluated by ultrasonography. Dynamic postural stability index (DPSI) was measured as participants jumped and landed with the right leg onto a force plate, whereas repetitive rebound jumping performance was assessed using the jump height and reactive jump index., Results: The stiff group had a significantly worse DPSI and vertical stability index than the normal group (p= 0.26, p= 0.44, respectively), and worse anteroposterior stability index (APSI) values than the flexible group (p= 0.005). Multivariate regression models of the relationship between the APSI and foot arch dynamics showed adequate power (probability of error = 0.912)., Conclusions: Increased foot arch stiffness negatively affects dynamic balance during jump-landing, which may deteriorate their performance.

Occupational exposure to aromatic amines (AAs) is an important risk factor for urinary bladder cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of AAs and analyze the carcinogenic mechanisms in rat bladder by comprehensive analysis of DNA adducts (DNA adductome). DNA was extracted from the bladder epithelia of rats treated with AAs, including acetoacet- o -toluidine (AAOT) and o -toluidine (OTD), and adductome analysis was performed. Principal component analysis-discriminant analysis revealed that OTD and AAOT observed in urinary bladder hyperplasia could be clearly separated from the controls and other AAs. After confirming the intensity of each adduct, four adducts were screened as having characteristics of the OTD/AAOT treatment. Comparing with the in-house DNA adduct database, three of four candidates were identified as oxidative DNA adducts, including 8-OH-dG, based on mass fragmentation together with high-resolution accurate mass (HRAM) spectrometry data. Therefore, findings suggested that oxidative stress may be involved in the toxicity of rat bladder epithelium exposed to AAs. Consequently, the administration of apocynin, an inhibitor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase, in six-week-old rats fed with 0.6% OTD in their diet resulted in simple hyperplastic lesions in the bladder that were suppressed by apocynin. The labeling indices of Ki67, γ-H2AX, and 8-OHdG were significantly decreased in an apocynin concentration-dependent manner. These findings indicate that oxidative stress may have contributed to the development of urinary cancer induced by OTD.

Background: Competitive adolescent athletes should be aware of the early signs of chronic ankle instability (CAI) and the connection between the condition and performance., Purpose: To investigate whether CAI is related to foot alignment and morphology as well as dynamic postural stability after a jump landing among adolescent competitive athletes with and without a history of a lateral ankle sprain and CAI., Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3., Methods: Between July 2020 and August 2021, adolescent competitive athletes (N = 85; n = 49 boys; n = 36 girls) were classified into 3 groups using Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT) scores: healthy athletes (n = 55), coper athletes (n = 19), and athletes with CAI (n = 11). Results of foot alignment assessments involving the leg-heel angle (LHA) and navicular height, intrinsic foot muscle morphology, dynamic postural stability index (DPSI), and other parameters were compared among the 3 groups. The relationship between the CAIT score and the LHA and dynamic postural stability and instability were examined using multiple linear regression., Results: Compared with the healthy group, the CAI group had a significantly greater LHA (8.73°± 3.22° vs 6.09°± 3.26°; P < .05), higher DPSI (0.336 ± 0.046 vs 0.298 ± 0.035), and higher vertical stability index (0.303 ± 0.048 vs 0.264 ± 0.037; P < .05 for all). Multiple regression analysis showed that the LHA (β = -0.228; P = .033) and DPSI (β = -0.240; P = .025) were significantly associated with the CAIT score ., Conclusion: Valgus rearfoot alignment and poorer dynamic postural control were associated with CAI among adolescent athletes., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that there are no conflicts of interest in the authorship and publication of this contribution. AOSSM checks author disclosures against the Open Payments Database (OPD). AOSSM has not conducted an independent investigation on the OPD and disclaims any liability or responsibility relating thereto., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

Single-channel electrophysiological recordings provide insights into transmembrane ion permeation and channel gating mechanisms. The first step in the analysis of the recorded currents involves an "idealization" process, in which noisy raw data are classified into two discrete levels corresponding to the open and closed states of channels. This provides valuable information on the gating kinetics of ion channels. However, the idealization step is often challenging in cases of currents with poor signal-to-noise ratios and baseline drifts, especially when the gating model of the target channel is not identified. We report herein on a highly robust model-free idealization method for achieving this goal. The algorithm, called adaptive integrated approach for idealization of ion-channel currents (AI2), is composed of Kalman filter and Gaussian mixture model clustering and functions without user input. AI2 automatically determines the noise reduction setting based on the degree of separation between the open and closed levels. We validated the method on pseudo-channel-current datasets that contain either computed or experimentally recorded noise. We also investigated the relationship between the noise reduction parameter of the Kalman filter and the cutoff frequency of the low-pass filter. The AI2 algorithm was then tested on actual experimental data for biological channels including gramicidin A, a voltage-gated sodium channel, and other unidentified channels. We compared the idealization results with those obtained by the conventional methods, including the 50%-threshold-crossing method., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of the study is to evaluate the fall characteristics of wheelchair basketball players by sex and impairment classification using the official videos of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Paralympic Games., Design: This was a video-based observational study. In total, 42 men's and 31 women's wheelchair basketball game videos were obtained from the official International Paralympic Committee. The videos were analyzed to assess the number of falls, playing time of the fall, playing phase, contact, foul judgment, fall location/direction, and the body part that first impacted the floor., Results: A total of 1269 falls (men, n = 944; and women, n = 325) occurred. The analysis of men demonstrated significant differences in rounds, playing phase, location of fall, and body part first impacted. Women demonstrated significant differences in all categories except in rounds. Comparisons by functional impairment showed different trends for men and women., Conclusions: The detailed observation of videos suggested that men are more likely to have dangerous falls. There is a necessity for discuss the prevention measures based on sex and impairment classification., Competing Interests: Financial disclosure statements have been obtained, and no conflicts of interest have been reported by the authors or by any individuals in control of the content of this article., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The peroneus muscles are muscles that mainly act in ankle eversion and can be divided into PL and PB, which have different but important roles in foot and ankle functions. Therefore, PL and PB dysfunction can lead to foot and ankle issues, making. selective strength exercise necessary. This study aimed to identify the effect of two different exercise techniques on PL and PB morphologies. Two interventions were performed on separate days: the PL intervention, in which a Thera-Band ® was placed on the ball of the foot and pushed out from the contact point, and the PB intervention, in which the Thera-Band ® was pulled from the base of the fifth metatarsal. Cross-sectional area (CSA) and thickness of the peroneus muscles at 25% (showing the PL morphology) and 75% (showing the PB morphology) proximal to the line connecting the fibular head and lateral malleolus, as well as ankle strength was measured before and immediately after the interventions and at 10, 20, and 30 min later. A repeated-measures two-way analysis of variance was conducted to identify differences in the effects of the interventions on the PL and PB. Main and interaction effects on CSA, thickness, and ankle strength, with a significant increase in CSA and thickness in the proximal 25% in the PL intervention and the distal 75% in the PB intervention immediately after implementation, were observed (p < 0.05). The transient increase in muscle volume due to edema immediately after exercise indicates the acute effect of exercise. The CSA and thickness of the proximal 25% in the PL intervention and the distal 75% in the PB intervention increased immediately after the intervention, indicating that these interventions can be used to selectively exercise the PL and PB., (© Journal of Sports Science and Medicine.)

Abstract: Head impacts during blind football are common and have high injury rates; however, their characteristics and impact are still underreported. We compared head impact characteristics in blind football players with and without falls on all 18 official blind football match videos from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic games. The rate of head impacts with falls was significantly higher in the preliminary phase, offense phase, and during dribbling. Significant differences in the region of the head impacted were also observed among the impact subjects/objects. The findings in this study would contribute to the development of injury prevention measures to minimize head injuries from head impact in blind football., Competing Interests: Financial disclosure statements have been obtained, and no conflicts of interest have been reported by the authors or by any individuals in control of the content of this article., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationship between foot shape and intrinsic foot muscles (IFMs) in adolescent swimmers compared with other athletes. Foot morphology of swimmers was compared with other athletes of comparable age and a competition level (n = 32 [64 feet]; a total of 64 feet; 128 feet in two groups). Foot morphology and variables of IFMs were measured using a three-dimensional foot scanner and an ultrasound imaging system, respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis with forced entry was performed to clarify the association of the thickness and the cross-sectional area (CSA) of IMFs with the navicular height in both sitting and standing positions. Navicular height in a standing position, the thickness of the abductor hallucis (AbH) and the flexor digitorum brevis (FDB), as well as the CSA were significantly lower in swimmers compared with other athletes (p < 0.05). A larger CSA for the flexor hallucis brevis (FHB) was observed in swimmers than in other athletes (p < 0.01). The navicular height of swimmers in sitting and standing positions was positively correlated with the thickness and the CSA of the FHB and the FDB (p < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis showed that navicular height was associated with the CSA of the FDB in both sitting and standing positions (β = 0.395; p < 0.002, β = 0.201; p < 0.018). This study showed that the navicular height of elite adolescent swimmers was lower than that of other athletes. Furthermore, the swimmers' high navicular height was associated with the CSA of the FDB, suggesting that the FDB might be more involved in the formation of the medial longitudinal arch than the AbH., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest associated with this manuscript., (Copyright: © Academy of Physical Education in Katowice.)

Background: Foot malalignment can augment the risk of lower-extremity injuries and lead to musculoskeletal disorders. This study aimed to clarify the contribution of rearfoot alignment to plantar pressure distribution and spatiotemporal parameters during gait in healthy adolescent athletes., Methods: This retrospective study included 39 adolescent athletes who were divided into the rearfoot eversion and control groups according to a leg heel angle of 7°. A total of 78 legs were analyzed (45 and 33 legs in the rearfoot eversion [women, 53.3%] and control groups [women, 48.5%], respectively). Gait was assessed using an in-shoe plantar pressure measuring system and a wearable inertial sensor., Results: The foot plantar pressure distribution in the hallux was higher in the rearfoot eversion group than that in the control group ( p = 0.034). Spatiotemporal parameters showed that the foot pitch angle at heel strike was significantly larger in the rearfoot eversion group than that in the control group (24.5° vs. 21.7°; p = 0.015). Total sagittal range of motion of the ankle during the stance phase of gait was significantly larger in the rearfoot eversion group than that in the control group (102.5 ± 7.1° vs. 95.6 ± 15.8°; p = 0.020). Logistic regression analysis revealed that plantar pressure at the hallux and medial heel and foot pitch angle at heel strike were significantly associated with rearfoot eversion., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that rearfoot eversion affects the gait patterns of adolescent athletes. Notably, leg heel angle assessment, which is a simple and quick procedure, should be considered as an alternative screening tool for estimating plantar pressure and spatiotemporal gait parameters to prevent sports-related and overuse injuries in adolescent athletes.

Background: Intrinsic foot muscle exercises are used in clinical and sports practice to improve performance. Force generation during toe flexion is greater in the standing posture than in the sitting posture; nonetheless, the mechanism underlying the activation of intrinsic foot muscles during force generation and whether there exists a difference between these two postures still remain unclear., Research Question: Are the activities of intrinsic foot muscles affected by standing and sitting postures during gradual force generation?, Methods: Seventeen men participated in the laboratory based cross-sectional study. Each participant performed a force ramp-up toe flexion task from 0% to 80% of the maximal toe flexor strength (MTFS) in sitting and standing postures. High-density surface electromyography signals obtained during the task were determined by calculating the root mean square (RMS). Additionally, modified entropy and coefficient of variation (CoV) were calculated at 20-80 % MTFS for each 10 % MTFS., Results: The RMS between the two postures indicated an interaction effect (p < 0.01). Post-hoc analyses revealed that intrinsic foot muscle activity during the ramp-up task was significantly higher in the standing posture than in the sitting posture at 60 % MTFS (67.53 ± 15.91 vs 54.64 ± 19.28 % maximal voluntary contraction [MVC], p = 0.03), 70 % MTFS (78.11 ± 12.93 vs 63.28 ± 18.65 % MVC, p = 0.01), and 80 % MTFS (81.78 ± 14.07 vs 66.90 ± 20.32 % MVC, p = 0.02). In the standing posture, the modified entropy at 80 % MTFS was lower than that at 20 % MTFS (p = 0.03), and the CoV at 80 % MTFS was higher than that at 20 % MTFS (p = 0.03)., Significance: These results indicated that posture selection is important for high-intensity exercises of the intrinsic foot muscles, such as resistance training. Thus, improving performance related to toe flexor strength might be more effective when conducted under adequate weight-bearing situations, such as in the standing posture., Competing Interests: Declaration of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this work., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Dysmenorrhea is a monthly menstrual pain that can limit a woman's quality of life (QOL). The relationship between dysmenorrhea severity and QOL has been reported in several countries; however, the results cannot be generalized because lifestyle and cultural background affect menstrual pain. This study sought to uncover whether 1) different factors, such as emotions and ways of coping with symptoms, vary with the severity of dysmenorrhea and 2) the severity of dysmenorrhea ultimately affects QOL in Japan. A web-based cross-sectional survey was sent to 1000 Japanese females aged 16-30 years. The respondents were divided into two groups: those without dysmenorrhea (n = 24) and those with dysmenorrhea (n = 471). The severity of dysmenorrhea was classified using the Numerical Rating Scale as either mild (1-3), moderate (4-7), or severe (8-10). In total, 156 respondents reported mild dysmenorrhea, 249 reported moderate dysmenorrhea, and 66 reported severe dysmenorrhea. QOL was measured using the 26-item World Health Organization Quality of Life scale. One-way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare QOL across different levels of dysmenorrhea severity, depending on normality. Ultimately, significant differences in QOL scores (p<0.001) were observed based on dysmenorrhea severity, with respondents with severe dysmenorrhea reporting the lowest QOL scores. Meanwhile, significant differences were observed in the physical, psychological, and environmental subscales (p<0.001, p<0.001, p = 0.019) across respondents with different levels of dysmenorrhea severity; notably, respondents with severe dysmenorrhea demonstrated a negative spiral of chronic pain, which may significantly impact QOL, and, relatedly, a relatively low psychological QOL. This study is the first to show the relationship between dysmenorrhea severity and QOL in Japanese females, who are more likely to experience negative feelings during menstruation., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Mizuta et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: The characteristics of foot structure in adolescents and adults are different, affecting sports performance and leading to the progression of foot and lower extremity disorders., Research Question: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the intrinsic foot muscles (IFM) and plantar fascia morphology and the repetitive rebound jumping and jump landing ability in adolescent athletes., Methods: A total of 60 adolescent athletes (35 boys and 25 girls) participated in this study. B-mode ultrasonography was used to obtain images of the IFM and plantar fascia morphology [thickness and cross-sectional area (CSA) of the abductor hallucis (AbH), flexor hallucis brevis (FHB), flexor digitorum brevis (FDB), and thickness of the plantar fascia]. The repetitive rebound jump performance was evaluated using the Optojump™ system. Participants were instructed to jump five times continuously with one leg, jumping as high as possible with minimal ground contact time. The jump landing was assessed by measuring the dynamic posture stability index (DPSI) using forward one-legged jump landings., Results: The thickness and CSA of the AbH and FDB were positively correlated with the jump height and reactive jump index. The DPSI score was significantly correlated with the thickness of the AbH, but not with other IFMs or plantar fascia. In the multiple regression analysis, only the thickness of the FDB was associated with the jump height and reactive jump index, indicating that FDB thickness might facilitate adolescent athletes to jump higher with minimal contact time in repetitive rebounding movements., Significance: The IFM (especially FDB) should be focused on when examining sports performance in adolescent athletes., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: This study investigated how toe flexor muscles are related to postural stability in 11 ballet dancers and 12 non-dancers.
Methods: Toe flexor strength (TFS), cross-sectional areas (CSA) of the abductor hallucis, flexor hallucis brevis, flexor digitorum brevis, flexor hallucis longus (FHL), and flexor digitorum longus, and center of pressure (COP) displacement during single-leg demi-pointe were measured. Correlations between toe flexor strength and COP displacement and between CSA and COP displacement within each group were calculated using Pearson's correlation coefficient or Spearman's correlation coefficient.
Results: The dancers showed smaller COP displacement than the non-dancers (p < 0.05). Toe flexor strength in dancers was moderately negatively correlated with COP displacement in the anterior-pos- terior direction (r = -0.54, p < 0.01) and total COP displacement (r = -0.57, p < 0.01). Only the CSA of the FHL in dancers exhibited a significant negative correlation with COP displacement in the anterior-posterior direction (r = -0.42, p < 0.05) and total COP displacement (r = -0.52, p < 0.01).
Conclusion: The present study found a relationship between the toe flexor strength and COP displacement and CSA of toe flexor muscles and COP displacement during one-legged demi-pointe standing. These results suggest that the development of the toe flexor muscles may be involved in the balance control of dancers.

Wheelchair rugby is a contact sport in which falls are common and injury rates are high, yet the characteristics of the falls are still under-reported. We investigated the fall characteristics of men's wheelchair rugby players by functional classification, using all 36 official match videos from the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 summer Paralympic Games. The videos were analyzed to evaluate the number of falls, playing time when the fall occurred, playing phase (offense or defense), contact with other players, foul judgement, direction of the fall, and the body part first in contact with the floor. All 182 men's wheelchair rugby players (Rio 2016, 94; Tokyo 2020, 88) were classified as low-point players or high-point players depending on their functional classification. A total of 200 falls were detected, 27 (13.5%) for low-point players and 173 (86.5%) for high-point players. Significant differences were noted between low-point players and high-point players in the direction of the fall and body part first in contact with the floor. High-point players had more falls in the forward and left-right directions, whereas low-point players were characterized by a higher percentage of falls in the left-right and backward directions. Additionally, high-point players landed on the floor with their hands with high frequency, whereas low-point players landed with their elbows and shoulders more often. Our findings suggest the significance of devising measures to prevent falls during men's wheelchair rugby games according to their functional classification., (© 2022 Tsubasa Tashiro, Noriaki Maeda, Junpei Sasadai, Reia Shimizu, Akira Suzuki, Makoto Komiya, Kazuki Fukui, Shogo Tsutsumi, Satoshi Arima, Kazuki Kaneda, Mitsuhiro Yoshimi, Rami Mizuta, Takeru Abekura, Hinata Esaki, Tomoki Terada, Yukio Urabe, published by Sciendo.)

The bilayer lipid membrane (BLM) is the main structural component of cell membranes, in which various membrane proteins are embedded. Artificially formed BLMs have been used as a platform in studies of the functions of membrane proteins, including various ion channels. In this review, we summarize recent advances that have been made on artificial BLM systems for the analysis of ion channel functions. We focus on two BLM-based systems, cell-membrane mimicry and four-terminal BLM systems. As a cell-membrane-mimicking system, an efficient screening platform for the evaluation of drug side effects that act on a cell-free synthesized channel has been developed, and its prospects for use in personalized medicine will be discussed. In the four-terminal BLMs, we introduce "lateral voltage" to BLM systems as a novel input to regulate channel activities, in addition to the traditional transmembrane voltages. Such state-of-the-art technologies and new system setups are predicted to pave the way for a variety of applications, in both fundamental physiology and in drug discovery.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency of upper aerodigestive tract involvement in patients with mucous membrane pemphigoid associated with desquamative gingivitis., Subjects and Methods: Data from 25 patients were collected by retrospective chart review. Their upper aerodigestive had been evaluated using a conventional flexible fiberscope. Oral disease activity was quantified on the basis of the Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid Disease Area Index activity score., Results: Lesions of the upper aerodigestive tract were confirmed in nine symptomatic patients (9/25, 36%), of which five (5/25, 20%) had laryngeal involvement. No lesions were seen in the asymptomatic patients on fiberscope examination. There was a statistically significant difference in the symptoms, high oral disease activity score, and linear IgA deposition on direct immunofluorescence between patients with and without upper aerodigestive tract lesions (p = .001, .001, .002, respectively)., Conclusion: The high frequency of considerable complications highlights the importance of confirming the presence of upper aerodigestive tract involvement in patients with mucous membrane pemphigoid having desquamative gingivitis. Signs including the presence of symptoms, high oral disease activity score, or linear IgA deposition on direct immunofluorescence might indicate a higher risk of upper aerodigestive tract involvement., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objectives: To identify the fall characteristics of athletes in wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and descriptively compare these with those of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games., Design: Cross-sectional analysis., Primary and Secondary Outcome Measures: We obtained video footage from the International Paralympic Committee of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games that included 8 teams from each of the 18 wheelchair rugby and 10 wheelchair basketball games (men and women). The data were analysed to evaluate the number of falls, class difference (low or high pointer), time of play during the fall, phase of play, contact with other athletes, fall direction, fall location and the body part that first contacted the floor during the fall. These data from the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 games were compared., Results: Overall, 430 falls (rugby, 104; men's basketball, 230 and women's basketball, 96) occurred (average per game ±SD: 5.8±3.1, 23.0±5.4 and 9.6±5.0, respectively). Significant differences in class, direction, fall location and body part point of contact between the three sports were observed. In wheelchair rugby, falls occurred mainly in high pointers and tended to be more lateral due to contact. In wheelchair basketball, falls occurred more in female high-pointers and in male low pointers, with more forward falls due to forward contact. Unlike in the Rio 2016 games, no difference between the events based on the presence or absence of contact was observed in the Tokyo 2020 games., Conclusions: The number of falls increased in Tokyo 2020 compared with Rio 2016, with no significant difference in the characteristics of falls between the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 games. Only in men's wheelchair basketball, the number of falls in low pointers significantly increased in the Tokyo 2020 games when compared with that in the Rio 2016 games., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Experiencing perimenstrual symptoms is a major health concern for young women. Women in the reproductive age experience menstruation about once a month, and many experience perimenstrual symptoms. Drug therapies such as painkillers (commonly used) and hormonal medications help to achieve symptomatic relief from perimenstrual symptoms. However, many women are concerned about tolerance and compliance of the drugs used to treat perimenstrual symptoms and lack awareness on how to cope with perimenstrual symptoms. If the association between exercise habits and the severity of symptoms is emphasized in young women, methods for coping with perimenstrual symptoms can be established, not relying only on pharmaceuticals. The objective of this study was to determine the differences in the severity of perimenstrual symptoms in young Japanese women with and without a regular exercise habit., Methods: A cross-sectional study using an online survey was sent among 500 Japanese women aged 18-25 years. The severity of perimenstrual symptoms was assessed using the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ). The differences in MDQ scores between those with and without exercise habits (exercise for more than 30 min for 2 days a week) were compared using the chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U test. The logistic regression analysis detected subscales of the premenstrual and menstrual symptoms affected by an exercise habit., Results: 282 (56.4%) young Japanese women were answered this survey. Respondents were divided into the exercise group (n = 157) and the non-exercise group (n = 125). The exercise group had significantly low premenstrual and menstrual MDQ scores. The results of the logistic regression analysis stated that the subscale related to negative emotion before menstruation was associated with an exercise habit. In the analysis performed during menstruation, a statistically significant association was detected between an exercise habit and a behavioral change such as avoiding interaction with others., Conclusions: This study suggested that exercise habits may reduce the severity of perimenstrual symptoms and could help to develop a non-pharmacological coping strategy. In addition, this study provides useful information for young women who want to prevent perimenstrual symptoms but do not have an exercise habit. Further, it may encourage young women to start exercising., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

We here propose an efficient solvent-switching preconcentration method for the ion-chromatographic (IC) determination of halide impurities contained ionic liquids (ILs). Because halide impurities strongly affect the physicochemical properties of ILs, their analysis is an important task for the successful utilization of ILs. Although IC is an efficient method for this purpose, its application still involves significant challenges. The major halide impurities, such as F - and Cl - , show much smaller retention in aqueous anion-exchange chromatography than IL component anions. Therefore, if an IL sample is directly analyzed by IC with aqueous mobile phases, the halide impurities are eluted earlier, whereas the IL component anion is hardly eluted and gives a large peak once eluted. Thus, the introduction of the IL component anions into the IC separation column should be avoided for efficient analyses and also for preventing the degradation of the column by the accumulation of the IL anions in it. This problem, which arises from the ion-exchange selectivity in aqueous media, is solved by a solvent switching preconcentration method. The anion-exchange selectivity in aqueous media is reversed by a use of an aprotic solvent, such as acetonitrile (MeCN). Hence, we have come up with the idea of preconcentrating anions in MeCN and stripping them with an aqueous mobile phase for IC analysis. The introduction of the IL component anions into the IC separation column is substantially reduced while maintaining high sensitivity for the halide impurities. Sub μM impurities are detectable in the mM level of ILs., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Sedentary behavior, particularly prevalent during the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), has been shown to lead to depression. In medical students, this could negatively affect the provision of healthcare. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the association between sedentary behavior and depression in Japanese medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted from July 30 to August 30, 2021, using anonymous questionnaire system to assess respondents' sociodemographic characteristics, physical activity, sedentary behavior among 1000 Japanese university students. Depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2). The data of 484 respondents (48.4%) were included in a stepwise analysis, where we set the difference between medical and non-medical students as Model 1 and that between medical students with and without depression as Model 2. For group comparisons of both models, the chi-square test was used for sociodemographic characteristics, and the Mann-Whitney U-test was used for physical activity and sedentary behavior. In Model 2, factors associated with depression among medical students were analyzed by logistic regression analysis., Results: In Model 1, medical students were less physically active (p < 0.001), had longer sedentary time (p < 0.001), and had higher PHQ-2 scores (p = 0.048) than non-medical students. In Model 2, medical students with depression had longer sedentary time (p = 0.004) and longer leisure screen time than those without depression (p = 0.007). Moreover, logistic regression analysis adjusted for potential confounders showed that sedentary time (OR = 1.001, p = 0.048) and leisure screen time (OR = 1.003, p = 0.003) were significantly associated with depression among medical students., Conclusions: Based on these results, it is evident that reducing Japanese medical students' sedentary time and leisure screen time can help combat depression during the COVID-19 pandemic; thus, these results can guide the development of appropriate interventions to prevent and treat depression., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Ankle orthotics decreases the maximal vertical jump height. It is essential to maximize jump height and minimize ground contact time during athletic performance. However, the effect of ankle orthotics on athletic performance has not been reported. We aimed to investigate the effect of ankle orthotics on squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), and repetitive rebound jump (RJ) performance., Methods: Twenty healthy volunteers performed SJ, CMJ, repetitive RJ under no-orthosis and two orthotic conditions (orthosis 1 and orthosis 2). During SJ and CMJ, we measured the vertical ground reaction force and calculated the following parameters: jump height, peak vertical ground reaction force, rate of force development, net vertical impulse, and peak power. During repetitive RJ, the jump height, contact time, and RJ index were measured. A two-dimensional motion analysis was used to quantify the ankle range of motion in the sagittal plane during SJ, CMJ, and repetitive RJ., Results: Multivariate analysis of variance and the post hoc test showed orthosis 2 significantly decreased in the vertical jump height (p = 0.003), peak power (p = 0.007), and maximum plantarflexion and dorsiflexion angles (p < 0.001) during SJ Ankle orthoses 1 and 2 did not influence to the RJ performance compared to those using the no-orthosis condition. Additionally, orthosis 2 significantly decreased the jump height at the end of repetitive RJ (p = 0.046)., Conclusions: These results suggest that ankle orthosis do not affect average RJ performance but should be considered when performing repetitive jumps frequently., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

In this work, we propose lateral voltage as a new input for use in artificial lipid bilayer systems in addition to the commonly used transmembrane voltage. To apply a lateral voltage to bilayer lipid membranes, we fabricated electrode-equipped silicon and Teflon chips. The Si chips could be used for photodetector devices based on fullerene-doped lipid bilayers, and the Teflon chips were used in a study of the ion channel functions in the lipid bilayer. The findings indicate that the lateral voltage effectively regulates the transmembrane current, in both ion-channel-incorporated and fullerene-incorporated lipid bilayer systems, suggesting that the lateral voltage is a practicable and useful additional input for use in lipid bilayer systems.

To prevent falls, it is important to devise a safe balance training program that can be easily performed. This study investigated whether tilting an image in virtual reality (VR) can generate a center-of-gravity sway. Five men and five women were asked to rest standing upright (control condition) and to rest standing upright with a head-mounted display showing a tilted virtual image (VR condition), and changes in their standing balance were observed. Standing balance was assessed by measuring the distance traveled by the center of pressure (COP) of each of the participants’ legs. In order to investigate the effects of different tilt speeds and angles on COP, four different images were displayed in VR: an image tilting to 10° moving at a rate of 1°/s; an image tilting to 20° moving 1°/s; an image tilting to 10° moving 10°/s; an image tilting to 20° moving 10°/s. Change in COP was significantly greater in the VR than in the control condition (p < 0.01), and a tilt of 10° moving 1°/s showed the greatest change in COP (p < 0.01). Tilting an image in VR while in a resting standing position can change an individual’s COP; thus, VR may be applied to balance training.

It has been reported that GroEL, a heat shock protein (HSP) produced by the representative periodontopathogenic bacterium, Porphyromonas gingivalis, induces inflammation-induced osteoclastogenesis and promotes alveolar bone resorption. In this study, we demonstrated the efficacy of a mucosal vaccine targeting GroEL against bone resorption induced by P. gingivalis. Female BALB/c mice received sublingual CpG oligodeoxynucleotide as an adjuvant with recombinant GroEL (rGroEL) prior to P. gingivalis exposure. Animals were euthanized 30 days after P. gingivalis inoculation. Sublingual immunization (SLI) with rGroEL elicited significant rGroEL-specific serum immunoglobulin (Ig)G and salivary IgA antibody (Ab) responses, and these responses were sustained for approximately 1 year. Interestingly, 10-fold more GroEL-specific IgA Ab-producing cells were detected in the submandibular glands (SMGs) than in the spleen. Antigen (Ag)-specific cells isolated from the spleen and SMGs induced significantly higher levels of IFN-γ expression after Ag restimulation in vitro. Flow cytometry illustrated that the frequency of CD11b + dendritic cells with enhanced expression of CD80, CD86, CD40, and major histocompatibility complex II molecules was significantly increased in the SMGs. Furthermore, SLI with rGroEL significantly suppressed P. gingivalis-induced alveolar bone resorption and P. gingivalis-stimulated tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and HSP60 expression in the gingiva. These findings suggest that SLI with rGroEL and CpG oligodeoxynucleotide is a beneficial strategy for preventing periodontal disease, mainly by presenting Ags in the oral region and inducing antibody production in the mucosal and systemic systems., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background/aim: Among colorectal cancer-associated intestinal microbiota, colibactin-producing (clb + ) bacteria are attracting attention. We aimed to clarify the interaction between clb + Escherichia coli and normal colorectal epithelial cells in vivo and in vitro., Materials and Methods: Five-week-old female Balb/c mice were divided in an untreated group, a group treated with clb + E. coli isolated from a Japanese patient with colorectal cancer (E. coli-50), and a group treated with non colibactin-producing E. coli (E. coli-50/ΔclbP). Mice were sacrificed at 18 weeks of treatment., Results: Treatment with clb + E. coli increased positivity for H2A histone family member X phosphorylated at Ser-139 (γH2AX) in epithelial cells of the luminal surface of the mouse rectum but this did not occur in the E. coli-50/ΔclbP and untreated groups. In an in vitro setting, the ratio of apoptotic cells was increased and cell counts were reduced by treatment with clb + E. coli more than in untreated cells and normal rat colorectal epithelial cells., Conclusion: E. coli-50 induced DNA damage in the mouse rectum, possibly by direct interaction between clb + E. coli and normal colorectal epithelial cells. Our findings imply that regulation of clb + E. coli infection may be a useful strategy for colorectal cancer control., (Copyright © 2022, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Vaccinations may be one of the solutions to end the COVID-19 pandemic. One's psychological state may be strongly related to one's willingness to be vaccinated. This study investigated the relationship between the psychological state of Japanese university students and their willingness to be vaccinated. A self-report questionnaire on COVID-19, its vaccines (vaccination status, and perceived efficacy and safety), and psychological state (anxiety and depressive mood) was administered online, and 560 valid responses were obtained. The unvaccinated group reported significantly lower perceived vaccine effectiveness and importance than the vaccinated group. However, there were no differences in anxiety and depressive mood symptoms between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed on the unvaccinated participants to identify the factors associated with their unwillingness to be vaccinated; there was a significant association between anxiety and unwillingness to receive the vaccine ( p < 0.05). However, there was no significant association between depressive mood and unwillingness to receive the vaccine. The results suggest that timely psychological support for Japanese university students experiencing high levels of anxiety is important in accelerating vaccination programs.

Background and Objectives : Double poling is an important fundamental skill required for cross-country skiing in able-bodied athletes and in those with physical disabilities. Meanwhile, the performance improvement and injury prevention related to double poling requires a thorough assessment, whereas the scapular and shoulder kinematics in different postural conditions remain to be clarified. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the biomechanics during cross-country ski double poling in the standing and sitting positions. Materials and Methods : Eleven participants underwent kinematic assessments of the shoulder girdle during double poling on a ski ergometer with an electromagnetic tracking device. The cycle rate, stroke length, stroke speed, thorax motion relative to pelvis, scapular motions relative to thorax, humeral motions relative to thorax, and humeral motions relative to scapula were calculated for five double-poling cycles. Results : In the sitting position, the angles of humerothoracic elevation were 18 degrees larger and glenohumeral elevation 13 degrees larger than in the standing position at the upward point and range of motion. Conclusions : The study revealed that double poling in the sitting condition increased the humerothoracic and glenohumeral elevation angle to secure the poling margin. If these are excessive, there is a risk of shoulder injuries such as subacromial impingement.

Background and Objectives : The effectiveness of multiple ultrasound evaluations of the peroneus muscles morphology, including muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and connective tissue, after lateral ankle sprain (LAS) is unknown. This study aimed to measure the peroneus muscles after LAS at three points, adding distal 75% to the conventional measurement points, in order to obtain a detailed understanding of the post-injury morphology and to propose a new evaluation index of the peroneus muscles for multiple LAS. Materials and Methods : Participants with and without LAS (LAS and control groups, 16 each) were recruited. The muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and muscle echogenicity were measured using a B-mode ultrasound system at 25%, 50%, and 75% proximal to the line connecting the fibular head to the lateral malleolus. The ankle evertor strength was measured using a handheld dynamometer. Simultaneously, the peroneus longus (PL) and peroneus brevis (PB) muscle activities were measured using surface electromyography. Measurements for the LAS side, non-LAS side, and control leg were performed separately. Results : The CSA was significantly higher at 75% on the LAS side than on the non-LAS side and in the control leg. Muscle echogenicity of the LAS side at 75% was significantly lower than that of the non-LAS side and the control leg. Muscle activity of the PL was significantly lower and the PB was higher on the LAS side than on the non-LAS side and in the control leg. Conclusions : The PL was less active than the PB, while the PB was found to be overactive, suggesting that PB hypertrophy occurs due to an increase in the percentage of muscle fibers and a decrease in the connective tissue. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the condition of the PL and PB separately after LAS.

Background: Shoulder external rotation in the throwing motion involves movement of the scapulothoracic and glenohumeral joints, thoracic spine, and the thorax. Restriction of thoracic expansion may decrease scapulothoracic joint motion and compensate by excessive glenohumeral joint motion. However, it is unclear how restricting the expansion of the thorax alters shoulder motion., Objective: To elucidate changes in scapulothoracic and glenohumeral joint movements caused by restricted thoracic expansion., Methods: Kinematic data were obtained using an electromagnetic tracking device (Liberty; Polhemus), from 18 male participants, during shoulder external rotation in the sitting position with and without restriction of thoracic expansion. The displacements from the start position to the maximum external rotation position were compared, and Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated., Results: A significant difference was observed in the scapulothoracic posterior tilt angle (P< 0.01) and glenohumeral external rotation angle (P< 0.01). A significant positive correlation existed between scapulothoracic posterior tilt and glenohumeral external rotation (P< 0.05) with and without restriction., Conclusions: Restriction of thoracic expansion decreased scapulothoracic motion and increased glenohumeral motion. Thus, a decrease in thoracic expansion may change scapulothoracic and glenohumeral movements, which may be a risk factor for throwing injuries.

Short-/middle-term and simple prediction studies for carcinogenesis are needed for the safety assessment of chemical substances. To establish a novel genotoxicity assay with an in vivo mimicking system, we prepared murine colonic/pulmonary organoids from gpt delta mice according to the general procedure using collagenase/dispase and cultured them in a 3D environment. When the organoids were exposed to foodborne carcinogens-2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo(4,5- b )pyridine (PhIP) and acrylamide (AA)-in the presence of metabolic activation systems, mutation frequencies (MFs) occurring in the gpt gene dose-dependently increased. Moreover, the mutation spectrum analysis indicated predominant G:C to T:A transversion with PhIP, and A:T to C:G and A:T to T:A transversion with AA. These data correspond to those of a previous study describing in vivo mutagenicity in gpt delta mice. However, organoids derived from the liver, a non-target tissue of PhIP-carcinogenesis, also demonstrated genotoxicity with a potency comparable to colonic organoids. Organoids and PhIP were directly incubated in the presence of metabolic activation systems; therefore, there was a lack of organ specificity, as observed in vivo . Additionally, PhIP-DNA adduct levels were comparable in hepatic and colonic organoids after PhIP exposure. Taken together, the organoids prepared in the present study may be helpful to predict chemical carcinogenesis., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Komiya, Ishigamori, Naruse, Ochiai, Miyoshi, Imai and Totsuka.)

Stroke causes balance dysfunction, leading to decreased physical activity and increased falls. Thus, effective balance exercises are needed to improve balance dysfunction. This single-blind, single-center randomized controlled trial evaluated the long-term and continuous effects of balance exercise using a real-time postural feedback system to improve balancing ability safely. Thirty participants were randomized into intervention ( n = 15) and control ( n = 15) groups; 11 in each group completed the final evaluation. The effect of the intervention was evaluated by muscle strength of knee extension, physical performance (short physical performance battery, the center of pressure trajectory length per second, and Timed Up and Go test [TUG]), and self-reported questionnaires (modified Gait Efficacy Scale [mGES] and the Fall Efficacy Scale) at pre (0 week), post (6-week), and at follow-up (10-week) visits. The TUG and mGES showed a significant interactive (group * time) effect ( p = 0.007 and p = 0.038, respectively). The intervention group showed significant decreasing time to perform TUG from pre- to post-intervention ( p = 0.015) and pre-intervention to follow-up ( p = 0.016); mGES showed a significant change from pre-intervention to follow-up ( p = 0.036). Thus, balance exercise using a real-time postural feedback system can confer a positive effect on the walking ability in patients with chronic stroke and increase their self-confidence in gait performance.

The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) is a physical fall-risk screening tool and predictor of adverse health effects for the older. Its limited use in Japan is due to the relative ease for high-functioning older adults to achieve perfect scores. Japanese researchers thus created a community-based SPPB (SPPB-com). This study investigated whether the SPPB-com score can distinguish between older patients classified as "fallers" and "non-fallers." Participants comprised 185 older outpatients aged 65 and above who self-reported their history of accidental falls and relevant physical activity. Fall risk was assessed using SPPB and SPPB-com. Handgrip strength, maximum isometric knee extensor strength, and maximum walking speed were measured as physical functions. Multivariate logistic regression and receiver-operating characteristic analyses determined criteria indicating faller status. Fallers were older and had lower physical function, physical activity, SPPB, and SPPB-com scores than non-fallers. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed SPPB (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.59-0.99, p = 0.045) and SPPB-com (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.45-0.87, p = 0.005) scores were both independently associated with prior falls. The SPPB-com score may function as a fall-risk assessment tool for older outpatients, and its combined use with SPPB can increase the accuracy and precision of distinction between fallers and non-fallers.

Cell signaling and the following gene regulation are tightly regulated to keep homeostasis. NF-κB is a famous key transcription factor for inflammatory cell regulations that obtain a closed feedback loop with IκB. Similarly, we show here, NFAT is also tightly regulated via its downstream target, down syndrome critical region (DSCR)-1. In primary cultured endothelium, either shear stress or VEGF treatment revealed quick NFAT1 nuclear localization following the DSCR-1 transactivation, which in turn induced NFAT1 cytoplasm sequestration. Interestingly, both NFAT and DSCR-1 can be competitive substrates for calcineurin phosphatase and DSCR-1 is known to unstable protein, which caused NFAT1-nucleocytoplasmic damped oscillation via sustained shear stress or VEGF stimulation in endothelial cell (EC)s. To understand the molecular mechanism underlying the NFAT1 oscillation, we built a mathematical model of spatiotemporal regulation of NFAT1 combined with calcineurin and DSCR-1. Theoretically, manipulation of DSCR-1 expression in simulation predicted that DSCR-1 reduction would cause nuclear retention of dephosphorylated NFAT1 and disappearance of NFAT1 oscillation. To confirm this in ECs, DSCR-1 knockdown analysis was performed. DSCR-1 reduction indeed increased dephosphorylated NFAT1 in both the nucleus and cytoplasm, which eventually led to nuclear retention of NFAT1. Taken together, these studies suggest that DSCR-1 is a responsible critical factor for NFAT1 nucleocytoplasmic oscillation in shear stress or VEGF treated ECs. Our mathematical model successfully reproduced the experimental observations of NFAT1 dynamics. Combined mathematical and experimental approaches would provide a quantitative understanding way for the spatiotemporal NFAT1 feedback system., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Individuals with a unilateral lower-limb amputation (LLA) rely heavily on their intact limb during daily physical activities. However, there is limited research on the resultant effects of this over-reliance on contractile properties of muscles in the intact limb., Objective: To compare the muscle contractile properties of the intact limb among individuals with a unilateral LLA to those of age-matched able-bodied individuals, using tensiomyography., Study Design: This is a cross-sectional, observational study., Methods: Nine men with a unilateral LLA and 10 able-bodied men (control) were included. Tensiomyography measures were obtained for 5 muscles: gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) and medialis (GM), rectus femoris, vastus lateralis (VL), and vastus medialis. Contraction time (Tc), delay time (Td), maximal displacement (Dm), and velocity of deformation (Vd) for each muscle were compared between groups., Results: Tc and Td for the GL and GM muscles were lower for the LLA than the control group (GL: P = .03, r = -0.51, P < .01, r = 0.67; GM: P = .02, r = 0.53, P = .07, r = 0.54, respectively). Dm and Vd of the VL were significantly smaller in the LLA than the control group (P < .01, r = 0.73, P < .01, r = 0.23, respectively)., Conclusions: Men with a unilateral LLA seem to have slower deformation of the gastrocnemius muscles and higher stiffness of the VL than able-bodied controls. These findings may be indicative of an overuse of the intact limb as a compensation for the unilateral LLA. The confirmation of these findings in a larger sample size is required to translate these findings to practice., (Copyright © 2021 International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics.)

This study aimed to evaluate motor unit recruitment during submaximal voluntary ramp contraction in the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle (MG) by high-density spatial electromyography (SEMG) before and after static stretching (SS) in healthy young adults. SS for gastrocnemius was performed in 15 healthy participants for 2 min. Normalized peak torque by bodyweight of the plantar flexor, muscle activity at peak torque, and muscle activation patterns during ramp-up task were evaluated before and after SS. Motor unit recruitment during the submaximal voluntary contraction of the MG was measured using SEMG when performing submaximal ramp contractions during isometric ankle plantar flexion from 30 to 80% of the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). To evaluate the changes in the potential distribution of SEMG, the root mean square (RMS), modified entropy, and coefficient of variation (CV) were calculated from the dense surface EMG data when 10% of the MVC force was applied. Muscle activation patterns during the 30 to 80% of MVC submaximal voluntary contraction tasks were significantly changed from 50 to 70% of MVC after SS when compared to before. The variations in motor unit recruitment after SS indicate diverse motor unit recruitments and inhomogeneous muscle activities, which may adversely affect the performance of sports activities.