The aim of the present study was to investigate the age-related patterns and the relationship between levels of urinary cross-linked N-telopeptide of type-I collagen (NTx) and heel stiffness index measured by quantitative ultrasound (QUS) in men with a special reference to age groups of aged 40 to 59 years and ≥60 years.A total of 379 men participated in this study. Heel stiffness index (bone m...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate changes in the strength and mechanical properties of neck muscles and disability in patients with cervical dystonia (CD) during a 12-week period following botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) injections. METHODS Eight patients with CD volunteered for this prospective clinical cohort study. Patients had received BoNT injections regularly in neck muscles at three-month intervals fo...

[Purpose] Muscle co-contraction is important in stabilizing the spine. The aim of this study was to compare cervical muscle co-contraction in adults with and without chronic neck pain during voluntary movements. [Subjects and Methods] Surface electromyography of three paired cervical muscles was measured in fifteen young healthy subjects and fifteen patients with chronic neck pain. The subjects...

Viral meningitis is a central nervous system (CNS) infection characterized by signs and symptoms of meningeal inflammation in the absence of positive bacterial cultures. The incidence varies with season, and the clinical presentation often includes fever, headache, and nuchal rigidity (stiffness of the neck) accompanied by symptoms typical of the specific causal virus. Viral meningitis is usual...

Encephalitis is caused by multiple organisms, but rarely by the hepatitis A virus. A 27-year-old man visited our hospital because of fever, altered consciousness, and seizures. On physical exam, a stuporous mentality and neck stiffness were found. On laboratory exam, elevated liver enzymes and cerebrospinal fluid abnormalities, including pleocytosis and elevated protein levels were observed. Th...

Severe neck pain, stiffness, and torticollis in a child with Kawasaki disease commonly represent aseptic meningitis or lymphadenitis. Here we present an unusual case of severe cervical spine and bilateral temporomandibular joint arthritis in a 5-year-old boy with a relapse of Kawasaki disease and coronary artery ectasia. The patient had a favorable response to a second course of intravenous imm...

A 40-year old right handed female developed an acute left temporal headache, nausea, and neck stiffness which worsened over 2 days preceding admission, and then evolved to become a generalised headache. For the preceding 4 months she had intermittent left sided headache. She had a history of type II diabetes, controlled on metformin, and had severe iron deficiency anaemia secondary to menorrhag...

Recent studies have shown that the sodium conductance of the sarcolemma is disturbed in paramyotonia. Tocainide is a new antiarrhythmic agent which seems to reduce effectively sodium conductance. Eight patients with paramyotonia were treated with tocainide, whereby the paramyotonic stiffness and weakness brought about by cooling could be prevented.

In vitro models of normal mammary epithelium have correlated increased extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness with malignant phenotypes. However, the role of increased stiffness in this transformation remains unclear because of difficulties in controlling ECM stiffness, composition and architecture independently. Here we demonstrate that interpenetrating networks of reconstituted basement membran...

Superficial neuromasts are structures that detect water flow on the surface of the body of fish and amphibians. As a component of the lateral line system, these receptors are distributed along the body, where they sense flow patterns that mediate a wide variety of behaviors. Their ability to detect flow is governed by their structural properties, yet the micromechanics of superficial neuromasts...