We have developed a recording system (The Teraview; Gigatex, Osaki, Japan) for motion pictures (30 frames/s) using sounds from three digital video cameras (DVC) and data of 32 channels of digital or analog electric signals (16 ch 6.2 kHz; 32 ch, 3.1 kHz) . During recording, the picture is represented as 100-133 ms (3-4 frames) behind the data on its monitor displays. During playback, the time lag between the picture and data shows error of less than 33 ms (1 frame) . The system can function with fast (×2), normal, slow (×1/2), and frame-by-frame playback, or pause. Using the system, we tried to record electromyograms (EMC analog), data (x, y, z) from a 3-D position sensor (3DPS, digital), and motion pictures from three DVC during motions of thumb-circumduction (TC) and rolling-in-bed (RB) in a normal human subject. The EMGs of the abductor pollicis longus and thenar muscles, and data from a 3DPS put on the thumbnail were recorded during the TC motion. The EMGs of the bilateral sternocleidomastoid and pectoralis major muscles, and data from two 3DPSs put on the forehead and left acromion were recorded during the RB motion. Trajectories of the motions were drawn automatically on the display with the data (x, y) using a 2-D Lissajou presentation program we have developed. After the recording, figures including the EMGs, trajectories, and a series of photographic playbacks, which were cut from the video pictures every 30 and 9 frames in the TC and RB motions, respectively, were edited on the displays using commercialized presentation-graphic and spreadsheet software programs. The merits and applications of the system are discussed.

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A device for measuring, monitoring, and recording direction and strength of human wrist-force was developed. The right, superior, left, and inferior directions were represented by 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°, respectively. Two strain gauges (SG-1, SG-2) fastened to the right and inferior sides of a steel cylinder (∅140 mm) were fitted with a steel holder. The cylinder was pulled from 12 directions (from 0°to 330°, 30°step) with a load weighing 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 8.0, and 16.0 kg, and voltage data from S₁ (V₁) and S₂ (V₂) were recorded. By processing the load, direction (θ), and voltage data (V₁, V₂), the following formulae were derived.
F₁ (kg) =V₁/57.8 cos (θ-26°)
F₂ (kg) =V₂/71.8 sin (θ-150°)
tanθ= (-0.9V₂/V₁-0.62) / (0.44V₂/V₁+1.08)
After the cylinder was pulled again and the validity of the formulae was examined, the following system was composed of a personal computer, SG-1, and SG-2. By feeding V₁and V₂into the computer, F and θ were calculated with the formulae (F₁: 315°-45°, 135°-225°; F₂: 45°-135°, 225°-315°) and plotted on a 2-D coordinate (x, y) graph in a monitor display with a 2-D Lissajou presentation program. On the graph F was represented by a distance from (0, 0) and θ was by an angle with the x axis. As a trial, the force of three normal subjects was measured. A hand put in a rectangular steel frame (55×120 mm) was set into the cylinder with the prone, semiprone, and supine forearm. As a result of 3 times measuring of the maximum extension force, almost the same data were recorded in each forearm position in each subject. Moreover with reference to the monitor all the subjects became capable of exhibiting the force by request. The application of the device to research and clinical fields was discussed.

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Cell adhesions to extracellular matrices are thought to be the fundamental cellular behavior during embryonic development. Fat tissue covers an approximate 20% of the total body weight. It allows not only to store lipids as energy source, but also to secrete various hormones and physiologic active materials (adipokines) including leptin, interleukin and so on. Before cells of NIH 3T3 L1 undergo differentiation, they are flat fibroblastic in shape. When they differentiate into adipocyte by inducers such as insulin, dexamethasone and isobutylmethylxantine, they are able to transform into big and round cells to store a large amount of lipids in the cytosol. Eventually, cells become detached from the adhered substrates. We studied the adhesive properties and the adhesion molecules such as integrin and vinculin to ask their localization at adhesion plaques (focal adhesions), and the adhesiveness of the pre- and adipocytes by fluorescence microscopy and counting the number of cells that attached to various substrates. And then, we studied how positive or negative charges of cell surfaces were involved in the adhesions of pre- and adipocytes. Preadipocyte expressed both integrin and vinculin, and showed higher adhesiveness toward both type IV collagen and albumin than adipocyte. The former was due to the integrin since RGD motif peptides (RGDS, but not RGES) competed the adhesion to the collagen, and the latter was by virtue of their negatively charged amino acids. Adipocyte lost adhesiveness toward both type IV collagen and albumin. Instead, poly-L-lysine enhanced the adhesions. Thus, results suggested that cellular adhesiveness depended on both integrin and charged surface moieties. It was thought that cellular differentiation allowed to change those properties so that adipocytes were able to detach from the native substrate and they mostly required positive charges to anchor the substrate.

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The purpose of the present study was to investigate the validity of ultrasonographics for predicting the muscle structure and function of lower limb. Fourteen cadaver's lower limbs were measured by colorized ultrasonography with 3.5MHz and digital caliper for appropriation of this system. Eighty-five adult men and women were subjected for ultrasonography under 0 degree of flexion and 60 degree of flexion during MVC (maximal voluntary contraction) and NC (non-contraction) . In addition, maximal muscle strength of knee flexion, circum length of thigh and bioelectrical impedance were measured for each subjects. Muscle thickness measured by ultrasonography correlated with that of which measured by caliper. The muscle thickness during NC correlated with the circum length and the body weight. The muscle thickness during MVC correlated with the muscle strength. The ratio of the muscle thickness during MVC to that of NC correlated with the muscle strength.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical activity and cross-sectional area (CSA) of psoas major and postvertebral muscles in middle-age and elderly females. The subjects were 73 volunteer females from 38 to 61 years old (50.3±5.7 [ mean±SD] years, height 154.6+4.8 cm, body weight 56.3±10.1kg) and were classified into three groups by the numbers of walking steps per day. Physical activities were measured by the number of walking steps per day using Lifecorder EX (SUZUKEN CO., LTD.JAPAN) .Visceral fat area (VFA, cm²), subcutaneous fat area (SFA, cm²) and the CSA of psoas major and postvertebral muscles were measured from lumbar axial images by MRI. It was found from the result that VFA significantly decreased in the group with large number of walking steps per day. However, the number of walking steps per day had no significant effect on neither of the CSAs of the muscles. The results suggest that psoas major and postvertebral muscles strengthening exercise need other training than the walking.

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Chick embryonic bones of the upper and lower limbs were studied using the alizarin red S (ARS) staining and mammography. Samples obtained from 14 and 20 day-old chick embryos were fixed in 10 % formalin, washed, skinned, stained with 0.05 % aqueous solution of ARS, and stored in 80 % aqueous solution of glycerol for several months or 9 years. To examine the effects of decalcification on the skeletal images, toe bones removed from a 20 day-old embryo were treated with 0.1% trichloroacetic acid solusion, pH 5.6, for 1 hr. The size of ossified areas in mammography images, showed no large differences from that observed with ARS staining in both old and newly prepared embryos. When the toe bones were compared between the pre- and post-decalcification, decreasing in bone density was evident in the ends of diaphysis. Such change of bony areas at the end of diaphysis was not observed in normal samples. Results suggest that the embryonic specimens stored in glycerol solution after ARS staining maintained their skeletal morphology for long time and are useful to study the skeletons with the radioscopy.

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