Shaking is considered an effective form of physical therapy for preventing low bone mineral density occurring after menopause. The muscles reinforcing the femur indirectly affect bones via shaking. This stimulation is based on forced isometric or isotonic movements of mostly lower-body muscles. The present study analyzed the psoas major, which is known as an inner muscle that is important for lower-body movements. Expression of specific proteins affecting muscle generation, regeneration and differentiation was analyzed by Western blotting, and the results were compared to those obtained by histological analysis. In the present study, ICR mice were divided into two groups (ovariectomized and normal), and each group was further divided into two subgroups with and without stimulation. A total of four groups were thus established (ovariectomy/shaking: +/+; +/-; -/+; and -/-). After 10 weeks of shaking, the psoas major was harvested and cut into two equal halves of origin and insertion sides. In histological analysis, cross-sections of muscle fibers were subjected to hematoxylin and eosin staining, and the short diameter and number of muscle fibers were measured. In histological analysis, muscle fiber hypertrophy due to shaking was confirmed for the insertion side based on the short diameter of muscle fibers. However no marked differences were seen in changes to the number of muscle fibers. Protein expression of growth differentiation factor 8 (GDF-8: a protein facilitating muscular hypertrophy) and myogenic factor 5 (Myf-5) and myogenic factor 6 (Myf-6: proteins involved with generation and differentiation) tended to be increased for the insertion side with stimulation. With muscles that function as two-joint muscles such as the psoas major, differences exist in muscular hypertrophy, generation and differentiation between origin and insertion sides. In the present study, site differences by the stimulation were marked for fall prevention by the posture stability side of the psoas major, suggesting shaking as an effective form of physical therapy reinforcing bones.

View full abstract

The epiglottises in 17 species of mammals were examined. The epiglottises differed in morphology by species and could be classified into 5 types: 1) the epiglottis of arch shape, 2) the epiglottis of triangle shape, 3) the epiglottis with short process, 4) the epiglottis with long process and 5) the epiglottis separated into two parts.  Type I: Cape hyrax, Malayan pangolin, raccoon dog, Japanese serow, nutria, Japanese macaque  Type II: maras, lesser panda, Siberian weasel, masked palm civet, common raccoon, pipistrelles, common tree shrew  Type III: fox, large flying fox  Type IV: lesser mouse deer  Type V: capybara

View full abstract