Overcoming metastasis is one of the most important issues with lung cancer. Since metastasis arises through complex steps, a suitable animal model is indispensable for investigation of metastasis. To establish an animal model reflecting human metastatic lung cancers, we used NOD/SCID/Jak3null (NOJ) mice, which exhibit deficiencies in NK cell activity, macrophage and dendritic cell function, and complement activation, as well as T and B cell deficiencies. After screening twenty human lung cancer cell lines through expression patterns of E-cadherin and vimentin according to epithelial mesenchymal transition features, an H1975 cell line carrying EGFR mutations, L858R and T790M, was selected for investigation. Inoculation of the cells into the dorsal flanks caused systemic metastases after one month in lymph nodes, liver, lung, and peritoneum, suggesting that metastases occurred both lymphogenically and hematogenously. We confirmed the existence of H1975 cells in metastatic lesions by detection of T790M and L858R using the mutation-biased PCR and quenching probe (MBP-QP) system previously established in our laboratory. In addition, tumor-derived plasma DNA could be detected using the MBP-QP method. The amount of tumor-derived DNA was associated with tumor volume, whereas an unrelated large amount of tumor-derived DNA was circulating in the presence of metastasis. We present a novel animal model with systemic metastasis with human lung cancer cells. The amount of tumor derived DNA would be related with tumor volume and tumor progression such as metastasis.

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[Purpose] This study examined whether limited mental practice improves the motor performance of poststroke individuals with hemiparesis. [Subjects] Twenty-three participants with poststroke hemiparesis (40–82 years of age) participated in this study. [Methods] The subjects were divided into four groups with respect to a dart-throwing task: the no-practice, physical practice only, mental practice only, and mental and physical practice groups. The groups were compared in terms of gains in motor performance, mental imagery vividness, and level of concentration during mental practice. [Results] No statistically significant difference was found for gains in motor performance among groups, and there was no correlation between imagery vividness and motor performance gains. However, a correlation was found between gains in motor performance and mental concentration during mental practice. [Conclusion] The results suggested that limited mental practice for individuals with poststroke hemiparesis may not improve motor performance. However, a higher degree of concentration during mental practice may improve motor performance.

[Purpose] Antagonistic stretching is an important therapeutic program in rehabilitation. However, if pain occurs during stretching, other methods should be considered. This study aimed to investigate whether antagonistic muscle contraction exercises alone had an effect in expanding the joint range of motion. [Participants and Methods] Participants included 50 healthy males and females (aged 21.0 ± 3.1 years) who were each randomly assigned to one of four groups that performed either active, resistance, phasic, or isometric exercises or a control group that performed no exercise. Each exercise group performed five sets of 30-second ankle dorsiflexion exercises. Active and passive ranges of motion of ankle dorsiflexion were measured using a goniometer, with the participants in the knee extension and flexion positions. [Results] Ankle joint range of motion was increased in the knee extension position in the isometric exercise group. There were no other differences observed in any of the groups. [Conclusion] Our results indicated that isometric exercises had an immediate effect on increasing ankle joint range of motion. This is presumably attributed to the effects of Golgi tendon organ inhibition (Ib inhibition) or stretch tolerance of the gastrocnemius muscle.

The present study examined whether low-temperature (LT) could reduce experimentally-induced atrophy of the skeletal muscle in non-hibernating mammals, as judged by muscle wet-weight, cross-sectional area of muscle fibers, ratio of muscle fiber types, and number of apoptotic myofibers in the soleus muscle of rat. Hindlimb unloading (HU) was carried out for either one or two weeks (1W or 2W, respectively) at room temperature (HU-1W and HU-2W groups) or LT (10C, HULT-1W and HULT-2W groups). Other animals were allowed to move freely at either room temperature (CON-1W and CON-2W groups) or LT (LT-1W and LT-2W groups). Total caloric intake was increased in LT rats compared with the CON, HULT and HU rats. Body weight, muscle wet-weight and cross-sectional area were significantly decreased in HU and HULT rats compared with CON and/or LT rats. Type-I fiber composition in HULT-2W was not significantly reduced compared with those of CON-2W and LT-2W, but that of HU-2W was significantly reduced compared with the other groups. A small number of caspase-3-activated myofibers appeared in HULT-2W and HU-2W, but not in CON-2W and LT-2W. Thus, our results indicate that LT retards the change in the ratio of type-I and type-II fibers, but does not prevent decreases in muscle size and mass, or apoptosis of myofibers.