Objective: In the present study, we investigated the effects of enveloping-airflow air conditioner on health maintenance and fatigue in healthy volunteers. The enveloping airflow is that of gently holding the whole room space along the ceiling, wall, and floor.
Design: In a randomized placebo-controlled crossover trial, 10 healthy women who had feeling cold, stiff shoulder and knee pain very often under air conditioner working, participated in the study. They performed fatigue-inducing desk work for 2 hours, and rested for 30 minutes in the air conditioned room controlled by enveloping airflow or direct airflow.
Methods: We evaluated subjective sensation by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), peripheral blood flow by laser-Doppler flowmetry, and body temperature.
Result: The enveloping airflow prevented hypothermia, increased blood flow, moreover attenuated feeling of cold, knee pain and fatigue, increased sensation of comfort as compared with the direct air flow.
Conclusion: Enveloping-airflow air conditioner is effective in maintaining health and attenuating fatigue.

Objective Enveloping airflow, as opposed to direct airflow, warms the room by gently circulating the airflow along the floor, wall, and ceiling, thereby uniformly warming the entire room. The objective of our study was to determine the effects of air-conditioned heating by enveloping-airflow on sense of fatigue and comfort in healthy volunteers.
Design Eight healthy women, who often felt discomfort in an air-conditioned heating environment, participated in a randomized placebo-controlled crossover trial. Subjects rested for 30 minutes in a room air-conditioned either by enveloping airflow or by direct airflow, and then performed fatigue-inducing tasks for 2 hours.
Methods We evaluated the sense of fatigue by visual analogue scale (VAS), peripheral blood flow by laser-Doppler flowmetry, and sympathetic nerve activity by urinary vanillylmandelic acid level.
Result Air conditioning by enveloping-airflow, as compared to direct airflow, enhanced peripheral blood flow and attenuated sympathetic nerve hyperactivity caused by performing fatigue-inducing tasks. Moreover, it helped to maintain subjective levels of motivation and comfort, as well as to alleviate sense of fatigue and cold.
Conclusion Air-conditioned heating by enveloping-airflow is effective for attenuating sense of fatigue and discomfort as well as health maintenance.

Objective: We conducted a clinical study to investigate the effects of newly developed LED lighting on living comfort in an indoor environment.
Design: Twenty healthy subjects participated in a randomized crossover trial. They performed a mental task for 4 hours under ordinary lighting, and then rested for 1 hour under newly developed lighting or ordinary lighting. Sixteen of the subjects (8 males, 8 females) completed the trial. We evaluated subjective comfort using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and measured autonomic nervous system effects by the frequency analysis of a-a intervals on accelerated plethysmography (APG) waves.
Result: The subjects’ VAS evaluations showed that the newly developed lighting increased their comfort, while frequency analysis of APG during the rest period was found to activate the parasympathetic nerve system.
Conclusion: This newly developed LED lighting produces suitable illumination and color temperature and is useful for improving living comfort in an indoor environment during a rest period after daytime work.

Objective: We conducted a clinical study to investigate the effects of newly developed LED lighting on living comfort and work performance in an indoor environment.
Design: Sixteen healthy subjects participated in a randomized crossover trial. They performed a mental task (2-back task and ATMT) for 8 hours under newly developed LED lighting or ordinary LED lighting. We evaluated subjective comfort using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and work performance by ATMT. Moreover, we measured changes in the autonomic nervous system by frequency analysis of a-a intervals on accelerated plethysmography (APG) waves to elucidate the mechanism of action.
Result: The subjects’ VAS evaluations showed that the newly developed LED lighting increased their comfort and attenuated their fatigue, and ATMT evaluations showed the lighting improved work performance during the mental task period, while APG frequency analysis revealed changes in the parasympathetic nerve system.
Conclusion: This newly developed LED lighting produces suitable illumination and color temperature and is useful for improving living comfort and performance in an indoor work environment.

Objective: In the present study, we conducted a clinical study to investigate the effect of newly developed LED lighting on improving sleep quality and living comfort in an indoor environment.
Design: Twelve healthy male subjects, whose Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores were ≥5 participated in a randomized crossover trial. On the first day, as a sleep evaluation period, subjects rested from 21:00 to 22:00 under the newly developed lighting or ordinary lighting, went to bed at 22:00 and got up at 7:00. On the second day, as an evaluation period of daytime use, they performed a mental load for 4 hours under each lighting condition. We evaluated the quality of sleep by SLEEP SCAN and the St. Mary’s Hospital sleep questionnaire, and daytime performance by Uchida-Kraepelin psychodiagnostic test and advanced trail-making test (ATMT).
Result: The newly developed lighting improved the quality of sleep and increased comfortable feelings among participants; moreover, in daytime use, the environment did not induce impaired performance in spite of lower illumination.
Conclusion: This newly developed LED lighting produces suitable illumination and color temperature before sleeping and is useful for improving the living comfort in an indoor environment.

A 53-year-old woman underwent mitral valve replacement for congestive heart failure due to mitral stenosis and regurgitation. She had been receiving hemodialysis because of diabetic nephropathy since 1993, and had had congestive heart failure since 1999. Echocardiography demonstrated mitral stenosis (MVA; 1.10cm²) and regurgitation with a severely calcified mitral annulus. Annular calcification extended to the posterior wall of the left ventricle and the base of bilateral papillary muscles. After removing all calcium from the mitral annulus to the base of the papillary muscle, the left ventricular posterior wall and mitral annulus were reconstructed by glutaraldehyde-preserved autologous pericardium. Then, a Carbo-Medics mechanical valve was placed at the mitral annulus using everting mattress sutures. Although her hemodynamics were stable, bacteremia and multi-organ failure developed 3 months after surgery and she died. Autopsy showed that the reconstructed left ventricular posterior wall and mitral annulus using glutaraldehyde preserved autologous pericardium were in excellent condition without any thrombus. No dehiscence was found at the suture line of the mechanical valve. Mitral annulus reconstruction with glutaraldehyde preserved autologous pericardium is thought to be effective for patients with calcified mitral annulus who require mitral valve surgery.