The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between physical fitness elements in healthy older adults, considering the differences between gender and between age. Subjects were 1042 active and non-injured people aged from 60 years to under 90 years. The subjects were classified into two different age groups of under 75 years group and 75 years and over group. A total of 11 variables representing four physical fitness elements (muscular, joint, neural, and respiratory functions) were selected through examination of safety and validity. Two-way ANOVA was used to examine gender and age differences in each physical fitness element. Pearson's correlation coefficient and partial correlation coefficient excluding age factor were calculated for each gender and age group.
As a result of examining the relationship among physical fitness elements, the correlation coefficients within variables consisting of the following each function, muscular function, joint function and agility of extremities, were significant in both age groups, and these tendencies were consistent in both gender groups. Similarly, significant correlation coefficients between standing-reach and muscular function variables, and between trunk twist and foot balance with eyes open and reaction time were found in the under 75 years group, but not in the over 75 years group. On the other hand, different tendencies between genders were found in the relationship between the muscular function variables and trunk twist and foot balance with eyes open, and between the reaction time and stepping and muscular function variables. As the relationships among physical fitness elements tended to decline in the over 75 years group, it is inferred that this tendency is influenced by the change with aging of physical fitness characteristics and environmental factors around the older adults.

Along with hemodialysis, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), which performs the work of the kidneys, is used in treating chronic renal failure. CAPD (hereafter referred to as PD) can be conveniently done at the patient's home.Other advantages of it include less adveres effects on the cardiovascular system as homeostasis of body fluid is maintained;less dietary restriction;reduction in the frequency of outpatient treatment;availability of a system suited to the patient's lifestyle;and being comparatively easy to return to work. Nonetheless, home PD patients remain at risk of peritonitis, exit-site infection, and undernutrition due to protein-losing enteropathy. Moreover, patients may feel that they have gotten wary of taking care of themselve. Recently, we have come upon a case of end-stage renal failure in a 59-year-old articular rheumatic who was unable to exchange dialysis bags because her finger joints were deformed. So, we applied a PD system using the SMAP method to the patient with the result that she became able to manage to operate the PD by herself.Our patient wished to take it upon herself to perform PD using a UV-F twin-bag system. Ordinarily, bags have to be exchanged four times a day and every time bags are exchanged, several clamping procedures are required. It was impossible for her to exchange bags because of deformed finger joints. To make the impossible possible, a supplementary device for exchanging bags had to be fixed. It was also necessary for her to learn how to manipulate the newly attached device in addition to the existing device. With the SMAP method, there is plenty of time before PD gets started. So it was possible to examine the self-management method thoroughly and learn the trick of operating the new device. Our experience showed that PD by the SMAP method is useful to articular rheumatic patients with finger joint deformities.
PUPILLARY DISTANCE ; Patients ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory ; Fingers ; Joints

The evaluation of muscular power function has been mainly limited to dynamic contraction, but force-time parameters in static explosive contraction may be useful. The purpose of this study was to examine the trial-to-trial differences of exertion pattern and the reliability of the force-time parameters in the development phase of static maximal explosive grip (SEG) using seventy healthy young male subjects (age 18.8±2.3yr) . In SEG measurement, subjects were instructed to exert maximal isometric force with a dominant hand as fast and forcefully as possible. Data was collected from two trials with 3 minutes rest between trials. Eleven variables (time to fixed level, average force, integrated area, maximal rate of force development, and equivalent for mechanical power parameter) were selected as force-time parameters.
The reliability of maximal grip strength (MAX) was very high (ICC=0.944, p<0.05) . In the above-stated instruction condition, the trial-to-trial difference expanded from 0.1- 0.4 sec, then re-duced in the vicinity of MAX during SEG exertion. Significant differences, however, were not found at any exertion time and reproducibility of SEG exertion pattern was very high between the two trials. The trial-to-trial reliability in all force-time parameters was significant (ICC=0.346-0.878, p<0.05) .
Reliability of the parameters measuring the earlier phase (about 0.1-0.5 sec) was low or moderate (ICC<0.7), while reliability of the parameters measuring the MAX vicinity tended to be high. The MAX relationship to force-time parameters in the MAX vicinity is high, but is low or moderate for the other parameters. It was suggested that the force-time parameters in the vicinity of MAX in SEG exertion might be useful for evaluating static power function in a clinical setting.

The purpose of this study was to examine sex differences in subjective symptoms of fatigue (SSF) in high school and college students by considering the relationship between subjective feeling of fatigue and life habits.
A questionnaire on SSF (54 items), dealing with subjective feeling of fatigue and life habits (frequency of exercise, going to sleep, waking in the morning and physical condition) was administered to 5622 healthy students aged 15-20 yr, and data of 5335 properly completed questionnaires was analyzed.
The following was determined :
1) Sex differences were confirmed in most SSF items. SSF complaints for females was generally higher than that of males.
2) The relationship between SSF and the age was low in both sexes.
3) Subjective feeling of fatigue is somewhat related to SSF.
4) The going to sleep last night influence on SSF was different in both sexes and related largely to the next day SSF in males.
5) Waking this morning and today's physical condition are related to SSF in both sexes.
6) In males, the influence of exercise habits on SSF regarding drowsiness is relatively large.

This study aimed to examine the effect of linear polarized near-infrared light (PL) irradiation on the recovery of isokinetic muscle exertion and subjective fatigue sensation in muscles after strenuous exercise. Eighteen healthy college students participated in the experiment for all conditions of meridian point irradiation (MPI), femurs muscles irradiation (FMI), and no irradiation (NI) . They all took isokinetic knee extension and flexion tests (IK test) before and after strenuous exercise up to exhaustion. Each subject was irradiated at the meridian point or in femurs muscles after the second IK test. The third IK test was carried out after ten-minutes rest.
The effects of PL irradiation were confirmed on the recovery rate of muscle fatigue in knee extension motion with high load intensity (PT 60 d/s and TW 60 d/s : MPI, FMI> NI, p<0.05 16.2%, 13.4%>8.5%, and 16.1%, 14.1%>8.3%, respectively) . Also, in flexion motion, significant differences in the recovery-degree for each condition were found, and the effect of PL irradiation was suggested. There was no difference between the effect of MPI and FMI. In addition, subjective fatigue sensation in muscles after rest decreased significantly in MPI as compared with NI (MPI: 52.1%>NI : 36.6%, p<0.05) . From the above, it was suggested that PL irradiation is effective on recovery in muscle fatigue after strenuous exercise regardless of irradiation conditions, MPI or FMI.

Cardiac Imaging Techniques ; Cohort Studies ; Cytidine Triphosphate ; Humans ; Image Enhancement ; Multidetector Computed Tomography ; Myocardial Perfusion Imaging ; Myocardium ; Perfusion Imaging ; Radiation Dosage ; Radiation Exposure ; Retrospective Studies