OBJECTIVESSleep disorders and psychological stress have become major concerns as health risks in modern Japanese society. Chronic sleep deprivation could lead to physical and mental exhaustion, which could affect the circulatory condition. In this study, we have investigated the effects of long-term sleep problems and mental health conditions on abnormal ECG findings from the standpoint of community health.

METHODSData were obtained from the records of community physical checkups conducted in a town in Okinawa from 1993 to 2001. Data regarding average sleep duration and the 12-item version of the general health questionnaire (GHQ) were also collected at the community physical checkups. In order to compute the odds ratio of electrocardiographic (ECG) findings according to mental health condition and sleep duration, we conducted multivariate analysis using logistic regression maneuvers.

RESULTSThere was a significant difference of average GHQ scores according to sleep duration, with shorter sleep duration (< or =6 h) correlating with poorer GHQ and longer sleep duration (> or =8 h) correlating with healthier GHQ (p < 0.05). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis among subjects with poorer GHQ, shorter sleep duration showed significantly high odds ratio (OR = 7.14) for abnormal ECG findings.

CONCLUSIONSThe present study suggested that the mental health condition appears to impact ECG results indirectly through its strong association with sleep duration and provided ground for suggestion that mental health items to be included in community physical checkup examination items.

OBJECTIVESChanges in B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and electrocardiographic (ECG) findings in an adult Japanese population were measured over a 5-year period, and the statistical relationships between these were evaluated.

METHODSThis was a longitudinal analysis in which data were collected on 353 subjects (135 men and 218 women) who had undergone general health checks in 1998 and 2003.

RESULTSData were examined by correlation coefficient and one-way analysis of covariance using repeated measurements. The correlation coefficient for BNP between 1998 and 2003 was 0.622 (P < 0.0001) for the men and 0.557 (P < 0.0001) for women. The changes in BNP over the same period were 13.71 +/- 26.06 (P < 0.0001) pg/ml in the men and 20.17 +/- 32.01 (P < 0.0001) pg/ml in the women. In 99 men and 145 women who had undergone ECG tests, with both normal and abnormal findings, visual inspections of changes in the ECG findings with respect to BNP changes were performed over the 5-year period. In men, both age and BNP significantly correlated with changes in ECG findings; however, in women, no significant correlation between BNP and changes in ECG findings was observed.

CONCLUSIONSThis regional longitudinal study revealed a gender difference in the relationship between long-term changes in BNP and ECG findings, suggesting that a 10 pg/ml or more increase in BNP in men over a 5-year period may a indicate worsening of cardiac function and the need for intervention.

This study was designed to analyze physiologically recreational synchronized swimming and speed swimming. Two types of recreational synchronized swimming (Long face-in time performance : LFIP and Short face-in time performance : SFIP) and maximum exertion in the 200-m free style swimming (200 mFR) were measured in six recreational middle-aged female swimmers. LFIP and SFIP were conducted in shallow water. The percentage of face-in time for LFIP was about 10% longer than that of SFIP. Heart rate (HR) during each exercise was measured continuously. Blood lactate concentration (La), the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) were measured after each exercise. Average HR during the LFIP, SFIP and 200 mFR were 133±12, 132±13 and 153±12 beats·min^-1 (mean ± SD), respectively. La was 2.4±0.7 mmol·1^-1for LFIP, 2.2±0.6 mmol·1^-1for SFIP and 5.7 ± 2.4 mmol·1^-1for 200 mFR, respectively. SBP was 181±32 mmHg for LFIP, 166±22 mmHg for SFIP and 185±30 mmHg for 200 mFR, respectively. No significant differences were observed in blood pressure among the three exercises. SBP of 200 mmHg or higher after LFIP and 200 mFR was observed in some subjects. HR, La and RPE for LFIP and SFIP showed no significant differences, but were significantly lower than those of 200 mFR. These results show that the exercise intensity of LFIP was moderate and was similar to that of SFIP. LFIP, however, caused a marked rise in SBP. Thus, SFIP may be more recommended for health promotion to recreational middle-aged swimmers than LFIP.

In order to investigate an effects of the hot spring within a short period on immune system of human, the leukocyte, monocytes, lymphocyte and lymphocyte surface markers: CD2, CD4, CD8, CD16, CD19 and CD57 were tested in the human peripheral blood of twenty-three healthy volunteers by hot spring bathing. The results were as follows: Total number of leukocytes and lymphocytes in the peripheral blood significantly increased in an older group after hot spring bathing (p<0.01). However, we obtained a clear decrease in the number of granulocyte after hot spring bathing in the younger group (p<0.01). In addition, we found greater increase of the CD16⁺ cell counts and a clear decrease of the CD19⁺ cell counts in older group. But in younger group, we also obtained an increase of CD8⁺, CD16⁺ cells after hot spring bathing. These results indicated that hot spring bathing can regulate the physical immune system.
According to the percentage of lymphocytes or granulocytes in the total leukocytes, volunteers were divided into two types, more than 70% of granulocyte were recognized as G type and more than 40% of lymphocyte were divided in the L type. We found an increase of lymphocyte and lymphocyte subsets as well as a decrease in granulocyte in G group by hot spring bathing. But in L group, especially, indicated a greater increase in granulocyte and a decrease in lymphocyte subsets. We suggest that hot sping bathing can regulate by an autonomic nerve system, making it suitable.

We have simultaneously proved that cell populations taking charge of immunity in human peripheral blood can be regulated quantitatively by hot spring bathing. Now, we investigated the effect of hot spring bathing qualitatively on cytokine production by lymphocyte cell in human peripheral blood estimating by cytokine containing cell by FACScan. We found a significant increase in IFN-γ containing cells after hot spring bathing and an increase in IL-4 with no statistical significance after hot spring bathing. In addition, we found significant negative relationship between the level of IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-1β before hot spring bathing and the ratio of cytokine that increased in variation after hot spring bathing. Namely, after hot spring bathing, there was a decrease of cytokine producing cells in subjects who had higher level before hot spring bathing. But an increase in subjects who had lower level before hot spring bathing, the trend was concentrated toward average levels in the cytokine production by lymphocyte in peripheral blood. So we suggest that hot spring bathing can promote acquired immunity to make it possible more suitable as immune reaction.

A study was conducted to clarify the exercise intensity and metabolic condition during a free routine of synchronized swimming with respect to heart rate (HR), blood lactate concentration (La) and the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) . Six well trained female synchronized swimmers participated as subjects. HR during the free routine was measured continuously. La and RPE during the free routine were measured intermittently from the start to end of each stage. Maximum heart rate (swimmingHRmax : S-HRmax) was determined by measurement of maximum oxygen uptake using a swimming flume. Peak blood lactate concentration (Peak La) was measured after the maximum front crawl stroke of 100 m. The average values and S. D. of S-HRmax and Peak La were 180.0±3.8 beats · min^-1 and 9.6 ± 1.0 mmol · 1^-1, respectively. Average values, S. D. and ranges of HR and %S-HRmax during the free routine were 137.6±25.5 (60-180) beats · min^-1 and 76.5± 14.3 (34.5-96.8) %, respectively. HR during the free routine showed a decrease in the breath-holding phase. Average values and S. D. of La, %Peak La and RPE at the fourth stage were 5.4±1.2mmol·1^-1, 57.0±17.2% and 17.7±0.8, respectively. La, %Peak La and RPE at the fourth stage were significantly higher than those at the other stages, and La, %Peak La and RPE at the third stage were significantly higher than those at the second stage. These results suggested that the overall intensity of the free routine was moderate, but that part of the free routine included high-intensity activity and the percentage of anaerobic metabolism during the free routine increased in the final stages

Risk factors for developing hemolytic uremic syndrome among patients with enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157: H7 (EHEC) infection include age. The young, especially those under the age of five, face an increased risk, as do the elderly. In the present study, we evaluated the protective effects of Hochu-ekki-to (HET) on intraperitoneal infection with EHEC, using immunosuppressant, dexamethasone (Dex)-treated mice.
It was found that HET induced improvement of Dex-induced leukopenia. Similarly, the IgM-plaque forming cell responses to sheep red blood cell (SRBC) were restored by the administration of HET to the normal-mice level in Dex-treated mice. Consequently, HET was administered orally into the Dex-treated mice before infection with EHEC to observe the therapeutic effect. With the oral administration of 500mg/kg/head of HET into the Dex-treated mice, prolonged survival was shown: the 50% survival time in the HET-administered mice was four days, compared with one day in the non-administered controls. In addition, the number of bacteria in the liver was reduced by the administration of HET in the Dex-treated mice.
The results indicate that orally administered-HET protects against EHEC infection in Dex-treated mice, and such protective effects appear to be due to the restorative effects of HET against the Dex-induced immunosuppression.

A study was performed to examine the effect of plasma lactate concentration on intravascular hemolysis during exercise. Seven men performed maximal and submaximal exercise on a cycle ergometer. The maximal exercise was performed as a graded exercise until exhaustion. The mean performance time of the maximal exercise was 15 min and 4 s. The submaximal exercise was performed for 30 min at 50% HRmax. Blood samples were obtained before, immediately after, and one hour after exercise. Plasma lactate concentration, hematocrit (Ht), and serum haptoglobin concentration (Hp) were measured. Hp was corrected by Ht for hemoconcentration and expressed as HpC. Plasma lactate concentration was elevated significantly (p<0.05) immediately after maximal exercise, and returned to the baseline values one hour after exercise, whereas plasma lactate concentration did not change after submaximal exercise. Hp and HpC did not change even after maximal exercise. These results suggest that the elevation in plasma lactate concentration may not affect intravascular hemolysis during exercise.