In this study, the difference between the effects of “power-up type” and “bulk-up type” strength training exercise was investigated by analyzing parameters such as structural and functional adaptations in the neuromuscular system. Eleven subjects were divided into power-up and bulk-up groups. The power-up group comprised five male subjects who performed 5 sets at 90% of one repetition maximum (1 RM) with a 3-min rest between sets (repetition method) . The bulk-up group comprised six male subjects who performed 9sets at 80-60-50%, 70-50-40%, and 60-50-40% of 1 RM with rest intervals between sets of either 30 s or 3 min (interval method) . Both groups performed isotonic knee extension exercise twice a week for 8 weeks. The power-up group showed a lower rate of improvement than the bulk-up group in terms of cross-sectional area (CSA) of the quadriceps femoris at levels 30%, 50% and 70% from the top of the femur, and also in average isokinetic strength (Isok. ave. ; 180 deg/s, 50 consecutive repetitions) . However, the power-up group showed a greater rate of improvement in 1 RM, maximal isometric strength (Isom. max), and maximal isokinetic strength (Isok. max ; 60, 180, 300 deg/s) . Furthermore, the rate of reduction in strength over 50 consecutive isokinetic repetitions decreased in the bulk-up group. On the other hand, the power-up group showed no significant changes in the above throughout the entire training program. These results indicate that the characteristics of the two types of training exercise are as follows : (1) power-up exercise is effective mainly for improving muscular strength and anaerobic power, and (2) bulk-up exercise is effective mainly for improving hypertrophy and anaerobic endurance. These findings support the idea that “power-up type” and “bulk-up type” strength training exercises should be applied appropriately according to the training aim.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the change in total excess volume of CO₂output (CO₂excess) due to bicarbonate buffering of lactic acid produced during exercise and change in swimming performance following resistance training for 8 weeks in competitive swimmers. Ten healthy university competitive swimmers were assigned to either a resistance training and swimming training group (COMBINE: N=5) or a swimming training only group (SWIM: N=5) . Muscle mass was measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) . CO₂excess and blood lactate concentration were measured during incremental exercise on a cycle ergometer and swimming performance was measured during competition. COMBINE showed a significantly higher percentage change in muscle mass (11.1±4.5%) than SWIM (3.5±2.5%) . The percentage change in CO₂excess, CO₂excess per body weight (CO₂excess/BW) and CO₂excess/BW per blood lactate accumulation (CO₂excess/BW/ΔLa) during exercise was significantly higher in COMBINE (107.3±60.1, 102.6±56.8, 59.1±37.7%, respectively) than in SWIM (42.5±10.0, 42.9±10.4, 13.4±22.4%, respectively) . The percentage change in swimming performance was significantly higher in COMBINE (2.2±1.8%) than in SWIM (-2.0±3.6%) . A negative correlation between percentage change of muscle mass and percentage change of CO₂excess/BW/ ΔLa (SWIM: r=-0.993, P<0.01, COMBINE: r=-0.744, P>0.05) was found. It was suggested that combined swim and resistance training resulted in greater increases in the bicarbonate buffering system (CO₂excess/BW/ΔLa) . However, increases in muscle mass may have subsequently caused a relative decrease in the contribution of the bicarbonate buffering system.

The purpose of this study was to determine the physiological responses, stroke rate and stroke length of front crawl leg kick and arm stroke of age-group and college swimmers and to elucidate the characteristics of male age-group swimmers, which have not been highlighted adequately. The subjects were ten 11.8-to 12.4-year-old well-trained male elementary school swimmers (group E) and nine 20.1-to 21.1-year-old well-trained male college swimmers (group C) . All the subjects were categorized into similar swimming levels for their ages. All the experiments were performed in a swimming flume (AQUAGYM made by IHI) . The water velocities during leg kicking and arm stroking were 60 and 70%, respectively, of the maximal velocity at maximal oxygen uptake (Vmax) . The oxygen uptake (VO₂), heart rate (HR), pulmonary ventilation (V_E), tidal volume (TV), respiratory rate (RR) and blood lactate (BL) level of each group were significantly higher during leg kicking than arm stroking at both velocities. VO2, V_E; and TV were significantly higher in group C than group E during leg kicking and arm stroking at both velocities, but HR, RR and BL did not differ significantly. The leg kick to arm stroke VO₂ ratio at 70% Vmax was significantly higher in group E than group C. The stroke rate at the same velocity was significantly lower and the stroke length was significantly higher in group C than group E, but the kick rate and length did not differ significantly. VO₂·SR^-1 and VO₂ KR^-1 at both velocities were significantly higher in group C than group E. VO₂ Wt^-1 SR^-1 at 70% Vmax was significantly higher in group C than group E, but VO₂ Wt^-1 KR^-1 at both velocities was significantly lower in group C than group E. These results clarified the differences between group E and group C, which must be considered carefully when designing a training program for age-group swimmers.

Objective: To convey HIV⁄AIDS-related knowledge to people in rural Cambodia, we conducted an HIV⁄AIDS awareness intervention program and investigated its effectiveness, participants’ sexual behavior, HIV-related knowledge, and their attitude to HIV⁄AIDS.
Methods: We conducted HIV⁄AIDS awareness intervention in a rural area of Cambodia from April to November 2007. We selected three villages (a total of 180 villagers) in Siem Reap Province. Our HIV⁄AIDS awareness intervention involved practical explanations by well-trained Cambodian staff using visual material and participatory activities in order to promote interest among illiterate participants. We implemented a cross-sectional study in each village after the HIV⁄AIDS awareness intervention using a questionnaire written in Khmer and assisted by a Cambodian NGO.
Results: Two-thirds of the participants had not finished primary school and had difficulties reading and writing. A total of 77.8% of the people had obtained HIV⁄AIDS-related information from NGOs.
Conclusion: The HIV⁄AIDS awareness intervention was welcomed by most of the villagers and positively influenced HIV⁄AIDS-related knowledge through the use of practical explanations. Rural areas are still more vulnerable to HIV⁄AIDS transmission, and at the same time more likely to be influenced by NGOs, than cities because of high rates of illiteracy and a lack of access to general HIV⁄AIDS-related information sources including television, books, newspapers, and the Internet. NGOs need to increase their efforts to educate the vulnerable populations in rural areas.

Objective: The overproduction of reactive oxygen species leads to oxidative stress, which is related to lifestyle-related disease and cancer. Although antioxidants are considered as one of the countermeasures to oxidative stress, it is necessary to develop the assessment methodology for the antioxidant capacity which is closer to the inner body conditions. In this study, we examined antioxidant actions of plant extracts by using newly-developed neutrophil activity measurement system.
Method: Lemon verbena, Green tea, Camellia japonica and Antiallerge^® were used as plant extracts, and were diluted to medium in wide-range concentrations. Each solution was added on modified Mebiol Gel^® (hydrogel), and the mixture of blood and luminol were set onto the hydrogel in each tube. The amount of reactive oxygen species were measured by luminol-dependent chemiluminescence, whereas the cell count in the hydrogel was quantified as migratory activity of neutrophils.
Result: Lemon verbena and Green tea significantly inhibited reactive oxygen species in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas Camellia japonica and Antiallerge^® did not. The migratory activity of neutrophils was not affected by those plant extracts. Also, damaged cells were not detected.
Conclusion: It was suggested that Lemon verbena and Green tea scavenged reactive oxygen species without causing cell death of neutrophils. This new method for measuring neutrophil activities can be applied not only for assessing the status of inflammation and oxidative stress but also as the screening system for predicting the effectiveness of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substances.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate whether body fat rate (BFR) and triceps skinfold thickness (TSF) are associated with estimated fentanyl absorption in patients treated with the fentanyl transdermal matrix patch for moderate to severe cancer pain, by measuring the residual content of fentanyl in used matrix patches. Methods: Adult Japanese inpatients experiencing chronic cancer-related pain and receiving treatment for the first time with a transdermal fentanyl matrix patch (Durotep®MT patch) were included in the present study. During the initial application period, BFR was measured using a body fat scale, and TSF was measured by an experienced nurse with an adipometer. One patch was collected from each patient. The residual fentanyl content in used matrix patch was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The transdermal fentanyl delivery efficiency was estimated based on the fentanyl content of the used matrix patches. Results: Fifteen adult patients (5 males and 10 females) were included in this study. Nine patches with a release rate of 12.5μg/h and 6 patches with a release rate of 25μg/h were collected. The application site was the chest or upper arm. BFR and TSF both showed a significant positive correlation with delivery efficiency. Conclusion: In malnourished or low-body fat patients receiving DMP, pain intensity should be more carefully monitored, and fentanyl dose adjustment may be required. Additional parameters, such as nutritional status including body fat change, the degree of dry skin, and plasma fentanyl concentration, also require detailed evaluation. Palliat Care Res 2010; 5(2): 206-212

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. PURPOSE: A comparison of mini open foraminotomy (MOF) for cervical radiculopathy using either large tubular (LT) or TrimLine (TL) retractors. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Posterior foraminotomy relieves compression of the cervical nerve root in radiculopathy patients. However, invasion of the paravertebral muscle may cause major problems in these patients. To address these problems, we performed MOF. METHODS: Twenty cervical radiculopathy patients (16 male and 4 female) who underwent MOF between May 2004 and August 2011 were assigned to LT and TL groups. Each group contained 10 subjects. Surgical and clinical outcomes were compared. RESULTS: The average operating time in the TL group was significantly shorter than that in the LT group. The final follow-up mean neck disability indices significantly improved compared to the preoperative values (LT group, 12.0+/-7.8 vs. 28.0+/-9.4; TL group, 6.0+/-5.9 vs. 21.9+/-10). The final follow-up neck pain visual analog scale (VAS) scores also decreased significantly from the preoperative of 8.0+/-1.5 and 2.5+/-2.5 to the final follow-up values of 2.2+/-2.2 and 1.0+/-2.5 in the LT and TL groups, respectively. The recovery rate for the neck pain VAS score was 70.0+/-31.9 in the LT group and 87.0+/-32.0 in the TL group, thus suggesting no significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: MOF with the TL retractor is an easy and safe procedure. Furthermore, the use of the TL retractor allows for a minimally invasive and effective surgical treatment of cervical radiculopathy patients.
Follow-Up Studies ; Foraminotomy* ; Humans ; Male ; Neck ; Neck Pain ; Radiculopathy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Analog Scale

No abstract available.
Burkitt Lymphoma ; Fungemia ; Humans ; Trichosporon

OBJECTIVE: To validate the relationship between residual walking ability and monthly care cost as well as long-term care insurance (LTCI) certification level in elderly patients after surgical treatment for hip fractures in Japan. METHODS: Elderly patients aged >75 years who underwent surgical treatment for hip fractures in our hospital were included. The preand post-surgical (6-month) walking ability and LTCI certification and the presence or absence of dementia was determined from medical records and questionnaires. Walking ability was classified into 6 levels used in our daily medical practice. Based on these data, we correlated the relationship between walking ability and the LTCI certification level. Further, based on the official statistics pertaining to the average monthly costs per person at each LTCI certification level, we evaluated the relationship between walking ability and monthly care cost. RESULTS: A total of 105 cases (mean age, 80.2 years; 16 men; 39 patients with dementia) were included. The correlation between walking ability and average monthly cost per person as well as LTCI certification level at 6 months postoperatively (r=0.58) was demonstrated. The correlation was found in both groups with and without dementia. CONCLUSION: The ability to walk reduced the cost of care in elderly patients who experienced hip fracture, regardless of the presence of dementia.
Aged* ; Certification ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Dementia ; Hip Fractures* ; Hip* ; Humans ; Insurance, Long-Term Care ; Japan ; Long-Term Care ; Male ; Medical Records ; Mobility Limitation ; Walking*

Objective: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is common worldwide, and lifestyle modifications are key to its treatment. This study aimed to identify the barriers to lifestyle modifications in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and to organize the results using the Capability Opportunity Motivation-Behavior (COM-B) model.Materials and Methods: The framework of Arksey and O’ Malley was used in this scoping review. We searched PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library without language restrictions for reports published up to September 11, 2022, including peer-reviewed literature reporting barriers to lifestyle modifications in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Patient-reported barriers were analyzed inductively and organized into the components (capability, opportunity, and motivation) of the COM-B model.Results: The literature search yielded 583 articles, of which seven qualitative studies, four quantitative studies, and one mixed-methods study met the inclusion criteria. Lack of time, lack of information on the diagnosis and management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, negative perceptions of the prescribed exercise and diet, physical symptoms interfering with the behavior, presence of comorbidities, and lack of family cooperation were frequently reported as barriers.Conclusion: The results of this study may contribute to the development of appropriate care and education strategies to promote behavioral changes in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.