A study was conducted to examine the feasibility and validity of using integrated electromyographic signals (IEMG) for determination of anaerobic threshold (AT) in the elderly. Twentynine healthy elderly subjects (aged 67.6±7.7 yr) and twelve young males (aged 23.2±7.9 yr) performed ramp cycle exercise to exhaustion, increasing at a rate of 12.5 W/min for the elderly group and 25.0 W/min for the young group, following 3 min of exercise at zero work load. Myoelectrical signals were measured continuously from the vastus lateralis muscle, and values in terms of IEMG were computed every 10s throughout the test with AID conversion at 500 Hz. For the criterion of IEMG threshold, the breakpoint in the relationship between power output and IEMG was determined by two-segmental linear regression. VT was defined as the VO₂ at the onset of a nonlinear increase in VE and/or a sustained rise in VE/VO₂ without a rise in VE/VCO₂. It was found that the value of VO₂ in terms of IEMGT was similar to VT in both groups, 16.3 and 18.1 ml/kg/min for the elderly group and 33.5 and 36.3 ml/kg/min for the young group, respectively. Furthermore, IEMGT was correlated significantly (p<0.001) with VT in both groups (r=0.871 for the elderly group and r=0.925 for the young group) . It is concluded that the IEMGT method for determination of AT in the elderly is simple and useful.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between balancing ability during abrupt acceleration and the habitual physical activity level of elderly females. Thirty-one elderly females, aged 65-75 years, volunteered for this study. Changes in the center of foot pressure (CFP) were measured during postural sway following platform acceleration, and the response time and CFP displacement were evaluated. The scores of their daily physical activities (TS) -consisting of house-hold activities (HS), leisure time activities (LS) and sports activities (SS) -were estimated by the modified Voorrips's questionaire method. Response time and CFP displacement correlated significantly with age (p<0.001) . Response time also correlated significantly with the SS, LS and TS scores (p<0.05) . CFP displacement also correlated significantly with the SS and TS scores (p<0.05) . These results suggest that postural balancing ability during abrupt acceleration correlates signifi-cantly with the habitual physical activity levels, especially sports activities in elderly females.

Purpose: General surgeons at regional hospitals should have the primary trauma care skills necessary to treat critically ill trauma patients to withstand transfer. This study was conducted to identify a consensus on primary trauma care skills for general surgeons. Methods: An initial list of acute care surgical skills was compiled, and revised by six trauma experts (acute care surgeons); 33 skills were nominated for inclusion in the Delphi consensus survey. Participants (councilors of the Japanese Society for Acute Care Surgery) were presented with the list of 33 trauma care skills and were asked (using web-based software) to rate how strongly they agreed or disagreed (using a 5-point Likert scale) with the necessity of each skill for a general surgeon. The reliability of consensus was predefined as Cronbach’s α ≥ 0.8, and trauma care skills were considered as primarily required when rated 4 (agree) or 5 (strongly agree) by ≥ 80% participants. Results: There were 117 trauma care specialists contacted to participate in the Delphi consensus survey panel. In the 1st round, 85 specialists participated (response rate: 72.6%). In the 2nd round, 66 specialists participated (response rate: 77.6%). Consensus was achieved after two rounds, reliability using Cronbach’s α was 0.94, and 34 items were identified as primary trauma care skills needed by general surgeons. Conclusion A consensus-based list of trauma care skills required by general surgeons was developed. This list can facilitate the development of a new trauma training course which has been optimized for general surgeons.