The present study aimed to investigate the profiles of activities of thigh muscles during 100 m sprint running in track and field athletes experienced hamstrings (muscle) strain injury, with specific emphasis on the difference between injured and non-inured legs. The subjects were 20 track and field athletes who were divided into muscle strain injury group (MS) and non muscle strain injury group (NMS). The electromyograms (EMGs) of five thigh muscles (the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, rectus femoris, vastus lateralis and vastus medialis) and knee joint angles were recorded during 100 m sprint running. For NMS, there were no significant differences between the right and left legs. For MS, the averaged EMG of every muscle,expressed as relative to that during maximum voluntary contraction (%mEMG_MVC), values of the biceps femoris and semitendinosus in the latter phases of takeoff and swing periods were significantly higher in the injured leg than in the non-injured leg. Also, the maximal flexed and extended angles of the knee joint during takeoff and swing period, respectively, for the injured leg were significantly greater than those for non-injured leg. Thus, the present results indicate that track and field athletes experienced hamstrings (muscle) strain injury show by higher EMG activities in the biceps femoiris and semitendinosus of the injured leg at the later phases of swing and takeoff periods during 100 m sprint running. This may be partially related to the running style with a greater extended position of knee joint angles at the corresponding phases.

Approximately 14.1 million patients have dyslipidemia in Japan. Promotion of self-medication for the prevention of dyslipidemia is needed. After a change in law in 2014, residents of Japan are allowed to measure HbA1c, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels by self-blood sampling from the fingers under the guidance of pharmacists. In this study, we held an event to measure the lipid levels within a community and evaluated the usefulness of a simple measurement for the early detection of dyslipidemia. Furthermore, we surveyed community members’ knowledge of dyslipidemia by self-questionnaires. Of the 48 local residents who came to the event, 45 had their lipids measured and answered the questionnaires. In 12 applicants, HDL-cholesterol or non-HDL-cholesterol, which are not affected by meals, exceeded the standard range. In the questionnaire study, 89% of applicants selected arteriosclerosis as the main consequence of dyslipidemia. Additionally, over 82% of applicants selected blue-backed fish, dietary fiber, and soybeans as food items that inhibit the rise in lipid levels. However, only 31% of applicants recognized that fruits also affect lipid levels. Although it was disappointing that 60% of applicants did not know that they could measure HbA1c and lipids at community pharmacies, 62% desired measurement of those levels in the future. This study suggested that the simple lipid measurement is useful for the early detection of dyslipidemia but local residents need to be informed about it. Furthermore, improvement in the recognition of dyslipidemia by local residents is needed.

A check of the health of residents in their twenties and thirties in Nagano Prefecture's rural communities indicates that the rate of hypertensives and the incidence of cholesterolemia were low in those age groups. There were signs that the prevalence of obesity is somewhat high among males but low among females. Virtually no incidence of anemia was observed among men but the incidence was fairly high among women. The number of persons with hepatic dysfunction was relatively large among men. In terms of the intake of nutrients, there were not a few men for whom the meals were imbalanced, and the intake of alcoholic beverages was high.
It is necessary that women should refrain from taking in confectionary and taken in fishmeat, meat, milk, egg, soybeans and other proteins. In Nagano Prefecture's rural communities, there remain signs that the intake of salt is high even in young generation, so that it is important to take measures for the prevention of hypertension.

This study evaluated the exercise profile (heart rate, cycling speed and pedal cadence) during 25-30 km cycling and fitness and health level for adults (11 males: 69.6 ± 4.7 yrs; 6 females: 66.3 ± 4.9 yrs) with a recreational cycling habit (27.6 ± 14.8 km/week). Exercise intensity at a constant speed on a flat road during male and female cycling was 71.2 ± 11.5 and 66.8 ± 11.4% heart rate reserved (HRR), respectively. Exercise intensity over 60% HRR occupied 72% of cycling time. Peak intensity during male and female cycling was 89.2 ± 8.9 and 93.1 ± 6.1% HRR, respectively. VO2max and CS (chair stand)-30 test for male and female were 40.3 ± 4.3 and 37.7 ± 2.4 ml/kg/min, and 30.8 ± 3.1 and 30.1 ± 3.2 times, respectively. The muscle cross-sectional area of thigh extensor and flexor measured by MRI were 55.4 ± 6.5 and 58.3 ± 13.3 cm² for male, and 45.5 ± 6.4 and 50.2 ± 5.7 cm² for female, respectively. Blood profile for HDL-C (cholesterol), LDL-C and HbA1c (JDS) for male and female were 65.9 ± 8.2 and 67.9 ± 10.6 mg/dl, 112.3 ± 32.0 and 130.6 ± 12.3 mg/dl, and 4.8 ± 0.4 and 4.7 ± 0.1%, respectively. Fitness level and blood profile results were superior to those of the same aged adults. We concluded that the exercise intensity of cycling by middle and older adults with a recreational cycling habit is high and their fitness and health level are higher than average adults.

In this study, we demonstrated that immobilized fibronectin (FN) enhanced LAK activity, and that the enhanced LAK activity was completely abrogated by an anti-VLA-5 monoclonal antibody and RGD peptide. Fresh -spleen cells expressed VLA-4, VLA-6 and vitronectin receptor, whereas VLA-5 was expressed only on the spleen cells activated with IL-2. LAK cells showed increased adhesion to immobilized FN compared with that to control BSA, and the increased adhesion of LAK cells to immobilized FN was inhibited by anti-VLA-5 monoclonal antibody. Conjugate-formation assay showed that the LAK cells cultured on immobilized FN bound to target cells more efficiently than the control LAK cells, and that anti-LFA-1 monoclonal antibody inhibited the LAK-target cell binding. Immobilized type IV collagen and laminin, as well as FN, enhanced LAK activity. All these results suggest that the interaction of inte-grins expressed on LAK cells with extracellular matrix proteins act as co-stimulator for the enhancement of LAK activity , and that anchorage is necessary for full activation of LAK cells.