Installation of toilet is an important issue for improvement of sanitary condition all over the developing countries. A Japanese NGO is trying to improve toilets which are planned to fit the rural environment in a village of an ethnic minority, the Hmong people, in northern Thailand. The toilet installed in a nursery school can produce methane gas from septic tank for cooking of lunch. The overflowed water from septic tank is able to be used for fertilizer in a kitchen garden. The concept of this toilet is the minimization of the release of carbon dioxide in the human life by the ecological use of human faces and urine that consume much energy for appropriate treatment in developed countries. The system will be developed to be one of an ideal model of the recycle system of natural resource. This project of innovating toilet is useful for the educational materials of the model of sustainable development for not only for under developing countries but also for developed countries in that it reminds us the traditional culture of utilization of human feces in Japan.

Exercise has been well known to a fundamental treatment of diabetes mellitus, as well as diet therapy. Nevertheless, its therapeutic use and clinical effects are still unknown in details. The aim of this study is the establishment of practical exercise therapy for the patients with diabetes mellitus. The present study shows the acute exercise effects on blood metabolites and the effects of long term physical training in diabetics.
The following results were obtained.
1) Although no significant change of blood glucose level was observed in normals, the decrease of blood glucose and triglyceride levels were observed in diabetics in acute exercise. Moreover marked elevation of FFA level was also observed after acute exercise in diabetics.
2) Significant decrease of blood glucose and increase of HDL-cholesterol levels were found in diabetics by long term regular physical training.
3) Body weight reduction without loss of lean body mass and the improvement of physiological response to exercise test were achieved after long term physical training.
These results suggest that the regular physical training leads to the better control of diabetes mellitus and keeps good condition in patients with diabetes mellitus, and that it may have a important role of the prevention for the diabetic vascular complication.

Background/Aims: Chronic constipation and lifestyle factors can affect sleep quality. We evaluated the relationship between chronic constipation and sleep in the Japanese population. Methods: This cross-sectional internet-based survey included 3000 subjects with constipation, classified according to sleep status (good/poor).Primary endpoints were Bristol stool form scale (BSFS) score and correlations between sleep disorder criteria of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and sleep status (good/poor sleep). Secondary endpoints included correlations between quality of life (QOL) and mood, medical, lifestyle, and sleep factors. Results: The proportion of participants with BSFS category 4 (normal stool) was significantly higher in the good sleep group (P < 0.001). Sleep disturbance (P < 0.05), sleep quality, and duration, use of hypnotic medication, and daytime dysfunction of PSQI (all P < 0.001) significantly correlated with poor sleep. In the poor sleep group, QOL was significantly worse and anxiety and depression levels were significantly higher (allP < 0.001) compared with the good sleep group. Anemia and smoking (both P < 0.05), recent body weight increases, and poor eating habits (all P < 0.001) were significantly higher in the poor sleep group. Male sex, onset associated with change in frequency of stools, sensation of incomplete evacuation for at least 25% of defecations, and manual maneuvers to facilitate at least 25% of defecations correlated with poor sleep. Conclusions Subjects with constipation and poor sleep experienced severe symptoms and had poor QOL. These data support the need for a multifocal treatment approach, including lifestyle advice and pharmacotherapy.

Background/Aims: Chronic constipation and lifestyle factors can affect sleep quality. We evaluated the relationship between chronic constipation and sleep in the Japanese population. Methods: This cross-sectional internet-based survey included 3000 subjects with constipation, classified according to sleep status (good/poor).Primary endpoints were Bristol stool form scale (BSFS) score and correlations between sleep disorder criteria of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and sleep status (good/poor sleep). Secondary endpoints included correlations between quality of life (QOL) and mood, medical, lifestyle, and sleep factors. Results: The proportion of participants with BSFS category 4 (normal stool) was significantly higher in the good sleep group (P < 0.001). Sleep disturbance (P < 0.05), sleep quality, and duration, use of hypnotic medication, and daytime dysfunction of PSQI (all P < 0.001) significantly correlated with poor sleep. In the poor sleep group, QOL was significantly worse and anxiety and depression levels were significantly higher (allP < 0.001) compared with the good sleep group. Anemia and smoking (both P < 0.05), recent body weight increases, and poor eating habits (all P < 0.001) were significantly higher in the poor sleep group. Male sex, onset associated with change in frequency of stools, sensation of incomplete evacuation for at least 25% of defecations, and manual maneuvers to facilitate at least 25% of defecations correlated with poor sleep. Conclusions Subjects with constipation and poor sleep experienced severe symptoms and had poor QOL. These data support the need for a multifocal treatment approach, including lifestyle advice and pharmacotherapy.