Comparative studies were carried out on methods for measuring and evaluating bodily flexibility using the data of measurements of toe touching and chest and leg raising (one of the so-called distance methods) and the ventro-dorsal motion range (degree) of the lumbar spine with Iino's spinometer (taken as one of the so-called angular methods) in 100 young male subjects. After reviewing the values of the distance method in relation to physique and statistical relations between the values of the angular method and the distance method, the following conclusions were obtained.
A. The values of measurement by the conventional distance method were correlative with physique values. The value of toe touching (TT) showed a significant correlation with body height, leg length and arm length. The value of chest and leg raising (CLR) showed a correlation with body height and leg length. These two values involve a risk that the assessment of flexibility may be influenced by physique.
B. Accordingly it is proposed that the following formula is reasonable for TT in order to eliminate the influence of physical factors.
(1-arm length-conventional toe touching value/body height) ×100
This may be called a toe touching index (TT Index) .
An index of CLR relative to body height is likewise proposed as follows.
Chest and leg raising index (CLR Index) =chest and leg raising value/body height×100
C. TT Index and CLR Index were not correlative with physique. The correlation of TT Index to CLR Index was higher than that of conventional TT value and CLR value
D. Regarding the correlation with the values for the maximal motion ranges (degree) of the lumbar spine, these two indices were higher than the conventional values of TT and CLR, especially they showed the closest correlation with the range of maximal extension (degree) among some measurment items on the mobility of the lumbar spine.
Above all, the correlation of TT Index and CLR Index added together, with the range of maximal extension was the highest, showing a coefficient of +0.571.

The cold-induced vasodilation (CIVD) was measured of 30 male university students who were daily engaged in three or four kilometers running, a rubdown with a dry towel and sports activities (trained group), and of 20 male university students who were hardly doing any physical exercise (untrained group) . Measurements were made five times in spring, summer and autumn in 1976 and in winter and spring in 1977. The results were summarized below:
1. The mean skin temperature (MST) and the temperature at first rise (TFR) were higher and the time of temperature rise (TTR) was earlier in the trained than in the untrained. This trend of difference between the two groups was particularly remarkable in summer, autumn and winter. MST was high in summer and low in winter, and this seasonal variation of MST was in conformity with that of the previous reports. The variation of the index of MST, TFR and TTR well conformed with that of temperature before water immersion (TBI), supporting the reasonability of Nakamura et al's rating method.
2. The resistance index (RI) was higher in the trained after summer and was significant in winter and spring of the following year. The increase of RI in one year was as significant as 18% in the trained while it was only 2% in the untrained. The seasonal variation of RI showed a two-peak behavior, high in summer and winter and low in spring and autumn.
The above differences of CIVD scores between the trained and the untrained indicate that physical training is useful for resistivity against cold.

The following two aspects will be considered in this paper. First, in order to elucidate the effects of experimental increase of heat production on the cold-induced vasodilation (CIVD), we examined 20 males in CIVD before and after each exercise. Second, in terms of the difference in CIVD between trained and untrained individuals, 160 trained and 34 untrained males were examined. The results obtained from both of the experiments may be summarized as follows.
1. The CIVD after one hour's outdoor exercise was enhanced in comparison with that before exercise. After exercise, the temperature before water immersion (TBI), mean skin temperature (MST) and temperature at first rise (TFR) during immersion were significantly higher, and the time to temperature rise (TTR) during immersion was significantly shorter.
The amplitude of temperature (AT) was likewise significantly higher. These scores were calculated into resistance indices (RI) by Yoshimura's method and Nakamura's method (3 point method and 5 point method) . As a result, the RI by Yoshimura's method was significantly higher after exercise while that by Nakamura's method showed no difference. This suggests that a transient increase of heat content by physical exercise is ignored in the latter method.
2. In regard to the features of CIVD in the trained as compared with the untrained, TBI, MST, TFR and AT were higher, and TTR was shorter and RI was significantly higher. There was a significant positive correlation between the years of experience of sports and RI.
3. The CIVD was higher in those trained in outdoor sports than in indoor sports. The RI, classified by sport events was the highest in swimming followed in decreasing order by rowing, karate, baseball, track and field, judo, tennis, rugby, basketball, soccer, kendo, badminton, volleyball and table-tennis.
This order was almost the same even after eliminating the effects of the years of experience of sports. Thus, it follows from this observation that the RI was higher in the trained in outdoor sports than in the trained in indoor sports. This result may be atrributed to the fact that outdoor sportsmen have more opportunities to be exposed to outdoor cold as compared with indoor sportsmen.

The prevalence of silent myocardial ischemia (SMI) was studied in 96 subjects, aged 40 to 75 years, with diabetes millitus and without cardiac symptoms. Its relation to the duration of diabetes, the presence of diabetes-induced nephropathy, retinopathy and peripheral neuropathy, as well as risk factors for coronary artery disease, were also evaluated. Exercise-induced SMI, defined as 1≥ mm of ST-segment depression and thallium perfusion defect, was detected in 13 patients (14%). The duration of diabetes in the patients with SMI was not so long, averaging 2.8±3.0 years. The extent of nephropathy, retiopathy and peripheral neuropathy, and the presence of hyperlipidemia were similar in patients with and without SMI. The presense of hypertension and cigarette smoking were significantly correlated in patiens with SMI. It is concluded that SMI occurs frequently in asymptomatic patients wiht short duration of diabetes.

Objective: This study examined the associations between the adequacy ofchildcare provided by adult caretakers and childhood undernutrition in rural Yemen,independent of household wealth and food consumption.

Methods: We analyzed data of 3,549 children under the age of 5 years livingin rural areas of Yemen based on the 2013 Yemen Baseline Survey of Mother and ChildHealth. Nutritional status was evaluated by the presence of underweight, stunting, andwasting according to the World Health Organization child growth standards. The impact ofchildcare including leaving children alone, putting older children into labor force, andthe use of antenatal care while pregnant on child undernutrition was assessed and adjustedfor food consumption by children, household composition, demographic and educationalbackground of caretakers, and household wealth.

Results: The prevalence of underweight, stunting, and wasting was 46.2%,62.6%, and 11.1%, respectively. Not leaving children alone, keeping children out of thelabor force, and use of antenatal care were associated with a lower risk of underweight(odds ratio [OR] = 0.84, P = 0.016; OR = 0.84, P = 0.036; and OR = 0.85, P = 0.042) andstunting (OR = 0.80, P = 0.004; OR = 0.82, P = 0.024; and OR = 0.78, P = 0.003). Afterfurther adjustment for food consumption, the associations between adequate childcareindicators and lower odds of stunting remained significant (OR = 0.73, P = 0.025; OR =0.72, P = 0.046; and OR = 0.76, P = 0.038).

Conclusions: A marked prevalence of stunting among rural children in Yemenwas observed. Adequate childcare by adult caretakers in families is associated with alower incidence of underweight and stunting among children under 5 years of age. Promotingadequate childcare by adult household members is a feasible option for reducingundernutrition among children in rural Yemen.

Objective: The aim of this study was to elucidate the roles of knowledge related to lymphatic filariasis (LF), contributions of taking roles in community activities to eradicate LF and participation in traditional village forums in adherence to mass drug administration (MDA) in a preventive chemotherapy program targeted at the community residents.
Materials and Methods: A survey on ingestion of diethylcarbamazine (DEC) and albendazole (ALB), knowledge related to LF, taking roles in community activities and participation in traditional village forums was carried out for 400 adult subjects randomly selected from the Central Division of Fiji within three months after the MDA campaign in 2010 in the respective communities. Multilevel logistic regression analysis and multilevel linear regression analysis were performed to examine relationships between knowledge, community activities, traditional village forums and ingestion of anti-filarial drugs. The LF knowledge score was defined as a factor score of five knowledge variables.
Results: Among 324 respondents, 40.4% of them ingested both DEC and ALB. Participation in traditional village forums was independently and significantly related to ingestion of DEC and ALB (OR=1.78, 95% CI=1.04-3.05) and taking roles in community activities for MDA (OR=1.87, 95% CI=1.18-2.94), regardless of the subject’s gender, education, knowledge and taking roles in community activities. Taking roles in community activities for MDA was independently related to the LF knowledge score (β=0.24, 95% CI=0.15-0.33).
Conclusion: Participation in traditional village forums in Fiji was related to taking roles in community activities for MDA and associated with adherence to MDA regimen regardless of the educational attainment of the individual residents.

Objectives: This study was performed to evaluate the use of individual components of antenatal care (ANC) services by pregnant women across India in addition to counting of ANC visits and then analyze differences according to state, socioeconomic condition, and access to health care services.
Methods: The study used a nationally representative sample of 36,850 women from the National Family Health Survey (2005–2006) of India. Outcome measurements were medication, number of ANC visits, and components of ANC, including physical examination and measurements, laboratory examination, and advice about pregnancy. Differences in these outcomes according to 29 states, socioeconomic conditions, and access to health care services were examined. Independent associations between outcome measures and social and health care factors were analyzed.
Results: The percentages of women who used ANC at least once and four times or more were 81.5% (ranges by states: 38.0 –99.9%) and 46.1% (15.2–97.9%), respectively. Among those who used ANC four times or more, 86.4% (54.2–98.9%) received a blood examination, and 85.8% (70.3–96.3%) were advised to deliver in a hospital. Greater wealth (OR=3.38; 95%CI 2.58–4.42) and higher education level (OR=3.19; 95%CI 2.49–4.14) were associated with receiving a blood examination during ANC. Rural residence was negatively associated with using ANC four times or more (OR=0.64; 95%CI 0.59–0.67) and receiving a blood examination (OR=0.67; 95%CI 0.59–0.76). Those who received ANC at community health centers were less likely to receive a blood pressure examination, blood and urine examination, and advice to deliver in a hospital compared with those who received ANC at public hospitals.
Conclusion: This study showed substantial inequalities in use of ANC and service components of ANC received in India across geographic areas, socioeconomic conditions, and levels of access to health care services. In addition to reducing socioeconomic inequalities, it is necessary to provide quality services to those withlimited access to health care services.

Objectives: This study was performed to evaluate the use of individual components of antenatal care (ANC) services by pregnant women across India in addition to counting of ANC visits and then analyze differences according to state, socioeconomic condition, and access to health care services.Methods: The study used a nationally representative sample of 36,850 women from the National Family Health Survey (2005–2006) of India. Outcome measurements were medication, number of ANC visits, and components of ANC, including physical examination and measurements, laboratory examination, and advice about pregnancy. Differences in these outcomes according to 29 states, socioeconomic conditions, and access to health care services were examined. Independent associations between outcome measures and social and health care factors were analyzed.Results: The percentages of women who used ANC at least once and four times or more were 81.5% (ranges by states: 38.0 –99.9%) and 46.1% (15.2–97.9%), respectively. Among those who used ANC four times or more, 86.4% (54.2–98.9%) received a blood examination, and 85.8% (70.3–96.3%) were advised to deliver in a hospital. Greater wealth (OR=3.38; 95%CI 2.58–4.42) and higher education level (OR=3.19; 95%CI 2.49–4.14) were associated with receiving a blood examination during ANC. Rural residence was negatively associated with using ANC four times or more (OR=0.64; 95%CI 0.59–0.67) and receiving a blood examination (OR=0.67; 95%CI 0.59–0.76). Those who received ANC at community health centers were less likely to receive a blood pressure examination, blood and urine examination, and advice to deliver in a hospital compared with those who received ANC at public hospitals.Conclusion: This study showed substantial inequalities in use of ANC and service components of ANC received in India across geographic areas, socioeconomic conditions, and levels of access to health care services. In addition to reducing socioeconomic inequalities, it is necessary to provide quality services to those with limited access to health care services.

Investigation on the working time, energy expenditure and fatigue were carried out for members of three families engaged principally in raising silk worms.
Group examinations of physical conditions and blood constituents and survey of nutritional intake were performed on the residents, including the above families, in a community in Fukueisland, Nagasaki-prefecture.
The results were as follows;
1) The average values of energy expenditure on a most busy day in a raising period of silk worm calculated to be 3150 kcal (max. 3500 kcal) for males, 2340 kcal (max. 2890 kcal) for females of the above three families. Their working times on this day were about 14 hours.
2) The physical fatigue of the subjects was estimated by means of Fliker frequency, near point and threshold of patellar reflex. Remarkable changes of these values were found, suggesting the heavy physical load of the raising works, and the changes were more remarkable in olders and females than in youngers and males.
3) Donaggio's reaction and Na/K in the first urine of morning were investigated at an interval of five days during one period of silk worm raising.
The Donaggio's reaction values were increased about two times higher in the latter term, on the other hand Na/K dropped in the former term of the period.
4) The group examinations of the inhabitants in the community showed that the body fat of silk raising farmers were fewer than that of the farmers engaged in other kinds of farming reported by the present authors.
Blood values (Ht, Hb and TP) of them in 1975 were lower than in 1974, because one more raising period was added and so the physical load of them might be greater in '75 than in '74.
5) The nutritional intakes of silk raising farmers were almost as same as these of the farmers in other districts.

The electrogenic sodium/bicarbonate cotransporter 1 (NBCe1) on the basolateral side of the renal proximal tubule plays a pivotal role in systemic acid-base homeostasis. Mutations in the gene encoding NBCe1 cause severe proximal renal tubular acidosis accompanied by other extrarenal symptoms. The proximal tubule reabsorbs most of the sodium filtered in the glomerulus, contributing to the regulation of plasma volume and blood pressure. NBCe1 and other sodium transporters in the proximal tubule are regulated by hormones, such as angiotensin II and insulin. Angiotensin II is probably the most important stimulator of sodium reabsorption. Proximal tubule AT(1A) receptor is crucial for the systemic pressor effect of angiotensin II. In rodents and rabbits, the effect on proximal tubule NBCe1 is biphasic; at low concentration, angiotensin II stimulates NBCe1 via PKC/cAMP/ERK, whereas at high concentration, it inhibits NBCe1 via NO/cGMP/cGKII. In contrast, in human proximal tubule, angiotensin II has a dose-dependent monophasic stimulatory effect via NO/cGMP/ERK. Insulin stimulates the proximal tubule sodium transport, which is IRS2-dependent. We found that in insulin resistance and overt diabetic nephropathy, stimulatory effect of insulin on proximal tubule transport was preserved. Our results suggest that the preserved stimulation of the proximal tubule enhances sodium reabsorption, contributing to the pathogenesis of hypertension with metabolic syndrome. We describe recent findings regarding the role of proximal tubule transport in the regulation of blood pressure, focusing on the effects of angiotensin II and insulin.
Acidosis, Renal Tubular ; Angiotensin II ; Blood Pressure* ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Kidney Tubules, Proximal ; Plasma Volume ; Rabbits ; Rodentia ; Sodium ; Sodium-Bicarbonate Symporters