The purpose of present study was to investigate the cerebral oxygenation and oxygen uptake (VO₂) during exercise of a combined circuit training (CCT) and a circuit resistance training (CRT). Nine healthy young male subjects performed the following two trails on separate days: 1) CCT trail (three circuits of aerobic exercise for 5 min at 50%VO₂max and 1 set of four resistance exercises at 50% one-repetition maximum) and 2) CRT trail (six circuits of the same resistance exercises and intensity as for CCT without aerobic exercise). Exercise duration of these trails was 30 minutes. Cerebral oxygenation was determined by near infrared spectroscopy, and VO₂ was measured by breath by breath methods. Cerebral oxygenation and VO₂ were continuously monitored during the exercise. Oxyhemoglobin and total hemoglobin concentration during CCT trail was significantly higher than during CRT trail (p<0.05). Average VO₂ and energy expenditure during CCT trail were significantly higher than during CRT trail (p<0.05). These results suggest that a single bout of circuit resistance training combined with aerobic exercise induced greater energy expenditure and cerebral oxygenation than those induced by a resistance training with the same exercise duration.

The aim of the present study was to examine whether amount of oral cortisol, immunoglobulin A (IgA), chromogranin A (CgA) and inflammatory cytokines, might be affected by prolonged strenuous exercise. Ten young male volunteers either exercised on recumbent ergometer at 75 % VO₂ max for 60 min (exercise session) or sat quietly (resting session). Saliva samples were obtained at 60 min intervals during sessions for measurements of salivary stress markers (cortisol, IgA and CgA), salivary inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and osmolality. Saliva flow rate was decreased and saliva osmolality was increased during the 60-min exercise. Saliva cortisol and CgA concentrations and secretion rates were increased during and after the exercise, whereas saliva IgA concentration and secretion rates were decreased after the exercise. Salivary inflammatory cytokines was increased during and after the exercise. The present findings suggested a single bout of prolonged strenuous exercise caused a transient increase in the salivary cortisol, CgA and inflammatory cytokines levels, whereas salivary IgA concentration and secretion rates were decreased after the exercise. Further studies, however, are needed to delineate whether or not salivary stress markers and inflammatory cytokines may be used as biological markers to determine the host responses to acute prolonged strenuous exercise.

Although there are a number of reported cases of increased cerebral blood flow during exercise, there are no reports on the relation between changes of blood flow during exercise and attentional function. The purpose of this study is to clarify the relation between changes of blood flow during exercise with AT intensity and attentional function, using near-infrared spectral analysis. The subjects were 10 healthy males. The research protocol was to conduct steady load exercise. We randomly conducted two invention trials: 1) an exercise/task trial in which a trail making test (TMT) was performed as an attentional assignment during steady load exercise, and 2) a rest/task trial in which TMT was performed during rest as a control. As a result, we observed the following: increase of oxy-Hb in the prefrontal cortex during AT exercise, the significant shortening of TMT during exercise from 69.1±10.2 seconds to63.2±7.2seconds, and, with further control, that the more oxy-Hb rises, the more TMT time is shortened. From these results, it is suggested that 10 minutes of exercise would improve attentional function, and furthermore, there is a possibility that increased cerebral blood flow may be involved with the improvement of attentional function.

Purpose: It aims to investigate the contents of food supplies, gastrointestinal symptoms, and stated preferences of evacuees during the first two weeks after the earthquake. Methods: Thirty-four evacuees from evacuation shelters and 12 evacuees from geriatric care facilities were surveyed.Subjective and comprehensive nutritional assessment questionnaires were administered to the evacuees, and their dissatisfaction and preferences were also recorded in an open-ended format. Results: Weight decreased, remained unchanged, increased, or was unknown for 4, 24, 6, and 0 evacuees from the shelters and in 0, 8, 1, and 3 evacuees from the facilities. The number of respondents who reported a decrease, change, or decrease in food intake was 4, 22, and 1 from the evacuation centers and 1, 10, and 1 from the facilities, indicating a large number of changes in the evacuation centers. Reasons for weight gain included “feeling that they should not leave food behind,” “eating a lot of high-calorie food,” and “eating sweets and cup noodles.” Constipation was the most common gastrointestinal symptom (n=5) in the evacuation centers, while diverse symptoms were reported from the facilities. Constipation in the facilities was thought to be related to the high carbohydrate content of the food. Only two respondents were satisfied with the shelter, and the majority complained of dissatisfaction. The most common complaints were “I don’t like bread in the morning (I prefer rice);” “Too sweet;” and “Onigiri (rice ball) is too big,” but there were also complaints about the eating environment on the floor, such as “I lose [my] appetite when eating on the floor due to abdominal pressure” (I prefer to eat on a chair at a table). The majority of the respondents in the facilities did not have any complaints. All of the respondents in the shelters expressed a wide variety of food preferences, including vegetables, rice in the morning, meat, fruit, and foods that were not available due to lack of refrigeration, such as carbonated beverages and ice cream. Some respondents expressed that they were tired of being given food unilaterally and having no choice, such as “I want to choose my own food” and “I want a vending machine [to choose my own food].” There were almost no requests for food at the facilities, and the majority of the respondents were satisfied with their situation. The food was supplied by volunteers and the SelfDefense Forces, which were out of sync with the needs of the evacuees at the evacuation center. However, at the facilities, food was sent to a geriatric care facility in a remote area that accounted for the needs of the victims. Conclusion Evacuees were grateful for the food supplies immediately after the disaster, but gradually became dissatisfied.Meals are one of the pleasures in evacuation centers and are important for reducing mental stress. Evacuation centers should consider the needs of evacuees when providing food to evacuees.

Purpose: It aims to investigate the contents of food supplies, gastrointestinal symptoms, and stated preferences of evacuees during the first two weeks after the earthquake. Methods: Thirty-four evacuees from evacuation shelters and 12 evacuees from geriatric care facilities were surveyed.Subjective and comprehensive nutritional assessment questionnaires were administered to the evacuees, and their dissatisfaction and preferences were also recorded in an open-ended format. Results: Weight decreased, remained unchanged, increased, or was unknown for 4, 24, 6, and 0 evacuees from the shelters and in 0, 8, 1, and 3 evacuees from the facilities. The number of respondents who reported a decrease, change, or decrease in food intake was 4, 22, and 1 from the evacuation centers and 1, 10, and 1 from the facilities, indicating a large number of changes in the evacuation centers. Reasons for weight gain included “feeling that they should not leave food behind,” “eating a lot of high-calorie food,” and “eating sweets and cup noodles.” Constipation was the most common gastrointestinal symptom (n=5) in the evacuation centers, while diverse symptoms were reported from the facilities. Constipation in the facilities was thought to be related to the high carbohydrate content of the food. Only two respondents were satisfied with the shelter, and the majority complained of dissatisfaction. The most common complaints were “I don’t like bread in the morning (I prefer rice);” “Too sweet;” and “Onigiri (rice ball) is too big,” but there were also complaints about the eating environment on the floor, such as “I lose [my] appetite when eating on the floor due to abdominal pressure” (I prefer to eat on a chair at a table). The majority of the respondents in the facilities did not have any complaints. All of the respondents in the shelters expressed a wide variety of food preferences, including vegetables, rice in the morning, meat, fruit, and foods that were not available due to lack of refrigeration, such as carbonated beverages and ice cream. Some respondents expressed that they were tired of being given food unilaterally and having no choice, such as “I want to choose my own food” and “I want a vending machine [to choose my own food].” There were almost no requests for food at the facilities, and the majority of the respondents were satisfied with their situation. The food was supplied by volunteers and the SelfDefense Forces, which were out of sync with the needs of the evacuees at the evacuation center. However, at the facilities, food was sent to a geriatric care facility in a remote area that accounted for the needs of the victims. Conclusion Evacuees were grateful for the food supplies immediately after the disaster, but gradually became dissatisfied.Meals are one of the pleasures in evacuation centers and are important for reducing mental stress. Evacuation centers should consider the needs of evacuees when providing food to evacuees.

Purpose: It aims to investigate the contents of food supplies, gastrointestinal symptoms, and stated preferences of evacuees during the first two weeks after the earthquake. Methods: Thirty-four evacuees from evacuation shelters and 12 evacuees from geriatric care facilities were surveyed.Subjective and comprehensive nutritional assessment questionnaires were administered to the evacuees, and their dissatisfaction and preferences were also recorded in an open-ended format. Results: Weight decreased, remained unchanged, increased, or was unknown for 4, 24, 6, and 0 evacuees from the shelters and in 0, 8, 1, and 3 evacuees from the facilities. The number of respondents who reported a decrease, change, or decrease in food intake was 4, 22, and 1 from the evacuation centers and 1, 10, and 1 from the facilities, indicating a large number of changes in the evacuation centers. Reasons for weight gain included “feeling that they should not leave food behind,” “eating a lot of high-calorie food,” and “eating sweets and cup noodles.” Constipation was the most common gastrointestinal symptom (n=5) in the evacuation centers, while diverse symptoms were reported from the facilities. Constipation in the facilities was thought to be related to the high carbohydrate content of the food. Only two respondents were satisfied with the shelter, and the majority complained of dissatisfaction. The most common complaints were “I don’t like bread in the morning (I prefer rice);” “Too sweet;” and “Onigiri (rice ball) is too big,” but there were also complaints about the eating environment on the floor, such as “I lose [my] appetite when eating on the floor due to abdominal pressure” (I prefer to eat on a chair at a table). The majority of the respondents in the facilities did not have any complaints. All of the respondents in the shelters expressed a wide variety of food preferences, including vegetables, rice in the morning, meat, fruit, and foods that were not available due to lack of refrigeration, such as carbonated beverages and ice cream. Some respondents expressed that they were tired of being given food unilaterally and having no choice, such as “I want to choose my own food” and “I want a vending machine [to choose my own food].” There were almost no requests for food at the facilities, and the majority of the respondents were satisfied with their situation. The food was supplied by volunteers and the SelfDefense Forces, which were out of sync with the needs of the evacuees at the evacuation center. However, at the facilities, food was sent to a geriatric care facility in a remote area that accounted for the needs of the victims. Conclusion Evacuees were grateful for the food supplies immediately after the disaster, but gradually became dissatisfied.Meals are one of the pleasures in evacuation centers and are important for reducing mental stress. Evacuation centers should consider the needs of evacuees when providing food to evacuees.