The purpose of the present study was to investigate the baseline characteristics related to the participation status in a longitudinal epidemiological study for the elderly. Nine hundred twenty-six self-supporting older adults lived in a local city located southwest in Japan were classified into the following 3 groups; non-participants (NP, n=170), participants for the baseline measurements (PB, n=278), and participants for both the baseline and follow-up measurements after two-years (PBF, n=478). The basic attributes including socioeconomic status, depressive symptoms, cognitive function, sleep quality, fitness, objectively- measured physical activity, habitual behavior, psychosocial characteristics and functional problems in daily life were assessed. Regarding the NP group, data were collected by questionnaire or home visits. According to the results of a multinomial logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex and years of education, significant odds ratios which indicate a poor status in most of the assessment items were observed in both the NP and PB groups in comparison to the PBF group. We concluded that sex (female), a higher age, fewer years of education, a cognitive function decline, depressive symptoms, a low fitness level, physical activity and daily living function, and poor psychosocial backgrounds were related to the non-participation and dropouts. These results should be considered in a longitudinal data analysis of the present study, as well as in the design setting of epidemiological studies dealing with physical activity indexes and care risk factors. Furthermore, these findings are also considered to be useful as basic data for such care prevention activities in the community.

Objective To investigate the relations between radiological findings and pathological classification of superficial depressed(Ⅱc type)early gastric cancer.Methods Radiological features in subtonic double contrast barium examination and the endoscopic pictures of early gastric cancer compared with the global pathological specimens and micro-pathological features were prospectively studied.Combined with the gastric endoscopic pictures,the sharpness of margin of the lesions,the changes of converging mucosal folds and the changes of the depressed surface on the film of double contrast barium examination were analyzed.The correlation between the radiological features and histological classification of gastric cancer including well differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma(tub1),moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma(tub2),poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma(por)and signet-ring cell carcinoma(sig) were studied.Results In 102 cases of Ⅱc type early gastric cancer,there were tubl 27 cases,tub2 11, por 26 and sig 38 cases histologically.The margin of the depressed lesions of tub1(24 cases)and tub2 (9 cases)cancers were mostly unsharply demarcated or with fine spicular border,while the margin of lesions of por(15 cases)and sig(31 cases)were mostly clearly and sharply demarcated,with statistical significance (P

Introduction: Carotid sinus syndrome is rarely associated with head and neck malignant cancer. We usually have no effective treatment for carotid sinus syndrome in terminal stage of cancer. We experienced a case in which continuous explanation of his condition and lifestyle guidance resulted in alleviation of syncope attacks. Case: A 73-year-old male who was diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer and with multiple lymph node metastases in the neck. Dizziness and syncope attacks occurred to him due to carotid sinus syndrome. He was referred to the outpatient department of palliative medicine, then he and his wife received explanation of his condition and lifestyle guidance of avoiding triggers and of how to avoid syncope attacks at the onset of prodomal symptoms. The frequency of attacks decreased and he resumed his daily walk. However, attacks without triggers began to occur to him seven months after the intervention started. Although he continued to stay at home, he was hospitalized due to difficulty in body movement and died the next day. Discussion: Explanation of his condition and lifestyle guidance were useful for management of syncope attacks because the syncope attacks had triggers and prodomal symptoms. The interventions including lifestyle guidance improved his quality of life and let him stay at home.

Objective: While electromyographic data on healthy individuals during aquatic exercise have been reported, few studies have examined long-term changes in patients’ muscle strength after 30-day intervention. This study aims to study the long-term effects of repeated hot spring aquatic exercise combined with physical therapy on patients’ muscle strength and endurance. Methods: A total of 12 patients (mean age: 71.9±13.1; FIM score: 117±7.5; the number of patients with cerebrovascular disease: 5; and the number of patients with orthopedic disease: 7) who suffer decreased muscle strength and endurance in addition to sensory and balance dysfunction due to paralysis or fracture, were studied. Each hot spring aquatic exercise session consisted of walking forward and backward, hip abduction, flexion, and extension, lunge, and squat, which lasted approximately 15 minutes. The loading level was set at a pulse of 77±11.2 → 84±13.5/minute, with a perceived exertion rate (modified Borg Scale) of 0.7±1.0 → 2.4±2.3. During the intervention period, conventional physical therapy was also performed on the patients in parallel. Measurement was performed 4 times, immediately, 10, 20, and 30 days after the initiation of intervention. Measurement items were the 6-minute walking distance (6MD) for an index of endurance, CS-30 score for an index of muscle strength, and hip flexor, extensor, and abductor, knee flexor and extensor, and ankle plantar and dorsiflexor strength using a hand-held dynamometer (HHD). Results: The 6MD and CS-30 scores improved 20 days after, and the hip flexor and extensor, knee flexor, and ankle plantar and dorsiflexor strength improved 30 days after the initiation of intervention. Those patients with higher ADL levels showed improvements markedly in 6MD score. Measurements conducted on some patients 60 days after the initiation showed improvements in the 6MD and CS-30 scores. Discussion: While it has been reported by other studies that the muscle activity level in the aquatic exercise is lower compared to that in the ordinary physical therapy, the results of CS-30, 6MD and HHD scores after the 30-day intervention in this study show the improvements at the muscle strength and endurance of each joint. This may be because the buoyancy and viscosity of water have contributed to the adjustment of the suitable exercise intensity level, which depends on each patient’s disability, the endurance and strength of the muscles involved in standing up and walking are improved. Based on these results, it is said that the intervention combining hot spring aquatic exercise and physical therapy should be continued for more than 20 days to improve the CS-30 score and 6MD, and more than 30 days to promote the muscle strength of each joint.