The purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy of estimating human body composition changes using bioelectrical impedance (BI) methods during a weight-loss intervention. Subjects were forty-three obese men (age : 49.2±10.5 yr, BMI : 27.8±1.7 kg/m²) who completed a 14-week weight-loss intervention. In all subjects, fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) were assessed by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as well as single- and multi-frequency BI methods (SBIM, MBIM) before and after the intervention. Resistance parameters were measured by SBIM and MBIM (SBIM : R₅₀ ; MBIM : R∞, R0, and Rfc). In nine subjects these variables were also measured at weeks 1 and 4. Weight decreased (P<0.05) by -8.0±3.2 kg during the intervention while FFM changes averaged -0.4±1.6 kg (DXA), -2.0±1.5 kg (SBIM), and -1.6±1.7 kg (MBIM). BI methods overestimated FFM before the intervention (before ; DXA : 54.4±4.8 kg, SBIM : 56.5±4.3 kg, MBIM : 55.9±4.5 kg). In nine subjects, FFM measured by SBIM (FFM_SBIM) and MBIM (FFM_MBIM) was similar to FFM measured by DXA(FFM_DXA)(after ; DXA : 54.6±5.4 kg, SBIM : 54.6±3.8 kg, MBIM : 54.6±4.1 kg), although BI methods overestimated the FFM before the intervention (before ; DXA : 54.9±5.1 kg, SBIM : 56.9±3.8 kg, MBIM : 56.3±4.4 kg). The ΔFM_SBIM and ΔFM_MBIM were highly correlated with the ΔFM_DXA(SBIM : r=0.87, MBIM : r=0.88). The ΔFFM_SBIM andΔFFM_MBIM were significantly correlated with the ΔFFM_DXA(SBIM : r=0.54, MBIM : r=0.49). The ΔR₅₀ and ΔRfc were also significantly correlated with the ΔFFM_DXA(R₅₀ : r=-0.63, Rfc : r=-0.48). These results suggest that during a weight-loss intervention, 1) BI methods and DXA provide similar estimates of human body composition change, although they overestimate FFM in obese men, and 2) changes of resistance parameters observed with BI methods may estimate human body composition change more accurately.

Purpose：The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of change in daily physical activity during an exercise intervention on health status and physical fitness.Methods：Participants were 22 obese middle-aged men (BMI : 29.1±2.8 kg/m², 54.1±11.4 yr). They performed 90-min exercise sessions on a regular basis 3 days per week for 3 months. Physical activity (total energy expenditure, TEE ; activity energy expenditure, AEE ; and step counts) was measured using an accelerometer. Daily physical activity was defined as that which was performed outside of the exercise class. A 3-day food record was used to estimate energy intake. Results：Body weight decreased (-3.0±2.5 kg, P＜0.05). Vital age (VA), an index of comprehensive health status, and physical fitness age (PFA), an index of comprehensive physical fitness, significantly improved (VA : -8.7±5.5 yr, PFA : -8.5±5.1 yr, P＜0.05). Energy intake remained unchanged during the intervention (＋63.7±546.1 kcal/d). Daily physical activity increased (TEE : ＋83.0±130.1 kcal/d, AEE : ＋76.9±103.3 kcal/d, step counts : ＋1789±2819 steps/d, P＜0.05). Change in daily physical activity was correlated with change in VA (AEE : r＝-0.52, step counts : r＝-0.46, P＜0.05), while change in daily physical activity did not correlate with change in PFA. Conclusion：These results suggest that changes in daily physical activity during an exercise intervention are associated with improved health status.

Bovine abortion, diarrhea, and respiratory disease complexes, caused by infectious agents, result in high and significant economic losses for the cattle industry. These pathogens are likely transmitted by various vectors and reservoirs including insects, birds, and rodents. However, experimental data supporting this possibility are scarce. We collected 117 samples and screened them for 44 bovine abortive, diarrheal, and respiratory disease complex pathogens by using Dembo polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which is based on TaqMan real-time PCR. Fifty-seven samples were positive for at least one pathogen, including bovine viral diarrhea virus, bovine enterovirus, Salmonella enterica ser. Dublin, Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium, and Neospora caninum; some samples were positive for multiple pathogens. Bovine viral diarrhea virus and bovine enterovirus were the most frequently detected pathogens, especially in flies, suggesting an important role of flies in the transmission of these viruses. Additionally, we detected the N. caninum genome from a cockroach sample for the first time. Our data suggest that insects (particularly flies), birds, and rodents are potential vectors and reservoirs of abortion, diarrhea, and respiratory infectious agents, and that they may transmit more than one pathogen at the same time.
Animals ; Birds ; Cattle ; Cockroaches ; Diarrhea Viruses, Bovine Viral ; Diarrhea ; Diptera ; Disease Reservoirs ; Disease Vectors ; Enterovirus ; Enterovirus, Bovine ; Genome ; Insects ; Neospora ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rodentia ; Salmonella enterica ; Virulence Factors