A physical activity reference value for health promotion, 23 METs-h/week was established by the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Labour in Japan in 2006. The purpose of this study was to determine the daily step counts (steps/day) that classify adults as meeting the 23 METs-h/week reference value by using objective measurements. Objectively measured physical activity levels of 1837 Japanese adults aged from 23 - 69 yrs from both urban and rural Japanese cohorts were provided. Amount of physical activity and daily step counts were assessed using a triaxial accelerometer (Actimarker EW4800; Panasonic Electric Works). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis determined the optimal daily step counts (steps/day) that discriminated adults who met the reference value from those who did not. Approximately 48 % of Japanese adults met the 23 METs-h/week of physical activity reference value. ROC curve analysis found that 9341 steps/day produced 77.1 % of sensitivity and 79.5 % of specificity in all subject. When the analysis was performed in each cohort, 9980 steps/day and 8640 steps/day were indicated as the optimal daily step counts for them to meet 23 METs-h/week in urban and rural cohort, respectively. These data suggest that Japanese adults are likely to meet 23 METs-h/week of physical activity reference value if they accumulate between 8500 and 10,000 steps/day of daily step counts.

The purpose of this study was to develop prediction models of sarcopenia in 1,894 Japanese men and women aged 18-85 years. Reference values for sarcopenia (skeletal muscle index, SMI; appendicular muscle mass/height², kg/m²) in each sex were defined as values two standard deviations (2SD) below the gender-specific means of this study reference data for young adults aged 18-40 years. Reference values for predisposition to sarcopenia (PSa) in each gender were also defined as values one standard deviations (1SD) below. The subjects aged 41 years or older were randomly separated into 2 groups, a model development group and a validation group. Appendicular muscle mass was measured by DXA. The reference values of sarcopenia were 6.87 kg/m² and 5.46 kg/m², and those of PSa were 7.77 kg/m² and 6.12 kg/m². The subjects with sarcopenia and PSa aged 41 years or older were 1.7% and 28.8% in men and 2.7% and 20.7% in women. The whole body bone mineral density of PSa was significantly lower than in normal subjects. The handgrip strength of PSa was significantly lower than in normal subjects. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that the body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and age were independently associated with SMI in men; and BMI, handgrip strength and waist circumference were independently associated with SMI in women. The SMI prediction equations were applied to the validation group, and strong correlations were also observed between the DXA-measured and predicted SMI in men and women. This study proposed the reference values of sarcopenia in Japanese men and women. The prediction models of SMI using anthropometric measurement are valid for alternative DXA-measured SMI in Japanese adults.

OBJECTIVESThe aim of this study was to survey the prevalence of fascioliasis in slaughtered cattle in order to provide breeders with feedback which may prevent cattle fascioliasis, as well as human fascioliasis.

METHODSThe results of meat inspection and the information extracted from the Discriminative Data Base on Individual Livestock in Japan were analyzed statistically in 6,224 cattle slaughtered at the Tsuyama Abattoir during the fiscal year 2002.

RESULTSThe age-adjusted fascioliasis and cholangitis rates of all cattle were 2.0% and 7.2%, respectively. When analyzed by cattle breed, both rates were significantly higher in Japanese native cattle than in Holstein or Jersey (Chi-square test, p<0.01). The cattle raised in Okayama Prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture and Shimane Prefecture were significantly different from cattle raised in other prefectures in the age-adjusted fascioliasis and cholangitis rates.

CONCLUSIONThe age-adjusted fascioliasis and cholangitis rates of all cattle can be considered as nationwide rates for slaughtered cattle. The results of the comparisons suggest that cattle fascioliasis is related to feeding with rice straw and that the measures to prevent cattle fascioliasis might differ a mong prefectural governments.

No abstract available.
Acetylcysteine* ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Healthy Volunteers* ; Humans ; Skin* ; Water Loss, Insensible

Objective：This study aimed to analyze the relationship between improvement in activities of daily living (ADL) and discharge to home among older stroke patients in a convalescent rehabilitation ward.Methods：The medical records of 291 stroke patients discharged from a convalescent rehabilitation ward were used to determine the association between the magnitude of ADL improvement and discharge disposition across two age groups (65-74 years and 75 years). The motor functional independence measure (FIM) motor score (FIM-M) was used to quantify ADL improvement.Results：Among the 291 patients, 213 (73.2％) were discharged home and 78 (26.8％) were institutionalized. In multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted by functional evaluation at the time of admission, the magnitude of ADL improvement during hospitalization was significantly associated with discharge to home in each group (p＜0.01). The magnitude of ADL improvement was not associated with discharge disposition in analysis adjusted by functional evaluation at the time of discharge. But, FIM-M at discharge was significantly associated with discharge to home for individuals aged 65-74 years, and FIM cognitive score (FIM-C) at discharge was significantly associated with discharge home for individuals aged ≥ 75 years.Conclusion：Intensive rehabilitation during hospitalization in patients aged both 65-74 years and ≥ 75 years has been suggested to facilitate discharge to home. Patients aged 65-74 with low FIM-M at discharge and those aged ≥ 75 years with low FIM-C at discharge may require more effective intervention in addition to improving the ADL in order to be discharged home.

The uterus starts shrinking after giving birth and returns to its size prior to pregnancy one month postpartum. However, absence of this natural shrinking is called uterine subinvolution. There are two types of subinvolution : organic and functional. Removal of the cause is the first option for organic subinvolution. Conversely, most cases of functional subinvolution require drug treatment. This study included patients with subinvolution caused by accumulation of lochia with a uterine cavity width of 15 mm or more during a 14-day postpartum checkup. These patients were categorized into the control, keishibukuryogan, and ergometrine maleate groups ; therapeutic intervention was performed. A comparative study was conducted to determine the presence of subinvolution during the 1-month medical screening. There was no difference in the rate of uterine cavity shrinkage between the ergometrine maleate group and the control group. However, the keishibukuryogan group had a significantly higher reduction rate than the ergometrine maleate group. Furthermore, the keishibukuryogan group showed a tendency of higher shrinking rate when compared with the control group (76.1 ± 17.1% vs 65.8 ± 25.4%, 68.3 ± 22.9%, p = 0.0101, p = 0.0709). Additionally, no difference in the reduction rate of the fundal height was noted among the groups. These results suggest that although keishibukuryogan has little effect on reducing the uterine size, however, it has the effect of lochia accumulated within the uterine cavity.

BACKGROUND: Age-related musculoskeletal diseases are becoming increasingly burdensome in terms of both individual quality of life and medical cost. We intended to establish a large population-based cohort study to determine environmental, lifestyle, and genetic risk factors of musculoskeletal and other age-related diseases, and to clarify the association between vitamin D status and such diseases. METHODS: We targeted 34,802 residents aged 40-74 years living in areas of northern Niigata Prefecture, including Sekikawa Village, Awashimaura Village, and Murakami City (Murakami region). The baseline questionnaire survey, conducted between 2011 and 2013, queried respondents on their lifestyle and environmental factors (predictors), and self-reported outcomes. Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentration, an indicator of vitamin D status, was determined with the Liaison® 25OH Vitamin D Total Assay. The primary outcome of this study was osteoporotic fracture; other outcomes included age-related diseases including knee osteoarthritis, perception of chronic pain, dementia, and long-term care insurance use. Mean ages of men and women were 59.2 (SD = 9.3, N = 6907) and 59.0 (SD = 9.3, N = 7457) years, respectively. From the blood samples provided by 3710 men and 4787 women, mean 25(OH)D concentrations were 56.5 (SD = 18.4) nmol/L (22.6 ng/mL) and 45.4 (SD = 16.5) nmol/L (18.2 ng/mL), respectively. DISCUSSION Follow-up surveys are planned every 5 years for 15 years, and incident cases of our targeted diseases will be followed at hospitals and clinics in and nearby the cohort area. We anticipate that we will be able to clarify the association between vitamin D status and multiple disease outcomes in a Japanese population.
Aged ; Aging ; Cohort Studies ; Epidemiologic Research Design ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Japan ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Musculoskeletal Diseases ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Quality of Life ; Risk Factors ; Vitamin D ; analogs & derivatives ; blood

The purpose of this study was to develop prediction models of sarcopenia in 1,894 Japanese men and women aged 18-85 years. Reference values for sarcopenia (skeletal muscle index, SMI; appendicular muscle mass/height2, kg/m2) in each sex were defined as values two standard deviations (2SD) below the gender-specific means of this study reference data for young adults aged 18-40 years. Reference values for predisposition to sarcopenia (PSa) in each gender were also defined as values one standard deviations (1SD) below. The subjects aged 41 years or older were randomly separated into 2 groups, a model development group and a validation group. Appendicular muscle mass was measured by DXA. The reference values of sarcopenia were 6.87 kg/m2 and 5.46 kg/m2, and those of PSa were 7.77 kg/m2 and 6.12 kg/m2. The subjects with sarcopenia and PSa aged 41 years or older were 1.7% and 28.8% in men and 2.7% and 20.7% in women. The whole body bone mineral density of PSa was significantly lower than in normal subjects. The handgrip strength of PSa was significantly lower than in normal subjects. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that the body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and age were independently associated with SMI in men; and BMI, handgrip strength and waist circumference were independently associated with SMI in women. The SMI prediction equations were applied to the validation group, and strong correlations were also observed between the DXA-measured and predicted SMI in men and women. This study proposed the reference values of sarcopenia in Japanese men and women. The prediction models of SMI using anthropometric measurement are valid for alternative DXA-measured SMI in Japanese adults.