In the health resorts of Germany, the empirical effects of the unique natural capital and environment on humans are verified by scientific methods such as medicine, meteorology, and chemistry, and then approved as therapeutic drugs. Natural capital is provided in various forms for the maintenance of health, treatment of diseases, and recovery from fatigue and stress. Natural capital include hot springs, natural gases, and peloid (from the soil), as well as climate and oceans. The categorization of health resorts is defined by the type and quality of natural capital available. Due to their unique characteristics, a system that allows users to select the health resorts that suit their specific needs has been established, enabling them to utilize natural capital effectively for health promotion.  Considering the current state of Japan, country with an abundance of natural capital that is considered underutilized, we visited Bad Homburg and six health resorts located in Germany’s Black Forest located in the southwestern part of the country to learn about the current state of their health resorts.  All the health resorts we visited were excellent centers certified by the German Spas Association and German Tourism Association. Bad Wildbad and Keidel Mineral-Thermalbad, both thermal health resorts, maintain the provision structure for medical treatment and tourism. Against a background of growing interest in the environment, they utilize the land and natural capital to their advantage by incorporating the elements of trendiness, fun, and excitement to revitalize the local and the health resorts’ communities.  Due to the differences in the structure, environment, and systems between the hot springs in Japan and those in Germany, it would not be easy to apply the current state of the German health resorts to similar resorts in Japan. However, Japan is rich in natural environments such as forests and hot springs and is blessed with a quantity and diversity comparable to that of Germany’s Black Forest. Therefore, we believe that there is potential for further utilization of Japan’s natural capital for health promotion. The efforts of the German health resorts could direct and inspire us.

Introduction: TVS mud index1) is a tensiometric marker for quality and maturation process control of Italian Euganean Thermal Muds (ETM) which sensitivity defined on objective basis their quality and maturation degree. Objectives: The goal was to assess the maturation process of Biofango by TVS mud index (Sanraku-en spas centre, Japan and Osservatorio Termale Permanente-OTP, Italy), and its organic compounds by TOC analyses (University of Padova, Italy). Materials and Methods: Biofango was prepared using KomatsuClay, MotoyamaClay, WakuraDiatomite and KasaokaBentonite giving K02 (Bentonite 1.25, Kaolinite 1.5, Diatomite 0.25) and A01 (KasaokaBentonite 1.25, Kaolinite 0.5, Diatomite 0.25). Final Biofango BFM+0%Dolomite, MAT1+10%Dolomite, MAT2+18%Dolomite, and MAT3+35%Dolomite were analyzed by TOC (Perkin-Elmer-2400) and DSA10-Krüss employing (a) PFPE, Fomblin HC/OH-1000, diiodomethane, glycerine as liquid tests and (b) Owens-Wendt mathematical model for conversion of contact angles in surface energy parameters2). Results: The behaviour of C(%) in MAT1, MAT2, and MAT3 during maturation process (20°C) showed respectively (a) MAT1t0h=1.26%, MAT1t216h=0.91%, MAT1t360=1.08%, MAT1t576h=1.23%, MAT1t720h=0.98%, (b) MAT2t0h=2.36%, MAT2t216h=1.80%, MAT2t360=1.49%, MAT2t576h=1.86%, MAT2t720h=1.68%, (c) MAT3t0h=3.29%, MAT3t216h=2.71%, MAT3t360=2.57%, MAT3t576h=2.6%, MAT3t720h=2.7%. C% decrease demonstrating the influence of Dolomite in Biofango mixtures. Dispersed energy components (DC) of MAT1, MAT2, and MAT3 showed respectively (a) MAT1t0h=3.0mN/m, MAT1t216h=3.1mN/m, MAT1t360=2.9mN/m, MAT1t576h=3.8mN/m, MAT1t720h=2.5mN/m, (b) MAT2t0h=2.1mN/m, MAT2t216h=2.2mN/m, MAT2t360=3.1mN/m, MAT2t576h=3.7mN/m, MAT2t720h=2.6mN/m, (c)MAT3t0h=2.0mN/m, MAT3t216h=2.6mN/m, MAT3t360=2.6mN/m, MAT3t576h=2.9mN/m, MAT2t720h=3.0mN/m. On the other side TVS mud index showed respectively (a) MAT1t0h=68.7mN/m, MAT1t216h=70.26mN/m, MAT1t360=71.78mN/m, MAT1t576h=64.69mN/m, MAT1t720h=71.84mN/m, (b) MAT2t0h=74.06mN/m, MAT2t216h=71.69mN/m, MAT2t360= 70.36mN/m, MAT2t576h=65.83mN/m, MAT2t720h=71.23mN/m, (c) MAT3t0h=75.9mN/m, MAT3t216h=73.05mN/m, MAT3t360=73.34mN/m, MAT3t576h=68.52mN/m, MAT3t720h=68.66mN/m proportionally inverse with DC behaviour. MAT3 with highest content in Dolomite demonstrated great capability to uptake DC during maturation process with consequently decrease of TVS mud index levels accordingly with TOC result. Conclusions: Tensiometric investigations of Biofango underlined the links between chemical and surface energy data. The high sensitivity of TVS mud index consented to follow directly in a non invasive way the structural-surface changes in Biofango mixtures occurred during maturation process opening at new perspective for their control.

The objective of this paper is to define the basis for the translational research and its knowledge framework in balneology aiming to approach the disease prevention. As a method to attain this objective, we advocate the knowledge framework that can bridge gene ontology (GO), balneologic ontology (BO), and clinical ontology (CO) virtually at a client site with three sided basic concepts as (1) the logically extended anatomical index from micro to macro, (2) the knowledge representation based on feature described logical conceptual unit, and (3) the EBM (Evidence Based Medicine) based quality evaluation of knowledge. As an result, the scheme and the prototype of the knowledge framework for the basic balneology was built. The logically extended anatomically hierarchical index could offer the seamless and logical continuity from genome to human/environment. The EBM based quality assessment enhanced the reliability of knowledge, and the knowledge representation based on the logical conceptual unit approach offered the unification of the different grain size knowledge.

In post-genome era, the greatest challenge of post-genome research is how we can apply genomic outcome to practical field like clinical medicine through discovering effective findings from its complex and meta-molecular network. From the viewpoint of reducing health care cost, preventive medicine that can avoid diseases should be essential target. Balneology that contains preventive medicine in part through unspecified bio-modulation effect should be a principal field of genome science based application. Balneology has expectations to be applied to practical clinical field or health promotion through translational research to modern medicine or health science. This translational research needs establishment of bridging knowledge and its bi-directional migration as the essence of translation. Integration of in silico knowledge among balneology, modern medicine, and genomic science is the fundamental basis of this translation. Single knowledge architecture that has anatomically hierarchical structure, logical conceptual unit and its supportive evidences makes integration logically seamless and establishes smooth translation. This paper reports knowledge architecture in balneologic translational research and its prototype.

It is believed that one of the principal effects of negative air ion is refreshing human psychological condition. Negative air ion can be observed in natural environments such as forest, fountain, and hot spring. In order to elucidate scientific reason of psychological effects by negative air ions, quantifying psychological effects will be important.
Healthy sixteen examinees (8 young candidates around 20 years, 8 old candidates around 60 years) are tested by SRS-18, blood pressure, questionnaire, and electroencephalogram. SRS-18, blood pressure, questionnaire was performed before and after experiment. Electroencephalogram was continuously measured during whole experiment and used for emotional spectrum analysis method (ESAM) calculation. Experiment was divided into three conditions (initial normal condition, negative air ion boosted condition at middle concentration, after ventilated condition) and three phases (accommodation, rest, calculation) at each condition.
At young group, excessive negative air ions increased human psychological concentration which is calculated by ESAM. At calculation phase, psychological concentration has a positive correlation with psychological stress (correlation factor 0.505). Otherwise at old aged group, no significant change was observed. It shows that sensitivity of negative air ions at old persons will be reduced. It also suggests that human sensitivity for negative air ion decreases with aging.
At rest phase of young group in negative air ion boosted condition, elementary emotions are balanced at ESAM. This shows that balancing among four elementary emotions is related with psychological effects of negative air ions.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is an important rheumatic condition accompanied by synovial inflammation. Numerous leucocytes are recruited and their migration to the inflamed arthritic joints is mediated by adhesion molecules such as E-, P-, and L-selectins. We measured the serum selectin values in OA patients undergoing Mud Pack Treatment (MPT) or treated with anti-inflammatory drugs to test whether the effect of the treatments may be monitored by the level of serum selectins.
Materials and Methods: 50 OA patients were randomly divided into Group A (30 patients undergoing MPT) and Group B (20 patients receving 50mg diclofenac twice daily p. o.). Blood samples were collected from both groups before and after the treatments to test serum E-, P-, and L-selectin by ELISA methods.
Results: In Group B sE-selectin level showed a significant increment after the drug assumption. In Group A, a significant increment of sL-selectin after MPT was evident, while sP-selectin level did not present any significant variation.
Discussion: The study indicates that MPT and diclofenac are able to influence different adhesion molecules in OA patients. The combination of these two treatments may constitute a safe and effective anti-inflammatory therapy in rheumatic diseases.

We plotted the distribution of long-lived persons derived from the national register of long-lived persons as of fiscal years of 1980 (N=1, 349) and 2000 (N=17, 740) prepared by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to investigate various factors such as medical climatology and geography on healthy aging. The data were plotted on a map of Japan classified into various living environments, such as coastal areas, forests, and mountainous areas. In addition, we investigated universal elements and transforming elements through year-by-year comparisons over a period of 20 years. Japan was divided into nine climatic districts Hokkaido, the Japan Sea area, the Pacific Ocean area, the Sanriku district, the Tokai district, the inland district, the Seto Inland Sea district, the Northern Kyushu district, the Nankai district, and the South-western Islands.
Consequently, we found a common trend that relatively warm climates and climates in coastal areas are favorable for longevity. However, the following trends were also recognized as transforming elements that cannot be ignored: 1. A remarkable improvements in the rate (number of long-lived people per 100, 000 population) in cold climate regions, i.e., the Japan sea area, inland area, and Hokkaido; 2. A remarkable shift of higher rates from coastal areas, which are contaminated by industrial plants, to inland flat areas.
As a result, it has become clear that research on factors of healthy aging, especially in cold climate regions, have to be made in the future.

In order to investigate the effects of the concentration of chemical components of sea water on thermoregulatory functions, rectal, skin and mean body temperatures were measured continuously before, during total body bathing as well as during recovery period on land.
Eight healthy young men were subjected in the experiment. Their physical characteristics were in average 19.8±1.0yrs in age, 169.2±5.0cm in height, 57.1±3.1kg in weight and 14.0±2.6% in body fat fraction, respectively. Each subject bathed in sea water or in tap water for 15 minutes in the long-sitting position at 38.5°C of water temperature during bathing and took recovery on land for 60 minutes. Water bathing was conducted in individual subject with the concentration of chemical components of sea water at 0, 1, 3.5 and 7%, respectively.
The rectal temperature increased during bathing and decreased gradually during recovery period on land. Statistically significant difference (p<.05) between 0 and 7% of the concentration of sea water was detected in the rectal temperature during bathing and recovery period. The mean skin temperature showed a continuous increase during bathing and showed a rapid decrease during 20 minutes in recovery, and a gradual decrease after then. Statistically significant difference (p<.05) between 0 and 7% of the concentration of sea water was detected in the mean skin temperatures during recovery period. The mean body temperature also showed a continuous increase during bathing and rapid decrease during the first 20 minutes in the recovery period, and decreased gradually thereafter. Statistically significant difference (p<.01) between 0 and 7% of the concentration of sea water was detected in the mean body temperature during bathing and recovery period.

In this study, 10 healthy students were subjected to experiments. They bathed in plain hot spring water and hot spring water with 2% Togol mud at 39°C for 10min at an interval of 1 week. No difference in the change rates of pulse rate and blood pressure was observed between the two types of bathing. Forehead and oral temperatures decreased slightly after bathing in plain hot spring water. However, after bathing in hot spring water with Togol mud, the forehead temperature tended to be higher than that before bathing while the oral temperature increased significantly after bathing. Skin surface temperatures on the chest wall, left instep, and right forearm increased significantly after both types of bathing. Changes in the skin temperature after bathing in hot spring water with Togol mud tended to be greater than those after bathing in plain hot spring water. Eight out of 10 students felt warmer after bathing in hot spring water with Togol mud. These findings suggest that bathing in hot spring water with Togol mud is useful for medical care.