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This study examined the similarities/differences between the social phenotypes of Williams syndrome (WS) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As cultural norms may affect symptom evaluation, this study administered the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 to Japanese individuals with WS (n = 78, 4.4–44.0 years) and ASD (n = 75, 4.7–55.4 years). The scores for Social Motivation and Social Communication were significantly more severe in the ASD than WS group. Overall, the similarities and differences between the social phenotypes of the syndromes were consistent with the findings of a recent study conducted in the UK, except for the social awareness subscale score. This highlights the importance of cross-cultural investigations of WS and ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sarcopenia has been reported to be associated with short-term outcomes after gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). The "strength, assistance with walking, rising from a chair, climbing stairs, and falls" (SARC-F) questionnaire has been widely used as a screening tool for sarcopenia; however, SARC-F combined with body mass index and age (SARC-F+EBM) has recently been reported to be more useful than SARC-F alone. This study aimed to investigate the association between sarcopenia, measured using SARC-F+EBM, and short-term outcomes after gastric ESD. Methods: Patients who underwent gastric ESD at our institution between May 2020 and June 2023 were included, and their medical records were reviewed retrospectively. A SARC-F+EBM score ≥ 12 indicated sarcopenia. We evaluated the incidence of adverse events and the length of hospital stay in the sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups. Results: Overall, 263 patients (64 and 199 in the sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups, respectively) were investigated. The incidence of adverse events with a Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events grade ≥ 3 was not significantly different between the sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups (6.2% vs. 8.5%, p = 0.791). The proportion of patients with an extended hospital stay (≥ 10 days) was significantly higher in the sarcopenia group than that in the non-sarcopenia group (12.5% [8/64] vs. 3.5% [7/199], p = 0.012). Multivariate analysis showed that sarcopenia and lesions that present technical difficulty in ESD were independent risk factors for extended hospital stays (≥ 10 days). Of the eight cases having extended hospital stays in the sarcopenia group, four were due to the management after gastric ESD, three were due to family circumstances, and one was due to decreased activities of daily living. Conclusions: Sarcopenia is not a predictor of adverse events associated with gastric ESD. However, patients with sarcopenia may be hospitalized for longer owing to non-ESD-related factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the recent years, a high risk of developmental delay not only in very low birth weight infants and late preterm infants but also in early term infants (37–38 weeks) have increasingly been reported. However, in Japan, there are virtually no studies regarding the development delays in early term infants. Methods: This study used the data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS), a birth cohort study conducted in Japan. Data were selected for analysis from the records of 104,065 fetal records. The risk of neurodevelopmental delays at 6 months and 12 months after birth was evaluated using multivariate analysis for infants of various gestational ages, using the 40th week of pregnancy as a reference value. Neurodevelopment was evaluated at 6 months and 12 months after birth using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires, Japanese translation (J-ASQ-3). Results: The proportion of infants born at a gestational age of 37 to 38 weeks who did not reach the J-ASQ-3 score cutoff value was significantly higher in all areas at both 6 months and 12 months after birth, when compared to that of infants born at 40 weeks. The odds ratio decreased at 12 months after birth compared to that at 6 months after birth. Conclusion: Early term infants in Japan are at an increased risk of neurodevelopmental delay at 12 months after birth. Significance: What's known on this subject: Early term infants with gestational ages of 37 to 38 weeks and not only premature babies may be at an increased risk of developmental delay. What this study adds: This study was conducted using data from a birth cohort of 104,065 fetal records. Early term infants had an increased risk of developmental delay at 6 months, and while the risk decreased by 12 months after birth, it was still high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: More than half of women do not achieve appropriate gestational weight gain. Maternal body image may be an important factor associated with gestational weight gain. However, this association has not been thoroughly evaluated. We aimed to elucidate whether body image parameters before and during pregnancy are associated with gestational weight gain in Japanese women. Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted at a hospital in Osaka, Japan from March 2020 to March 2021. We recruited women with singleton pregnancies in their second and third trimesters. Body image was assessed using the Pregnancy and Weight Gain Attitude Scale and additional questions. Gestational weight gain was classified as insufficient, appropriate, or excessive based on recommended ranges in Japan. One-way analysis of variance, chi-square tests, and multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with insufficient or excessive weight gain. Results: Of 266 enrolled women, 47 had insufficient weight gain and 100 had excessive weight gain during pregnancy. Risk factors for excessive gestational weight gain included a history of dietary restriction before pregnancy, negative attitudes toward gestational weight gain, and perception of body shape as fat and body shape dissatisfaction during pregnancy. Perception of body shape as thin during pregnancy was identified as a risk factor for insufficient gestational weight gain. Conclusions: Body image before and during pregnancy may be an important factor in preventing insufficient or excessive gestational weight gain in Japanese women. Healthcare professionals should consider body image when providing health guidance on weight management to pregnant women. Significance: What is Already Known? Body image is a possible factor in gestational weight gain. Compared to women in other countries, Japanese women of reproductive age tend to have a negative body image. What this Study adds? A history of dietary restriction before pregnancy and negative body image during pregnancy were associated with excessive gestational weight gain among Japanese women. Perception of body shape during pregnancy as thin was associated with insufficient gestational weight gain. Thus, even in a Japanese population, characterized by a majority of women with pre-pregnancy underweight or normal body mass index status, associations between negative body image and gestational weight gain were similar to those in other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The lifestyle habits of young people are often associated with that of middle-aged and older adults, and intervention from a young age is important for the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases. Hypertension is a lifestyle-related disease, and an increasing number of patients are suffering from it. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the factors that cause fluctuations in blood pressure in university students. Subject and methods: The survey was conducted from 2011 to 2019 and included 14,720 male and 6,039 female university students. The questionnaire included items such as age, sex, weight control orientation, and lifestyle habits. Height, weight, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured. Body mass indices (BMI) were calculated, and the participants were classified as underweight, normal body type, or obese. In addition, abnormal blood pressure (ABP) was defined as systolic/diastolic blood pressure above 120 and/or 80 mmHg. Results: A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that ABP was significantly associated with snacking (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval 0.68, 0.52–0.90) in males with underweight; sleep duration ≥ 6 h (1.10, 1.02–1.19), snacking (0.84, 0.75–0.96), and weight decreasing orientation (1.22, 1.12–1.32) in males with normal body types; exercise habits (0.75, 0.56–1.00) in females with normal body types. Conclusion: The present study revealed different risk factors by body type associated with ABP in Japanese university students. In particular, weight loss orientation in a standard-bodied male may be a risk factor for ABP. Our study suggests that interventions by body type may prevent lifestyle-related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Preoperative deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a risk factor for postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE), causing severe mortality. Early detection of preoperative DVT is essential to prevent postoperative VTE. However, little is known regarding preoperative DVT in patients undergoing major surgery. The present study aimed to determine the incidence and risk factors of preoperative DVT in patients admitted for total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods: From August 2017 to September 2022, 243 patients admitted for THA at our institution were enrolled in this study. Patients medical records and preoperative laboratory data were retrospectively collected. According to the results of lower-limb ultrasonography, patients were divided into either the non-DVT (n = 136) or DVT (n = 43) group. The incidence of DVT and independent risk factors for preoperative DVT were investigated using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results: The mean age was 74.0 ± 8.4 years. Preoperative DVT was diagnosed in 43 of the 243 (17.7%) patients. The risk of DVT was significantly high (p < 0.05) in patients with advanced age, increased D-dimer levels, and malnutrition status, as assessed by the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI). Multivariate analysis showed that advanced age, increased D-dimer level, and malnutrition status assessed by the GNRI were independent risk factors for preoperative DVT. Conclusion: A high incidence of preoperative DVT was observed in patients undergoing THA. Advanced age, increased D-dimer levels, and malnutrition assessed by the GNRI increased the risk of preoperative DVT. Screening high-risk subgroups for preoperative DVT is necessary to prevent postoperative VTE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Deep white matter lesions (DWMLs), T2 high-intensity areas in the subcortical white matter on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are a clinical phenotype of cerebral small vessel disease. Factors such as age and hypertension have been reported to significantly contribute to the presence and severity of DWMLs in cross-sectional studies. We herein report a 10-year longitudinal study on DWMLs in elderly Japanese subjects to reveal the clinical variables contributing to the progression of DWMLs. Methods: A total of 469 Japanese subjects were invited to participate in the study. Of the participants at baseline, 259 subjects completed the revisit MRI study 10 years later. In those 259 subjects, we evaluated the correlation between the progression of DWMLs and clinical variables, such as the gender, age, and overt vascular risk factors. To clarify the role of hypertension, 200 subjects with grade 1 DWMLs at baseline were categorized into three groups according to their status of hypertension and its treatment. Results: Of the 200 subjects with grade 1 DWMLs, 47 subjects (23.5%) showed progression of DWMLs (progression group). In the progression group, the percentage of subjects with hypertension and the systolic blood pressure values were higher than in the non-progression group. In addition, subjects ≥ 60 years old at baseline tended to show deterioration of DWMLs in the group with hypertension without antihypertensive treatment. Conclusion: The results of this 10-year longitudinal study imply a positive correlation between long-standing hypertension and the progression of DWMLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Many environmental factors are related to the development of asthma. However, the key factors of childhood asthma onset have not been sufficiently elucidated. Further, low-weight births have increased in Japan. The aim of this study was to examine the risk factors for the incidence of childhood asthma and to evaluate whether these risk factors differ according to birth weight in Japan. Methods: We used the National Longitudinal Survey from 2001 to 2010. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the effects of gender, birth weight, single vs. multiple births, birth order, nutrition, keeping pets in the home, place of residence, annual household income, and parent ages, smoking behaviors, and educational backgrounds on asthma-related hospital visits. Results: Overall, 45,060 children were analyzed. The rate of cumulative hospital visits until age 10 was 18.9%. Birth weight < 2500 g (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–1.26), being a boy (AOR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.21–1.33), having older siblings (AOR = 1.07, 95% CI 1.02–1.14), parental smoking behavior, mother's age, and low household income (AOR = 1.17, 95% CI 1.10–1.24) were associated with asthma-related hospital visits. Discussion: Parental smoking behavior is a key risk factor for the development of asthma. Among low birth weight infants, being a boy, having older siblings, and father's smoking behavior were predictive factors for the development of asthma. However, low birth weight was not associated with the development of asthma after 6 years of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reducing non-completion of quality-of-life assessment in clinical trials is an important challenge in obtaining accurate data and unbiased interpretation of patients' quality-of-life for each regimen. We evaluated the effect of changing our questionnaire distribution procedure in a multicenter phase II/III trial on the response rate to a quality-of-life questionnaire. Methods: In the trial, we distributed 1767 questionnaires and 1045 were returned. We adopted a regression discontinuing design and estimated the change in response rate between pre-intervention (quality-of-life questionnaires were sent to each center soon after patient registration) and post-intervention (a set of tailored questionnaires was sent just before the first quality-of-life assessment). Results: The post-intervention response rate was higher (odds ratio = 1.62) than the pre-intervention response rate. Conclusions: A simple logistic intervention reduced the non-completion of QOL assessment in this case, suggesting that a simple change can contribute to improving clinical trial accomplishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Chinese medicine (CM) is widely applied in cosmetics and dermatology. The theory of CM believes that skin characterizations reflect the internal status of balance which can be represented by body constitution, but relevant studies are few. This study aims to analyze the relationship between body constitution of CM and skin condition. Methods: Participants were recruited from a private health and beauty clinic in Tokyo, Japan from June 2013 to January 2015. Each participant was assessed using Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire (CCMQ) for body constitution and the Baumann Skin Type Questionnaire for skin type. Spearman's rank correlation and stepwise multiple linear regression were used to investigate the effect of body constitutions on skin types. Results: A total of 187 Japanese females were recruited in this study. Higher dampness-heat and phlegm-dampness scores were associated with oilier skin while higher qi-depression and blood-stasis were associated with drier skin. Higher score in Inherited Special and yin-deficiency constitutions tended to have more sensitive skin, and higher score in blood-stasis was associated with more pigmented skin and wrinkles. Conclusions: Our findings supported the "Constitution-Skin Correlated theory" in CM. Understanding of the association between skin conditions and the body constitutions might be helpful to explore more individualized treatment options for skin care and dermatological diseases through modifications of the unique body constitutions using CM modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socioeconomic status (SES) is an important contextual factor influencing children’s development. However, there have been limited attempts to examine either the impact of relative poverty on child development or the relationships between specific SES indicators and mental health domains. This study elucidates these relationships in Japanese preschool children who experience high levels of relative poverty. Participants were 3218 Japanese children aged 5-6 years. Their mothers completed self-report questionnaires on SES indicators and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to measure emotional/behavioral problems. Children’s teachers evaluated children’s social competence using the Social Skills Questionnaire for Preschoolers. Each SES indicator had an inverse relationship with all emotional/behavioral problem domains in the univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, lower family income consistently predicted higher scores on all emotional/behavioral problem domains, whereas lower maternal and paternal education levels independently predicted higher scores in specific domains. Each SES indicator had positive relationships with all social competence dimensions in the univariate analysis. Higher family income consistently predicted higher social competence in the multivariate analysis. However, paternal education level only predicted self-control, and maternal education did not predict social competence. Family income and parental education levels were significant independent predictors of emotional/behavioral problems and social competence. Thus, this study suggests that SES does affect child outcomes in a country where there is a high level of relative poverty and underscores the importance of assessing income and education status separately in order to identify their potentially unique associations with development among preschool children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study which examines the lateral posing bias for displaying trustworthiness during a trust game in which participants and their virtual partners cooperated or did not cooperate with their counterparts to earn a monetary reward. Topics discussed include the number of posers showing the left or right cheek as a function of cooperativeness and the mean rating of facial trustworthiness as a function of posing orientation and cooperativeness.

Purpose: Depression is a major cause of suicide among adolescents. Therefore, childhood and adolescent depression is an important public health concern. This study explored factors as class and individual levels that may influence depression among adolescents in Japan.Methods: A questionnaire survey among junior high school students (N = 2968) from two cities in Japan was conducted. Depression was assessed using the Depression Self-Rating Scale for Children; teachers' support was assessed using the Scale of Expectancy for Social Support. The class average score of teachers' support was calculated to indicate what we termed the "homeroom teachers' support." Multilevel analysis was applied to clarify the relation between homeroom teachers' support and depression.Results: Finally, 2466 students completed the questionnaire without missing variables (valid response rate, 83.1%). There was no random effect of the teachers' support at the class level on depression, although there was a significant association between teachers' support and depression for 9th graders (β = -0.12, p = 0.009). Moreover, there were significant associations between economic status, having a best friend, and experiencing unforgettable stress at the individual level and depression in all grades.Conclusions: There was no significant random effect of homeroom teachers' support in class level although there might be marginal negative association between teacher's support and depression. It is suggested that homeroom teachers need to promote population approaches to mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present study aimed to examine the relationship between sociodemographic factors and domains of quality of life (QOL) among married adults in Japan who were either rearing or expecting their first child. Our research focus was on whether different sociodemographic variables interacted with each other in predicting the first-time parents' QOL.Method: In total, 4374 (mean age = 34.9 years, SD = 8.4, range 18-71) community-based married couples pooled from two surveys provided their sociodemographic information (i.e., age, years of education, and annual income) and responded to the brief version of the QOL instrument developed by the World Health Organization (WHOQOL-BREF in Psychological Medicine 28(3):551-555, 1998).Results: Series of multilevel regression analyses revealed that household annual income and education were associated with all domains of QOL, and other sociodemographic variables worked in a domain-specific manner. In addition, the effect of educational attainment on psychological domain was significant for mothers only, whereas the effects of household income on psychological and environmental domains were stronger for the younger (below age 26) than the older (over 43) couples.Conclusion: The effects of sociodemographic factors at couple as well as individual levels on the first-time parents' QOL were examined for the first time in Japan using couple data. In addition to corroborating previous findings on the main effects concerning these variables, the present study demonstrated the complex patterns of interaction across different levels. These findings provide evidence for the need for financial and health measures targeted at specific parent populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Few epidemiological studies have assessed the relationship between the traditional Japanese dietary pattern and longitudinal changes in cardiovascular disease risk factors among Japanese people. We designed a 3-year longitudinal study of 980 subjects living in Japan to evaluate how the Japanese dietary pattern is related to longitudinal changes in well-recognized risk factors for cardiovascular disease among apparently healthy Japanese adults. Methods: Dietary consumption was assessed via a validated food frequency questionnaire. Principal component analysis was used to derive three major dietary patterns-'Japanese,' 'sweets-fruits-cooked wheaten food,' and 'Izakaya (Japanese Pub)' from 39 food groups. Results: After adjustment for potential confounders, the mean (95 % confidence interval) for the change per year in diastolic blood pressure for men, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure for women related to the 'Japanese' dietary pattern factor score tertiles were 0.89 (0.10, 1.68), 2.25 (0.19, 4.31), and 0.75 (−1.00, 2.50) for the lowest tertile, 0.77 (−0.02, 1.56), 1.01 (−1.13, 3.15), and 0.44 (−1.38, 2.26) for the middle tertile and − 0.04 (−0.81, 0.72), −0.48 (−2.52, 1.56), and −0.77 (−2.51, 0.96) for the highest tertile (trend P value = 0.03, <0.01, and 0.04, respectively). A significant detrimental relationship was found between the 'Izakaya (Japanese Pub)' pattern factor score tertiles and the longitudinal change in serum triglyceride concentration only in men (trend P value = 0.02). Conclusions: Greater adherence to a traditional Japanese diet was independently related to a decreased change every year in diastolic blood pressure in men and women and in systolic blood pressure in women over a 3-year follow-up period. The findings suggest that the 'Japanese' dietary pattern appeared to be related to a fall in blood pressure, which might have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular disease. A randomized trial is required to clarify the underlying mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This study evaluated changes in spinal alignment and quality of life (QOL) after corrective spinal surgery for patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis and spinal kyphosis. Spinal global alignment and QOL were significantly improved after corrective spinal surgery but did not reach the level of non-operated controls. Introduction: With the increased aging of society, the demand for corrective spinal instrumentation for spinal kyphosis in osteoporotic patients is increasing. However, previous studies have not focused on the improvement of quality of life (QOL) after corrective spinal surgery in patients with osteoporosis, compared to non-operated control patients. The purposes of this study were thus to evaluate changes in spinal alignment and QOL after corrective spinal instrumentation for patients with osteoporosis and spinal kyphosis and to compare these results with non-operated patients. Methods: Participants comprised 39 patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis ≥50 years old who underwent corrective spinal surgery using multilevel posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) for symptomatic thoracolumbar or lumbar kyphosis, and 82 age-matched patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis without prevalent vertebral fractures. Spinopelvic parameters were evaluated with standing lateral spine radiography, and QOL was evaluated with the Japanese Osteoporosis QOL Questionnaire (JOQOL), SF-36, and Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ). Results: Lumbar kyphosis angle, sagittal vertical axis, and pelvic tilt were significantly improved postoperatively. QOL evaluated with all three questionnaires also significantly improved after 6 months postoperatively, particularly in domain and subscale scores for pain and general/mental health. However, these radiographic parameters, total JOQOL score, SF-36 physical component summary score, and RDQ score were significantly inferior compared with non-operated controls. Conclusions: The results indicate that spinal global alignment and QOL were significantly improved after corrective spinal surgery using multilevel PLIF for patients with osteoporosis and spinal kyphosis but did not reach the level of non-operated controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study design:This is a cross-sectional study.Objectives:The objective of this study was to ascertain the essential items mediating adequate dietary intake based on the Japanese Food Guide in common among the transtheoretical model (TTM), self-efficacy (SE) and outcome expectancy (OE).Setting:Members of the organization Spinal Injuries Japan.Methods:We posted a questionnaire survey to 2731 community-dwelling Japanese adults with spinal cord injury (SCI), and responses from 841 individuals were analyzed. Food intake was assessed as the frequency scores of 10 food items eaten in a daily diet in Japan. The correlations between the frequency scores of food intake and TTM, SE and OE were determined by binominal logistic regression analysis.Results:The frequency scores of food intake were significantly associated with 'To eat vegetable dishes (dishes made mainly from vegetables or potatoes) not less than twice a day', 'To eat green/yellow vegetables not less than twice a day', 'To eat dairy products not less than once a day' and 'To eat fruits not less than once a day' in TTM. 'To eat vegetable dishes (dishes made mainly from vegetables or potatoes) not less than twice a day', 'To eat dairy products not less than once a day' and 'To eat fruits not less than once a day' were significantly associated with the frequency scores of food intake in SE. In OE, no differences were shown.Conclusion:This study finds that vegetable dishes, dairy products and fruits are the key items mediating adequate dietary intake. Dietary guidelines promoting the intake of these dishes for SCI individuals are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:To understand how postpartum posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in mothers of high-risk infants progress and identify what factors predict postpartum PTSD.Study Design:We prospectively obtained self-reported psychological data from neonatal intensive care unit discharged infants' mothers (NICU mothers) at the infants' corrected ages of 1 (T0), 3 (T1) and 12 months (T2) and mothers of healthy infants (controls). Maternal sociodemographic and infant-related factors were also investigated.Result:PTSD was present in 25 and 9% of NICU mothers and controls, respectively. We identified four PTSD patterns: none, persistent, delayed and recovered. The postpartum PTSD course was associated with trait anxiety. Whether the infant was the first child who predicted PTSD at year 1 (adjusted odds ratio=7.62, 95% confidence interval=1.07 to 54.52).Conclusion:Mothers of high-risk infants can develop early or late PTSD, and its course can be influenced by factors besides medical status. We therefore recommend regular screenings of postpartum PTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In the international, phase III, randomized, double-blind CORRECT trial, regorafenib significantly prolonged overall survival (OS) versus placebo in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) that had progressed on all standard therapies. This post hoc analysis evaluated the efficacy and safety of regorafenib in Japanese and non-Japanese subpopulations in the CORRECT trial. Methods Patients were randomized 2 : 1 to regorafenib 160 mg once daily or placebo for weeks 1-3 of each 4-week cycle. The primary endpoint was OS. Outcomes were assessed using descriptive statistics. Results One hundred Japanese and 660 non-Japanese patients were randomized to regorafenib ( n = 67 and n = 438) or placebo ( n = 33 and n = 222). Regorafenib had a consistent OS benefit in the Japanese and non-Japanese subpopulations, with hazard ratios of 0.81 (95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.43-1.51) and 0.77 (95 % CI 0.62-0.94), respectively. Regorafenib-associated hand-foot skin reaction, hypertension, proteinuria, thrombocytopenia, and lipase elevations occurred more frequently in the Japanese subpopulation than in the non-Japanese subpopulation, but were generally manageable. Conclusion Regorafenib appears to have comparable efficacy in Japanese and non-Japanese subpopulations, with a manageable adverse-event profile, suggesting that this agent could potentially become a standard of care in patients with mCRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To examine the effect of a dietary supplement containing bilberry extract (BE) on eye fatigue induced by acute video display terminal (VDT) loads. Design and setting: A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was performed from August 2012 to February 2013 in the Medical Corporation Jico-kai Yagi Hospital, and the Shinyokohama Shinoharaguchi Orthopedic Surgery and Dermatology Clinic, in Japan. Participants: Two hundred eighty-one office workers aged 20-40 years that used VDTs were screened by critical flicker fusion (CFF) and near point accommodation (NPA). Intervention: The participants were randomized to either a BE (480 mg/day) or placebo (vehicle) group, and took allocated capsule, daily, for 8 weeks. Measurements: The CFF, NPA, contrast visual acuity, functional visual acuity, keratoconjunctival epithelial damage, and fluorescein tear film break-up time were examined, and 18 subjective symptoms of eye fatigue were evaluated by questionnaire. Adverse events were reported via medical interviews. Data were collected both before and after VDT load at baseline, and 4, and 8 weeks after daily supplementation with either BE or placebo. Results: Of 281 participants screened, 88 having relatively lower levels of CFF and NPA were enrolled in the study. Of these, 37 control and 43 BE group subjects completed the study. The VDT load-induced reduction in CFF was alleviated after 8 weeks of BE supplementation (95% confidence interval, 0.10-1.60; p=0.023), in contrast to placebo supplementation, while NPA variation was not. Of the subjective symptoms of eye fatigue, VDT load-induced ocular fatigue sensation, ocular pain, eye heaviness, uncomfortable sensation, and foreign body sensation were mitigated more in the BE group than in the control group, at week 8 (p<0.05). There were no severe adverse events in either group. Conclusions: BE supplementation improved some of the objective and subjective parameters of eye fatigue induced by VDT loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Coffee and green tea consumption may be associated with circulating adipokines, but data are inconsistent, scarce or lacking. We examined the association of coffee and green tea consumption with serum adiponectin, leptin, visfatin, resistin and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) among a Japanese working population. Methods: The authors analyzed data ( n = 509) from a cross-sectional survey among Japanese workers aged 20-68 years. Serum adipokines were measured using a Luminex suspension bead-based multiplexed array. Coffee and green tea consumption was assessed using a validated diet history questionnaire, and caffeine consumption from these beverages was estimated. Multiple regression analysis was performed with adjustment for potential confounding variables. Results: Coffee consumption was significantly, inversely associated with leptin and PAI-1 ( P for trend = 0.007 and 0.02, respectively); compared with subjects consuming <1 cup per day, those consuming ≥4 cups per day had 13 and 10 % lower means of leptin and PAI-1, respectively. Similar associations were observed for caffeine consumption ( P for trend = 0.02 for both leptin and PAI-1). Additionally, we noted a significant positive association between coffee consumption and adiponectin in men ( P for trend = 0.046), but not in women ( P for trend = 0.43, P for interaction = 0.11). Moreover, there was a positive association between coffee consumption and resistin in current male smokers ( P for trend = 0.01), but not in male non-smokers ( P for trend = 0.35, P for interaction = 0.11). Green tea consumption was not associated with any adipokine. Conclusions: Higher consumption of coffee and caffeine but not green tea was associated with lower serum levels of leptin and PAI-1 in Japanese adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In times of disaster, public servants face multiple burdens as they engage in a demanding and stressful disaster-response work while managing their own needs caused by the disaster. Purpose: We investigated the effects of work-related factors on the mental health of prefectural public servants working in the area devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake to identify some ideas for organizational work modifications to protect their mental health. Methods: Two months after the earthquake, Miyagi prefecture conducted a self-administered health survey of prefectural public servants and obtained 4,331 (82.8 %) valid responses. We investigated relationships between mental health distress (defined as K6 ≥ 13) and work-related variables (i.e., job type, overwork, and working environment) stratified by level of earthquake damage experienced. Results: The proportion of participants with mental health distress was 3.0 % in the group that experienced less damage and 5.9 % in the group that experienced severe damage. In the group that experienced less damage, working >100 h of overtime per month (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.06; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.11-3.82) and poor workplace communication (adjusted OR, 10.96; 95 % CI, 6.63-18.09) increased the risk of mental health distress. In the group that experienced severe damage, handling residents' complaints (adjusted OR, 4.79; 95 % CI, 1.55-14.82) and poor workplace communication (adjusted OR, 9.14; 95 % CI, 3.34-24.97) increased the risk, whereas involvement in disaster-related work (adjusted OR, 0.39; 95 % CI, 0.18-0.86) decreased the risk. Conclusions: Workers who have experienced less disaster-related damage might benefit from working fewer overtime hours, and those who have experienced severe damage might benefit from avoiding contact with residents and engaging in disaster-related work. Facilitating workplace communication appeared important for both groups of workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bonding disorders towards their child has been recognized as a serious problem, which might lead to give adverse effects on the relationship with child or maltreatment towards their child. The aim of this study was to identify the factor structure of the Mother-Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS) as well as the determinants of parental bonding disorders in Japan. In this cross-sectional observational study, the MIBS and other psychosocial questionnaires were distributed to 396 fathers and 733 mothers of children aged between 0 and 10, at 20 clinics of Kumamoto prefecture, in Japan. An exploratory factor analysis of the MIBS revealed a two-factor structure: lack of affection (LA) and anger and rejection (AR). A confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated its cross-validity, with no statistical differences between fathers and mothers. A multi-group analysis using structural equation modelling demonstrated that LA and AR were predicted by parental dysphoric mood while only AR was predicted by parental anger. To be concluded, the current study suggests that the MIBS has two subscales that can be predicted by intrapersonal and interpersonal variables, and may provide information applicable to the design of therapeutic or preventive approaches to parents with bonding disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Narcolepsy (NA) is a sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and an increased propensity of rapid eye movement sleep. If left untreated, NA can lead to academic underachievement or job loss because of dozing off or mistakes caused by inattentiveness due to sleepiness. Purpose: Although untreated narcolepsy patients may suffer from many social disadvantages due to excessive daytime sleepiness, mostly it takes a long time to receive a definitive diagnosis of the disorder. This retrospective study investigated factors related to the period until definitive diagnosis among patients with narcolepsy in Japan. Methods: We enrolled 181 consecutive patients (108 men, 73 women; mean age 37.6 ± 16.6 years old; narcolepsy with cataplexy/narcolepsy without cataplexy = 131:50). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed with period until definitive diagnosis as the dependent variable and descriptive clinical variables as the independent variables. Results: The mean period until receiving the diagnosis among the participants was 9.9 ± 10.1 years. More than half of the patients first learned about the disorder from information provided by the media. Multivariate logistic analysis indicated that adult onset ( p < 0.01), onset in 1995 or later ( p < 0.001), and first learning about the disorder from a sleep disorder specialist physician or a general practitioner ( p < 0.001) were associated with a time taken for receiving a definitive diagnosis less than or equal to the median value (7 years). Conclusion: Improving access to information about the concept of the disorder and the medical institutions specialized in sleep disorders, especially via the Internet, would be necessary to promote early diagnosis of the disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This study assessed the effects of physical activity on a 10-year incidence of self-reported vertebral fractures in adult women of a large Japanese cohort. Medium levels of strenuous activity and long-duration sedentary activity were associated with a lower incidence of vertebral fractures; association patterns appear to be different from hip fractures. Introduction: Physical activity helps prevent hip fracture, but little is known about the longitudinal association between physical activity and vertebral fractures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of physical activity on the 10-year incidence of symptomatic vertebral fractures using data from the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study. Methods: Baseline studies were conducted in 1993-1994, and the follow-up study was conducted 10 years later. We analyzed 23,757 women aged 40-69 years. At baseline, physical activity was assessed as a predictor by using a questionnaire. Subjects were asked to report vertebral fractures that occurred during the 10-year follow-up period. Relative risks (RRs) adjusted for confounders were estimated by multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: The 10-year cumulative incidence of vertebral fractures was 0.67 %. Those who engaged in strenuous physical activity of <1 h/day had a significantly lower incidence of vertebral fractures than those who did not engage in such activity (RR = 0.52, 95 % CI 0.28-0.97), while those engaged in such activity ≥1 h/day did not (RR = 0.82, 95 % CI 0.58-1.14). Long-duration sedentary activity was associated with a low incidence of vertebral fractures ( P for trend = 0.0002), but the frequencies of sports activities and metabolic equivalents were not ( P for trend = 0.0729 and 0.4341, respectively). Conclusions: Strenuous activity and sedentary activity are associated with the incidence of vertebral fractures, although the association may not be linear. The pattern of association between physical activity and vertebral fractures appears to be different from that of hip fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Perceived stress and coping strategies may influence the risk of cardiovascular disease through their possible association with inflammation, but data remain controversial for perceived stress or scanty for coping strategies. Purpose: We examined the associations of perceived stress and coping strategies with serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) in a Japanese general population. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 2,971 men and 4,902 women aged 40-69 years who were enrolled between 2005 and 2007. Subjects with possible inflammation-related disease, CRP levels ≥3,000 ng/mL, or currently used analgesics or lipid-lowering drugs were excluded. Analyses were performed by gender with adjustment for lifestyle, socioeconomic, and psychosocial factors. Results: Unexpectedly, elevated perceived stress was significantly associated with lower CRP levels in men ( P < 0.001) but not in women ( P = 0.90) after adjustment for age and covariates. Among five items of coping strategies evaluated, 'disengagement' showed a significant inverse association with CRP in men only ( P = 0.027). In addition, a possible interaction between 'emotional support seeking' and perceived stress on CRP was detected in men ( P = 0.021); 'emotional support seeking' was associated with lower CRP at the high stress level only ( P = 0.028). Conclusions: Both perceived stress and coping strategies may be associated with systemic inflammation in Japanese men, yet caution must be exercised before accepting the stress-inflammation-disease pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This multi-center, prospective, open-label, observational study evaluated the effects of once-monthly minodronate (50 mg) on treatment persistence, bone turnover markers, bone mineral density, low back pain, and upper gastrointestinal symptoms in outpatients with osteoporosis previously treated with daily or weekly bisphosphonate products. Introduction: The purposes of this study were to investigate the effects of once-monthly oral minodronate (MIN 50 mg) on bone turnover markers and bone mineral density, low back pain, and upper gastrointestinal symptoms, as well as preference for and treatment persistence of MIN 50 mg among Japanese osteoporosis patients currently treated with daily or weekly bisphosphonates. Methods: Study patients were allocated based on their preference to either the Switch group (patients willing to switch over to MIN 50 mg) or the Continue group (patients wanting to continue their current therapies). Patients' treatment persistence and satisfaction levels with the therapies were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. The study endpoints were serum TRACP-5b, serum P1NP, bone mineral density, upper gastrointestinal symptoms, and low back pain. Results: In total, 264 and 133 patients were allocated into the Switch and Continue groups, respectively. Approximately, 65 % of patients were willing to switch to MIN 50 mg, with the predominant reason being 'less frequent dosing more convenient.' Treatment persistence was significantly higher in the Switch group (MIN 50 mg) than the Continue group. Almost all patients with abnormal bone metabolism markers demonstrated normalization after switchover. MIN 50 mg alleviated low back pain and upper gastrointestinal symptoms induced by prior bisphosphonate use. Conclusions: MIN 50 mg alleviates low back pain, reduces bone turnover markers and increases bone density, and induces fewer upper gastrointestinal symptoms after switchover from prior bisphosphonate products, and therefore, it may provide patients with a more convenient treatment option and enhance long-term treatment persistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Faster eating is positively associated with body mass index in apparently healthy Japanese populations. In the present study, we examined the associations between self-reported rate of eating and visceral and subcutaneous fat areas in apparently healthy middle-aged Japanese men. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of men who participated in health checkups in Japan. We removed participants who were diagnosed with metabolic diseases by the time of their health checkups. A total of 320 subjects aged 30-64 years (mean ± standard deviation, 47.4 ± 8.6 years) were selected. We compared the associations between rate of eating and various clinical parameters including visceral and subcutaneous fat areas, using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), which was adjusted by age and lifestyle factors such as alcohol intake, energy intake, smoking, and physical activity. Multivariate logistic regression analyses (MLRA) were performed with visceral fat area (cm) as the dependent variable and independent variables that included self-reported rate of eating. Results: Tukey's multiple test following ANCOVA showed that self-reported rate of eating was positively associated with visceral fat area (cm), but not with subcutaneous fat area (cm). MLRA showed that the odds ratio of rate of eating for visceral fat area in tertile (T) 3 (>100 cm) compared with T1 (≤70 cm) was 1.99 (95 % CI 1.40-2.90, P < 0.01), and the association remained after adjustment for the subcutaneous fat area. Conclusions: The present results show that self-reported faster eating is positively associated with visceral fat accumulation, independently of subcutaneous fat accumulation, in apparently healthy Japanese men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A 3-year follow-up study on 334 young Japanese females enrolled in a university at the age of 18 years revealed that discontinuation of leisure time impact-loading exercises performed in junior high and/or high school was associated with increased risk of reduction in calcaneus osteo-sono assessment index (OSI). Introduction: Bone strength rapidly increases during puberty and reaches its peak by the end of adolescence. The aim of this study was to determine the lifestyle factors that influence the maintenance of calcaneus OSI in young adult females around the time when peak bone mass is attained. Methods: Annual health checkups including OSI measurements, anthropometrics, lifestyle analysis, and blood examination were performed 4 times on 334 Japanese females enrolled in a university at the age of 18 years. According to the slope of OSI change during the 3-year follow-up, the subjects were grouped into two categories: OSI loss (the lowest tertile) and OSI gain/stable (the second and third tertiles). Results: At the baseline assessment, the OSI loss group had higher OSI and height and an earlier menarche age than the OSI gain/stable group. Performing leisure time impact-loading exercise in junior high and/or high school but discontinuing it at university was associated with increased risk of OSI loss, independent of OSI, height and weight at the age of 18 years, weight change during follow-up, age of menarche, energy-adjusted nutrient intake, and alcohol drinking; the odds ratios were 4.1-4.9 compared with those performing impact-loading exercise at university. In particular, duration, frequency, and subjective intensity of impact-loading exercise during high school were positively associated with OSI loss. Conclusion: Discontinuation of leisure time impact-loading exercises performed during late adolescence is associated with an increased risk of OSI loss in young adult females during the 3-year follow-up period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies in Japan have examined whether children's later mental health is influenced by the way parental authority is exercised, specifically with a focus on gender. Our main purposes of this study were to confirm the three-factor structure of the Japanese version of the Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ) and to verify its reliability and validity. We then used structural equation modeling to examine whether children's later mental health was influenced by parents' authoritative, permissive, and authoritarian parenting. The subcategories included in the Japanese version of the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure were chosen as mental health indices. A total of 1,320 people in Japan, including company employees, university students, and hospital staff members, were asked to recall and evaluate the parenting they received and to report on their current mental health. Confirmatory factor analyses verified the three-factor structure of the Japanese version of the PAQ, with a reduction in the number of items from the original version. The respondents, regardless of gender, evaluated their mothers as having been more authoritative than their fathers. Concerning the impact of parenting styles on respondents' later mental health, both maternal and paternal authoritarian parenting styles worsened respondents' later mental health, including symptomatic problems, risk to self and others, life functioning, and psychological well-being. Both maternal and paternal authoritative parenting had a beneficial impact on respondents' later mental health. Simultaneous analyses of multi-groups demonstrated that the nature of these influences did not vary with respondent gender. We present the above results in detail, and discuss them from psycho-socio-cultural viewpoints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study design:Retrospective chart review.Objective:To evaluate the clinical outcomes and factors influencing patient satisfaction with Malone antegrade continence enema (MACE) in patients with spina bifida.Setting:Japan.Methods:We performed retrospective analysis of 21 patients with spina bifida who underwent surgical creation of an MACE stoma. Clinical outcomes were evaluated by medical records, operative notes and mailed questionnaires. Patient satisfaction scores (SSs) were measured on a modified visual analog scale (VAS) from 1 to 10, and the factors influencing the SS were analyzed.Results:A 100% return rate for the mailed questionnaires was achieved. All patients underwent in situ appendicocecostomy with cecal plication. There was only one complication that required surgical revision. Regarding fecal continence, the overall success rate was 90%. Although 4 patients (19%) had severe irrigation pain and 4 patients (19%) found the washout time intolerably long, 18 (85%) of them were satisfied with the MACE procedure. Age at operation, experience of retrograde colonic enema (RCE), experience of stomal leakage, increased comfort at school or workplace and increased comfort at sleepovers significantly influenced SSs.Conclusion:MACE is a valuable option in achieving fecal continence in patients with spina bifida, with most patients being satisfied with the procedure. In our analysis, younger age at operation, previous experience of RCE, no stomal leakage and improvement of quality of life (enhanced comfort at school, workplace and sleepovers) significantly influenced the high satisfaction after MACE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Elevated circulating activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), a marker for liver injury, and the lifestyle of a higher rate of eating in healthy and preclinical subjects are associated with increased risk of obesity and diabetes. In this study, we examined the associations between self-reported rate of eating and circulating ALT activity in middle-aged apparently healthy Japanese men. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 3,929 apparently healthy men aged 40-59 years (mean ± SD age, 49.2 ± 5.8 years; BMI, 23.5 ± 2.8 kg/m) who participated in health checkups in Japan. We analyzed their clinical serum parameters and lifestyle factors, including self-reported rate of eating. Associations between self-reported rate of eating and liver injury markers [ALT, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GTP), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)], other clinical parameters or lifestyle factors were determined using analysis of variance followed by Tukey's test. Multivariate logistic regression analyses (MLRA) were performed with ALT activity as the dependent variable and independent variables that included self-reported rate of eating. Results: MLRA showed that ALT activity showed trends for higher self-reported rate of eating after adjustment for age, energy intake, and smoking status. The association between ALT activity and self-reported rate of eating disappeared after adjustment for BMI. Conclusion: The results of this study show that ALT activity is positively associated with self-reported rate of eating in middle-aged apparently healthy Japanese men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In Japan, a national surveillance study of antimicrobial consumption has never been undertaken. This study aimed to describe antimicrobial consumption and resistance to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 203 Japanese hospitals, to identify targets for quality improvement. Methods: We conducted an ecological study using retrospective data (2010). Antimicrobial consumption was collected in the World Health Organization (WHO) anatomical therapeutic chemical/defined daily dose (ATC/DDD) format. Rates of imipenem (IPM), meropenem (MEPM), ciprofloxacin (CPFX), or amikacin (AMK) resistance were expressed as the incidence of non-susceptible isolates. Additionally, hospitals were asked to provide data concerning hospital characteristics and infection control policies. Hospitals were classified according to functional categories of the Medical Services Act in Japan. Results: Data were collected from 203 Japanese hospitals (a total of 91,147 beds). The total antimicrobial consumption was 15.49 DDDs/100 bed-days (median), with consumptions for penicillins, carbapenems, quinolones, and glycopeptides being 4.27, 1.60, 0.41, and 0.49, respectively. The median incidences of IPM, MEPM, CPFX, and AMK resistance were 0.15, 0.10, 0.13, and 0.03 isolates per 1,000 patient-days, respectively. Antimicrobial notification and/or approval systems were present in 183 hospitals (90.1 %). In the multivariate analysis, the piperacillin/tazobactam, quinolones, and/or total consumptions and the advanced treatment hospitals showed a significant association with the incidence of P. aeruginosa resistant to IPM, MEPM, CPFX, and AMK [adjusted R (a R) values of 0.23, 0.30, 0.22, and 0.35, respectively). Conclusion: This is the first national surveillance study of antimicrobial consumption in Japan. A continuous surveillance program in Japan is necessary in order to evaluate the association among resistance, antimicrobial restriction, and consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although previous studies suggested that higher low-fat dairy consumption lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, the mediating factors are not well understood. Higher baseline adiponectin levels are related with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. This study evaluated whether low-fat dairy is related with adiponectin in apparently healthy adults. Methods: We investigated a cross-sectional ( n = 938) and one-year longitudinal ( n = 759) relationship between low-fat and whole-/high-fat dairy (both including cow's milk and yogurt) and adiponectin. Dairy consumption was assessed with a validated food frequency questionnaire. Serum adiponectin was measured by using a specific sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: In the cross-sectional analysis, the geometric means (95 % confidence intervals [95 % CIs]) of log-transformed adiponectin related with the low-fat dairy categories were 7.27 (6.80-7.77) for the lowest category, 7.67 (7.09-8.31) for the middle category, and 8.40 (7.73-9.13) for the highest category ( p < 0.001) after adjustment for potential confounders (including all lifestyle factors). In the longitudinal analysis, repeated-measures ANCOVA adjusted for confounding factors showed a significant time-by-categories (categories of low-fat dairy) interaction in the change of adiponectin. In contrast, no significant relationship was found between the whole-/high-fat dairy categories and adiponectin. Conclusions: This study has shown that higher consumption of low-fat dairy, but not of whole-/high-fat dairy, is related with higher levels of adiponectin and with the change of adiponectin level at the one-year follow-up. These results suggest that the consumption of low-fat dairy may have a beneficial effect on serum adiponectin levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether individuals with Asperger's disorder exhibit difficulty in switching attention from a local level to a global level. Eleven participants with Asperger's disorder and 11 age- and gender-matched healthy controls performed a level-repetition switching task using Navon-type hierarchical stimuli. In both groups, level-repetition was beneficial at both levels. Furthermore, individuals with Asperger's disorder exhibited difficulty in switching attention from a local level to a global level compared to control individuals. These findings suggested that there is a problem with the inhibitory mechanism that influences the output of enhanced local visual processing in Asperger's disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the association between falls and physiological factors primarilly the toe-gap force and the Good Walker's Index using a path analysis. Three hundred and sixty-two (362) elderly people, over 65 years of age, undertook five types of walking ability and physiological tests, The Toe-gap Force and the Good Walker's Index, which consists of 10-m walking time, Maximal Step Length (MSL), 40/20 cm step test, and tandem gait. Questions concerning demographic characteristics, instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), subjective well-being, long-term care needs, and characteristics of falls were asked. Ninety participants (24.9%) reported one or more falls within the past year. The results showed that a lower toe-gap force and a lower good-walker's Index score were significantly associated with falls. Fallers scored worse on Toe-gap force R, 10-m walking time, and Maximal Step strength. The Good Walker's Index was significantly associated with all test measures. The path analysis model revealed the association between the Good Walker's Index and falls. Toe-gap force and the Good Walker's Index can serve as an effective predictive factor for older people who are living independently in the community. This study provided a model of the inter-relationships among physiological factors such as the Good walker's Index, Toe-gap force and falls, as well as vision and falls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have high anxiety. There is insufficient information about the relationships between concrete cognitive contents and anxiety in IBS. Purpose: The present study investigated the relationship between cognitive factors and anxiety in individuals with IBS. Method: The participants were 1,087 college students (male, 506; female, 576; unidentified, 5; age, 19.72 ± 1.76 years) who completed a set of questionnaires that included the Rome II Modular Questionnaire (based on diagnostic criteria for IBS), Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI), Cognitive Appraisal Rating Scale (CARS; subscales: commitment, appraisal of effect, appraisal of threat, and controllability) for measuring symptom-related cognition, an item about attention to abdominal symptoms, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety Scale (HADS-A), and an item regarding the presence of avoidant behavior due to anxiety of IBS symptoms. Results: The participants included 881 individuals without IBS and 206 individuals with IBS. Individuals with IBS had higher ASI and HADS-A scores than those of the individuals belonging to the control group ( p < 0.001). Subscale scores of CARS (except those of controllability and attention to IBS symptoms) significantly correlated with the ASI and HADS-A scores ( p < 0.01). Individuals with IBS and avoidant behavior had higher subscale scores of CARS (except those of controllability and attention to IBS symptoms) and higher HADS-A scores ( p < 0.05). The hypothetical models containing ASI scores, subscale scores of CARS (except those of controllability), and HADS-A scores with and without attention to IBS symptoms exhibited a good fit. Conclusion: Severe anxiety sensitivity in individuals with IBS related to their symptom-related cognition, and the altered cognition increases anxiety, leading to the possible development of a disabling condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: To compare the predictive power of physical function assessed by questionnaire and physical performance measures for subsequent disability in community-dwelling elderly persons. Methods: Prospective cohort study. Participants were 813 aged 70 years and older, elderly Japanese residing in the community, included in the Tsurugaya Project, who were not disabled at the baseline in 2003. Physical function was assessed by the questionnaire of "Motor Fitness Scale". Physical performance measures consisted of maximum walking velocity, timed up and go test (TUG), leg extension power, and functional reach test. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve for disability was used to compare screening accuracy between Motor Fitness Scale and physical performance measures. Incident disability, defined as certification for long-term care insurance, was used as the endpoint. Results: We observed 135 cases of incident disability during follow-up. The third or fourth quartile for each measure was associated with a significantly increased risk of disability in comparison with the highest quartile. The AUC was 0.70, 0.72, 0.70, 0.68, 0.69 and 0.74, for Motor Fitness Scale, maximum walking velocity, TUG, leg extension power, functional reach test, and total performance score, respectively. Conclusions: The predictive power of physical function assessed by the Motor Fitness Scale was equivalent to that assessed by physical performance measures. Since Motor Fitness Scale can evaluate physical function safely and simply in comparison with physical performance tests, it would be a practical tool for screening persons at high risk of disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lifestyle-related chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease are the greatest public health concerns. Evidence shows Japanese immigrants to a westernized environment have higher incidence of lifestyle-related diseases. However, little is known about lifestyle characteristics related to chronic diseases for Japanese in a westernized environment. This study is examining the gap in lifestyle by comparing the lifestyle prevalence for Japanese in the US with the Japanese National Data (the National Health and Nutrition Survey in Japan, J-NHANS) as well as the Japan National Health Promotion in the twenty-first Century (HJ21) goals. Japanese adults were surveyed in Pittsburgh, USA, regarding their lifestyle (e.g., diet, exercise, smoking, stress, alcohol, and oral hygiene). The prevalence was compared with J-NHANS and HJ21 goals. Ninety-three responded (response rate; 97.9%). Japanese men ( n = 38) and women ( n = 55) in Pittsburgh smoke less than Japanese in Japan ( P < 0.001 for both genders). Japanese in Pittsburgh perform less physical activity in daily life and have lower prevalence of walking more than 1 h per day ( P < 0.001 for both genders). Japanese women in Pittsburgh have significantly higher prevalence of stress than in Japan ( P = 0.004). Japanese men in Pittsburgh do not reach HJ21 goal in weight management, BMI, use of medicine or alcohol to sleep, and sleep quality. Japanese women in Pittsburgh do not reach HJ21 goal in weight management and sleep quality. In conclusion, healthy lifestyle promotion including exercise and physical activity intervention for Japanese living in a westernized environment is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the prevalence and the impact of premenstrual symptoms among Japanese adolescent girls, a total of 618 high school students were assessed. Of them, 64.6% were found to suffer from premenstrual symptoms, which is lower than that in adult women. On the other hand, the rates of prevalence of moderate to severe PMS and PMDD in girls were higher than those in adult women. Premenstrual symptoms could have significant consequences by interfering with the daily functioning of adolescent girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]