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PurposeMuscle fiber conduction velocity (CV) has been developed to estimate neuromuscular fatigue and measured during voluntary (VC) and electrically evoked (EC) contractions. Since CV during VC and EC reflect different physiological phenomena, the two parameters would show inconsistent changes under the conditions of neuromuscular fatigue. We investigated the time-course changes of CV during EC and VC after fatiguing exercise.MethodsIn 14 young males, maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of knee extensor muscles, CV during electrical stimulation (CV-EC) and MVC (CV-VC) were measured before and immediately, 30 min, 60 min, 120 min, and 24 h after exhaustive leg pedaling exercise.ResultsCV-EC significantly increased immediately after the fatiguing exercise (p < 0.05) and had a significant negative correlation with MVC in merged data from all time-periods (r = −0.511, p < 0.001). CV-VC significantly decreased 30, 60, and 120 min after the fatiguing exercise (p < 0.05) and did not show any correlations with MVC (p > 0.05).ConclusionThese results suggest that CV during EC and VC exhibits different time-course changes, and that CV during EC may be appropriate to estimate the degree of neuromuscular fatigue after fatiguing pedaling exercise.

Background: As the Japanese people are increasingly living longer, it is essential to improve the quality of medical care provided to those living with dementia. In 2019, the Guidelines for the Promotion of Dementia Policies were published to improve the system in order to become more centered on people with dementia and their families. We have developed training programmes and systems for person-centered care in acute care hospitals to improve the quality of care for older people with dementia. The purpose of this paper was to review and summarise our research on training and systembuilding for the care of older people with dementia. Method: A review of our research on training and system-building for the care of older people with dementia was conducted. Results: The following programmes, such as person-centered care training, a dementia nursing practice skills development programme, and delirium training for older patients with dementia using virtual reality and augmented reality for nurses and other professionals, were developed to maintain the dignity of the dementia patients in acute care hospitals. Conclusion: The person-centered care training programmes were effective in improving the quality of clinical care. Digital transformation training was more effective, and it elicited a more effective and empathetic experience. We planned to develop a simulation platform based on the metaverse to further develop the community-comprehensive care system, including multidisciplinary collaboration on changes in the place of care for older people with dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to examine the effects of a fall-prevention program, focusing on the characteristics of falls among older adults with dementia, based on person-centered care. Methods: Participantswere divided into two groups: the intervention group (n = 60), which consisted of members who participated in a 3-month training program and the control group (n = 69), which consisted of members who received usual care. The study lasted 9 months, which included a training period (3 months), fall prevention practice period (3 months), and after the follow-up period (3 months). Results: Compared to the control group, the Mini-State Examination scores of participants in the intervention group had significantly decreased at 3 months or 6 months since baseline. In the control group, the activities of daily living and different symptoms common in dementia had significantly worsened after the follow-up. Regarding fall rates, therewas no significant difference between the intervention and control groups; however, in the intervention group, there were reductions in the training period with 13 members (21.7%), the practice period with eight members (13.3%), and the follow-up period with 10 members (16.7%), compared to the baseline with 16 members (26.7%). Conclusion: These results suggest the effectiveness of the person-centered intervention program for older adults with dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to clarify how cognitive function, activities of daily living (ADL), and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) influence care dependency of older people with dementia in geriatric residential facilities. Methods: The participants were 376 older people diagnosed with dementia who were evaluated using ADL, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), and Japanese Care Dependency Scale (CDS-J) scores. Results: A multiple regression analysis with each subscale of the CDS-J as a dependent variable showed significant associations with the subscales of ADL, MMSE, and NPI. The language subscale of the MMSE was significantly positively associated with nine items from the 15 CDS-J subscales such as eating/ drinking and incontinence. Additionally, apathy scores on the NPI subscale were significantly negatively associated with almost all CDS-J subscales. Conclusion: These findings suggest that ADL, cognitive function, and BPSD such as apathy influence care dependence of older people with dementia. Previous research has shown that apathy can lead to deterioration of dementia. Healthcare providers should be encouraged to incorporate interest and intellectual stimulation into daily care in order to reduce apathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]