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In this study, we will investigate the effects of different work environments on intellectual productivity and communication in an Activity-Based-Working (ABW) oriented B-site office of Company A, which has multiple workspaces with different settings for the purpose of improving productivity and health. In this paper, we use a subject experiment and report on the effects of different work environments on the intellectual productivity and physiological and psychological quantities of the subjects in the ABW office, based on the outline of the building where the subject experiments were conducted and the results of objective and subjective evaluations of the subject experiments conducted in the middle and summer periods.

Windows have the potential to save energy in a significant way. Therefore, the analysis and optimization of the Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWR) play an important role in improving energy efficiency in buildings. Windows are always beneficial to utilize daylight and reduce lighting energy demand. However, solar heat gain is advantageous during cold days and disadvantageous on hot days. As the configuration of the window areas varies according to the geographical location, the objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of WWR on the energy performance of buildings in the cold semi-arid climate of Kabul, Afghanistan. In this study, various energy simulations were conducted for three types of building shapes (Square, Rectangle, and “L”-Shape) to determine the most energy-efficient proportion of windows and overhang sizes in different cardinal directions. Based on the simulation results, windows on south façades have notable energy-saving potential in Kabul's climatic conditions. However, increasing the window size on north, east, and west façade leads to an increase in the total heating and cooling energy consumption. The optimal WWR of the south façade window for square, rectangular, and “L”-Shaped is 0.7, 0.55, and 0.55, respectively. Additionally, the findings indicate that overhangs in all orientations slightly affect the total energy demand as they only reduce cooling load. The study concludes that optimizing the windows on the south façade reduces energy demand by up to 8.13% if no windows are provided in other directions, while the total energy consumption rises by up to 36% as the WWR on the north, east, and west façades increase from 0 to 0.8.

A personal air conditioning system using vortex rings, which are characterized by their linearity and low diffusivity, is developed in this study. The authors have clarified the characteristics of the vortex ring airflow by LES (unsteady CFD) and full‐scale experiments. However, the airflow type and worker's comfort using vortex rings as an air conditioning system has not been clarified yet. As a result of the subject experiments, it became clear that air conditioning with vortex rings cooled the subjects better than conventional air conditioning and improved their sense of comfort with respect to the airflow. In addition, it was found that airflow to the neck was more effective since the subjects were less likely to feel the airflow at the top of the head due to the resistance of the hair on the head. The effectiveness of the vortex ring as a personal air conditioning system was clarified, enabling relaxation of the room temperature setting. The comfortability of the airflow sensation provided by the vortex ring was also examined when further airflow was given.

Although carbon dioxide (CO2) is a gas not perceived by human, extremely high concentration of CO2 has an influence on the human’s health. High concentration of CO2 also leads to lowering concentration ability and promoting drowsiness. It may also have an influence on productivity and learning efficiency of human. We conducted experiments to measure the amount of workability and the physiological and psychological response of the subjects. In the experiment, the concentration of CO2 was set at the constant level at each case. And then, the concentration of CO2 was changed to examine the physiological and psychological response. In the result of the experiment, the CO2 concentration had the influence on productivity and working efficiency of human. Even if the CO2 concentration is not so high, physiological condition of the human would be also affected.

Dysphagia is one of the most common symptoms of stroke and can lead to other complications such as pneumonia, dehydration, and malnutrition. This retrospective cohort study evaluated the predictive value of a comprehensive swallowing assessment tool, the Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability (MASA), in the acute phase of stroke for oral intake status at discharge. Among 1,133 consecutive patients with acute stroke, 512 patients whose swallowing function was assessed using the MASA within 24 h of admission were included. Data including demographic information, stroke severity, MASA, Oral Health Assessment Tool, body mass index, and serum albumin level were collected. Predictive factors for oral intake were analyzed using a multiple logistic regression model, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the cutoff values of the MASA score for determining oral intake at discharge. Oral intake at discharge was established in 69.1% of the cohort (354/512). The multiple logistic regression analysis identified a higher MASA score, younger age, and higher serum albumin level as significant predictors of oral intake at discharge. The cutoff value of the MASA score for oral intake was 136.5 points, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.87. These findings suggest that the MASA is a valid tool for predicting oral intake in patients with dysphagia during the acute phase of stroke., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical Approval: All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments. The requirement for informed consent was waived because this study was retrospective in design and based on the data already in clinical use. Only individuals who did not opt out of the use of their data in our research were included. Conflict of Interest: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Trigger finger surgery is primarily managed with open surgery accompanied by 10-14 days of postoperative recovery, which may interrupt activities of daily living. In the past, we attempted to perform percutaneous surgery by inserting a hockey stick-shaped guide knife through a scalpel incision several millimeters long. Sometimes, we encounter difficult cases wherein triggering does not disappear despite repeated attempts to release the A1 pulley through the small incision, thus forcing us to extend the incision. As a result, the postoperative recovery is sometimes prolonged. We describe our experience using a novel percutaneous procedure in which a guide knife was inserted through one or two 20-gauge needle holes, instead of a scalpel skin incision, to release the A1 pulley. We describe a new method that minimizes skin and soft tissue damage and reliably shortens posttreatment recovery., (© 2023 The Authors.)

[Purpose] To examine the effect of lateral wedged insoles on the rotation mechanism of the knee joint in patients with knee osteoarthritis. [Participants and Methods] The participants included 11 patients with medial knee osteoarthritis. We asked all participants to stand up from a 40-cm-high chair, and we measured the rotation angle of the knee joint during the movement. The standing motion was performed under four conditions: barefoot and with 7-, 10-, and 13-mm lateral wedged insoles. We also measured four healthy participants as controls for comparison. [Results] During the standing motion, we internally rotated the tibia relative to the femur. In healthy participants, we measured 19.6° internal rotation of the tibia relative to the femur. Patients with knee osteoarthritis had internal rotations of approximately 9.8° when barefoot and 7.1°, 6.4°, and 7.1° when wearing lateral wedged insoles of 7, 10, and 13 mm, respectively. [Conclusion] Lateral wedged insoles do not modify the knee joint rotation motion of patients with knee OA to the correct style., Competing Interests: The author declares that there is no conflict of interest., (2023©by the Society of Physical Therapy Science. Published by IPEC Inc.)

In order to probe dynamical properties of mesoscopic soft matter systems such as polymers, structured liquid, etc., a new atomic force microscopy apparatus with a wide-band magnetic cantilever excitation system was developed. Constant-current driving of an electromagnet up to 1 MHz was implemented with a closed-loop driver circuit. Transfer function of a commercial cantilever attached with a magnetic particle was measured in a frequency range of 1-1000 kHz in distilled water. Effects of the laser spot position, distribution of the force exerted on the cantilever, and difference in the detection scheme on the obtained transfer function are discussed in comparison with theoretical predictions by other research groups. A preliminary result of viscoelasticity spectrum measurement of a single dextran chain is shown and is compared with a recent theoretical calculation.