Comparison of Urinary Levels of 8-Hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine between Young Females with and without Depressive Symptoms during Different Menstrual Phases

This study aimed to clarify the association between depressive symptoms and a marker of oxidative stress-induced DNA damage in young females. Since the menstrual cycle may confound or modify this association, depressive symptoms and urinary levels of 8-hydroxy-2ʼ deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were evaluated during each menstrual phase. A total of 57 female fourth-year students (aged 21.6±0.8) from a Japanese health science university were studied. The menstrual cycle was divided into 3 phases:menstrual (days 1 to 3 after the onset of menses);proliferative (days 13 to 15);and secretory (days 24 to 26). Depressive symptoms were assessed by the self-rating depression scale (SDS). Positive depressive symptoms were defined as a score of 53 or more during 2 different menstrual phases. The association between the presence of depressive symptoms and 8-OHdG levels adjusting for the menstrual cycle was examined by two-way analysis of variance with the menstrual cycle (menstrual, proliferative, and secretory phases) as the within-individual factor. The menstrual cycle did not show a significant correlation with urinary 8-OHdG levels. On the other hand, the menstrual cycle-adjusted 8-OHdG level was significantly higher in those with depressive symptoms (7.01ng/mL) than in those without them (3.98ng/mL). The ROC curve analysis showed that urinary 8-OHdG levels had reasonably high discriminative performance throughout all the menstrual cycles (0.73-0.81;all p＜0.05). These results indicated the presence of oxidative stress in subjects with depressive symptoms independent of the menstrual cycle

Factors Predicting Bone Mineral Density (BMD) Changes in Young Women over A One-year Study:Changes in Body Weight and Bone Metabolic Markers during the Menstrual Cycle and Their Effects on BMD

Currently, 26% of Japanese women in their twenties are under weight, and therefore at risk of developing various metabolic abnormalities due to an inadequate nutrient intake, which in turn affects the acquisition of a peak bone mineral density (BMD). In this study, we aimed to clarify the effects of menstrual cycle-related changes in body weight and bone metabolic marker levels on the BMD changes. The subjects were 42 women (19.6±0.8 years). The levels of osteocalcin (OC), BAP, s-NTx, u-DPD, and E2 in the menstrual and ovulatory phases were measured. The associations between dependent variables (BMD changes/year in the lumbar spine, femur, femoral neck) and explanatory variables (body weight changes/year, the levels of OC, BAP, s-NTx, u-DPD) were evaluated using multiple regression analysis. Analysis of the correlations between the changes in bone metabolic markers and changes in BMD showed a correlation between the OC level in the menstrual phase and changes in the BMD of the entire femur, suggesting that a high OC level protects against BMD reduction, probably by promoting osteoblast activity, and that bone formation activity suppresses the decrease in BMD. These results suggest that, to predict BMD changes from bone metabolic markers in young women, it is necessary to measure OC levels in the menstrual phase

Age-Dependent Contributions of Neck Circumference to Indices of Obesity Among Female College Students Aged 18 to 20 Years

Measurement of neck circumference (NC) is an easy method to assess obesity. Our investigation to estimate risks for metabolic disease in Japanese postmenopausal women indicated that NC is significantly associated with whole-body obesity indices and visceral fat accumulation. To clarify the early stage of metabolic changes and confirm NC validity as a predictor of metabolic syndrome, NC’s association to the four obesity indices, namely, weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat, and waist circumference (WC), was examined in a college student group of 60 females aged 18.7±0.3 years. NC was mainly correlated with weight, followed by BMI, WC, and body fat. It was also significantly associated with weight and BMI, but not with body fat. The participants were divided into two subgroups: “sports-experienced” and “not-sports-experienced,” who had moderate and strong correlation coefficients with NC and WC, respectively. WC value was possibly predicted by NC values using linear functions for the group and its subgroups. The correlation between NC and WC, NC’s association to weight, and substitution of NC to WC were confirmed by the same analyses in another student group composed with 18 females aged 19.7±0.6 years. Our study showed that the distribution of body fat in college students is difficult to assess based on NC alone. Nevertheless, NC measurement is an easy, inexpensive, and reproducible method to assess obesity and a possible predictor to identify the risk for future metabolic diseases in Japanese college students with the four obesity indices, weight, BMI, body fat, and WC

Scientific Evidence Proves its Effect on Human Mind and Body Is Music that Uses the Solfeggio Frequency Effective for Emotional Induction? Experiment by Presenting Music and How to Create with “Image Fantasy Performance” Using “Kyoko Takemoto’s Imaginative Music Playing Method”

We presented how to create the “Kyoko Takemoto’s Imaginative Music Playing Method”. “Enveloped in the Light Full of Love” composed by Hashimoto was screened by the “Image Fantasy” performance using “Kyoko Takemoto’s Imaginative Music Playing Method” and the influence on mind and body of indicator was investigated. “Enveloped in the Light Full of Love” was composed using the Solfeggio scale. Some of the subjects were blindfolded during the experiment (auditory group). In the emotional score immediately after the performance, “anger” and “anxiety” were significantly lower in the auditory group. This was evidence that the visual causes negative emotions. There was no difference in amylase activity, cortisol concentration, and serotonin concentration between the audiovisual group and the auditory group. From these results, it was considered that the Music of the Solfeggio scale induced positive emotions in the mind and body of the experimental participants, along with the emotional performances of the new Music that were unfamiliar to the ears

The Relationship between Stress Levels and Biological Responses in a Clinical Nursing Practicum

We evaluated the association between the stress levels and biological responses of nursing students in a clinical practicum. The subjects consisted of 28 third-year nursing students at the nursing department of College A. The degree of stress was evaluated using the Japanese version of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). As parameters of biological responses, serum estrogen, salivary cortisol, and salivary IgA were measured. These measurements were performed twice (before and during the clinical practicum). Before and during the practicum, the STAI state anxiety score increased from 46.3 ± 8.1 to 52.3 ± 8.9 indicating the nursing students' practicum-associated stress. No changes were observed in the salivary cortisol or IgA level, but the serum estrogen level decreased during the practicum from 36.7 ± 14.7 to 27.0 ± 9.2 suggesting the inhibition of estrogen secretion

Psychosocial work characteristics and low back pain in daycare (nursery) workers in Japan: a prospective cohort study

Abstract Background Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common musculoskeletal problems affecting daycare (nursery) workers. We aimed to identify the psychosocial factors influencing LBP in daycare workers. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study with a one-year observation period. The baseline sample was a convenience sample of 444 daycare workers from 34 daycare facilities in Nagoya, Japan, and its suburbs. All the data were collected through a questionnaire survey. The question “Where are you currently feeling LBP?” was used to determine whether the subjects suffered from LBP. We examined the prospective relationships of the psychosocial work characteristics, i.e., high job strain, low social support, effort-reward imbalance, and overcommitment, at baseline and LBP after one year. We used multiple logistic regression analyses to calculate the odds ratios of psychosocial work characteristics for the persistence and onset of LBP, adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, smoking, employment status, occupation, and working schedule. Results At baseline, 270 (60.8%) subjects suffered from LBP. Of 208 who also gave information on LBP one year later, 176 (84.6%) suffered from the persistence of LBP. Low social support at baseline was significantly related to persistent LBP one year later. The incidence of persistent LBP was 89.9% and 80.0% among those with and without low social support at baseline, respectively. The adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of low social support at baseline for the persistence of LBP was 2.43 (1.01–5.87). Of 150 who were without LBP at baseline and provided information on LBP one year later, 45 (30.0%) suffered from the onset of LBP. None of the psychosocial work characteristics showed significant relationships with the onset of LBP one year later. Conclusion Low social support was related to the persistence, but not to the onset of LBP in a prospective cohort analysis among daycare workers in Japan. High job strain, ERI, or overcommitment did not show a significant prospective effect on LBP

Relationships among stress, coping, and personality in nursing clinical training

本研究は, 看護学生の臨床実習におけるストレスとコーピングおよび性格との関連について検討した. 対象はA大学看護学科3年生の女性28名である. 方法は, ストレスの程度の評価には日本版State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)を, また, コーピングの測定にはコーピング特性簡易尺度(BSCP)を用い, それぞれ実習前と実習中の計2回実施した. 性格の評価は, 矢田部・ギルフォード検査(YG検査)を用いて, 臨床実習のない春期休暇中に実施した. その結果, STAIの状態不安は, 実習前に比べ実習中で高値を示し, 臨床実習で看護学生がストレスを感じていると考えられた. 特に「社会的不適応」, 「劣等感」, 「非協調的」などの性格傾向では, 実習中の状態不安の増強を認めた. また, それらの性格傾向では「他者を巻き込んだ情動発散」などの消極的コーピングスタイルを多用する特徴を認め, 実習ストレスの感じ方やコーピングには, 個々の性格が深く関与することが示唆された.We investigated the relationships among stress, coping, and personality in nursing students during clinical training in a hospital. The subjects were 28 female nursing school students. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) test was used for evaluation of the psychological response to the stress of clinical training. The Brief Scales for Coping Profile (BSCP) test was used for evaluation of coping. These two tests were given before and during clinical training. The Yatabe/Guilford (YG) test was given to students during the spring vacation for assessment of personality. The students experienced stress before and during clinical training, and the state-anxiety levels in the STAI were significantly higher during clinical training. Anxiety level was higher in students with personality traits of "social maladjustment", "feeling of inferiority" and "nonconformism". Furthermore, students with such personality traits tended to have a passive style of coping. The results suggest that there is a close relationship between personality and coping style for nursing students under the stressful conditions of clinical training

Longitudinal Study on Physical Fitness Parameters Influencing Bone Mineral Density Reduction in Middleaged and Elderly Women: Bone mineral density in the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and femur

The prolongation of the average life span of women has been associated with the rapidly aging society. However, serious problem have arisen as a result, such as an increase in the number of bed-ridden elderly patients with osteoporosis-associated femoral neck fracture. As preventive measures against osteoporosis for middle-aged to elderly women, 10,000 steps per day and intense exercise have been reported to inhibit bone mineral density (BMD) reduction. However, only a few studies have concretely reported on the type of physical fitness that is effective for BMD in particular parts of the body. In this study, a one-year longitudinal survey was performed involving generally healthy postmenopausal women to investigate physical fitness parameters influencing BMD in the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and femur. The subjects were 38 female residents of M City, aged 49-73 years. As physical fitness parameters, sit-ups, anteflexion in a sitting position, grip strength, mean amount of exercise (kcal), and area of outer body sway on standing straight with the eyes closed (m2) were measured. The BMD was measured in the lumbar spine (L2-L4), femoral neck, and femur. Logistic regression analysis was performed regarding the physical fitness parameters as explanatory variables and groups with and without BMD reduction over one year as those with and without risk as dependent variables. The number of sit-ups (odds ratio: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.61-0.96, p=0.022) was a preventive factor against BMD reduction of the lumbar spine, and ante flexion in a sitting position was a preventive factor against BMD reduction of the femoral neck (odds ratio: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.78-0.99, p=0.029). Regarding BMD reduction of the femur, the area of outer body sway on standing straight with the eyes closed tended to be not significant to the risk. It is suggested that physical fitness and local muscle strength are associated with BMD reduction in the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and femur