Participation in Sports Organizations and the Prevention of Functional Disability in Older Japanese: The AGES Cohort Study

Background: We sought to examine prospectively the difference in the association between incident functional disability and exercise with or without sports organization participation. Methods: The study was based on the Aichi Gerontological Evaluation Study (AGES) Cohort Study data. In October 2003, self-reported questionnaires were mailed to 29,374 non-disabled Japanese individuals aged 65 years or older. Of these, 13,310 individuals were introduced to the Study, and they were followed for 4 years. Analysis was carried out on 11,581 subjects who provided all necessary information for the analysis. Results: Analysis was carried out on incident functional disability by 4 groups of different combinations of performance of exercise and participation in a sports organization Active Participant (AP), Exercise Alone (EA), Passive Participant (PP) and Sedentary (S). Compared to the AP group, the EA group had a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.29 (1.02–1.64) for incident functional disability. No significant difference was seen with the PP group, with an HR of 1.16 (0.76–1.77). When a measure of social networks was added to the covariates, the HR of the EA group dropped to 1.27 (1.00–1.61), and significant differences disappeared. In contrast, it showed hardly any change when social support was added. Conclusion: The results suggested that, even with a regular exercise habit, incident functional disability may be better prevented when a person participates in a sports organization than when he/she does not. In addition, participation in a sports organization correlates positively with social networks, which may lead to a small decrease in incident functional disability

Robots and Robotics in Nursing

Technological advancements have led to the use of robots as prospective partners to complement understaffing and deliver effective care to patients. This article discusses relevant concepts on robots from the perspective of nursing theories and robotics in nursing and examines the distinctions between human beings and healthcare robots as partners and robot development examples and challenges. Robotics in nursing is an interdisciplinary discipline that studies methodologies, technologies, and ethics for developing robots that support and collaborate with physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers in practice. Robotics in nursing is geared toward learning the knowledge of robots for better nursing care, and for this purpose, it is also to propose the necessary robots and develop them in collaboration with engineers. Two points were highlighted regarding the use of robots in health care practice: issues of replacing humans because of human resource understaffing and concerns about robot capabilities to engage in nursing practice grounded in caring science. This article stresses that technology and artificial intelligence are useful and practical for patients. However, further research is required that considers what robotics in nursing means and the use of robotics in nursing

Social Participation and the Prevention of Functional Disability in Older Japanese: The JAGES Cohort Study

Background: We examined the relationship between incident functional disability and social participation from the perspective of number of types of organizations participated in and type of social participation in a prospective cohort study. Method The study was based on the Aichi Gerontological Evaluation Study (AGES) Cohort Study data. We followed 13,310 individuals aged 65 years or older for 4 years. Analysis was carried out on 12,951 subjects, excluding 359 people whose information on age or sex was missing. Social participation was categorized into 8 types. Results: Compared to those that did not participate in any organizations, the hazard ratio (HR) was 0.83 (95% CI: 0.73–0.95) for participation in one, 0.72 (0.61–0.85) for participation in two, and 0.57 (0.46–0.70) for participation in three or more different types of organizations. In multivariable adjusted models, participation in the following types of organization was protective for incident disability: local community organizations (HR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.76–0.96), hobby organizations (HR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.64–0.87), and sports organizations (HR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.54–0.81). Conclusion: Social participation may decrease the risk of incident functional disability in older people in Japan. This effect may be strengthened by participation in a variety of different types of organizations. Participating in a local community, hobby, or sports group or organization may be especially effective for decreasing the risk of disability

Polysaccharides as potential antioxidative compounds for extended-release matrix tablets.

The objective of this study was to identify polysaccharides with antioxidant properties for use as potential antioxidative compounds for extended-release matrix tablets. The antioxidant properties of five different polysaccharides, high molecular weight alginate (H-ALG), low molecular weight alginate (L-ALG), high molecular weight chitosan (H-chitosan), low molecular weight chitosan (L-chitosan), and pectic acid (PA) were examined using N-centered radicals from 1,1\u27-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2\u27-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and reducing power, based on their ability to reduce Cu(2+). L-chitosan and PA had acceptable scavenging abilities and were good radical scavengers, with good reducing power, but the H-chitosan and alginate derivatives were much less effective. The results suggest that L-chitosan and PA could be useful in combating oxidative stress. A PA and L-chitosan interpolymer complex (IPC) tablet was prepared and evaluated as an extended-release tablet matrix using theophylline (TPH) as a model drug. The release of TPH from the matrix tablet (TPH/PA/L-chitosan=200 mg:150 mg:50 mg) was slower than that from PA only (TPH/PA/chitosans=200 mg:200 mg:0 mg) or L-chitosan only (TPH/PA/L-chitosan=200 mg:0 mg:200 mg) tablet. Turbidity measurements also indicated the optimum complexation ratio for IPC between PA/L-chitosan to be 1/3, indicating an acceptable relationship between the turbidity of the complex and the release ratio of TPH. These results suggest that an L-chitosan/PA complex would be potentially useful in an extended-release IPC tablet with high antioxidant activity.The objective of this study was to identify polysaccharides with antioxidant properties for use as potential antioxidative compounds for extended-release matrix tablets. The antioxidant properties of five different polysaccharides, high molecular weight alginate (H-ALG), low molecular weight alginate (L-ALG), high molecular weight chitosan (H-chitosan), low molecular weight chitosan (L-chitosan), and pectic acid (PA) were examined using N-centered radicals from 1,1\u27-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2\u27-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and reducing power, based on their ability to reduce Cu(2+). L-chitosan and PA had acceptable scavenging abilities and were good radical scavengers, with good reducing power, but the H-chitosan and alginate derivatives were much less effective. The results suggest that L-chitosan and PA could be useful in combating oxidative stress. A PA and L-chitosan interpolymer complex (IPC) tablet was prepared and evaluated as an extended-release tablet matrix using theophylline (TPH) as a model drug. The release of TPH from the matrix tablet (TPH/PA/L-chitosan=200 mg:150 mg:50 mg) was slower than that from PA only (TPH/PA/chitosans=200 mg:200 mg:0 mg) or L-chitosan only (TPH/PA/L-chitosan=200 mg:0 mg:200 mg) tablet. Turbidity measurements also indicated the optimum complexation ratio for IPC between PA/L-chitosan to be 1/3, indicating an acceptable relationship between the turbidity of the complex and the release ratio of TPH. These results suggest that an L-chitosan/PA complex would be potentially useful in an extended-release IPC tablet with high antioxidant activity

Exercising alone versus with others and associations with subjective health status in older Japanese: The JAGES Cohort Study

Although exercising with others may have extra health benefits compared to exercising alone, few studies have examined the differences. We sought to examine whether the association of regular exercise to subjective health status differs according to whether people exercise alone and/or with others, adjusting for frequency of exercise. The study was based on the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) Cohort Study data. Participants were 21,684 subjects aged 65 or older. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the association. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for poor self-rated health were significantly lower for people who exercised compared to non-exercisers. In analyses restricted to regular exercisers the ORs for poor health were 0.69 (95% confidence intervals: 0.60–0.79) for individuals exercising alone more often than with others, 0.74 (0.64–0.84) for people who were equally likely to exercise alone as with others, 0.57 (0.43–0.75) for individuals exercising with others more frequently than alone, and 0.79 (0.64–0.97) for individuals only exercising with others compared to individuals only exercising alone. Although exercising alone and exercising with others both seem to have health benefits, increased frequency of exercise with others has important health benefits regardless of the total frequency of exercise

Comparison of Subjective Facial Emotion Recognition and “Facial Emotion Recognition Based on Multi-Task Cascaded Convolutional Network Face Detection” between Patients with Schizophrenia and Healthy Participants

Patients with schizophrenia may exhibit a flat affect and poor facial expressions. This study aimed to compare subjective facial emotion recognition (FER) and FER based on multi-task cascaded convolutional network (MTCNN) face detection in 31 patients with schizophrenia (patient group) and 40 healthy participants (healthy participant group). A Pepper Robot was used to converse with the 71 aforementioned participants; these conversations were recorded on video. Subjective FER (assigned by medical experts based on video recordings) and FER based on MTCNN face detection was used to understand facial expressions during conversations. This study confirmed the discriminant accuracy of the FER based on MTCNN face detection. The analysis of the smiles of healthy participants revealed that the kappa coefficients of subjective FER (by six examiners) and FER based on MTCNN face detection concurred (κ = 0.63). The perfect agreement rate between the subjective FER (by three medical experts) and FER based on MTCNN face detection in the patient, and healthy participant groups were analyzed using Fisher’s exact probability test where no significant difference was observed (p = 0.72). The validity and reliability were assessed by comparing the subjective FER and FER based on MTCNN face detection. The reliability coefficient of FER based on MTCNN face detection was low for both the patient and healthy participant groups

Transactive Relationship Phenomena

Healthcare for older adults is a significant problem in Japan and in other developed countries. To address this problem, healthcare robots, now realized, can assist and meet healthcare and welfare practice demands. The aim of this study was to clarify characteristics of Transactive Relationships (TR) in older adults, in care workers as intermediaries, and Pepper (Softbank Robotics Corporation) a robot equipped with the application program of Care Prevention Gymnastics Exercises for Pepper (Pepper-CPGE) made by Xing Company, Japan. Data were collected by observing TRs between Pepper and older patients in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan between from May 8 to August 1 2018. The Transactive Relationship Theory of Nursing (TRETON) was used to explain how Pepper-CPGE led the exercises with older adults as physical exercises. The role of Pepper-CPGE was to provide instructions for the older adults in performing gymnastic exercises. During the exercising activity, care workers were present to prevent falls of the older adults, and to operate and observe the video presentations by supporting and caring for the participants. In using Pepper-CPGE, it was possible to change the role of the healthcare providers, originally thought to contribute to increasing the quality of older adult care and their rehabilitation

Significance of Ki-67 Expression and Risk Category (St. Gallen 2007) in Elderly Breast Cancer Patients, with Emphasis on the Need for Postoperative Adjuvant Therapy

Breast cancer is increasing in the elderly. Although elderly breast cancer patients frequently receive less invasive therapy, its appropriateness is debatable. Ki-67 expression is a controversial prognostic factor and predictor of the efficacy of postoperative adjuvant therapy. This study investigated the value of the Ki-67 labeling index (LI) in elderly breast cancer patients, especially with respect to adjuvant therapy. This retrospective study investigated 82 primary breast cancer patients aged 70 years who underwent surgery between 1995 and 2005. Their clinicopathological findings were reviewed and their Ki-67 LIs were determined. The patients\u27 mean age was 78 years, the mean observation period was 53.8 months, and 60 patients (73.2%) underwent adjuvant therapy. The St. Gallen (2007) risk category and the Ki-67 LI (mean, 15.3%) were both significantly correlated with relapse and prognosis. In the 31 cases with a low Ki-67 LI (< 10%), 1 patient who underwent adjuvant treatment relapsed, but there were no deaths. Among the intermediate- and high-risk patients, Ki-67 was low in 15; 1 patient who underwent adjuvant treatment relapsed, but there were no deaths. For elderly breast cancer patients aged 70 years categorized low risk by St. Gallen (2007) or with a low Ki-67 LI, the risk of relapse and death appears to be low regardless of adjuvant therapy. Though further investigation is needed to determine a method of measuring the Ki-67 LI and determining a cut-off value, our findings suggest that the Ki-67 LI helps with the selection of adjuvant therapy in elderly patients

後期青年期女性のアイデンティティ探索における心的安全空間の広がり : 心的安全空間としての自己身体接触の多様化の事例を通じて

本研究は,青年期のアイデンティティ追求時の人格成熟過程において,人格発達に資する葛藤への取り組み作業に対して身体が心的安全空間として機能することを明らかにし,その際の心的安全空間の多様化のプロセスを捉えることを目的とした.実験的アイデンティティ,グループの参加者に対して行った心的安全空間質問紙の結果から,青年群と大人群の特徴を比較した上で,前者の特徴が見られた後期青年期女性の観察研究を行った.理論仮説は,(1)青年期のアイデンティテイ追求において,身体の心的安全空間は重要な土壌となる.(2)身体の心的安全空間は,心的安全空間の階層性が成立することにより多様化し,さらにそのサブシステムである個人内領域の心的安全空間も拡大する,とした.(1)は支持され,(2)は概ね支持された.揺らぎを経験する青年期に,最も安定した心的安全空間の一つとして身体が機能することで,スープラ・システムの心的安全空間は拡大し,同時に個人内の心的安全空間も拡大することが示された.This study aimed to demonstrate that the sense of body plays as a psychologically safe space in working on complexes which contribute to personality development through adolescent\u27s identity seeking and to elucidate how the psychologically safe space become diverse. First, the Psychological Safe-Space Questionnaire was conducted on participants at the experimental Identity Group. The data was classified into an adult group and adolescent group to compare characteristics. Then, an observable study on one late adolescent female who represented the characteristics of the adolescent group was conducted. Theoretical hypotheses were; (1)psychologically safe space of the sense of body lay a foundation for adolescent\u27s identity seeking, (2)Psychologically safe space of the sense of body diversifies as the hierarchy of the psychologically safe space is formed, leading to the widened psychologically safe space of the intra-psychic sphere. The first theoretical hypothesis was supported, and the second was largely supported. In conclusion, at times of adolescent turbulence, if the sense of body is confirmed as one of the most stable psychologically safe space, psychologically safe space of its supra system as well as the intra-psychic psychologically safe space widen