Research and analysis on school health in the state of South Australia, Australia

本研究では，オーストラリア，サウスオーストラリア州の学校20校を対象に，学校保健の現状について，ならびにスクールナースが配置されていない公立学校と配置されている私立学校の現状について調査分析し，養護専門職が配置される意義について質問紙法と直接面談法により検討した。サウスオーストラリア州の学校保健は教師，事務職員，外部保健機関，保護者などが関与し，連携と同時に役割分担がされていた。また，公立学校の保健従事者と私立学校のスクールナースの分析では，意識や職務内容に違いがあり，スクールナースなどの養護専門職が果たす役割は大きいと考えられた

Imaging brain aromatase by using PET A way to study anabolic steroid abuse

Abstract Aromatase is an enzyme that facilitates the conversion of androgens to estrogens and may play a role in mood and mental status. The main theme of this thesis is the imaging of brain aromatase by use of the PET technique. The PET tracer for aromatase, 11 C-labeled vorozole (VOZ) was developed and evaluated by with in vitro and in vivo methods. In vitro experiments using rat brain showed that VOZ was distributed in the medial amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and medial preoptic area, regions of the brain known to be rich in aromatase and the K D value was determined to be 0.60 nM. The in vivo PET study in rhesus monkey brain revealed that VOZ penetrated the blood-brain barrier and accumulated in the amygdala and hypothalamus. Taken together, VOZ is a good PET tracer for in vivo aromatase imaging with high affinity and high sensitivity. This technique was applied to an investigation of brain aromatase under the physiological conditions simulating anabolic-androgenic steroid abuse. A significant increase in VOZ binding by anabolic-androgenic steroids was observed in the bed nucleus of stria terminalis and medial preoptic area in the rat brain. In contrast, no significant change in binding was observed in the medial amygdala. These results indicate that the manner of regulation of aromatase expression might be different in the bed nucleus of stria terminalis and medial preoptic area compared with that in the medial amygdala. The aromatase expression was suggested to be regulated through androgen receptors, as indicated in a study with flutamide treatment. The increased aromatase expression was seen in neurons. The PET study with anabolic steroidtreated rhesus monkeys also showed increased VOZ binding in the hypothalamus but not in the amygdala. The alteration of density of aromatase binding in the hypothalamic area could explain some psychological features of anabolic-androgenic steroid abusers. Novel PET tracers for aromatase were developed and examined. The role of aromatase in the human brain has not been clarified yet. To approach this problem by in vivo methods, we have just started PET studies to explore aromatase expression in humans

Active Learning Approach in Simulated Health Guidance Utilizing ICT : Class Development and Improvement to Cultivate Practical Learning Instruction Abilities

　養護教諭の職務の重要な柱である保健指導の実践的指導力を育成するために，養成段階においても能動的学修を推進する必要がある。そこで教職科目「教育方法論」において，ICT を活用した能動的学修として模擬保健指導に取り組んだ。授業では，子どもの実態や健康課題に基づいて指導案を作成し保健指導の設計・実施・評価を一連の流れとしたグループ活動を展開した。平成25 年度から平成27 年度の3 年間の授業開発・改善の結果，「非常に到達目標を達成できた」とする学生は，平成25 年度の18.2%から平成27 年度は26.7%に増加した。「授業目標や内容が非常に理解できた」のは31.8%から60%，「教材が授業内容の理解や自宅学習に非常に役立った」のは40.9%から60%，2時間以上予習や課題にかける学生も18.2%から40%に増加した．保健指導の実践的指導力を育成し効果的な授業を可能とするためには，模擬保健指導をICT を活用した能動的学修にすることは有効といえる

Assessment of total and segmental body composition in spinal cord-injured athletes in okayama prefecture of Japan.

This study assessed total and segmental distribution of fat mass (FM) in athletes with spinal cord injury (SCI) and examined the relationships between segmental distribution of fat mass and age, injury level, athletic history, and training load in order to provide useful information for improvements in their physical strength and training. Twenty-five male athletes with SCI participated in the study. The whole bone composition was measured by a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) method for the calculation of bone minerals, FM, and fat-free mass. The percent fat of the trunk, arms, and legs was also calculated. The percent fat in the legs was highest in comparison with that in the trunk and arms (p &#60; 0.001), and the percent fat in the trunk was higher than that in the arms (p &#60; 0.001). The body fat (p &#60; 0.01), waist circumference (p &#60; 0.01), and waist-to-hip ratio (p &#60; 0.0001) were higher in the group aged 40 or older in comparison with that aged 39 or younger. Path analysis revealed that training load was a factor decreasing the percent fat on the arms and trunk (p &#60; 0.01), and athletic history was a factor reducing the percent fat on the arms (p &#60; 0.05). Our study suggests that exercise is effective in reducing the waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and percent body fat of SCI individuals, and that such effects can help to enhance athletic performance and likely to protect against development of metabolic syndromes resulting from a sedentary lifestyle.</p

Assessment of total and segmental body composition in spinal cord-injured athletes in okayama prefecture of Japan.

This study assessed total and segmental distribution of fat mass (FM) in athletes with spinal cord injury (SCI) and examined the relationships between segmental distribution of fat mass and age, injury level, athletic history, and training load in order to provide useful information for improvements in their physical strength and training. Twenty-five male athletes with SCI participated in the study. The whole bone composition was measured by a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) method for the calculation of bone minerals, FM, and fat-free mass. The percent fat of the trunk, arms, and legs was also calculated. The percent fat in the legs was highest in comparison with that in the trunk and arms (p &#60; 0.001), and the percent fat in the trunk was higher than that in the arms (p &#60; 0.001). The body fat (p &#60; 0.01), waist circumference (p &#60; 0.01), and waist-to-hip ratio (p &#60; 0.0001) were higher in the group aged 40 or older in comparison with that aged 39 or younger. Path analysis revealed that training load was a factor decreasing the percent fat on the arms and trunk (p &#60; 0.01), and athletic history was a factor reducing the percent fat on the arms (p &#60; 0.05). Our study suggests that exercise is effective in reducing the waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and percent body fat of SCI individuals, and that such effects can help to enhance athletic performance and likely to protect against development of metabolic syndromes resulting from a sedentary lifestyle.</p

Applicability of care quality indicators for women with low-risk pregnancies planning hospital birth: a retrospective study of medical records

Practices for planned birth among women with low-risk pregnancies vary by birth setting, medical professional, and organizational system. Appropriate monitoring is essential for quality improvement. Although sets of quality indicators have been developed, their applicability has not been tested. To improve the quality of childbirth care for low-risk mothers and infants in Japanese hospitals, we developed 35 quality indicators using existing clinical guidelines and quality indicators. We retrospectively analysed data for 347 women in Japan diagnosed with low-risk pregnancy in the second trimester, admitted between April 2015 and March 2016. We obtained scores for 35 quality indicators and evaluated their applicability, i.e., feasibility, improvement potential, and reliability (intra- and inter-rater reliability: kappa score, positive and negative agreement). The range of adherence to each indicator was 0–95.7%. We identified feasibility concerns for six indicators with over 25% missing data. Two indicators with over 90% adherence showed limited potential for improvement. Three indicators had poor kappa scores for intra-rater reliability, with positive/negative agreement scores 0.94/0.33, 0.33/0.95, and 0.00/0.97, respectively. Two indicators had poor kappa scores for inter-rater reliability, with positive/negative agreement scores 0.25/0.92 and 0.68/0.61, respectively. The findings indicated that these 35 care quality indicators for low-risk pregnant women may be applicable to real-world practice, with some caveats

Predicting Yield, Flowering and Harvesting Dates of Highbush Blueberry Using Temperature Data: a Case Study in Field Science Center of Tohoku University

Poster Presentation

Obesity and the risk of diabetes mellitus in middle-aged Japanese men.

The morbidity of diabetes mellitus is increasing gradually in Japanese populations. It is important to clarify the risk factors of diabetes in Japanese populations in order to take adequate measures against the increasing morbidity of diabetes. In order to evaluate the link between past and concurrent obesity and diabetes in middle-aged Japanese men, we conducted a worksite-based historical cohort study in Okayama, Japan in 1999. Annual health examination data of middle-aged male workers in a worksite were collected. The relative risks of past and concurrent obesity for developing diabetes were calculated. Subjects with a past history of obesity at between 40 and 50 years of age had a significantly higher risk of developing diabetes by age 55 than did subjects in the normal weight group. These results suggest that, in order to prevent diabetes in middle-aged Japanese men, health guidance for normal weight maintenance should be provided not only for middle-aged men, but also for men under age 40.</p