Dose the Spread of COVID-19 Affect the Physical Health Management of University Staffs ?: Data from Annual Health Checkups

新型コロナウイルス感染拡大により生活様式が変化したが，新型コロナウイルス感染拡大が大学職員の健康管理に及ぼした影響は明らかでない。本研究では40歳以上の大学職員1608名を対象に，新型コロナウイルス感染拡大前後の職員健康診断データを比較検討した。年齢を調整すると，感染拡大前と比較して，感染拡大後ではALT（β= 0.04, P = 0.02），HDL コレステロール（β= -0.07, P = 0.0002），LDL コレステロール（β= 0.04, P = 0.02）が悪化した一方で，HbA1c（β= -0.04, P = 0.02）は改善した。BMI，腹囲，AST，γ-GT，血糖値，中性脂肪，収縮期血圧，拡張期血圧，尿酸については感染拡大前後で変化を認めなかった。大学職員の健康管理において，感染拡大による職員個人のライフスタイル変化を考慮した生活指導が重要と考えられる。Although the spread of COVID-19 brought radical change to our lifestyle, its impact on health management of university staff is unknown. We enrolled 1608 Hiroshima University staff aged 40 years or more and compared their health checkup data before and after the spread of COVID-19. After adjustment for age, values of alanine aminotransferase (β= 0.04, P = 0.02), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (β= -0.07, P = 0.0002), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (β= 0.04, P = 0.02) were worsened due to the spread of COVID-19. However, hemoglobin A1c (β= -0.04, P = 0.02) was improved, and values of body mass index, waist circumference, aspartate transaminase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, blood glucose, triglyceride, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and uric acid were unchanged by the spread of COVID-19. For better physical health management of the university staff, individual lifestyle changes due to the spread of COVID-19 need to be considered

Prevalence and associated factors of chronic constipation among Japanese university students

BackgroundChronic constipation (CC) is one of the most frequently reported gastrointestinal disorders in the general population and a prominent problem among university students. The study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and the associated factors of CC among Japanese university students.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted among university students at Hiroshima University, Japan. Students answered the web questionnaire when making a web reservation for the health checkup (April 1 to May 31, 2023). The web questionnaire consisted of four sections, including baseline characteristics, lifestyle factors, family history of CC, and three scales to assess depression and eating disorders: the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Eating Attitudes Test (EAT)-26 and Bulimic Investigatory Test (BITE). CC was diagnosed using Rome IV criteria. The multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine CC-related factors.ResultsOut of 10,500 individuals who participated in the annual health checkup, 7,496 participants answered the web questionnaire, of whom 5,386 answered all the survey questions. The mean age of the students was 21.1 ± 4.1 years. The male-to-female ratio was 1:1.17. The prevalence of CC was 13.7%. Factors significantly associated with CC in the multivariate model were first-degree family members with CC [Odd ratio (OR): 2.77, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.31–3.31], severe depression according to BDI scale (OR: 2.59, 95% CI: 1.96–3.43), female sex (OR: 2.00, 95% CI: 1.69–2.36), and short sleep duration of 6 hours or less per day (OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.09–1.50). Lack of physical exercise tended to be associated with CC (OR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.00–1.40).ConclusionsCC is prevalent among Japanese university students. Significant risk factors for CC included the first-degree family history of CC, severe depression, female sex, and short sleep duration. Lack of physical exercise tended to be associated with CC. This may contribute to implementing suitable education health programs, health care professionals, and public health policies to identify individuals at risk for CC to prevent and treat CC effectively

血液透析導入患者の血管アクセス作製後の開存率と経皮的血管形成術後の開存率には異なる危険因子が関与している

広島大学(Hiroshima University)博士(医学)Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Sciencedoctora

Individual growing conditions that affect diameter increment of tree saplings after selection harvesting in a mixed forest in northern Japan

We analyzed temporal patterns in diameter growth of saplings following selection harvesting in an uneven-aged mixed stand dominated by Abies sachalinensis, Acer mono, Quercus crispula, and Betula ermanii in Hokkaido, northern Japan. We examined interspecific differences in growth responses to local growing conditions including harvesting intensity, crowding, stem size, and past duration of the small growth period. Consistent with expectations based on shade tolerance of the species, the age at which the individual reached a diameter at breast height of 12.5 cm was highest for A. sachalinensis and lowest for B. ermanii. The interspecific growth differences between saplings that had or had not experienced local harvesting increased gradually for A. sachalinensis and B. ermanii, but peaked at around 4-6 years after harvesting for Q. crispula. Generalized linear mixed model analysis clearly suggested that individual growth conditions required to enhance diameter growth of saplings differed considerably among species. For Q. crispula and B. ermanii, local harvesting intensity was most strongly and positively associated with diameter growth rate, whereas for A. sachalinensis and A. mono, stem size had the strongest negative effect. Abies sachalinensis saplings responded more to surrounding harvesting when they were relatively small, whereas A. mono showed a weak opposite response. The duration of the small growth period before harvesting had negative effect for A. sachalinensis, but not for the other species. Our study indicated that the influence of selection harvesting on growth of shade-tolerant species depends upon pre- and post-harvest growing conditions

Twenty years of community dynamics in a mixed conifer : broadleaved forest under a selection system in northern Japan

Single-tree selection has been employed widely in northern Japanese mixed forests, but management-induced changes in forests are not well understood. This study examined demographic parameters of major tree species during a 20-year study of a 68 ha stand in which single-tree selection has been conducted since 1971. Results showed that growth and survival of conifers (mostly Abies sachalinensis (Fr. Schm.) Masters) was the most strongly positively affected by the treatment. Nevertheless, recruitment of conifers was not sufficiently improved, suggesting their decreased dominance over the longer term. Instead, shade-intolerant broad-leaved species (mainly Betula ermanii Cham.) will gradually increase because of their higher recruitment rates after the treatment. Shade-tolerant broad-leaved species (mainly Acer mono Maxim. and Tilia japonica (Miq.) Simonkai) appeared to experience the most distinct negative effects, especially on survival. These trends differed markedly from those reported in previous papers concerning partial harvesting systems, which predicted an increase in dominance of shade-tolerant species. The results shown here should be generalized carefully because we have investigated only one stand without repetition of the control area. Nevertheless, trends described in this large-scale, long-term study could provide a basis for simulating stand dynamics. We discussed possible reasons for the observed patterns and provided implications for sustainable management in the region

Changes in carbon stock following soil scarification of non-wooded stands in Hokkaido, northern Japan

To restore nonwooded stands dominated by dwarf bamboo species (Sasa kurilensis or S. senanensis) into forests, mechanical soil scarification has been applied in northern Japan since the 1960s. The treatment is followed both by natural regeneration and artificial planting. In this study, we quantified the total carbon stock (plants plus 0.3 m depth of soil) of these stands over 35-year age-sequences. The natural regeneration stands were gradually dominated by Betula ermanii. The carbon stock increased linearly to 215.1 ± 35.2 Mg C ha^[-1] for a 37-year-old stand formerly dominated by S. kurilensis, and 181.1 ± 29.8 Mg C ha^[-1] for 34-year-old stand formerly dominated by S. senanensis. The latter was similar to that of a Picea glehnii plantation, formerly dominated by S. senanensis, with comparable stand age (160.3 ± 6.7 Mg C ha^[-1] for 35-year-old stands). Although the carbon stock in plants quickly offset the untreated level, that in the soil remained depressed even in the older stands. This resulted in small differences in carbon stock of these stands with untreated dwarf bamboo stands. We conclude that natural regeneration following scarification could be a prime option for carbon sink management in the region. However, we should take a long rotation period (i.e. > 50-year) to ensure a carbon sink state. A potential of further improvements of the practice, including that reduce intensity of soil disturbance, was presented