What are the kinematic characteristics of the world champion couple in competitive ballroom dance during the waltz's spin movement?

To evaluate competitive ballroom dancing, one of the official events of the World Games, spin movements used by advanced dancers who ranked high in actual competition may be employed. The purpose of this study was to investigate the kinematic characteristics of spin movements in competitive ballroom dancing performed by world champion couples, especially holding posture and lower limb movements. A champion couple and 13 national-level competitive ballroom dancers as the control group participated in this study. An inertial measurement unit (IMU) system (MVN Link; Xsens, Netherlands) consisting of 17 IMUs, attached to feet, shanks, thighs, pelvis, sternum, head, upper arms, forearms, and hands of the dancers, was used to obtain three-dimensional kinematic data at 240 Hz. The overall trend was that the actual and normalized stride lengths of the champion male and female dancers tended to be longer than those of the male and female dancers in the control group. Further, large differences were observed in the pelvic and rib cage segments movements, and the relative angle of the rib cage segment to the pelvic segment. The champion male dancer started to move from the pelvic segment, whereas the champion female dancer and the national-level top male and female dancers started to move from the rib cage segment. During the spin movement, the champion male dancer was in a position where the rib cage segment was rotated to the left with respect to the pelvic segment, whereas the other dancers were in a position where the rib cage segment was rotated to the right. Although limited to technical aspects, these dance kinematic characteristics of the world champion couples and their differences from those of the control group dancers, will be helpful to competitive ballroom dancers and coaches in their daily practice

衣服設計のための中高年女性の着脱動作の観察

It has been reported that elderly Japanese women find it difficult to complete the motion of putting on and off clothing. In this study, we aimed to analyze motions involved in putting on and off jackets to solve this problem, which will lead to barrier-free clothing. Subjects were 13 volunteer healthy middle-aged Japanese women and 29 young women. Two jackets were used for the study. One was a basic jacket with a tailored collar and tailored sleeve, named "tailored sleeve." Another was developed from the pattern of "tailored sleeve" and had a diamond-shaped gusset in the underarm area, named "gusset sleeve." We prepared each type of jacket in two sizes. The putting on and off motions were recorded by 2 digital video cameras and observed. Time taken to complete the motion was not significant between two types of jackets. But the motion putting on "gusset sleeve" was smoother without wrinkles on the surface of the jackets caused by pulling with hand or arm than "tailored sleeve." It suggested that a diamond-shaped gusset in the underarm area makes it easier to put the arm through the sleeve

Association between suicide-related ideations and affective temperaments in the Japanese general adult population

Background: Suicide rates are vastly higher in Japan than in many other countries, although the associations between affective temperaments and suicide-related ideations in the general adult population remain unclear. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate these associations in the present study. Methods: We analyzed data from 638 Japanese volunteers who completed both the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Temperament Evaluation of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Auto-questionnaire (TEMPS-A). Participants were then divided into three groups based on PHQ-9 summary scores and responses to the suicide-related ideation item: non-depressive control group (NC; N = 469), depressive symptoms without suicide-related ideations group (non-SI; N = 135), and depressive symptoms with suicide-related ideations group (SI; N = 34). The depressive symptoms were defined for PHQ-9 summary scores ≥5, and the suicide-related ideations were defined for PHQ-9 #9 score ≥1. We then compared TEMPS-A scores among the groups using Kruskal-Wallis tests. Then the 95% confidence intervals of differences in TEMPS-A subscale scores between the NC and non-SI groups, or between NC and SI groups, were calculated. Results: Participants of the SI group exhibited significantly higher scores on the depressive, irritable, and anxious temperament subscales than those of the non-SI group. Similarly, women of the SI group exhibited significantly higher scores of the depressive and irritable temperament subscales than women of the non-SI group, while men of the SI group exhibited significantly higher depressive temperament scores than those of the non-SI group. Among all participants and only men, cyclothymic subscale scores were higher in those of the SI group than the non-SI group (not significant), although the 95% confidence intervals did not overlap. Limitations: The cross-sectional study design was the main limitation. Conclusions: Depressive, irritable, and anxious temperaments are significant risk factors for suicide-related ideations in the Japanese general adult population. Furthermore, irritable temperament in women and depressive temperament in men are associated with suicide-related ideations

A consortium study of Antarctic micrometeorites recovered from the Dome Fuji Station

Deposits in the water tank at the Dome Fuji Station were collected by the 37th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition team in 1996. We recovered 233 micrometeorites from the deposits. A consortium study was started in late 1998 to investigate mineralogy, petrology, bulk chemistry, and isotopic compositions of the micrometeorites. This is the first case of an organized study of micrometeorites in Japan, in order to establish the methods to investigate micrometeorites routinely. Consortium results on mineralogy, petrology, minor and trace element compositions, isotopic compositions of noble gases of the micrometeorites are reported in this volume. We also found a sequence of mineralogical and compositional changes of micrometeorites experienced from frictional heating during atmospheric entry. INAA and ion probe studies are now in progress

Effects of a high-fat diet on the electrical properties of porcine atria

AbstractBackgroundBecause obesity is an important risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF), we conducted an animal study to examine the effect of a high-fat diet (HFD) on atrial properties and AF inducibility.MethodsTen 8-week-old pigs (weight, 18–23kg) were divided into two groups. For 18 weeks, five pigs were fed a HFD (HFD group) and five were fed a normal diet (control group). Maps of atrial activation and voltages during sinus rhythm were created for all pigs using the EnSite NavX system. Effective refractory period (ERP) and AF inducibility were also determined. When AF was induced, complex fractionated atrial electrogram (CFAE) mapping was performed. At 18 weeks, hearts were removed for comparing the results of histological analysis between the two groups. Body weight, lipid levels, hemodynamics, cardiac structures, and electrophysiological properties were also compared.ResultsTotal cholesterol levels were significantly higher (347 [191–434] vs. 81 [67–88]mg/dL, P=0.0088), and left atrium pressure was higher (34.5 [25.6–39.5] vs. 24.5 [21.3–27.8]mmHg, P=0.0833) in the HFD group than in the control group, although body weight only increased marginally (89 [78–101] vs. 70 [66–91]kg, P=0.3472). ERPs of the pulmonary vein (PV) were shorter (P<0.05) and AF lasted longer in the HFD group than in the control group (80 [45–1350] vs. 22 [3–30]s, P=0.0212). Neither CFAE site distribution nor histopathological characteristics differed between the two groups.ConclusionsThe shorter ERPs for the PV observed in response to the HFD increased vulnerability to AF, and these electrophysiological characteristics may underlie obesity-related AF

Antarctic micrometeorites collected at the Dome Fuji Station

Antarctic micrometeorites (AMMs) were found among the precipitated fine particles recovered from a water tank in the Dome Fuji Station. These AMMs had been contained in the recent fallen snow around the station. Initial processing of the precipitated particles revealed that they were dominated by natural and artificial terrestrial materials, thus a series of processes were developed to separate AMMs from terrestrial particles. The recovery rate of AMMs by the processes was approximately 45% in weight, which was determined from a weight ratio of recovered/accreted AMMs. The micro-morphology and major-element concentration of the recovered AMMs were characterized. They appear to have been heated upon atmospheric entry to varying temperatures and can be classified into two major types based on the degree of heating : (1) fine-grained, irregular-shaped, partial-melted micrometeorites with chondritic composition, and (2) total-melted spherical micrometeorites with chondritic composition except for volatile elements. A digital catalog for the AMMs identified in this study was established on the web site [URL : http : //dust. cc. gakushuin. ac. jp/], in which optical characteristics, high-resolution images, and chemical compositions of individual AMMs are presented. The AMMs listed in the catalog are the first Japanese collection of extraterrestrial dust. The criterion and techniques developed for the selection and initial analysis of AMMs are applicable for the dust samples that are being collected by the 39th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition team

General characterization of Antarctic micrometeorites collected by the 39th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition: Consortium studies of JARE AMMs (III)

From November 1998 to January 1999,the 39th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-39) undertook Japanese first large-scale collection of Antarctic micrometeorites (AMMs), with sizes larger than 10μm, at the Meteorite Ice Field around the Yamato Mountains in Antarctica (at three different locations, for a total of 24 collection sites). The number of collected AMMs larger than 40μm is estimated to be about 5000. Here we present the general characterization (i.e., micro-morphology and surface chemical composition using SEM/EDS) of &acd;810 AMMs chosen from 5 of the 24 sites. Additionally, the mineral composition of 61 out of 810 AMMs was determined by Synchrotron X-ray radiation. Preliminary results on mineralogical and chemical compositions show similarities with that of previous studies, even though a pronounced alteration of some AMMs is noticed. A correlation is found between the Mg/Si ratio at the sample\u27s surfaces of unmelted AMMs and the age of snow/ice in which the AMMs are embedded

単孔式腹腔鏡補助下に切除した成人回腸重複腸管症の一例

京都府立医科大学附属北部医療センター　外科京都府立医科大学　消化器外科Department of Surgery, North Medical Center Kyoto Prefectural University of MedicineDivision of Digestive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine症例は19歳女性。下血を主訴に当院を救急受診した。造影CTで小腸内腔にextravasationを認め、小腸内視鏡では盲端となる管腔構造を認めた。Meckel憩室による憩室出血の診断で待機的に単孔式腹腔鏡補助下手術を施行した。術中、回盲部から口側100cmの位置に隣接腸管と腸間膜を共有する腸管を認め回腸重複腸管症と診断し、重複腸管のみ切除した。今回我々は単孔式腹腔鏡手術による消化管重複症を経験したので報告する。(著者抄録