A Method to Evaluate Accumulated Stress Using Nail Image

In this paper, we propose a method to evaluate accumulated stress by extraction the height of the lunula of the nail from a nail image. The proposed method consists of three stages: measurement, preprocessing, and stress evaluation. In the measurement, we take a nail image. In the preprocessing, we extract the height of the lunula of the nail. Then, we carry out edge detection using a hue histogram in a rectangle. In the stress evaluation, we evaluate accumulated stress at 0 to 1 using fuzzy reasoning. In order to show the effectiveness of the proposed method, we conducted experiments. These results suggested that the difference between the minimum and maximum values of the height of the lunula while the experiment might be able to determine the presence or absence of accumulated stress

ケンコウ スポーツ キョウイク カモク ニ オケル UKK Walk Test ドウニュウ ノ ココロミ

This study aimed to examine whether UKK Walk Test can be useful in physical education for estimating the cardiorespiratory fitness of students at university. At the beginning and end of the first semester in 2015, we estimated VO2max and fitness index (deviation value of VO2max) using UKK Walk Test among first-year students who attended physical training classes at Osaka University. At the beginning of the semester, there was no significant difference in VO2max and fitness index between the group that did high frequency exercise (twice a week and above) and the group that did low frequency exercise (once a week or less). However, at the end of the semester, these indices were significantly larger in the group that did high frequency exercise than in the other group. Additionally, there were significant increases in both indices of UKK Walk Test at the end of the semester. UKK Walk Test was thus indicated to be a useful tool for estimating the influence of exercise habit on cardiorespiratory fitness and the effect of physical training classes. However, when we applied it to the physical training class, we found some areas of improvement, such as a lack of understanding of exercise intensity during test, methods for coping with the malfunction of a heartbeat detector, and the shortening of test duration. In addition to solving these problems, we need to consider further utilization of UKK Walk Test in physical education at university for promoting lifestyle modification like an increase in physical activity

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再掲論

Effects of Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I on the Expression of Atrogin-1/MAFbx in Chick Myotube Cultures

The expression of atrogin-1/MAFbx, a muscle-specific E3 ubiquitin ligase, is increased in catabolic conditions that result in muscle atrophy. The expression of atrogin-1/MAFbx mRNA is also decreased by the insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in mammalian skeletal muscle cell cultures. This study investigated the effect of IGF-I on the expression of atrogin-1/MAFbx in chicken skeletal muscle cell cultures. Chick myotubes were incubated with IGF-I for 1, 6, or 24 h. Protein content was increased by IGF-I (100 ng/ml) and incubated for 24 h in chick myotubes. The expression of atrogin-1/MAFbx mRNA decreased in the presence of IGF-I (1, 10, and 100 ng/ml) for 6 h in chick myotubes. The expression of the m-calpain large subunit and cathepsin B mRNA was not decreased by IGF-I. Phosphorylation of Akt and FOXO1 increased in the presence of IGF-I (100 ng/ml) for 1 h in chick myotubes. These results indicate that IGF-I suppresses atrogin-1/MAFbx mRNA expression by phosphorylation of Akt and FOXO1, resulting in an increase in muscle growth in chick myotube cultures

Insulin Stimulation of Protein Synthesis and mTOR Signaling in Chick Myotube Cultures

Insulin stimulates protein synthesis in skeletal muscles. Protein synthesis is controlled by the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling in skeletal muscles. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of insulin on protein synthesis and mTOR signaling in chick myotube cultures. Chick myotubes were incubated with insulin (1 µg/ml) for 1 h. Protein synthesis, measured using the surface sensing of translation method, was significantly increased by insulin. The phosphorylation of AKT (Thr308 and Ser473), p70 ribosomal S6 kinase 1 (S6K1, Thr389), S6 ribosomal protein (Ser235/236), and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1, Thr37/46) was also significantly increased by insulin. These results suggest that insulin stimulates protein synthesis via mTOR signaling (phosphorylation of AKT, S6K1, S6 ribosomal protein, and 4E-BP1) in chick myotube cultures