Human Resource Development in Africa

SMART Africa Manifesto was endorsed by all countries of African Union in 2014. African countries have cooperated to enable innovation, communication and advocacy, capacity building and resource mobilization through ICT. SMART Africa Steering Committee recommended that African space program proposal with Japan was implemented in cooperation with African Union on space developments for achieving Sustainable Development Goals continuously and synergistically in February 2018. The University of Tokyo and Japan Space Systems have cooperated to provide capacity building programs about micro-satellite developments and Earth observation satellite data analysis techniques to African young engineers. 2 optical cameras as a pseudo-multi-spectral were loaded on the planned Japanese 3U-size satellite, RWASAT-1. Those cameras were expected to acquire data for land degradation, deforestation, agriculture and other objects. Japan Space Systems has had training programs about Earth observation satellite data analyses with open and free GIS software and ASTER datasets. Using open and free software and datasets made participants analyze sustainably after the programs. When African young engineers have abilities to develop and operate micro-satellites and to analyze Earth observation satellite data, they also have abilities to expand and share their space technologies to African countries through SMART Africa for African developments in near future

Changes in body composition parameters with age

Health risks are associated with changes in body composition parameters with age. In the present study, body composition parameters （appendicular skeletal muscle mass ［ASMM］, fat mass ［FM］, and water content ［water］） using bioelectrical impedance analysis （BIA） and total skeletal MM （TSMM） measured by 24-h creatinine excretion （Cr） were obtained in 30 male and 38 female healthy subjects. BIA-ASMM in both sexes and Cr-TSMM in females were negatively correlated with aging, and BIA-FM was negatively correlated with BIA-water in both sexes. Of note, Cr-TSMM was a more sensitive marker of MM than BIA-ASMM. Thus, decreases in BIA-ASMM and Cr- TSMM were the most consistent markers of aging and sarcopenia. This study may help promote nursing care for healthy aging

Synthesis and Magnetic Properties of Fergusonite Structured La(NbVMn)O4

The authors have synthesized fergusonite-structured La(Nb0·71V0·04Mn0·25)O4 samples. The samples, consisting of La3+, Nb5+, V5+, Mn4+ and oxygen ions, demonstrated temperature-dependent magnetization that increased with lowering the temperature below ≈200 K, and almost saturated below ≈100 K. At 75 K, the field-dependent magnetization demonstrated sigmoidal curve and reached 3 μB/Mn at 1 T. Such a magnetic behavior can be ascribed to exchange interaction between Mn4+Nb2O11 nanoclusters. The Mn4+ substitution for the V5+ sites of the crystal resulted also in the occupied state above the valence band maximum

Diaper-zero program in nursing home

With an aging population, the number of older adults admitted to nursing homes has increased. Diapers are often used to manage nursing home resident urinary incontinence, yet only one-third of these required assistance from caregivers to urinate. Unnecessary diaper use was reported in 23.9% of people, mostly for precautionary purposes. In this study, the Diaper-zero program caregivers asked residents regularly (every 2-3 h) whether they required voiding and prompted them to void. Over 11 months, the effects on 38 nursing home residents’ diaper use, nursing care level, physical activity, daily energy, and water intake were measured. A higher rate of diaper wearing was initially observed with lower daily energy and water intakes at the beginning of the Diaper-zero program, but this association was not observed after 11 months of the program. The diaper usage rate decreased significantly from 71.1% to 47.4% after 11 months. During this period, for all subjects, nursing care level, physical activity, and total daily intakes of energy and water were unchanged. In conclusion, this program enhances the desire to void, minimizing diaper usage, thus protecting the human dignity of nursing home residents

高齢者への長期ビタミンD投与

Daily １，０００ IU vitamin D was supplemented to ８７ years old female（Case １）and ６８ years old male（Case ２）subjects with sarcopenia and vitamin D insufficiency／deficiency for ２ years and ５ months and ２ years and ７ months, respectively. Before, １ year and ９ months, and ２ years and ５ months after vitamin D supplementation in Case １, serum ２５‐hydroxyvitamin D［２５（OH）D］level was ９ ng/ml, ２３．８ ng/ml and ２３．１ ng/ml, skeletal muscle mass was ８．９５ kg, １０．２ kg and １０．０ kg, handgrip strength was ７．３ kg, ８．９ kg and ９．９ kg, and Barthel index was ４０, ８５ and ９０, respectively. Before, and ２ years and ７ months after vitamin D supplementation in Case ２, serum ２５（OH）D level was ２６ ng/ml and ３４．４ ng/ml, skeletal muscle mass was ２４．６ kg and ２５．１ kg, handgrip strength was ３７．２ kg and ３８．３ kg, and Barthel index was １００ and １００, respectively. Thus, activity of daily living（ADL）markedly improved in Case １ and keep high in Case ２. Therefore, it is suggested that daily １，０００ IU vitamin D supplementation is effective to keep QOL of aged persons higher

介護施設高齢者の栄養摂取と活動機能

Malnutrition and dehydration in old person are common and are associated with frailty, sarcopenia and poor health outcomes. Relationship between the amounts of energy and water intake and physical function was examined in care home residents. Each amount was positively associated with body weight, BMI, the ability to reach the restroom timely and physical activity, and negatively associated with care-needs levels under long-term care insulance and the rate to use diaper. Thus, nutrition and hydration play an important role in preserving physical function and independence in care home residents