Psychological, social, and environmental factors to meeting physical activity recommendations among Japanese adults

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although the benefits of the recommended level of physical activity on reducing chronic diseases are well-established, most of the Japanese population is not sufficiently active. Thus, examining correlates is an important prerequisite for designing relevant polices and effective programs. The present study investigated psychological, social, and environmental factors associated with meeting physical activity recommendations among Japanese adults.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data were analyzed for 1,932 men and women (43.6 ± 13.0 years), who responded to an Internet-based cross-sectional survey. Self-reported measure of physical activity, psychological (self-efficacy, pros, and cons), social (social support, health professional advice), environmental (home fitness equipment, access to facilities, neighborhood safety, enjoyable scenery, frequently observing others exercising, residential area), and demographic (gender, age, marital status, educational level, household income level, employment status) variables were obtained. Based on the current national guidelines for exercise in Japan (23 METs·hour per week), respondents were divided into two categories–recommended and not recommended (insufficient and inactive)–according to their estimated weekly physical activity level. An adjusted logistic regression model was utilized.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>When adjusting for all other variables, self-efficacy (men: OR = 2.13; 95% CI: 1.55–2.94, women: OR = 2.72; 95% CI: 1.82–4.08) and possessing home fitness equipment (men: OR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.14–2.10, women: OR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.01–1.99) for both genders, social support (OR = 1.44; 95% CI: 1.06–1.97) for men, and enjoyable scenery (OR = 1.60; 95% CI: 1.09–2.36) for women were positively associated with attaining the recommended level of physical activity. In women, cons (OR = 0.47; 95% CI: 0.33–0.67) and living in rural areas (OR = 0.50; 95% CI: 0.25–0.97) were negatively associated with meeting the physical activity recommendations.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In the psychological, social, and environmental domains, significant correlates of attaining the recommended level of physical activity were observed. Men and women had different patterns of psychological, social, and environmental correlates. These findings suggest that an intervention design that accounts for those correlates may more effectively promote physical activity among Japanese adults.</p

Preparation of Corrosion-Resistant Films on Magnesium Alloys by Steam Coating

This chapter introduces a novel, chemical-free “steam coating” method for preparing films on magnesium (Mg) alloys and assesses their effectiveness in improving the corrosion resistance of two different Mg alloys. A film composed of crystalline Mg(OH)2 and Mg-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) was successfully formed on AZ31 Mg alloy, and its corrosion resistance was evaluated through electrochemical measurements and immersion tests in an aqueous solution containing 5 wt.% NaCl. An anticorrosive film was also formed on Ca-added flame-resistant AM60 (AMCa602) Mg alloy via the same steam coating method and found to be composed of crystalline Mg(OH)2 and Mg-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH). Its corrosion resistance was also investigated, and the effectiveness of the steam coating method for improving the corrosion resistance of Mg was fully explored

Monoaxial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction-induced topological Hall effect in a new chiral-lattice magnet GdPt2_2B

We investigate the topological Hall effect (THE) in the monoaxial chiral crystal GdPt$_2$B, a recently discovered compound that exhibits putative helimagnetism below 87 K. The distinct THE was observed in GdPt2B in the magnetically ordered state. The scaling relations for anomalous and topological Hall conductivities differed from those of conventional models based on the scattering process. We further demonstrate the clear scaling behavior of the THE in a wide temperature range, which we attribute to the monoaxial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interaction under external magnetic fields perpendicular to the screw axis. The THE induced by the monoaxial DM interaction as well as the THE in a monoaxial chiral crystal of f-electron system are demonstrated in this study.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures. To be published in Phys. Rev.

Fermi surface topology and electronic transport properties of a chiral crystal NbGe2_2 with strong electron-phonon interaction

We report the electronic structures and transport properties of a chiral crystal NbGe$_2$, which is a candidate for a coupled electron-phonon liquid. The electrical resistivity and thermoelectric power of NbGe$_2$ exhibit clear differences compared to those of NbSi2 even though both niobium ditetrelides are isostructural and isoelectronic. We discuss the intriguing transport properties of NbGe$_2$ based on a van Hove-type singularity in the density of states. The analysis of de Haas-van Alphen oscillations measured by the field modulation and magnetic torque methods reveals the detailed shape of the Fermi surface of NbGe$_2$ by comparison with the results of energy band structure calculations using a local density approximation. The electron and hole Fermi surfaces of NbGe$_2$ split into two because of the anti-symmetric spin-orbit interaction. The temperature dependence of quantum oscillations indicates that the effective mass is isotropically enhanced in NbGe$_2$ due to strong electron-phonon interaction.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, To be published in Phys. Rev.