BIOPHILIA
Online ISSN : 2186-8913
Print ISSN : 2186-8433
ISSN-L : 2186-8433
Volume 3, Issue 1
The Proceedings of IBRC 2013
Displaying 1-27 of 27 articles from this issue
Editorial
  • The 10th International Biophilia Rehabilitation ConferenceIBRC 2013
    The Journal BIOPHILIA Editorial Board
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages i-ii
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    "Toward the Realization of Two Paradigm Shifts; Restructuring the Rehabilitation Medicine, and Consciousness Change Enabling the Elderly Contribution to the Super-Aged Society Sustainable"
    Chair: Camillo Di Giulio
    Chair: Raoul Saggini
    Co-Chair: Toshiyuki Tanaka
    DATE:The 14th and 15th of October, 2013
    VENUE:Campus Universitario di Madonna delle Piane, Chieti University, Italy.

    Hosted by:
    International Biophilia Rehabilitation Academy

    Co-Hosted by;
    Universita degli Studi Gabriele d'Annunzio, Chieti
    KEIO University, Japan
    Research Center for Human Function Reacquisition by Engineering, Yokohama National University, Japan
    Medical Research Center, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
    Biophilia Institute, Designated by the Japanese Ministry of Education,
    Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

    The support by:
    Embassy of Japan in Italy
    Embassy of Italy in Japan
    Japanese National Foundation, Association for Technical Aids
    National Foundation, Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities
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Greetings
  • Camillo Di Giulio
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 1
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Dear colleagues, guests of honor, Dr. Taki Takizawa, Dr. Mieczyslaw Pokorski, Dr. Takuji Shirasawa, Dr Toshiyuki Tanaka. and Dr Hajime Takada, and Dr Jose Leon-Carrion distinguished participants, students.
    It gives me a great pleasure to welcome all of you and the chair Prof. Raoul Saggini Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine of our University, Opening Ceremony of the “10th International Biophilia Rehabilitation Conference” organized by the International Biophilia Rehabilitation Academy. We are honored with the presence of the Magnifico Rettore Prof. Carmine Di Ilio and all the academic authorities.
    The meeting was supported by the embassy of Japan in Italy and from the embassy of Italy in Japan. We have today the honor to have the message of Minister Akira Amari - Congratulatory telegram announcement scheduled, State for Economic and Fiscal Policy, Japan, Minister Yuzo Ota - Congratulatory Announcement, Embassy of Japan in Italy and Dr. Alberto Mengoni - Letter of Appreciation, Science and Technology Attaché, Embassy of Italy in Japan.
    Today’s conference would include a numbers of advanced topics regarding new approach to the Rehabilitation Medicine and aging problems, so we are delighted to listen all the speakers.
    This conference lectures have been design in such a way as to encourage participation and to exchange information. Today’s conference is attended by 6 speakers in the morning and 11 in the afternoon representing leading international bodies in rehabilitation medicine.
    The accompanying workshop will provide us not only essential knowledge but also a great opportunity to share experience concerning both technical and regulatory issues.
    I wish a fruitful meeting and also a pleasant stay in Chieti and Pescara. Once again, I warmly welcome everyone present.
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  • Raoul Saggini
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 2
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    It is with great excitement and need of international exchange that we are pleased to participate at the 10th edition of the IBRC as the host institution. The aim of this experience will be an international exchange of rehabilitative experience that would give rise to new approaches more and more effective and valuable for the outcomes of the patients.
    Compare working, assessment and therapeutic approach methodologies are the foundation of a multidisciplinary learning that can produce results on shared methodological guidelines.
    The approach to chronic disease in these areas becomes a topic of great interest for the population, for the health care specialists, for the government management that handles the health world. This experience wants to be a guideline to search a shared ways to the achievement of organizational and economics health care useful goals in the management of disability.
    For these reasons I take this opportunity to thank bodies and academic institutions that have allowed this international exchange.
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  • Toshiyuki Tanaka
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 3
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    It is a great pleasure and an honor to host the 10th International Biophilia Rehabilitation Conference (10th IBRC) in Chieti, Italy, on October 15, 2013. I am Toshiyuki Tanaka, co-chair of the 10th IBRC. I am part of the Faculty of Science and Technology at Keio University, which is a long-established private institution founded in Japan in 1858 by Yukichi Fukuzawa. Keio University is well known to researchers worldwide for the students and professors who produce high-quality research.
    My research field is pattern measurement, including medical image processing and computer-aided diagnosis. In recent years, hospitals have seen increases in the number of patients, in step with the aging of the population. Following advances in medical devices using techniques such as fMRI, fNIRS, and X-ray CT to support the work of doctors, the precision of diagnosis has risen markedly. However, it seems that the burdens on doctors have not lessened. To reduce these burdens, we are developing a diagnosis support system using medical image processing.
    The number of older patients, especially stroke patients, is increasing in the rehabilitation field as well. The current system in Japan is limited in that each patient requires individual attention from a physical therapist. Therefore, we have proposed a new rehabilitation system that allows a physical therapist to use devices to respond to several patients simultaneously. However, the new system will not catch on quickly, because the business-model mindset present in medical services is not shared by doctors in Japan. At present, only big and wealthy hospitals can keep physical therapists on staff, because the one-to-one rehabilitation system is not an efficient business model. The one-to-many system is more realistic for a successful model, and would allow many small hospitals to hire physical therapists, thereby improving employment among physical therapists.
    Through a workshop and research exchange, we hope that the 10th IBRC will provide the opportunity to introduce important innovations in the field of the rehabilitation.
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  • Mieczyslaw Pokorski
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 4
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    On behalf of the International Biophilia Rehabilitation Academy, I am pleased to extend my greetings to the participants of the 10th anniversary Biophilia conference.
    This academy has the mission of restructuring the rehabilitation medicine for establishing the sustainable aged society.
    Although the name of Biophilia means ‘the love to a life’, we are putting forward the wish of "Even if being stricken by disability, your life may be further fulfilled while taking advantage of the feeling to individual's independence.
    From the time of my first participation in these meeting at the 3rd conference in Germany I have seen a lot of progress and advances in the rehabilitation program and its effectiveness as set forward by the Biophilia International Academy. I chaired the 6th conference in 2008 in Poland where I live. Till then, the international body was a subsystem of the Japanese Rehabilitation Academy. It became an independent organization that we created through the resolution of the Osaka conference of Japan. In order to obtain a continuous support of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs from the next year on, we replaced it with a nonprofit registered organization.
    I work as a director who has a committee of scientific activity, and the responsibility for the organization management along with Professor Takizawa.
    My friend, Professor Camillo Di Giulio of Chieti in Italy has kindly agreed to take over and chair this 10th anniversary conference.
    We are sincerely convinced that this will be a memorable meeting and as the saying has it “Learning from history, an important movement is born from the effort of a small group".
    Let us have a motto for this conference: "Revolution of Hope began".
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  • on the occasion of “the 10th International Biophilia Rehabilitation Conference”October 15, 2013 – Chieti University
    YUZO OTA
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 5
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Ladies and Gentlemen,
    I would like to extend my heartfelt celebration to “The 10th International Biophilia Rehabilitation Conference”, which is jointly organized by “Chieti University” and the “International Biophilia Rehabilitation Academy”.
    The city of Chieti is known as the hometown of Father Alessandro Valignano, a Jesuit missionary who supervised the dissemination of Catholicism in Japan, and had led the “Tensho Boys Embassy to Europe” from Japan 400 years ago. Inspired by this historical event, friendly activities have been started and increased since several years ago, between the cities of Chieti and Minami-shimabahara in Kyushu Island, from which the mission departed. I hope that this conference will be the occasion to further enhance the friendly relations between Japan and Italy.
    On top of the common merits of rich history and culture, Japan and Italy also share the common characteristics of high average life span. According to surveys,it is 79.9 for men and 86.4 for women in Japan (as for 2012) while 79.4 for men and 84.5 for women in Italy (as for 2011). I am confident that this conference, focused on the announcements of precious studies and fruitful discussions mainly by the experts from the most longevity countries Italy and Japan, will highly contribute to the building of welfare society where aged people can feel the worth to live with happiness.
    Concluding my message, I wish from my heart for the success of the conference.
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  • [in Japanese]
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 6
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
  • Alberto Mengoni
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 7
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The International Biophilia Rehabilitation Academy regularly holds the international conference in different countries and contributes to improvement in the people’s welfare through the improvement in rehabilitation medicine. The activity for the fictional recovery of advanced-age disabled persons is esteemed by the movement of each country. The 10 International Biophilia Rehabilitation conference will be held in Chieti, Italy, on 15 0ctober 2013.
    It is my sincerest desire to promote a cooperative and productive relationship in this field between Italy and Japan in the future starting with the success of this scientific meeting.
    This letter of appreciation is presented to the president of the International Biophilia Rehabilitation Academy, Professor Taki TAKIZAWA Shigeo who represents the conveners of the International Conference, expressing deep gratitude to the efforts of the International Biophilia Rehabilitation Academy.
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Key note lectures
  • R. Saggini
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 8-9
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    In Italy there are 3 million disabled people, about 5% of the population; according to ISTAT in the age group ranged between 6-64 years, the number of disabled amounts to about 664,000; 15% of 800 million Europeans have a disability and many of them have more than one.
    For each disabling condition we should identify: numerical entity, worst affected age ranges, type of trauma, causes, duration, life expectancy. Rehabilitate means achieve ability, through a treatment plan which aims to restore the best functional recovery, well-being, and a satisfactory level of autonomy.
    It is a process to solve problems and promote autonomy through which the disabled person is guaranteed the widest possible participation in social and emotional life, with the least possible restriction of its operational decisions.
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  • Toshiyuki Tanaka
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 10-11
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    In this paper, we explain a business model for rehabilitation as well as the use of brain function measurement with fNIRS to compare the benefits of traditional and new rehabilitation systems. In Japan, hospitals are well managed as one doctor examines many patients every day and obtains their medical service fees. However, increasing the number of physical therapists (PTs) is a poor management strategy for many hospitals, because one PT can work with only a few patients every day. Therefore, large and wealthy rehabilitation hospitals are able to employ PTs while small hospitals are not. We have proposed the new rehabilitation system in which one PT trains many patients by using some rehabilitation devices. Small hospitals that follow this system can hire some PTs, thereby expanding job opportunities for PTs. One problem remains in our proposed system: There has not been sufficient research to determine whether the rehabilitation benefits of our devices is sufficient for function recovery in comparison to traditional rehabilitation by PTs. Measurement of site activation in the brain is important in comparing recovery levels under the two systems, and this paper shows an easy method of measuring the same, using fNIRS.
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  • Shigeo Takizawa
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 12
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    I will present seven points in this lecture. 1. Our amazing results: research reported disabilities were overcome, 2. Regarding recovery, the Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation is not effective, 3. Comparison of movement between the Motivative exercise (ME) and Passive exercise (PE), 4. The situation of the cerebral function activation seen in MRIs, 5. Results of the cerebral function activation by fNIRS, 6. The proposition of how we can restructure the rehabilitation medical treatment, 7. In conclusion, my proposition of joint research.You are welcome to join the research and spread the word---form rank with us!
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General presentation 1
  • Jose Leon Carrion
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 13
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The demographic transition towards an aging population stems from a drop in birthrates, a reduced mortality rate, and the general aging of the world population. This phenomenon requires changes in disease profiling and healthcare policies and services. Developing countries are characterized by an epidemiological transition in tandem with communicable diseases, the growing role of chronic disease, the reappearance of diseases (such as cholera), or illnesses that were once controlled (malaria, tuberculosis, and dengue), the appearance of new diseases (AIDS), and the escalating problem of trauma caused by violence or accidents. More developed countries face pathologies that are endemic to their societies, including degenerative cardiovascular illness and mental health issues, originating in part from lifestyle and environmental factors.
    The aging of the global population generates a series of pathologies associated with age that were not seen years ago. Thus, it is imperative to act on illness related to aging, differentiating the primary processes of growing old from secondary factors, and indentifying elements of risk and protection at environmental, cultural, economic and personal levels. Diagnoses must take into account personal clinical history, genetics, family and social relations, drug use, lifestyle and behavior, in order to develop strategies and treatment that can slow down the aging process and generate a better quality of life for older people.
    TBI is responsible for more than 80,000 emergency department visits each year, approximately three-quarters of which result in hospitalization. The age-adjusted rate of hospitalization for nonfatal TBI in the general population is 60.6 per 100,000 population; for adults aged 65 and older, this rate more than doubles—to 155.9. The incidence rate for all subtypes of stroke increases with age until the age of 85. The overall prevalence of stroke is 8.2% in males and 5.1% in females. In the very elderly, this increases to 10.7% in males and 10% in females and decreases only in males aged 90 years or over.Rehabilitation of behavioral and cognitive deficits in pathologies associated with aging is always possible, even in very old patients, using the adequate treatment program.
    The rehabilitation of cognitive deficits in elderly patients with TBI and stroke is advisable using a holistic, intensive and multidisciplinary program. However, the course of cognitive recovery after acquired brain injury is not uniform and depends on which cognitive functions are impaired and the severity of this impairment. Research has demonstrated that a certain degree of spontaneous recovery occurs during the first few weeks, and even months, after TBI. In a previous study, we found that neurocognitive deficits consequential to TBI appeared to be established within the first 8 months post-trauma. Successful treatment of these deficits varies in terms of time and effort. The number of sessions needed to rehabilitate impaired cognitive functions differs depending on the function. For example, our results show that the restoring of“planning” and “memory” require the highest number of rehabilitation sessions to achieve near normalcy. As cognitive functions are interrelated, their rehabilitation must be structured to maximize outcome. While the consolidation of cognitive gain requires time, proper training, and well-programmed therapy, older patients with TBI and stroke do benefit from this rehabilitation, with significant functional gain and a high rate of return to home and community.
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  • Camillo Di Giulio
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 14-15
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Aging as a physiological part of life is the cumulative result of oxidative damage to cells which derives from aerobic metabolism. Insufficient tissue oxygenation occurs in a wide range of physiological and pathological conditions and reactive oxygen species are physiological products of aerobic life and their accumulation affects aging. Considering that Italian population is aging quickly, social, rehabilitation andexercise training programs than would prevent diseases improvingthe quality of life,has to deal with human physiology.
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  • Takuji Shirasawa
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 16
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Telomere is a repeated sequence of DNA attached to the end of chromosome. The function of telomere is to protect the genome that is vulnerable to DNAses., oxidative stress, and radiationHowever, the eukaryotic cells are subjected to lose certain amounts of telomere sequence during cellular replication. The telomere length of embryo and newborn showed 15 Kb and 10Kb, suggesting that one third of telomere lost during embryogenesis. The study of telomere length of peripheral blood both men and women suggest that individuals with longer telomere are likely survive longer than the individuals with short telomere, showing that the telomere is a biomarker of longevity. Epidemiological study also suggested that obesity and smoking habit show the negative impact on telomere length, suggesting that not only the cell division but also lifestyle influence on telomere length. Therefore, we study the telomere length of village people in Nagano prefecture because life expectancy of people is the longest in Japan, where medical expenditure is lowest and employment rate is highest in Japan. Interestingly, the woman with the longest telomere works for apple orchard garden while the man with the longest telomere works for grape garden, suggesting the lifestyle in orchard garden in Nagano prefecture would provide the ideal environmental factors which elongate the telomere or suppress the loss of telomere. I will discuss the possibility that resveratrol, the polyphenol contained in the skin of grape, activates SIRT6 gene and protect telomere.
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Session 2
General presentation 2
  • Yoshiko Morita, Shigeo Takizawa
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 17
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The role of the medical faculty has been classified to main three types, an acute hospital, a sub acute ward in hospital, and a chronic hospital or nursing home since 2000 in Japan. The concepts of these classifications are reduction of medical expenses. The shorter the better in acute phase, the concentrated rehabilitation in sub acute phase only, and then in chronic phase the man power including nursing care and rehabilitation staffs declines rapidly. To keep the rehabilitation program in longer period we have recommended the Motivative exercise since two decades. This exercise can continue by themselves with small staffs. We tried to verify the usefulness of this exercise by Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (f-NIRS) compared with the passive manual ROM exercise by physical therapists. And we have got the advantageous results that this exercise activates brain function better than passive ROM exercise by f-NIRS.
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  • Rika Wada, Toshihiro Tachibana, Yoshiyasu Takefuji, Shigeo Takizawa
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 18
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    We examined changes of the care degree (CD) and the level of independent living (LIL) of the users who have been rehabilitated by the TAKIZAWA method over an extended period of time. Although it was reported that approximately 20% of every CD needed elderly person in Japan got worse within one year, aggravation was not seen with this method.Then, in order to investigate a mechanism, we performed cerebral function evaluation by the functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS).The Shimadzu Company offers the Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) and analysis software; we analyzed the ankle motivative exercise (ME) and passive exercise (PE) by using it. It was found by all possible analysis methods that the ME on an ankle activates the cerebral function more than the PE.
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  • Daisuke Shimizu, Toshiyuki Tanaka, Shigeo Takizawa, Yoshiyasu Take ...
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 19
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Recent years have witnessed an increase in the number of disabled people because of aging, and hence, the importance of rehabilitation has increased. Recently, a new type of rehabilitation, the self-exercise method, has been proposed. To verify its effectiveness, we measure and compare its impact with that of several other rehabilitation methods, by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). We established an analysis method for the rehabilitation data obtained using fNIRS to compare the rehabilitation methods. As a result of this study, the self-exercise method was found to be effective in some cases.
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  • Hajime Takada, Qian Yang
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 20
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The rehabilitation effect is judged by Physical therapist and sometimes the judgment of rehabilitation effect are different because his/hers judge standard is different. One of the differences is the posture of the subject. Therefore, in this paper we have subjects move the lower limbs using the instrument and we measured an electromyogram (EMG) of the lower limbs and the angle of the knee as a parameter of the height of the chair a subject sit seats. As the results, it was found that the sitting position is important when an EMG is measured to judge the ability of the lower limbs.
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General presentation 3
  • Yumiko Kodama
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 21
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Although Yutaka Ozaki, a legendary musician, died 21 years ago, his music continues to influence people and help solve many mental problems, including domestic violence, suicide and menopausal symptoms.We conducted a test to verify the effect of his music on heart rate and autonomic nerves, the result of which was revealed at this meeting.
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  • Daniela Shiga
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 22
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    In my research of the link between healthy living habits and longevity, one of the key issues is salt. We have long heard that too much salt can be bad for our health. AMA has publicly come out against excessive sodium consumption and salt in particular but now, researchers have found that low levels of chloride, a component found in salt, could actually increase the risk of mortality and heart disease in those suffering from hypertension. While it is always emphasized the quantity of salt for health benefits I found it as equally important to discuss the quality of salt related to health. The issue is that not all sources of sodium and salt are the same. As far as the body is concerned, there is no connection between the chemically-cleansed sodium chloride table salt, which is added to virtually every processed food you buy, and the mineral rich organic sea salt. In fact, full spectrum mineral sea salt is essential for life. In my presentation I want to show my opinion over the debate on salt intake issue and also present the latest research on this theme along with my recently published book on Wajima sea salt titled “Karada to kokoro ga yorokobu shio erabi & gochiso shio recipe” (Choosing salt that benefits the body and soul & delicious salt recipes).
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  • Shoko Tujimura, Mitsuyo Makita, Miyuki Shibahara, Hiroko Makita
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 23
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    This study involved a questionnaire survey of the parents of children with physical disabilities in March 2012. The questionnaire consisted of 30 items regarding the types of school the children attended, the school grade, the ambulatory ability, the frequency of participation in gymnastics classes, and the status of participation in sports activities other than gymnastics classes. A total of 90 valid survey responses were obtained. The participation rate in gymnastics classes exceeded 88% in all schools, including those students who were restricted regarding the types of sports they could play. Many of the children who attended general public schools participated in sports activities other than gymnastics classes, while many of the students who attended special schools had no experience of participating in sports activities. Relatively older children did not have much interest in sports. We analyzed the data of 78 mothers using a phenomenological approach, and were able to classify their feelings about sports participation into the following 3 exhaustive descriptions: “sense of alienation,” “the presence of expectations for the child’s growth,” and “concern about the negative impacts brought about by having new challenges.” The results suggest the need to provide support for sports participation by older children and to build a support system that can prevent mothers from developing a sense of alienation.
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  • Ioan-Sorin Stratulat
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 24
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The well-being of leaders represents a complex responsibility for their private doctors. Bernardino Ramazzini (1633-1714), known as the founder of occupational medicine, drew the attention on the essential role of a doctor to preserve the health of social leaders and other people form the upper class society. This paper reviews Ramazzini’s observations, from the early seventeenth century, on the health of high ranking people of his time. To teach these people how to keep their health was mentioned in one of Bernardino Ramazzini’s rather unknown work, L’art de conserver la santé des princes, et des personnes du premier rang [The art of maintaining the health of princes and of persons of high rank]. This work focused on the role of the doctor and on the particular preventative measures for the health and the treatment of high ranking people. From this point of view, the book gained a more contemporary meaning. This book presents also the qualities of a personal doctor and the manner in which the health status of people in the upper class society or of their leaders had to be monitored. Living in a healthy environment, keeping moderation in eating and drinking, having a daily exercise schedule, a good personal hygiene and a healthy sleep schedule, and cultivating self-control are the preventative key points exposed in this book. The key to success is the continuous medical education of the private doctors. These rules are still valid today and not only for the health of the leaders or people of wealthy backgrounds.
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General Presentation 4
  • Mieczyslaw Pokorski
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 25
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The mechanisms of Parkinson’s disease consist of insufficient neuronal dopaminergic activity in midbrain areas. This has to do with accelerated loss of dopaminergic neurons, or dampened synthesis and release of dopamine, or dysfunction of dopamine receptors. The disease is relatively easy to diagnose owing to well recognized classical symptoms. The symptoms are of motor and non-motor character. The former consist of tremors, disorders of gait and balance, frequent falls, and most notably muscle rigidity and stiffness that cause a characteristic flexed walking posture. The latter consist of sensory and cognitive deficits. So far little attention has been paid to respiratory disorders. These disorders may be counted as belonging to yet another category – premotor disorders, since they are concerned with changes in premotor neurons setting central respiratory activity running down to spinal motor neurons moving the diaphragm. There are two possible reasons of respiratory changes in parkinsonism: stiffness of the chest, mechanically obstructing respiratory movements, and the lack of dopamine which is influential in facilitating respiration at the central level, albeit the issue of the dopamine role in respiration is complex and contentious. Impaired lung ventilation causes hypoxemia, which is the cause of further deterioration of bodily functions. Recognition of ventilatory changes in parkinsonism is, therefore, of practical therapeutic importance. In this study we set out to examine lung ventilation in an experimental model of parkinsonism induced by reserpine plus alpha-methyltyrosine in rats. Ventilation was recorded in a rodent plethysmograph in conscious unrestrained animals. We found that resting ventilation and the stimulatory ventilatory responses to hypoxia (8% O2 in N2) were significantly depressed in parkinsonic rats, as compared with healthy untreated ones. The findings, in all likelihood, reflect the missing stimulatory influence of central dopamine on ventilation, which underlines the development of parkinsonic symptoms.The study points attention to the possibility of ventilatory depression as a sequel of parkinsonism. The corollary is that breathing exercise, by improving lung ventilation and in consequence delivery of oxygen to the arterial blood, could be of value in enhancing the effects of other treatment modalities. Breathing exercise could also enhance cognitive abilities, particularly in older age.Breathing exercise should become part of the comprehensive physical rehabilitation program for elderly patients. Such a program, consisting of exercise, proper nutrition, social activity, home oxygen therapy, and psychosocial support has been developed in Japan (Comprehensive Pulmonary Rehabilitation: Manual for Team Approach. Edited by K. Kida. Medical Review Co. Tokyo, Japan, 1995). The program is now advocated also in patients suffering from neurodegenerative brain conditions, including Parkinson’s disease. Particularly, home oxygen therapy, combined with breathing exercises, is noteworthy, as it holds an obviously greater potential to improve tissue oxygenation, exercise capacity, and patients’ quality of life.
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  • R. SAGGINI, A. DI STEFANO, F. CAPOGROSSO, S.M. CARMIGNANO, S. D’E ...
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 26
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The recovery of functional gait is the main target for subjects who had suffered a stroke. The methods designed to improve balance and gait appear to be essential for skills and autonomy and to reduce the costs of assistance. The aim of our study was to evaluate the improvement of stroke victims in the chronic phase through the rehabilitation of gait, balance and posture using postural re-alignment with specific body weight support. Our study includes 20 subjects with residual hemiparetic gait after stroke. Evaluation with international rating scales, gait analysis and stabilometric test was carried out at the beginning and after the 1st and the 3rd month of therapy; a follow-up control was made 3 months after the end of the rehabilitation program. All subjects underwent the rehabilitation protocol with Dynamic Antigravity Postural System 2 times a week for 3 months and were also treated with high efficiency focused acoustic waves (ViSS) to increase strength and muscular endurance (300Hz) or to reduce spastic hypertonia (200-120 Hz); we also made neuromuscular stimulation with Manual Therapy to deactivate trigger points in muscles, tendons, and ligaments and to lengthen the chronically shortened muscles and balance muscle groups. The study shows a significant improvement in gait and balance with the persistence of results at the follow-up 3 months after the end of treatment. The subjects showed an increase in walking speed, greater stability and a consequent reduction of sedentary lifestyle with less risk of complications or recurrence. In conclusion this rehabilitation program is efficient for posture and walking quality.
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  • Shigeo Takizawa
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 27-28
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    I invented the autonomous rehabilitation program and applied to the United States Patent Office as a "Method for managing exercise for function recovery and muscle strengthening." It was issued a patent as the United States Patent number 7153250 in 2006. I named it the "Takizawa method." It enables individuals, including the elderly and handicapped, which require training to recover, improve and/or strengthen a body’s impaired functions. The features of this invention are the following 3 points: 1. This system enables one physical therapist to rehabilitate multiple patients simultaneously and individually. 2. A doctor and a physical therapist build up contents of training patients and chart entries are simplified by using the control system; 3. Therefore, anyone can carry out the treatment anywhere on the condition thatconstant instruction is received. Since the importance of the patent has been increasing because the effect of Motivative Exercise to the cerebral function is becoming clear, I would like to elucidate the outline of the contents of the patent, and the research details of how to patent since it resulted in my invention through the observational study.
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Greetings 2
  • Takuji Shirasawa
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 29
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Learning gives creativity, creativity leads to thinking, thinking provides knowledge, and knowledge makes you great! This is what BIOPHILIA Rehabilitation Academy stands for. The name in itself literally means the love of life and all living systems“bio” + “philia”. The biophilia hypothesis suggests that there is an instinctive bond between human beings and other living systems. In accordance to its name, this organization functions to improve the life of the handicapped people in Japan and around the world, giving them hope and actively contributing to improving their quality of life. The journal “Biophilia” is an academic medical journal if the International Biophilia Rehabilitation Academy that is aiming at revolutionizing rehabilitation medicine.
    The International Biophilia Rebahilitation Academy periodically holds international congresses abroad Japan actively contribution to the people’s welfare around the world. The activity for the functional recovery of advanced-age disabled persons is well appreciated by the governments of the countries visited:
    2013 The 10th Conference in Italy
    2011 The 9th Conference, in Romania and Poland
    2010 The 8th Conference in China
    2009 The 7th Conference in Cuba
    2008 The 6th Conference in Poland
    2006 The 5th Conference in Australia
    2005 The 4th Conference in Germany
    2004 The 3rd Conference in Philippines
    2003 The 2nd Conference in Candada
    2002 The 1st Conference in Saipan the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
    2001 Domestic Conference in Tokyo at Nippon Medical School
    The workshop “Biophilia 2013” of “The 10th International Biophilia Rehabilitation Conference” will be/was held in Chieti, Italy at the University of Chieti.
    The Scientific Committee always prepares a diverse scientific program structured around the theme of rehabilitation. Not only that the conferences address psychological and physical aspects of rehabilitation but also longevity and healthy aging through exercise, healthy lifestyle, eating habits and choices of the right ingredients such as salt, sugar, oil, and supplements thus preventing deterioration of quality of life.
    I hope the discussion and studies to be of great value for the debilitated people and for the future of the rehabilitation medicine.
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  • Shigeo Takizawa
    2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 30
    Published: October 14, 2013
    Released on J-STAGE: July 22, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    On behalf of International Biophilia Rehabilitation Academy, I am pleased to make a message to international friends especially to Italian friends.
    It is my great pleasure to have IBRC2013 in Chieti, Italy.
    The aging society is getting larger in every country, especially in Northern hemisphere of the earth. The average life span of Italian and Japanese is already over eighty years old. It means that both countries are similar to advanced aging countries.
    In order to establish a sustainable super aged society, it is necessary to seek counsel of the many.
    I started the study on how to make the aged people live independently in 1987, because we must try to reduce the care needed people by providing for them their ability to do taking into account respective daily life and fiscal standards.
    We are fortunate that the conference chair, Professor Di Giulio and the co-chair Professor Tanaka from Japan hold the IBRC 2013, as the memorial 10th conference.
    Also the congratulatory message from Minister Akira Amari,minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy, Japan will be served for the first time.
    Through the nine previous conferences, we have had a lot of scientific yield from the combined domains of medical, engineering,sociological, and administrative fields.
    I am looking forward another fruitful meeting here in Italy which holds a great opportunity for all the participants and human beings at this anniversary 10th conference.
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