In the last few years, reports have shown an indication that the lack of thiamin(Vitamin B1) in female university students has been influenced by diet orientation, missing meals and eating out etc. In this study, we conducted an accurate condition survey of the total thiamin concentration in the blood among female university students as a means of nutritional assessment and through this we can acknowledge the accurate conditions of the current deficiency conditions and consider the relationship between these deficiency conditions and physical status, food intake conditions and lifestyle habits etc. The participants were 418 female university students aged between 18-20 years old. We conducted the following tests ; anthropometric measurement, a blood examination including total thiamin levels, an investigation into the quantity of food intake according to food group and the quantity of nutritional intake and a survey relating to diet and thiamin. Results showed the average ± standard deviation of total thiamin concentration in the blood was 40.3±9.5 ng/ml and there was almost a normal distribution. The number of individuals who had a lower concentration level of thiamin than 30ng/ml was 58 (approximately 14% of the total). According to the relationship to resident status, the percentage of those living on their own was significantly high among the individuals who had a low level of thiamin concentration. For all of these reasons, it can be surmised that latent thiamin deficiency exists among female university students.

The purpose of this study was to make clear the aspects of salivary melatonin metabolism and living conditions among school children during weekdays and the day following holidays. Additionally, the purpose was to examine living factors related to melatonin metabolism. The analysis samples were 47 healthy 3^rd and 4^th grade children in an elementary school. This investigation was carried out during a week in July 2009. Saliva samples were collected three times (6:30pm: evening, 9:30pm: night, 6:30am: morning) at two different periods (weekdays and the day following holidays). Weekdays were from Wednesday to Thursday (weekday-weekday: W-W) and the day following holidays were from Sunday to Monday (holiday-weekday: H-W). Responses to a questionnaire about living conditions were recorded over the course of a week. The results were as follows: 1) Half of the subjects had their highest melatonin concentration at the morning measurement instead of the night measurement. 2) During the W-W period, the percentages of the subjects who had their highest salivary melatonin concentration at the night and morning measurements were not significantly different, and the mean concentrations at the night and morning measurements were also not significantly different. In contrast, during the H-W period, a majority had their highest melatonin concentration at the morning measurement, and the mean concentration was clearly higher at the morning measurement than at the night measurement. 3) Sleeping hours tended to be longer on holidays than on weekdays. Furthermore, bedtimes and wake times were significantly later on holidays than on weekdays. It was also found that electronic media and outdoors play hours were longer on holidays than on weekdays, while study hours were shorter on holidays than on weekdays. 4) Subjects whose salivary melatonin concentration had its highest value at the morning measurement had later bedtimes and wake-times, longer electronic media hours, and shorter outdoor play hours than those whose salivary melatonin concentration had its highest value at the night measurement. These findings suggest that the differences of the living conditions influence the melatonin metabolism among the children.

The purpose of the present study was to analyze the beneficial effects of previous sports activity during growth on dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-measured mineral content (BMC), bone area and areal bone mineral density (aBMD). We examined whether starting age of sports during childhood induces any changes in DXA-measured bone strength parameters. One hundred and eighteen young women were classified into three groups according to the starting age of sport; an elementary school group, a junior high school–college group and no participation or swimming. The elementary school group showed significantly greater DXA-measured total proximal femur bone area and BMC than no sports groups. However, the elementary school group did not show significantly greater aBMD in total proximal femur and lumbar spine. The junior high school-college group showed significantly greater total proximal femur aBMD than no sports group, while significantly smaller bone area than elementary school group.

Longer duration of past weight-bearing sports participation and higher impact sports activities are more effective for strengthening proximal femur. Weight-bearing exercise in youth affects bone, and the periods before and in early puberty may see sensitive adaptations in structure, shape and size in response to weight-bearing activities. These effects enlarge periosteal surfaces on cortical bone, and the benefits of sports activity during childhood remain, particularly in terms of bone geometry.

Objective: There are few studies about the indicators of the relationship between psychosocial school environment and student’s self-concept in Japan. One of these indicators is the psychological sense of school membership scale (PSSM) in United States and European countries. The aim of this study was to develop a Japanese version of PSSM and examine its reliability and validity.

Methods: The participants of this study were 10th, 11th, and 12th grade male and female students at a private high school in the Tokyo metropolitan area (N = 1,539). This study used a 2-time-point longitudinal design, which was first applied in May 2007 (Time 1) and again in March 2008 (Time 2). The Central Location Test and the self-administered questionnaire method were used. The valid responses included 1,522 individuals (99.0%) at Time 1 and 1,378 individuals (90.4%) at Time 2.

Results: A three-factor 13-item-structure (named PSSM-13J) was adopted based on the results of reliability analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Time 1 PSSM-13J and the difference in PSSM-13J related to Time 2 mental health status adjusted for Time 1 mental health status as originally expected in both genders. Moreover, the change in Time 1 PSSM-13J over 10 months predicted Time 2 psychosomatic symptoms in the male students. However, there was no relationship between PSSM-13J and Time 2 psychosomatic symptoms adjusted by Time 1 psychosomatic symptoms in the female students.

Conclusion: The Japanese version of the 13-item psychological sense of school membership scale had certain validity in addition to reliability.

The case method is designed to hone participants’ decision-making and problem-solving capabilities through discussion using simulated cases as teaching materials. This study examines an assessment framework used for the case method in Yogo teacher training and the factors influencing trainee satisfaction. Subjects were 348 Yogo teachers who had attended training workshops held at seven sites. To examine the assessment framework and factors related to Yogo teachers’ satisfaction, we conducted the case method with subsequent administration of self-descriptive questionnaires. Results show that the assessment framework included “participation attitude,” “possibility of application,” and “problem-solving thought.” For Yogo teachers to gain a sense of satisfaction through use of the case method, it is important that they participate in discussion positively and that they have an environment in which knowledge can be of future practical use. Furthermore, to gain a sense of satisfaction, Yogo teachers must cultivate awareness of their own development through their participation.

Purpose: To test the reliability of methods used to evaluate the refusal skills of middle school students pressured to smoke or drink by comparing the ratings given by physical education teachers and school health nurses.

Method: Forty second-year (8^th grade) middle school students (20 boys and 20 girls) were each rated by 17 physical education teachers and 20 school health nurses as they were observed being pressured by peers to smoke or drink (based on both verbal and non-verbal items).

Results: Test-retest reliability showed a high reliability coefficient of 0.8 or higher for four out of five of the teachers for verbal exchange rating. Many non-verbal evaluations showed a reliability coefficient of 0.75 or lower. Two groups of physical education teachers and school health nurses were further divided into two groups based on work experience to evaluate reliability. As a result, the intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) for verbal evaluations of refusal skills for both smoking and drinking were high when the more experienced physical education teachers were excluded. However, all four groups showed an inadequate reliability coefficient for non-verbal expressions. Additionally, it was observed that the experienced physical education teachers tended to be harsher in their rating of subjects while the experienced school health nurses tended to be more lenient.

Conclusion: The evaluation of the middle school student refusal skills was suffi ciently reliable for verbal responses, but the evaluation of non-verbal responses did not exhibit sufficient reliability.

In natural disasters, do school health rooms have any function as facilities to accommodate local residents with temporary evacuation and emergency care needs? In order to investigate the current conditions and issues of school health rooms regarding their facility and equipment availability, self-administered survey questionnaires were distributed in February 2010 to 372 Yogo teachers (health promotion and nursing professionals similar to school nurses in the West) working in public schools in Niigata prefecture, the epicenter of two recent major earthquake disasters. Surveys included questions about the facilities and equipments of school health rooms. Responses were received from 207 Yogo teachers (response rate: 55.6%): (1) Those who answered that their school health rooms were "capable" of temporarily accommodating school children and local residents in disasters comprised 70.5% of all respondents. However, nearly 50% reported that necessary conditions were not met in the physical placement of the school health rooms, citing that ambulances cannotmake close approaches and that there is no direct access from the school grounds. (2) In terms of school health equipment placement, the rate was below 50% in 35 out of 91 items, including air purifier, fax machine, toilet, shower, television, and flashlights, items that are necessary in the event of an emergency evacuation. More specifically, 90% of school health rooms were not well equipped, with only approximately 10% of them having toilets, showers, and conference rooms. (3) In terms of school health equipment installation, more than half of the Yogo teachers reported that they were aware of the need to have in place 58 out of the 91 listed pieces of equipment in school health rooms. Many of the items were "equipment for information collection" or for "primary health care and disease prevention." (4) A comparison between Yogo teachers in non-stricken and stricken areas showed that the nonstricken area group tended to recognize the need for school health room equipment and Yogo teachers more highly than those in the stricken area group.

These results revealed the current status of equipment installation in public school health rooms in Niigata prefecture. The installation rate of "equipment for information collection" (e.g., personal computers and internet access) exceeded 80%, but the rate of televisions and fax machines was low. In addition, regarding "primary health care and disease prevention" materials, while all school health rooms had first-aid kits and related supplies, the installation rates of crutches, wheelchairs, toilets, showers, and sterilizers were low and the budgets for installing new equipment were limited. The survey results suggest that in order to meet a wide range of health care needs for local residents in disasters from the perspective of disaster management and in coordination with local public health organizations, additionally, national standards for equipment installation in school health rooms should be re-examined and crisis management conducted in coordination with local public health organizations.

For the purpose of helping university students achieve a healthy lifestyle, we examined the relationship between body image and subjective symptoms of fatigue, lifestyle, and dietary habits. Self completed questionnaires were distributed to 3,267 male university students in the 1^st to 4^th years of university. A total of 2,878 valid responses were obtained (the valid response rate was 88.1%). Subjects of the analysis for this study were 1,664 students within normal limits according to Body Mass Index who indicated “I’m fat.” (Overestimating Group) and “I’m normal.” (Matched Group) when questioned about their body image. The Overestimating Group showed a greater number of subjective symptoms of fatigue in the categories of “Feeling of physical deterioration,” “Difficulty concentrating,” and “Lethargy.” The Overestimating Group had a lower number of respondents selecting “Exercise three or more times every week,” and “Have never dieted,” “Live a regulated life,” “Always careful about diet,” compared with the Matched Group. On the other hand, a higher number of respondents in the Overestimating Group selected “Want to improve dietary habits,” which suggests the need to develop dietary education and establish an environment conducive to the improvement of dietary habits. It is also necessary to provide health education that allows individuals to develop a proper body image.