Persons with motor disabilities tend to have a lower bone mineral density (BMD) depending on their exercise capacity and living environment. However, few reports have described the BMD of persons with motor disabilities, especially adult men. The present study aimed to determine the actual status of BMD among men with motor disabilities using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. We measured BMD at 10 sites (including L2-4 lumbar spine and the proximal femur) in 33 males with motor disabilities (age, 61.5±8.5 years) who lived in support facilities for persons with motor disabilities. The results showed that values for osteoporosis in the lumbar spine and proximal femur of five of 31 and of 15 of 28 of the men, respectively, were below the cutoff. We then correlated the BMD at these sites and investigated other sites in the body. The lumbar spine significantly correlated with sites other than the proximal femur. On the other hand, the proximal femur did not correlate with the lumbar spine, ribs and thoracic vertebrae, although it closely correlated with the pelvis and both legs. In general, the lumbar spine and proximal femur are prone to fracture, but many participants in the present study were below the cutoff for osteoporosis in the proximal femur. The reason for this is that most of the men normally use a wheelchair, so the load on the proximal femur caused by walking is low. We concluded that males with low exercise intensity and sedentary behaviors tend to have decreased BMD in the proximal femur.

  This study investigated how teachers deal with children's behavior during mealtimes. Using questionnaires, teachers were asked to self-evaluate both effective and ineffective methods they had used to address children's (3 years or older) problematic behavior during meals. The teachers used various verbal and non-verbal means to address children's behavior, depending on the situation, and felt that encouraging children to succeed, such as by using their classmates as examples, was effective, while scolding children without proper communication and without being objective was not. The study showed that teachers must be creative in developing a range of strategies to handle different children. Teachers must also be flexible and open to new strategies, rather than relying on methods that have previously been effective. Therefore, to establish a child-friendly environment during mealtimes, teachers with different experiences should advise each other and continuously learn from the children by observing them and adjusting their methods accordingly.

  We investigated the actual situation of home delivery meals used by meal delivery services, and examined the appropriateness of the nutritional value using a nutritional value calculation and a Calorie Answer (CA). The measurement method of the CA was examined using a model menu.

  It was found that the home delivery meals have a large number and a wide variety of side dishes containing foods adjusted for energy requirements. There were errors in terms of the protein, fat, and sodium equivalent amounts the home delivery meals contained when compared to the labels' nutrients. It was found through measurement with the CA that the device allows the measurement of energy amounts. In order to increase the accuracy of measurements with a CA, the following may be necessary: measuring each meal through a dedicated meal mode on a CA; and, in particular, measuring proteins and sodium equivalent amounts through dedicated modes. While a CA is convenient as a simple device for measuring nutrition amounts, it was considered that its effectiveness in nutrition education may increase if the above findings are taken into consideration.

  To determine colorless soil components such as proteins adhered to fabric products is difficult without professional and expensive equipment, skilled techniques and long analysis time. In this study, we have focused on the bicinchoninic acid method used in solution systems. The objective of this study is to examine the direct determination of protein soils on fabrics as the substrate. The surface reflectance was measured and evaluated directly for the color reaction on the fabric. As a result, a good linear relationship was obtained between the surface reflectance and the albumin concentration used as a model protein soil. In addition, no problems were found for this color reaction with coexistence of residual surfactants in normal cleaning or a fatty acid. Compared with conventional methods, it revealed that the present method can be performed under normal laboratory conditions, and has superiority in accuracy, simplicity, and economics.