This study aimed to investigate the effects, abilities, and values that older adults obtained from leisure activities through a questionnaire survey. We conducted an independent t-test using the 23 items representing the effects of leisure activities at old-age to determine the gender, age, and employment differences regarding the impacts. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was also used to examine the effects that older adults needed from leisure activities. According to each average score of the 23 positive effects on leisure activities, communication with others has an important effect on leisure activities in older adults. Results of the t-test showed that women felt healthier compared to men. The old-old and oldest-old groups demonstrated a higher level of satisfaction with team activities and being recognized for their performance in leisure activities than the young-old groups. The EFA yielded the four factors “Body health”, “Communication”, “Learning opportunities”, and “Motivation”. Additionally, we added an independent t-test to examine the differences of the four factors in gender, age, and employment groups. It was found that “Body health” was significantly higher in women. “Communication” and “Motivation” were also significantly higher in the old-old and oldest-old groups. The non-employed had more “Motivation” for leisure activities than the employed because the results were likely to be influenced by their advanced age. The present study may help older adults to reconsider how to spend their leisure time, and how to become involved in leisure activities that can develop their abilities in their lives.

  The purpose of this study is to investigate the perception of Child Maltreatment (CM) and examine the views among young married childless women on children in Zhejiang Province, China. As a research method, semi-structured interviews took place with ten highly educated young married childless women.

  Results indicated that CM was generally perceived as intentional serious violence and neglect towards children. But respondents permitted mild physical violence “for disciplining” and “for threatening”. Although they showed an awareness about respecting children, their opinions still reflected a view of children based on the traditional Chinese ethic. Besides, low awareness of CM was associated with those who viewed children negatively, and high awareness of CM was associated with those who viewed children from multiple viewpoints. Therefore, the findings suggest that it is necessary for young married childless women to establish the view that children are independent personalities and to understand children from multiple viewpoints.

  We previously reported a 6-week pilot study demonstrating the effects of Japan Diet education for reducing malondialdehyde modified (MDA)-low density lipoprotein (LDL) in middle-aged men. Herein, we investigated the association of consuming vegetables and fruits, as recommended by the Japan Diet education program, with serum carotenoid and MDA-LDL concentrations. The intake volume of vegetables including green and yellow varieties increased, but was only about 300 g at week 6. Although green and yellow vegetable consumption was only 100 g, it tended to be inversely associated with MDA-LDL at week 6 (p = 0.051). Increased α-carotene and β-carotene intake attributed to elevate those serum concentrations at week 6, which were not associated with MDA-LDL. Intakes of fruits and β-cryptoxanthin did not change with the intervention. Our results suggest that consuming green and yellow vegetables might reduce MDA-LDL in combination with other food comprising the Japan Diet. Further study on vegetable and fruit intakes is thus warranted to determine the protective effects of the Japan Diet on LDL oxidation.

  We examined the palatability and functionality of Allium macrostemon Bunge (nobiru) to evaluate its usefulness as a cooking ingredient. As a sensory property, according to results obtained using the taste sensor system, the nobiru bulb has higher intensities of first taste (astringency, umami, and saltiness) compared with onion. Boiling the nobiru bulbs decreased their astringency and bitterness and increased umami. In sensory evaluation, there was a high preference for bulbs that had been boiled for longer periods, which was correlated with the intensities of pungency and smell. Therefore, nobiru bulbs were preferred when they were prepared in a manner that suppressed their flavor. In contrast, adding nobiru might suppress the odor of pork in sensory evaluation, indicating a usefulness similar to potherbs. Furthermore, an 80％ ethanol extract of bulbs boiled for 3 minutes had a weaker radical scavenging activity, an index of the antioxidant activity, than the raw sample.

  Pyrazines, which are known as reaction flavors, are in natto. Bacillus subtilis var. natto (I) seems to be involved in the formation of pyrazines, although the formation mechanism is unclear. In this study, we showed that B. natto is involved in the formation of 2,5-dimethylpyrazine (II) and trimethylpyrazine (III), which are the major pyrazines of natto. The amounts of DMP and TMP increased significantly when autoclaved natto samples inoculated with natto were incubated at 37℃. Next, steamed soybean was inoculated with each of four strains of I. The pyrazines were detected after 24-48 h of incubation, and their amounts increased even 72 h after incubation. Further, we examined the effect of various components such as peptone, dicarbonyls, amino acids, etc. on the pyrazine formation using a minimal medium. Pyrazines were definitely detected only when threonine was added. It is suggested that II and III in natto are produced as secondary metabolites through the metabolism of threonine.