The local exposure of cold has been used to decrease spasticity and facilitate neuromuscular function. This study analyzed the change in the excitation of the motor neuron pool, which was indicated by the amplitude of the H reflex measured in lower limb muscles when the skin temperature was lowered in different cooling area. The subjects were seven healthy males. A series of H and M wave were recorded via surface electromyogram electrodes before cooling and during cooling of the soleus muscle. The skin temperature was lowered in average from 33.1℃ to 22℃ subsequently. In all cases, the amplitude of the H wave increased in response to cooling. It was concluded that different exposure areas did not affect H reflex during localized muscular cooling.

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The purpose of this paper is to estimate a safe floor temperature to prevent moderate temperature burns by the floor heating system. Floor surface temperatures were examined at an apartment for one week in February 1997. A female subject sat or lay on the floor for 90 minutes. The heating system uses soundproof wooden floor boards. The system's water temperatures were set at 60℃, 56℃ and 54℃ during the examination. The temperature of the subject's body in contact with floor was compared with the temperature of a BL (Better Living) test-piece. Temperatures under the BL test-piece are 8 - 9℃ higher than temperatures under the subject. Both estimated temperatures by numerical simulation (FEM) agree well with measured temperatures.

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The present study examined reliability and objectivity of 17 test items representing functional fitness for older adult Japanese women. In the examination of reliability, 207 subjects, between 60 and 91 years of age, performed each test twice a day. Though the score of the second trial tended to be better (P<0.05) than that of the first trials in 10 test items, three types of correlation coefficients used as an index of reliability (Pearson's product moment, Spearman's rank order, and intraclass) were all 0.67 or higher (P<0.05) with the exception of the dropping bar reaction, standing up from a supine position, one-leg balance with eyes open, and one-leg balance with eyes closed. In order to obtain a more reliable score, a few more test practices may be necessary before the actual test is begun. The data collected in two days by different testers, each one to two weeks apart, showed a high objectivity (r=0.94, P<0.05) with no significant differences between two means. These results may lead to an important step towards establishing an appropriate test battery to assess functional fitness for older adult Japanese women.

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A questionnaire survey on sound for foreigners living in Fukuoka city was done to clarify the features of Japanese soundscapes recognized by those whose cultural background is different from the Japanese. The traffic sound signal for the blind, the exhaust noise by wild bike riders (Bousouzoku), the peddlers' cries, and the election campaign broadcast are the typical sounds only heard in Japan. The foreigners usually have good image for the traffic sound signal for the blind and the peddlers' cries. In contrast, they have negative impression on the muffler noise by wild riders and speeches concerning election. Comparison between the sounds usually heard in Japan and those less heard in Japan shows that there are too many public sounds, such as announcements using public-address system and music at the shopping centers, and few natural sounds and human voices in Japan.

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In this study, we have contrived new food exchange lists for low-protein diet therapy to treat patients with chronic renal failure. In this new food exchange lists, we classified foods into 3 categories, such as food of 5-g protein, food of 1-g protein and food of no protein, based on their protein content in one serving size. Then we calculated each amount of foods, energy value and salt content. We counseled 91 patients with renal failure about the planning of meals, where they were randomly assigned to our new food exchange lists or to the existing food exchange lists. After counsel, we evaluated the efficiency of our new food exchange lists over the existing lists by comparison of nutrients intake of each patient group. As a result, the patient group counseled with our new food exchange lists showed an improvement in the proportion of nutrients intake compared to those of the other patient group.

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The authors compiled the definitions of health so far given by WHO and other organs and researchers, and reviewed the concept of health in terms of physiological anthropology. The authors reached the conclusion that health is a state brought about by favorable relation between the environment and humans, as well as a state in which each individual can manifest innate abilities sufficiently. A more healthy environment thus needs to be created.

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