Focusing on individual differences in distress and sex steroid hormonal changes, the effects of menstrual cycles on mental task performance were investigated in the present study. Subjects of study comprised 16 females (mean age: 22.69 ± 2.28 years) with normal menstrual cycles. Visuosensory task and self-evaluation distress were tested in 5 different sexual phases: menstruation, mid-follicular, ovulation, mid-luteal and the premenstrual phases. Salivary sampling was taken in 3 of the 5 phases: menstruation, ovulation and the midluteal phase. Distress and a sex steroid hormone (progesterone) were evaluated according to the menstrual distress questionnaire (MDQ) and measurements from salivary samples, respectively. The visuosensory task was composed of a 3-dimensional mental rotation task (MRT) and a mental arithmetic task (MAT). In cases where subjects were categorized according to differences in the premenstrual MDQ score, those with higher scores indicated less correct answers in premenstrual MRT and MAT than those with lower premenstrual MDQ scores. In cases where subjects were categorized according to differences in the progesterone concentration, those with higher hormonal concentrations indicated significantly less correct answers in mid-luteal MRT than those with lower progesterone concentrations. From our present findings, distress and progesterone affected mental task performance in different phases of the menstrual cycle. Furthermore, distress and steroid hormone influenced mental tasks with different contents.

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The physiological effect of L-theanine, an amino acid from tealeaves, on sleep was investigated using questionnaire and actigraph. A cross over double blind study with placebo as control was performed. Four tablets containing 200 mg of L-theanine were ingested I hour before bedtime. Recovery from fatigue and an extension in sleep-time was felt during the ingestion of L-theanine in 22 volunteers (p < 0.05). The actigraph data showed a significant improvement in sleep efficiency and (p < 0.05), and decrease of wake after sleep onset (WASO) (p < 0.05) in I O students. However, total-sleep-time was not significantly different between L-theanine and placebo treatments. The physiological effects of L-theanine on sleep was to improve sleep quality.

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The present study was performed to clarify the characteristics of lung function in weightlifters. The study population consisted of 15 athletes trained in weightlifting (W group) and 13 untrained students (N group). Anthropometric measurements were obtained for all subjects, and the greatest weight lifted during an athletic event was recorded for each weightlifter. Vital capacity (VO, forced vital capacity (FVO, forced expiratory volume in I s (FEV_<1.0>), expiratory peak flow (PF), and respiratory muscle strength (maximal inspiratory mouth pressure [PImax] and maximal expiratory mouth pressure [PEmax]) were measured in both groups. Student' s unpaired t-test was used for analysis of differences between groups. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used for analysis of the relationships between lung function and anthropomorphic parameters in each group. VC and FVC were significantly greater in the W group than the N group. Similarly, PImax and PEmax values were significantly greater in the W group than the N group. However, respiratory muscle strength was not related to anthropometric data, other aspects of lung function, or weight lifted in the event. These observations indicated that weightlifters have greater respiratory muscle strength than untrained individuals, but there was no evidence of an effect of respiratory muscle strength on weightlifting performance.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of inaudib le high-frequency sounds on the spontaneous electroencephalogram (EEG) in the anechoic chamber. Nine male subjects (age range: 21-26 years) are exposed to inaudible high -frequency sounds for 4min with and without white -noise. On comparing the relative EEG output in the 2-3 min during the exposure with resting state, CILI (8-10Hz) of O1, 02 were significantly increased, while P1 (13-20Hz) of Fpl, Fp2, F7, F8, O1, O2 were significantly decreased. These results suggest that the inaudible high -frequency sounds may decrease the brain activity.

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The aim of this study is to clear physical properties of thorax under static loadings. We simulated thoracic compression using finite element method and experimented with a living body using cr scanner for validation. For this simulation, we developed an original finite element thorax model from a general-purpose human skeleton shape model. Respiratory muscles were added to this original thorax model bccause these muscles and a skeleton of thorax work together. In the simulation and the experiment, thoracic cage diameter on tracheal bifurcation at maximum deflection was evaluated. The simulated results were very close to the experimental results in the range of O〜30kg and we confirmed the reality of this model. Furthermore, we simulated using the model excluding intercostal muscles and evaluated the muscles' function.

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The purpose of this paper is to describe the accident characteristics in dwellings. We conducted the survey of the domestic accidents with the database of the ambulance activities in Osaka City. The data of the domestic accidents in this survey include the data of sudden illnesses needing the emergency services. The results were summarized as follows: 1) The onset of sudden illnesses vary by place in dwelling. 2) The elderly have high rates of the domestic accidents and sudden illnesses in the morning. On the other hand, the children have high rates of the sudden illnesses in the midnight and the children's domestic accidents in the evening. 3) As aged, the type of accidents that fall on the same level and the type of injury that break a bone have become more frequent.

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The aim of this paper is to classify the demand of the life information for the aged, The main results of this study are abstracts as follow. 1. This basic life information for the aged are classed in 45 index 9 categories, 2. The aged tend to demands for the main life information categories, about community, work, safety, property management, recreation, health, transport, leisure and culture, daily act. 3. The aged tend to demands for main life information in 14 index 7 categories. The categories are not include in work and recreation. 4. The life information demand of a male is extrovert, and female is introverted. Extrovert information is a newspaper and television and traffic information, and introverted information is the health and the insurance.

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