We examined whether cardiorespiratory fitness (maximal oxygen uptake, VO₂max) and muscular strength (grip strength) are associated with individual and clustered metabolic risk factors independently of abdominal adiposity in Japanese men (n=110) and women (n=110) aged 20–69 years. Blood pressure, triglycerides (TG), HDL cholesterol, and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) were assessed and metabolic risk score was calculated, which is the sum of the z scores for each individual risk factor. Waist circumference was measured and the area of visceral fat was assessed by MRI. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that VO₂max was inversely associated with TG in men (p<0.05) and grip strength was negatively associated with FPG and metabolic risk score in women (p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively), independently of waist circumference. Adjusting for visceral fat instead of waist circumference, similar results were obtained in women (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively), but the association between VO₂max and TG in men was attenuated to nonsignificant. This cross-sectional study demonstrates that muscular strength is inversely associated with plasma glucose levels and clustered metabolic risk factors independently of abdominal adiposity in Japanese women, but not in men.

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Artificial sources of illumination can be easily used, regardless of the time and place, to improve visibility at night and in dark places. Illuminance and color temperature are particularly important factors since they are known to elicit physiological effects. However, the relationship between changes in illuminance and somatosensory function has not been sufficiently clarified. Thus, the purpose of this study was to construct a laboratorial model to examine the effects of lowering or raising illuminance on somatosensory function. Three illuminance levels (200 lx, 50 lx, and 0 lx), which were changed using all combinations, and an artificial sensory stimulus maintained at a constant intensity were presented to the subjects of this study. Objective sensory function in response to the sensory stimulus was investigated by somatosensory evoked potential (SEP), and subjective sensory evaluation in response to the stimulus was investigated using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and by interview. In many cases, the SEP amplitude and VAS value tended to decrease when illuminance was lowered and tended to increase when illuminance was raised. However, in a few cases, SEP amplitude and VAS value tended to increase in spite of the low illuminance. The occurrence of attention responses and unpleasant emotional responses caused by lowering the illuminance seems to be related to this study finding.

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The prevalence and incidence of musculoskeletal disorders is high with computer workers, and poor sitting posture can be considered a factor contributing to low back discomfort. In the clinical literature, maintaining a neutral spinal curvature has been considered an optimal sitting posture. This study investigated the flexion and lateral flexion of trunk movements and trunk muscle activity during computer work with and without a posture-sensing air seat device (PSASD). By sensing a certain amount of increased pressure over the baseline, posture-related visual feedback was given to participants through the PSASD. Eleven regular computer workers participated in this study. PSASD had the function of alerting the subject to their poor posture by using visual feedback. Subjects performed 20 min of computer work with and without a PSASD. Surface electromyography was used to measure the activity of the erector spine and internal abdominal oblique. Kinematic data were obtained using an electrogoniometer. The results showed that the mean of trunk flexion and lateral flexion was significantly reduced with PSASD. The activity of the erector spine and internal oblique was significantly higher with the PSASD than without. Our findings indicated that the PSASD helps to prevent habitual poor posture by maintaining an erect sitting posture during prolonged computer work.

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This study quantified the interaction of electromyography (EMG) obtained from the vastus lateralis and metabolic energy cost of running (C_r; mL·[mass+load]⁻¹·meter⁻¹), an index of running economy, during submaximal treadmill running. Experiments were conducted with and without load on the back on a motor-driven treadmill on the downhill, level and uphill slopes. The obtained EMG was full-wave rectified and integrated (iEMG). The iEMG was divided into eccentric (ECC) and concentric (CON) phases with a foot sensor and a knee-joint goniometer. The ratio of ECC to CON (ECC/CON ratio) was regarded as the muscle elastic capacity during running on each slope. The C_r was determined as the ratio of the 2-min steady-state VO₂ to the running speed. We found a significant decrease in the C_r when carrying the load at all slopes. The ECC/CON ratio was significantly higher in the load condition at the downhill and level slopes, but not at the uphill slope. A significant gradient difference was observed in the C_r (down<level<up) and ECC/CON ratio (down=level>uphill). Thus, an alteration of Cr by the gradient and load was almost consistent with that of the ECC/CON ratio. The ECC/CON ratio, but not the rotative torque (T) functioning around the center of body mass, significantly correlated with C_r (r=−0.41, p<0.05). These results indicated that the ECC/CON ratio, rather than T, contributed to one of the energy-saving mechanisms during running with load.

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The hypothesis tested in the present study is a seasonal difference in the core interthreshold zone (CIZ), as we suggested in an earlier study that individual awareness of heat may change the CIZ due to thermoregulatory behavior. A series of human experiments were carried out in a climatic chamber in January and August of 2009 and January of 2010. The air temperature in the chamber was controlled at 20–24°C. Subjects wore a water-perfused suit that was perfused with 25°C water at a rate of 600 cc/min. They exercised on an ergometer at 50% of their maximum work rate for 10–15 min until their sweating rate increased and then remained seated without exercise until oxygen uptake increased. Subjects' rectal temperature and skin temperatures at four sites were monitored by thermistors. The sweating rate was measured at the forehead with a sweat rate monitor (SKD 4000, Skinos Co.). Oxygen uptake was monitored with a gas analyzer (Respiromonitor RM-300i, Minato Med. Science Co.). In the 2009 winter experiment, 5 male subjects were exposed to lighting of 36 cd/m²/1,050 lx, and in the 2009 summer and 2010 winter experiments, 10 male subjects were exposed to lighting of 18 cd/m2/510 lx. The results showed that the CIZ of 0.69±0.29°C (n=22, data from 2005–2007 experiments) at 36 cd/m² and that of 0.37±0.17°C (n=10) at 18 cd/m² in summer were greater than the CIZ of 0.37±0.13°C (n=5) at 36 cd/m² and that of 0.18±0.17°C (n=10) at 18 cd/m² in winter, and thus demonstrated a seasonal difference in the CIZ as well as an effect of lighting conditions on the CIZ.

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The purpose of this study was to highlight the issues related to thickness-based muscle size evaluation that is commonly done in field studies. The cross-sectional area, thickness (the vertical distance from the upper end of the elbow flexors to that of the humerus) and width (the horizontal distance from the left to the right end of the elbow flexors) of the elbow flexors at levels from the reference site (60% of the upper arm length from the acromial process of the scapula to the lateral epicondyle of the humerus) to 5 cm distal to it were determined in 11 young men using magnetic resonance imaging, both at rest and during isometric elbow flexion at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction. During 30% of maximal voluntary contraction, the thickness increased but the width decreased at each measurement site compared with those at rest. This was possibly due to difference in muscle slackness between both conditions. The correlation coefficients between the thickness and cross-sectional area for the elbow flexors were significantly lower at rest (r=0.551–0.856) than during 30% of maximal voluntary contraction (r=0.711–0.922). The present findings indicate that the thickness-based muscle size measurement at rest includes errors owing to the slackness of the resting muscles.

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