The toe flexor strength, indicated by the flexion function of the plantar and toe, is closely related to various physical fitness factors. Moreover, it has been clarified that performance is expected to improve by training the movement of toes. On the other hand, regular practice and pre-match warm-up are indispensable from the viewpoint of injury prevention and performance enhancement. However, some types and methods of warming up are ineffective in enhancing performance. We verified the effect of a novel warm-up method that utilizes the flexion motion of the toes. Therefore, in this study, we investigated whether a warm-up incorporating plantar and toe flexor movement was effective in improving the agility, jumping, and sprinting performances. This study included 40 male university students who belonged to the athletic club. They were randomly classified into four groups of 10 participants each: dynamic stretch (DS) group, plantar-toe movement group, DS + plantar-toe movement group, and control group. The participants were assessed for toe gripping force, Illinois test, standing long jump, and 20-m running both before and after warming up. According to the results of the Illinois test, the plantar-toe movement group and DS + plantar-toe movement group showed improvement after the intervention, and a significant difference was noted with respect to the time factors (P<0.01). Additionally, in the intergroup factors of the Illinois test after the intervention, a significant difference was observed between the plantar-toe movement group, DS + plantar-toe movement group and the control group (P<0.05). The results of this study suggest that warming up with the plantar and toe movement is effective in improving the, Acceleration deceleration, and turning around, which are the parameters of the Illinois test.

View full abstract

　Acute exercise significantly reduces hunger in obese and normal body weight individuals. This suppression of appetite is termed “exercise-induced anorexia” and is associated with transient changes in plasma acylated ghrelin concentrations. However, the effects of acute exercise on appetite regulation in competitive athletes currently remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of acute aerobic exercise on appetite and plasma acylated ghrelin concentrations in athletes and compare them with those in obese and normal body weight subjects. Thirty men (athletes, n = 10; normal body weight, n = 10; obese, n = 10) participated in the present study. Subjects ran on a treadmill at a speed equivalent to 50% of their peak oxygen uptake. During the study period, ratings of subjective feelings of hunger were reported on a 100-mm visual analogue scale. Blood samples were obtained at 30-min intervals for the measurement of plasma acylated ghrelin concentrations. The results obtained showed that plasma acylated ghrelin concentrations were decreased by acute exercise in all groups, whereas hunger rates were unaffected in athletes. Decreases in plasma acylated ghrelin concentrations during acute exercise positively correlated with decreases in hunger rates in the obese and normal body weight groups, but not in athletes. Therefore, aerobic exercise by athletes did not result in “exercise-induced anorexia”. The present results demonstrated that plasma acylated ghrelin concentrations did not significantly affect appetite in competitive athletes.

View full abstract

　High-intensity training such as long-distance running has reduced the motivation of preschool children. Soccer is characterized by a significant amount of high-intensity exercise performed during a game and child-friendly sports. Therefore, the present study investigated the effects of soccer at a frequency of once a week on heart rate (HR) response the small-sided soccer games in preschool children. Twenty preschool boys (soccer group, n=10; sports group other than soccer, n=10) participated in the study. Data were collected from the small-sided soccer games. HR and coefficient of variation of RR interval (CVRR) was recorded using short-range telemetry HR monitor systems. The activity profiles of subjects were assessed using Global Position System technology. No significant differences were observed in the mean values of total distance covered or HR during the small-sided soccer games between the soccer group and multi-sport group. During the recovery period, the mean values of HR were significantly lower and CVRR were significantly higher in the soccer group than in the multi-sport group. In conclusions, the present results indicate that playing small-sided soccer only once a week in preschool children induces the faster recovery of HR by the intermediary of cardiac parasympathetic nerve after high-intensity exercise.

View full abstract

　This study aimed to elucidate factors related to nurses’ ability to practice seamless care for elderly dementia patients at hospitals for community-based care. A questionnaire was administered to 2,000 nurses at 200 hospitals for community-based care. We obtained 605 valid responses (30.3%). The contents of the questionnaire included the basic attributes, seamless care for elderly dementia patients in community-based integrated care scale (SCD-CBS), support standards for the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), and the scale to evaluate professional discharge planning ability of nurses (NDPAS). The results showed that the variance inflation factor (VIF) of the model for items related to SCD-CBS in the practice seamless care for elderly patients with dementia was between 1.008 and 3.175（VIF＜5.00）. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that SCD-CBS was related to “adjustment power,” of NDPAS, “unhygienic,” of SS-BPSD, “estimating power,” of NDPAS, support from people in other occupations, and “act of aggression (violence),” of SS-BPSD (adjusted R2 = .604). It is suggested that seamless care for elderly patients with BPSD is important in cooperation with people in other occupations to improve SCD-CBS.

View full abstract

　To examine the effectiveness of hair-washing techniques, a survey was conducted to compare the degree of contamination in the hair and scalp of bed-ridden patients and clarify the difference in contamination depending on the hair-washing interval. 　The subjects were patients who were washed while in bed, and were divided into three groups according to the number of days since their last hair wash. The hair and scalp were divided into seven sections and samples were taken to determine the contamination status of each section and the entire head. The contamination index was the amount of bacteria and sebum. The five types of targeted staphylococci were detected via real-time PCR（Polymerase Chain Reaction）. The amount of bacteria was calculated for each type of detected bacteria in each section and compared among the groups. Furthermore, we investigated the relationship between the amount of bacteria and sebum and amount of hair and scalp. 　All five types of bacteria were detected in all the hair and scalp sections. The total amount of bacteria in the hair of group 2 was twice that of group 1, and that of group 3 was approximately thrice of that of group 2. Regarding scalp, group 2 had approximately five times more bacteria than group 1, and group 3 had approximately twice as much as group 2. The total amount of triglycerides (TG) did not vary significantly between the hair and scalp. Regarding the relationship between the amount of bacteria and TG, the total amount of TG tended to increase slightly when the total number of bacteria increased in groups 1 and 2 (for both hair and scalp) but not in group 3.

View full abstract

　This study aims to identify the measures (referred to as “efforts”) considered by facility managers to attract and retain staff of community-based welfare facilities (CBWFs) for older adults. Methods: The CBWFs’ selection criteria included those that had solid operational statuses or made proactive efforts to improve the workplace, based on region type. Active interviews were conducted with the facility managers of nine selected facilities, and the results were analyzed qualitatively and inductively. Results: The analysis revealed five core categories of efforts being addressed by the managers: “Management that takes advantage of the small facility’s characteristics,” “management as an organization with deep community roots,” “management that supports their staff,” “supportive of practical skills improvement,” and “development of strategies to improve the working environment.” Conclusion: These findings suggest ways of organizational management for building an ideal workplace from a perspective that focuses on the characteristics of community-based welfare facilities for older adults, as well as one that could be used in diverse social welfare corporations.

View full abstract

　This study aims to identify the characteristics of effective initiatives for attracting and retaining staff at the workplace, as envisioned by the staff of community-based welfare facilities for older adults (hereinafter referred to as CBWFs). Focus group interviews were conducted with the nursing and care personnel of a sample of CBWFs, and the data were analyzed qualitatively and descriptively. A total of 13 subjects (5 nurses and 8 caregivers) were included in the study. Seven were female (53.8%), and the majority were in their 30s (38.5%). Most of the subjects (n = 8, 61.5%) had 10 or more years of experience in elderly care facilities. The mean interview time was 57.7 ± 9.0 minutes. Ten (76.9%) of the subjects confirmed that the analysis results were correct. The results of the analysis showed that initiatives for attracting staff to the workplace and retaining them should be characterized by “management that makes use of ties with the local community,” “efforts to support the quality of care” of the staff, “adjustment of the human environment,” and “management of the facility as a foundation.” It was suggested that this would help create an attractive workplace for the staff of CBWFs and aid in their retention.

View full abstract