Objective: In Asia,

are popular eating utensils, and the use of is closely related to food culture. Therefore, the type in which children grasp and the functionality of these grasping patterns are important for occupational therapists. The purpose of this study was to investigate the various types of grasping in typically developing preschool children and compare the functionalities of these types.

Methods: We investigated various types of grasping

in 102 typically developing preschool children. There were 72 preschool children who performed four types of chopstick operation tasks: two pick-up and carry tasks, a scoop-up and carry task, and a cut task. These task scores were compared between the traditional and untraditional grasping types.

Results: Within the 102 participants, we found the traditional and four untraditional grasping types. There was no significant difference between the traditional and untraditional grasping types in the “pick-up and carry” and “scoop-up and carry” task scores (p > 0.05). For all grasping types, the “cut task” score was low.

Conclusion: There were no differences in functionality between traditional and untraditional grasping types. Furthermore, we found that functionality was affected by food shape. These results may provide insights on interventions during meals, especially for children who are learning how to use

.

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Non-slippery were invented to smoothly handle slippery food. They are said to hold food firmly, because their tips are painted so as to make a wavy concavo-convex shape on the surface. Non-slippery are now on the market and used more widely than ordinary ones. However, few scientific studies have been made about their usability and hygiene.
In this experiment, we compared non-slippery with ordinary to find out how effective and sanitary the non-slippery are. Our findings are as follows:
(1) In terms of appearance, the non-slippery were inferior to the ordinary ones, since they looked dirtier because of the pigments on the tip.
(2) The refuse was more easily attached to the non-slippery during and after the experiment.
(3) The non-slippery made our subjects feel uncomfortable when touched their tounge, mouth, or teeth.
(4) The non-slippery were more effective than the ordinary ones when used to pick up, carry (up and down and side by side), collect, and handle boiled eggs and beans. However, they were less effective when used to hold eggs while swinging and to cut them off.
In sum, the non-slippery were effective to handle konnyaku, boiled eggs, and boiled beans, but not to deal with rice.
(5) After washing the used , we kept their tips in the agar to observe the growth of bacteria.
After washing the with detergent and then cleaning them with running water, we observed growing bacteria on the non-slippery but not on the ordinary ones. It is necessary therefore to wash non-slippery twice as carefully as we wash ordinary ones.

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“Saibashi” is the which are used for various types of cooking including simmering, oiling, saut, frying, etc. and used for dishing up. Althoungh many kinds of are sold in the market, few studies have been made as to which type of are easy to use and as to how they can be selected in accordance with the type of cooking.
This report was attempted to research on the cooking functionalities of “saibashi” and its selective use in the each type of cooking. With 5 types of dishes being actually cooked, the comparison was made for the following sets of sold in the market: (1) short-size (30cm) and long -size (33cm) ; (2) with and without non-slippery treatment; (3) with and without strings; (4) metal-made and bamboo-made . The evaluations were made according to the 5-point scoring method with 10-11 items.
The following findings were obtained: 1. When used for cooking in direct contact with heat, i. e., frying and saute, long-size were preferable because it was unlikely that the hands would feel too hot and would contact the oil. For other types of cooking, however, short-size were easier to use.
2. The with strings at the top were rated lower in respect to 10 items than those without strings.
3. The with non-slippery treatment at the top were rated higher in respect to 10 items than those without non-slippery treatment.
4. The metal for frying with the holding parts coated with plastics were rated higher during the frying process than the ordinary type-bamboo . In respect to other 9 items, however, the bamboo-made ones were rated higher.
5. For the types of cooking like saute and frying using strong fire, long-size chosticks were preferable. For other types of cooking, however, short-size, no-string and non-slippery were easy to use.
From these results it was observed that the should be selected in accordance with the type of cooking.

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Short size have been increasingly used for take-out lunch or sushi boxes and long size sticks in high-class restaurants in Japan. It is not convenient, however, for most people to use short or long size . We assume that there may be an appropriate size for .
Although many studies have been conducted on the suitable length of used at home, there have been few studies on that of “waribashi” or splittable used in restaurants or for takeout food.
In this study, we examined the effect of the length of splittable on the comfortability, convenience and efficiency to eat with, by selected female students as our panel. We asked them to eat sushi by using four types of , L (long; 23.5cm), S (short; 16.5cm), M (medium; 20.2cm), and S' (special; 21.5cm) and then to evaluate them for the above three attributes.
It was found that S' (1.25 times as long as the panelists' hands) were most comfortable to eat with, most convenient to pick up sushi with, and most efficient to cut seaweed with, and L and S turned out to be most difficult to handle and A were inbetween. It was also found by our subsequent experiment that S and L did harm to the arms' muscle movement.
Because there is a significant correlation between the length of our hands and height, we can calculate the most suitable length of from our height.

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This paper proposes a method to manipulate objects with in a virtual environment. Here, the exact interactions in multiple stages are introduced, i.e., between hand and , and and object. For the interaction between hand and , constraints coming from the correct table manner are implemented to operate correctly. An exact real-time interference detection algorithm for polygonal objects is also used to prevent interference between hand and . On the other hand, two methods to pick up virtual objects are proposed for the interaction between and object, i.e., an approximated test using a -pointer and a bounding box of an object, and exact test using polygonal shape representations.

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箸は日本の貴重な食文化の1つであるが、使用技術は難しい。我々は先に、母親の食事への意識が幼児の食嗜好や食事内容に影響する可能性を示したことから、本研究では幼児・母親の箸の持ち方と母親の箸に対する意識との関連について検討した。

3～5歳児の幼児の母親198名に対し、箸の持ち方・意識についてアンケート調査を実施（有効回答数64.6％）し、幼児・母親の箸の持ち方の正誤を調べ、それに対する判断、箸に対する意識を比較した。

母親の70.8％、幼児の34.0％が正しく箸を持っていた。母親と幼児の箸の持ち方には有意な関連を認めた（p<0.001）。箸を正しく持つことを重要視する母親は、正しく持てる割合が高かった（p<0.001）。

母親の箸の持ち方への意識が高いと持ち方が正しく、母親の持ち方が正しいと幼児も正しい割合が高いことから、母親の箸への意識を高め、持ち方を正すことは、幼児の箸の持ち方の習得に重要であると示唆される。

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[Purpose] This study investigated the best training method for manipulation through a comparison of muscle activations of the shoulder and forearm between pincer-pinching and scissor-pinching operations. [Subjects] Thirteen participants were recruited. [Methods] They performed simulated eating tasks using two different chopstick operations. The EMG activities of the right side upper trapezius, flexor and extensor carpi radialis were measured. [Results] Electromyographic activity of the upper trapezius muscles was significantly lower in scissor-pinching than in pincer-pinching. The activity of the flexor carpi radialis muscle was significantly higher in scissor-pinching than in pincer-pinching. [Conclusion] We consider that persons with fine-motor impairment of the hands would be able to use more effectively if the operation were properly selected.

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The difference was studied between use of the dominant hand and non-dominant hand in the transfer time of a cotton sample by using and a spoon. The effect of training on the transfer time of the cotton sample by in the dominant hand and non-dominant hand was also examined. The transfer times of a sample by and spoon were significantly shorter when held in the dominant hand than in the non-dominant hand.. The transfer time of a sample in the dominant hand was significantly longer by spoon than by . However, no significant difference was apparent in the transfer time of the sample between the and spoon in the non-dominant hand. Training in manipulating the significantly reduced the transfer time of a sample in the period from 6 to 10 days after starting the training, and this reduced transfer time was maintained 45days after the cessation of training. These results suggest that the hand dominance for using was more prominent than that for spoon use and that training for chopstick use was more effective for the non-dominant hand, with the effect being maintained for a long period of time.

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Children had been taught how to hold and use

individually from their parents, however recently it is hard to teach at home. In this study, teaching　method of how to hold in elementary school class was investigated. First, the children stuck a seal on three places of their hand, belly of thumb, side of middle finger nail, and side of ring finger nail. These places were where the touch when they were hold correctly. Then the children held the and confirmed by themselves whether the were touching the seal. There was no need to check each child individually. After classes, the children practiced how to hold and use as homework for a week using the designed worksheet. As a result of this teaching method, the percentage of children who held correctly has increased from 36.1% to 52.5%. It increased from 13.6% to 81.0% in the group who repeatedly practiced in class using the DVD in addition to this method.

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Denitrification using as organic carbon source was examined in an anaerobic-anoxic biological filter reactor and an anoxic biological filter reactor. In the two phase anaerobic-anoxic reactor, sulfate reduction and acetate production occurred in the anaerobic bed packed with . In the anoxic bed connected to the anaerobic bed with , sulfur denitrification and heterotrophic denitrification occurred. In the single anoxic biological filter reactor, denitrification and sulfate reduction occurred simultaneously in the anoxic bed packed with . The sulfate reducing activities of the biofilm in both reactors packed with were high, meaning that sulfate reduction played an important role on decomposition of . Microbial community of sulfate reducing bacteria and sulfur oxidation bacteria was examined by a FISH method. Desulfobulbus spp., Desulfbbactor spp. and Desulfonema spp. were most common sulfate reducing bacteria grown in the anaerobic bed of the two phase reactor and the anoxic bed of the single reactor. Thiobacillus denitrificans was also observed in the anoxic biofilm with the of the single reactor. It was observed that Desulfonema spp. was attached with Thiothrix nivea, and sulfur oxidation-reduction cycle was established in the biofilm under anoxic condition.

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本研究の目的は、N 介護老人保健施設の入所者を対象として、箸の使用の有無と、日常生活行動の自立度の関係を検討することである。箸を使用している高齢者は、箸を使用していない高齢者に比べ、食事を自立して行っていることが多い。では、箸使用群の、食事以外の自立は、非箸使用群に比べてどうであろうか。そこで、箸使用群と非箸使用群に分けて、寝たきり度と認知症度を比較し、食事以外の日常生活の歩行、尿排泄、便排泄、入浴などの自立度について比較をした。 その結果、箸使用群は食事の自立のみならず、非箸使用群に比べて寝たきり度や認知症の程度においても、さらに日常生活の自立度が高い傾向にあることが明らかとなった。このことから、高齢者における日常生活の自立度を見る上で、箸を使用できるか否かが1 つの簡易な指標となり得るのではないかと考える。

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Objective: Eating is important in rehabilitation and is evaluated using joint angles that serve as kinematic information. Joint angles of the upper extremities during eating have been reported for men and for women; however, no study has investigated these joint angles in terms of gender differences. At present, no information is available on gender differences as individual factors of upper extremity joint angles during eating. Therefore, the present study investigated gender differences in upper limb joint angles during eating tasks involving a spoon or

. Methods: We examined eating motions in 12 healthy Japanese men and 13 healthy Japanese women (aged 20–39 years) and compared the two groups. Motions were assessed using inertial sensors and three-dimensional motion analysis. Results: We established, separately for men and women, the maximum angle and the range of motion (RoM) for each upper limb joint. Women generally had greater RoMs for all upper limb joints than men did. When subjects used a spoon, statistically significant differences and large effect sizes were observed for the maximum elbow joint flexion angle and the RoMs of the shoulder joint in abduction, flexion, and internal rotation. When subjects used , statistically significant differences and large effect sizes were observed for maximum angles of shoulder joint internal rotation, elbow joint flexion, and wrist joint radial flexion and for the RoM of shoulder joint abduction. Conclusions: We concluded that there are significant gender differences in upper limb joint angles during eating, and that these differences are influenced by numerous factors.

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箸の性質や持ち方と箸を扱う諸動作の動作時間との関係を明らかにするため, 男女大学生11名を対象に箸を用いた諸動作を解析した. 実験には14cm, 21cm, 33cmの長さの箸を用い, ダイズ, ニンジン, トウフをはさんで, あるいはつまんで運ぶ動作, ソーセージを切る動作, ハンペンをさく動作について, 作業時間, 動作中の手腕の筋電図, 指と箸の間の圧力を測定した. 作業時間は, ダイズ, ニンジンを運ぶときには箸の長さによる違いはみられなかったが, トウフを運ぶときには長い箸が, 切る, さく動作のときには短い箸ほど動作時間が短かった. また, 箸と接触する手の各部位の圧は, 持ち方により違いがあった. つまんだり, はさんで運ぶ場合, 伝統的な持ち方では各部位の圧の違いは箸の長さ, 食品の大小や性状によらず同じパターンであったが, 他の持ち方では各指の圧パターンのばらつきが大きかった. さらに手腕各筋の筋電図では, 短母指屈筋の振幅が大きいことが特徴で, ニンジンを運ぶ動作, ソーセージを切る動作, ハンペンをさく動作の場合, 長い箸のときは短い箸よりも短母指屈筋の筋電図振幅が大きかった. 箸の長さに関しては, 長い箸では, トウフを運ぶとき以外は, 作業動作が終ったときに箸を持つ位置が先端方向に移動していた. 中等度の長さの箸ではソーセージを切る動作でのみ先端方向へ, 短い箸ではトウフを運ぶ動作でのみ逆に後端方向へ移動していた. なお, 箸を用いた各動作の動作時間と身体計測値との相関はほとんど認められなかった.
この動作時間, 圧の比較, 筋電図振幅の比較, および作業後の箸を持つ位置の比較から, 大きい食品を運ぶときは長い箸, 食品を切る, さくという動作では短い箸がよく, 動作に適した箸の長さが異なることが明らかになった. また, 箸に接触した指の各部位の圧の比較から, 伝統的な持ち方ではつまんだり, はさんで運んだ場合, 箸の長さ, 食品の大小や性状に関係なく, 各指にかかる圧のパターンは同じであり, 他の持ち方に比べて安定していることが示唆された.

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This study examined young children’s (N=87) development of conditional reasoning competence. Using the four-cards selection task of Harris and Nunez (1996), an age (3-, 4- and 5-year-olds) by context (deontic context whereby mother states the premise vs. descriptive context whereby the child states the premise) by task (familiar task based on a premise relating to an empirical matter for the participant vs. counterfactual task involving a counterfactual matter) factorial design (one between, two within factors) was utilized. According to the results, five-year-old children performed better than 3-year-olds, the deontic context encouraged children’s performance more than the descriptive context, and the counterfactual task was more difficult than the familiar task. A significant 3-way interaction showed that 5-year-olds could succeed even on the counterfactual task if it was in the deontic context. The data suggested that a theory of deontic reasoning was more appropriate than that of pragmatic reasoning model.

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Independence in eating is one of the goals in the therapeutic intervention of people with severe disabilities of the upper extremities, who lack the voluntary movements and are completely dependent upon others to feed them. We performed a three-dimensional motion analysis using the Vicon system on a normal subject and found that the use of and forearm supination/pronation are critical components. These were incorporated in a meal manipulator to help promote ease and accuracy of control of the device. The manipulator included a base that made positioning of the manipulator flexible; a swing arm that moves to the same point each time; a terminal device that holds the half-spoon-shaped and produces supination/pronation movements; a table that moves the food into position for reaching; and, a control box that the user can manipulate by mouth or chin. Consequently, the user is not fed but uses his/her remaining functions to eat independently. The manipulator was evaluated on two high level quadriplegic subjects, who provided valuable feedback. The authors concluded that independent eating using a meal manipulator could be very beneficial psychologically. Collaboration between engineers and therapists may lead to more independence for the disabled.

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In recent years, a lot of meal assistance apparatuses have been researched and developed for the elderly and disabled persons. In the case of , there is only both a grade of the robot system level and the simple one. Therefore, these cannot necessarily cover all disabled persons. In the previous study, we developed the electric for people who cannot eat well due to the hand disabilities. Then we obtained some comments of feeling in a trial experiment of the electric . In this study, the electric were improved in the easiness of the gripping force adjustment. First, a healthy person used conventional to grip soybeans and then the gripping force was measured by using the load cells attached on the . This gripping force was defined the index gripping force. Secondly, a healthy person tried the electric to which ON-OFF controller to grip soybean was installed. The gripping force applied by the electric with the controller was ten times or more as large as the index gripping force. To improve the result, position controller was introduced to the . Thirdly, as for the position controller, the gripping force applied by the was about time and the half for the index gripping force. Fourthly, in order to reduce the fluctuations of the output voltage of the load cells, the material was changed from wood to plastic and the two strain gauges method was used.

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Background: Reconstructive hand surgery is well established for the management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis; however, with the advent of biologic drugs and methotrexate, disease activity, including the development of hand deformities, is well controlled. Nonetheless, many patients still need personalized surgery. Case: A 61-year-old woman with a 35-year history of rheumatoid arthritis presented with right hand deformity with unstable ulnar deviation of the metacarpophalangeal joints from the index to the little finger and hyperextension of the thumb interphalangeal joint. Her hobby was playing the erhu (a traditional two-stringed bowed Chinese instrument) and she wanted to improve her ability to hold the bow. To play the erhu, the tip of the thumb must touch the index finger to make a circle, and the other fingers must keep the bow horizontal and adjust the tension of the bow hair. We carried out thumb interphalangeal joint arthrodesis, little finger metacarpophalangeal joint arthrodesis, and transfer of the fourth dorsal interosseous muscle to the little finger. After 2 months of rehabilitation, the patient could hold the bow between the thumb and index fingers and adjust the string tension with the middle and ring fingers. Additionally, she could use

and pens more naturally. Discussion: Each patient with hand deformity resulting from burnt-out rheumatoid arthritis has a variety of demands for restoring hand function, depending on their personal needs. Individual treatment plans must be established through discussions among the patient, hand therapist, and surgeon based on the status of the hand and the patient’s needs.

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