Handgrip Strength Is Inversely Associated With the Progression of Kidney Damage in a General Japanese Population: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background Handgrip strength is an indicator of muscle function and a predictor of health outcomes. However, only a few studies have examined the association between handgrip strength and the development of kidney damage. This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal association of handgrip strength with kidney damage in a general Japanese population.

Factors Associated with Non-attendance at a Follow-up Visit for Dyslipidemia Identified at Health Checkups: A Retrospective Cohort Study in a Japanese Prefecture.

Introduction: Dyslipidemia increases the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Visiting a physician for follow-up is essential when dyslipidemia is detected during health checkups. We investigated factors associated with non-attendance at a follow-up visit for dyslipidemia.

The relationship between maximal lactate accumulation rate and sprint performance parameters in male competitive swimmers.

This study aimed to examine the relationship between the maximal lactate accumulation rate (ċLa) and sprint performance parameters in male competitive swimmers. Seventeen male competitive swimmers volunteered to perform a 20 m maximal front crawl sprint without pushing off the wall from a floating position. ċLa was determined by the 20-m sprint time and blood lactate measured before and after the 20 m sprint.

Developing a battery of physical performance tests to predict functional disability in Japanese older adults: A longitudinal study from the Kasama study.

Aim: Preventing functional disability benefits the quality of life of older adults and mitigates the economic burden of an aging society. However, the most effective physical performance tests and optimal cut points for identifying older adults at risk of functional disability remain unclear, and Japan lacks physical function-based assessment tools. We aimed to identify the physical performance tests related to functional disability and to develop a predictive test battery for it.

Roles of Pbp1, Mkt1, and Dhh1 in the regulation of gene expression in the medium containing non-fermentative carbon sources.

Pbp1, a yeast ortholog of human ataxin-2, is important for cell growth in the medium containing non-fermentable carbon sources. We had reported that Pbp1 regulates expression of genes related to glycogenesis via transcriptional regulation and genes related to mitochondrial function through mRNA stability control. To further analyze the role of Pbp1 in gene expression, we first examined the time course of gene expression after transfer from YPD medium containing glucose to YPGlyLac medium containing glycerol and lactate.

Effect of spermidine intake on skeletal muscle regeneration after chemical injury in male mice.

Skeletal muscle has a high regenerative ability and maintains homeostasis by rapidly regenerating from frequent damage caused by intense exercise or trauma. In sports, skeletal muscle damage occurs frequently due to intense exercise, so practical methods to promote skeletal muscle regeneration are required. Recent studies have shown that it may be possible to promote skeletal muscle regeneration through new pathways, such as promoting autophagy and improving mitochondrial function.

Lifestyle habit change related to presenteeism change among Japanese employees.

This study aimed to examine the relationship between changes in lifestyle habits and presenteeism change according to sex. This retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from health checkups, the World Health Organization Health and Work Performance Questionnaire (WHO-HPQ) short form, and health insurance claims for 9366 Japanese corporate employees in 2015 and 2016. Changes in 11 lifestyle habits of sleeping, eating, exercise, drinking, and smoking were classified into four patterns by combining lifestyle habits (good/poor): (a) no worsening, (b) worsening, (c) no improvement, and (d) improvement.

Optimization of image reconstruction technique for respiratory-gated lung stereotactic body radiotherapy treatment planning using four-dimensional CT: a phantom study.

Patient respiration is characterized by respiratory parameters, such as cycle, amplitude, and baseline drift. In treatment planning using four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) images, the target dose may be affected by variations in image reconstruction techniques and respiratory parameters. This study aimed to optimize 4DCT image reconstruction techniques for the treatment planning of lung stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) based on respiratory parameters using respiratory motion phantom.

Novel Indirect Antioxidant Activity Independent of Nrf2 Exerted by Lactic Acid Bacteria.

In recent years, the health benefits of lactic acid bacteria have garnered attention, but their antioxidant activity remains relatively underexplored. We have been analyzing the antioxidant activities of various dietary phytochemicals by assessing their ability to mitigate oxidative stressor-induced toxicity in zebrafish larvae through pretreatment. In this study, the antioxidant activities of 24 strains of heat-killed lactic acid bacteria from various origins were examined using this zebrafish assay system.

Real-time measurement of two-dimensional LET distributions of proton beams using scintillators.

The linear energy transfer (LET) of proton therapy beams increases rapidly from the Bragg peak to the end of the beam. Although the LET can be determined using analytical or computational methods, a technique for efficiently measuring its spatial distribution has not yet been established. Thus, the purpose of this study is to develop a technique to measure the two-dimensional LET distribution in proton therapy in real time using a combination of multiple scintillators with different quenching.

Characteristics of falls in Japanese community-dwelling older adults.

Objective: Understanding the characteristics of falls among older adults is necessary to prevent them. These characteristics include questions such as when (month and time), where (places), who (age), what (injury), why (trigger), and how (direction) the falls occur. The objective of this study was to identify the characteristics of falls in individuals aged 65-74 years (young-old), 75-84 years (old-old), and ≥85 years (oldest-old).

Cross-sectional study of the optimal types of physical exercise for cognitive function in older Japanese adults.

Aim: This study aimed to determine whether practicing coordination exercises, compared with other physical exercise types, is associated with better cognitive function in older Japanese adults.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from a health checkup project carried out from 2015 to 2019 among older adults living in Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. Data from 569 participants (mean age 74.