ABSTRACT
The comfortability and safety on resort were investigated in terms of resort environments focusing on atmosphere temperature.<br>With regard to the comfortability, first, a discomfort index (DI) defined with atmosphere temperature and relative humidity was demonstrated to be associated with indicators of autonomic nerve activities derived from heart beat variability at the level around DI-70 which was classified into the category of “comfortable for most of people”.<br>Secondarily, it was suggested that the index could be available to evaluate comfortability for given time courses at different resort points with an example of its hourly average in 24 hours a day for a representative month in each season. With regard to the safety, first, stroke incident rate of each month was associated with monthly average atmosphere temperature when the relationship was analyzed using around ten thousands patients data for 7 years from the community-based stroke registration for in Toyama prefecture. On top of that, it has been demonstrated that the atmosphere temperature on one and two days prior to the stroke development was independently effective on the risk of cerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoidal hemorrhage development with the adjustment for patient's sex and age, calendar year, season, relative humidity and atmosphere pressure. Secondarily, morning raise in blood pressure was affected by the room temperature (10°C and 25°C). The lower temperature the more raise in blood pressure.
ABSTRACT
In order to investigate effects of deep sea water bathing on psycho-physiological status, body temperature, circulatory and autonomic nervous system functions, and questionnaires on refreshment and sleep were evaluated in comparison with other 3 kinds of bathing including sham (no water), surface sea water and tap water. The skin temperatures of both tights and lower back were significantly higher for only deep sea water bathing compared with the sham bathing. It was also the case for tympanic temperature. Concerning circularly and autonomic nervous functions there were no significant difference between 4 kinds of bathing. For refreshment and sleep quality both sea water bathing showed higher scores, but not consistently significant differences. However, when taking any kind of bath shorter sleep latency was related to higher cardiac parasympathetic activity during sleep.
ABSTRACT
The demand-supply status of manipulative therapies for muscle-skeletal complaints in Japan were observed and analyzed using data published in 1995.<br>The results were as follows.<br>1. In Japan, the average prevalence rate was 69.6 for shoulder stiffness, 71.8 for lower back pain, and 46.1 for joint pain as of 1995 (per 1, 000 population). The prevalence rates were higher in women than in men and higher in prefectures located in the west part than in the east part of Japan. Differences in prevalence rates of the three complaints of several times were seen among the 46 prefectures.<br>2. On average, there were 66.6 massagers/chiropractors, 45.0 acupuncturists, 44.0 moxibustionists, and 20.2 bonesetters as of 1995 in Japan (per 100, 000 population). These numbers were higher in prefectures located in the west part than in the east part of Japan.<br>3. The rate of outpatients attending massagers, chiropractors, acupuncturists, moxibustionists, or bonesetters as of 1995 in Japan was 23.7per 1, 000 population. The rate of outpatients was higher in women than in men and higher in prefectures located in the west part than in the east part of Japan.<br>4. The rate of outpatients in each prefecture showed a significant correlation with the prevalence rates of muscle-skeletal complaints (r=0.51 for shoulder stiffness, r=0.44 for low back pain, and r=0.68 for joint pain) and with the numbers of manipulative therapists (r=0.31 for massagers/chiropractors, r=0.36 for acupuncturists, r=0.35 for moxibustionists, and r=0.57 for bonesetters).<br>5. Based on multiple correlation analysis showing the correlation of the rate of outpatients with the number of therapists, the prevalence rate of shoulder stiffness (partial correlation coefficient: PCC=0.61) and the number of bonesetters (PCC=0.65) showed significant correlation with the number of outpatients visiting therapists, and its multiple correlation coefficient was 0.76 (<0.001).