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Aims: As the glucose tolerance of patients with diabetes worsens, autonomic nervous system (ANS) function decreases. Only a few studies, using plasma glucose, have reported on this relationship in large general populations that include people with wide range of glycemia. This study aimed to examine correlates of ANS function with special reference to HbA1c which is more stable than plasma glucose among community residents.Methods: Spectral analysis was performed to assess heart rate variability (HRV) using 1-minute electrocardiogram RR interval data recordings from 7690 residents aged 35-79 years in Nagahama City, Japan. HRV parameters were log-transformed. Multiple regression analysis was performed using potential correlates.Results: lnLF decreased with age (regression coefficient, -0.025; P < 0.001), BMI (-0.010; P = 0.035), and HbA1c (-0.068; P = 0.036). lnHF decreased with age (-0.029; P < 0.001), BMI (-0.032; P < 0.001), and HbA1c (-0.173; P < 0.001). lnLF/HF increased with age (0.003; P = 0.002), BMI (0.023; P < 0.001), and HbA1c (0.105; P < 0.001). Women showed lower lnLF and lnLF/HF than men. Sleep quality assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, smoking and drinking had almost no relation.Conclusions: Although the associations were weak, age, BMI and HbA1c were inversely correlated with parasympathetic activity, while positively correlated with sympathetic activity among general residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we examine the recent situation of advocacy through game accessibility of video games for people with physical disabilities and its challenges in Japan. We conducted an email survey among the dominant gaming companies in Japan. We discovered that most gaming companies developing games for those with disabilities have actually attempted to provide some consideration to people with disabilities through setting additional special functions such as "easy mode" and "support for visual disabilities". One out of five companies could be categorized as having successfully developed games based on the concept of specialized assistive technology, and the remaining companies could be categorized as having developed games for disabilities based on the concept of barrier-reducing goods. We also found out that the major Japanese gaming corporations had a tendency not to be active in communicating with the disability communities. Our results might indicate that stronger interaction with the gaming companies is one direct way to enhance further development of games for people with disabilities. In addition to that, considering that games are a significant form of social participation for people with disabilities, more social understanding is required in the Japanese domestic context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]