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The cycling wheelchair (CWC) can be used as a pedaling exercise machine. However, physiological indexes in the CWC at various pedaling rates and the difference between the CWC and the existing pedaling machines such as the portable ergometer (ERG) are unclear. The aim of this study was to measure physiological indexes in the CWC at various pedaling rates and compare the CWC to the ERG, focusing on psychological stress. The present non-randomized crossover study included ten healthy men (22.3 ± 1.2 years) who performed pedaling exercise with the CWC and the ERG. Both experiments were composed of three pedaling exercise sessions (40, 60, and 80 rpm). Physiological indexes, consisting of oxygen consumption, heart rate, perceived breathlessness and leg fatigue, and salivary amylase activity (SAA), an index of psychological stress, were measured. The metabolic equivalent (METs) and the rate of change in SAA from rest to immediately after each pedaling session (ΔSAA) were calculated. In the CWC, all physiological indexes significantly increased with pedaling rates. The METs were 2.2 ± 0.3, 2.7 ± 0.4, and 3.5 ± 0.4 at 40, 60, and 80 rpm, respectively. In comparison between the CWC and the ERG, ΔSAA was lower in the CWC than in the ERG at 60 and 80 rpm. Our results indicate that the CWC pedaling can provide low or moderate intensity exercises with adjusting pedaling rates and is less stressful than the ERG. Thus, the CWC is a useful pedaling machine to promote regular and enjoyable exercises.

Aim To translate the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ) into Japanese, and assess its reliability and validity in Japanese community-dwelling older adults. Methods A total of 84 community-dwelling older adults people aged 65 years or older were included in the present study, and those with a Mini-Mental State Examination score of

Background We examined the association of chronic musculoskeletal pain with executive function in community-dwelling older adults. Method This cross-sectional study recruited 234 community-dwelling older adults in Japan (mean age: 72.7, women: 62.8%). Chronic musculoskeletal pain was defined as having moderate or more severe pain lasting ≥ 3 months. Executive function was assessed using the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Trail Making Test (TMT) parts A and B, Letter Verbal Fluency Test (LVFT) and Category Verbal Fluency Test (CVFT). Results Prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal pain was 19% (n = 44). In the univariate analysis, the DSST and CVFT scores were significantly lower in the chronic musculoskeletal pain group than in the control group (DSST: chronic musculoskeletal pain group vs. control group, 40.2 vs. 45.4, respectively, p

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the cross-sectional association between arterial stiffness (AS) measured with the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) and executive function in community-dwelling elderly people. Methods: Subjects were 140 community-dwelling elderly people who participated in the study at Kobe, Japan during the period of August–September 2014, of which 126 (mean age ± SD: 73.2 ± 6.1, female: 67.5%) met the inclusion criteria and completed the study. Age, sex, body mass index, global cognition, existence of chronic disease, medication, smoking history, and years of education were assessed. The degree of AS was assessed using CAVI. Executive function was assessed using the Category Word Fluency Test (CWFT), Letter Word Fluency Test (LWFT), and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). We used a correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis to investigate whether higher CAVI was independently associated with lower executive function. Results: In the univariate analysis, higher mean CAVI correlated with lower CWFT (rho = −0.21, p = 0.020), LWFT (rho = −0.32, p < 0.001), and DSST (rho = −0.31, p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, higher mean CAVI was associated with lower LWFT (β = −0.21, p = 0.046) after adjusting for confounding factors, although there was no association with CWFT (β = −0.05, p = 0.61) and DSST (β = −0.06, p = 0.51). Conclusions: We found that high CAVI was associated with lower LWFT. These results suggest that arterial stiffness is associated with lower performance in phonemic fluency.

To translate the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ) into Japanese, and assess its reliability and validity in Japanese community-dwelling older adults.A total of 84 community-dwelling older adults people aged 65 years or older were included in the present study, and those with a Mini-Mental State Examination score of24, had dementia, had digestive disease or who did not complete the examination were excluded. The SNAQ was translated into Japanese according to an internationally accepted methodology. The internal reliability of the SNAQ was evaluated by Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Test-retest reliability was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient. The dimensionality of the SNAQ was evaluated by factor analysis. Concurrent validity was evaluated by measuring the Pearson's correlation coefficient between the SNAQ and Mini-Nutritional Assessment Short-Form scores, Geriatric Depression Scale scores, walking speed test, chair-stand test, hand grip strength test, or the Timed Up and Go test.The mean score of the Japanese version of the SNAQ was 15.5, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.545 and intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.754. Factor analysis showed a single factor with 50.0% explained variance. The SNAQ was significantly associated with the Mini-Nutritional Assessment Short-Form, Geriatric Depression Scale, walking speed test, chair-stand test and the Timed Up and Go test. Handgrip strength test did not show a significant association with the SNAQ.The Japanese version of the SNAQ had sufficient reliability and validity. Furthermore, SNAQ (Japanese version) is useful for evaluating the appetite of community-dwelling older adults in Japan. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2015; 15: 1264-1269.