<strong>Background: </strong>Early detection of cerebral infarction (CI) by home acupuncturists might be helpful in reducing stroke mortality. We compared vital signs of patients who developed CI and those...<strong>Background: </strong>Early detection of cerebral infarction (CI) by home acupuncturists might be helpful in reducing stroke mortality. We compared vital signs of patients who developed CI and those who did not to ascertain if blood pressure balance is a useful marker for the early detection of CI and for distinguishing cases with potentially effective/ineffective acupuncture treatment. <strong>Methods: </strong>In this retrospective study, vital signs such as body temperature, pulse, and blood pressure, were simultaneously obtained from the right and left arms of patients who received weekly acupuncture treatment. We focused on the differences between values obtained from the right and left arms (the balance) and compared the values of patients who developed CI [CI (+)] (n = 18) and those of age-/gender-matched patients who did not [CI (<span style="white-space:nowrap;">−</span>)] (n = 18). <strong>Results:</strong> Left/right blood pressure was significantly more unbalanced in the CI (+) group than in the CI (<span style="white-space:nowrap;">−</span>) group, especially immediately before the onset of CI. Moreover, all CIs occurred on the side with a lower blood pressure. <strong>Discussion and Conclusions:</strong> Blood pressure balance might aid in the early detection of CI and to determine whether treatment with traditional or modern medicine is more appropriate. Acupuncture may thus help maintain patients’ quality of life.展开更多
<strong>Background:</strong> Despite having one of the most successful health systems in the world, annual medical expenditures in Japan have been increasing year to year. We sought to clarify regional dif...<strong>Background:</strong> Despite having one of the most successful health systems in the world, annual medical expenditures in Japan have been increasing year to year. We sought to clarify regional differences in medical expenditures by analyzing the relationship between the specific health examination coverage and medical care expenditure by prefecture of Japan. <strong>Methods:</strong> We used data from the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups (NDB) Open Data Japan (2015) and Overview of 2015 National Medical Expenses to compare medical care expenditure per capita and proportions of persons receiving specific health examination between Japan nationally and individual prefectures. <strong>Results: </strong>National medical expenditures were 42.3 trillion Japanese yen (JPY) (3851 hundred million dollars), with a national per capita rate of JPY347,219 (USD3156). Per capita medical expenditure rates by prefecture ranged from JPY290,900 (USD2645) in Saitama Prefecture to JPY 444,000 (USD4036) in Kochi Prefecture. The proportion of persons receiving specific health examinations was 49.0% for Japan overall and ranged from 39.3% in Hokkaido Prefecture to 63.4% in Tokyo Prefecture. We observed a significant negative correlation between per capita medical expenditures and the proportion of persons receiving specific health examinations (R = 0.553, p < 0.001).<strong> Conclusion: </strong>We found a significant negative correlation between per capita medical expenditures and the proportion of persons receiving health examinations: prefectures with lower expenditures tended to have higher rates of medical examinations. Interventions to increase the proportion of persons receiving specific health examinations by prefecture could reduce per capita medical expenditures and reduce prefectural disparities in expenditures.展开更多
Background: Happiness varies across the life course in a U shape, with the least happiness in mid-life during the working years. Therefore, choosing a career may be an important factor in life’s happiness. However, t...Background: Happiness varies across the life course in a U shape, with the least happiness in mid-life during the working years. Therefore, choosing a career may be an important factor in life’s happiness. However, the relationship between the career selection process and happiness remains unclear. Methods: We surveyed 805 schoolteachers, office workers, and nurses from an available marketing database using an ad hoc questionnaire assessing happiness and career selection type. Results and Discussion: We found that happiness was significantly greater among schoolteachers and nurses than for office workers in Japan. Furthermore, among schoolteachers and office workers, an evasive/avoidance type of career-selection process had an unfavorable effect on happiness. However, among nurses, no such association was observed. Conclusion: Paying attention to the career-selection process may be helpful to improve happiness.展开更多
Background: While public municipal hospitals in Japan are supported by public financing and are less likely to fail than private hospitals, more than half are in financial deficit. Hospitals running at a deficit may h...Background: While public municipal hospitals in Japan are supported by public financing and are less likely to fail than private hospitals, more than half are in financial deficit. Hospitals running at a deficit may have poorer outcomes and less investment in maintenance of human or physical capital, as well as increased rates of patient adverse events. We sought to clarify the relationship between municipal hospital surpluses or deficits and salary expenditures. Methods: We extracted financial data for 253 general hospitals of 300 beds or more from financial statements for the 2013 fiscal year available in the Yearbook of Public Firms, Edition for Hospital. From these data, we calculated account balance ratios and compared the average value of the ratio of labor to the output (salary ratio) for each group using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The salary ratios of hospitals in the surplus group were significantly lower than the salary ratios of hospitals in the deficit group (55.5% vs. 49.4%;p p = 0.342). In the surplus group, the average value of salary ratios was different among the three-bed count groups (mean salary ratio: 53.0% vs. 48.5% vs. 47.4%;ANOVA p = 0.012). In addition, there was a significant difference in mean value between the 300-bed group and ≥500 beds group (mean salary ratio: 53.0% vs. 47.4%;p = 0.002). Conclusion: This study suggests that maintaining a favorable salary ratio to the current account balance is a useful proxy of fiscal health, and interventions to improve the salary ratio may be effective in improving municipal hospital management. Furthermore, among well-managed municipal hospitals, larger hospital size may confer some advantage in purchasing power.展开更多
Purpose: In this study, we investigated physical and psychological effects of the shiatsu (finger pressure) stimulation in a sitting position. Subjects and Methods: A crossover test was conducted on 20 subjects (avera...Purpose: In this study, we investigated physical and psychological effects of the shiatsu (finger pressure) stimulation in a sitting position. Subjects and Methods: A crossover test was conducted on 20 subjects (average 34.5 ± 7.6 years old;male = 10, female = 10). First they were randomly divided into two groups: Group A (shiatsu stimulation/control) and group B (control/shiatsu stimulation). They had shiatsu stimulation (Namikoshi basic methods in the sitting position, five minutes). At the same time, POMS (profile of mood states), SBP (systolic blood pressure, DBP (diastolic blood pressure) and HR (heart rate) were measured. Results: Physical result—Compared to the baseline, the shiatsu stimulation showed statistical decreased SBP and HR while the control (no shiatsu stimulation) did not. Psychological result (POMS)— Compared to the baseline, the stimulation showed significant change in all six mood states (Tension-Anxiety, Depression-Dejection, Fatigue and Confusion decreased while Vigor elevated). Male showed statistical decrease in Tension-Anxiety, Depression-Dejection, Anger, Fatigue and Confusion as well as significant increase in Vigor. Female only showed decrease in Depression-Dejection and Anger. Discussion and Conclusion: The shiatsu stimulation in the sitting position could modulate autonomic nerve system and it could affect human body. Gender differences were found in physiological effect.展开更多
<strong>Purpose:</strong> Traditional medicines have unique breathing methods and they are widely believed that they are good for health promotion and good for relax. However, there is little evidence. The...<strong>Purpose:</strong> Traditional medicines have unique breathing methods and they are widely believed that they are good for health promotion and good for relax. However, there is little evidence. The purpose of this study is to discuss if such specific breathings could effectively reduce stress and be able to help to reach a relaxed state in the body as well as in the mind. To objectively understand the state of stress/relax, we assessed the condition of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) as well as heart rate (HR) and body temperature (BT), which instantly reflect ANS. <strong>Methods: </strong>Fourteen healthy male volunteers participated in this study and we investigated four kinds of breathing with them: Natural breathing (Control), Abdominal Pressure breathing (Pressure), Abdominal breathing (Abdominal) and Reverse Abdominal breathing (Reverse).<strong> Results:</strong> Only Control group showed increase of HF/decrease of HR, showing increase parasympathetic nervous system, which indicates the condition of relax. On the hand, all experimental groups of unique breathings showed increase of sympathetic nervous system, meaning stress. <strong>Discussion:</strong> Our hypothesis was that traditional breathing methods would decrease stress, however, our results were the total opposite to it. This reason might be found: 1) our subjects might be too young and naive, 2) they did not have enough training or experience, and 3) enough and appropriate duration of breathings was needed. Therefore, we consider that appropriate program and enough training time to use to specific breathing are needed to obtain the effects of traditional breathing.展开更多
文摘<strong>Background: </strong>Early detection of cerebral infarction (CI) by home acupuncturists might be helpful in reducing stroke mortality. We compared vital signs of patients who developed CI and those who did not to ascertain if blood pressure balance is a useful marker for the early detection of CI and for distinguishing cases with potentially effective/ineffective acupuncture treatment. <strong>Methods: </strong>In this retrospective study, vital signs such as body temperature, pulse, and blood pressure, were simultaneously obtained from the right and left arms of patients who received weekly acupuncture treatment. We focused on the differences between values obtained from the right and left arms (the balance) and compared the values of patients who developed CI [CI (+)] (n = 18) and those of age-/gender-matched patients who did not [CI (<span style="white-space:nowrap;">−</span>)] (n = 18). <strong>Results:</strong> Left/right blood pressure was significantly more unbalanced in the CI (+) group than in the CI (<span style="white-space:nowrap;">−</span>) group, especially immediately before the onset of CI. Moreover, all CIs occurred on the side with a lower blood pressure. <strong>Discussion and Conclusions:</strong> Blood pressure balance might aid in the early detection of CI and to determine whether treatment with traditional or modern medicine is more appropriate. Acupuncture may thus help maintain patients’ quality of life.
文摘<strong>Background:</strong> Despite having one of the most successful health systems in the world, annual medical expenditures in Japan have been increasing year to year. We sought to clarify regional differences in medical expenditures by analyzing the relationship between the specific health examination coverage and medical care expenditure by prefecture of Japan. <strong>Methods:</strong> We used data from the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups (NDB) Open Data Japan (2015) and Overview of 2015 National Medical Expenses to compare medical care expenditure per capita and proportions of persons receiving specific health examination between Japan nationally and individual prefectures. <strong>Results: </strong>National medical expenditures were 42.3 trillion Japanese yen (JPY) (3851 hundred million dollars), with a national per capita rate of JPY347,219 (USD3156). Per capita medical expenditure rates by prefecture ranged from JPY290,900 (USD2645) in Saitama Prefecture to JPY 444,000 (USD4036) in Kochi Prefecture. The proportion of persons receiving specific health examinations was 49.0% for Japan overall and ranged from 39.3% in Hokkaido Prefecture to 63.4% in Tokyo Prefecture. We observed a significant negative correlation between per capita medical expenditures and the proportion of persons receiving specific health examinations (R = 0.553, p < 0.001).<strong> Conclusion: </strong>We found a significant negative correlation between per capita medical expenditures and the proportion of persons receiving health examinations: prefectures with lower expenditures tended to have higher rates of medical examinations. Interventions to increase the proportion of persons receiving specific health examinations by prefecture could reduce per capita medical expenditures and reduce prefectural disparities in expenditures.
文摘Background: Happiness varies across the life course in a U shape, with the least happiness in mid-life during the working years. Therefore, choosing a career may be an important factor in life’s happiness. However, the relationship between the career selection process and happiness remains unclear. Methods: We surveyed 805 schoolteachers, office workers, and nurses from an available marketing database using an ad hoc questionnaire assessing happiness and career selection type. Results and Discussion: We found that happiness was significantly greater among schoolteachers and nurses than for office workers in Japan. Furthermore, among schoolteachers and office workers, an evasive/avoidance type of career-selection process had an unfavorable effect on happiness. However, among nurses, no such association was observed. Conclusion: Paying attention to the career-selection process may be helpful to improve happiness.
文摘Background: While public municipal hospitals in Japan are supported by public financing and are less likely to fail than private hospitals, more than half are in financial deficit. Hospitals running at a deficit may have poorer outcomes and less investment in maintenance of human or physical capital, as well as increased rates of patient adverse events. We sought to clarify the relationship between municipal hospital surpluses or deficits and salary expenditures. Methods: We extracted financial data for 253 general hospitals of 300 beds or more from financial statements for the 2013 fiscal year available in the Yearbook of Public Firms, Edition for Hospital. From these data, we calculated account balance ratios and compared the average value of the ratio of labor to the output (salary ratio) for each group using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The salary ratios of hospitals in the surplus group were significantly lower than the salary ratios of hospitals in the deficit group (55.5% vs. 49.4%;p p = 0.342). In the surplus group, the average value of salary ratios was different among the three-bed count groups (mean salary ratio: 53.0% vs. 48.5% vs. 47.4%;ANOVA p = 0.012). In addition, there was a significant difference in mean value between the 300-bed group and ≥500 beds group (mean salary ratio: 53.0% vs. 47.4%;p = 0.002). Conclusion: This study suggests that maintaining a favorable salary ratio to the current account balance is a useful proxy of fiscal health, and interventions to improve the salary ratio may be effective in improving municipal hospital management. Furthermore, among well-managed municipal hospitals, larger hospital size may confer some advantage in purchasing power.
文摘Purpose: In this study, we investigated physical and psychological effects of the shiatsu (finger pressure) stimulation in a sitting position. Subjects and Methods: A crossover test was conducted on 20 subjects (average 34.5 ± 7.6 years old;male = 10, female = 10). First they were randomly divided into two groups: Group A (shiatsu stimulation/control) and group B (control/shiatsu stimulation). They had shiatsu stimulation (Namikoshi basic methods in the sitting position, five minutes). At the same time, POMS (profile of mood states), SBP (systolic blood pressure, DBP (diastolic blood pressure) and HR (heart rate) were measured. Results: Physical result—Compared to the baseline, the shiatsu stimulation showed statistical decreased SBP and HR while the control (no shiatsu stimulation) did not. Psychological result (POMS)— Compared to the baseline, the stimulation showed significant change in all six mood states (Tension-Anxiety, Depression-Dejection, Fatigue and Confusion decreased while Vigor elevated). Male showed statistical decrease in Tension-Anxiety, Depression-Dejection, Anger, Fatigue and Confusion as well as significant increase in Vigor. Female only showed decrease in Depression-Dejection and Anger. Discussion and Conclusion: The shiatsu stimulation in the sitting position could modulate autonomic nerve system and it could affect human body. Gender differences were found in physiological effect.
文摘<strong>Purpose:</strong> Traditional medicines have unique breathing methods and they are widely believed that they are good for health promotion and good for relax. However, there is little evidence. The purpose of this study is to discuss if such specific breathings could effectively reduce stress and be able to help to reach a relaxed state in the body as well as in the mind. To objectively understand the state of stress/relax, we assessed the condition of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) as well as heart rate (HR) and body temperature (BT), which instantly reflect ANS. <strong>Methods: </strong>Fourteen healthy male volunteers participated in this study and we investigated four kinds of breathing with them: Natural breathing (Control), Abdominal Pressure breathing (Pressure), Abdominal breathing (Abdominal) and Reverse Abdominal breathing (Reverse).<strong> Results:</strong> Only Control group showed increase of HF/decrease of HR, showing increase parasympathetic nervous system, which indicates the condition of relax. On the hand, all experimental groups of unique breathings showed increase of sympathetic nervous system, meaning stress. <strong>Discussion:</strong> Our hypothesis was that traditional breathing methods would decrease stress, however, our results were the total opposite to it. This reason might be found: 1) our subjects might be too young and naive, 2) they did not have enough training or experience, and 3) enough and appropriate duration of breathings was needed. Therefore, we consider that appropriate program and enough training time to use to specific breathing are needed to obtain the effects of traditional breathing.
