Kio University (畿央大学, Kiō daigaku) is a private university in the town of Kōryō in Nara Prefecture, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1946, and it was chartered as a university in 2003. The university has undergraduate and graduate programs in health sciences and education, as well as an advanced course in midwifery.
Food palatability arises from the complex integration of multiple sensory inputs, including taste, olfaction, texture, temperature, and spices. In this review, I focused specifically on taste and summarized its role in the perception of deliciousness and background scientific mechanisms based on recent findings. Sweetness is unique among the basic tastes in that it is intrinsically pleasant. In contrast, saltiness, umami, fat taste, sourness, and bitterness are not necessarily pleasant when perceived individually. However, when combined at appropriate concentrations, they create a richer and more complex flavor profile. The addition of sweetness further enhances overall palatability. Moreover, the presence of kokumi substances enhances sweetness, saltiness, umami, and fat taste, while suppressing bitterness, thereby further increasing palatability. The utilization of fermented foods, which are rich in amino acids and peptides, is important. Practical examples include the use of mirin instead of sucrose, soy sauce or miso instead of salt, and rice vinegar instead of acetic acid. The interaction between kokumi substances and umami compounds plays a crucial role in flavor enhancement. Kokumi substances are ligands for specific kokumi receptors, which are also activated by various amino acids. In developing palatable alternative meat products, it is therefore essential to ensure adequate levels of both umami and kokumi substances. Research on umami and kokumi substances together with conventional basic taste substances is expected to continue expanding, and its outcomes will likely be applied in practical food development and culinary practices in the future.
The Lindop Parkinson’s Disease Mobility Assessment (LPA) is a Parkinson’s disease (PD)-specific clinical scale. The LPA was designed to assess core functional mobility in rehabilitation, including gait and bed mobility. This study aimed to develop a Japanese version of the LPA and evaluate its validity and reliability in PD. Sixty-two people with PD participated in the validation analyses. The Japanese version of the LPA was developed through a standardized translation and cross-cultural adaptation process. Construct validity was examined using Spearman’s rank correlations between LPA scores and relevant clinical measures. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. Inter-rater reliability for video-based assessments was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and quadratic weighted kappa coefficients. The total LPA score showed very strong correlations with the axial subscore, MDS-UPDRS Part 3, bradykinesia subscore, and Berg Balance Scale (Spearman’s rho = − 0.83, − 0.74, − 0.70, and 0.75, respectively; all FDR-adjusted p < 0.0001). Internal consistency was excellent for the total score, gait mobility section, and bed mobility section (Cronbach’s α = 0.95, 0.94, and 0.94, respectively). Inter-rater reliability was excellent for the total score (ICC [2, 1] = 0.97). Item-level agreement assessed using quadratic weighted kappa coefficients ranged from 0.46 to 1.00 (all p ≤ 0.009). The Japanese version of the LPA demonstrated good construct validity and excellent internal consistency and inter-rater reliability for the total score in assessing gait and bed mobility in PD. Further studies are needed to examine its responsiveness and applicability among individuals with more advanced functional impairment.
Background: To explore the feasibility and preliminary effects of visualised feedback, compared with numerical feedback, on physical activity levels in community-dwelling stroke survivors. Methods: A multiple baseline design was conducted with three community-dwelling outpatients with stroke. Participants were randomly assigned to baseline lengths of 6, 12, or 18 daily sessions, followed by a 6-session intervention. During baseline, participants received numeric feedback and collaboratively set an action plan of "adding 10 min/day of total physical activity (TPA)." During the intervention, numerical data were supplemented with heat-map visualisations showing activity intensity and timing. The primary outcome was TPA (>= 1.6 METs). Effect sizes were calculated using trend-adjusted Tau-U, non-overlap of all pairs, and percentage of all non-overlapping data. Comprehensibility, acceptability, and utility of feedback were assessed using Likert scales. Results: All participants demonstrated increased median TPA during the intervention period compared to baseline. The effect sizes indicated a small change in case 1 and moderate changes in cases 2 and 3. Participants rated visualised feedback as more comprehensible and useful than numeric feedback, with Cases 2 and 3 reporting higher acceptability. Conclusion: Preliminary findings may support the feasibility and potential added action planning value with visualised feedback on physical activity in community-dwelling stroke survivors.
Motor imagery (MI) ability has traditionally been assessed using the Hand Laterality Recognition (HLR) task; however, no studies have examined MI ability in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) using the Bimanual Coupling (BC) task. This study aimed to clarify MI ability in children with DCD by using both BC and HLR tasks. Fifteen children with DCD and fifteen typically developing (TD) children participated. Motor coordination skills were evaluated using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2), and neurodevelopmental traits were assessed using the ADHD Rating Scale-IV (ADHD-RS-IV) and Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ).In the BC task, TD children showed a significant increase in the Ovalization Index (OI) in the motor imagery (MI) condition compared to the unimanual (UM) condition, whereas DCD children did not show this increase. Furthermore, the Imagery Coupling Effect (ICE) was significantly lower in the DCD group than in the TD group. In the HLR task, the DCD group demonstrated significantly lower accuracy and efficiency compared to the TD group. Evidence of the biomechanical constraints effect and the hand posture effect was also limited in children with DCD. Additionally, significant correlations were found between ICE and SCQ scores in the BC task, and between HLR accuracy, DCDQ scores, and ADHD traits. These findings suggest that children with DCD experience difficulties in generating MI, regardless of the type of task used for assessment.
BACKGROUND:Gut microbiota plays a crucial role not only in digestion but also in systemic physiological functions, including immune and neural regulation. High microbial diversity contributes to intestinal homeostasis, whereas reduced diversity has been associated with various diseases. Physical activity is reported to influence both the composition and function of gut microbiota; however, the impact of daily physical activity on gut microbiota in older adults remains poorly understood. This study exploratorily investigated the association between objectively measured daily physical activity and gut microbial diversity and composition in older women who are at increased risk of reduced physical activity and gut microbial dysbiosis. METHODS:A cross-sectional study assessed daily physical activity using an accelerometer-based activity monitor in 73 community-dwelling older women. We classified participants as meeting (n = 56) or not meeting (n = 17) the World Health Organization (WHO) physical activity guidelines. Fecal samples were collected and analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing to evaluate gut microbial diversity and composition. RESULTS:Participants not meeting the WHO activity guidelines exhibited lower gut microbial diversity (Observed Features: 134 ± 23 vs. 161 ± 45, Chao1 index: 137 ± 24 vs. 167 ± 49, all p < 0.05) and distinct microbial community structures (weighted UniFrac distances, PERMANOVA, p < 0.05) as compared with those meeting the guidelines. In particular, the relative abundance of short-chain fatty acid-producing Ruminococcus was reduced in the less active group. CONCLUSION:Habitual daily physical activity was associated with gut microbiota diversity and composition in older women in this exploratory study. In particular, the relative abundance of Ruminococcus may reflect differences in gut microbial function. Future longitudinal and interventional studies are needed to further clarify causal relationships and support the development of personalized strategies to promote gut health and healthy aging.
