Nippon Sport Science University (日本体育大学, Nippon taiiku daigaku), abbreviated as Nittaidai (日体大), is a private university in Setagaya, Tokyo and Aoba-ku, Yokohama. The precursor of the school was founded in 1893, and it was chartered as a university in 1949. The school is known for the many famous athletes among its alumni..
Multimodal literacy, or the capability to critically produce, interpret and interact with the various forms of semiotic resources, has become one of the essential skills in contemporary discourse practice. Employing Multimodal Discourse Analysis and the Engagement System of Appraisal, this article discusses how the engagement choices used in popular Japanese TV commercials have constructed certain axiological positions, how they convince and motivate the audience, and how they reflect dominant ideologies in a given society. The findings reveal three dimensions of engagement choices: viewer alignment, dialogic engagement and reflection of ideologies. The study also offers an analytical framework of voice system, in examining the dialogic engagement and the mechanisms of how the socio-cultural ideologies such as beliefs, values and expectations are reflected in advertising discourse.
AIM:Robotic suit-based exercises can be safely used for older adults. However, the effects of performing and discontinuing such programs on physical function remain unknown. We examined the long-term effects of a 5-week robotic suit-based exercise program on physical function in older adults with low fitness and assess the impact of exercise discontinuation during a 5-month follow-up period. METHODS:We conducted a follow-up analysis of a completed randomized controlled trial. Community-dwelling older adults (n = 75, mean age = 74.7 ± 4.4 years) participated in a 5-week hybrid assistive limb robotic suit-based exercise program. We measured six physical function tests (gait speed at usual pace, five times sit-to-stand test, timed up and go test, functional reach test, two-step test, and grip strength), and the five-question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale score. Evaluations were conducted at baseline, postintervention, and after the 5-month follow-up. Participants were stratified into those who continued exercising during the follow-up at the intervention facility (facility-attending group) and those who discontinued (nonattending group). RESULTS:Significant improvements were observed postintervention in all physical function, especially gait speed (effect size: Cohen's d = 1.7), which remained higher than baseline after the follow-up period (Cohen's d = 1.2). Most physical function declined during the follow-up period. However, participants in the facility-attending group maintained their physical function levels, with no significant decline in most measures. CONCLUSION:Hybrid assistive limb-based exercise improved physical function, especially gait speed. Continuous exercise postintervention is essential to maintain these improvements.
Regular physical activity is fundamental in promoting health and longevity. Numerous studies highlight the beneficial effects of exercise on metabolic parameters, but uncovering the mechanisms underlying the complex cellular responses and adaptations remains challenging in humans. Thus, animal models, in particular rodent models, have been indispensable for unveiling the underlying biological responses to exercise. Studies with precise exercise designs and diverse genetic models are vital for uncovering mechanistic pathways and informing pharmacological and behavioral strategies to combat non-communicable chronic diseases. Despite decades of research, recommendations to design preclinical exercise interventions and to measure key metabolic exercise adaptations in rodents have yet to be established. To enhance animal-to-human translation and ensure reproducibility, exercise studies must be rigorously controlled. Here, we outline key experimental considerations in rodents, including protocol design, exercise modality, sex, age, housing temperature, and circadian rhythm, to guide best practices and promote standardization and translation in future preclinical exercise studies.
To provide new insights into the regulation of muscle activation by attentional focus strategies by examining whether differences in attentional focus among athletes who use the bench press (BP) as part of their training are reflected in distinct acute electromyography (EMG) responses during BP. Thirty-seven participants were included: ten bodybuilding (BB) athletes, ten powerlifting (PL) athletes, seven paralympic powerlifting (PP) athletes, and ten untrained controls (CON). BP tests were performed under four conditions: external focus, pectoralis internal focus (IF), triceps IF, and a no-instruction baseline. Under each condition, the participants completed three repetitions at 60
