Tokoha University (常葉大学, Tokoha Daigaku) is a private university in the Aoi ward of Shizuoka City, Japan.The predecessor of the school was founded in 1946, and it was chartered as a university in 1980. The university is operated by the foundation that also operates Tokoha Gakuen Junior College. In April 2013, change the name to Tokoha University from Tokoha Gakuen University..
AIMS:Higher levels of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) have been shown to be associated with muscle deterioration and lower physical performance among patients with heart failure (HF). The aim of this study was to clarify the relationships between NT-proBNP levels, sarcopenia, and physical function among community-dwelling older adults. METHODS:This study included 2793 community-dwelling older adults without overt HF symptoms (mean age: 74 ± 4 years; 54% women) who participated in a community-based study. NT-proBNP levels were measured and categorized into four groups: < 125, 125-299, 300-899, and ≥ 900 pg/mL. Sarcopenia was determined according to the skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) and handgrip strength, while usual gait speed and five-times sit-to-stand (5-STS) time were assessed as indicators of physical function. Bioimpedance phase angle was assessed as an indicator of muscle quality. RESULTS:In logistic regression analyses, NT-proBNP ≥ 900 pg/mL was significantly associated with low gait speed [odds ratio (OR): 2.79, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08-7.20] and prolonged 5-STS time (OR: 3.71, 95% CI: 1.49-9.20). These associations were consistent for both men and women and remained significant after exclusion of participants with heart disease and after adjustment for sarcopenia. In contrast, high NT-proBNP levels were not significantly associated with low SMI (OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 0.54-3.32), handgrip strength (OR: 1.32, 95% CI: 0.65-2.34), or sarcopenia (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 0.53-4.01). A significant trend of a decreasing phase angle (p < 0.001) with increasing NT-proBNP levels was observed. CONCLUSION:High NT-proBNP levels were associated with lower physical function independent of sarcopenia among community-dwelling older adults. The lower physical function observed among participants with high NT-proBNP levels may be associated with reduced muscle quality.
How does the mind grow? Despite centuries of philosophical and psychological inquiry, little is known about how ordinary people intuitively conceptualize mental development. Across six countries (Australia, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States), adult participants reported their intuitions about mental development by indicating when they think various mental capacities first emerge. Across tasks and cultures, intuitions about mental development were consistently organized along two dimensions: an earlier-developing perceptual and experiential dimension (e.g., seeing, fear, hunger, pain) and a later-developing reflective and evaluative dimension (e.g., reasoning, beliefs, self-restraint, pride). Competing models were ruled out, showing that this structure is unique to lay beliefs about mental development. These dimensions also aligned with participants' intuitions about the origins of mental capacities within a nature-nurture framework. Together, the findings reveal a consistent cross-cultural pattern for reasoning about mental development and illuminate the intuitive architecture of mind perception.
BACKGROUND & AIMS:The bioimpedance phase angle (PhA) was suggested to represent muscle deterioration. This study investigated whether segmental PhA was superior to whole-body PhA in the association with physical performance measures and whether it was useful for identifying older adults with poor muscle characteristics. METHODS:This cross-sectional study included 1779 community-dwelling individuals aged 65 years or older. Segmental PhA was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Physical performance was assessed using handgrip strength, gait speed, and the five-times chair-stand test. We used computed tomography images at the midthigh to assess skeletal muscle mass and fat infiltration into the muscle. RESULTS:Leg PhA was significantly associated with conventional physical performance measures compared with the PhA of other body segments. Among participants with low leg PhA (<4.5° in men, <4.0° in women), 64 % had a normal physical performance. Participants were then divided into four groups according to low leg PhA and low physical performance, revealing that the mid-thigh skeletal muscle cross-sectional area (representative of muscle mass) was significantly lower in groups with low physical performance (β = -0.12, P < 0.001), low leg PhA (β = -0.10, P < 0.001), and both (β = -0.17, P < 0.001). In contrast, the mean attenuation value, representing fat infiltration into the muscle, decreased in groups with low leg PhA (β = -0.22, P < 0.001) and both low leg PhA and low physical performance (β = -0.19, P < 0.001), but not in the group with only low physical performance (β = -0.03, P = 0.330). CONCLUSIONS:Leg PhA may help identify individuals with reduced skeletal muscle mass and increased fat infiltration into the muscle who were overlooked by conventional physical performance assessments alone.
