Preliminary research of the effectiveness of acupuncture (spoon needle) on stress relief of Japanese expatriates in a developing country Myanmar: A retrospective study.

This was a preliminary retrospective study to clarify the effectiveness of traditional Japanese acupuncture on the stress level of Japanese expatriates who studied or worked in Myanmar. Total 22 Japanese expatriate patients were selected for this study. The profile of mood states second edition-adult short form scale was used to evaluate the stress-relief effect of acupuncture before every treatment. Negative mood (tension and confusion) and total mood disturbances significantly decreased after acupuncture treatment. Regarding the influence of background, the experience of staying abroad significantly influenced the efficacy of the acupuncture treatment. These results indicate that acupuncture treatment can relieve stress experienced by Japanese expatriates. The results also suggest that the experience of staying abroad might be one of the leading factors that can modulate the effects of treatment.

Potential benefits of dietary seaweeds as protection against COVID-19.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Japan is not as disastrous as it is in other Western countries, possibly because of certain lifestyle factors. One such factor might be the seaweed-rich diet commonly consumed in Japan. COVID-19 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which binds to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on the cell surface and downregulates ACE2, likely elevating the ratio of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) to ACE2. The overreaction of the immune system, combined with the cytokine storm and ACE dominance, is purported to cause the condition of COVID-19 patients to deteriorate rapidly. Dietary seaweeds contain numerous components, including ACE inhibitory peptides, soluble dietary fibers (eg, fucoidan, porphyran), omega-3 fatty acids, fucoxanthin, fucosterol, vitamins D3 and B12, and phlorotannins. These components exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral effects directly as well as indirectly through prebiotic effects. It is possible that ACE inhibitory components could minimize the ACE dominance caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Thus, dietary seaweeds might confer protection against COVID-19 through multiple mechanisms. Overconsumption of seaweeds should be avoided, however, as seaweeds contain high levels of iodine.

Perception of childbirth experiences of Japanese women in Bali, Indonesia: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Maternal healthcare services in Indonesia have seen dramatic improvements over the past 25 years and yet there is still room for improvement. The perception, by the women, of the perinatal care provided, is a vital input to further improving these services. This study examines how the perinatal care provided is experienced by Japanese women in Bali, using an interview survey. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews, from August to October 2017, with 14 Japanese women living in Badung Regency and Denpasar City in Bali Province, Indonesia to report their perception of the perinatal care they experienced during their pregnancies. The interview guide included among others, the reasons for choosing specific (perinatal care) health facilities and their satisfaction with their experience of using the antenatal, delivery, and postnatal care services. The data were analysed using the qualitative content analysis method. RESULTS: From the interview data, 12 categories across five themes were extracted. Participants reported experiencing various concerns during their pregnancies such as difficulty in obtaining perinatal care related information. From the beginning of their pregnancies, participants gradually established trusting relationships with midwives, but in many situations, they were disappointed with their childbirth experiences, as they felt that the care provided was not woman-centred. Through their own efforts and with the support of family members and other Japanese residents, many women were able to eventually regard their childbirth experiences as positive. Nevertheless, some women could not overcome their negative impressions even years after childbirth. CONCLUSIONS: Participants desired close attention and encouragement from nurses and midwives. Our results suggest that Japanese women in Bali expected a woman-centred perinatal care and active support from nursing/midwifery staff during their pregnancies and postnatal care.

Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Breit: A review of its germplasm resources, genetic diversity and active components.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The medicinal plant Pinellia ternata has been widely used in China, Korea, and Japan and has been demonstrated to be highly effective for treating cough, vomiting, infection, and inflammatory diseases. Modern pharmacological investigations have demonstrated its multiple activities, such as antitussive, expectorant, antiemetic, antitumor, antibacterial, and sedative-hypnotic activities. AIM OF THE REVIEW: This review aims to summarize the information about the biological traits, genetic diversity, active components, and continuous cropping obstacle of P. ternata in order to improve its use. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this review, the relevant literature was gathered by using Pinellia ternata, genetic diversity, active components, and continuous cropping obstacle as the keywords from Google Scholar, PubMed, Springer Link, the Wiley online library, SciFinder, SCOPUS, Baidu Scholar, China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI), and WANFANF DATA (up to April 2020). RESULTS: P. ternata is the most widely used herb in the Pinellia genus to treat several diseases. The genetic diversity of P. ternata has been extensively studied, and its high genetic diversity level in China has been demonstrated. Modern pharmacological research has indicated that amino acids, alkaloids, and polysaccharides are the main active components supporting P. ternata's medicinal effects. However, an efficient method for determining its active components is still unavailable. The method used to evaluate Pinelliae Rhizoma (PR) quality standards should be further optimized. The continuous cropping obstacle has a significant effect on the quantity and quality of P. ternata. The underlying mechanism of the continuous cropping obstacle needs to be further explored. CONCLUSIONS: P. ternata has emerged as a valuable source of traditional medicine. Some uses of P. ternata in medicine have been validated by pharmacological investigations. However, a more efficient analytical method should be established to evaluate the quality of PR based on multiple quality markers. Furthermore, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and DNA barcoding should be introduced to identify the authenticity of PR. In addition, the genes involved in the metabolic synthesis pathways of the main active components, population genetic relationships, the quality control of processed PR, and the continuous cropping obstacle need to be further elucidated. We hope this review will allow for better utilization of this valuable herb.

A biocultural approach to psychiatric illnesses.

RATIONALE: As a species, humans are vulnerable to numerous mental disorders, including depression and schizophrenia. This susceptibility may be due to the evolution of our large, complex brains, or perhaps because these illnesses counterintuitively confer some adaptive advantage. Additionally, cultural and biological factors may contribute to susceptibility and variation in mental illness experience and expression. Taking a holistic perspective could strengthen our understanding of these illnesses in diverse cultural contexts. OBJECTIVES: This paper reviews some of these potential factors and contextualizes mental disorders within a biocultural framework. RESULTS: There is growing evidence that suggests cultural norms may influence inflammation, neurotransmitters, and neurobiology, as well as the illness experience. Specific examples include variation in schizophrenia delusions between countries, differences in links between inflammation and emotion between the United States and Japan, and differences in brain activity between Caucasian and Asian participants indicating that cultural values may moderate cognitive processes related to social cognition and interoception. CONCLUSIONS: Research agendas that are grounded in an appreciation of biocultural diversity as it relates to psychiatric illness represent key areas for truly interdisciplinary research that can result in culturally sensitive treatments and highlight possible biological variation affecting medical treatment.

Morita therapy for depression in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Morita therapy is a systematic psychological therapy that aims to improve everyday functioning rather than target specific symptoms. However, there has been no systematic review evaluating the evidence of the effectiveness of Morita therapy in the treatment of depression. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical efficacy of Morita therapy in combination with pharmacotherapy in patients 18 and older who were diagnosed with current depressive disorder. A total of 840 patients with depression from 11 randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies were included in this meta-analysis after a literature search of 10 databases was performed from database inception to July 1, 2017. All the eligible studies were determined to have an unclear or high risk of bias. Morita therapy plus pharmacotherapy was significantly superior to pharmacotherapy alone in reducing depression severity. The remission rate of the Morita therapy plus pharmacotherapy group was better than that of the pharmacotherapy alone group. Morita therapy significantly reduced depression severity symptoms and improved the remission rate. Due to the relatively weak quality of the included studies, definitive conclusions cannot be made. Thus, multi-center, well-designed clinical trials with larger cohorts are urgently needed to support the clinical application of Morita therapy.

Ecological and cultural shifts of hunter-gatherers of the Jomon period paralleled with environmental changes.

OBJECTIVES: Holocene hunter-gatherers adapted to climatic and environmental changes over time. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis of human skeletal remains from the Inariyama shell mound of the Final Jomon period have revealed large dietary variations in the population. This study analyzed radiocarbon dates of these individuals to test temporal changes in diet and its relationship with tooth ablation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-nine human skeletal remains from Inariyama were included in this study. Extracted bone collagen samples were purified to graphite. Then, radiocarbon dating of these samples was performed using the accelerator mass spectrometer. RESULTS: The radiocarbon ages of Inariyama ranged about, 3,230-2,140 cal BP and showed three peaks of occupation. In the early and late phases, terrestrial resource consumption and incisor extraction were observed, while marine resource consumption and canine extraction were observed in the middle phase. DISCUSSION: These temporal changes of diet and tooth ablation types occurred in parallel with climatic cooling and environmental change and help reveal how Holocene hunter-gatherers adapted to the changing environments.

Contact Tools in Japanese Acupuncture: An Ethnography of Acupuncture Practitioners in Japan.

This study aimed to identify procedural elements of Japanese acupuncture, describe these elements in detail, and explain them in terms of the key thematic category of treatment principles. Between August 2012 and December 2016, ethnographic fieldwork was conducted in Japan. In total, 38 participants were recruited by chain referral and emergent sampling. Data was collected through participant observation, interviews, and by analyzing documents. A total of 22 participants agreed to clinical observation; 221 treatments were observed with 172 patients. Seventeen consented to formal interviews and 28 to informal interviews. Thematic analysis was used to critically evaluate data. One especially interesting theme was interpreted from the data: a variety of contact tools were applied in treatment and these were manipulated by adjusting elements of form, speed, repetition, and pressure. Tapping, holding, pressing/pushing, and stroking were the most important ways contact tools were used on patients. Contact tools are noninvasive, painless, can be applied in almost any environment, and may be easily accepted by patients worldwide. Contact tool theory and practice may be successfully integrated into acupuncture curricula outside of Japan, used to inform clinical trials, and contribute to an expanded repertoire of methods for practitioners to benefit individual patients in international contexts.

Reassessing the Ecology of Medical Care in Japan.

Studies on ecology of medical care can provide valuable information on how people seek healthcare in a specific geographic area. The objective of this study was to update a 2003 report on the ecology of medical care in Japan, identifying relevant changes in healthcare patterns. We collected information based on a prospective health diary recorded for a month in 2013 (n = 4548; 3787 adults and 797 children) using a population-weighted random sample from a nationally representative panel. We compared our overall and stratified findings with a similar study conducted in 2003. During a one-month period, per 1000 adults and children living in Japan, we estimated that 794 report at least one symptom, 447 use an over-the-counter (OTC) drug, 265 visit a physician's office, 117 seek help from a professional provider of complementary or alternative medicine (CAM), 70 visit a hospital outpatient clinic (60 community-based and 10 university-based), 6 are hospitalized, and 4 visit a hospital emergency department. After adjusting for demographic variables, we found that healthcare seeking behaviors were influenced by age, gender and area of living. Compared with the 2003 study, participants in this study had fewer symptoms, fewer physician and emergency room visits, and less OTC use, but reported higher frequency of CAM use (p < .01 for all). Compared with 2003, reported symptoms, physician visits and OTC use has decreased, while CAM use has increased. Our findings may be useful to policymakers in Japan in a context where healthcare expenditure and a rapidly aging population are two challenging issues.

Japan's Public Health Paradigm: Governmentality and the Containment of Harmful Behavior.

In this essay, I revisit the politics of social control in the context of contemporary public health discussions, touching on the management of obesity and chronic illness. Foucault's cautionary observations regarding the infiltration of normative social values into the terrain of healing offer a productive framework for considering the politics of public health in the industrialized world. I explore Japan's public health paradigm and its key features of bureaucratic reform and health interventions through screening, socialization, education, and aggressive lifestyle training, and I consider the close proximity between health and socio-cultural values in the management of chronic conditions in Japan.

Straighten the Back to Sit: Belly-Cultivation Techniques as "Modern Health Methods" in Japan, 1900-1945.

In Japan, the first half of the twentieth century saw a remarkable revival of concern with the cultivation of the belly, with a variety of belly-cultivation techniques, particularly breathing exercise and meditative sitting, widely practiced for improving health and treating diseases. This article carefully examines some practitioners' experiences of belly-cultivation practice in attempting to understand its healing effects for them within their life histories and contemporary intellectual, social and cultural contexts. It shows that belly-cultivation practice served as a medium for some practitioners to reflect on and retell their life stories, and that the personal charisma of certain masters and the communities developing around them provided practitioners with a valuable sense of belonging in an increasingly industrialized and urbanized society. Moreover, these belly-cultivation techniques provided an embodied way for some to explore and affirm their sense of self and develop individual identity. While they were increasingly promoted as cultural traditions capable of cultivating national character, they also served as healing practices by inspiring practitioners with a sense of collective identity and purpose. With these analyses, this article sheds light on the complicated meanings of belly-cultivation for practitioners, and provides illustrative examples of the multitude of meanings of the body, bodily cultivation and healing.

Associations of key diet-quality indexes with mortality in the Multiethnic Cohort: the Dietary Patterns Methods Project.

BACKGROUND: Healthy dietary patterns have been linked positively with health and longevity. However, prospective studies in diverse populations in the United States addressing dietary patterns and mortality are limited. OBJECTIVE: We assessed the ability of the following 4 diet-quality indexes [the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010), the Alternative HEI-2010 (AHEI-2010), the alternate Mediterranean diet score (aMED), and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)] to predict the reduction in risk of mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer. DESIGN: White, African American, Native Hawaiian, Japanese American, and Latino adults (n = 215,782) from the Multiethnic Cohort completed a quantitative food-frequency questionnaire. Scores for each dietary index were computed and divided into quintiles for men and women. Mortality was documented over 13-18 y of follow-up. HRs and 95% CIs were computed by using adjusted Cox models. RESULTS: High HEI-2010, AHEI-2010, aMED, and DASH scores were all inversely associated with risk of mortality from all causes, CVD, and cancer in both men and women (P-trend < 0.0001 for all models). For men, the HEI-2010 was consistently associated with a reduction in risk of mortality for all causes (HR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.71, 0.79), CVD (HR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.69, 0.81), and cancer (HR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.70, 0.83) when lowest and highest quintiles were compared. In women, the AHEI and aMED showed large reductions for all-cause mortality (HR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.74, 0.82), the AHEI showed large reductions for CVD (HR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.69, 0.83), and the aMED showed large reductions for cancer (HR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.76, 0. 92). CONCLUSION: These results, in a US multiethnic population, suggest that consuming a dietary pattern that achieves a high diet-quality index score is associated with lower risk of mortality from all causes, CVD, and cancer in adult men and women.

POLISH STUDIES OF THE MEDICAL TRADITIONS OF THE AINU.

Present knowledge of the history of Ainu culture is owed in significant part to Polish Far-East researchers Bronislaw Pilsudski (1866-1918) and Waclaw Sieroszewski (1858-1945). They were both exiled to Siberia for their patriotic activity at the time where Poles struggled for independence. Bronislaw Pilsudski is known for using glass photographic plates and wax recording cylinders for recording the already disappearing culture of the Ainu people. It is thanks to his research that we are able today to trace back the names of over 100 plants that had therapeutic, and as believed by Ainu, also magical power. The plants with the highest therapeutic significance had common characteristics: strong effects, intensive scent and stings. Nowadays, the Ainu people constitute an ethnic minority in Japan (population of over 20 000) and are supported by the Center for Ainu and Indigenous Studies at the Hokkaido University in Sapporo.

Use of supplements by Japanese elite athletes for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate supplement use among Japanese elite athletes. DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional survey study using individual interviews during athletes' medical evaluations. SETTING: One to 5 months before the Olympic Games in 2012, London, United Kingdom. PARTICIPANTS: Five hundred fifty-two Japanese athletes for the London Games, including candidates. INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: Sex, sports, supplement category, and participation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Whether athletes used supplements, what products were used, the frequency and purposes of use, and from what sources athletes received information on supplements. RESULTS: All 552 athletes were interviewed by pharmacists regarding supplement use and agreed to the survey. Of them, 452 (81.9%) used 1 or more supplement products in the year before the study; a total of 952 different products (mean = 1.7, SD = 1.4) were used. The most commonly used supplement was amino acids (310 athletes; 56.2%), and 358 (38.7%) of the total products were amino acids. Of the athletes, 241 (43.7%) took at least 1 supplement daily, and of the supplements, 457 (49.4%) were taken daily. The most common purpose for supplement use was recovery from fatigue-327 (59.2%) athletes chose this answer, and 486 (52.5%) products were used for this purpose. Finally, regarding athletes' information sources on supplements, coaches, managers, and trainers were the most frequent advisors (275 athletes, 49.8%; 466 products, 50.4%). CONCLUSIONS: The results revealed widespread supplement use among Japanese elite athletes for the London Olympic Games. Education system was required not only for athletes but also for athletes' entourage, such as coaches, managers, trainers, and supplement companies. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study will provide basic data for establishing an education system that would better guide athletes' use of supplements.

Plasticity and constraint in response to early-life stressors among late/final Jomon period foragers from Japan: evidence for life history trade-offs from incremental microstructures of enamel.

This study evaluates two hypotheses that address how Late/Final Jomon period people responded to early-life stress using linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) and incremental microstructures of enamel. The first hypothesis predicts that Jomon people who experienced early-life stressors had greater physiological competence in responding to future stress events (predictive adaptive response). The second hypothesis predicts that Jomon people traded-off in future growth and maintenance when early investment in growth and survival was required (plasticity/constraint). High resolution tooth impressions were collected from intact, anterior teeth and studied under an engineer's measuring microscope. LEH were identified based on accentuated perikymata and depressions in the enamel surface profile. Age of formation for each LEH was estimated by summing counts of perikymata and constants associated with crown initiation and cuspal enamel formation times. The relationship between age-at-first-defect formation, number of LEH, periodicity between LEH, and mortality was evaluated using multiple regression and hazards analysis. A significant, positive relationship was found between age-at-death relative to age-at-first-defect formation and a significant, negative relationship was found between number of LEH relative to age-at-first-defect formation. Individuals with earlier forming defects were at a significantly greater risk of forming defects at later stages of development and dying at younger ages. These results suggest that Late/Final Jomon period foragers responded to early-life stressors in a manner consistent with the plasticity/constraint hypothesis of human life history. Late/Final Jomon period individuals were able to survive early-life stressors, but this investment weakened responses to future stress events and exacerbated mortality schedules.

Population pharmacokinetic analysis of daikenchuto, a traditional Japanese medicine (Kampo) in Japanese and US health volunteers.

We constructed population pharmacokinetic (PK) models for the five constituents of daikenchuto (DKT), a traditional Japanese herbal medicine. Data were collected from two randomized PK studies conducted in Japan and the United States. Participants received single oral doses of 2.5 g, 5 g, and 10 g of DKT. The plasma concentrations of five DKT constituents--hydroxy-α-sanshool (HAS), hydroxyl-ß-sanshool (HBS), 6-shogaol (6S), 10-shogaol (10S), and ginsenoside Rb1 (GRB1)--were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 1859 samples from 55 participants (US, n = 36; Japanese, n = 19) were included in the analysis. Population PK models of HAS, HBS, 6S, and 10S were best described by a one or two-compartment model with a bolus input. On the other hand, the model of GRB1 was best described by a one-compartment model with nonlinear extravascular input. Among the covariates evaluated, body mass index (BMI) and age were found to influence oral clearance (CL/F) and volume of distribution (Vd/F) for HAS and HBS, respectively. The influence of body weight on CL/F and Vd/F for 6S was demonstrated. Marked differences were observed in mean plasma concentrations of HAS and HBS between Japanese and US participants. However, the simulation results indicated that the difference in plasma concentrations may be attributed to the difference in demographic factors such as BMI, body weight, and age, whereas ethnic difference between the Japanese and US participants was considered minimal.

Serum levels of marine-derived n-3 fatty acids in Icelanders, Japanese, Koreans, and Americans--a descriptive epidemiologic study.

In the 1990s Iceland and Japan were known as countries with high fish consumption whereas coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality in Iceland was high and that in Japan was low among developed countries. We described recent data fish consumption and CHD mortality from publicly available data. We also measured CHD risk factors and serum levels of marine-derived n-3 and other fatty acids from population-based samples of 1324 men in Iceland, Japan, South Korea, and the US. CHD mortality in men in Iceland was almost 3 times as high as that in Japan and South Korea. Generally, a profile of CHD risk factors in Icelanders compared to Japanese was more favorable. Serum marine-derived n-3 fatty acids in Iceland were significantly lower than in Japan and South Korea but significantly higher than in the US.

Reinterpreting the history of women's judo in Japan.

This paper reassesses the role of women in judo in Japan, from its secluded and restricted beginnings in the late nineteenth century to the gradual changes in gender and social paradigms triggered by the influence of Western feminist struggle from the 1960s onwards. Judo has been considered in theory an inclusive martial art because its creator, Jigoro Kano, stressed safety, etiquette and moral teachings irrespective of age, size or gender of its adherents. However, the social and cultural environment in Japan has traditionally discriminated against women both outside and inside the dojo (training place). We treat this issue historically, considering the broader context of the Japanese social, political and cultural developments.

Dietary omega-3 fatty acid and omega-3: omega-6 fatty acid ratio predict improvement in glucose disturbances in Japanese Brazilians.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether lifestyle-induced changes in dietary fat quality are related to improvements on glucose metabolism disturbances in Japanese Brazilians at high risk of type 2 diabetes. METHODS: One hundred forty-eight first- and second-generation subjects with impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glycemia who attended a lifestyle intervention program for 12 mo were studied in the city of Bauru, State of São Paulo, Brazil. Dietary fatty acid intakes at baseline and after 12 mo were estimated using three 24-h recalls. The effect of dietary fat intake on glucose metabolism was investigated by multiple logistic regression models. RESULTS: At baseline, mean +/- standard deviation age and body mass index were 60+/-11 y and 25.5+/-4.2kg/m(2), respectively. After 12 mo, 92 subjects had normal plasma glucose levels and 56 remained in prediabetic conditions. Using logistic regression models adjusted for age, gender, generation, basal intake of explanatory nutrient, energy intake, physical activity, and waist circumference, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for reversion to normoglycemia were 3.14 (1.22-8.10) in the second tertile of total omega-3 fatty acid, 4.26 (1.34-13.57) in the second tertile of eicosapentaenoic acid, and 2.80 (1.10-7.10) in the second tertile of linolenic acid. Similarly, subjects in the highest tertile of omega-3:omega-6 fatty acid ratio showed a higher chance of improving glucose disturbances (2.51, 1.01-6.37). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the evidence of an independent protective effect of omega-3 fatty acid and of a higher omega-3:omega-6 fatty acid ratio on the glucose metabolism of high-risk individuals.