Short-term outcomes of robotic tumor-specific mesorectal resection of rectal cancer: surgical techniques in mesorectal division using rolling division of the mesorectum.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to report our surgical techniques for robot-assisted laparoscopic anterior resection, specifically focusing on mesorectal division using rolling division of the mesorectum, and to elucidate short-term outcomes at a single institution. Tumor-specific mesorectal excision (TSME) is commonly performed for resection of a tumor located in the upper rectum. However, especially in a narrow pelvis, it is difficult to perform appropriate mesorectal division at an adequate distance from the tumor in robot-assisted laparoscopic anterior resection. METHODS: Retrospective case series of patients with rectal cancer who underwent robot-assisted TSME using rolling division of mesorectum. Patient characteristics, perioperative clinical results, surgical and pathological details were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 198 patients underwent robot-assisted TSME for rectal cancer using rolling division of mesorectum between May 2019 and December 2023.The tumor was located in the upper rectum in 45 patients, middle rectum in 115 patients and lower rectum in 38 patients. The types of resections were 40 high anterior resection and 158 low anterior resections. The median operation time was 175 (range 109-310) min, and median mesorectal division time was 24 (range 15-45) min. Median blood loss was 3 (range 0-20) ml; no patients required blood transfusion. The overall complication rate of Clavien-Dindo classification grades I-IV was 7.1%. Anastomotic leakage was observed in two patients (1.0%) with grade III. There was no surgical mortality in this series. CONCLUSION: This robotic technique for anterior resection is a feasible and reliable procedure for achieving sufficient and safe TSME in this cohort.

Scintillation Properties of Ba3RE(PO4)3 Single Crystals (RE = Y, La, Lu).

Eulytite-type Ba3RE(PO4)3 (RE = Y, La, and Lu) single crystals were synthesized by the floating zone method, and their scintillation properties were investigated. The powder X-ray diffraction measurement revealed that the single phase of Ba3RE(PO4)3 samples were successfully synthesized. The samples exhibited a luminescence peak due to self-trapped exciton at around 400 nm under vacuum ultraviolet and X-ray irradiation. The X-ray-induced scintillation decay time constants of the samples were several microseconds at room temperature. In the 241Am α-ray irradiated pulse height spectra, all the samples showed a clear full energy peak, and the absolute light yields of the Ba3Y(PO4)3, Ba3La(PO4)3, and Ba3Lu(PO4)3 single crystals were estimated to be 960, 1160, and 1220 ph/5.5 MeV-α, with a typical error of ±10%, respectively. The scintillation light yields of the Ba3RE(PO4)3 have been quantitatively clarified for the first time.

Clinical features of persistent postural-perceptual dizziness with isolated otolith dysfunction as revealed by VEMP and vHIT findings.

Background: Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) is a relatively new disease entity, with diagnostic criteria published by the Bárány Society. PPPD is often preceded by a peripheral or central vestibular disorder. It is not clear how coexisting deficits due to preceding vestibular disorders affect PPPD symptoms. Objective: This study aimed to characterize the clinical features of PPPD with or without isolated otolith dysfunction using vestibular function tests. Methods: The study included 43 patients (12 males and 31 females) who were diagnosed with PPPD and completed oculomotor-vestibular function tests. The Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Niigata PPPD Questionnaire (NPQ), and Romberg test for stabilometry were examined. The 43 patients with PPPD were classified into four categories based on vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) and video head impulse test (vHIT) results: normal function for both semicircular canals and otoliths (normal), isolated otolith dysfunction (iOtoDys), isolated semicircular canal dysfunction (iCanalDys), and dysfunction of both otoliths and semicircular canals (OtoCanalDys). Results: Among the 43 patients with PPPD, the iOtoDys group was the largest (44.2%), followed by the normal group (37.2%), iCanalDys group (9.3%), and OtoCanalDys group (9.3%). Eight of the 19 iOtoDys patients showed both abnormal cVEMP and oVEMP responses unilaterally or bilaterally (both sacculus and utriculus damage type), whereas 11 showed either an abnormal cVEMP or an abnormal oVEMP response (either sacculus or utriculus damage type). In a three-group comparison of the both sacculus and utriculus damage type, the either sacculus or utriculus damage type, and the normal group, the mean total, functional, and emotional DHI scores were significantly higher for the both sacculus and utriculus damage type than for the either sacculus or utriculus damage type. The Romberg ratio, a measure of stabilometry, was significantly higher for the normal group than for the both sacculus and utriculus damage type and the sacculus or utriculus damage type in the iOtoDys group. Conclusions: The coexistence of sacculus and utriculus damage may exacerbate dizziness symptoms in patients with PPPD. Determining the presence and extent of otolith damage in PPPD may provide useful information on the pathophysiology and treatment strategies of PPPD.

The Global Association between Egg Intake and the Incidence and Mortality of Ischemic Heart Disease-An Ecological Study.

The relationship between egg consumption and ischemic heart disease (IHD) remains controversial as there is still no clear answer regarding the relationship, with research limited to a few geographical regions. In the current study, we conducted a longitudinal analysis of the association between egg intake and IHD incidence (IHDi) and mortality (IHDd) using 28 years of international data from 1990 to 2018. Egg intake (g/day/capita) by country was obtained from the Global Dietary Database. Age-standard IHDi and IHDd rates per 100,000 subjects in each country were obtained from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease database. The analysis included a total of 142 countries with populations of at least one million, for which all data were available from 1990 to 2018. Eggs are consumed worldwide, and regional differences in consumption are also shown. Utilizing IHDi and IHDd as objective variables and egg intake as an explanatory variable, the analysis was conducted using linear mixed models, which controlled for inter- and intra-country variation from year to year. The results showed a significant negative association between egg intake, and IHDi (-0.253 ± 0.117, p < 0.05) and IHDd (-0.359 ± 0.137, p < 0.05). The analysis was carried out using R 4.0.5. The results suggest that adequate egg intake might suppress IHDi and IHDd on a global scale.

Effect of Vestibular Rehabilitation Program Using a Booklet in Patients with Chronic Peripheral Vestibular Hypofunction: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objectives: This study investigated the effects of a supervised home-based vestibular rehabilitation program using a booklet on gait function and dizziness in patients with chronic peripheral vestibular hypofunction. Methods: This was a non-blinded, randomized, controlled trial. Patients (n=42) with chronic peripheral vestibular hypofunction were randomly divided into the vestibular rehabilitation group (VR group; n=20) or the control group (n=22). Patients in the VR group received a supervised home-based vestibular rehabilitation program using a booklet in addition to physician care for 4 weeks. The physical therapist checked the home program when the VR group visited the outpatient clinic once a week. Patients in the control group received physician care only during the trial period. The primary outcome was functional gait assessment (FGA). The secondary outcomes were the dynamic gait index (DGI) and the dizziness handicap inventory (DHI). Results: Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance showed a significant interaction for FGA, DGI, DHI total, and DHI emotional scores (P<0.05) with the VR group improving more than the control group. No significant interactions were found for DHI physical and DHI functional scores (P≥0.05). Conclusions: The home-based vestibular rehabilitation program in this study was effective in improving gait function and dizziness in patients with chronic peripheral vestibular hypofunction. Regular supervision may have improved adherence to home exercise and contributed to the effectiveness of vestibular rehabilitation.

Global Association between Traditional Japanese Diet Score and All-Cause, Cardiovascular Disease, and Total Cancer Mortality: A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Ecological Study.

OBJECTIVE: Studies conducted on Japanese people have suggested that a traditional Japanese diet contributes to good health, longevity, and protection against several non-communicable diseases. However, it is unknown whether traditional Japanese dietary patterns are associated with all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and cancer mortality globally. The purpose of this cross-sectional and longitudinal ecological study is to clarify the global association between the traditional Japanese diet score (TJDS) and all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and total cancer mortality. METHODS: Data on food supply and all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease mortality, total cancer mortality, and covariables by country were obtained from a relevant internationally available database. TJDS by country was calculated from eight food groups and the total score ranged from -8 to 8, with higher scores indicating greater adherence to a traditional Japanese diet. We evaluated the cross-sectional and 10-year longitudinal association between TJDS and all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and total cancer mortality using 2009 as the baseline in 142 countries with populations of more than one million. A cross-sectional analysis and a longitudinal analysis were performed using three general linear models or three linear mixed models with different covariables. RESULTS: In cross-sectional models controlled for fully-adjusted covariables, TJDS was negatively associated with all-cause mortality (ß ± standard error; -43.819 ± 11.741, p < 0.001), cardiovascular disease mortality (-22.395 ± 4.638, p < 0.001), and total cancer mortality (-3.893 ± 1.048, p < 0.001). In 10-year longitudinal models controlled for fully-adjusted covariables, TJDS was significantly negatively associated with all-cause mortality (-31.563 ± 7.695, p < 0.001), cardiovascular disease mortality (-16.249 ± 4.054, p < 0.001), and total cancer mortality (-3.499 ± 0.867, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This cross-sectional and longitudinal ecological study suggests that the traditional Japanese diet is associated with lower all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease mortality, and total cancer mortality, worldwide.

Contribution to the taxonomy of Lobellini (Collembola: Neanurinae) and investigations on luminous Collembola from Japan.

Lobella sauteri was redescribed based on the lectotype and specimens obtained from the type locality Bugenji, Yokohama, Kanagawa, as the true identity of the luminous Collembola, Lobella sp. Lobella sauteri has morphological traits characteristic of the genus currently called Telobella. As L. sauteri is the type species of Lobella, the genus Telobella was synonymised with Lobella according to the principle of priority, and the genus Lobella was redefined to include both the species previously assigned to Telobella and those previously assigned to Lobella. A new species Lobella monstrum sp. nov. was described and new combinations were proposed for certain species in Lobellini. Light-emitting capacity was confirmed in L. sauteri and newly reported in Lobella yambaru comb. nov. Vitronura giselae and Vitronura kunigamiensis.

Scintillation Response of Nd-Doped LaMgAl11O19 Single Crystals Emitting NIR Photons for High-Dose Monitoring.

The Nd-doped LaMgAl11O19 single crystals were synthesized by the floating zone method, and the photoluminescence and scintillation properties were evaluated. Under X-ray irradiation, several sharp emission peaks due to the 4f-4f transitions of Nd3+ were observed at 900, 1060, and 1340 nm in the near-infrared range, and the decay curves show the typical decay time for Nd3+. The samples show good afterglow properties comparable with practical X-ray scintillators. The 1% and 3% Nd-doped LaMgAl11O19 samples show a good linearity in the dynamic range from 6-60,000 mGy/h.

X-ray-Induced Scintillation Properties of Nd-Doped Bi4Si3O12 Crystals in Visible and Near-Infrared Regions.

Undoped, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0% Nd-doped Bi4Si3O12 (BSO) crystals were synthesized by the floating zone method. Regarding photoluminescence (PL) properties, all samples had emission peaks due to the 6p-6s transitions of Bi3+ ions. In addition, the Nd-doped samples had emission peaks due to the 4f-4f transitions of Nd3+ ions as well. The PL quantum yield of the 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0% Nd-doped samples in the near-infrared range were 67.9, 73.0, and 56.6%, respectively. Regarding X-ray-induced scintillation properties, all samples showed emission properties similar to PL. Afterglow levels at 20 ms after X-ray irradiation of the undoped, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0% Nd-doped samples were 192.3, 205.9, 228.2, and 315.4 ppm, respectively. Dose rate response functions had good linearity from 0.006 to 60 Gy/h for the 1.0% Nd-doped BSO sample and from 0.03 to 60 Gy/h for the other samples.

Rating valence versus rating distribution: perceived helpfulness of word of mouth in e-commerce.

The success of e-commerce (EC) platforms depends heavily on word of mouth (WOM). Therefore, it is important to understand the characteristics of WOM, an aspect of consumer behavior, and using this knowledge to create customer experiences that helps the business to remain competitive. The factors that influence consumer behavior are classified into four types: the amount of WOM, text characteristics, reviewer characteristics and valence. However, the perspective of rating distribution is missing. This information has been provided to consumers on major EC platforms to help them improve their product quality product quality. Previous research is limited because it is difficult to quantify the improvement in their judgments. Therefore, this study investigates the impact of rating valence and distribution of ratings for personal computers through a randomized controlled trial in an online survey environment. The results show that rating valence has a greater impact on purchase intention than rating distribution. However, rating distribution, which is polarized both positively and negatively, contributes to WOM intention to help. In addition, the polarized rating distribution has a positive impact on consumers who prefer online purchases but a negative impact on consumers who prefer offline purchases as it gives the impression of risk. Therefore, EC platform operators should consider rating distribution as a recommended product algorithm.

Ce-doping effect on dosimetric properties of mullite single crystals synthesized by the floating zone method.

We synthesized the 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5% Ce-doped mullite single crystals by the floating zone method and evaluated their photoluminescence (PL) and thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) properties. The single-phase orthorhombic structure was confirmed in all the samples from powder X-ray diffraction patterns. The transmittance spectra of all the samples showed the absorption related to the 4f-5d transitions of Ce3+ ions and optical band gap of mullite. The Ce-doped mullite single crystals had the PL attributed to the 5d-4f transitions of Ce3+ ions. In TSL properties, TSL glow curves had the glow peaks at 250 and 370 °C, and TSL spectra heated at 250 and 370 °C had the peak at around 390 nm owing to the Ce3+ ions. TSL dose response functions showed linear response from 0.01 mGy to 10 Gy for the 1.0% Ce-doped mullite single crystal and from 0.1 mGy to 10 Gy for the 0.1, 0.5, and 1.5% Ce-doped ones. The 1.0% Ce-doped mullite single crystal could be used multiple times for dosimetry. In addition, the TSL intensity of the 1.0% Ce-doped mullite single crystal after 7 days from X-ray irradiation was about 82.4% from immediately one after X-ray irradiation.

Efficacy of supervised vestibular rehabilitation on functional mobility in patients with chronic vestibular hypofunction.

[Purpose] This study aimed to compare the effects of different intervention frequencies on walking ability and balance in patients with chronic unilateral vestibular hypofunction. [Participants and Methods] Participants included in this case-control study were assigned to one of two groups: the multiple-intervention (once a week) and single-intervention groups. Results for the Timed Up and Go test, Dynamic Gait Index, Functional Gait Assessment, and Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale were determined at baseline and four weeks after initiating the vestibular rehabilitation program. Thereafter, intra- and inter-group differences in the rates of change of these parameters were determined. [Results] The Timed Up and Go test values, Dynamic Gait Index, and Functional Gait Assessment scores improved significantly after four weeks in the multiple-intervention group. The improvement rate in the Timed Up and Go test differed significantly between the two groups. The Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale scores did not significantly change in either group after four weeks. [Conclusion] Compared to a single intervention, multiple interventions by a physical therapist produced significantly greater benefits in a relatively shorter period of time in patients with chronic unilateral vestibular hypofunction.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Sarcopenia in Patients with Dizziness.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of sarcopenia and factors associated with sarcopenia in patients with dizziness. STUDY DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study. PATIENTS: A total of 162 patients 65 years or older with the chief complaint of dizziness or vertigo (dizziness group) and 132 community-dwelling elderly (control group) were recruited during their visit to the otolaryngology clinic between May 2020 and October 2021. RESULTS: Of the 162 patients with dizziness (dizziness group), 53 (32.7%) were classified as sarcopenia according to the 2019 criteria of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia. There were significant differences in the prevalence of sarcopenia between the dizziness group and the control group ( p < 0.01). The factors that significantly affected the sarcopenia, in order of greater odds ratio, were HADS_A, age, and DHI_Total (odds ratio = 1.223, 1.130, and 1.022, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows that (i) the prevalence of sarcopenia in patients with dizziness is higher than a community-dwelling elderly; (ii) patients with dizziness and sarcopenia have higher DHI_functional, DHI_emotional, DHI_total, and HADS_A compared with patients with dizziness but without sarcopenia; and (iii) age, HADS_A, and DHI were associated with sarcopenia in patients with dizziness.

Change in the association between coffee intake and ischemic heart disease in an international ecological study from 1990 to 2018.

In previous observational studies, the association between coffee intake and risk of cardiovascular disease has reversed from positive to negative over time. This long-term international ecological study examined whether the association between coffee intake and mortality and incidence rates of ischemic heart disease (IHD) changed between 1990 and 2018 using multiple coherent data. We obtained data on coffee intake per capita, IHD mortality and incidence rates per 100,000 population, and socioeconomic and lifestyle indicators for each country from various publicly available databases. We integrated and analyzed data from 147 countries with populations of ≥ 1 million. We employed a linear mixed model analysis to assess the association between coffee intake and IHD mortality and incidence rates by year. The mean global coffee intake increased (p < 0.001), whereas IHD mortality (p < 0.001) and incidence (p = 0.073) decreased. In all models, the interaction between coffee intake and year showed a significant inverse association for IHD mortality and incidence rates (p < 0.001 for all). The country-level association between coffee intake and IHD mortality and incidence rates between 1990 and 2018 was stronger in the negative direction.

Variational quantum eigensolver simulations with the multireference unitary coupled cluster ansatz: a case study of the C2v quasi-reaction pathway of beryllium insertion into a H2 molecule.

Variational quantum eigensolver (VQE)-based quantum chemical calculations have been extensively studied as a computational model using noisy intermediate-scale quantum devices. The VQE uses a parametrized quantum circuit defined through an "ansatz" to generate approximated wave functions, and the appropriate choice of an ansatz is the most important step. Because most chemistry problems focus on the energy difference between two electronic states or structures, calculating the total energies in different molecular structures with the same accuracy is essential to correctly understand chemistry and chemical processes. In this context, the development of ansatzes that are capable of describing electronic structures of strongly correlated systems accurately is an important task. Here we applied a conventional unitary coupled cluster (UCC) and a newly developed multireference unitary coupled cluster with partially generalized singles and doubles (MR-UCCpGSD) ansatzes to the quasi-reaction pathway of Be insertion into H2, LiH molecule under covalent bond dissociation, and a rectangular tetra-hydrogen cluster known as a P4 cluster; these are representative systems in which the static electron correlation effect is prominent. Our numerical simulations revealed that the UCCSD ansatz exhibits extremely slow convergence behaviour around the point where an avoided crossing occurs in the Be + H2 → BeH2 reaction pathway, resulting in a large discrepancy of the simulated VQE energy from the full-configuration interaction (full-CI) value. By contrast, the MR-UCCpGSD ansatz can give more reliable results with respect to total energy and the overlap with the full-CI solution, insisting the importance of multiconfigurational treatments in the calculations of strongly correlated systems. The MR-UCCpGSD ansatz allows us to compute the energy with the same accuracy regardless of the strength of multiconfigurational character, which is an essential property to discuss energy differences of various molecular systems.

Factors affecting the outcome of vestibular rehabilitation in patients with peripheral vestibular disorders.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have reported that developmental, environmental, medical, psychological, visual, and other sensory-related factors can influence the outcome of vestibular rehabilitation. However, only a few studies have used patient's daily lives as the main outcome. In addition, in some studies, rehabilitation was not supervised by a physical therapist. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with the outcome of physical-therapist-supervised vestibular rehabilitation in patients with peripheral vestibular disorders, with the impact of dizziness on quality of life as the main outcome. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 47 patients with peripheral vestibular disorders. A physical therapist provided 40 min of vestibular rehabilitation once a week for 4 weeks. Age, sex, disease duration, Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Timed Up-and-Go test (TUG), Dynamic Gait Index (DGI), Functional Gait Assessment (FGA), Activity-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC scale), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were investigated. Multiple regression analysis was performed, with the DHI rate of change before and after the intervention as the objective variable. RESULTS: Vestibular rehabilitation improved all outcomes. In the multiple regression analysis, the ABC scale was identified as a factor that significantly influenced the DHI rate of change (ß = -0.428, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: A higher ABC scale score was associated with a lower DHI rate of change (i.e., better improvement). Therefore, it may be important to assess psychological aspects, especially confidence in balance, when implementing vestibular rehabilitation in patients with peripheral vestibular disorders.

The utilization and demographic characteristics of in-hospital rehabilitation for acute vestibular neuritis in Japan.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the utilization and demographic characteristics of in-hospital rehabilitation for patients with acute vestibular neuritis using the Japan Medical Data Center (JMDC) database. METHODS: We gathered information on patients that were at least 20 years of age who were admitted with a diagnosis of VN (ICD-10 code: H81.2). We defined in-hospital rehabilitation service use as payment of insurance claims for at least one session of rehabilitation during admission. RESULTS: We identified 809 patients that were eligible for this study; among these, 59 patients (7.3%) received rehabilitation while 750 patients did not. The median total time spent and the median time per day in inpatient rehabilitation were 140 min and 11.7 min, respectively. Factors that significantly affected the rehabilitation service use, in order of greater odds, were primary care, internal medicine, and age in multivariate logistic regression analysis (odds ratio = 4.42, 2.17, 1.33, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that (1) utilization of rehabilitation services by acute patients with VN was low; and (2) age, admission to internal medicine, and admission to primary care were associated with the use of rehabilitation services.

Relationship between physical activity and dizziness handicap inventory in patients with dizziness -A multivariate analysis.

OBJECTIVE: A few studies have analyzed the physical activity in patients with dizziness. Levels of physical activity using 3-axial accelerometer were reported to be lower in patients with chronic dizziness compared to healthy adults. However, the sample size was small and confounding factors were not adjusted in the study. As the age, balance, anxiety, and depression likely contribute to dizziness, the contribution of physical activity to dizziness should be evaluated after adjusting for these potential confounders. We investigated the relationship between physical activity, postural stability, anxiety, and handicap in patients with dizziness using multivariate analysis. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 59 patients with dizziness. The physical activity was measured using a 3-axial accelerometer. We also assessed the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Hospital and Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the total center of pressure path length eyes open and eyes closed (COP_EO, COP_EC). To be eligible for analysis, the participants were required to wear the accelerometer for at least four days, with at least 10 h/day of wear time each day. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the light physical activity (LPA) and moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) between the mild (DHI ≦30) and severe (DHI > 60) groups. Factors that significantly affected the DHI_T score, in order of greater ß, were LPA, COP_EC, female, and HADS_A (ß = -0.546, 0.459, 0.437, 0.239, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated that the patients in the severe group had shorter LPA and MVPA times than that of the patients in the mild group. Additionally, LPA was associated with DHI_T in patients with dizziness. Therefore, physical activity, especially LPA (e.g., activities of daily living), may need to be assessed in patients with dizziness.

Development of a Method for Estimating Dietary Salt Intake Using the Overnight Urinary Sodium/Potassium Ratio.

BACKGROUND: There are many patients who need to restrict and assess salt in their diet. However, it is difficult to estimate daily salt intake accurately and easily. Therefore, a method for estimating dietary salt intake using the overnight urinary sodium (Na)/potassium (K) ratio was developed. METHODS: The study involved 43 healthy adults (13 males, 30 females). From 2018 to 2020, subjects consumed a salt-adjusted diet for 11 - 30 days continuously, and overnight urine was collected daily. Using the previous day's salt intake as the objective variable, an equation for estimating the salt intake was developed using a general linear model. To verify the accuracy of the estimating equation, the estimated salt intake of the previous day was calculated using our equation and Tanaka's equation, which is an estimating equation from spot urine widely used in clinical practice and epidemiological studies to estimate dietary salt intake, and they were compared with the actual salt intake. RESULTS: The results of the analysis showed that model 1 (previous day's salt intake (g) = 3.62 + 0.64 × urinary Na/K ratio + 0.18 × conductivity (mS/cm) - 0.43 × sex (male 0, female 1)) was the optimal model. Then, salt intake was estimated using model 1 and Tanaka's equation, and compared with actual salt intake. The Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient between the actual and estimated salt intake was r = 0.618 (P < 0.001) and r = 0.573 (P < 0.001) for model 1 estimates and Tanaka's equation estimates, respectively. The percentages of errors within ±30% from the actual salt intake were 64.2% and 58.4% for model 1 and Tanaka's equation, respectively. CONCLUSION: An equation for estimating salt intake was developed using the Na/K ratio and conductivity of overnight urine. Although the applicability of this method to hypertensive patients and the elderly has not been studied and needs to be clarified in the future, the estimating equation developed is simple and may be a useful method for daily monitoring of dietary salt intake.

Changes in the association between the traditional Japanese diet score and suicide rates over 26 years: A global comparative study.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the global association between the Traditional Japanese Diet Score and suicide rate. METHODS: Average food supply and energy supply by country were obtained from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Statistics Division database (FAOSTAT). Traditional Japanese Diet Score (TJDS) was calculated from food group classifications. Age-standardized suicide rates per 100,000 people by country were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease 2017 database. The 26-year associations between TJDS and suicide rates were examined controlling for covariates using a mixed-effects model in 138 countries with populations of 1 million or greater. RESULTS: A significant negative association was found in the analysis of the relationship between TJDS and the prevalence of suicide [ß (se) = -0.126 (0.031), p < 0.001]. The interaction term between TJDS and year was also significant [ß (se) = -0.011 (0.003), p < 0.001]. The change in the effect of TJDS on suicide rates by year was examined. The effect of TJDS was not significant from 1991 to 1999 but became significant after 2000; the slope of the TJDS to suicide rate in 2017 was -0.270 (95% confidence interval -0.382, -0.169, p < 0.001). LIMITATIONS: This was a national ecological study and did not consider individual differences in sex, age, and lifestyle. CONCLUSIONS: TJDS may be is a protective factor for depression, which may prevent suicide. The association between TJDS and suicide rates became stronger over time and was inversely associated with suicide rates after 2000.