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Ambient temperature and blood pressure (BP) are closely related; however, few studies have examined the association of out-of-office BP with indoor or outdoor temperature. The effect of the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures on BP also remains unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association of indoor and outdoor temperatures and their difference with home BP. We studied healthy 352 participants (mean age, 49.8 years; 46.0% women) from a population-based cohort using 2-year data on temperature and self-measured home BP. We measured home BP and indoor temperature at the same time in the morning and evening every day. Outdoor temperature during the same period was based on national data. We observed 82,900 home BP measurements in the morning and 66,420 in the evening. In the mixed-effects model adjusted for age, sex, and possible confounders, indoor temperature was inversely associated with systolic and diastolic BP in the morning and evening. A 1 °C increase in indoor temperature reduced systolic and diastolic BP by 0.37 and 0.22 mmHg, respectively, in the morning and by 0.45 and 0.30 mmHg, respectively, in the evening (all P-values<0.001). The magnitude of associations was stronger for indoor than outdoor temperature. Similarly, a 1 °C increase in indoor temperature above outdoor temperature decreased systolic and diastolic BP by 0.33 and 0.12 mmHg, respectively, in the morning and by 0.45 and 0.26 mmHg, respectively, in the evening independent of outdoor temperature (all P-values <0.001). In conclusion, controlling indoor temperature is important to stabilize home BP levels.

Existing meta-analyses have shown that active learning strategies are effective in improving students’ learning performance. However, their implementation may vary across school levels. This study investigated differences among elementary, middle, and high school teachers in the use of teaching strategies, including those that promote active learning and pedagogical beliefs. We also explored differences in the relationships between beliefs about teaching and learning, teaching experience, and teaching strategies for active learning across school levels. An online survey was conducted with 550 in-service elementary, middle, and high school teachers. Participants completed a questionnaire that measured their teaching strategies, beliefs about teaching and learning, and teaching experience. The results revealed differences in the frequency of use of six teaching strategies, including those that promoted active learning. Elementary school teachers used teaching strategies that promoted active learning most frequently, followed by middle and high school teachers. There were no differences in teachers’ beliefs about teaching and learning across school levels. Multigroup structural equation modeling indicated no differences in the influence of beliefs about teaching and learning on active learning teaching strategies among school levels, except that the traditional conception was negatively associated with the implementation of active learning in middle school. Constructivist beliefs were positively associated with active learning strategies across all levels, whereas teaching experience was negatively associated with teaching strategies that promoted student output at the higher school level. These findings have implications for the implementation of active learning, particularly at higher school levels. Plain language summary Different teaching methods across school levels in Japan Among the various teaching methods, some involve more active student engagement through activities such as explanations and discussions among students, known as active learning. However, previous research has highlighted differences in the frequency of teaching methods that teachers use at different school levels. This study investigated how elementary, middle, and high school teachers apply different teaching methods, and perceive teaching and learning. In-service Japanese teachers (N = 550) participated in the study. The findings indicated that teachers across different school levels employed six teaching methods, encompassing those involving students’ active learning. Among these levels, elementary school teachers most frequently employed teaching methods that encouraged students’ active engagement, followed by middle and high school teachers. When examining the reasons behind the choice of teaching methods, no significant differences were found between school levels, except that their beliefs emphasized that traditional teaching approaches were associated with the reduced use of active learning methods in middle school. On the other hand, beliefs that prioritize student-driven understanding are linked to the use of active learning methods across all school levels. Furthermore, teachers with more experience tended to use these methods less frequently at higher school levels. These findings have significant implications for the effective implementation of active learning, particularly in high school education.

Rapid eating has been demonstrated to be associated with obesity and overweight. However, few studies have characterized the separate relationships of eating speed with visceral and subcutaneous fat mass or circulating adiponectin concentration. We hypothesized that rapid eating is associated with the larger visceral fat tissue (VFT) area and lower adiponectin concentration, but not with the subcutaneous fat tissue (SFT) area in men and women. We performed a cross-sectional study of 712 adults aged 20–86 years (528 men and 184 women; mean ± SD age 59.36 ± 13.61 years). The participants completed a self-reported questionnaire, and underwent anthropometric and laboratory measurements and computed tomographic imaging of the abdomen as a part of annual medical check-ups. Multivariate linear regression analyses revealed that rapid eating was associated with larger visceral (B = 24.74; 95% CI 8.87–40.61, p = 0.002) and subcutaneous fat areas (B = 31.31; 95% CI 12.23–50.38, p = 0.001), lower adiponectin concentration (B =  − 2.92; 95% CI − 4.39– − 1.46, p < 0.001), higher body mass index (BMI) (B = 2.13; 95% CI 1.02–3.25, p < 0.001), and larger waist circumference (B = 5.23; 95% CI 2.16–8.30, p < 0.001) in men, which is partially consistent with the hypothesis. In contrast, rapid eating was found to be associated only with BMI, and not with abdominal adipose area or adiponectin concentration in women, which is a result that is not consistent with the hypothesis. These results suggest that there is no difference in the association of rapid eating with VFT and SFT areas.

Background Internet addiction (IA) has been drawing attention to mental health. However, few reports have been found on the related factors of at‐risk IA among regular workers by a nationwide survey. The study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of at‐risk IA and identify related factors among senior high school teachers in Japan. Methods This survey was a cross‐sectional survey of high schools across Japan in 2017. There were 3189 teachers (2088 males and 1098 female) who participated in this survey. The questionnaire asked about their devices, both the time and the activities of using their internet, and sociodemographic factors. IA was measured by the internet addiction test (IAT) by which 40–79 points were classified as at‐risk IA, and more as IA. We compared the related factors of at‐risk IA and non‐IA using descriptive analysis and multivariable regression analysis. Results The rates of IA and at‐risk IA were 0.09% (n = 3) and 6.91% (n = 220), respectively. At‐risk IA was positively associated with activities on the internet for gaming, entertainment, net‐surfing, and younger ages. In addition, the at‐risk IA group had a longer time spent on the internet than the non‐IA group. Conclusions Around 7% of high school teachers are at‐risk IA in this survey, though they have regular work. Our results suggest that at‐risk IA may be reinforced not only by the active internet use such as gaming, but also by purposeless behaviors, such as net‐surfing. Managing time on the internet may support preventing at‐risk IA among senior high school teachers. This study identified related factors for at‐risk internet addiction (IA) among senior high school teachers in Japan using a cross‐sectional and nationwide survey. As a result, there were around 7% of senior high school teachers with at‐risk of IA. The at‐risk IA group spent more time on the internet than the non‐IA group. Furthermore, younger and activity on the internet were associated with at‐risk IA.

Background School teachers have a possibility toward at-risk Internet addiction (IA) due to increased opportunities to use the Internet, along with the spread of the Internet in recent years. Burnout syndrome (BOS) is found to be one of the symptoms related to unhealthy mental health, especially among teachers. This study aims to research the relationship between at-risk IA and the Internet usage or BOS by conducting a nationwide cross-sectional survey and examining the factors associated with IA. Method This study was a cross-sectional survey by anonymous questionnaire. This survey was a random sampling survey of junior high schools across Japan in 2016. The participants were 1696 teachers at 73 schools (response rate in teachers 51.0%). We asked participants for details of their backgrounds, Internet usage, the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) by Young, and the Japanese Burnout Scale (JBS). We divided the participants into either the at-risk IA group (IAT score ≧ 40, n  = 96) or the non-IA group (IAT score < 40, n  = 1600). To compare the difference between at-risk IA and non-IA, we used nonparametric tests and t test according to variables. To analyze the relationship between the IAT score and the scores of three factors of the JBS (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment), we used both ANOVA and ANCOVA, adjusted by relevant confounding factors. To clarify the contribution of each independent variable to IAT scores, we used multiple logistic regression analysis. Results In our study, at-risk IA was associated with using the internet many hours privately, being on the Internet both on weekdays and weekends, playing games, and surfing the Internet. In the relationship between IAT score and BOS factor score, a higher score for “depersonalization” had a positive relationship with at-risk IA, and the highest quartile for “decline of personal accomplishment” had a lower odds ratio with at-risk IA by multiple logistic regression analysis. Conclusion We clarified there is a significant relationship between at-risk IA and BOS among junior high school teachers in a nationwide survey. Our results suggest that finding depersonalization at the early stage may lead to the prevention of at-risk IA among teachers. Those who are at-risk of IA may feel personal accomplishment through use of the Internet.

Objectives Problematic internet use (PIU) has been suggested in relation to psychological symptoms among schoolteachers, but the relationship with physical symptoms remains unclear. We examined whether PIU or longer Internet usage time is associated with neck pain in schoolteachers. Methods We conducted a cross‐sectional study among 2582 teachers aged 20 years or older (35.6% women) in Shimane and Tottori, Japan in 2018. Neck pain was defined as ≥5 points on the Neck Disability Index. The Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS) was used to assess PIU. Internet usage time on weekdays and weekends was divided into five groups: 0, 1–29, 30–59, 60–119, and ≥120 min/day. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the association of the CIUS score and Internet usage time on weekdays or weekends with neck pain, adjusting for sex, age, position at school, insomnia, and psychological distress. Results We observed 800 (31.0%) teachers with neck pain. The median (interquartile range) of their CIUS scores was 7 (2, 14). A higher CIUS score was independently associated with a higher prevalence of neck pain (odds ratio of 4th vs. 1st quartiles, 1.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.06–1.87; trend P = .006). Compared with non‐Internet users, Internet users on weekdays had almost double the odds of neck pain although the difference did not reach the customary level for designating statistical significance. Conclusions In conclusion, teachers with higher scores in CIUS were associated with a higher prevalence of neck pain in Japan, suggesting adults with PIU being at risk of physical disorders.

Ne-Zake is the drinking of alcohol before sleeping for helping to fall asleep and sleep well, and Mukae-Zake is the drinking of alcohol in the morning for “calming down” or “curing hangovers”. We sought to examine the relationship of insomnia with Ne-Zake and Mukae-Zake among healthy middle-aged Japanese farmers. In a cross-sectional study of 746 participants (mean age, 59.5 years; women, 25.9%), Ne-Zake and Mukae-Zake were defined based on a self-administered questionnaire. Insomnia was defined as the Athens Insomnia Scale Japanese version ≥6 or usage of sleeping pills in the previous year. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratio (OR) of insomnia related to Ne-Zake and Mukae-Zake adjusting for sex, age, presence of sleep-related disorders, frequency of alcohol consumption, and quantity of alcohol consumed per one occasion. We observed insomnia, Ne-Zake, and Mukae-Zake in 174 (23.3%), 140 (18.8%), and 37 (5.0%) participants, respectively. After adjustment for demographic and confounding factors, participants with Ne-Zake had a significantly higher prevalence of insomnia (OR 2.00 [95% confidence interval, 1.27–3.16]), compared to those without Ne-Zake. Mukae-Zake was also independently associated with a higher prevalence of insomnia among men (OR 3.26 [1.55–6.87]). Participants with both Ne-Zake and Mukae-Zake had a highly significant association with insomnia (OR 4.77 [2.01–11.3]) than those with neither Ne-Zake nor Mukae-Zake. Additionally, for insomnia, the association of Mukae-Zake was more pronounced than that of Ne-Zake (OR 4.09, 95% CI 1.14–14.7, p = 0.031; and OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.08–3.06, p = 0.026, respectively). Ne-Zake and Mukae-Zake were associated with insomnia independent of the quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption among Japanese farmers. This finding can be used for stratifying individuals with insomnia not only to improve sleep hygiene but also to prevent alcohol dependence by informing the general population that alcohol has a negative effect on sleep, contrary to popular beliefs. •Ne-Zake is the drinking of alcohol before sleep to help falling asleep and sleeping well.•Mukae-Zake is the drinking of alcohol in the morning to “calm down” or “cure hangovers”.•Participants with Ne-Zake had a significantly higher prevalence of insomnia.•Mukae-Zake was also independently associated with a higher prevalence of insomnia.•Having both Ne-Zake and Mukae-Zake was highly significantly associated with insomnia.

The Wilms' tumor gene WT1 consists of 10 exons and encodes a zinc finger transcription factor. There are four major WT1 isoforms resulting from alternative splicing at two sites, exon 5 (17AA) and exon 9 (KTS). All major WT1 isoforms are overexpressed in leukemia and solid tumors and play oncogenic roles such as inhibition of apoptosis, and promotion of cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In the present study, a novel alternatively spliced WT1 isoform that had an extended exon 4 (designated as exon 4a) with an additional 153 bp (designated as 4a sequence) at the 3' end was identified and designated as an Ex4a(+)WT1 isoform. The insertion of exon 4a resulted in the introduction of premature translational stop codons in the reading frame in exon 4a and production of C-terminal truncated WT1 proteins lacking zinc finger DNA-binding domain. Overexpression of the truncated Ex4a(+)WT1 isoform inhibited the major WT1-mediated transcriptional activation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-xL gene promoter and induced mitochondrial damage and apoptosis. Conversely, suppression of the Ex4a(+)WT1 isoform by Ex4a-specific siRNA attenuated apoptosis. These results indicated that the Ex4a(+)WT1 isoform exerted dominant negative effects on anti-apoptotic function of major WT1 isoforms. Ex4a(+)WT1 isoform was endogenously expressed as a minor isoform in myeloid leukemia and solid tumor cells and increased regardless of decrease in major WT1 isoforms during apoptosis, suggesting the dominant negative effects on anti-apoptotic function of major WT1 isoforms. These results indicated that Ex4a(+)WT1 isoform had an important physiological function that regulated oncogenic function of major WT1 isoforms.

By developing a new in vivo method to evaluate the esophageal closure, which reflects inhibition of swallowing, we demonstrate that the vagal X1 branch projected from the glossopharyngeal-vagal motor complex (GVC) controls the upper esophageal sphincter (UES) muscle directly. Although eel vagal nerve consisted of five branches, other branches (X2, X3, X4 and X5) did not influence the esophageal pressure. When the X1 nerve branch was stimulated electrically, the balloon pressure in the UES area increased with optimum frequency of 20 Hz. Since similar optimum frequency was observed both in the pithed eel and in the isolated UES preparation, such characteristic of X1 nerve is not due to anesthetic used during experiment. As the isolated UES preparation consists of muscle cells and nerve terminals, and as the optimum frequency of the nerve terminal is identical with that of the X1 branch, it is most likely that the X1 nerve branch is identical with the nerve terminals within the UES preparation. On the other hand, since the GVC neurons fire spontaneously at around 20 Hz, the optimum frequency of 20 Hz means that the eel UES is usually closed vigorously and relaxed only when the GVC neuron is inactivated. The effect of X1 stimulation was inhibited by curare, but not by atropine, indicating that the X1 nerve branch releases acetylcholine, which acts on the nicotinic receptor on the UES striated muscle. Beside vagal nerve X1 branch, spinal nerve SN2, SN3 and SN4 also contributed to the UES closure, but SN1 did not influence the UES movement. However, since the efficacy of these spinal nerve stimulations is about 1/10 of that by vagal X1 branch, the eel UES may be controlled primarily by a vagal nerve X1 branch, and secondarily by spinal nerves (SN2, SN3 and SN4).