[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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This study compared the mechanical properties of hip protectors currently marketed. We measured impact force using a pendulum type impact testing system which imitates the force that the hip encounters in an actual fall. Moreover, we calculated the dynamic viscoelasticity and impact force absorptivity of the material for each frequency response using the elastic loss modulus, elastic storage modulus and tan δ. We found that soft hip protectors provided excellent impact force attenuation and hard hip protectors had excellent impact force dispersion capacity.

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The objective of this study was to develop a subcutaneous fat thickness meter, which was inexpensive and easy to use, based on bioelectrical impedance analysis. The subcutaneous fat thickness meter consists of H8/3069F microprocessor, electric circuit, LCD and tetrapolar electrode. The apparent resistivity was used as a parameter to estimate subcutaneous fat thickness, which was measured using ultrasonography. First, the apparent resistivity was obtained from the anterior region of right thigh and the posterior of right upper arm of ten healthy male subjects. The regression equations were calculated. Next, the accuracy of subcutaneous fat thickness meter was investigated by estimating subcutaneous fat thickness of the anterior thigh and the posterior arm from ten additional human subjects. The subcutaneous fat thickness measured with the proposed meter was compared with that measured with ultrasonography using the Bland-Altman plot. There was no significant difference between the subcutaneous fat thickness measured by the both methods (p > 0.05). The standard deviation of difference was 0.93 mm at the anterior region of thigh and 1.11 mm at the posterior arm. The proposed meter is effective to estimate the subcutaneous fat thickness and does not require expensive equipment while further study will be necessary to measure the thick fat tissue.

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