PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

T A Kondo

Publications and source records attributed to T A Kondo.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Visual accommodation and subject performance during a stereographic object task using liquid crystal shutters.

Virtual reality has become popular in a variety of fields. Three experiments to study visual accommodation and task performance during stereographic vision were carried out in order to better understand the human response to virtual reality. Visual accommodation to stereograms on CRT was studied. Subjects could see the target on the CRT display binocularly through liquid crystal shutters. Accommodation to a stereogram with step changes in distance was tested first. As the second experiment, accommodation to a stereogram with gradual changes in distance, and comparison of ability to perform a colour photograph stereogram task were tested. Finally, accommodation and subject performance during a prolonged stereographic object task were observed for 30 min. A virtual 'gate' was formed at a position 1.2m from the subject. The virtual target moved forward and backward through this gate between the positions of 0.8m and 2.0m. The subjects were asked to focus on the target and press a button as it moved through the virtual gate. Subjective response to the task and the error between the position where the button was pressed and the gate was recorded. It was concluded that there are some people who exhibit large changes in accommodation while performing a stereographic task. There is a tendency to accommodate to a distance nearer than the baseline. Prolonged stereoscopic viewing caused visual fatigue or loss of accommodation and diminished task performance.

Accommodation, Ocular

Morbidity of allergic rhinitis based on the National Health Insurance records of Japan.

The morbidity of allergic rhinitis (AR) based on Japan National Health Insurance records was calculated from 1981 to 1990. The data shows a three-fold increase of the rate for AR patients in those 10 years. Additionally, Aichi Prefecture's morbidity of AR was analysed for May 1991. When cross-sectional methods were used for May 1991, it was found that the morbidity of AR showed little correlation with the pollen count for Japanese cedars and Japanese cypresses. However, the results suggested possible correlations between the morbidity of AR and the mean yearly levels of the pollutant components SPM and NO2.

Air Pollutants, Occupational

An international analysis of smoking control levels in relation to health, social and economic indicators.

The relationship was examined between government smoking control levels and eight health, social and economic indicators in 93 countries. Governmental smoking control levels were quantified by assigning a point to each control measure. The controls were as follows: health warning on cigarette package; tar, nicotine or carbon monoxide level indications on cigarette package; ban on advertising on TV or radio; and prohibiting sales to minors. The eight indicators were annual rate of population increase, infant mortality rate, population per hospital bed, number of TV sets per 1000 people, protein supply per capita per day, military expenditure as % of GNP, gross national product (GNP) and % of primary school enrollment. We analyzed predictors of the smoking control level using multiple linear regression analysis with these eight indicators. This regression model indicates that the higher the GNP is, the stronger the smoking control level is, and GNP alone accounts for 42% of the variance in smoking control levels. The set of eight indicators explained 49% of it. GNP had the largest partial regression coefficient in the standardized model. Therefore, a low GNP might be an important factor behind the difficulty in strengthening government controls on smoking.

Health Status Indicators