A BOD biosensor which uses irrunobilized yeasts for its receptor and a DO probe for its transducer has made it possible to measure BOD in wastewater in a short time and without any special analytical technique. Since being standardized as Japan Industrialized Standard (JIS) K 3602 in 1990. the BOD sensor has entered into a commercial stage. It has been reported that the BOD sensor is applicable to specific wastewater generated by the food industry, but it is unclear whether the BOD sensor is applicable to domestic wastewater, in particular. to secondary effluent from wastewater treatment plants. This paper discusses the applicability of the existing BOD sensor to domestic wastewater and the necessity of improving the existing BOD sensor. Based on the experimental evaluation of the actual samples in this paper, it was found that the BOD sensor requires modifications when it is applied to less biodegradable samples such as secondary effluents from wastewater treatment plants or river waters. Thus, several modifications were conducted. As a result, selections of microorganisms for the receptor and of BOD standard solutions for calibration resulted in improvement of applicability of the BOD sensor to less biodegradable samples. Using the renovated BOD sensor, satisfactory coincidence was observed between manually analyzed BOD5 and sensored BOD for secondary effluent and river water.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the paraspinal muscle cross-sectional area and the relative proprioceptive weighting ratio during local vibratory stimulation of older persons with lumbar spondylosis in an upright position. [Subjects] In all, 74 older persons hospitalized for lumbar spondylosis were included. [Methods] We measured the relative proprioceptive weighting ratio of postural sway using a Wii board while vibratory stimulations of 30, 60, or 240 Hz were applied to the subjects’ paraspinal or gastrocnemius muscles. Back strength, abdominal muscle strength, and erector spinae muscle (L1/L2, L4/L5) and lumbar multifidus (L1/L2, L4/L5) cross-sectional areas were evaluated. [Results] The erector spinae muscle (L1/L2) cross-sectional area was associated with the relative proprioceptive weighting ratio during 60Hz stimulation. [Conclusion] These findings show that the relative proprioceptive weighting ratio compared to the erector spinae muscle (L1/L2) cross-sectional area under 60Hz proprioceptive stimulation might be a good indicator of trunk proprioceptive sensitivity.

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[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between physical function and postural sway during local vibratory stimulation of middle-aged subjects in an upright position. [Subjects] The subjects were 25 healthy community-dwelling middle-aged people. [Methods] We measured postural sway using a Wii board while vibratory stimulations of 30, 60, or 240 Hz were applied to the subjects’ lumbar multifidus or gastrocnemius muscles. Physical function was evaluated by 5-m usual gait speed and grip strength. [Results] Gait speed was strongly correlated to the anteroposterior body sway in the upright position during 30 Hz gastrocnemius muscles vibration (GMV). [Conclusion] Postural sway during 30 Hz GMV was strongly associated with gait speed and showed a posterior displacement. These findings show that the lower leg’s response to balance control under 30 Hz proprioceptive stimulation might be a good indicator of declining gait function.