Search

Purpose: Our previous work proposed a rehabilitation robot to support bimanual-coordinated training not only in active-assisted and passive-driven modes but also in active-resisted mode. However, assessment of training effect was only focused on the improvements of subjects' motion-tracking precisions. This paper presents an evaluation strategy based on variations in both cerebral activation level (CAL) and motion-tracking precision. Method:Fourteen healthy subjects participated in motion-tracking training in bimanual active-assisted and active-resisted modes, and in single right-limb and left-limb modes, with haemoglobin concentration and motion-tracking errors being measured simultaneously. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) of the CAL and motion-tracking errors were performed to investigate bimanual training effect and the difference between bimanual and single-limb trainings in activating the brain. Results: In the bimanual modes, both the CAL and motion-tracking precision significantly increased after training. And the CAL induced in the bimanual trainings were significantly greater than in the single-limb trainings. Conclusions:Significant enhancement of the CAL and motion-tracking precision confirmed a positive training effect on enhancing the bimanual-coordination capability of healthy subjects. Compared to the single-limb modes, the higher CAL in the bimanual modes demonstrated the potential of the proposed bimanual training for improving the functional integrity of the two hemispheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to determine via responses to three questionnaire surveys how sexuality education programs are conducted at junior high schools in Japan. Study 1 examined the practice of sexuality education in schools, Study 2 investigated junior high school students' (age 12–13 and 14–15 years) knowledge of sexuality, and Study 3 examined parents'/guardians' views on sexuality education. For Study 1, 703 principals of 5158 junior high schools returned an original questionnaire (13.6% recovery rate), and for Studies 2 and 3, 9492 students and 5374 parents returned questionnaires (86.2% and 60.3% recovery rate, respectively). In Study 1, an average of 9.19 hours of instruction was allocated to sexuality education over three grades. In Study 2, the average correct response rate was as low as 34.5% for boys and 39.4% for girls, with many answering ‘I don't know.’ Approximately one-half of the boys indicated there was nothing in particular they wanted to know about sex and no-one they wanted to consult. In Study 3, parents viewed school as a more appropriate setting than home for teaching physiological aspects of sexuality and providing accurate information. From the results of the three studies, we discuss the current situation and future challenges for sexuality education in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]