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Ryunosuke Fukushi,1 Atsushi Teramoto,1 Mitsunori Yoshimoto,1 Naohisa Miyakoshi,2 Daisuke Kudo,2 Makoto Emori,1 Yoichi Shimada,2 Toshihiko Yamashita1 1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan; 2Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Akita University School, Akita, JapanCorrespondence: Ryunosuke Fukushi, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S1 W16, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8543, Japan, Tel +81-11-611-2111, Fax +81-11-621-8059, Email ryunosuke_fukushi_521@yahoo.co.jpPurpose: To assess the number of surgeries needed to acquire the necessary skills to perform spine surgery independently.Patients and Methods: A questionnaire on 12 different spinal procedures was sent to orthopedic surgeons affiliated with the spine teams of orthopedic departments at either the Akita University or Sapporo Medical University. Participants were asked to identify whether they (A) could independently perform each procedure, (B) could perform each procedure with the assistance of a senior doctor, or (C) were unable to perform each procedure. Those whose response was (A) were asked how many surgeries were required to acquire the necessary skills. Those who responded to (B) or (C) were asked how many surgeries they believed were required to acquire the skills necessary to operate independently. Participants also responded to 10 questions on surgical training techniques and rated the usefulness of each method.Results: A total of 55 spine surgeons responded to the questionnaire. Group A required significantly fewer surgeries in the following categories to become independent than required Group C: upper cervical spine surgery (7.3/19.3), anterior cervical decompression/fusion (6.7/28.8), posterior cervical decompression/fusion (9.5/27.3), lumbar discectomy (12.6/26.7), endoscopic lumbar discectomy (10.2/24.2), spinal tumor resection (6.5/37.2), and spinal kyphosis surgery (10.3/32.3). Over 80% of participants responded that the following were effective methods: “surgeries where a senior doctor is the main surgeon, and the respondent is the assistant and observer”; “surgeries where the respondent is the main surgeon, and a senior doctor is an assistant”; “self-study using surgery manuals, articles, and textbooks”; and “training through video surgery sessions”.Conclusion: Surgeons who do not perform specific procedures independently require more surgical experience than those who operate independently. Our results may help develop more efficient training methods for spine surgeons.Keywords: surgical experience, surgical training, training system, inexperienced spine surgeons

Yuya Watanabe,1–4,* Yosuke Yamada,2,4,* Keiichi Yokoyama,2,5,6,* Tsukasa Yoshida,2,4,7 Yasuko Yoshinaka,5,6 Mie Yoshimoto,8 Yoko Tanaka,9 Aya Itoi,10 Emi Yamagata,11 Naoyuki Ebine,1 Kazuko Ishikawa-Takata,12 Misaka Kimura2,3 1Faculty of Health and Sports Science, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Japan; 2Laboratory of Applied Health Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan; 3Department of Health and Sports Sciences, Kyoto Gakuen University, Kameoka, Japan; 4Section of Healthy Longevity Research, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan; 5Specified Non-profit Corporation Genki-up AGE Project, Kameoka, Japan; 6Department of Business Administration, Kyoto Gakuen University, Kyoto, Japan; 7Senior Citizen’s Welfare Section, Kameoka City Government, Kameoka, Japan; 8Corporation of Japan Dental Hygienists’ Association, Kyoto, Japan; 9Kyoto Dietetic Association, Kyoto, Japan; 10Department of Health, Sports and Nutrition, Faculty of Health and Welfare, Kobe Women’s University, Kobe, Japan; 11Faculty of Nursing, Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts, Kyotanabe, Japan; 12Department of Nutrition and Metabolism, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan *These authors contributed equally to this work Objective: The number of long-term care (LTC) users and the associated expenditures in Japan are increasing dramatically. The national government recommends LTC prevention through activation of communities. However, there is no clear evidence of the effect of population-based comprehensive geriatric intervention program (CGIP) for restraints of LTC users and the associated expenditures in the future. The aims of the current paper are to describe the study protocol and progress of a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a CGIP in Kameoka City. Methods: The cluster RCT involved random allocation of regions as intervention (n=4,859) and nonintervention (n=7,195). Participants were elderly persons aged ≥65 years without LTC certification who had responded to a mailing survey. The residents living in intervention regions were invited to a physical check-up, and 1,463 people participated (30.3%). These individuals were invited to the CGIP, and 526 accepted. The CGIP comprised instructions on: 1) low-load resistance training using bodyweight, ankle weights, and elastic bands; 2) increasing daily physical activity; 3) oral motor exercise and care; and 4) a well-balanced diet based on a program from Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. We allocated the intervention regions randomly into home-based self-care program alone (HB group, 5 regions, n=275) and home-based program+weekly class-style session (CS group, 5 regions, n=251). We evaluated the effects of the CGIP at 12 weeks and at 12 or 15 months on physical function, and are conducting follow-up data collection for an indefinite period regarding LTC certification, medical costs, and mortality. Results and discussion: The study was launched with good response rates in each phase. Participants of both groups significantly increased their step counts by ~1,000 per day from the baseline during the CGIP. This RCT will provide valuable information and evidence about effectiveness of a community-based CGIP. Keywords: frailty, sarcopenia, long-term care, ActiveGuide, low-load resistance training, oral care, nutritional intervention, Shokuiku, physical function, physical activity monitor

Ξ− atomic X-ray spectroscopy is one of the most useful methods for investigation of the Ξ-nucleus strong interaction. A serious problem in the measurement is the significant background coming from in-flight Ξ− decay. For the first Ξ− atomic X-ray spectroscopy experiment, a novel method of identifying stopped Ξ− events using nuclear emulsion was developed to reject background photons from in-flight Ξ− decay. We succeeded in reducing the background to 1/170 by this method employing coincidence measurements using the nuclear emulsion and X-ray detectors.

Dans le cadre des procédés en développement pour la synthèse d'alcools à partir de syngas (CO + H2), ce mémoire présente certains résultats récents de l'Institut Français du Pétrole (IFP) (France) et Idemitsu Kosan (Japon). La première démonstration du procédé, sous programme R et D du RAPAD-Japon, a confirmé les performances et la faisabilité. Les alcools sélectivement produits, après fractionnement, présentent de bonnes propriétés pour l'usage carburant. L'optimisation de l'ensemble constitué par la production du syngas, la synthèse, le fractionnement des alcools, a permis une simplification sensible du procédé, une optimisation spécifique des performances, ce qui conduit à des données économiques plus favorables. Within the framework of processes being developed for alcohol synthesis from syngas, this article describes some recent results obtained by Idemitsu-Kosan (Japan) and Institut Français du Pétrole (IFP) (France). The first demonstration of the process as part of the RAPAD-Japan R & D program has confirmed both its performances and feasibility. The alcohols selectively produced, after suitable fractionation, present good properties as a blend for motor fuels. The optimization of the overall process for syngas production, alcohol synthesis and alcohol fractionation has led to a significant simplification of the process and to the optimization of its performances, leading to better economics.

The surface of a CoO(111) single crystal was treated with vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light at a wavelength of 172 nm without heat treatment. We studied the surface structural analysis of CoO(111) before and after VUV light irradiation in air using low-energy atom scattering spectroscopy. The primary beam was 3 keV-4He0, and backscattered 4He particles from Co atoms were detected using a microchannel plate detector. We compared the experimental spectra to simulation results, and the results demonstrated that the rock-salt CoO(111) surface was transformed to a spinel Co3O4(111) surface after VUV light irradiation. We also identified details about the chemical properties and topmost layers of CoO(111) surfaces before and after VUV light irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A nuclear emulsion film is a three-dimensional tracking device that is widely used in cosmic-ray and high-energy physics experiments. Scanning with a wide angle acceptance is crucial for obtaining track information in emulsion films. This study presents a new method developed for wide angle acceptance and high-speed track recognition of nuclear emulsion films for neutrino–nucleus interaction measurements. The nuclear emulsion technique can be used to measure tracks of charged particles from neutrino interactions with a low momentum threshold. The detection of the particles with a wide angle acceptance is essential for obtaining detailed information on the interactions in the sub- and multi-GeV neutrino energy region. In the new method developed for a neutrino interaction measurement in J-PARC called NINJA, the angle acceptance is covered up to |tan θ x (y)| < 5.0 (80% of all solid angles) with |$150\, \mathrm{m^2/year}$|⁠. This method can also be used to improve the angle accuracy and recognition efficiency of the tracks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]