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Three institutions predominantly care for preschool children in Japan: kindergartens, authorized childcare institutions, and nursery centers. Recently, the turnover rates of preschool workers in these institutions have been high, and Japan has been facing a shortage of kindergarten teachers. The study aimed to provide concrete counterplans to reduce preschool workers' turnover rate. To determine the causes of turnover, we conducted a cross-sectional survey. We recruited preschool workers from several kindergartens, authorized childcare institutions, and nursery centers in Japan to fill out a survey regarding counterplans for employment. Of the 1002 surveys, 551 (541 women; 10 men) complete surveys were received (response rate: 55%). A total of 295 participants answered that they were unwilling to continue working for longer than five years and completed the questionnaires. The Jiro Kawakita method was used to categorize and analyze the four sections of the counterplan questionnaires. The results showed that the main reasons for high turnover were overtime work, low salary, and difficult human relations. To solve these issues, the counterplan ideas such as workshop ideas and conditions conducive to continuing working longer were related to human relations, work conditions, and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background : Heineke-Mikulicz (HM) strictureplasty is commonly used to treat short stenoses in Crohn’s disease. However, the degree to which intestinal motility is maintained remains unclear. We compared the peristalsis and transport capacity of the sutured intestines with HM configuration and transverse (TS) and longitudinal (LS) incisions. Methods : The intestinal diameter, intraluminal pressure, and bead transit time of each sutured group were compared with that of the non-treatment (NT) group in the isolated proximal colon of rats. Propulsive contractions were induced using hydroxy-α-sanshool (HAS), a constituent of Japanese pepper. Results : There was no change in the intestinal diameter between HM, TS, and NT groups ; however, it was significantly narrowed at the suture site and its distal side in the LS group. After HAS administration, the intestinal diameter at the suture site in the HM group was higher than that in the LS group. The intraluminal pressure was higher and the transit time was shorter in the HM group compared to those in the LS group. Conclusions : The HM configuration, which widens the incision site and distal diameter and shortens the cut surface of the circular muscle in the longitudinal direction, may help maintain basal and HAS-induced intestinal peristalsis and motility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Japan has opened its labor market to care workers from Indonesia under the Japan-Indonesia Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). However, few studies have examined the types of care skills transferred between countries. We therefore analyzed Indonesian care workers employed in Japan and Indonesia to identify discrepancies in their attentiveness toward oral care in older adults.Methods: A checklist comprising 42 items of universal oral care assessment was developed prior to the study and distributed via the Internet to 418 Indonesian EPA care workers in Japan and via a paper survey to 213 Indonesian care workers in Indonesia. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the distribution of scores for each checklist item for each group.Results: The respondents were 110 Japan-based EPA care workers (response rate: 26.3%) and 213 Indonesia-based care workers (response rate: 99.1%). Japan-based care workers were significantly more likely to perform environmental observations of their older adult patients (p < 0.001) and to check items on the oral care checklist during feeding (p < 0.001) and post-meal (p = 0.001), while Indonesia-based care workers were more likely to check the overall condition of patients before meals (p = 0.021).Conclusions: Discrepancies in checking oral care between the two groups were attributed to the differences in laws and regulations governing the care environments. Indonesian care workers employed in Japan have the advantage of learning to employ a more systematic approach in caring for older adults, in accordance with Japan's Long-Term Care Act. This approach could contribute toward lowering the risk of aspiration pneumonia in Indonesia. A training program designed for returning migrant workers to transfer newly developed oral care skills will thus be essential for Indonesia to diminish the negative impacts of its aging population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim Various randomized clinical studies have suggested that short- and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic surgery (LAP) for colorectal cancer are comparable with those of open surgery (OP). However, these studies were performed in high-volume hospitals. The aim of the present study was to compare the outcomes of LAP versus OP for colorectal cancer in rural hospitals. Methods This was a multicenter retrospective propensity score-matched case-control study of patients who underwent colorectal surgery from January 2004 to April 2009 in 10 hospitals in Japan. All patients underwent curative surgery for pathologically diagnosed stage II or III colorectal cancer. The primary end point was 5-year overall survival (OS). The secondary end points were disease-free survival (DFS) and postoperative complications. Results In total, 319 patients who underwent LAP and 1020 patients who underwent OP were balanced to 261 pairs. There was no significant difference in the OS and DFS between two groups. The operation time was significantly shorter for OP than for LAP. Blood loss was significantly lower in LAP than in OP. There was no difference in intraoperative morbidity between the two groups. The postoperative morbidity was significantly lower in LAP than in OP. The hospital stay was significantly shorter in LAP than in OP. There was no significant difference in 90-day postoperative mortality. Conclusions Laparoscopic surgery may be a feasible option for colorectal cancer in rural hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: After coming back to Japan to work in the Department of Physics at the University of Tokyo, Yoshiki Hotta spent a year or so on searching for behavioral mutants of goldfish. Although this endeavor did not succeed, he remained an adamant supporter of the development of zebrafish research in Japan. Here we review how his support helped zebrafish neurogenetics in Japan gain a unique position in the world research community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oxaliplatin is now considered a standard treatment for advanced or unresectable colorectal cancer, but its main dose-limiting toxicity is sensory neuropathy. The OPTIMOX (stop and go) approach offers a reasonable strategy, but the preventive agent is not established. It is reported that the Kampo medicine, Goshajinkigan (GJG), has recently been considered an effective agent for the neuropathy of taxanes and for vibration sensation in patients with diabetic neuropathy. The aim of this study was to clarify the efficacy of GJG for peripheral neuropathy associated with oxaliplatin therapy. Patients and method: From 2007, 45 patients treated with modified FOLFOX6 for non-resectable or recurrent colorectal cancer participated in the study. Twenty-two patients (GJG group) received oral administration of 7.5 g/day of GJG every day during mFOLFOX6 therapy and 23 patients (control group) did not receive GJG. Neuropathy was evaluated during every course according to DEB-NTC (Neurotoxicity Criteria of Debiopharm). Results: The median number of cycles per patient in the GJG group was 13 (range 4-32), and in the control group was 12 (range 4-28). The cumulative dose of oxaliplatin was 1105 mg/m (GJG group) and 1120 mg/m (control group). The incidence of grade 3 peripheral neuropathy in the GJG group was significantly lower than in the control group ( p < 0.01, log-rank test). The incidence of grade 3 peripheral neuropathy after 10 courses was 0% in the GJG group and 12% in the control group, and after 20 courses was 33% in the GJG group and 75% in the control group. The percentage of grade 2 and 3 peripheral neuropathy in the GJG group was lower than that in the control group. There were no differences in adverse effects between the two groups except for peripheral neuropathy and influence on tumor response. Conclusion: The Kampo medicine, Goshajinkigan, is useful in preventing neuropathy in non-resectable or recurrent colorectal cancer patients treated with a FOLFOX regimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective numerical data on swallowing function are needed to aid in eating and swallowing intervention and preventive rehabilitation. Using noninvasive methods, the influences of age and differences in size of water bolus on laryngeal activity and respiratory activity were examined in healthy young and older women. Swallowing function was influenced by age and bolus size. Influence of bolus size was recognized only in duration of laryngeal movement in younger women, with no apparent influence in older women. Results for older women were thought to be related to declines in swallowing function with the physiological aging of respiratory and swallowing muscles. In the future, noninvasive methods need to be developed for evaluating function and therapeutic effects against swallowing function impairment and to provide objective numerical data for health insurers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Laser welded V–4Cr–4Ti–0.15Y alloy, fabricated by National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS), was used in this study. Copper ion irradiation was carried out with the tandem accelerator at Kyushu University. The TEM samples were sliced from the welded materials and irradiated at 873K up to the dose of 12dpa. The microstructure before the irradiation showed that relatively large precipitates, which were commonly observed in the alloy, disappeared in the center of the weld metal. After the ion irradiation, fine titanium oxides with {100} habit planes were detected. However, in all irradiation doses, the growth of titanium oxides was suppressed by Y addition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Focuses Kyushu Electric Power Co. Inc.'s robotic technology for live electric line work in Japan. Steps leading to the automation of live line work; Phases of development; Technological elements necessary for the development of an efficient robotic system.

Clinical research involves the study of people, data or human tissue samples in order to understand health and disease while seeking new and better ways to detect, diagnose, treat and prevent disease. Current global statements support patient and public involvement (also known as PPI or patient engagement) in a range of research activities, including clinical research. These activities include helping to develop research questions, working on advisory groups and/or disseminating research findings. During the dialogues or focus groups, we can combine benefit and risk assessments by professionals with benefit and risk assumptions by lay people; the best way to select participants, the bearable levels of risks and burdens as well as desirable methods for informing participants of the side effects and possible direct benefits. Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) began to introduce PPI in 2017, the first comprehensive policy for the country. However, there is no data regarding attitudes about of researchers with PPI in Japan. We conducted cross-sectional online surveys with AMED-funded principal investigators in order to know the current views from researchers about PPI. We would like to discuss benefits of PPI and issues to be solved from our survey results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: JT-60SA is a fully superconducting coil tokamak to be built under the framework of the EU-JA Broader Approach Agreement, and it aims to contribute to the complement of the ITER experiments and to the DEMO reactor design by the study of steady-state high-beta plasma experiments. The conceptual design of the JT-60SA tokamak and the peripheral systems has been carried out in close collaboration of EU and Japan from middle of 2006, and the JT-60SA Conceptual Design Report which involves an analysis of plasma physics and engineering design is summarized in May 2007. This paper intends to present an overall view of the JT-60SA project, and the latest design status of the key engineering issues such as superconducting magnets, divertor target, plasma heating devices, and magnet power supplies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, associations between invasive cervical cancer and four cervical cancer susceptibility loci (rs13117307 at 4q12, rs8067378 at 17q12, and rs4282438 and rs9277952 at 6p21.32) in the Han Chinese population were investigated in a Japanese population. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DPB1 alleles were also investigated for their association with cervical cancer risk in the Japanese population. After receiving written informed consent, 214 unrelated Japanese women with invasive cervical cancer and 288 cancer-free Japanese women were recruited, and DNA samples were obtained (study protocol approved by Institutional Review Board of Nagasaki University). Of the four single-nucleotide polymorphisms, rs8067378 showed a significant association with invasive cervical cancer (P=0.0071). Under a recessive model, the minor allele G of rs8067378 contributed to the risk of invasive cervical cancer (odds ratio=2.92, 95% confidence interval=1.40-6.36; P=0.0021). No association was detected between HLA-DPB1 alleles and cervical cancer risk in the Japanese population. In conclusion, we show for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, that an association between increased risk of invasive cervical cancer and rs8067378 in the Han Chinese population is replicated in a Japanese population. In addition, Japanese women with the GG genotype of rs8067378 are a candidate high-risk group for invasive cervical carcinoma.

The relationship between oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and later cytological findings in the uterine cervix is unknown in women who were negative for intraepithelial lesion and malignancy (NILM) or atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US). This was investigated in this study in a Japanese population to determine the clinical utility of oncogenic (HPV) genotyping. The relative risk of progressive cytological findings 2 years after identification of oncogenic HPV infection was higher than in cases of non-oncogenic HPV infection (relative risk 3.827; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.282-11.422), as well as in cases of negative HPV infection (relative risk 2.124; 95% CI: 1.451-3.110). Moreover, the relative risk of progression of cytological findings 2 years later in cases of HPV-16 infection was higher than in cases of HPV-52 infection (relative risk 2.094; 95% CI: 1.005-3.935). Therefore, the initial HPV-DNA genotype may be a potential predictive marker of later progression of cytological findings in the uterine cervix in cases of NILM or ASC-US.