A Japanese History lesson for understanding diversity

This study proposes the Japanese history lesson aiming for promoting deeper understanding diversity because the previous studies in relation to historical inquiry in Japan did not mention about connection with diversity. After conducting the lessons, we found that students mentioned the differences of people’s value between past and present based on the social structure and notions. At the end of study we suggested the reform of history education have more possibilities to develop democratic citizenship

Bilateral spondylolysis of inferior articular processes of the fourth lumbar vertebra: a case report

Lumbar spondylolysis, a well known cause of low back pain, usually affects the pars interarticularis of a lower lumbar vertebra and rarely involves the articular processes. We report a rare case of bilateral spondylolysis of inferior articular processes of L4 vertebra that caused spinal canal stenosis with a significant segmental instability at L4/5 and scoliosis. A 31-year-old male who had suffered from low back pain since he was a teenager presented with numbness of the right lower leg and scoliosis. Plain X-rays revealed bilateral spondylolysis of inferior articular processes of L4, anterolisthesis of the L4 vertebral body, and right lateral wedging of the L4/5 disc with compensatory scoliosis in the cephalad portion of the spine. MR images revealed spinal canal stenosis at the L4/5 disc level. Posterior lumbar interbody fusion of the L4/5 was performed, and his symptoms were relieved

Efficacy of Anal Needle Electrodes for Intraoperative Spinal Cord Monitoring with Transcranial Muscle Action Potentials

Study Design Retrospective study. Purpose To examine the relationship between postoperative bowel bladder disorder (BBD) and the efficacy of needle electrodes for the external anal sphincter (EAS) in intraoperative spinal cord monitoring with transcranial muscle action potentials (Tc-MsEP). Overview of Literature Spinal surgery for spina bifida, spinal cord tumor, and spinal tethered cord syndrome has a high rate of postoperative BBD. Monitoring of the EAS with Tc-MsEP is frequently performed during spinal surgery. We initially used plug-surface electrodes for this purpose, but have more recently switched to needle electrodes for the monitoring of the EAS. To date, there has been no comparison between the utility of these electrodes. Methods Waveform derivation, exacerbation of postoperative BBD, and sensitivity and specificity for prediction of BBD by 70% amplitude reduction of EAS activity using needle and plug-surface electrodes were investigated in 239 spine surgeries. The cut-off for the % drop in amplitude for BBD prediction was determined for EAS monitoring using a needle electrode. Results The overall rate of postoperative BBD aggravation was 7.1% (17/239 cases), with the individual rates using needle and plug-surface electrodes being 6.9% (8/116) and 7.3% (9/123), respectively. The waveform derivation rate was significantly higher using needle electrodes (91.3% [106/116] vs. 76.4% [94/123], p <0.01). In patients with baseline waveform detection, the sensitivity and specificity for postoperative BBD were similar in the two groups. With needle electrodes, a cutoff amplitude of Tc-MsEP for the EAS at the end of surgery of 25% of the baseline amplitude had a sensitivity of 89% and specificity of 82% for the prediction of postoperative BBD aggravation. Conclusions The significantly higher waveform derivation rate using needle electrodes suggests that these electrodes are effective for monitoring the EAS in spinal surgery in cases with preoperative BBD

Variety of the Wave Change in Compound Muscle Action Potential in an Animal Model

Study DesignAnimal study.PurposeTo review the present warning point criteria of the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) and investigate new criteria for spinal surgery safety using an animal model.Overview of LiteratureLittle is known about correlation palesis and amplitude of spinal cord monitoring.MethodsAfter laminectomy of the tenth thoracic spinal lamina, 2-140 g force was delivered to the spinal cord with a tension gage to create a bilateral contusion injury. The study morphology change of the CMAP wave and locomotor scale were evaluated for one month.ResultsFour different types of wave morphology changes were observed: no change, amplitude decrease only, morphology change only, and amplitude and morphology change. Amplitude and morphology changed simultaneously and significantly as the injury force increased (p<0.05) Locomotor scale in the amplitude and morphology group worsened more than the other groups.ConclusionsAmplitude and morphology change of the CMAP wave exists and could be the key of the alarm point in CMAP

The Characteristics of the Citizenship Curriculum in Digital Age: The Case of Digital Civics Toolkit to Promote Political Participation

This study aims to illustrate the characteristics of the US curriculum named Digital Civics Toolkit (DCT), which focuses on political participation in the digital age. We discovered the following four characteristics: (a) new forms of political participation in the digital age as a scope; (b) a sequesnce that requires more active involvement; (c) learning through students’ own political participation; (d) applying some activities to prevent over-enthusiastic participation

Modular Redox Switching of Dinuclear Organometallic Molecular Junctions

Molecular switch is one of the essential functional units of molecular electronics. Here, we report development of new molecular switches based on the electron-rich diruthenium complexes with the (2,5-di-R-substituted 1,4-diethynylbenzene)diyl linkers. The dinuclear molecular switches, {µ-p-C≡C-(2,5-R2-C6H2)-C≡C}{Ru(dppe)2(C≡C-C6H4-p-SMe)}2 1R (R= OMe, H, CF3), with various substituents (R) on the bridging phenylene rings showed two successive reversible 1e-oxidation waves, indicating stability of 1e-oxidized mixed-valence species. The solid-state structure of [1H]+ showed the charge-localized Robin-Day class II nature, while that of [1OMe]+ revealed the fully charge-delocalized class III nature. These characters were also evident from the spectroscopic data in solutions. Single-molecule conductance measurements by the scanning tunneling microscope break junction method revealed a significant dependence of the conductance on R, i.e. 1OMe turned out to be >100-times more conductive than 1H and 1CF3, whereas the substituent effect of the monocationic complexes was within a fold-change of 2. As a result, the ON/OFF ratios (the ratios of the conductance of the cationic species [1R]+ to that of the neutral species 1R) were critically dependent on R (as large as 191 when R = CF3) and even reversed (0.4 when R = OMe). Furthermore, the neutral and monocationic complexes 1H and [1H]+ fabricated into the nanogap devices showed in situ ON/OFF switching behavior. The present study demonstrates not only the rare examples of the mixed-valence complexes which were subjected to the break junction measurements but also the first examples of molecular switch, the ON/OFF ratio of which was controlled by tuning the organic linker parts