CROSS-CULTURAL FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE ADJUSTMENTS OF FOREIGN CARE WORKERS IN JAPAN: TOWARDS A THREE-LAYERED STRUCTURAL MODEL

In Japan, foreign care workers have been increasing, thus cross-cultural adjustment has become an important issue. In this study, we examined factors that influence (1) psychological, (2) sociocultural, and (3) self-realization adjustments of foreign care workers. Participants were from Indonesia (n=70) and the Philippines (n=88) that work at medical (n=32) and elder care facilities (n=72) in Japan. Participants completed questionnaires that measured the three adjustments. A multilevel model analysis was used to examine the relationship between the three adjustment variables. Seven factors were identified. In assessing a three layered structural model, it was found that cross-cultural adjustment is first influenced by psychological factors that influence sociocultural factors of the middle layer, and self-realization factor affected by sociocultural factors. The original three-layer model that simply progress from psychological to self-realization was differ and it was modified. The key factor of cross cultural adjustment of affinity relation with Japanese was indicated

CASE STUDY OF DIETARY HABITS AND ACCULTURATION IN CHINESE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN JAPAN: PROBLEMS AND NECESSITY OF INTERCULTURAL DIETARY EDUCATION

Japan is known as one of the world’s healthiest food country; however, the question has been raised if foreign students in Japan are truly living a healthy dietary life. Dietary education is common for Japanese citizens; however, it has been undeveloped for foreign students.In this study, we focused on Chinese students, who accounted for approximately 60% of the international students in Japan. Participants were twenty-one Chinese students who attended a university in Japan.Semi-structured interviews were conducted and informants were asked to talk about their dietary life and the changes after coming to Japan.We determined their cross-cultural adjustment and dietary behavior in cross-cultural environment in Japan, and considered whether cross-cultural dietary education was necessary. &nbsp

The repeating dislodgement of an ASO device

Transcatheter closure with an Amplatzer Septal Occluder (ASO) has become the standard treatment for secundum atrial septal defect (ASD). However, this procedure is associated with complications, such as device dislodgement. A 52-year-old woman was admitted with exertional dyspnea. Transesophageal echocardiography showed an ASD involving a 29 mm defect. Calculated Qp/Qs was 5.6 and all the rims were > 5 mm, with the exception of the posterior rim, which was 3 mm. Transcatheter ASD closure with an ASO was performed under general anesthesia. During emergence from anesthesia, tachycardia developed and the ASO device became dislodged. Hemodynamic changes associated with the end of anesthetic administration were believed to have led to device dislodgement. In a second transcatheter ASD closure, a low dose of propofol and remifentanil was maintained during emergence from anesthesia to reduce hemodynamic changes. However, device dislodgement occurred with nonsustained ventricular tachycardia. Finally, surgical ASD closure was performed. The large defect size, high Qp/Qs, and rim deficiency may have predisposed to device dislodgement after transcatheter ASD closure with ASO. The risk of device dislodgement should be considered in advance of surgery and, in high-risk cases, the patient's cardiovascular status should be closely monitored

Stapled intestinal anastomosis is a simple and reliable method for management of intestinal caliber discrepancy in children

PURPOSE: Popularity of minimally invasive surgeries has led to the development of stapled intestinal anastomosis for adults. The advanced instruments used in this technique are getting suitable with the small intestinal lumens of neonates and infants. We reviewed and compared the intraoperative and postoperative results of stapled and hand-sewn anastomoses in children. METHODS: The operative data of children who underwent stapled and hand-sewn anastomoses between March 2005 and December 2011 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Furthermore, we compared patients who underwent anastomoses for colostomy closure of anorectal malformation (4 stapled, 9 hand-sewn) and those who underwent anastomoses for treatment of ileal atresia (3 stapled, 11 hand-sewn). RESULTS: In the 47 patients who underwent stapled anastomosis, no intraoperative complications were observed and postoperative complications included wound infection (n = 3), delayed gastric emptying (n = 1), and ileus (n = 1). No complications suggesting anastomotic dilatation were identified. It was observed that patients who underwent stapled anastomosis for colostomy takedown with caliber discrepancy had significantly shorter surgery time than those who underwent hand-sewn anastomosis. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that stapled anastomosis is safe and effective for various surgical diseases in neonates, infants, and children

Analysis of prostate cancer localization toward improved diagnostic accuracy of transperineal prostate biopsy

PurposeDelineating the precise localization of prostate cancer is important in improving the diagnostic accuracy of prostate biopsy.MethodsIn Juntendo University Nerima Hospital, initial 12-core or repeat 16-core biopsies were performed using a transrectal ultrasound guided transperineal prostate biopsy method. We step-sectioned prostates from radical prostatectomy specimens at 5-mm intervals from the urethra to the urinary bladder and designated five regions: the (1) Apex, (2) Apex-Mid, (3) Mid, (4) Mid-Base, and (5) Base. We then mapped prostate cancer localization on eight zones around the urethra for each of those regions.ResultsProstate cancer was detected in 93 cases of 121 cases (76.9%) in the Apex, in 115 cases (95.0%) in the Apex-Mid, in 101 cases (83.5%) in the Mid, in 71 cases (58.7%) in the Mid-Base, and in 23 cases (19.0%) in the Base. In 99.2% of all cases, prostate cancers were detected from the Apex to Mid regions. For this reason, transperineal prostate biopsies have routinely been prioritized in the Apex, Apex-Mid, and Mid regions, while the Base region of the prostate was considered to be of lesser importance. Our analyses of prostate cancer localization revealed a higher rate of cancer in the posterior portion of the Apex, antero-medial and postero-medial portion of the Apex-Mid and antero-medial and postero-lateral portion of the Mid. The transperineal prostate biopsies in our institute performed had a sensitivity of 70.9%, a specificity of 96.6%, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 92.2% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 85.5%.ConclusionsThe concordance of prostate cancer between prostatectomy specimens and biopsies is comparatively favorable. According to our study, the diagnostic accuracy of transperineal prostate biopsy can be improved in our institute by including the anterior portion of the Apex-Mid and Mid regions in the 12-core biopsy or 16-core biopsy, such that a 4-core biopsy of the anterior portion is included

Structural requirement of leucine for activation of p70 S6 kinase

AbstractThe addition of leucine induced activation of p70S6k in amino acid-depleted H4IIE cells. Whereas the activation of p70S6k by leucine was transient, the complete amino acid stimulated p70S6k more persistently. The effect of leucine on p70S6k was sensitive to rapamycin, but less sensitive to wortmannin. Using various amino acids and derivatives of leucine, we found that the chirality, the structure of the four branched hydrocarbons, and the primary amine are required for the ability of leucine to stimulate p70S6k, indicating that the structural requirement of leucine to induce p70S6k activation is very strict and precise. In addition, some leucine derivatives exhibited the ability to stimulate p70S6k and the other derivatives acted as inhibitors against the leucine-induced activation of p70S6k