The Project for Improving Maternal and Newborn Care through Midwifery Capacity Development by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) was initiated for capacity building through pre-and post-service midwifery training.
  Firstly, we have shared the concept of ideal midwifery care based on the definition of evidence-based medicine (EBM) with our counterparts, which involves the integration of the best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values. In addition to evidence-based midwifery care, we tried to provide individualized woman-centered care.
  After sharing these concepts in our project sites, we tried to modify the lectures on the basic concepts of midwifery care in the Health Center Midwifery Training program, and care providers’ attitudes based on EBM in the Basic Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care Training program.
  Our trial is an essential first step towards the further reduction of maternal mortality in Cambodia.

Physicians expect nurses to be able to understand electrocardiographic (ECG) findings.However, many nurses have difficulty learning how to interpret ECGs.We suspect that the reason for such difficulty might be the nurses'mental responses to ECGs, rather than improper teaching methods.
1) We performed a questionnaire survey to investigate the mental responses to ECGs based on the responses of 197 experienced nurses and 43 new nurses and on an additional survey of 37 nurses who took ECG evaluation tests.
2) Almost all nurses recognized the necessity and importance of understanding ECG findings, and most wished to master ECGs.On the other hand, many nurses said that they disliked ECGs and did not feel competent interpreting ECGs.In particular, their perceived lack of competence in interpreting ECGs was greater than their dislike of ECGs.
3) The nurses'perceived lack of competence interpreting ECGs tended to result from feelings that developed during nursing school.Many nurses continued to have such feelings even after they began working.
4) Nurses with a poor understanding of ECGs reported many factors as being associated with their perceived lack of competence.In addition, such negative feelings toward ECGs (such as fear of making a mistake) made these nurses avoid ECGs.We believe that these feelings were likely a factor in why many nurses had difficulty mastering ECGs.
5) Nurses should be provided with appropriate ECG training that carefully considers the perceived incompetence and fear of many nurses regarding ECGs.

The aim of the present study is to clarify the improvement of peripheral muscle oxygen consumption after successful renal transplantation. We investigated change of forearm (brachioradial muscle) muscular oxygen consumption in chronic renal failure children before and after renal transplantation. by using near-infrared spectroscopy.Oxygen consumption of brachioradial muscle was increased significantly after succesful renal transplantation. And half recovery time of brachioradial muscle oxygenation in arterial occlusion and exercise were decreased after renal transplantation.These results suggest that increased muscular blood flow and increased oxidative generation of ATP might contribute to the increased oxygen turn over after renal transplantation.

Methods: We evaluated the translation and back translation of the EOSQ-24 and made the required revisions as per the analysis performed by the expert committee and an international guideline to adapt it for use in this study. Thereafter, we recruited 100 EOS patients in order to evaluate its reliability and validity. The reliability was assessed with internal consistency. Convergent validity was assessed by comparing the scores of the EOSQ-24 and the 22-item Scoliosis Research Society Questionnaire (SRS-22r). Finally, the known groups validity was assessed as per patient’s sex, curve magnitude, and treatment type. Results: The Persian EOSQ-24 demonstrated very good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α=0.88). All the items had an acceptable corrected item-total correlation (>0.3). Further, the EOSQ-24 and the SRS-22r scores (p <0.001) were significantly correlated. The EOSQ-24 could discriminate patients with different curve magnitudes. Conclusions The Persian EOSQ-24 can serve as a disease-specific instrument with strong validity and reliability in the evaluation of EOS patients. Its applicability in other Persian-speaking countries and regions of the world needs to be investigated further.

Objectives: Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis are frequently underdiagnosed. In Japan, general dental practitioners have begun using the cortical shape of the mandible on dental panoramic radiographs (PRs) to identify and refer women at risk of osteoporosis to medical professionals. It remains unclear whether dental students, after relevant education, possess the ability to identify these at-risk individuals. This study evaluated the ability of dental students to screen for osteoporosis on PRs. Methods: A cohort of 113 fifth-year dental students participated in a lecture on osteoporosis screening using PRs.The students then categorized the mandibular inferior cortex on PRs from 30 postmenopausal women (11 with osteoporosis) as normal, mildly to moderately eroded, or severely eroded. Interobserver agreement between the students and an expert oral radiologist using two cortical groups (normal to moderately eroded and severely eroded) was assessed through kappa statistics. Screening ability for osteoporosis detection by identifying severely eroded cortices was calculated and compared with that of the Osteoporosis Self-assessment Tool for Asians (OSTA). Results: Twenty-one (18.6%) students demonstrated moderate to substantial agreement with the expert. The mean sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for these students in identifying osteoporosis were 60.2%, 88.0%, 76.3%, and 80.0%, respectively. For the OSTA, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 27.3%, 68.4%, 33.3%, and 61.9%, respectively. Conclusions Even with minimal education, approximately one-fourth of dental students may accurately identify postmenopausal women with osteoporosis on PRs, outperforming questionnaire-based screening tools.

Objectives: Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis are frequently underdiagnosed. In Japan, general dental practitioners have begun using the cortical shape of the mandible on dental panoramic radiographs (PRs) to identify and refer women at risk of osteoporosis to medical professionals. It remains unclear whether dental students, after relevant education, possess the ability to identify these at-risk individuals. This study evaluated the ability of dental students to screen for osteoporosis on PRs. Methods: A cohort of 113 fifth-year dental students participated in a lecture on osteoporosis screening using PRs.The students then categorized the mandibular inferior cortex on PRs from 30 postmenopausal women (11 with osteoporosis) as normal, mildly to moderately eroded, or severely eroded. Interobserver agreement between the students and an expert oral radiologist using two cortical groups (normal to moderately eroded and severely eroded) was assessed through kappa statistics. Screening ability for osteoporosis detection by identifying severely eroded cortices was calculated and compared with that of the Osteoporosis Self-assessment Tool for Asians (OSTA). Results: Twenty-one (18.6%) students demonstrated moderate to substantial agreement with the expert. The mean sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for these students in identifying osteoporosis were 60.2%, 88.0%, 76.3%, and 80.0%, respectively. For the OSTA, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 27.3%, 68.4%, 33.3%, and 61.9%, respectively. Conclusions Even with minimal education, approximately one-fourth of dental students may accurately identify postmenopausal women with osteoporosis on PRs, outperforming questionnaire-based screening tools.

Background: A 24-item early-onset scoliosis questionnaire (EOSQ-24) has been developed as a valid tool for assessing the physical and emotional function of patients with early-onset scoliosis (EOS). Previous studies that conducted transcultural adaptation of the original EOSQ-24 into other languages have demonstrated the high reliability of the questionnaire. However, a Korean version of the EOSQ-24 is not available, limiting optimal patient assessment in this nation. Therefore, this study was conducted to develop and validate a Korean version of EOSQ-24. Methods: The original English version of the EOSQ-24 was cross-culturally adapted following standard guidelines. The final version of the Korean EOSQ-24 was prospectively applied to a group of patients who were native Korean speakers. Internal consistency was evaluated using the Cronbach α coefficient and item-total correlations. The mean, standard deviation, floor effect, and ceiling effect of each item were also assessed. Results: A total of 102 caregivers of patients with EOS (45 males and 57 females) completed the Korean EOSQ-24. The patients’ average age was 6.39 ± 2.16 years. The Cronbach α coefficient for the 24-item scale was 0.942, indicating excellent reliability. The corrected item-total correlation coefficients ranged between 0.449 and 0.788. The mean value of the EOSQ-24 questionnaire was 3.19. Floor and ceiling effects for all questionnaires were below 30%, which could be considered acceptable. Conclusions Our study successfully developed and validated the Korean version of the EOSQ-24, providing a reliable instrument for assessing the physical and emotional well-being of patients with EOS and their caregivers in the Korean context. The widespread adoption of the Korean EOSQ-24 in clinical practice and research settings can enhance the quality of care and improve outcomes for individuals affected by EOS in Korea.

Objectives: Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis are frequently underdiagnosed. In Japan, general dental practitioners have begun using the cortical shape of the mandible on dental panoramic radiographs (PRs) to identify and refer women at risk of osteoporosis to medical professionals. It remains unclear whether dental students, after relevant education, possess the ability to identify these at-risk individuals. This study evaluated the ability of dental students to screen for osteoporosis on PRs. Methods: A cohort of 113 fifth-year dental students participated in a lecture on osteoporosis screening using PRs.The students then categorized the mandibular inferior cortex on PRs from 30 postmenopausal women (11 with osteoporosis) as normal, mildly to moderately eroded, or severely eroded. Interobserver agreement between the students and an expert oral radiologist using two cortical groups (normal to moderately eroded and severely eroded) was assessed through kappa statistics. Screening ability for osteoporosis detection by identifying severely eroded cortices was calculated and compared with that of the Osteoporosis Self-assessment Tool for Asians (OSTA). Results: Twenty-one (18.6%) students demonstrated moderate to substantial agreement with the expert. The mean sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for these students in identifying osteoporosis were 60.2%, 88.0%, 76.3%, and 80.0%, respectively. For the OSTA, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 27.3%, 68.4%, 33.3%, and 61.9%, respectively. Conclusions Even with minimal education, approximately one-fourth of dental students may accurately identify postmenopausal women with osteoporosis on PRs, outperforming questionnaire-based screening tools.

Background: A 24-item early-onset scoliosis questionnaire (EOSQ-24) has been developed as a valid tool for assessing the physical and emotional function of patients with early-onset scoliosis (EOS). Previous studies that conducted transcultural adaptation of the original EOSQ-24 into other languages have demonstrated the high reliability of the questionnaire. However, a Korean version of the EOSQ-24 is not available, limiting optimal patient assessment in this nation. Therefore, this study was conducted to develop and validate a Korean version of EOSQ-24. Methods: The original English version of the EOSQ-24 was cross-culturally adapted following standard guidelines. The final version of the Korean EOSQ-24 was prospectively applied to a group of patients who were native Korean speakers. Internal consistency was evaluated using the Cronbach α coefficient and item-total correlations. The mean, standard deviation, floor effect, and ceiling effect of each item were also assessed. Results: A total of 102 caregivers of patients with EOS (45 males and 57 females) completed the Korean EOSQ-24. The patients’ average age was 6.39 ± 2.16 years. The Cronbach α coefficient for the 24-item scale was 0.942, indicating excellent reliability. The corrected item-total correlation coefficients ranged between 0.449 and 0.788. The mean value of the EOSQ-24 questionnaire was 3.19. Floor and ceiling effects for all questionnaires were below 30%, which could be considered acceptable. Conclusions Our study successfully developed and validated the Korean version of the EOSQ-24, providing a reliable instrument for assessing the physical and emotional well-being of patients with EOS and their caregivers in the Korean context. The widespread adoption of the Korean EOSQ-24 in clinical practice and research settings can enhance the quality of care and improve outcomes for individuals affected by EOS in Korea.

Background: A 24-item early-onset scoliosis questionnaire (EOSQ-24) has been developed as a valid tool for assessing the physical and emotional function of patients with early-onset scoliosis (EOS). Previous studies that conducted transcultural adaptation of the original EOSQ-24 into other languages have demonstrated the high reliability of the questionnaire. However, a Korean version of the EOSQ-24 is not available, limiting optimal patient assessment in this nation. Therefore, this study was conducted to develop and validate a Korean version of EOSQ-24. Methods: The original English version of the EOSQ-24 was cross-culturally adapted following standard guidelines. The final version of the Korean EOSQ-24 was prospectively applied to a group of patients who were native Korean speakers. Internal consistency was evaluated using the Cronbach α coefficient and item-total correlations. The mean, standard deviation, floor effect, and ceiling effect of each item were also assessed. Results: A total of 102 caregivers of patients with EOS (45 males and 57 females) completed the Korean EOSQ-24. The patients’ average age was 6.39 ± 2.16 years. The Cronbach α coefficient for the 24-item scale was 0.942, indicating excellent reliability. The corrected item-total correlation coefficients ranged between 0.449 and 0.788. The mean value of the EOSQ-24 questionnaire was 3.19. Floor and ceiling effects for all questionnaires were below 30%, which could be considered acceptable. Conclusions Our study successfully developed and validated the Korean version of the EOSQ-24, providing a reliable instrument for assessing the physical and emotional well-being of patients with EOS and their caregivers in the Korean context. The widespread adoption of the Korean EOSQ-24 in clinical practice and research settings can enhance the quality of care and improve outcomes for individuals affected by EOS in Korea.