In this study, we conducted interviews with staff members who had experience in discharge coordination to clarify the characteristics and efforts of discharge coordination for patients with pediatric cancer toward end-of-life. Focus group interviews were conducted with 11 individuals, including six medical social workers and five nurses (acceptance rate: 84.6%) and a qualitative inductive analysis was conducted. Seven categories were identified as characteristics of discharge coordination for patients with pediatric cancer toward the end-of-life, such as “few home physicians and home health care nurses who could accept terminally ill children” and “a small number of cases and lack of accumulated experience”. Seven categories were identified as efforts of discharge coordination, including “maintaining connections with the community” in three situations: coordination with home physicians and home-visit nursing care, coordination with children and their families, and coordination in hospitals. The number of children who spend their end-of-life days at home is increasing, and we believe that it is necessary to consider expanding the role of pediatric cancer base hospitals in the future, such as collecting information in the community and sharing good practices.

Objective: To clarify the characteristics of medical students' motives for choosing their profession.Methods: A nationwide, cross-sectional, quantitative web survey was conducted using the Profession Choice Motivation Scale for Education Students. Results: Valid responses were obtained from 1,804 medical students, and the applicability of this scale was demonstrated. Medical students considered "contribution to others," "fulfillment in the profession and studying medicine," "financial aspects," and "evaluation by others" to be important, while "mental and physical comfort" was deemed less important. Mean scores for "contribution to others" were significantly higher among female students, public medical school students, students attending their first- or second-choice medical schools, regional quota students, public high school graduates, and first-generation college students. Conversely, students with very low scores for "contribution to others" showed opposite demographic backgrounds. Discussion: The Profession Choice Motivation Scale for Education Students was applicable to the analysis of medical students, and a correlation was observed between demographic backgrounds and profession choice motives.

Objective: Perceptions of citizens and health professions educators towards the socioeconomic backgrounds of medical students were investigated to elucidate the challenges of selecting medical students who will be responsible for the future of healthcare in Japan.Methods: Ten focus groups, comprising 14 citizens and 26 health professions educators, were conducted regarding the presented information on the socioeconomic backgrounds of Japanese medical students. Data were analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis approach.Results: Six themes related to family backgrounds, such as higher economic status, five themes related to social backgrounds, such as social and educational disparity, and four themes related to expectations for medical education, such as selection of medical students with diverse backgrounds were extracted.Discussion: Both citizens and health professions educators were aware of the problem of the skewed socioeconomic backgrounds of medical students and the need to expand diversity. This finding will contribute to the reconsideration of future medical school admission criteria.

At the 73rd Academic Conference of the Japan Society for Oriental Medicine held in June 2023, a report on an establishment of evidence for the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) was presented. As part of this project, we reported how we conducted the observational study and the clinical trial that evaluated the effectiveness of Kampo medicine on the acute symptoms of mild to moderate COVID-19 patients. In this article, we have summarized our experience in these studies from the viewpoint of a statistician, including important things to be considered when writing a research plan and selecting endpoints and statistical analysis methods.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the relationships between reference planes and oral functions on the habitual and non-habitual chewing sides. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-four subjects with no abnormalities in the maxillofacial region and oral functions were enrolled in this study. Relationships between angles between the reference plane (Frankfort horizontal plane, Camper’s plane, and occlusal plane) and masticatory performance, occlusal force, and occlusal contact area by chewing side were examined. Regarding the measurement of reference planes, a creatively modified three-plane measuring device was used to measure angles between the reference planes. Images were taken from the right and left sides and angles between reference planes were measured. Masticatory performance was examined by measuring the amount of glucose extracted from a gummy jelly on the habitual and non-habitual chewing sides separately. Occlusal force and occlusal contact area were measured by occluding against pressure-sensitive film, and values on the habitual and nonhabitual chewing sides were calculated and analyzed. RESULTS: The angle between Camper’s plane and the occlusal plane correlated with masticatory performance on both the habitual chewing side (r = 0.47, P < .01) and the nonhabitual chewing side (r = 0.36, P < .05). A correlation was observed between masticatory performance and occlusal force on the habitual chewing side (r = 0.46, P < .01). CONCLUSION Masticatory performance became higher as occlusal plane inclination increased. This result represents essential knowledge for prosthetic treatment.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the relationships between reference planes and oral functions on the habitual and non-habitual chewing sides. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-four subjects with no abnormalities in the maxillofacial region and oral functions were enrolled in this study. Relationships between angles between the reference plane (Frankfort horizontal plane, Camper’s plane, and occlusal plane) and masticatory performance, occlusal force, and occlusal contact area by chewing side were examined. Regarding the measurement of reference planes, a creatively modified three-plane measuring device was used to measure angles between the reference planes. Images were taken from the right and left sides and angles between reference planes were measured. Masticatory performance was examined by measuring the amount of glucose extracted from a gummy jelly on the habitual and non-habitual chewing sides separately. Occlusal force and occlusal contact area were measured by occluding against pressure-sensitive film, and values on the habitual and nonhabitual chewing sides were calculated and analyzed. RESULTS: The angle between Camper’s plane and the occlusal plane correlated with masticatory performance on both the habitual chewing side (r = 0.47, P < .01) and the nonhabitual chewing side (r = 0.36, P < .05). A correlation was observed between masticatory performance and occlusal force on the habitual chewing side (r = 0.46, P < .01). CONCLUSION Masticatory performance became higher as occlusal plane inclination increased. This result represents essential knowledge for prosthetic treatment.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the relationships between reference planes and oral functions on the habitual and non-habitual chewing sides. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-four subjects with no abnormalities in the maxillofacial region and oral functions were enrolled in this study. Relationships between angles between the reference plane (Frankfort horizontal plane, Camper’s plane, and occlusal plane) and masticatory performance, occlusal force, and occlusal contact area by chewing side were examined. Regarding the measurement of reference planes, a creatively modified three-plane measuring device was used to measure angles between the reference planes. Images were taken from the right and left sides and angles between reference planes were measured. Masticatory performance was examined by measuring the amount of glucose extracted from a gummy jelly on the habitual and non-habitual chewing sides separately. Occlusal force and occlusal contact area were measured by occluding against pressure-sensitive film, and values on the habitual and nonhabitual chewing sides were calculated and analyzed. RESULTS: The angle between Camper’s plane and the occlusal plane correlated with masticatory performance on both the habitual chewing side (r = 0.47, P < .01) and the nonhabitual chewing side (r = 0.36, P < .05). A correlation was observed between masticatory performance and occlusal force on the habitual chewing side (r = 0.46, P < .01). CONCLUSION Masticatory performance became higher as occlusal plane inclination increased. This result represents essential knowledge for prosthetic treatment.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the relationships between reference planes and oral functions on the habitual and non-habitual chewing sides. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-four subjects with no abnormalities in the maxillofacial region and oral functions were enrolled in this study. Relationships between angles between the reference plane (Frankfort horizontal plane, Camper’s plane, and occlusal plane) and masticatory performance, occlusal force, and occlusal contact area by chewing side were examined. Regarding the measurement of reference planes, a creatively modified three-plane measuring device was used to measure angles between the reference planes. Images were taken from the right and left sides and angles between reference planes were measured. Masticatory performance was examined by measuring the amount of glucose extracted from a gummy jelly on the habitual and non-habitual chewing sides separately. Occlusal force and occlusal contact area were measured by occluding against pressure-sensitive film, and values on the habitual and nonhabitual chewing sides were calculated and analyzed. RESULTS: The angle between Camper’s plane and the occlusal plane correlated with masticatory performance on both the habitual chewing side (r = 0.47, P < .01) and the nonhabitual chewing side (r = 0.36, P < .05). A correlation was observed between masticatory performance and occlusal force on the habitual chewing side (r = 0.46, P < .01). CONCLUSION Masticatory performance became higher as occlusal plane inclination increased. This result represents essential knowledge for prosthetic treatment.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the relationships between reference planes and oral functions on the habitual and non-habitual chewing sides. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-four subjects with no abnormalities in the maxillofacial region and oral functions were enrolled in this study. Relationships between angles between the reference plane (Frankfort horizontal plane, Camper’s plane, and occlusal plane) and masticatory performance, occlusal force, and occlusal contact area by chewing side were examined. Regarding the measurement of reference planes, a creatively modified three-plane measuring device was used to measure angles between the reference planes. Images were taken from the right and left sides and angles between reference planes were measured. Masticatory performance was examined by measuring the amount of glucose extracted from a gummy jelly on the habitual and non-habitual chewing sides separately. Occlusal force and occlusal contact area were measured by occluding against pressure-sensitive film, and values on the habitual and nonhabitual chewing sides were calculated and analyzed. RESULTS: The angle between Camper’s plane and the occlusal plane correlated with masticatory performance on both the habitual chewing side (r = 0.47, P < .01) and the nonhabitual chewing side (r = 0.36, P < .05). A correlation was observed between masticatory performance and occlusal force on the habitual chewing side (r = 0.46, P < .01). CONCLUSION Masticatory performance became higher as occlusal plane inclination increased. This result represents essential knowledge for prosthetic treatment.