Background: We examined the association between supervisor consultation, as an actual practice representing supervisor support, and work engagement. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study in Japan, involving 14,026 participants who met the requirement for a one-year follow-up. Supervisor consultation was measured using a single question, and work engagement was defined using the Japanese version of the nine-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9). Associations were examined using linear regression analysis. Results: Supervisor consultation was positively associated with work engagement after adjusting for gender, age, education, income, and industry (β = 3.474; p < 0.001). The relationship remained significant after adjustment for perceived supervisor support, although the coefficient decreased (β = 1.315; p < 0.001). Conclusion Supervisor consultation probably acted on work engagement in different ways than perceived supervisor support.

Background: Effective near-miss management is important in preventing workplace accidents. A company's inadequate response to near-miss reports can lead workers to feel insecure and dissatisfied with the company. We investigated the relationship between companies' responses to near-miss reports and turnover intentions of workers. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using online self-administered questionnaire survey to workers aged ≥20 years in Japan in March 2022. The analysis included 5,071 participants who had near-miss experiences and reported them to their companies. The independent variable was companies' responses to near-miss reports, classified into three categories: adequate response group, inadequate response group, and no response group. The dependent variable was turnover intentions. We calculated the odds ratio and 95% confidential interval (CI) using multilevel logistic regression analyses nested for industries and adjusted for covariates. Results: Of the 5,071 participants, 3,058 (60.3%) were adequate response group, 1,484 (29.3%) were inadequate response group, and 529 (10.4%) were no response group. In multivariable adjusted model, compared with adequate response group, the odds ratio of inadequate response group and no response group were 1.80 (95% CI: 1.56–2.08) and 2.63 (95% CI: 2.15–3.22), respectively. Conclusion Our results suggested that there was a relationship between companies' responses to the near-miss reports and turnover intentions of workers. It is important not only to collect near-misses but also to respond appropriately to the reports and provide feedback to workers.

Students in all years, including those in lower years, were prohibited from coming to campus because of COVID-19, which began to spread in January 2020. However, we believed that a hospital tour and observership would be important practical training for first and second year medical students as part of the early exposure program, which aims to increase student motivation. Thus, we decided to conduct a virtual hospital tour and a virtual observation of medical doctors’ work. We used Zoom to conduct a virtual hospital tour for first-year students in June, and a virtual observation of physicians’ work for second-year students in December. Although this offered less of an opportunity to experience the reality of the clinic, there have been benefits in terms of increased learning content, fairness of learning opportunities delivered, and the promotion of independent learning. With regard to a “Hospital Tour” and the “Observation of Medical Doctors’ Work” , we believe that hybrid forms, which are able to skillfully combine the strengths of the two methods, would be effective.

BACKGROUND: The burden of dementia is growing rapidly and has become a medical and social problem in Japan. Prospective cohort studies have been considered an effective methodology to clarify the risk factors and the etiology of dementia. We aimed to perform a large-scale dementia cohort study to elucidate environmental and genetic risk factors for dementia, as well as their interaction. METHODS: The Japan Prospective Studies Collaboration for Aging and Dementia (JPSC-AD) is a multisite, population-based prospective cohort study of dementia, which was designed to enroll approximately 10,000 community-dwelling residents aged 65 years or older from 8 sites in Japan and to follow them up prospectively for at least 5 years. Baseline exposure data, including lifestyles, medical information, diets, physical activities, blood pressure, cognitive function, blood test, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and DNA samples, were collected with a pre-specified protocol and standardized measurement methods. The primary outcome was the development of dementia and its subtypes. The diagnosis of dementia was adjudicated by an endpoint adjudication committee using standard criteria and clinical information according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd Revised Edition. For brain MRI, three-dimensional acquisition of T1-weighted images was performed. Individual participant data were pooled for data analyses. RESULTS: The baseline survey was conducted from 2016 to 2018. The follow-up surveys are ongoing. A total of 11,410 individuals aged 65 years or older participated in the study. The mean age was 74.4 years, and 41.9% were male. The prevalence of dementia at baseline was 8.5% in overall participants. However, it was 16.4% among three sites where additional home visit and/or nursing home visit surveys were performed. Approximately two-thirds of dementia cases at baseline were Alzheimer's disease. CONCLUSIONS The prospective cohort data from the JPSC-AD will provide valuable insights regarding the risk factors and etiology of dementia as well as for the development of predictive models and diagnostic markers for the future onset of dementia. The findings of this study will improve our understanding of dementia and provide helpful information to establish effective preventive strategies for dementia in Japan.
Aged ; Alzheimer Disease/genetics* ; Dementia/genetics* ; Environment ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Japan/epidemiology* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors

In some molecular targeted therapies, skin disorders including acne-like rashes or maculopapular rashes frequently appear, which are often clinically problematic. In Kampo medicine, it has been reported that the combination of jumihaidokuto and orengedokuto (hereinafter called JHT + OGT) is effective for acne. In this study, we report the experiences of JHT + OGT for the treatment of rashes caused by molecular targeted therapies. We extracted patients from June 2013 to June 2017 who took molecular targeted therapies and the treatment with JHT + OGT for skin rashes. The primary endpoint was severity of rashes before and after treatment by JHT + OGT (judged by CTCAE v4.0). In 22 patients (14 males and 8 females), the rashes after treatment with JHT + OGT significantly improved compared with those before treatment (from the median grade of 2 to 1 [p = 0.011]), with 14 cases of improvement, 6 cases of no change, and 2 cases of deterioration. It was suggested that JHT + OGT for skin rashes caused by molecular targeted therapies could be one of the treatment options.

In present-day society with its proliferation of various work styles, many companies and workplaces are faced with the important and complicated tasks of maintaining and promoting workers’ health. Amid this climate, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan on March 31, 2020, announced its revised “Guidelines for Total Health Promotion Plan for Workers in Workplaces.” This is a major revision of the original Total Health Promotion Plan (THP) that had been implemented up to that point. In the field of industrial/occupational health, physical activity and exercise are key topics addressed within the THP. This necessitates further study of physical fitness and sports medicine. In this study, based on societal trends and previous studies, we have reviewed the role of physical fitness and sports medicine research within the field of industrial/occupational health. We conclude it is important to clarify issues and objectives in each workplace and ways of concretizing plans to resolve and achieve them. Specific methods for doing so are diverse and indefinite, and creativity is required. Numerous options and types of tools should be created for applying outcomes on physical activity and exercise in accordance with the THP. Not only the viewpoint of avoiding risk, but also the viewpoints of accruing assets and taking a behavioral science approach toward continuing physical activity and exercise need to be considered. Research on these matters has not progressed sufficiently and we must advance a high volume of studies through various academic societies.

OBJECTIVE: This study mainly aimed to investigate the association of ovarian cancer mortality with reproductive factors and body mass index among Japanese women aged 40-79 years. METHODS: The source of the data was the Japan Collaborative Cohort (JACC) study which covered the period of 1988 to 2009. A representative sample of 64,185 women was used. Cox model was used to estimate the relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: The total number of ovarian cancer deaths was 98, with a mortality rate of 9.30 per 100,000 person-years. Women with single marital status revealed significantly higher age-adjusted RR (RR, 4.11; 95% CI, 1.66 to 10.23; p=0.005) as compared to married women. The effect of single marital status was stronger among older women aged 50+ years (RR, 4.58; 95% CI, 1.65 to 12.72; p=0.003) than younger women. An elevated risk was found for both nulliparous and nullipregnant women. Similarly, an increased risk of ovarian cancer mortality was estimated among overweight among aged 50 years or less. CONCLUSION: Out of many factors only single marital status indicated a higher risk for ovarian cancer mortality. All other factors provided inconclusive results, which imply further epidemiological investigations.
Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Body Mass Index ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Japan ; Marital Status ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Overweight ; Reproductive History

Aggressive anticoagulation therapy is necessary when Toyobo-LVAS is used for long-term treatment of severe heart failure. However, it is necessary to regulate it carefully if there is a hemorrhagic complication due to thromboembolism, but repeated blood testing is painful. We compared simple measurement with the CoaguChek XS^® with the conventional blood testing method. The correlation coefficient was 0.916, and the regression line was Y=0.8027X+0.3399. In addition, drawing blood using the CoaguChek XS^® was very effective in the reported pain reduction in patients.

Aim : Since it was reported that acupuncture at Danchu (CV17) was critical when the needle penetrated through the congenital sternal foramen, we decided to study the incidence of the congenital sternal foramen, as well as the distance between the body surface and the back side of the sternum at Danchu, in order to know the safe depth of acupuncture penetration.
Method : 1) We selected 51 cadavers to examine the incidence of congenital sternal foramen and, if any, to study its structure. We also selected 21 cadavers to measure the cadaveric thickness of the sternum. 2) We selected 31 people to measure the incidence of the congenital sternal foramen and the distancebetween the body surface and the back side of the sternum at the point of Danchu.
Results : 1) We found one out of 51 cadavers which had congenital sternal foramen. The location of the foramen was at the height of the fourth intercostal space. It was round-shaped, 9mm in diameter, and filled with hard connective tissue. The thickness of the sternum ranged from 9 to 15mm with an average of 11.5 ± 2mm. 2) There was no one who had the congenital sternal foramen among the 32 people. The distance between the body surface and the back side of the sternum ranged from 11 to 31mm with an average of 18.8 ± 5mm.
Conclusion; 1) The incidence of the congenital sternal foramen in this study was one in 51 cadavers and zero in 32 people. 2) We concluded that acupuncture at Danchu within a depth of 10mm is sufficiently, even if congenital sternal foramen exists.

There are various problems associated with the surgical management of concomitant abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and gastrointestinal malignancy. Our surgical strategy for the treatment of concomitant AAA and gastrointestinal malignant diseases, with the exception of colorectal diseases is basically a one-stage operation. This report reviews 6 cases involving concomitant AAA and gastrointestinal malignancy (colon cancer in 3 cases, gastric cancer in 2 and hepatoma in one). In 2 cases involving gastric cancer, we selected a one-stage operation for the coexistent AAA and gastrointestinal malignancy. The postoperative courses were uneventful. In a 69-yearold man with concomitant AAA, hepatoma and ischemic heart disease, a hepatectomy and coronary revascularization preceded AAA repair because the AAA diameter was too small. AAA repair was performed after 4 months when its diameter had been enlarged. In one of the 3 cases involving concomitant AAA and colon cancer, the malignancy was resected first and the patient died of recurrence 7 months after the operation and prior to the operation for AAA. In the second case of colon cancer, AAA repair preceded the resection of the malignancy. A right hemicolectomy was performed 53 days after the AAA operation. The third case had a one-stage operation for coexistent AAA and colon cancer. His postoperative course was uneventful. In this case, we took particular care to avoid graft infection. The 5 cases that underwent both operations have survived without major complications or evidence of recurrence during a follow-up period ranging from 2 months to 4 years.