Episodic memory is a type of declarative memory important for daily activities. A decline in episodic memory is a common characteristic of aging. Recent studies have shown that transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) improves memory function. To maximize these tES effects, it is necessary to determine which stimulation protocols are effective in improving memory function. This study focused on the optimal timing of stimuli in memory processes using tES. The effects of tES on improving verbal episodic memory in neuromodulation were reviewed.

Using the 25 elements of the Community-based Rehabilitation (CBR) matrix as a scale, the fulfillment of disability welfare measures was evaluated in Japan from the perspective of disability welfare service providers based in the regional Japanese Tsuruoka City.

A recovery rate of 80.36% was achieved, with valid responses obtained from 90 of 112 the providers surveyed.

On a 4-point scale, the higher-ranking elements consisted of the health promotion element, social protection element, medical care element, and disabled people’s organization element (which scored the same as the medical care element), while the lower-ranking elements were the lifelong learning element, self-employment element, and wage employment element.

From a factor analysis of the elements, four factors were extracted, which were respectively named Autonomy, Independence, Learning, and Life. With the clarification of the background factors influencing the evaluation of welfare measures for persons with disabilities, it was revealed that Autonomy and Independence were interrelated in a Möbius strip-style fashion.

In other words, “Autonomy” and “Independence” are in a complementary relationship wherein they serve to heighten each other by relating to and continuing on from each.

With respect to normalization, significant differences were observed in all of the remaining elements except for the health promotion element, suggesting that substantial comprehensive welfare measures for persons with disabilities are required for the spread of normalization.

While the trend of the Disability Welfare Plan indicated that significant inroads were made in terms of the performance of long-term nursing care, Work Support Centers for Continuous Employment (“Type A”), and plan-based counselling and support, the actual volume of usage in Tsuruoka City fell short of the national level for all services.

Of the four factors extracted by factor analysis, measures related to education and medical care, which lead to “Independence” - which forms the basis of life and is easy to evaluate externally - are progressing across the entire area. However, measures aimed at internal “Autonomy” tend to be grasped subjectively, which resulted in a low evaluation by service providers.

Recently, there has been much debate in the baseball community about limiting the number of pitches thrown by each pitcher in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Based on this concept, a rule was adapter prior to the 2020 season that each pitcher must have thrown less than 100 pitches. We hypothesized that the pitches per each pitcher would decrease, and the number of pitchers thrown in a game would increase in 2020 season compared in 2019 season. In the present study, we investigated the number of games played by each pitcher, the number of pitches thrown by each pitcher in a game, and the type of games in 2019 and 2020 season to compare the burden on the pitcher before and after the rule was applied. There was no significant difference in the number of pitches per each pitcher in a game between both seasons. In addition, according to the data in complete games, the average number of pitches thrown per pitcher did not exceed 100 pitches in both official and practice games in both seasons, while the average number of pitches were over 100 pitches in both season in games except the complete games in which there was no significant difference. In conclusion, the number of pitches by each pitcher did not decrease sufficiently to be affected by the rule change. In the future, the relationship between number of pitches and disability will need to be clarified, and number of pitches will need to be discussed further.

Footprint analysis is one of the easiest methods for assessing flatfoot. However, there is no unified standard for the evaluation criteria because many experts have proposed various criteria for footprint-based assessment of flatfoot. The purpose of this study was to aid in the selection of appropriate criteria by analyzing actual footprint data using the top four criteria frequently used in English-language original papers for detection of flatfoot, with the aim of determining the differences between these criteria. When each of the four criteria was applied to single footprints from 30 participants each, the percentage judged to have flatfoot was 57% with the Arch index, 7% with the Staheli index, 40% with the Chippaux-Smirak index, and 37% with Clarke’s angle. The Staheli index, the results of which are influenced by the reference population, is useful for studies such as prevalence studies and tracking of foot pattern changes. The Arch index and the Chippaux-Smirak index could be useful as a foot health index for promoting at-home care for flatfoot, and Clarke’s angle could be useful as a first screening tool in the clinical setting. The four criteria investigated here have different detection rates of flatfoot, so the interchangeability of these criteria should be explored as an extension of this research.

This study examined the usefulness of the lasso procedure, a reconstructive operation that uses the flexor digitorum superficialis muscle (FDS) as the donor muscle, for treating the claw hand deformation caused by paralysis of the intrinsic muscles. The subjects were 10 healthy adults, electromyograms for which were derived using wire electrodes attached to the FDS, with the ulnar flexor digitorum profundus (FDP), 4^th dorsal interosseous muscle, and 2^nd palmar interosseous muscle used as comparisons. For the exercise tasks used to derive the electromyography (EMG), the subjects completed a metacarpophalangeal (MP) joint exercise task with the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint held in the extended position and two gripping tasks. The FDS showed high activity during MP joint flexion and adduction (p < 0.001). In the cylindrical grasp task, the FDP was active and the intrinsic muscle was dominant. In the intrinsic muscle grasp task, the FDS showed high activity and the interosseous muscle was active. Considering that the lasso procedure can reconstruct the intrinsic muscle, the FDS is active in synchronization with the intrinsic muscles, especially the palmar interosseous muscle. Therefore, the lasso procedure using the FDS requires less training for postoperative functional transformation and is a valid reconstruction method for treating the claw hand deformation.

The purpose of this study was to formulate and implement a cancer education class intervention for Japanese junior high school students and verified its impact on students’ awareness of cancer. The data of 102 third graders (52 boys and 50 girls) from a junior high school in Niigata Prefecture were analyzed. The class was conducted by health and physical education teacher and yogo teacher (school nurse) at the junior high school, using a team-teaching method. The evaluation of the class was performed using a single-arm study design. In October 2019, we conducted surveys one week before the class, at the end of the class, and at three months after the class. Our results showed that the proposed cancer education class evoked short-term changes in junior high school students’ awareness of and knowledge about cancer. Therefore, it is necessary to provide targeted knowledge that will help students to be properly fearful of cancer and recognize the importance of working on cancer prevention. Our proposed cancer education class provided basic materials for cancer education development and implementation in Japan and may be useful for the creation of effective cancer education programs. Our findings provide useful knowledge of cancer education class to school personnel and deepen their understanding.