Sociodemographic and environmental characteristics associated with thoughts of death and suicidal ideation in community-dwelling residents of a rural town in Japan: analyses from a perspective of accompanying problems.

OBJECTIVE: Suicide prevention has been focused on primary prevention as a group rather than individuals. However, we aimed to identify sociodemographic and environmental characteristics of individuals with suicidal thoughts among rural residents in Japan. METHODS: In 2015, a cross-sectional home visit survey was conducted in a rural town in Akita Prefecture. A total of 1,844 residents aged ≥ 20 years (response rate, 65%) answered a self-administered questionnaire about suicidal thoughts in the past one month. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate sociodemographic and environmental characteristics associated with suicidal thoughts in models with accompanying problems for human relations problems (HRP), health problems (HP), and financial problems (FP), or with no accompanying problems. RESULTS: In total, 218 (men 9.4%, women 13.8%) had suicidal thoughts with accompanying problems for HRP (n = 104), HP (n = 112), and FP (n = 72). The risk characteristics were Kessler Psychological Distress Scale scores ≥ 9 in models with HRP, HP, and FP or with no accompanying problems; being a woman and current smoking with no accompanying problems; absence of a person for help in a model of FP; and absence of family member for help in a model of HRP or with no accompanying problems. The mitigating factor were being optimistic (a domain of resilience skills identified by factor analysis) in models of HRP, HP, and FP or with no accompanying problems; being aged 70-79 and being aged ≥ 80 in a model of HRP. CONCLUSIONS: Suicidal thoughts among rural residents in Japan were associated with multifactorial sociodemographic and environmental characteristics.

Compression at Myofascial Trigger Point on Chronic Neck Pain Provides Pain Relief through the Prefrontal Cortex and Autonomic Nervous System: A Pilot Study.

Compression at myofascial trigger points (MTrPs), known as "ischemic compression," has been reported to provide immediate relief of musculoskeletal pain and reduce the sympathetic activity that exacerbates chronic pain. We conducted a pilot study to investigate the possible involvement of the prefrontal cortex in pain relief obtained by MTrP compression in the present study, and analyzed the relationships among prefrontal hemodynamic activity, activity of the autonomic nervous system, and subjective pain in patients with chronic neck pain, with and without MTrP compression. Twenty-one female subjects with chronic neck pain were randomly assigned to two groups: MTrP compression (n = 11) or Non-MTrP compression (n = 10). Compression for 30 s was conducted 4 times. During the experiment, prefrontal hemodynamic activity [changes in Oxy-hemoglobin (Hb), Deoxy-Hb, and Total-Hb concentrations] and autonomic activity based on heart rate variability (HRV) were monitored by using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and electrocardiography (ECG), respectively. The results indicated that MTrP compression significantly reduced subjective pain compared with Non-MTrP compression. The spectral frequency-domain analyses of HRV indicated that a low frequency (LF) component of HRV was decreased, and a high frequency (HF) component of HRV was increased during MTrP compression, while LF/HF ratio was decreased during MTrP compression. In addition, prefrontal hemodynamic activity was significantly decreased during MTrP compression compared with Non-MTrP compression. Furthermore, changes in autonomic activity were significantly correlated with changes in subjective pain and prefrontal hemodynamic activity. Along with previous studies indicating a role for sympathetic activity in the exacerbation of chronic pain, the present results suggest that MTrP compression in the neck region alters the activity of the autonomic nervous system via the prefrontal cortex to reduce subjective pain.

Asymmetrical pedicle subtraction osteotomy for rigid degenerative lumbar kyphoscoliosis.

STUDY DESIGN: A prospectively study. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to clarify the safety and efficacy of asymmetrical pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) in the treatment of severe adult lumbar deformities prospectively. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Vertebral wedge osteotomy provides good correction of kyphosis but has rarely been applied to degenerative lumbar kyphoscoliosis. METHODS: A total of 14 patients who had undergone corrective osteotomy were enrolled. The average age at PSO was 67 years (range, 45-76 yr). The minimum follow-up was 2 years. Patient questionnaires were administered prospectively. Radiographical parameters including sagittal and coronal balance were analyzed. RESULTS: Average operative time was 310 minutes (range, 254-375 min). Average blood loss was 1090 mL (range, 700-2900 mL).Mean preoperative lumbar lordosis improved from -3° to 42° at the final follow-up, and sagittal balance improved from 12 to 3 cm, respectively. Mean lumbar scoliosis improved from 40° to 12°, and coronal offset improved from 3 to 1 cm, respectively. There was also statistically significant improvement from preoperative to final evaluation in all clinical domains. There were 4 complications: 1 dural tear, 2 hook dislodgements at the cephalad side requiring revision instrumentation, and 1 rod breakage not requiring surgical intervention. Overall, all 14 patients were satisfied with their surgical management and would choose to repeat the procedure. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the surgical procedure of asymmetrical PSO is to correct the scoliosis, to restore the lumbar lordosis by way of convex-sided posterolateral wedge osteotomy, and may go a long way toward solving the problems of rigid lumbar degenerative kyphoscoliosis.

Evaluation of outermost surface temperature of silicon substrates during UV-excited ozone oxidation at low temperature.

Using ultraviolet (UV)-excited ozone gas, we prepared high-quality SiO(2) films that can be used as gate dielectric films on poly-silicon or silicon wafers without sample heating. The UV-excited ozone gas was generated by UV irradiation of highly concentrated ozone gas. During the UV-excited ozone process, UV light irradiates the sample surface directly through the ozone gas. Then, the temperature at the sample surface is increased by UV-light absorption at the surface. Estimation of this surface temperature is important for understanding the oxidation mechanism. We estimated the surface temperature obtained during UV irradiation to be about 300 degrees C by investigating the temperature dependence of the oxidation rate for oxygen gas. We have previously determined that almost no thermal decomposition of ozone gas occurs at this temperature, and that oxygen gas does not oxidize the Si substrate. Therefore, we concluded that the only oxidation species in the UV-excited ozone process is UV-excited ozone O((1)D).