A study was conducted to determine the effect of water running exercise (WRE) on renal function. The study involved 5 healthy males who performed maximal work by both WRE and bicycle ergometer exercise (BEE), and 6 males who performed head-out water immersion.
The results obtained were as follows;
1) The values of VO₂max and maximum heart rate (HRmax) during WRE and BEE were approximately similar, and blood lactate concentration after exercise was significantly higher then the basal value in both types of exercise, although the value was significantly higher after WRE than after BEE.
2) Compared with the resting values on land, significant decreases in HR and plasma aldosterone (Ald) concentration were noted in head-out water immersion, but plasma antidiuretic hormone (ADH) concentration and urinary volume were not changed significantly from the resting values.
3) The secretion of both plasma ADH and Ald was significantly increased at the end of both types of exercise. However, a larger increase in Ald and ADH was observed after BEE than after WRE.
4) The rate of urine flow was obviously decreased soon after both types of exercise; this was positively correlated with changes in creatinine clearance and negatively correlated with changes in Ald concentration.
The results of the present study suggest that a better venous return is induced by the water pressure and cardiac output during WRE, possibly inducing the release of atrial natriuretic fsctor (ANF) . ANF may inpair the release of ADH and Ald to a greater extent in WRE than in BEE.

In order to evaluate iron balance in the human body, we studied the effects of exercise on iron excretion in urine, sweat and feces. The subjects were five healthy male, college athletes. The daily intake of nutrients by the subjects was regulated by a prescribed diet (Calorie Mate, Ohtsuka), and the control measurements and the exercise measurements were performed within seven days. Excretion of iron in the urine during the exercise period was significantly higher than in the control period. The excretion of iron in the sweat was 1.076±0.118 mg, i. e, , about 70% of total iron physiologically excreted from the human body. The excretion of iron in the feces during the exercise period was significantly lower than during control period. Feces volume was positively correlated with energy expenditure and negatively correlated with the excretion of iron in the feces. Iron absorption during the exercise period was significantly higher than during the control period. These findings suggest that exercise stimulates not only iron excretion via urine and sweat, but iron absorption, and that iron balance remains positive in healthy male subjects who have normal iron status.

Cestode zoonosis cases confirmed by PCR-based mitochondrial DNA analysis were investigated. The cestodiosis included taeniasis, cysticercosis, alveolar echinococcosis, cystic echinococcosis, sparganosis mansoni, diphyllobothriasis and diplogonoporiasis. DNA samples were extracted from the ethanol-fixed, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections, HE-stained, and the PAS- or acetocarmine-stained samples submitted for histopathology. For PCR-based analysis, cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 and⁄or cytochrome b genes were amplified by multiplex PCR or conventional PCR coupled with DNA sequencing. Although DNA molecules were degraded in most formalin-fixed samples, smaller gene fragments were successfully amplified and the species causing cestodiosis could be identified by DNA sequence analysis of the amplicons. This review describes cestode zoonosis cases in which mitochondrial DNA analysis was useful not only for routine and retrospective diagnosis, but also for genetic polymorphism analysis and molecular identification of the species associated with pathogenicity. The significance of molecular diagnosis using histopathological specimens for cestode zoonoses is also discussed.

We evaluated the effect of Tu-Chung (Eucommia ulmoides OLIV.) extract on anabolic action in castrated exercise and non-exercise rats in which the effects of male sex hormone from the testis were excluded. Castration was performed on 32 male Wistar rats aged 4 weeks. The rats were then divided into 4 groups: a non-exercise group treated with Tu-Chung extract (non Ex. Tu-chung G, n = 8), on exercise group treated with the extract (Ex. Tu-Chung G, n = 8), a non-exercise control group not treated with the extract (non Ex. Cont. G, n8), = and an untreated exercise control group (Ex. Cont. G, n=8) .
The Tu-Chung extract was administered orally at a dose of 1g/kg body weight once daily for 4 weeks. Distilled water was given by a similar method to the control groups. As the exercise load, the rats exercised on an animal treadmill at a starting speed of 20 m/min with an increase of 10 m/min every week for 30 min without rest daily for 4 weeks.
The following results were obtained:
1. The relative weight of the adrenal gland (gland weight/100 g body weight ) after 4 weeks was significantly higher in the non Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the non Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) and in the Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the Ex. Cont. G or the non Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001 each) .
2. The relative weight of the kidneys (kidney weight/100 g body weight) after 4 weeks was significantly higher in the non Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the non Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) and was slightly higher in the Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the Ex. Cont. G.
3. The relative weight of the musculus levator ani (muscle weight/100g body weight) after 4 weeks was significantly higher in the non Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the non Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) and also in the Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) .
4. The 17-KS level in a 24h urine sample after 4 weeks was significantly higher in the non Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the non Ex. Cont. G or the Ex. Tu-Chung G (p<0.001 each) and also in the Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) .
5. The total urinary nitrogen level after 4 weeks was significantly lower in the non Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the non Ex. Cont. G (p<0.001) or the exercise group treated with the extract (p<0.05) and also in the Ex. Tu-Chung G than in the Ex. Cont. G (p<0.05) .
These results suggest that administration of Tu-Chung extract significantly increases the relative weight of the adrenal gland, enhances androgen secretion from the reticular layer of the adrenal cortex, and promotes protein anabolic action in castrated rats. In addition, this extract appears to increase the adaptation ability of the adrenal cortex to the stress caused by exercise.

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is an important disease of the central nervous system caused by infection with Taenia solium metacestodes. In addition to the clinical findings and the imaging analysis, the results of immunological tests are informative for the diagnosis of NCC. To compare the usefulness of serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples for antibody detection, paired serum and CSF samples from patients with NCC and other neurological diseases were examined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with low-molecular-weight antigens purified from T. solium cyst fluid in a blinded fashion. The sensitivity of both serum and CSF samples was 25.0% in inactive NCC cases (n = 4) and 90.9% in active NCC cases (n = 33), and the specificity of serum and CSF was 100% and 95.8%, respectively. When the serum and CSF samples were combined, the sensitivity in active NCC cases became 100%. There was no difference in test performance between serum and CSF samples. Based on these results, we recommend the detection of specific antibodies in serum for the diagnosis of active NCC because of the ease of collection. When the antibody test is negative, however, CSF should be used to confirm NCC and to rule out other medical disorders of the central nervous system. Antibody detection test using only serum or CSF has a limited diagnostic value and cannot be recommended for the diagnosis of suspected inactive NCC cases.

In Kampo therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Keishi-ka-ryojutsubu-to, Keishini-eppi-itto and Keishi-shakuyaku-chimo-to are considered to be the primary formulas. However, it is often difficult to control arthritis with the primary formula alone. In this study, we administered 7.5g/day of Ji-daboku-ippo to 12 patients with RA, who had not responded sufficiently to the primary formula alone. Administration of the primary formula and other anti-rheumatoid drugs was also continued.
After three months of this supplemental administration of Ji-daboku-ippo, the mean±SE of the Lansbury's index significantly decreased from 45.3±5.8% to 33.3±3.8% (p<0. 01). After treatment for one year, a decrement in the Lensbury's index (of more than 20%) was seen in the four patients. These results suggest that supplemental administration of Ji-daboku-ippo is effective for patients who fail to respond sufficiently to the primary Kampo formulas used for RA.

We investigated the effect of the difference of exercise intensity on the changes in ammonia and oxypurines (hypoxanthine·xanthine) . The subjects were 7 male university students who belonged to the Judo club. By using a bicycle ergometer with the same total work load (kpm), they performed following exercise : light exercise (27.1±0.8% HRmax), moderate exercise (72.6±2.5% HRmax) and exhaustive exercise. After light exercise, blood ammonia, serum oxypurines and urinary oxypurines excretion did not increase. Urinary uric acid excertion increased significantly, but serum uric acid decreased slightly. After moderate exercise, the significant increase was observed with blood ammonia (+ 35.3±5.9μmol/l) . Urinary oxypurines excretion also increased significantly, while serum oxypurines did not change. Also, serum uric acid rose slightly. After exhaustive exercise, the significant increase was observed with blood ammonia, serum oxypurines and serum uric acid. Each peak level and appearance time were +67.2±15.1μmol/l after 3 min, +31.4±7.6μmol/l after 30 min, 155.7±39.9μmol/l after 1 hr of exercise, respectively. These results suggest that AMP deamination occur during moderate intensity, while remarkable production of oxypurines which lead the increase of serum uric acid occur in higher exercise intensity.

In order to elucidate effects of the exercise intensity on purine catabolism, we performed exhausitve exercise (Exh-ex), 80% VO₂max exercise (80%-ex) and 70% VO₂max exercise (70%-ex) test by a bicycle ergometer, and estimated the purine catabolism by the changes in blood ammonia, plasma oxypurines and urinary oxypurines in five healthy male subjects who were given allopurinol. The results were summarized as follows;
1) Plasma oxypurines concentrations (POP) increased gradually after exercise with each intensity. The order of their maximal levels and of cumulative areas under the curves of POP were exh-ex>80%-ex>70%-ex>control, respectively, and that of urinary excretions of oxypurines was exh-ex>80%-ex>70%-ex≥control.
2) Blood ammonia concentrations (BNH₃) increased sharply after exercise with each intensity. The order of their maximal levels was 80%-ex = exh-ex>70%-ex>control, and that of cumulative areas under the curves of BNH₃ was 80%-ex>exh-ex>70%-ex>control.
3) Blood lactate concentrations (BLA) increased sharply after exercise with each intensity. The order of their maximal levels and of cumulative areas under the curves of BLA were exh-ex =80%-ex>70%-ex>control, respectively.
These results suggest that the purine catabolism leading to uric acid production is activated by the physical exercise in the order of increasing intensities. The discrepancy between the increase in ammonia and those in oxypurines suggests that the increased purine catabolic pathway was mediated not only by AMP deamination but also by other factors.

In order to prevent sports anemia, caused especially by iron deficiency or shortage, a special type of food supplementation was designed. This was called“iron-food”and contained 510% of the therapeutic iron dose. According to hemoglobin (Hb) values, female subjects who had been performing hard daily training were divided into two groups ; an anemia group (A group, Hb≤11.9 g/dl, n=4) and a potential anemia group (PA group, 12.0≤Hb≤12.9g/dl, n=4) . Then the iron-food was administered for six weeks following placebo treatment. Iron status, hematological profiles and aerobic work capacity of the two groups were examined before and after the two periods to investigate the effect of the iron-food. Serum iron, iron saturation and ferritin were significantly increased in the PA group. Serum iron tended to be increased in the A group, but not significantly. Red blood cell count, Hb and hematocrit were significantly increased in the PA group, and the reticulocyte count was also increased in the A group. These results suggest that iron-food helped to increase daily iron intake in the anemic subjects, but not to a sufficient extent to aid recovery from anemia. However the ironfood was effective for improving iron status in subjects with potential anemia (latent iron deficiency) .