It has been demonstrated that in utero ethanol(EtOH) exposure induces hyperactive behavior and learning disturbances in offspring. In order to investigate the effects of docosahexaenoic acid(DHA) on these neurobehavioral dysfunctions of rat pups induced by in utero EtOH exposure, pregnant Wistar rats were divided into four treatment groups depending on the type of oil added to the diet and drinking water as follows; (a)5% safflower oil with tap water(TW/n−6), (b)3% safflower oil and 2% DHA with tap water(TW/n−3), (c)5% safflower oil with 10%−EtOH(ET/n−6), (d)3% safflower oil and 2% DHA with 10%−EtOH(ET/n−3) at gestational day (GD)7. 10%−EtOH was administered to dams in ET/n−6 and ET/n−3 groups from GD 7 to the pups’ weaning(postnatal week 4), and all pups were fed with the same diet that was given to their dams during the entire examination period. The open−field test and the water E−maze test were conducted for all pups, and a spontaneous motor activity test and the Sidman electric shock avoidance test were performed for some of male pups. Amounts of monoamine metabolites in striatum were then determined, and fatty acid analyses of total brain lipids were performed. The male pups in the ET/n−6 group showed significantly more rearing and square−crossing movements in the open−field test, and significanrly higher spontaneous motor activity during the dark period in the daily cycle compared to the males in the TW/n−6 group. The male pups in the ET/n−3 group showed fewer of these behaviors in the open−field test compared to the ET/n−6 group males, and a normal pattern of spontaneous motor activity. Learning disturbance induced by in utero EtOH exposure was not observed in the E−shaped water maze, but was observed in the avoidance rates in the Sidman electric shock avoidance test. However, there was no significant modifying effect of DHA on the avoidance rates in EtOH exposed pups. The analysis of the fatty acid composition of total lipids in the brains of the pups revealed high levels of DHA in the diet reflected an increased level of brain DHA and caused a decreased level of the brain arachidonic acid. Retroconversion from DHA to eicosapentaenoic acid was also observed. However, there was no significant effect of DHA on the levels of monoamine metabolites. These results support the hypothesis that DHA can counteract the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Lower case en ; Oils ; Water ; Hyperactive behavior ; Treated with

A 70-year-old woman, who had a history of a percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy for rheumatic heart disease 34 years previously, was admitted with progressive right heart failure. Massive calcification of the left wall was observed on multidetector CT. She underwent a mitral valve replacement, tricuspid annuloplasty and permanent pacemaker implantation. Massive calcification of the left atrial wall is a rare condition, and constitutes a major complication and risk to mitral valve surgery because of the difficulty in entering the left atrium, potential embolization, and impaired hemostasis.

We assessed the effectiveness of practical instruction in parasitology for undergraduates at Jichi Medical School by examining grades on a practical examination. Two hundred six second-year medical students in 1997 and 1998 (103 students in each year) were enrolled in this study. The students took written and practical examinations at the end of the program. We found that grades on the practical examination were correlated with grades on the written examination (r=0.5664; p<0.001). The discrimination index ranged from 0.23 to 0.78. The percentage of correctly identified species was significantly higher when students studied live specimens than when they used other methods (p<0.0001 in both 1997 and 1998). The highest rates of correct identification (more than 90%) were for Anisakis species larvae and Enterobius vermicularis eggs in 1997 and for Anisakis species larvae, E. vermicularis eggs, and Anopheles mosquitoes in 1998. Results of neither written nor practical examinations differed significantly between students who chose biology at the entrance examination and those who did not. Our results suggest that undergraduates would gain a better understanding of parasitology by studying live specimens.

A 60 year old man presented with a history of right leg claudication which occurred after walking a distance of 200 m. He had no history of cardiovascular risk factors or trauma in the lower extremities. Palpation disclosed no right popliteal or pedal pulse. Ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI) was 0.60 on the affected side. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated the presence of a highly stenotic lesion in the right popliteal artery due to compression from periarterial polycystic masses. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed no communication to the knee joint bursa. Further, angiography showed a beak-like severe stenosis on the knee of the right popliteal artery. Based on the results of these three imaging techniques we confirmed the diagnosis of cystic adventitial disease (CAD). The patient underwent a surgical exploration of his popliteal artery through a posterior approach. Evacuation of all cysts by longitudinal incision of his adventitia yielded yellow mucoid gelatinous material. The popliteal artery was replaced using the great saphenous vein because the previous imaging showed thrombus formation at the cyst site. He had an uneventful postoperative recovery with ABI of 1.10.

We experienced a clinical case of a patient with psychotic depression who ingested the residual saponated cresol solution from a 500ml bottle of cresol, a disinfectant, with the intention of committing suicide. Through this experience, we felt it neccessary to investigate the present commercial situation of cresol for domestic use, and to come up with some safty measares.All the 128 drugstores and pharmacies in four cities located in the Tohno area of Gifu Pref. (Mizunami, Toki, Tajimi and Ena) were queried by telephone about the sale and stock of cresol.Almost 80% of the drugstores in these four cities, excluding pharmacies, were found to deal in saponated cresol solutions. They carried a little more than two 500ml bottles of cresol on average. This volume exceeds an estimated adult lethal dose of 250ml.Although it is unlikely that an ordinary household will use the whole of 500ml bottle of the disinfectant at a time, the residual saponated cresol solution could increase the risk of accidental cresol poisoning at home.So, it would be desirable not to sell 500ml bottles in ordinary drugstores. Furthermore, before selling a bottle of cresol, the pharmacists, who have a specialized knowledge about it, should kindly explain to the user about its toxicity and usage.
cresol ; Solutions ; Area ; Disinfectants ; Cancer patients and suicide and depression

The purpose of this study was to clarify some of the characteristics of race-walking, especially the relationship between walking speed and oxygen requirement, and stride in race-walking and normal walking, and to examine whether race-walking is effective for the maintenance and promotion of health.
The subjects were five male race-walkers (race-walker group) and five male college students (control group) .
The results obtained were as follows:
1. Under race-walk conditions, the highest speeds attained in the race-walker and control groups were 200-220 m/min and 160 m/min, respectively. Under normal walking conditions, however, the values were 140 m/min in both groups.
2. A lower oxygen requirement was observed at slower speed during normal walking and at a higher speed (over 130 m/min) during race-walking.
3. Oxygen requirement (ml/kg/100 m) in the race-walker group was minimal at 60-80 m/min during race-walking and at 60 m/min during normal walking. Values in the control group were minimal at 60 m/min under both walking conditions.
4. The oxygen requirement in the race-walker group was less than that of the control group under both walking conditions.
5. Under normal walking conditions, as the speed increased, both step-length and step frequency gradually increased, until step-length reached a limit of 80 cm. Thereafter, walking was maintained only by an increase in step frequency. However, in the race-walkes group, the subjects were capable of increasing their step-length further, and maintaining a higher speed (up to 220 m/min) .
6. It was suggested that race-walking is one of the most efficient exercises for maintaining and improving health.

The purpose of this study was to clarify some of the characteristics of race-walking, especially the relationship between walking speed and oxygen requirement, and stride in race-walking and normal walking, and to examine whether race-walking is effective for the maintenance and promotion of health.
The subjects were five male race-walkers (race-walker group) and five male college students (control group) .
The results obtained were as follows:
1. Under race-walk conditions, the highest speeds attained in the race-walker and control groups were 200-220 m/min and 160 m/min, respectively. Under normal walking conditions, however, the values were 140 m/min in both groups.
2. A lower oxygen requirement was observed at slower speed during normal walking and at a higher speed (over 130 m/min) during race-walking.
3. Oxygen requirement (ml/kg/100 m) in the race-walker group was minimal at 60-80 m/min during race-walking and at 60 m/min during normal walking. Values in the control group were minimal at 60 m/min under both walking conditions.
4. The oxygen requirement in the race-walker group was less than that of the control group under both walking conditions.
5. Under normal walking conditions, as the speed increased, both step-length and step frequency gradually increased, until step-length reached a limit of 80 cm. Thereafter, walking was maintained only by an increase in step frequency. However, in the race-walkes group, the subjects were capable of increasing their step-length further, and maintaining a higher speed (up to 220 m/min) .
6. It was suggested that race-walking is one of the most efficient exercises for maintaining and improving health.

Recently, with the advent of medical devices and minimally invasive operations, endoscopic saphenous vein harvesting (EVH) in coronary artery bypass grafting has been widely accepted. Although EVH has short-term advantages of less wound morbidity and better cosmetic results compared with open vein harvesting (OVH), several studies have demonstrated that the mid- and long-term patency rate of EVH veins is significantly lower than that of OVH veins, therefore the role of EVH is currently controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate the early results of EVH compared with the OVH group. Between April 2011 and December 2012, 115 consecutive patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in our institution. Of these, EVH was performed in 62 patients and OVH in 53. In EVH groups, all 50 patients were men, and mean age was 71.3±7.8 years. A total of 211 coronary anastomoses, 109 SVGs anastomoses were assessed for patency postoperatively by angiography or enhanced computed tomography before discharge. The mean vein harvesting time was 26.0±8.1 min, and the mean number of ostial branch tear was 0.34±0.59. The overall SVG patency rates at discharge were 95.4% in EVH and 92% in OVH, respectively (p=0.24). There was a significant reduction in the incidence of leg wound complications in the EVH group (EVH : 1.6% ; OVH : 13.2% ; p=0.038). In conclusion, the short-term result of EVH was satisfactory. EVH reduces leg wound complications compared with OVH.

We evaluated bedside learning in the department of pediatric surgery by conducting a questionnaire survey of senior medical students at Chiba University School of Medicine. We obtained responses from 70 of 95 students (74%). Although 84% of students responded by making lists of patients' problems. Many students indicated insufficient knowledge about diseases and insufficient technical skills for medical treatment as the reasons they could not solve these problems. This finding indicates that students do not have sufficient basic knowledge and clinical skills for bedside learning. These skills must be acquired and evaluated before bedside learning can be started.

A university hospital plays roles as a specific functional hospital and as a teaching hospital in primary care because most medical school graduates receive basic clinical training in this area. An important objective of primary care education for all residents is the initial treatment of patients with first-to third-level emergencies. We examined the number of patients, the level of emergency (first, second, and third level) and the diagnoses that each resident encountered. Subjects included 29 residents (3 in the first year, 4 in the second year, and 2 in the third year) who had undergone clinical training for 3 months in the department of emergency medicine at the Saga Medical School Hospital which treats 7, 000 to 8, 000 patients per year with first-to third-level emergencies. Residents were involved with 214.6 emergency cases, which included approximately 59 types of first-level emergency, 31 types of second-level emergency, and 15 types of third-level emergencies. These results were largely compatible with the Objectives of Postgraduate Basic Clinical Training proposed by the Japan Society for Medical Education. These results show that university hospitals as specific functional hospitals should accept numerous emergency patients and that residents must receive clinical training in emergency medicine to achieve the objectives of primary care education.