A 47-year-old man, having undergone mitral valve replacement in another hospital 9 years ago, suffered from sudden dyspnea and was transferred to our hospital immediately. On admission, disturbance of consciousness, severe dyspnea, marked hypotension (60/40) and hypo-oxygenation were noted. Under assisted ventilation with endotracheal intubation, diagnosis was confirmed by chest X-ray. The patient was transferred to the operation room after initiation of percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS). The emergency re-operation was started 7 hours after the onset of the symptoms. Left atriotomy was performed following total cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegic solution infusion. The pyrolite disc and the minor strut were missing and could not be found in the cardiac cavity. The fractured prosthesis was removed and replaced with a 29mm Carbomedics prosthesis. He was weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass with large doses of pressor amines. The disc and the strut were removed from the abdominal aorta and right deep femoral artery respectively 4 weeks after re-MVR surgery. The patient was discharged after 8 weeks' admission, and has been doing well so far. Although it is obvious that prompt diagnosis and early operation to replace the fractured prosthesis are essential for patient survival, percutaneous cardio-pulmonary support is helpful to maintain patient's hemodynamics during rediagnosis and preparation for surgery.

　　The Gene testing techniques have made a remarkable development in recent years. The number of studies on an association between chronic effects rapidly of pesticide exposure and gene polymorphism has increased. This tendency is probably because some genes are related to the metabolism and transport through the cell membrane of the toxic chemicals.　　Many studies on the cancer risk have found the significant interactions between pesticide exposure and gene polymorphism. The cancers associated with pesticides included gallbladder cancer, prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma, breast cancer, bladder cancer, childhood leukemia, childhood brain tumor and so forth. The interactive factors of the pesticide exposure have been given as follows: The serum DDT level, the agricultural use of malathion or dichlorvos, the pesticide exposure indices representing the job history, the history of prenatal or postnatal insecticide exposure, among others. The genes of significant interaction with polymorphism have been given as follows: Cytochrome P450, glutathione-S-transferase, P-glycoprotein, flavin-containing monooxygenase, quinone oxidoreductase, among others.　　The risk of Parkinson&rsquo:s disease was reported to have the interaction with pesticide exposure and paraoxonase or dopamine transporter polymorphism.　　Some studies on birth defect and nuerodevelopmental retardation have reported the significant interactive relations. For example: Preterm delivery with organochlorine pesticide exposure and cytochrome P450 polymorphism, reduction of head circumference or retardation of neurobehavioral development with organophosphorous insecticide exposure and paraoxonase polymorphism.　　When it comes to multiple chemical sensitivity, some gene polymorphisms were reported to have significant relations. Further research is needed to gain a deeper insight into multiple chemical sensitivity including the interaction between gene polymorphism and chemical exposure epidemiologically.

Chronic adverse effects on human bodies from pesticide exposure are far-reaching. They eventually cause neuropsychological disorders, organ disorders, oncogenesis, unwonted pregnancy outcomes, developmental disorders, and so forth. This paper reviewed the literature published in recent years on the relationships between pesticide exposures and pregnancy outcomes.Many studies from North America and Europe documented a link between adverse pregnancy outcomes and exposures to pesticides used in agriculture, gardening, and in everyday life. The adverse pregnancy outcomes were birth defect, spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, preterm birth, depressed birth size, and the imbalanced male/female ratio of newborns. The majority of the reports described significant relations. Significant increases in the incidence of birth defect were reported also by the majority of the reports, and specific malformations such as anencephaly were significantly related to pesticide exposure. Hypospadias and cryptorchism were found to be significantly closely related to exposure to various kinds of pesticide and the residue of chlordanes rather than residual DDT.Two pieces of research carried out in the Philippines and South Africa revealed a close association between agricultural pesticide use and birth defect and spontaneous abortion. In the developing countries of the tropical and sub-tropical regions, the protect gears were scarcely used for the reason of climate and a high cost. Consequently, the risk of exposure was high. The situation in these regions needs further study from an epidemiological standpoint. Some activities and administrative measures are simultaneously necessary, including the education in order to decrease the risk of pesticide exposure and use pesticides with low toxicity.Regrettably, few epidemiological studies have been carried out in Japan, and the Japanese Association of Rural Medicine is responsible for promoting epidemiological research in this nation. Furthermore, it should contribute to the activities and administrative measures to lower the risk of pesticide exposure in Southeast Asian countries.
Pesticides ; Pregnancy Outcome ; seconds ; Risk ; epidemiologic

In daily clinic, we are greatly concerned with the sterilization of oriental needles and appliances.
Staphylococcus epidermitis and aureus, bacillus subtilis and pseudomonas aeruginosa and so on were detected when we cultivated bacteria on daily oriental needles in our clinical office. The author intestigated the ability of six sterilization methods; (1) ultra violet (253.7nm) 10 minutes, (2) wiping out by medical raw cotten contained water, (3) wiping out by medical raw cotten contained isopropylalcohol 70%, (4) dipping in isopropylalcohol 10 minutes, (5) dipping in 0.5% Hibitane (chlorhexidine) alcohol 10 minutes, (6) autoclave.
Among these six methods, the autoclave method is excellent of course, but among the simpler methods, the following one is excellent; after having wiping out oriental needles a few times by medical raw cotton contained 70% isopropylalcohol or 0.5% chlorhexidine, dipping in 0.5% chlorhexidine alcohol 10 minutes.
It is not necessary for this method to use machines, electricity, gas or over 30 minutes: it is enough to dip chlorhexidine for 10 minutes.

The Apparatus for Measuring the Functioning of the Meridians (AMI) was developed by myself at the Institute for Religious Psychology. This monitors the polarization which occurs at the epidermal barrier membrane against externally applied potential (DC square wave pulses applied between two skin points). It has been clarified in our research that a very rapid propagation current flows before the onset of polarization in the water-rich phase of the dermal connective tissue. Analysing further research results, the Before Polarization (BP) current in the Yin meridian was always higher than that of the Yang partner in each meridian pair. (This pairing is according to the traditional concept of Yin-Yang relationships.) This suggests that the BP current is a parameter of the meridian functioning.
From our research results it can be said that: (1) the BP current flows in the water-rich phase of the dermal connective tissue; (2) the BP current value is a parameter of the meridian functioning; and (3) the physical location of the meridians is in the water-rich phase of the dermal connective tissue.

A series of studies on the acupuncture treatment for diabetes mellitus demonstrated that insulin secretion is accelerated by acupuncture stimulation during oral glucose loading.
In this study patients with noninsulin-dependant diabetes mellitus (type II) were treated by placing needle at Quichi (LI-11), Ganshu (UB-18), Taichong (Liv-3), Pishu (UB-20) and Zhongwan (Ren-12) twice a week for 6-8 weeks. The results showed improvements in blood sugar level and increased insulin response to administered glucose in those patients with noninsulin-dependant diabetes mellitus.
On the basis of this evidence it seems to suggest that insulin deficiency, which is basic pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus, is improved by acupuncture treatment, in particular reserved ability of insulin secretion being revived.