Objective: We studied the effect of food consumption and exercise training (EX) on the oxidative stress regulation system and exercise capacity in mice.
Methods: As subjects of this study, we used 46 male mice, which were classified randomly into four groups: one that consumed the reduced coenzyme Q10 (H₂CoQ10: QH), one that consumed QH and took EX, one that took EX, and a control group. All the groups were set to keep running to their limit on a treadmill for animals. We measured the exercise capacity (running time) of each group at the beginning and after three, six, and nine months of this study. For the oxidative stress regulation system, we used reactive oxygen and free radical analysis equipment at the beginning and 6 months later of this study. We measured plasma oxidative stresses (d-ROM test) and plasma anti-oxidant potential (BAP test) to calculate the ratio of d-ROM to BAP. After nine months of this study we measured plasma anti-oxidants (ANTI-ROM test), values of plasma QH and plasma Q10 to calculate the reduced ratio.
Result: As a short-term effect of exercise capacity, prolonged running time were recognized by a combination of QH consumption and EX, and as a long-term effect, prolonged running time was recognized by QH consumption. For the oxidative stress regulation system, d-ROM test and ANTI-ROM test did not show any effect of QH consumption or combination of QH consumption and EX. However an elevated value was indicated in the reduced ratio by a combination of QH consumption and EX.
Conclusion: This study has revealed that a combination of QH consumption and EX has an effect on exercise capacity and the oxidative stress regulation system such as reduced ratio.

Objective: We studied the effect of long-term the reduced form of coenzyme Q10 (H₂CoQ10: QH) consumption and exercise training (EX) with SAMP1 mice on senescence, exercise capacity, and an oxidative stress regulation system.
Methods: The subjects of this study were 50 SAMP1 mice for accelerated senescence, sorted at random into four groups: one which consumed QH, one which consumed QH and performed EX, one which performed EX, and a control group. The experiment started when the mice were 8 weeks old and the consumption of QH continued for 12 months (12M). The measurement for the oxidative stress regulation system was performed at the start of this study and 12M later. Running time for exercise capacity, senescence grading scores, and body weight were each measured at the start of the study, 6 months (6M) and 12M later. For the oxidative stress regulation system, we used reactive oxygen and free radical analysis equipment, with which we measured plasma oxidative stresses (d-ROM test) and plasma anti-oxidant potential (BAP test), and calculated the ratio of d-ROM to BAP.
Result: A combination of QH consumption and EX showed, at a later stage, an inhibiting effect on the increase in senescence grading scores and on the decrease in running time. For the oxidative stress regulation system, the combination showed a decrease in latent anti-oxidant potential caused by the rise of plasma oxidative stresses.
Conclusion: Results of this study suggest that a combination of QH consumption and EX is effective in delaying aging, inhibiting the decline of exercise capacity, and decrease in latent anti-oxidant potential.

Introduction : We report the effect of adaptive servo ventilation (ASV) treatment on heart failure in a home care setting.
Methods : For eight home care patients aged ≥75 with heart failure, we diagnosed sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) by using a simplified monitor and implemented ASV treatment. We assessed its effect on heart failure by using NT-proBNP. We also assessed its effects on SDB by using apnea hypopnea index (AHI).
Results : Three patients dropped out because they felt fear of putting on the mask. Among the other five patients, we observed a significant decrease rate of NT-proBNP (mean : -0.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) : -0.64, -0.22) after the ASV treatment. With regard to AHI, we observed a decreasing tendency (mean : -20.4 /hour, 95% CI : -41.2/hour, 0.4/hour).
Conclusion : This study suggests that ASV treatment is effective for a treatment of heart failure in a home care setting.

We report a case of a ruptured aneurysm in a patient in her 90's who was treated by coil embolization and returned to her independent life after discharge. A 95-year-old woman with a diagnosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) of Hunt & Kosnik Grade II was treated by coil embolization, ventricular drainage, and a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt. The ventricular drainage was assembled as a closed system using a newly developed one-way ball valve to regulate the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) outflow. With this system the patient was able to assume any posture and perform any movement she wished. The patient was freed from the physical constraint involved in conventional ventricular drainage. Early rehabilitation during the ventricular drainage would be useful to prevent pneumonia and muscle atrophy.

In this study, we showed the bioavailability of ubiquinol (QH) in the form of water-dispersive powder.Two groups of 5 healthy young subjects received single oral administration of 100 mg of QH in the form of a soft capsule containing QH dissolved in safflower oil or 40% water-dispersive powder in the fasting period, and changes in the plasma QH concentration were monitored over time.The water-dispersive powder form of QH exhibited superior bioavailability even when administered in the fasting period.

In 1984, a 67-year-old man had aortic valve replacement surgery for aortic regurgitation; he returned with chest pain on May 15, 2003. Emergency coronary angiography was performed because electrocardiogram revealed ST segment depression in leads V₄ to V₆. However, coronary angiography, echocardiogram and chest computed tomography finding were normal. Therefore the patient was discharged the following day. However, he was re-admitted for chest pain, followed by loss of consciousness 4 days after his initial release. Echocardiogram and chest computed tomography revealed perforation in the lateral wall of his left ventricle (LV) and a “blow-out” type rupture was diagnosed. The patient fell into cardiogenetic shock in the emergency room, and emergency left ventricular free wall rupture (LVFWR) surgical repair was performed under percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS). A round perforation measuring about 10mm in diameter was observed in the lateral LV wall along the course of LCx # 12. The perforation was closed using Teflon strip reinforced mattress sutures. The hemostasis was reinforced with fibrin glue sheet (TachoComb) and polyglygolic acid surgical mesh (Dexon Mesh), with fibrin glue extensively applied. He was discharged on July 17, 2003 without major complications. In this case, the precise cause that led to LVFWR was unknown. Emergency PCPS insertion enabled the LVFWR surgical repair and extensive adhesion due to the previous AVR prevented the massive bleeding to pericardial cavity and the catastrophic hemodynamic deterioration: both factors positively contributed to patient recovery.

Introduction : The purpose of this study was to clarify the antimicrobial susceptibility of Haemophilus influenzae in central Tokyo over a ten-year period.
Methods : We investigated the susceptibility of Haemophilus influenzae isolated in Tokyo Saiseikai Central Hospital for 10 years from 2004 through 2013.
Results : Significant increases in the proportion of strains resistant to ampicillin, ampicillin / sulbactam and cefditoren pivoxil were noted for some years in comparison to the first year studied. There were no significant changes in the susceptibility to levofloxacin and clarithromycin. The proportion of strains resistant to ampicillin and cefditoren pivoxil showed statistically significant increases during the study period. The proportion of the strains resistant to ampicillin / sulbactam isolated from children was greater than from adults for every year studied. Levofloxacin resistant strains were isolated only from adults. The proportion of strains resistant to clarithromycin were about 1% in Japanese national surveillance data, but the proportions in this study were over 9%.
Conclusion : Over a ten-year period in central Tokyo, Haemophilus influenzae strains resistant to ampicillin and cefditoren pivoxil increased. Strains resistant to clarithromycin occurred at a higher rate than nationally.

A 79-year-old man, who had undergone aortic valve replacement due to severe aortic stenosis 2.5 years previously and permanent pacemaker implantation for sick sinus syndrome 2 months after aortic valve replacement, was admitted for congestive heart failure and suspicion of prosthetic valve endocarditis. However, he had a fever in spite of medical therapy, and transthoracic echocardiography revealed a 20 mm vegetation on the posterior mitral valve leaflet. He underwent emergency surgery on a diagnosis of infective endocarditis. The intraoperative examination showed annular abscess on the calcified mitral annulus, and a part of abscess had disintegrated, from which the vegetation arose. We performed maximal possible debridement of the infected tissue and mitral annulus reconstruction with a bovine pericardium. Subsequently, mitral valve replacement and annulus reinforcement with a prosthetic valve collared with a bovine pericardium were performed to prevent perivalvular leakage. The patient showed no recurrence of infection and perivalvular leakage at 1.5 years of follow-up.

Dementia is one of the most serious problems in aging societies. A recent study has reported that higher serum coenzyme Q10 levels could reduce the risk of incident dementia. In this community-based study, we evaluated changes in serum ubiquinol level and cognitive performance following long-term intake of ubiquinol. Sixty-one residents (26 men, 35 women; aged 33-87 years) of Kamijima town in Ehime Prefecture agreed to participate in this study. The participants consumed 100-150 mg ubiquinol per day for 6 months to 2 years. We measured serum ubiquinol level and assessed cognitive performance using the 1-min Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) both at baseline and after long-term ubiquinol intake. We also examined the subjects after a 3-month washout period. At baseline, a strong negative correlation was found between age and DSST score. There was no significant correlation between serum ubiquinol level and DSST score. Following long-term ubiquinol intake, both serum ubiquinol level and DSST score increased significantly. After the 3-month washout period, serum ubiquinol level decreased to almost the baseline level, whereas DSST score did not change significantly. Because this study is a single-arm trial these results should be considered carefully; nonetheless, our findings indicate the probable effects that long-term ubiquinol supplementation improves cognitive performance among community residents.

　　Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy for acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is performed after oxygen therapy and breathing therapy. The usefulness of HBO therapy in emergency treatment has been reported. In this study, we examined the effectiveness of HBO for CO poisoning that was performed at our hospital over the past 5 years. Subjects were 23 patients who had HBO therapy for CO poisoning in the period January 2008-November 2013. The male to female ratio of the cases was 14:9 and the mean age was 54.6±20.8 years. The cause was suicide in 39.1% of cases and accident in 60.9%. The mean number of treatments was 5.4±6.8. The atmosphere absolute was 2ATA:2.8ATA=12:11. The ratio of direct conveyance of the patient to our hospital to indirect conveyance of the patient from another hospital was 15:8. The effectiveness of HBO therapy at the time of discharge was 73.9%. However, delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae (DNS) was detected in 3 of the 23 cases of CO poisoning. No correlations were found between elapsed time after CO inhalation and various blood parameters. However, time to start of therapy is important for DNS, and our results suggest that early treatment at a hospital with a hyperbaric chamber is necessary.