Hand-washing before operations is an important and fundamental precaution against infection. However, it should be noted that washing hands many times and brushing excessively damage the skin and cause wound infection during operations. Inthis paper, we examined the disinfection effect of the scrub method using Chlorohexidine gluconate and an ultrasonic cleaner. The scrub method was very effective, whereas the rate of disinfection tended to fall when the utltrasonic method was used.
Hand ; Washing ; Surgical aspects ; Disinfection ; g <3>

The following two aspects will be considered in this paper. First, in order to elucidate the effects of experimental increase of heat production on the cold-induced vasodilation (CIVD), we examined 20 males in CIVD before and after each exercise. Second, in terms of the difference in CIVD between trained and untrained individuals, 160 trained and 34 untrained males were examined. The results obtained from both of the experiments may be summarized as follows.
1. The CIVD after one hour's outdoor exercise was enhanced in comparison with that before exercise. After exercise, the temperature before water immersion (TBI), mean skin temperature (MST) and temperature at first rise (TFR) during immersion were significantly higher, and the time to temperature rise (TTR) during immersion was significantly shorter.
The amplitude of temperature (AT) was likewise significantly higher. These scores were calculated into resistance indices (RI) by Yoshimura's method and Nakamura's method (3 point method and 5 point method) . As a result, the RI by Yoshimura's method was significantly higher after exercise while that by Nakamura's method showed no difference. This suggests that a transient increase of heat content by physical exercise is ignored in the latter method.
2. In regard to the features of CIVD in the trained as compared with the untrained, TBI, MST, TFR and AT were higher, and TTR was shorter and RI was significantly higher. There was a significant positive correlation between the years of experience of sports and RI.
3. The CIVD was higher in those trained in outdoor sports than in indoor sports. The RI, classified by sport events was the highest in swimming followed in decreasing order by rowing, karate, baseball, track and field, judo, tennis, rugby, basketball, soccer, kendo, badminton, volleyball and table-tennis.
This order was almost the same even after eliminating the effects of the years of experience of sports. Thus, it follows from this observation that the RI was higher in the trained in outdoor sports than in the trained in indoor sports. This result may be atrributed to the fact that outdoor sportsmen have more opportunities to be exposed to outdoor cold as compared with indoor sportsmen.

[Introduction]The patulous eustachian tube is an intractable disorder for rational symptoms such as a blocked ear, hearing breath sounds and autophony. Most of the causes are unclear. Therefore, we report a rare case of acupuncture on the patulous eustachian tube.
[Case]K. X., 43years old, male, Occupation:staff of an association.
Chief Complaint:Auto phony. Self breath sound listening.
Clinical history:In Oct 20xx, he was aware of suddenly hearing breath sounds and autophony.
The same year Oct, the "Y"Otolaryngology Clinic diagnosed it as normal hearing ability and patulous eustachian tube. It was not improved by pharmacotherapy.
In the same month, an otoscope examination was taken at the "Z"Medical College of Otolaryngology and it was diagnosed as a patulous eustachian tube again. Acupuncture treatment was started from Dec. of the same year.
Present illness:Weber test (-), hearing ability (normal), hypertonus of splenius capitis muscle
[Acupuncture treatment]Selection of acupoints was considered where the patient said "symptoms decreased with mandibular exercise". Therefore, the trigeminal nerve regional acupoints that influence the masseter and posterior region of the neck were chosen.
[Progress]In total, 25 acupuncture treatments were performed once a week from the onset.
The patulous eustachian tube symptoms were evaluated by Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) from the first treatment.
Barometric change and psychological stress exacerbated symptoms repeatedly, but the NRS of symptoms was relieved to about 50%by acupuncture at the first hospital visit.
[Discussion and conclusions]It was suggested that the symptoms of patulous eustachian tube were relieved by stimulation of acupoints on the splenius capitis muscle and trigeminal nerve region.

[Objective]More accurate anatomical data is discussed to reveal the surrounding structures of the new and former BL54 (Zhibian, Chippen) according to the positional modification of acupuncture points by WHO (2006), and also to demonstrate the acupuncture stimulation points to the sciatic nerve as effective methods for acupuncture treatment of the pain in the lower back.
[Methods]Detailed dissections were performed on the surrounding structures of the acupuncture points of the bladder meridian at the gluteal region and the posterior aspect of the thigh in three cadavers at the Unit of Clinical Anatomy, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University.
[Results] 1. The new BL54 (WHO, 2006) was situated at or near the infrapiriform foramen, with the posterior femoral cutaneous nerve, inferior gulteal nerve and vessels and sciatic nerve passing through.
2. The former BL54 was situated at or near the suprapiriform foramen with the inferior gulteal nerve and vessels passing through.
3. The acupuncture stimulation points to the sciatic nerve at the gluteal region and the posterior aspect of the thigh were as follows;(1) the initial portion of the sciatic nerve, (2) the infrapiriform foramen (new BL54, WHO), (3) the lateral one third point of the line connecting the sacrococcygeal junction and the greater trochanter, (4) the midpont of the line connecting the ischial tuberosity and the greater trochanter, (5) the point about 1 cm lateral to BL36 (Chengfu, Shofu), (6) the medial half portion of the biceps femoris muscle lateral to BL37 (Yinmen, Inmon).
[Conclusion] 1. The new and former BL54 are situated near the main nerves and vessels of the gluteal region and the posterior aspect of the thigh, so are considered as effective points for the acupunctural treatment.
2. The six positions are showed as the acupuncture stimulation points to the sciatic nerve in the gluteal region and the posterior aspect of the thigh.

AIMTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of an extract of Ganoderma lucidum that shows the strongest 5alpha-reductase inhibitory activity among the extracts of 19 edible and medicinal mushrooms by a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized and dose-ranging study in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).

METHODSIn this trial, we randomly assigned 88 men over the age of 49 years who had slight-to-moderate LUTS to 12 weeks of treatment with G. lucidum extract (6 mg once a day) or placebo. The primary outcome measures were changes in the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and variables of uroflowmetry. Secondary outcome measures included changes in prostate size, residual urinary volume after voiding, laboratory values and the reported adverse effects.

RESULTSG. lucidum was effective and significantly superior to placebo for improving total IPSS with 2.1 points decreasing at the end of treatment (mean difference, -1.18 points; 95% confidence interval, -1.74 to -0.62; P < 0.0001). No changes were observed with respect to quality of life scores, peak urinary flow, mean urinary flow, residual urine, prostate volume, serum prostate-specific antigen or testosterone levels. Overall treatment was well tolerated with no severe adverse effects.

CONCLUSIONThe extract of G. lucidum was well tolerated and improved IPSS scores. These results encouraged a further, large-scale evaluation of phytotherapy for a long duration using the extract of G. lucidum on men with LUTS.

Aged ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Ethanol ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Placebos ; Reishi ; Solvents ; Treatment Outcome ; Urination Disorders ; drug therapy ; Urodynamics ; drug effects

AIMTo conduct a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized and dose-ranging study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the extract of Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum) in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).

METHODSWe enrolled male volunteers (> or = 50 years) with an International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS; questions 1-7) > or = 5 and a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) value < 4 ng/mL. Volunteers were randomized into groups of placebo (n = 12), G. lucidum of 0.6 mg (n = 12), 6 mg (n = 12) or 60 mg (n = 14), administered once daily. Efficacy was measured as a change from baseline in IPSS and the peak urine flow rate (Q(max)). Prostate volume and residual urine were estimated by ultrasonography, and blood tests, including PSA levels, were measured at baseline and at the end of the treatment.

RESULTSThe overall administration was well tolerated, with no major adverse effects. Statistical significances in the magnitude of changes between the experimental groups were observed at weeks 4 and 8. No changes were observed with respect to Q(max), residual urine, prostate volume or PSA levels.

CONCLUSIONThe extract of G. lucidum was well tolerated and an improvement in IPSS was observed. The recommended dose of the extract of G. lucidum is 6 mg in men with LUTS.

Aged ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; methods ; Pilot Projects ; Prostate ; pathology ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; drug therapy ; Reishi ; Treatment Outcome ; Urinary Bladder, Overactive ; drug therapy ; Urinary Incontinence ; drug therapy