The effect of spa-drink (Misasa hot spring) on exocrine pancreatic function was studied in controls and drink therapy group. To examine exocrine pancreatic function, two different methods were used for determination of pancreatic chymotrypsin activity. One was a colorimetric method for the determination of fecal chymotrypsin activity and the other was PFD fest. Following conclusions were obtained.
1) With spa-drink therapy, fecal chymotrypsin activity was raised in 2 weeks in 40% of patients, while it remained unchanged in the next 2 weeks.
2) With spa-drink therapy, PFD value was raised in 2 weeks in 50% of patients, while it returned to the pre-treatment value in the next 2 weeks.
3) Spa-drink therapy for 2 weeks was effective for improving exocrine pancreatic function.

Short-term effects of spa-drink therapy on gastric mucosal blood flow were evaluated using endoscopic organ reflex spectrophotometry together with an Olympus XQ-10 forward-viewing gastrofiberscope.
Thirty-eight subjects were divided into three groups by random sampling: 12 subjects to a group for injecting hot spring water (38 to 40°C, 150ml), 12 subjects to a group for injecting warm tap water (38 to 40°C, 150ml), and 14 subjects to a groups for injecting warm air (150ml). Hot spring water, tap water, or air was injected into the stomach through the fiberscopic injection channel. Gastric mucosal blood flow was measured immediately before and 10 minutes after the injection on the three points of gastric mucosa: lesser curvature of the angle, and that of the antrum, and the pylorus.
The following results were obtained:
1) Hot spring water was more effective in increasing gastric mucosal blood flow than air. The difference was statistically significant on all of the three points.
2) Hot spring water was more effective in increasing gastric mucosal blood flow than tap water. The difference, however, was significant only on the mucosa of the gastric antrum.
In conclusion, spa-drink therapy was useful for treating chronic gastritis and gastric ulcer in which impairment of gastric mucosal blood flow plays an important pathogenetic role. Studies on the long-term effects of spa-drink therapy on the gastric mucosal blood flow are now under way.

In accordance with the new model-core-curriculum for medical education, the current status of education about the science of radiation health was surveyed in all medical schools in Japan. Among the four learning points related to the “Biological effects of radiation and radiation hazards” , about half of the schools covered issues on “radiation and human body” and the “effect of medical radiation exposure” in one, or less than one, 60-minutes class, but did not touch on “radiation risk communication” and “radiological disaster medicine” . A significant deviation of human resources was also observed between schools. Learning tools such as presentation files and video content were preferred as education support materials. Therefore, development and distribution of the learning tools, especially in “radiation risk communication” and “radiological disaster medicine” , may be a first step to promoting high-quality education on the science of radiation health risk in each school’s curriculum.