The implementation status of problem–based learning （PBL） tutorial systems was surveyed in 2008, 2011, and 2012. The 2008 survey showed that the content of PBL tutorial systems differed greatly among universities.
  In response to a question in the 2011 survey of whether the PBL tutorial system would last for 5 years or more, more than 80% of universities agreed that the systems would likely last that long.
  In response to a question of whether PBL tutorial system had been changed around 2012, more than 80% universities said the system had not been unchanged. Furthermore, regarding the evaluation of tutors, the motivation of tutors as a whole did not increase. In the future, the implementation status might not be changed.

Plasmin/plasminogen activators (PA) are the serine enzyme which digests fibrin and/or fibrinogen. Plasmin is produced by the cleavage of its precursor, plasminogen by PAs (urokinase-type PA and tissue-type PA). These events are expected in the thrmbolytic therapy for thromboembolic deseases. Apart from the blood fibrinolysis mentioned above, new role of plasmin/plasminogen activators has been extensively investigated in the field of cellular biology. On the cell surface, the receptor for urokinase-type PA (u-PAR) was found (that for t-PA has not cloned yet). Then, plasmin as well as u-PA itself activates pro-form of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) around the pericellular space. These proteolytic activities by u-PA, plasmin and MMPs induce the degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM), affording the cells certain enviroment for their biological function. Further, the coupling of u-PA/u-PAR system and integrins can generate intracellular signal transductions which take part in the regulation of cell proliferation, attachment or migration followed by various physiological and pathophysiological functions. These serial mechanisms are the principle of pericellular proteolytic cascade.

1) We attended the 14th annual meeting of the International Association of Medical Science Educators. Findings of research in medical education were presented.
2) Topics of the meeting included: assessment, curriculum, instructional methods, professional development/student support, team-based learning and problem-based learning/clinical skills, and technology/e-learning.
3) Preconference workshops, concurrent focus sessions, poster discussions by category, and other events were cleverly integrated into the program of this meeting. We obtained useful and applicable information for the management of meetings on education.

1) For the future selection after 2-year primary clinical training program, most of the doctor do not desire to be a researcher in basic medicine as well as in public medicine.
2) In order to educate medical students to experience the research with joy, curriculum for integrated laboratory practice and/or assignment to basic medical department may be a good candidate in poor situation.
3) If a benefit to give favorable conditions to basic medical researcher may be legally provided, many residents assume attractive life in basic medicine.

Eight years ago the problem-based learning tutorial system was introduced for premedical education at Kinki University School of Medicine. We evaluated this unique education system with questionnaires for students in 1997 and 2000. The suitability of the problem-based learning tutorial system for medical education was 72% in 1997 and 92% in 2000. Approximately 90% students were satisfied with the tutorial system in both years, indicating that this system was widely accepted by even first-year students. However, group differences and differences due to tutors were still observed in the activities of students or the achievement of general instructional objectives or both. The content of the tutorial system and tutor training should be continuously evaluated.

Cardiac surgery for very-low-birth-weight infants is rarely reported, especially for a triplet. We herein report the successful staged repair of a premature triplet accompanied with transposition of the great arteries. During pregnancy, the fetuses were diagnosed as dichorionic diamniotic triplets, and the mother entered a hospital for maternal protection and health care from 25 weeks' gestation. The triplets were delivered by Caesarean section at 33 weeks and 5 days of gestation because of intrauterine growth retardation. One of the infants, weighing 1,336 g, was diagnosed with transposition of the great arteries (type II). Since he was deemed unable to endure an intracardiac repair, he received balloon atrial septostomy on the 27th day of life and then bilateral pulmonary artery banding on the 29th day of life. However, further balloon atrial septostomy on day 69 and left pulmonary arterial de-banding on day 73 post-birth were needed because of the progression of hypoxia. He received prolonged intubation and inotropic support after temporary cardiopulmonary stability, and we ultimately decided to perform arterial switch operation on day 110, when he weighed 1,838 g. The patient showed a good recovery. In the field of pediatric cardiac surgery, we occasionally select staged strategies for patients who cannot undergo radical operations all at once because of their general condition or low body weight. However, there are no established guidelines concerning the timing of palliative or radical operations in low-birth-weight infants. At present, we select medical strategies ourselves, on a case-by-case basis. In the present case, although our medical strategy had to be adapted, we still obtained a good recovery for this triplet with extremely low birth weight. We herein report this case with some references from the literature.

Remedial education in the basic sciences (biology, physics, and chemistry) for medical students was introduced at Kinki University in 1993. The effects and problems of premedical education were examined on the basis of a questionnaire to students and of scores on biology examinations at the time of university entrance and at the end of the first academic year. From 1999 through 2002, the average percentage of incoming freshmen who had not taken a biology course in senior high school ranged from 45.8% to 61.6%. The average score of these students on biology examinations was 23.2 to 29 points higher at the end of the first academic year than at university entrance. Thus, we found that remedial education helped improve these results. However, according to the questionnaire 26.4% of students who received remedial education felt that it had had no effect. Even at the end of the first academic year, the difference in the average score between students who had studied biology in high school and those who had not was 17 points.

This study was designed to determine prediction equations of body density (BD) for athletes using anthropometric variables and to examine validity of the prediction equations. The subjects were 211 male and 198 female athletes aged 18 to 22 years. The subjects were measured for standing height, body weight, skinfold thickness, girth as well as body composition. Body composition was estimated from densitometry using underwater weighing method and pulmonary residual volume measurement. Skinfold thickness was measured at 9 sites on the right side of the body with an Eiken-type ski nfold caliper and 7 measures of girth were taken using a cloth tape. All measurements were done three times from April to October : pre-, mid- and post-competitive season, in order to find out a suitable site reflecting body composition change. Using multiple regression analysis, equations to estimate BD were obtained from standing height, body weight, skinfold thicknesses and girths. The effective prediction equations for BD were as follows : For Males
ED=1.11104-0.00053 (sum of chest, abdomen and quadriceps skinfold thicknesses in mm) -0.00027 (waist girth in cm) .
R=0.851, SEE=0.0051.
For Females
BD=1.11861-0.00054 (sum of abdomen, triceps and subscapula skinfold thicknesses in mm) -0.00054 (waist girth in cm) .
R=0.826, SEE=0.0062.
A cross-validation analysis of these prediction equations for BD correlated highly with hydrodensitometrically determined BD (r=0.832, SEE=0.0053 for males and r=0.812, SEE= 0.0062 for females) . Thus the prediction equations developed in the present study will be applicable to athletes.