A 70-year-old man presented at a nearby hospital with dysphagia, hematemesis, and hemorrhage. After examination by magnetic resonance imaging and gastrointestinal fiberscopy, he was referred to our hospital on the suspicion of an aortoesophageal fistula due to a thoracic aortic aneurysm. Considering the degree of invasion and infection, we planned two operations but were compelled to perform three operations because of esophageal leakage. Aortoesophageal fistula due to thoracic aneurysms are usually fatal, with only 18 reported survivors in the past 22 years. The optimal treatment for this condition is not yet known. We report survival of the first case of aortoesophageal fistula due to thoracic aneurysm complicated by mediastinitis caused by esophageal leakage in which management by two operations was initially planned. From this case many possible strategies to manage aortoesophageal fistula due to thoracic aneurysms arose. Therefore, we report this case together with a review of the literature.

A dermatitis of unknowns etiology has occurred among the farmers working in paddy fields in some districts of Kagoshima Prefecture, such as Ibusuki, Hiyoshi, Oura, Makizono and Minami-tane.
In order to acertain the cause of the disease, the epidemiological investigations have been made since1975.
The dermatitis occurrs from March to July when rice-planting and weeding are on and is characterized by erythemato- papulo-vesicular eruptions accompanied with severe itching. The chief symptoms are observed on the parts exposed to water, especially on forearms and lower legs.
The research for snail intermediate hosts was carried out in the paddy fields where the dermatitis originated.
As a result, two species of apharyngeal furcocercous cercariae were obtained from the fresh water snails, Polypylis hemisphaerula and Austropeplea ollula. The cercaria from P. hemisphaerula resembled to that of Gigantobilharzia sturniae in shape and size, and the other one from A. ollula was identified as species belonging to the genus Trichobilharzia and was regarded the same species as described in Saitama Prefecture by the authors.
An experimental infection with the cercaria belonging to the genus Trichobilharzia was performed. A few drops of water containing10cercariae were placed on the forearm. The cercariae invaded into the skin and produced a dermatitis quite similar to that prevailing in the endemic areas.
Therefore, it was concluded that the etiological agent were the cercariae of two different avian schistosomes, namely, G. sturniae and Trichobilharzia sp.

Medical doctors in the United Kingdom who wish to work overseas have severe problems such as job security on return, childcare, and uncertain career due to lack of institutionalised career path in the field of international medical cooperation. The same applies in Japan. It is, however, different from Japan that media for job opportunities and career related information have been far developed.
Recently, Department of Health, the UK has started to encourage human resource development in the field, which hold out the hope to extricate from severe situation of human resources in the future.

We describe our surgical experience of inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysm (IAAA) in a 54-year-old man. Computed tomography (CT) with contrast enhancement revealed an infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm with marked thickening of the aneurysmal wall (mantle core sign) and left hydronephrosis. The left ureteral stenting was performed. Preoperative laboratory findings showed high levels of serum IgG4. The IAAA was removed and replaced with a woven-Dacron graft in situ. Histological examination revealed the IgG4 positive plasma cell, and demonstrated IAAA associated with IgG4. The postoperative serum IgG4 was reduced, but remained high. The postoperative CT revealed new right hydronephrosis, and the ureteral stent was performed. The mantle sign reduced in CT scan after steroid therapy. IAAA with hydronephrosis seems to be associated with IgG4-related sclerosing disease. In this case, the levels of serum IgG4 seems to be a good index for treatment efficacy.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Nutrition knowledge has been reported to have a weak positive effect on healthy eating behavior. This study aimed to determine if there was a difference in nutrition knowledge depending on the choice of science subject in high school and whether that affected the actual eating habits of college students in Japan. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The subjects were 514 college students, the majority first-year students, in 3 cities in Japan. A questionnaire survey was conducted on elective subjects in science in high school, diet (11 items), lifestyle (5 items), and nutrition knowledge (34 questions). The preliminary survey was conducted on 47 students in the fall of 2019, and the full-scale survey was conducted in May–June and October–November 2021 at the end of lectures for the first-year students. RESULTS: The students in the high-score group (24–31 points, n = 180) had a higher intake of vegetables (odds ratio [OR], 1.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12–2.82; P = 0.015) and breakfast (OR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.03–2.60; P = 0.035), and a reduced intake of fast food (OR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.14–0.51; P < 0.001) than those in the low-score group (6–19 points, n = 150). Only the biology and chemistry students had significantly higher nutrition scores than the other groups (all: P < 0.001), but no significant difference was found between the other groups. Understanding nutrition learned in elementary and junior high school is appropriate, while molecular structure, recommended amount, and food poisoning were insufficient. CONCLUSIONS Knowledge of nutrition appears to have a positive effect on the actual eating habits of college students. Although biology and chemistry in high school may help students understand the foundations of good nutrition, specialized food education may be required to make informed dietary choices.

An 82-year-old woman was transferred to our hospital due to an abrupt back pain. She exhibited a cardiac tamponade and her CT angiography revealed Stanford type-A acute aortic dissection without abdominal extension. Emergent surgery for partial arch replacement was performed. After a few days of stable postoperative course, she suffered 38 degrees fever with an elevated inflammatory response and complained of a slight abdominal pain. Her CT scan revealed an intra-abdominal abscess with a small intestine necrosis. Emergent surgery for partial small intestine resection was performed. Her postoperative course was stable and she was discharged to a rehabilitation hospital 52 days after the first operation.

A 72-year-old woman underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for an aortic arch aneurysm at a previous hospital. During follow-up, although the aneurysm was found to have become bigger, no further treatments were given, except for conservative follow-up. The patient sought a second opinion and thus visited our hospital. Enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a type I endoleak that required repair. Total arch replacement with removal of the partial stent-graft system was performed under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. The patient made a steady progress postoperatively and was discharged without any complications. Endovascular repair is minimally invasive and frequently used in various medical facilities but carries a considerably high risk of reintervention. Treatment strategies for aortic aneurysm, including open surgery, should be carefully chosen.

Non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) after cardiovascular surgery is a disease with a poor prognosis that is difficult to diagnose and treat. We report a case of NOMI diagnosed and treated immediately after open heart surgery. A 77-year-old man was admitted to our hospital due to heart failure. Echocardiography showed the diagnosis of severe aortic stenosis. He underwent surgery for the replacement of the aortic valve. After surgery, the hemodynamics became unstable and lactate continued to rise. Contrast abdominal computed tomography revealed a smaller SMV sign and ischemic area in the intestinal wall. We suspected NOMI, and continuous intravenous administration of prostaglandin was started. Angiography revealed scattered vascular stenosis in the superior and inferior mesenteric arteries, which led to the diagnosis of NOMI, and selective infusion of papaverine hydrochloride was started. Thereafter, hemodynamic improvement was observed and the patient was able to survive. To facilitate early diagnosis and treatment of NOMI, it is important to establish a protocol at the time of onset of illness to ensure smooth treatment.

We prospectively studied the effectiveness of byakkokaninjinto added gypsum powder for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) by using the skin disease severity score, visual analogue scale (VAS) score for assessing itch severity, and Skindex-16 for assessing the quality of life (QOL) in 12 patients who were refractory to conventional treatments including steroid repellents. In addition, we retrospectively investigated for what types of “sho” (Kampo diagnosis) and eruptions this treatment was more effective. The results showed that the skin disease severity score and Skindex-16 significantly improved in 4 weeks. There was no significant improvement in eosinophil counts, IgE antibody levels, thymus and activation-regulated chemokine levels. Byakkokaninjinto added gypsum powder was found to be effective for the “sho” of “sensitive to heat” and “excessive sweating.” Thus, it can be one of the options in oral medicine for treating patients with intractable AD including steroid repellents because the rash improved in a short period of 4 weeks in our patients.