This study tried to establish both critical and desirable levels of health-related physical fitness (HRPF) including muscle strength (relative grip strength), flexibility and estimated VO₂max. Subjects were 3102 males aged 20 to 59 years. Four batteries of health index score (HIS-A-D) were made based on health examinations and lifestyle habits. Subjects who had 0 to 1 points were defined as healthy individuals, and subjects who had more than 3 or 4 points were defined as unhealthy. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn by HRPF test in each battery of HIS. The HIS-B was selected as the most valid battery of HIS. Sensitivity, specificity and the Youden index were calculated using cut-off values which were mean values of each HRPF test measurement in each group who had 0, 1, 2, 3 and>4 points in HIS-B. The critical levels were defined the highest specificity and/or Youden index in each HRPF test. There were seen in groups having > 4 points. The desirable levels were defined as the HRPF test levels in healthy individuals who had 0 to 1 points in HIS-B. The critical and desirable levels of VO₂max were 41.8 and 50.2 at 20y, 40.9 and 46.2 at 30y, 40.0 and 46.2 at 40y, and 37.8 and 45.5 ml/kg/min at 50y, respectively. The levels of other HRPF test were also calculated in the present study. Exercise guidance after health check-ups should be done to attain desirable levels rather than to just maintain critical levels of HRPF.

Although attempts to teach medical students about nursing have become more frequent, nurses who have lectured to medical students and have been involved in their practical training have rarely published studies evaluating their training methods and objectives. This study was performed to clarify the significance and problems of such teaching. Nurses now participate in the education and training of medical students in at least half of medical training hospitals and schools. They thought that this is a unique and beneficial educational opportunity and had high expectations. However, four main problems have been identified: the motivation and attitudes of medical students, the time and environment for training, the understanding of clinicians, and the problems of nurses, such as lack of educational experience.

Object: Gagome kombu (Kjellmaniella cracciforia) is the edible brown seaweed and contains fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide, abundantly. Bunashimeji (Hypsizigus marmoreus) is the popular Japanese mushrooms and contains polyterpenes as the bitter substance. Previously, we investigated the bioactive functions (e.g. anti-tumor action) and the safety of fucoidan from Gagome kombu (GKF) and the extract from Bunashimeji (KTE: Kinoko terpene extract). In this study, we evaluate the influence of GKF and KTE on hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP).
Methods: Male SD rats were divided into three groups (n = 5). 2,000 mg/kg of GKF and KTE were given orally once daily for 4 days.
Result: There were no difference in activities and mRNA expressions of hepatic CYPs (CYP2C11, CYP2D, CYP2E1 and CYP3A1) among all groups.
Conclusion: These results indicated GKF and KTE did not influence the rat hepatic CYPs.

Objective: The overproduction of reactive oxygen species leads to oxidative stress, which is related to lifestyle-related disease and cancer. Although antioxidants are considered as one of the countermeasures to oxidative stress, it is necessary to develop the assessment methodology for the antioxidant capacity which is closer to the inner body conditions. In this study, we examined antioxidant actions of plant extracts by using newly-developed neutrophil activity measurement system.
Method: Lemon verbena, Green tea, Camellia japonica and Antiallerge^® were used as plant extracts, and were diluted to medium in wide-range concentrations. Each solution was added on modified Mebiol Gel^® (hydrogel), and the mixture of blood and luminol were set onto the hydrogel in each tube. The amount of reactive oxygen species were measured by luminol-dependent chemiluminescence, whereas the cell count in the hydrogel was quantified as migratory activity of neutrophils.
Result: Lemon verbena and Green tea significantly inhibited reactive oxygen species in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas Camellia japonica and Antiallerge^® did not. The migratory activity of neutrophils was not affected by those plant extracts. Also, damaged cells were not detected.
Conclusion: It was suggested that Lemon verbena and Green tea scavenged reactive oxygen species without causing cell death of neutrophils. This new method for measuring neutrophil activities can be applied not only for assessing the status of inflammation and oxidative stress but also as the screening system for predicting the effectiveness of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substances.

Incidence of glycyrrhiza-induced pseudoaldosteronism is not well understood. We examined relationships between pseudoaldosteronism incidence and daily glycyrrhiza dose in previous clinical studies. The incidence in patients administered glycyrrhiza 1 g/day was 1.0% (mean). The incidence with 2 g/day, 4 g/day and 6 g/day were 1.7% (mean), 3.3% and 11.1% (mean), respectively. Thus a dose-dependent trend toward pseudoaldosteronism incidence was suggested by previous literature.

We evaluated the efficacy of yokukansan-based prescriptions for patients with headache. Forty-five patients with headache (34 migraine, 6 tension-type, and 5 combined headaches), or 6 males and 39 females, mean age 38 (25 to 68) years were treated with yokukansan-based prescriptions according to their Sho diagnosis, for 1 to 24 months. Relationships between headache improvement, and 31 factors including age, sex, height, body weight and other symptoms at first examination, were qualified with multi-dimensional analysis. Factors such as painful eye sensation, back stiffness, eyestrain and irritability were significant indicators of headache improvement. Three of these factors (painful eye sensation, back stiffness and irritability) were the best subset of explanatory variables. Yokukansan-based prescriptions seemed to be effective for “liver-related” headache, and were thought to be useful to relieve a triggering or worsening of headache factors. And to our knowledge, this is the first paper to propose the importance of examinations of the back, when considering yokukansan-based prescriptions.
Headache ; Back ; Therapeutic procedure ; Esthesia ; Prescriptions

The primary aim of this study was to collect the views of physicians and nurses in the regions where community-based palliative care intervention trial, the OPTIM-study, was performed. A content analysis of free comments of the questionnaire survey was conducted. Questionnaires were mailed to 1,763 physicians and 3,156 nurses after the intervention, and 706 and 2,236 responses were obtained, respectively. A content analysis identified 327 free comments from physicians and 737 from nurses. As favorable effects, the categories [Multidisciplinary teams and community networks were established] [Home-based care is widespread] [Medical knowledge and skills are acquired just as those involved in palliative care] emerged. The main effects of the community palliative care program included the establishment of multidisciplinary teams and community networks, development of home-based care, and increasing knowledge, skills, and awareness about palliative care.

1) Japan Society for Medical Education launched a committee for the graduate education of medical educationists in Japan. The committee proposed a direction toward establishing the system, by way of discussion among the members, needs assessment, information gathering of overseas master courses, and discussion at the open meeting.2) To promote medical education in Japan, we should establish 2 systems concurrently: (1) a graduate education for medical educationists who have a broad base of theories and can lead future medical education, and (2) a broader certificate system for medical teachers who have good practical teaching skills.

1) The committee for the graduate education of medical educationists, Japan Society for Medical Education, investigated needs for the education system of medical educationists.2) A questionnaire was sent to 1831 leaders in healthcare education and the society members, and 644 replied (recovery rate 35.2%). Fifty % of the respondents agreed the necessity of medical educationists. Certificate level was most popular, however, master and PhD degrees were also considered to be necessary. 3) These results support the establishment of educational system for medical educationists in Japan.

Vitronectin (VN) is an extracellular matrix protein with a crucial role in regulating bone remodeling. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of VN deficiency in a mouse model of osteoporosis induced by ovariectomy (OVX).The findings revealed that the absence of VN led to an increase in the activity of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), a marker for osteoclasts, in the plasma of OVX-operated mice. TRAP staining further demonstrated that VN deficiency resulted in a higher number of osteoclasts within the femurs of OVX-operated mice. X-ray micro-computed tomography analysis of the femurs in OVX-operated mice indicated that VN deficiency significantly suppressed the OVX-induced increase of marrow area and total volume of bone. Additionally, we assessed structural model index (SMI) and degree of anisotropy (DA) as indices of osteoporosis. The results showed that VN deficiency effectively attenuated the OVX-induced increase in SMI and DA among OVX-operated mice. In summary, our study demonstrates the vital role of VN in regulating osteoclastogenesis and bone remodeling in the mouse model of osteoporosis.