Evaluation of the physical fitness level of children and adolescents must include consideration of individual growth rates. This study evaluates the relationship between height and physical fitness in a large sample of 6-17 yr students. Physical fitness test scores were calculated for every 1 cm height group and used to generate quadratic regression equations. Physical fitness data reported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan (MEXT) were compared with estimated values obtained using our regression equations. The differences between the values reported by MEXT and our estimated values were very small. Comparison of physical fitness T-scores calculated based on school grade averages with T-scores based on means calculated using our regression equations indicated that shorter height students had lower T-scores if school grade averages were used for the calculation. In conclusion, in elementary and junior high school students, it is important to evaluate physical fitness level relative to individual physical growth.

A 49-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) underwent grafting for abdominal aortic aneurysm. She had been receiving steroid therapy for 23 years. The abdominal aneurysm was a saccular type, 7cm in width. It had thick mural thrombi with focal calcification, however, no inflammatory findings were recognized around it. Replacement with 16mm Dacron tube graft was performed. The postoperative course was uneventful. Pathological examination showed only atherosclerotic change with no specific inflammation in the aneurysmal wall. It is rare that SLE patients have aortic aneurysm. However, SLE patients should be carefully followed because of their premature atherosclerotis.

There are many studies on physical effects of hot spring bathing, but few studies have been made on effects of hot spring bathing on coagulation and fibrinolytic systems. Therefore we studied the effects of hot spring bathing blood coagulation and fibrinolytic systems by measuring levels of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), euglobulin lysis time (ELT), plasminogen (PLG), alpha plasmin inhibitor (alpha 2 PI), fibrinogen (FBG), antithrombin III (AT III), thrombin antithrombin III complex (T-AT), and von Willebrand factor (vWF) in plasma before and after hot bathing.
Methods: The above measurements were made on 20 patients with chronic thrombotic stroke (65±12 years old (mean±2SD), comprising 18 cases of deep branch artery occlusion including four cases of multiple infarction and two cases of main trunk artery occlusion.
Collection and assay methods: Blood was collected from antecubital veins before and after a five-minute hot bath (at 40°C) and dissolved into 3.8% sodium citrate at the volume ratio of 1:10. T-PA and T-AT were measured by specific enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay. ELT by the fibrin plate method. and vWF by immunoelectrophoresis. Activities of P1G, alpha 2 PI, and AT III were measured by S 2251 and S 2238.
Results: The basal level of t-PA was 5.4±.8ng/ml (±2SD) and rose to 7.2±1.8ng/ml (±2SD) after a five-minute hot bath (p<0.005). ELT decreased from 6.5±1.5 hours (±2SD) to 4.9±1.8 hours (±2SD) (0.1Conclusion: The above results show that fibrinolysis is induced during hot bathing by the release of tissue plasminogen activator from vessel walls without causing significant coagulative activities, suggesting the clinical significance of hot bath in patients with thrombotic stroke.

Background/Aims: Magnifying endoscopic classification systems, such as the Japan narrow-band imaging (NBI) Expert Team (JNET) classification, have been widely used for predicting the histologic diagnosis and invasion depth of colorectal epithelial tumors. However, disagreement exists among observers regarding magnifying endoscopic diagnosis, because these classification systems are subjective. We herein investigated the utility of endoscopic microvascular density (eMVD) calculated from magnifying NBI endoscopic images in colorectal tumors. Methods: We reviewed magnifying NBI endoscopic images from 169 colorectal epithelial tumors (97 adenomas, 72 carcinomas/high-grade dysplasias) resected endoscopically or surgically. The eMVD on magnifying NBI endoscopic images was evaluated using image-editing software, and relationships between eMVD and clinical, endoscopic, and pathological findings were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The eMVD in carcinomas (0.152 ± 0.079) was significantly higher than that in adenomas (0.119 ± 0.059, P< 0.05). The best cutoff value for distinguishing carcinoma from adenoma was 0.133. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 56.9%, 67.0%, and 62.7%, respectively. In addition, JNET type 2B tumors showed significantly higher eMVD (0.162 ± 0.079) compared to type 2A tumors (0.111 ± 0.050, P< 0.05). Conclusions The eMVD as determined by magnifying NBI endoscopy is considered to be a possible objective indicator for differentiating colorectal carcinomas from adenomas.