Objective: The fibrogenicity of fur dust was studied in rat lung tissues. Methods: Intratracheal instillation of fur dust, morphologic examination of lungs and analysis of collagen content were performed in Wistar rats. Results: Morphologic examination revealed that the earliest changes consisted of alveolar edema, increased numbers of intraalveolar macrophages, and marked thickening of interalveolar septa with mixed cellular infiltrate. After sixth months, there was moderate thickening of the alveolar walls and the peribronchioli. After 12 months, interstitial positive fibrosis of the alveolar wall and the peribronchioli were weakly seen. In the carding dust group (silica content 17.6%), interstitial nodules were observed composed of fibroblasts, reticular fibers, and collagen fibers. Electron microscopic examination also showed that alveolar walls became thickened and collagen fiber bundles were seen around bronchioles and small vessels in the carding groups after 12 months. At all stages of analysis, the collagen content in lungs of the fur dust groups was significantly higher than that of the control group. Conclusions: Our study suggested that fur dust might induce weak interstitial fibrosis in the lung.
Dust ; Collagen ; interstitial ; month ; seconds

Documentation in the past has shown that measles outbreaks occurred in the National Capital District every 3-4 years, with the last outbreak in 1997. In 2001 another outbreak of measles occurred in the National Capital District. A total of 492 cases of measles were recorded during the 6 months (April-September) of a study conducted at the Children's Outpatients Department and the Paediatric Ward of the Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH). The highest number was recorded in July. 44% of patients were infants less than 12 months of age. 9% of children with measles were under 6 months, the recommended age for vaccination. Only 35% of the children with measles had had their first inoculation and only 11% had received their second inoculation of measles vaccine. During this epidemic, 14.5% of the total attendance of 38,323 children received measles vaccine in the children's outpatients. 72% of children seen with measles at PMGH were admitted to the paediatric ward. Most were admitted because of complications, including severe pneumonia and/or diarrhoea. There were 19 deaths recorded during the 6 months study, a case fatality rate of 4%.
Measles ; Child ; month ; Capital ; seconds

We retrospectively investigated the effects of acupuncture on refractory peripheral facial paralysis. Among patients with Bell's palsy or Ramsay Hunt syndrome (type II) who underwent acupuncture between August 1996 and June 2004, were 29 patients with a minimum electroneuronography (ENoG) percent response of 0%, and NET scale-out (14 patients with Bell's palsy, 15 with Ramsay Hunt syndrome). Demographically, they 21 males and 8 females, with a mean age of 44.3±12.8 years. Their disease duration, and paralysis score assessed using the 40-point method (Yanagihara's method) were 43.2±23.9 days and 10.2±2.7 points, respectively. To evaluate treatment response, we employed the paralysis score, and a sequela score assessed using a modification of the sequela evaluation method designed by Nishimoto and Murata et al. The paralysis score exceeded 36 points within 6 months after onset. Five patients (17.2%) without sequelae were regarded as having achieved complete recovery, and 24 (82.8%) as having achieved incomplete recovery. When the minimum ENoG is 0%, recovery within 6 months beyond onset is considered impossible. The results suggest, however, the efficacy of acupuncture.
seconds ; Paralysis ; Acupuncture ; Sequela ; month

Background/Objectives: Since April 2006, smoking cessation treatment has been included in public health insurance coverage, although conditionally. The tobacco control program usually takes 12 weeks or so. When it comes to the form of treatment, most medical care facilities adopt nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) at their outpatient ward. The cessation success rates are considered not so high as before. In stead of treating nicotine-addict outpatients individually, our hospital has been offering a stop-smoking program all its own since 1999. This study was designed to examine the results of our efforts in the last six years retrospectively.Subjects/Methods: Enrolled for this study were 232 patients who had participated in our six-month smoking cessation program between 1999 and 2005. A non-smokingsupport team made up of a physician, pharmacist(s), nurses, dietitian(s) and physical therapist(s) takes care of groups of participating patients, each group consisting of 10 or less. The patients undergo behavior therapy throughout the 6-month period and NRT in the first eight weeks. Under the program, nutrition guidance is offered regularly by dietitians for weight control and physical exercises by physical therapists for relief from the stress due to abstinence from smoking. We took a questionnaire survey of all the subjects and worked out the ratios of those persons who had remained abstinent up to one year after they stopped smoking to the total.Results: The rates of abstinence maintained eight weeks, six months and one year after the start of cessation were 78.4%, 70.3% and 64.7%, respectively. Of those who were still abstinent, 78.0% replied that they found it easy to resist the urge to smoke cigarette thanks to the smoking cessation program.Conclusion: Our six-month participatory tobacco control program was found effective as high cessation rates were maintained.
Cessation of smoking ; seconds ; month ; week ; Smoking

Accelerated atherosclerosis has come to pose a great threat to the lives of hemodialysis patients. In the present study, to determine the characteristics of atherosclerosis in long-term survivors on maintenance hemodialysis (mean age : 57±3 years, mean duration of hemodialysis : 279±11 months), the reference to clinical, biochemical and physiological parameters pertaining to atherosclerosis were examined and the results were compared with those in age-matched short-term hemodialysis patients (mean age : 55±2 years, mean duration of hemodialysis : 23±3 months). Although hypertension is regarded as one of cardiovascular risk factors together with diabetes, smokings and hyperlipidemia, our study found that the incidence of hypertension was significantly lower in long-term survivors on hemodialysis (16.7%) than in short-term hemodialysis patients (83.3%). However, no significant differences in biochemiacal data and carotid artery intima-media thickness were found between the two groups of hemodialysis patients. Levels of pulse wave velocity (PWV) in both short-term hemodialysis patients (1912±165 cm/sec) and long-term survivors on hemodialysis (1627±97 cm/ sec) were significantly higher than those in age-matched healthy subjects (1382±44 cm /sec). The levels of PWV in long-term survivors on hemodialysis tended to be lower than those in short-term hemodialysis patients, although the difference was statistically not significant. These results suggest that atherosclerotic alterations have already advanced in non-dialyzed patients with end-stage renal disease. The relatively lower levels of PWV in long-term survivors on hemodialysis may reflect the higher incidence of cardiovascular-related complications in those patients with highly accelerated atherosclerosis who die or may drop out during hemodialysis treatment.
Hemodialysis ; Atherosclerosis ; Age, NOS ; month ; Cardiovascular

Having established a facility for elderly people in a familiar neighborhood shopping center where they can mingle with many people, we are offering information and advice to them about health. A system has been created to support independent living of elderly people and encourage them to outdoor activities instead of stay-at-home. A shop was rented in F shopping center, which has many elderly shoppers and a long history. We opened the “SUKOYAKA salon” there in September 2005. In thisPaper, we examined the health promotion functions and roles of the system and described the progress of this project in the first seven months from the opening of the facility to March 2006, and the people who had visited the salon.
Elderly ; livin ; g <3> ; Examination ; month

Dendritic cells (DC) are professional antigen presenting cells of the immune system. Through the use of DC vaccines (DC after exposure to tumour antigens), cryopreserved in single-use aliquots, an attractive and novel immunotherapeutic strategy is available as an option for treatment. In this paper we describe an in vitro attempt to scale-up production of clinical-grade DC vaccines from leukemic cells. Blast cells of two relapsed AML patients were harvested for DC generation in serum-free culture medium containing clinical-grade cytokines GM-CSF, IL-4 and TNF-alpha. Cells from patient 1 were cultured in a bag and those from patient 2 were cultured in a flask. The numbers of seeding cells were 2.24 x 10(8) and 0.8 x 10(8), respectively. DC yields were 10 x 10(6) and 29.8 x 10(6) cells, giving a conversion rate of 4.7% and 37%, respectively. These DC vaccines were then cryopreserved in approximately one million cells per vial with 20% fresh frozen group AB plasma and 10% DMSO. At 12 months and 21 months post cryopreservation, these DC vaccines were thawed, and their sterility, viability, phenotype and functionality were studied. DC vaccines remained sterile up to 21 months of storage. Viability of the cryopreserved DC in the culture bag and flask was found to be 50% and 70% at 12 months post cryopreservation respectively; and 48% and 67% at 21 months post cryopreservation respectively. These DC vaccines exhibited mature DC surface phenotypic markers of CD83, CD86 and HLA-DR, and negative for haemopoietic markers. Mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) study showed functional DC vaccines. These experiments demonstrated that it is possible to produce clinical-grade DC vaccines in vitro from blast cells of leukemic patients, which could be cryopreserved up to 21 months for use if repeated vaccinations are required in the course of therapy.
Vaccines ; month ; Grade ; Clinical ; Lower case ecks

A 62-year-old lady presented with a six-month history of swelling of the left upper eyelid, resulting in mild mechanical ptosis. Clinical assessment suggested a provisional diagnosis of dermoid cyst. The lesion was excised and histology revealed nodular deposits of amorphous eosinophilic material surrounded by lymphocytes and plasma cells. Special histochemistry and immunoperoxidase stain results showed deposition of amyloid, non-AA type. The lesion recurred 6 months later.
Eyelids ; month ; Cutaneous ; Lesion, NOS ; Primary

We successfully treated 5 patients with seborrheic dermatitis using Kampo medicine. Three of these patients presented with facial the lesions which had persisted for 1 to 2 years despite their having received treatment with steroid ointments or ketokonazol lotions. We treated these patients with jumihaidokuto and they recovered significantly within a few months. The two remaining patients presented with scalp lesions, which had persisted for10and 25 years respectively. We treated them with a combined formulation of keigairengyoto, makyoyokukanto and yokukansankachimpihange, and they improved remarkably after 2 and 8 months respectively.
Medicine, Kampo ; Seborrheic dermatitis ; Cases ; seconds ; month

Soshikokito is a Kampo formulation used in the treatment of bronchial asthma, especially in those patients with hot flushes and cold sensation in their feet. But there is also a description in classical textbooks for its usage for the treatment of tinnitus. We report two typical cases of prolonged tinnitus treated successfully with soshikokito. Case1was a 70-year-old woman who visited our clinic complaining of tinnitus, dizziness and insomnia. She had a history of bilateral otitis media in her childhood, and had been suffering from tinnitus after being operated for it. The tinnitus had worsened during the three months prior to her first visit to us. After 3 months' treatment with soshikokito with additional shisoyo, her symptoms improved, so much so that after 8 months, she could live her life normally. Case 2 was a 58-year-old man who presented with tinnitus, hearing disturbance and a sense of irritation. He also complained of insomnia and cold sensation in his limbs. After1month's treatment with soshikokito with additional shisoyo and bushi, most all of his symptoms resolved. In addition, we also evaluated the clinical efficacy of soshikokito for prolonged tinnitus, retrospectively, and found that it was effective in five out of the ten cases we treated with this formulation. Most of the successfully treated patients presented with hot flushes or cold sensation in their feet. These case reports suggest that soshikokito may be a useful formulation for the treatment of not only bronchial asthma, but also of prolonged tinnitus.
Tinnitus ; therapeutic aspects ; seconds ; month ; Esthesia