This study aims to analyze the perinatal care provided to non-Japanese speakers in one hospital in Tokyo from 1990 to 2001. It attempts to identify critical issues in perinatal care services and to recommend measures which should be taken to improve them.
Two major problems were identified: firstly, communication difficulties between health-care providers and the women and, secondly, a severe lack of information available to the women regarding health, medical and welfare services in Japan.
In particular, communication difficulties were a big burden for health care providers in that they presented an obstacle to collecting medical histories, to finding out about symptoms, to establishing good rapport with the patients and to providing spiritual support. It also made it difficult to provide health care based on informed consent.
Systematic assistance from medical interpreters is urgently needed in order to provide foreign women with the same level of care as that provided to Japanese patients.

This case report describes the orthodontic treatment performed for open bite caused by internal derangement (ID) and osteoarthritis (OA) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). A Japanese woman, aged 31 years and 11 months, referred to our department by an oral surgeon had an open bite with clockwise rotation of the mandible and degeneration of the condyle. The overbite was corrected through intrusion of the maxillary and mandibular molars using mini-screw implants to induce counterclockwise rotation of the mandible. Then, the mandibular second premolars were extracted and comprehensive orthodontic treatment was performed to establish a Class I molar relationship with distalization of the maxillary arch and to eliminate anterior crowding. Following treatment, her facial profile improved and a functional and stable occlusion was achieved without recurrence of the TMJ symptoms. These results suggest that orthodontic intrusion of the molars is one of the safer and less stressful alternatives for the management of open bite due to degeneration of the condyles caused by ID and OA of TMJ.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bicuspid ; Crowding ; Female ; Humans ; Mandible ; Molar ; Open Bite* ; Osteoarthritis* ; Overbite ; Recurrence ; Temporomandibular Joint*

  Komono Town is a well-known spa and health resort in Mie Prefecture. Komono Town has been seeking ways to promote the activities of hot spring area and health resources in surrounding areas. As part of these efforts, Komono Town has developed town-walk programs to promote the health of local residents. In this study, focusing on effect of walking on relaxation, we compared levels of stress hormones and emotional scores obtained before and after walking.

  After giving their informed consent, adult participated in two walking programs, each for a distance of approximately 7 km. Salivary cortisol levels were measured before and after intervention. In addition, the Mood Check List-Short form. 2 (MCL-S.2) and a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) were used to rate emotions before and after intervention.

  In both programs, walking tended to lower levels of salivary cortisol than resting. Low levels of cortisol, an adrenocortical hormone released during a state of predominantly sympathetic nervous activity, are thought to reflect mental relaxation; our result implies that the walking program enhanced relaxation in subjects. In addition, both MCL-S.2 and VAS rating showed that the subjects tended to feel better, more relaxed and less anxious after intervention.

  These findings suggest that the walking programs are beneficial human body thorough, for example, enhanced relaxation.

The Act for Eliminating Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities stipulates that medical training institutions need to offer the provision of Reasonable Accommodation to students with developmental disorders and/or related characteristics.　Reasonable Accommodation is the consideration to guarantee the rights of students with developmental disorders; thus, educational institutions have an obligation to provide this Reasonable Accommodation.　In this paper, we outlined specific support for students with developmental disabilities and related characteristics in medical training institutions from the aspects of “enrollment,” “university education,” and “employment.”　Essential ways to support students with developmental disorders and related characteristics include the presentation of clear criteria, mutual cooperation, and collaboration between faculty members and administrative staff, as well as understanding the basics of how to interact with such students.

  Background: This study aimed to clarify the effects of bathing on cardiovascular and psychological responses during winter and summer, focusing on three different time points (immediately after entering the bathtub, during bathing, and immediately after leaving the bathtub).   Methods: Ten young (29.6 ± 1.5 years) individuals were asked to bathe for 20 min with 40℃ hot water in summer and with 42℃ hot water in winter. The room temperature and humidity in winter were 20.1℃ and 56.7%, while those in summer were 27.0℃ and 58.3%, respectively. Tympanic temperature (Tty) was measured using a thermistor thermometer; systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressures (DBP) and heart rate (HR) were measured using an auto-sphygmomanometer, and double product (DP) was calculated using the value of HR multiplied by SBP value. Subjective thermal and comfortable sensations were evaluated using a seven-point rating scale.   Results: Results showed a significant increases in SBP values in both seasons immediately after bathing. In winter, DP increased significantly after bathing. Meanwhile, no significant differences were observed in all parameters immediately after bathing between winter and summer. On the contraly, significant differences were observed in Tty, HR, and DP value between winter and summer during bathing. HR and DP values in winter were significantly lower than those in summer immediately after leaving the bathtub. A relationship between thermal sensation and comfortable sensation was observed in both seasons, but the strength of the relationship was more relevant in summer than in winter.   Conclusion: The effects of bathing in 42℃ hot water on the cardiovascular system in winter are greater than those in 40℃ hot water in summer. The high temperature of the bath water may not produce as much discomfort during winter than that during summer, therefore bathing time may be longer.

  Background: Aging affects thermoregulation and can potentially cause cardiovascular changes during bathing in the elderly, possibly leading to accidents and, in worst cases, drowning. However, adequate data on this subject are lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of aging on thermoregulatory and cardiovascular changes during bathing in the older versus younger adults the relationship between body temperature and thermoregulatory and cardiovascular changes.   　Methods: Ten young (mean age: 20.4 years) and 10 elderly (mean age: 69.7 years) participants were asked to bathe for 15 min using water at 41°C. Tympanic temperature (Tty), skin blood flow (SkBF), sweating rate (SR), blood pressure, heart rate (HR), and double product (DP) were measured. In addition, we measured subjective psychological changes during bathing. Results: The results showed significant changes in SkBF, SR, and HR in the young participants rather than in the elderly participants. However, in the elderly participants, significant change was noted in systolic blood pressure (SBP).   　Conclusion: These results demonstrate changes in thermal adaptation and SBP owing to structural and functional progression due to aging.

Objective：This study investigated the relationship between posture and voluntary cough strength in healthy people.Methods：The participants were 50 normal adults. We measured cough peak flow (CPF), chest circumferences at maximal inspiratory level and maximal expiratory level, blood pressure, and pulse rate in the supine position, prone position, and prone position with a pillow under the abdomen. The difference between chest circumferences at maximal inspiratory and maximal expiratory levels was calculated and defined as the thoracic expansion difference.Results：CPF and chest circumferences at maximal inspiratory level and maximal expiratory level were significantly higher in the prone position with a pillow under the abdomen than in the supine position. There were no differences in thoracic expansion difference and blood pressure among all the positions. Pulse rate was significantly lower in the supine position compared with the other positions.Conclusion：We concluded that voluntary cough strength would increase in the prone position with a pillow under the abdomen.

Objectives: Radon is a major feature of radioactive springs. According to an official notification article in Japan, bathing in radioactive springs may alleviate the effects of hyperuricemia (gout), rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. This study focuses on changes in the body during the use of a low-temperature sauna at a radioactive hot spring.Methods: In this study, we measured the core temperature, skin temperature, and skin blood flow, and performed an emotional assessment (Mood Check List-Short form.2 (MCL-S.2), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Numerical Rating Scale (NRS)) in individuals using a sauna at a radioactive spring. Eight healthy adults participated in this study. All participants partook in two sauna interventions, including one sauna with a high radon concentration (approximately 710 Bq/m3) and one with a low radon concentration (approximately 140 Bq/m3). The indoor temperature and relative humidity of the sauna room were approximately 38°C and 78%, respectively. All participants remained in the sauna room for 40 min, and then rested in an antechamber for 40 min.Results and Discussion: Comparing the MCL-S.2 scores, a significant increase was observed in the pleasantness score in the radon intervention. In addition, after comparing the VAS scores, significant improvements in the feelings of coldness and stress were observed only in the radon intervention. Moreover, skin blood flow increased for a longer duration in the radon sauna intervention than the control intervention. The results suggest that using radon saunas gives rise to positive effects, including reducing coldness, feelings of stress, and promoting blood circulation.

Objective：This study investigated the relationship between posture and voluntary cough strength in healthy people.Methods：The participants were 50 normal adults. We measured cough peak flow (CPF), chest circumferences at maximal inspiratory level and maximal expiratory level, blood pressure, and pulse rate in the supine position, prone position, and prone position with a pillow under the abdomen. The difference between chest circumferences at maximal inspiratory and maximal expiratory levels was calculated and defined as the thoracic expansion difference.Results：CPF and chest circumferences at maximal inspiratory level and maximal expiratory level were significantly higher in the prone position with a pillow under the abdomen than in the supine position. There were no differences in thoracic expansion difference and blood pressure among all the positions. Pulse rate was significantly lower in the supine position compared with the other positions.Conclusion：We concluded that voluntary cough strength would increase in the prone position with a pillow under the abdomen.

  【Introduction】One of the effects of the hot spring provides worm temperature. This effect raises temperature, and temperature control function operates and causes increase of the bloodstream. This time, these changes examined the thing by the size of the bathtub and the spring quality of the hot spring.   【Subjects and Methods】The subjects were 10 healthy adult men (mean age: 25.2 years). They bathed for 10 min in bathtubs at 42°C. The enforcement used plunge bath (approximately 1,700 L: simple alkaline hot spring) and home bathtub (approximately 300 L: hot water, 0.1% artificially chlorinated spring). Measurement item of the maximum arterial blood flow rate using the Ultrasonic Rheometer Smart Doppler 45, deep body temperature using the deep body temperature monitor core temperature CM-210, I compared each value 10 min during the bathing, and during a 10-min, 20-min, 30-min resting period after bathing, furthermore, I found the conjugation on each condition resting period after bathing.   【Result】The rise in deep body temperature and maximum arterial blood flow rate showed the result that a hot spring of the plunge bath was more meaningful than the value of the home bathtub after 10 min of bathing. The deep body temperature of the hot spring of the plunge bath significantly rose from bathing 3 min after. In deep body temperature with the resting period after bathing, in the hot spring of the plunge bath, a meaningful rise was maintained in hot water 13 min for population chloride spring 16 min of the home bathtub for 15 min.  【Discussion】In thinks that a population spring let you maintain a temperature rise that it disturbs a drop of the water temperature by abundant quantity of water in the plunge bath that hot spring plunge bath had a bigger deep body temperature rise, maximum arterial blood flow rate than home bathtub, and the deep body temperature rise in the home bathtub was continued.