1) We have developed two forms to evaluate students' oral presentation skills (important but hard to teach in the medical school curriculum): one is a peer review form for an audience to evaluate a presenter's performance, and the other is a form for a presenter to evaluate his or her own performance.2) The evaluation process is simple: evaluators fill out the forms by checking the items for evaluation. With these evaluation forms students can get tips for improving their presentations because technical suggestions are written near each item.3) The forms were beneficial for both students and instructors, because students could get tips for improving their presentations, and instructors could concentrate their efforts on scientific content after the students' presentations.

Three new genes of Cryptosporidium parvum were cloned, including a gene encoding methionine aminopeptidase, one encoding chaperonin containing T-complex protein 1 delta (TCP-1 delta) and one with unknown function. DNA sequence analysis indicated that these genes are quite conserved, but there were some base pair differences between genotype I and genotype II isolates. These differences were confirmed by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of the 3 genes from 41 isolates collected from different hosts and geographical origins. In brief, the band patterns generated by endonuclease Hind III or Hinf I restrictions of the gene of methionine aminopeptidase, Sac I restriction of the gene of chaperonin, or Ava II restriction of the unknown gene could differentiate the isolates of C. parvum into genotype I and genotype II. PCR primers based on these genes amplified only C. parvum genes. Even a single oocyst was detectable with these PCR primers. Thus the results provided further evidence that genotype I and genotype II are distinct, and our three new primers can be used to detect and characterize C. parvum isolates with high sensitivity.

A study was conducted to investigate the influence on the shoulder joint of throwing during water polo. One hundred sixty-seven water polo players were interviewed about injuries caused by water polo, and 70 players claimed to have had shoulder pain.
In 21 players, clinical examinations were performed, and in 31 players, assessment of external rotation stability was made. Then three-dimensional analysis of hand-to-hand shoot motion was performed in 7 players.
The results were as follows;
1. The painful phases of the throwing motion were the take-back phase and the acceleration phase, the pain being present at the anterior and lateral portions of the shoulder joint,
2. Assessment of stability revealed that the external rotation displacement on the affected side was significantly larger than that on the control side in the injured players.
3. Analysis of hand-to-hand shoot motion revealed that the external rotation angle in the acceleration phase was significantly larger in non-injured subjects than in the injured.
4. The external rotation angle after ball contact was increased in the injured, but decreased in the non-injured.
5. To prevent injury, it appears important to catch and throw the ball using the upper extremity and rotation of the trunk in a high body position in the water, and to strengthen the muscles of the shoulder.

Several studies have reported that molecular hydrogen (H₂) acts as a therapeutic medical gas owing to scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, little is known about effects of H₂ on exercise-induced oxidative stress. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of weekly hydrogen bathing on exercise-induced oxidative stress and delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Nine healthy and active young men participated in this study, and each subject performed hydrogen bathing trial and placebo bathing trial in a crossover design. The subjects performed downhill running (8 % decline) at 75 % peak oxygen uptake (VO₂peak) for 30 min, and each subjects conducted hydrogen or placebo bathing for 20 min, respectively, 1-6 days after downhill running. Before and after exercise, we measured visual analogue scale (VAS) and collected blood samples (Pre- and 5 min, 60 min after the end of bathing, 1day, 2days, 3days, 7days after downhill running). Blood sample analyses include creatine kinase (CK), myoglobin (Mb), malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs), biological antioxidant potential (BAP), myeloperoxidase (MPO), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-17a (IL-17a) and lactate concentrations. Weekly hydrogen bathing had no effects of exercise-induced oxidative stress and muscle damage. On the other hand, hydrogen bathing significantly reduced DOMS (VAS) 1 and 2days after downhill running (p=0.033). These findings suggest that hydrogen bath after downhill exercise can be effective for reduction of DOMS.

Objective To clone and express the valuable Clonorchis sinensis antigen molecules which can be applied to the diagnosis of clonorchiasis. Methods Based on the sequences (Genbank) No. AF271091 (CysA) and No.AF093242 (CysB), primers were designed to amplify the two C. sinensis cysteine proteinase genes and expressed in E.cloi. The expressed proteins were purified by affinity chromatography and then tested for their immunological characters.Results The two genes were successfully cloned and expressed. Western blot showed that CysB had strong reaction with clonorchiasis sera and very weak reaction with schistosomiasis sera, while CysA showed no reactivity with the probed sera. Immunohistochemistry showed that both proteins were mainly located in adult worm intestines and the intrauterine eggs.Conclusions The results suggested that, of the two expressed C. sinensis proteins, CysB had good antigenic reactivity against sera from patients. It is a potential candidate of diagnostic antigens for clonorchiasis.

Objective: Several drugs can cause analytical interference in clinical laboratory tests.  To prevent errors in clinical judgment as a result of false data, we investigated the information available on the interference of ethical drugs in these tests.
Methods: We examined the information available by collecting and evaluating information in package insert leaflets, collecting and evaluating clinical data on three drugs (bucillamin, captopril, and epalrestat) which affect clinical laboratory test results, and conducting a questionnaire survey of healthcare workers.
Results: From the information available on package inserts, 227 drugs were identified as having the potential to interfere with the chemical reactions used in clinical laboratory tests.  However, the insert information is not sufficient for use in clinical settings because the frequency rate and causative factors of interference are not stated clearly.  The clinical survey results reveal that 40% of patients taking bucillamine and 20% of patients taking epalrestat tested false-positive for urinary ketones.  According to the questionnaire results, medical technologists were more interested than pharmacists and physicians in how drugs affect clinical laboratory tests.
Conclusion: The information currently available on the interference of drugs in clinical laboratory tests is problematical, and it is therefore necessary to collect more clinical data for the proper interpretation and evaluation of abnormal laboratory values.

Periodontal tissue has a unique structure in that the human periodontal ligament (hPDL) lies between the hard tissues of cementum and alveolar bone. Although the role of cytokines in hPDL function is not clearly understood, we investigated the effect of mechanical stress as hydrostatic pressure (HP) on cytokine expression in hPDL cells.The hPDL cells were obtained from a healthy maxillary third molar. After the 3rd to 4th passage, the cells were exposed to HP ranging from 1 MPa to 6 MPa as previously described. The expression of cytokine mRNA was determined by RT-PCR and cytokines in the culture supernatants were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The exposure to 6 MPa of HP caused no morphological changes of hPDL cells, and did not affect cellular viability. No expression of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, RANK, RANKL or OPG mRNA was observed in the control cells under atmospheric pressure, whereas in hPDL cells treated with HP, enhancement of IL-6, IL-8, RANKL and OPG mRNA expression was observed between 10 and 60 minutes after the exposure to HP. After the exposure to HP, the production of IL-6 and TNF-α were induced significantly in hPDL cells, but IL-1β and IL-8 were not produced.These results suggest that hPDL cells may play a role in the production of cytokines in response to mechanical stress in vivo.