A case of type C chronic hepatitis with depressive states probably induced by interferon treatment is reported. Some other Japanese cases of type B or C chronic hepatitis with psychotic symptoms induced by interferon treatment were also reviewed. The state of symptoms, the time of onset, the course of development, dosage, many factors (endogenous, exogenous, psychogenic), predictability, and so on were examined.

Cardiovascular accidental cases which occurred after the injection of an enema or evacuation are reviewed. 1) The accidents occurred not only in the aged but the youth, so care should be taken at all ages. 2) They occurred especially in the patients with underlying diseases, mainly in cardiovascular or autonomous nervous systems. 3) Therefore age and basal diseases are considered separate factors. 4) Many of the cases occurred soon or in 10 minutes after evacuation. These observations are discussed in light of literatures on changes of blood pressure, mechanism related to the autonomous nervous system, treatments, and so on.

Two adult cases of acute tobacco poisoning are reported. Some adult cases occur from intentional ingestion of tobacco, so they give severer indications of poisoning than infant cases which are usually accidental. One person (case 1), who seemed to have taken a nearly fatal dose of tobacco (nicotine) under unfavorable conditions, was carried into hospital some hours after ingestion, but recovered nicely without inducing vomiting and gastric lavege. It was suspected that the tolerance for nicotine and the degree of nicotinic elution might affect his course. Another person (case 2), who had swallowed a large amount of tobacco, also did well. It was supposed that immediate initial treatment was one of the causes for good progress.

The natural course of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was investigated retrospectively in the cases especially related to hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). The average diagnostic age of the patients was significantly higher in HCV-related HCC cases than those associated with HBV, and females were older than men as a general trend regardless of viral type. In the progressive duration of such chronic liver diseases as chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and HCC, there was no significant difference between HCC caused by HBV and HCV-related HCC, but the progress tended to be slower in female cases than in male ones. In the same drinking habit, each progressive duration indicated no remarkable difference between cases related to HBV and HCV, and insignificant difference was also found between those who ingest more than 86 g per day in terms of ethanol comsumption and none or under 86 g per day, regardless of viral type.

The patient was a 68-year-old female being treated for hypertention and diabetes mellitus. She initially complained of a headache. Then, she developed symptoms including pyrexia, tenderness of right nodular and swollen temporal artery, urinary incontinence and strength ebbs of limbs. Laboratory findings reflencted active inflammation. Brain computerized tomography and right temporal artery biopsy revealed chronic right subdural hematoma and giant cell arteritis, respectively. Drainage from the head was performed with a suction apparatus attached to the perforated tube. Steroid therapy with predonisolone was started. Clinical symptoms and signs were ameliorated. A case of subdural hematoma associated with temporal arteritis was previously described. This is the second report. The mechanism of the complication is yet to be defined clearly. Further observations will be needed.

The aim of this investigation was to outline the present situation concerning home medical care and its contents in Japan, excluding general medication.
We examined answers to questionnaires about care contents published in a book that nationally involved doctors who were providing medical care in the patient's home. More than 80 percent of the doctors who responded to the survey gave treatment with intravenous drip-infusions, bladder/urine catheters, injections or tube feeding. Treatment of intravenous hyperalimentation or rehabilitation was also applied by many doctors. General practitioners tended to treat their patients with continuous infusions, injections or home oxygen masks more frequently than hospital doctors. There was no marked difference between generations of doctors in the performance of various care services. We described in part the situation of home medical care and its contents and the performance of some care services might be influenced by providers-hospital or clinic-based doctors.

Exercise is important for body composition promotion. Although many studies have indicated that physical competence promotes exercise participation, there are relatively few studies examining the relationships among these factors. The purpose of the present study was to model the relationships among body composition, exercise habits and physical competence by using structural equation modeling. The subjects were 223 Japanese male and female high school students. Height, lean bone mass and bone area ratio were measured. Exercise habits and physical competence scale including three subscales (perceived physical competence, feeling of control and peer and teacher acceptance) were assessed by self-administered questionnaires. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The model showed acceptable fit indices (GFI = .905, AGFI = .863 CFI = .954, RMSEA = .069). The path from peer and teacher acceptance to exercise habit was significant (β = 0.51, p < .001). Moreover, the path from exercise habits and from perceived physical competence to body composition was significant (respectively β = 0.53; p < .001, β = 0.47, p < .001). We could model the relationships among body composition, exercise habits and physical competence. These results indicate that not only exercise habits but also physical competence promoting exercise participation influence on body composition promotion.

BACKGROUND: An effective approach to lifestyle-related factors could be a main treatment for hypertensives. The components of blood pressure (BP) have been reported to have different clinical implications; however, the relationship between various lifestyle-related factors and BP components has not been thoroughly studied in hospital-based general medicine.
METHODS: This relationship was cross-sectionally investigated in a population of outpatients with hypertension but free of other diseases (136 subjects, aged 30 to 75, mean 54.2 years) . A self-administered questionnaire, which included items related to demographics, smoking, alcohol use, affinity for salt, habitual exercise, and sleep status, was used.
RESULTS: After controlling for lifestyle-related factors, multiple regression analysis revealed that body mass index (BMI) and smoking were significantly and positively correlated with systolic BP (SBP) and pulse pressure (PP) . For diastolic BP (DBP), age had a significantly negative, and lack of sleep had a significantly positive, correlation. BMI was also significantly and positively correlated with mean BP (MBP) .
CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that lifestyle-related factors are associated with differing BP components. Weight control should receive more attention in SBP, MBP and PP control, anti-smoking in SBP and PP control, and sleep management in DBP control.

Atherosclerotic risk factors contribute to carotid atherosclerosis. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), as assessed using a non-invasive high-resolution ultrasound, can predict cardiovascular disease (CVD). Whereas the control of CVD is crucial for the Mongolian people, the studies on carotid atherosclerosis are lacking. The present population-based survey was a cross-sectional investigation of the determinants of carotid IMT in the general Mongolian population. A total of 344 Mongolian volunteers, aged 18-69 years, without CVD and on no medication, were recruited from a health screening setting. The current smoking habits, body mass index, mean blood pressure (MBP), blood total cholesterol (TC), glucose, insulin and carotid IMT (maximum level) were measured. Mongolian males had a significantly higher prevalence of current smoking and a higher level of IMT than females (average=0.58 mm in males vs 0.46 in females). Both a single and multiple regression analysis adjusted for all the regression analysis adjusted for all the measures revealed that IMT was significantly and positively correlated with age, male sex, MBP, TC and glucose among all of the participants. IMT was significantly and positively correlated with age, followed by MBP, TC and glucose among males, while among females, IMT was significantly and positively correlated with age, followed by MBP and TC. Age was the strongest determinant of carotid atherosclerosis, and the increases in blood pressure and cholesterol levels were also important measures in both sexes as well as glucose levels in males in particularly, thus suggesting a preventive strategy necessary for CVD in the general Mongolian population.

Atherosclerotic risk factors contribute to carotid atherosclerosis. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), as assessed using a non-invasive high-resolution ultrasound, can predict cardiovascular disease (CVD). Whereas the control of CVD is crucial for the Mongolian people, the studies on carotid atherosclerosis are lacking. The present population-based survey was a cross-sectional investigation of the determinants of carotid IMT in the general Mongolian population.A total of 344 Mongolian volunteers, aged 18-69 years, without CVD and on no medication, were recruited from a health screening setting. The current smoking habits, body mass index, mean blood pressure (MBP), blood total cholesterol (TC), glucose, insulin and carotid IMT (maximum level) were measured.Mongolian males had a significantly higher prevalence of current smoking and a higher level of IMT than females (average=0.58 mm in males vs 0.46 in females). Both a single and multiple regression analysis adjusted for all the regression analysis adjusted for all the measures revealed that IMT was significantly and positively correlated with age, male sex, MBP, TC and glucose among all of the participants. IMT was significantly and positively correlated with age, followed by MBP, TC and glucose among males, while among females, IMT was significantly and positively correlated with age, followed by MBP and TC.Age was the strongest determinant of carotid atherosclerosis, and the increases in blood pressure and cholesterol levels were also important measures in both sexes as well as glucose levels in males in particularly, thus suggesting a preventive strategy necessary for CVD in the general Mongolian population.