We have carried out a health developing project for three years at two flat rural areas in Ibaraki prefecture, O in Ushiku town and N in Iwai city, taking female farmers as the subjects.
As a result, people in these areas obtained by developing reciprocal assistance a belief in selfsupport and knowledge of diseases, which lead to remarkable progress of their health such as improvement of nutrition and cosolidation of agricultural and life environment. Some observations in the study are discussed below.
1) In the two areas, the number of people with no abnormality increased while those requiring care decreased, The number of people to be treated or under treatment was nearly unchanged, probably because of chronic deseases. No death and complication occured during the three years.
2) Owing to the difference between O and N areas in the age structure of examinees, areal characteristics and types of agricultural products, the results of health examinations in these two areas were somewhat different.
3) The health developing project will become more effective if male farmers participate together with the female farmers.
4) Continuation of the health care activity in these areas will establish voluntary organizations of residents.

The environmental contaminant benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) has been regarded as one of the pathogens of oral premalignant and malignant lesions. To elucidate the pathogenesis of oral premalignancies, B[a]P-induced dysplasia of the murine tongue was investigated for G1-associated cell cycle regulation. B[a]P solution was applied orally up to six weeks to induce epithelial dysplasia of the tongue. BrdU incorporation and the expression of p21, cyclin D1, and CDK4 were examined by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Rb phosphorylation and E2F-Rb binding were examined by immunoprecipitation and Western blotting. B[a]P treatment resulted in dysplastic changes and active DNA synthesis in the tongue epithelia. Immunohistochemical analyses showed p21 up-regulation and cyclin D1/CDK4 overexpression in B[a]P-induced dysplasia. Rb hyperphosphorylation and E2F release were caused by B[a]P treatment. Thus, dysregulation of G1-phase regulation is likely to be an important event in the development of oral epithelial dysplasia in mice.

A premature boy was born after 35 weeks gestation (1,561 g in weight) with a diagnosis of anomalous origin of the right pulmonary artery from the ascending aorta (AORPA) and perimembranous ventricular septal defect (VSD). The fourteenth day after birth, banding of the right pulmonary artery was performed as a palliative operation. At the age of 5 months (3.9 kg in weight), the right pulmonary artery branched from the ascending aorta, and was anastomosed to a flap made by the lateral wall of the main pulmonary artery with pericardial patch augmentation. VSD patch closure was performed concomitantly. Severe stenosis of the right pulmonary artery compressed by the ascending aorta and left pulmonary hypertension were revealed 3 weeks after the repair. At the age of 11 months, a surgical relief of the right pulmonary artery stenosis was performed. Transection of the ascending aorta provided an excellent exposure of the right posterior pulmonary artery. After patch plasty of the stenotic pulmonary artery, the divided ascending aorta was restored using a strip form patch on 4/5 circle of its posterior wall to extend the aorta and widen the space for the right pulmonary artery. This technique preserves growth potential of the ascending aorta. There are few reports of surgical repair of AORPA with VSD in low birth weight infants. We presented here a case with surgical relief of post-operative right pulmonary artery stenosis. Long term observation of repaired right pulmonary artery, and requiring residual slight hypertension of the left pulmonary artery.