Exposure of applicators to metalaxyl was assessed during the spraying to greenhouse cucumbers by power sprayers. Of four applicators wearing work clothes with a hood, a mask and gloves, two moved forward holding the nozzle in their hands so that they passed through the area sprayed by them. The other two went backward and sprayed both sides. Each of the applicators sprayed 14 to 18 g of metalaxyl during one hour of application. The estimated systemic expoure level in the forward moving group was 1 to 10 mg, 3 to 40 times higher than the exposure level of 0.25 to 0.29 mg in the backward group. But, skin exposure was insignificant or not detected in both groups. Also it was suggested that respiratory exposure was higher in the forward moving group than that in the backward group. In conclusion, when applying metalaxyl by any spraying techniques, the risk of poisoning was thought to be negligible under this research condition. However, the workers should employ the spraying technique moving backward, and be protected with suitable protective gear for preventing acute or chronic pesticide intoxications.

When workers were applying the same volume of a TPN formulation to asparagus fields of the same acreage by a speed sprayer or a conventional power sprayer, their exposure levels to the pesticide were compared. The estimated body exposure level of workers using power sprayer was more than 10 times higher than that of workers using a speed sprayer. The fate of TPN residues in the fields was also assayed. The foliar residues reduced rapidly in one day, but thereafter its reduction rate was very slow, and TPN was expected to remain on the foliage for a long period. However, the airborne TPN concentration was reduced to nil at 1 day after application.

The exposure levels of nine spray-operators in apple orchards to Fenitrothion (MEP) was measured. The pesticide was sprayed in the form of a 1, 000-fold diluted solution of a 40% MEP wettable powder by using power sprayers.
The operators were wearing protective non-woven clothes, masks (Sumitomo 3M 1780) and rubber gloves.
The estimated exposure amount of MEP per operator was 217mg on average when a sprayer with a short rod (50-70 cm) was used. In the case of using a long rod (100-120 cm), the amount was less, indicating 44mg on average.
The estimated amount of MEP penetrating the operator's clothing was 7.6mg on average, ranging from 1.2 to 23.9mg.
The penetration rate averaged 6.3%.
We calculated the MEP concentration in the air around the worker's mouth estimated from the amounts of MEP on the masks and from those in the sampling columns. The results averaged 0.258 mg/m₃ and 0.022 mg/m₃, respectively.
MEP was detected in blood samples from all the operators (0.0004-0.0222 ppm) immediately after the spray work and in blood samples from four of the nine operators (0.0004-0.0009 ppm) after one day, but not detected in any of the nine blood samples after three days.
A decrease in blood ChE activities of the operators was not observed.
The amount of MEP absorbed into the operator's body was calculated to be 0.34 to 2.59 mg. These calculations were based on the amount of the metabolites (converted into nitro-m-cresol) in the urine samples collected from the operators over a period of 24 hours after the spray work. However, the metabolites were detected in the spot urine samples of only one of the nine operators after three days and in none of the spot samples after seven days.
These results show that a small amount of MEP was absorbed into the operator's body, suggesting that the spray-operator should not do the spray work day after day. However, from the point of view of the percutaneous and inhalation toxicity of MEP, we concluded that the sprayoperators were not affected by MEP exposure in this case.

Objective : Scoliosis in cerebral palsy can seriously disturb the patient's daily life. To help alleviate this we developed a new original orthosis and named it the Dynamic Spinal Brace (DSB). In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of the DSB in daily life with patients and caregivers. Methods : We studied 222 cerebral palsy patients treated with the DSB. We carried out a questionnaire survey of the caregivers and measured X-ray results of the scoliosis deformities. Results: In the questionnaire, more than 80% of the patients improved in their sitting position and posture and more than 50 % of the patients improved in the transfer or ambulation assistance and meal assistance requirement by the caregivers. Higher age (over 18 years old) revealed improved muscle tonus. Breathing and muscle tonus showed improvement as scoliosis was advanced. Conclusion : DSB for scoliosis in cerebral palsy showed effectiveness in the sitting position, posture, transfer or ambulation assistance and meal assistance. DSB is also effective for muscle tonus in patients after growth maturity and breathing and muscle tonus in patients with severe scoliosis.

Divers' heart rates were measured under real ocean diving conditions with the purpose of evaluating the workload during SCUBA diving. For the subjects, all-out tests were conducted and evaluated in each of the following conditions: 1. ergometer cycling, 2. ergometer cycling using diving regulator, 3. fin-swimming in a swimming pool with diving equipment. No significant heart rate difference was found between the pre-dive and post dive of each subject; although, in novice divers, high heart rates such as 140/min or more were observed especially during the dive gear wearing phase on the topside and/or floating on the surface phase, suggesting there should be some high heart rate inducing factors, other than the exercise, like stress. Whereas, in the results of the all-out tests, the heart rate for fin-swimming was 16~18 beats/min lower, as well as 5.7~14.2 ml/kg/min lower for VO₂max, as compared to the ergometer cycling. This may suggest that fin-swimming like scuba diving could give a diver some degree of physical load without on increased heart rate.

Hemiplegia after a cerebrovascular event is a complication that causes problems in daily life such as difficulty of walking and may lead to social disadvantages. Furthermore, various subsequent health issues that accompany hemiplegia tend to hinder rehabilitation. In particular, Shoulder-Hand Syndrome (SHS) is an intractably painful disease with primary symptoms of pain and swelling in the upper limbs of patients. We investigated the effect of the acupuncture treatment on those patients with hemiplegia after a cerebrovascular event who are suspected to have SHS because of such symptoms as pain, swelling, and paresthesia in the upper limb of the affected side by measuring the changes in the numerical scale (NS), Gibbons' RSD score, and range of motion (ROM) in upper extremities.
The present study consisted of 13 hemiplegic subjects (eight males, five females) with pain, swelling, and paresthesia in the upper limbs. Acupuncture treatment was applied twice a week for over two months. Specifically electrical acupuncture and/or the retaining needle technique was applied to the upper extremities for 20 minutes in each session. Of 13 participants, 10 showed a significant decrease in NS (reduced by five or more points), eight showed improvement of the swelling in the upper limbs, and nine showed reduction in paresthesia.
From these results, we concluded that the acupuncture treatment was effective for SHS that accompanies hemiplegia after a cerebrovascular event and that the improvement of the peripheral blood flow might play an important role in generating treatment effects.

Multivessel coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) utilizing ITA grafts was performed in 110 consecutive patients, ranging in age from 24 to 76 years with a mean of 54±9 years. A mean of 3.2±0.8 grafts per patient was placed with a hospital mortality of 0.9%. Bilateral ITAs (BITA) were used in 87 patients and sequential ITA grafting (SQ-ITA) was carried out in 31, and both BITA and SQ-ITA were used in 8 patients. Noncardiac late death occurred in 1 patient and a 5-year survival rate was 98%. During this follow-up term, 11 (10%) patients underwent low-risk PTCA for ITA anastomotic stenosis (4 lesions), SVG stenosis (5 lesions) and native coronary stenosis (4 lesions) with a success in all. No reoperation has been required so far in this series. Graft patency rates were 97% for BITA with no differences for the left and right ITAs, and 100% for SQ-ITA (both proximal and distal). No sternal infection was encountered in this series, on which we believe mediastinal, sternal and subcutaneous irrigation appeared most effective. In BITA grafting, right ITA was frequently anastomosed to the LAD, passing on the aorta, which will make reoperation through a median sternotomy dangerous to this graft. To improve safety for reoperation, we have covered the ITA graft with an 8mm EPTFE graft or membrane with no side effects on ITA grafts. However, true efficacy of this protective method remains unproved because no reoperations have been required in this series of patients.

Renal plasma flow (RPF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) are decreased in patients with heat stroke. Heat stroke after prolonged exercise under high temperatures is usually associated with hypotension and dehydration, leading to decreased RPF. However, whether renal blood flow (RBF), RPF, and GFR are increased or decreased during immersion in mild warm water remains unknown.
Para-aminohippurate clearance (C_PAH), sodium thiosulfate clearance (C_thio), and creatinine clearance (C_cr) were determined in 14 healthy men aged 19 to 27 years old (mean±SD, 22±2), 161 to 181cm (171.5±6.3) tall, and weighing 52 to 78kg (64.2±7.4) without immersion at about 25°C (room temperature) and during immersion in water at 41±0.5°C.
C_PAH, C_thio, and RBF significantly increased during immersion compared with those without immersion (P<0.0001, P<0.03, P<0.0001, respectively). C_cr did not change (P=0.108). The filtration fraction (FF) was significantly decreased (P<0.001). Levels of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide, aldosterone, anti-diuretic hormone and renin did not significantly differ between these two conditions.
This investigation suggests that daily immersion at 41°C is beneficial for renal function.