BACKGROUND: Meals are provided at nursery schools for Japanese preschool children, and this may result in different energy and nutrient intakes on weekdays and weekends. The purpose of this study was to obtain basic information for public nutrition policies in early childhood by examining differences in energy and nutrient intakes of preschool children between weekdays and weekends using meal categories such as breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. METHODS: Energy and nutrient intakes were examined in 761 Japanese preschool children (423 boys, 338 girls) aged 3-6 years attending childcare facilities in seven regions in Japan. Data collection was based on non-consecutive four-day dietary records (two weekdays, two weekend days) in 2019 or 2020. Energy and nutrient intake by meal category were compared using a generalized linear mixed model adjusted for demographic factors. RESULTS: Total energy intake was significantly higher on weekdays for boys (1,478 vs. 1,415 kcal) and girls (1,349 vs. 1,296 kcal) (both P < 0.001). Weekday lunches had higher protein content and essential micronutrients such as potassium, iron, vitamins, and lower fat, saturated fatty acids, and salt, compared to weekend lunches. Similarly, weekday snacks also had significantly higher nutritional consumption for most nutrients compared to weekend equivalents. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that meals at nursery schools, particularly lunch and snacks, result in more desirable nutrient intake in preschool children. On weekdays, children consume meals with higher nutrient density, possibly due to the role of dietitians in menu planning. However, some children still fail to meet the Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese, indicating a need for improvements in nursery school and home meals. More communication is needed between nursery schools and families, including sharing menus and recipes is essential. The results of this study are of value for development of public health nutrition strategies targeting early childhood.
Humans ; Child, Preschool ; Male ; Japan ; Female ; Energy Intake ; Meals ; Child ; Nutrients/analysis* ; Diet/statistics & numerical data* ; East Asian People

A 75-year-old Japanese man with chronic hepatitis C was found to have a large liver tumor and multiple nodules in the bilateral lungs. We diagnosed the tumor as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with multiple lung metastases based on imaging studies and high titers of HCC tumor markers. Remarkably, without any anticancer treatment or medication, including herbal preparations, the liver tumor decreased in size, and the tumor makers diminished. Moreover, after 1 year, the multiple nodules in the bilateral lungs had disappeared. Fifteen months after the first medical examination, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) was performed for the residual HCC. Because local relapse was observed on follow-up computed tomography, a second TACE was performed 13 months after the first one. At 4 years after the second TACE (7 years after the initial medical examination), there was no recurrence of primary or metastatic lesions. Spontaneous regression of HCC is very rare, and its mechanism remains unclear. Understanding the underlying mechanism of this rare phenomenon may offer some hope of finding new therapies, even in advanced metastatic cases.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology/*secondary ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/*pathology ; Lung Neoplasms/*secondary ; Male ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/pathology ; Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous/*pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Introduction
The questionnaire survey was conducted among medical interpreters to clarify the duties of medical interpreters and the contents of training programs, and to analyze the challenges in practice.
Methods
The self-reported questionnaires were distributed to NPOs of medical interpreters, local international exchange associations, and hospitals with medical interpreters. They were directly collected to authors and analyzed.
Results
The number of valid responses was 284 (response rate: 33.4%). 46.1% of the respondents had worked as medical interpreters for 5 years or more. There were a few fulltime workers and 76.4% worked as a part-time interpreters. The respondents could interpret 14 languages including sign language. Only 8.5% of them had worked more than 20 times per month, while 68.3% worked less than 4 times per month. 54.4% of the respondents have had training of medical interpreting for more than 20 hours. The respondents answered their difficulties as medical interpreters between medical providers and foreign patients.
Discussions
This study was targeted at medical interpreters and revealed that many medical interpreters were working at hospitals and other health facilities. The training programs to develop knowledge, skills and ethical conduct are urgently needed to establish the professionalism of medical interpreters. The coordinators are essential to advocate the roles of medical interpreters to medical providers and foreign patients, and to support medical interpreters.

Effects of anti-oketsu drug, Keishibukuryogan (Gui-zhi-fu-ling-wan) and Tokishakuyakusan (Dang-gui-shao-yao-san) in vivo and in vitro on platelet aggregation were investigated in normal volunteers.
Of 20 volunteers who were given Keishibukuryogan, there were 6, 3 and 11 subjects whose dose-response curves of collagen-induced aggregations were shifted to the right, to the left, or who had no shift, respectively. The control aggregations of these 20 people were in the same range. In ADP-induced aggregation, there were 5 curves shifted to the right. Their potencies in the control aggregation were higher than those of 9 subjects who were not affected by the drug. There were 6 curves shifted to the left, and their potencies were lower than those of the 9 unaffected subjects. Of 12 volunteers who were given Tokishakuyakusan, there were 2, 2 and 8 subjects whose dose-response curves in collagen-induced aggregation were shifted to the right, the left, or who had no shift respectively. With ADP-induced aggregation, there were 1, 1 and 10 subjects whose doseresponse curves were shifted likewise. In vitro, Keishibukuryogan caused inhibition of ADP-induced aggregation but not that of collagen-induced aggregation.

This case study involved a 30-year-old G3P2 patient. In the previous two pregnancies, she experienced toxemia of pregnancy with intrauterine growth retardation. Autoantibodies were found to be positive in these two pregnancies. In her third pregnancy, Shakuyakukanzou-tou with low doses of aspirin were administered. Her autoantibody continued to be negative. Toxemia was not noted and fetus growth was adequate for her date. This data suggests that Shakuyaku-kanzou-tou may be effective for autoimmune pregnant disorders involving intrauterine growth retardation.

Sixty-five patients who complained of various unidentified symptoms (undefined clinical syndrome), including 59 with climacteric syndrome, received Kampo medicine for eight weeks or more according to scores for their body constitution. Saiko-keishi-kankyo-to was given to those with a deficient constitution, Saiko-karyukotsu-borei-to to those with a robust constitution, and Kami-shoyo-san to those with a medium constitution.
A deficient constitution was more common among those aged 40 to 49, while those with a robust constitution increased in patients aged 50 to 59. The pretreatment climacteric index was comparable among the three groups, and most of them were mild to moderate. The faces of those with a robust constitution had more gloss and a tenser texture while those with deficient constitution were paler and had a face with less of a tense texture. Other signs such as a repeated epigastric splashing sound, hypochondriac resistance, dark rings around the eyes, dark purple tongue, and paraumbilical resistance were similar between those with robust and deficient constitutions. These signs were mild and observed in about 90% of patients. They therefore appear to be common signs among patients suffering from undefined clinical syndrome.
The severity of conditions determined by the mean value of the climacteric index was moderate among those with robust to medium constitutions and mild among those with deficient constitutions. The index was reduced to the normal values within two weeks of starting Kampo medicine in those with a deficient constitution, within six weeks in those with a medium constitution, and within eight weeks in those with a robust constitution. The mean values of clinical laboratory test results and hormone levels remained unchanged during treatment (eight weeks).
The overall improvement rating (“markedly improved” plus “improved”) was high (80%) in those with a deficient constitution, and slightly above 60% in those with a medium and a robust constitution. Safety was very high in all Kampo medicine used. The clinical value (“very useful” plus “useful”) was highest with Saiko-keishi-kankyoto given to those with a deficient constitution, followed by Kami-shoyo-san given to those with a medium constitution and Saiko-ka-ryukotsu-borei-to given to those with a robust constitution in that order.