A 84-year-old woman underwent aortic root replacement with stentless bioprosthesis and coronary artery bypass grafting. Four years later, she presented with dyspnea. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed aortic regurgitation, dilation and dissection of the sinus of Valsalva. A Bentall operation was performed by using prosthetic graft and bioprosthetic valve. Intimal tear caused the aortic wall dissection and aneurysm of the Freestyle valve.

We report a case of 10-year-old woman with aortitis syndrome who had a graft dehiscence at the site of proximal anastomosis 8 months after aortic root replacement. Because she suffered severe chest compression and ST depression was demonstrated on 12 lead ECG, she was admitted on a suspicion of vasospasmic angina. However, transesophageal echocardiogram and CT showed an echo-free space around the previous operated aortic composite graft, so we concluded that a proximal graft dehiscence and bleeding around it was the cause of her severely deteriorated circulatory condition, and emergency redo aortic replacement was planned. After deep hypothermic circulatory arrest was accomplished, selective cerebral perfusion was performed following re-sternotomy. Previous composite graft was detached at the site of proximal anastomosis, and the aortic annulus was friable and edematous. Redo aortic replacement successful. Laboratory findings revealed uncontrollable aortitis syndrome as the etiologic factor of graft dehiscence. Postoperatively, she was complicated with cerebral infarction due to a stuck valve. She was discharged at 56 postoperative day.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the landing impacts of falls from short heights with body weight increment. Eight male college students participated as subjects. The body weight increments were gradually increased by 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 kg by attaching 500 gram iron bars in the pocket of vests that students wore. The subjects performed the landing by falling from a height of 2.7 m above and they landed on the surface of a force plate as softly as possible. The landing impacts, muscular activities, and joint movements of lower limbs during landing were analyzed by a force plate using EMG and VTR programs.The results indicated that there were no significant increments found in maximal landing impact even though the body weight was increased from 2 to 10 kg. The flexion of ankle, knee and hip joints started immediately before landing and increased after landing with the body weight increments. The activity of plantar and dorsi flexor muscles after landing were increased intensively with the body weight increments. Although the body weight increased from 2 to 10 kg gradually, landing impact at fall did not increase. It may be controlled by fast and deep flexing movements of lower limb joints during landing.

We analyzed the scores of objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) and written examinations administered to fourth-year medical students after practical training in clinical skills and to fifth-year medical students after clinical training and scores of graduation examinations taken by sixth-year medical students. Correlations were analyzed among the scores of 96 students who had taken all 3 examinations during a 3-year period. Mean scores on examinations in the fourth, fifth, and sixth years were compared between sixth-year students who did or did not graduate and between graduating students who did or did not pass the national examination for medical practitioners in Japan. Significant correlations in the scores were found between 1) OSCEs and written examinations for fourth-year students versus those for the fifth-year students; 2) OSCE and written examinations for fourth-year students versus graduation examination scores for the sixth-year students; and 3) OSCE and written examinations for fifth-year students versus graduation examination scores for sixth-year students. In addition, the mean scores in the fourth and fifth years were significantly higher for sixth-year students who graduated and passed the national examination than for students who did not graduate or who graduated but failed the national examination. These results suggest that the practical training in clinical skills given to fourth-year students and the clinical training given to fifth-year students strongly affect the overall evaluation of the ability of sixth-year students and success on the national examination.

Medical students at Kurume University begin practical training in clinical skills in their fourth year. At that time, students use the skills laboratory to improve their clinical skills. Medical education resources in the skills laboratory include simulators for emergency resuscitation and heart diseases, wireless stethoscopes, and videotapes. All students use the skills laboratory for 2 months, and its usefulness was evaluated with questionnaires after practical training. More than 50 % of students approved of their practice in the skills laboratory. However, some students were unsatisfied because they were unable to make effective use of the simulators. In the future, an improved skills laboratory will be necessary to improve practical training in the clinical skills for medical students.

A study was conducted to investigate the effect of playing on a hanging ladder for a long period on active and passive grip strength in elementary school children.
Sixty-three children (mean age =9.2 yr) were assigned to training (male =14, female =17) and control (male =14, female =18) groups.
The children in the training group played on the hanging ladder for 5 to 10 min 5 days per week for 7 months.
Active and passive grip strength, and upper and forearm girth were measured in both groups almost monthly during the playing period.
The percentage of children who succeeded in hanging from the ladder in the training group increased from 50% to 77% in boys and from 70% to 90% in girls between the start and finish of the playing period.
The movement times of ladder hanging in these subjects were significantly shortened in boys and girls during the playing period.
No significant differences were found in active grip strength, or upper and forearm girth, but significant differences were found in passive grip strength between the training and control groups at end of the playing period.
It appears that playing on a hanging ladder for a long period increases passive grip strength, and is useful for developing emergency evacuation ability in elementary school children.:

The active and passive grip strength, repeated grip strength, back lift strength, leg press, vertical jump and back extension were measured for 220 boys and 205 girls in the primary school to examine the similarity and difference between back lift strength and grip strength. The results were as follows;
1) The strength of large muscle groups such as back lift strength and leg press in boys were significantly higher than in girls, but no differences were found in the strength of smaller muscle group like a grip strength.
2) Higher increment rate of the passive grip strength to the active strength was found in younger grade of primary school children. They might possess a lower level of contractile force-integrating ability than older ones.
3) No significant differences between boys and girls and among each grade were found in the decrement rate of repeated grip strength and no sigficant relationship between the decrement rate and maximum grip strength.
4) Significant relationship was observed between back lift strength and active or passive grip strength, and the correlation coefficients with the passive strength were lower than the active strength.
5) Significant relationship was observed between back lift strength and vertical jump and back extension in all grade of primary school girls and lower grade of the boys.

1) Children's data (10-18 years old) of back strength, height, grip strength and running long jump from data book of Japan Education Ministry (1964-1981) were analyzed. Back strength was mainly studied and was compared with other data (grip strength etc.) . The groups with high average values for back strength at 10-14 years old did not necessarily show high values for back strength at 17 years old, or vice versa. Values for back strength at 10-14 years old were not significantly correlated with those at 17 years old.
2) Using the data from data book mentioned above, tension of deep back muscle (FMUS) was calculated based on kinetic models (FMUS. I, II, III) . Calculated FMUS values were 3-5 times larger than measured back strength values at each age.
3) Relative change of back strength and FMUS in 1964-1981 were compared. All values for back strength were lower than those for FMUS except in 1967. During the late 1960th and the 1970th, average back strength values gradully decreased, but the decrease of FMUS was less obvious than that of back strength.
4) Based on the data of 422 children (7-12 years old, male and femele), values of diaphragm area were approximated with some assumptions, and then FMUS values were calculated. FMUS values calculated by approximate diaphragm area were significantly larger than those calculated by constant diaphragm area (465 cm2) .
The figure for getting FMUS values easily was offered to avoid troublesome calculation. This consists of two graphs, and one can read FMUS values with reasonable precision. Parameters needed for getting FMUS values are sexuality, height, body weight and back strength.

The present study was performed to investigate the effects of 120 km walking, 40 km a day for 3 successive days on the condition that taking rest and foods freely, upon physical functions for healthy male and female subjects. All measurements were enforced at postabsorptive state early in the morning for the 10 successive days including the days of walking. Blood pressure, heart rate, and body weight were measured every morning. Blood samplings enforced, too. Urine collections were enforced from first day to 7 th day. The results obtained were as follows;
1) There were no changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and body weight, which were measured early in the morning, before and after 120 km walking.
2) Serum GOT and GPT activities had little changes, while serum LDH, α-HBDH, and CK activities increased gradually after walking.
3) Serum CK-MB activities, which indicate myocardial injury, increased after walking, on the contrary CK-MB/CK ratio decreased. It was suggested that effects of 120km walking to myocardium were rather than slight ones.
4) In spite of the same sorce in which serum CK-MB and LDH-1 were resulted, both did'nt exhibit same patterns in serum.
5) Serum lipids decreased gradually after walking.
6) Urinary excretion of creatinine and uric acid increased after 120km walking especially.
7) If it is allowed to take sufficient foods and rest, 120km walking, 40km a day for 3 successive days, would not result in such a physical stress over the following days.

In order to examine the personal space perception, measurements were conducted on both elbows in 14 men and 46 women. Each subject, with his (or her) eyes closed and with his upper arm fixed horizontally, was instructed to stop the vertical and horizontal swing motion of his lower arm at the point he considered to be the middle of the range of possible motion on the front and side of plane at his shoulder, and this was repeated ten times. In various conditions, similar measurements were also done to study factors affecting the personal space perception in 14 men.
Mean values of bisected angles in percentage against range of motion were deviated from the middle points in the direction of the elbow extension, although there were large differences between the individuals. The deviation was smallest in the vertical. side of plane, and was larger in the horizontal plane than that in the vertical plane. The deviation was not so much affected by the various conditions.
It was suggested that the gain of the personal space perception is higher in the elbow extension than in the elbow flexion and its difference is larger in the horizontal plane than in vertical plane of the human elbow joint.