We analyzed the relationship between gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GTP) as an index of liver function and several alcohol drinking patterns by odds ratio and correlation coefficient on 1, 859 subjects (1, 296 males, 563 females) enrolled in this study if they met the following criteria: (1) they weren't under a doctor's care with a diagnosis of liver disease, (2) ultrasonography revealed no evidence of fatty liver or gallstones, (3) the result of tests on the serum for hepatitis B surface (HBs) antigen and hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies were negative.
Drinkers of 10+ drinks (more than 250 g ethanol) per week showed higher levels of odds ratio of liver dysfunction (7.63; 95% confidence interval 5.26-11.11) than drinkers of 2+ drinks (more than 50 g ethanol) per day (odds ratio 6.41; 95%CI 4.13-10.00) or daily drinkers (odds ratio 5.10; 95% CI 3.47-7.46) .
Pearson's correlation coefficient (γ) between γ-GTP and the amount of alcohol per week was γ=0.423 (p<0.001) . It was a higher correlation than the amount of alcohol per day (γ=0.400) or the frequency (γ=0.325) .
Drinkers of 10-drinks (250g ethanol or less) per week who drank every day or drank 2+ drinks per day showed lower levels of γ-GTP than drinkers of 10+ drinks per week who had alcohol free days and had 2-drinks (50 g ethanol or less) per day (p<0.01) . These results suggest that the alcohol supplement increases liver dysfunction in those who have alcohol free days.
As a guide for drinkers it is impossible to limit anything about alcohol drinking habits. It is reasonable to direct them to 10-drinks per week, and to use figures concretely as follows: You must have at least 2 alcohol free days if you have 2 drinks (50g ethanol) per day. But you can drink every day if you have 1 drink (25 g ethanol) per day.

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To clarify the effect of obesity, smoking and alcohol drinking to hemoglobin concentration, we examined 2, 726 males who consulted our institute for physical checkup between April 1999 and March 2000. According to the percent body fat, number of cigarettes per day and alcohol intake [grams of ethanol ingested per day], the examinees were subclassified and one-factor analysis of variance and Scheffe's F test for hemoglobin concentration and serum total protein were applied. Mean hemoglobin concentration of the most obese group (with percent body fat of 35% or more, N=52) ; 16.448g/dl was greater than that of the non-obese group (percent body fat less than 20%, N=667) ; 15.042g/dl significantly (p=5×10^-17) . Mean serum total protein of the most obese group; 7.623 g/dl was greater than that of the non-obese group; 7.283 g/dl significantly (p=1×10^-24) . Mean hemoglobin concentration of the heaviest smokers group (smoking 51 cigarettes or more per day, N=35) ; 16.391g/dl was greater than that of the nonsmokers group (N=801) ; 15.505g/dl significantly (p=5×10^-8) . Mean hemoglobin concentration of the heaviest drinkers group (drank 55g of ethanol or more per day, N=167) ; 15.893g/dl was greater than that of the nondrinkers group (N=637) ; 15.508g/dl significantly (p=0.01) . It was estimated that obesity of 35% or more of percent body fat, heavy smoking of 51 cigarettes or more a day and drinking 55g of ethanol or more a day increased hemoglobin concentration 1.206g/dl, 0.471g/dl and 0.180g/dl, respectively. Therefore, it was suggested that most of the stress erythrocytosis were caused by obesity, smoking and alcohol drinking.

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Purpose: To investigate the relationship between habitual physical exercise and obesity indices or serum levels of lipids and carotenoids among the inhabitants.
Subjects and Methods: The study subjects without history of diseases, which were neoplasm, cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes and hypertension, recruited 571 healthy inhabitants (197 males and 374 females), aged above 40 years old. The subjects were divided into the following three groups according to the results inquired individual habitual physical exercise. Non-habitual exercise group (N-group) defined for inhabitants without habitual physical exercise, moderate habitual exercise group (M-group) for inhabitants with less than 98.8 Mets·min./day, and high habitual exercise group (H-group) for inhabitants with more than 98.8 Mets·min./day. Mets·min./day expressed physical activity scores. Obesity indices were estimated by the values of BMI, %Fat and waist/hip ratio (WHR) . Serum levels of carotenoids were measured by HPLC method. Frequency of food intakes obtained from the questionnaire.
Results: In males, obesity indices, BMI, %Fat and WHR, were significantly higher for H-group than for other groups. In females, there was a significantly inverse relation between habitual exercise and WHR after adjusting for age, habits of smoking and alcohol drinking, and serum TC levels. However, there was no significant relationship between habitual exercise and serum lipid levels in both sexes. It was obtained that serum levels of zeaxanthin & lutein and total carotenoids, such as β-carotene and provitamin A, were higher for male H-group and females Mgroup, respectively. In addition, intake frequencies of carrot & pumpkin, tomato, and other fruits were higher for inhabitants with habitual physical exercise in both sexes.
Conclusion: Habitual physical exercise must occur to reduce the obesity indices and to induce the good lifestyle such as high intake of vegetables and fruits. These habits might due to high serum levels of carotenoids among the inhabitants with habitual physical exercise.

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It is generally understood that the prevalence of normal tension glaucoma (NTG) is 2% in adults, and is related to some changes in the circulatory system. We surveyed NTG in our Medicine & Health Sciences Institute and compared check-up data before and after appearance of fundus abnormalities.
Method Fundus photos were closely examined by ophthalmologists concerning four aspects: (1) bayoneting at the edge of the optic disc, (2) notching at the disc's edge, (3) Nerve fiber layer defect (NFLD), and (4) splinter hemorrhage at the disc's edge. Then the abnormal fundus findings were retrospectively checked and the data on check-up before and after the appearance of fundus abnormality were discussed.
Results There were 69 patients with visual field change in NTG among 10, 490 examinees who visited during the previous 12 months. There were also another 76 with abnormal results but in whom follow-up was not possible in our institution. If we assume that they had a similar rate of visual field change in NTG, we can predict that the incidence would be approximately 1.0%. Circulatory factors were compared between the normal and abnormal visual field groups. but no significant difference was found. Furthermore, the fundus photos of the 69 patients with NTG were retrospectively searched from their initial to the latest visit. We found that 57 (83%) patients had actually had fundus changes from their initial visit while 12 (17%) developed the changes during follow-up. Then circulatory factors before and after fundus changes in the latter 12 patients were compared but no significant trends were seen.
Conclusion The prevalence of NTG was 1% in adults in our Medicine & Health Sciences Institute. It was not suggested that NTG might reflect circulatory factors. To detect NTG in health check-ups, it is important that the examination on the four points described above should be checked on fundus photos.

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In this study, we tried to take cost analysis on introduction of PACS in an assumed medical examination center. The model of the film-based storage and the model of CD-R based electronic storage were made. The costs of the image recording media, the differences of device expenses and the volumes of storage were calculated and compared according to the data from the real medical examination center. The following points were made clear according to the follow results. The costs of image recording media in the film based storage model was 30-80 times higher than those in the electronic storage model without compresion, and 300-800 times higher than those with 1/10 compres-sion. It was estimated that the dif erences of device expenses between the film based storage model (2, 000 yen per patient) and the non-compression electronic storage model were 9, 820, 000 yen when the annual number of examinee was set to 5, 000. The storage volume of image recording media in the film based storage model was 45 times (for non-compression) to 400 times (for compression) larger than that in the electronic storage model.

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