Serum levels of total high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and its subfractions (HDL₂-Cand HD_L3-C) were measured in 227 healthy Japanese adults. These values were related to a number of lifestyle factors.
On co-variance analysis, alcohol drinking had an independent contribution to HDL-C and HDL₃-C (p<0.05) in males. Cigarette smoking showed no association with subfractions of HDL-C in males. Three physical activities-sport, work and leisure time activity-had no significant association with subfractions of HDL-C. The degree of obesity as expressed by body mass index (BMI) was significantly negatively related (p<0.05) to HDL-C and HDL₂-C levels among females. Among males, although a trend test showed no statistically significant relation to BMI, HDL-C and HDL₂-C levels were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the normal group (20≤BMI<25) than in the obese group (BMI≥25).

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From April 1983 through March 1993, 10, 767 women underwent health examinations at the Health Care Center in Obihiro Kosei Hospital. Cervical smears were taken from theuterine cervix for cervical cancer screening. One hundred and six women had abnormal results, greater than class III. Those patients who were diagnosed as having carcinoma numbered 10 (0.09%). Of the cervical carcinomas found, 1 was frankly invasive (adenocarcinoma Ib); 3, microinvasive (2; squamous cell carcinoma and 1; co-existence of adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma); and 6, carcinomas in situ (squamous cell carcinoma).

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A questionnaire survey and patch testing on skin disorders were conducted on 20 chrysanthemum growers (15 males and 5 females) in the Kohoku district of Shiga Prefecture in order to clarify the etiology and make a plan for prevention. The results were as follows;
1) Thirteen subjects suffered from skin disorders and 8 of them had contacted dermatitis since they started the cultivation of chrysanthemum.
2) It was suggested that the skin disorders might be associated with such types of work as “lower -leaves pruning, ” “harvesting” and “shipping, ” during which they were closely in contact with chrysanthemum. However, our survey found that most the subjects paid less attention to chrysanthemum than pesticides to prevent skin disorders.
3) The patch test found 10 out of the 13 subjects who had suffered from skin disorders manifested sensitization reactions to chrysanthemum or pesticides and 7 of them to both.
Dermatologically, the disorders were diagnosed as allergic contact dermatitis caused by chrythanthemum or pesticides, but it was difficult to clarify which was the main factor of contact dermatitis.
4) In order to prevent contact dermatitis among chrythanthemum growers, hygienic education on the sensitizing activity of chrysanthemum and guidance on effective protection against chrysanthemum and pesticides are needed.

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The prevalence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) as defined by WHO criteria was studied in a rural community of Hiroshima. All the inhabitants over the age of 30 were asked to participate in this study, during the month of December in 1990 and 1991. Eventually, 307 males (23.2%) and 620 females (41.5%) agreed to participate and had an oral glucose tolerance test (75g of glucose).
The crude prevalence rates of NIDDM were 11.4% for males and 6.9% for females, and the adjusted prevalence rates by population in 1985 were 9.5% for males and 4.5% for females, respectively.
The results suggest that both males and females over the age of 50 showed a higher-rate of prevalence than those under the age of 50.

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The'Toyonoka' variety increased rapidly in the market of strawberry in southwest Japan. But this variety has no resistance to powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca hurnuli), and the farmers are at their wit's end, not knowing how to control the fungi.
Multi-residue analytical method was established for 3 dicarboximides (vinclozolin, procymidone and iprodione) and 7 fungicides to control powdery mildew (triadimefon, pyrifenox, chinomethionate, fenarimol, myclobutanil, bitertanol and triflumizole). The recovery rates of 13 chemicals were 76-93%, and detection limits were below 0.01μg/g-raw with HPLC-DAD and GC-ECD.
Nine fungicides except vinclozolin were detected in strawberries on the market, and 12 chemicals detected were qualified with HPLC-DAD and GC-MS. All the detected cases were below the maximum residue levels in Japan.
Dicarboximides were detected 60-70% of strawberry samples both in ‘Toyonoka’ and ‘Nyohou’. On the other hand, the fungicides to control powdery mildew were detected often and complexly in ‘Toyonoka’ than ‘Nyohou’. It is necessary to consider to exchange the 'Toyonoka' variety for more tolerant one to control powdery mildew.

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High-quality terminal care cannot be given without good communication and understanding among patients, their family members and health as well as medical professionals.Recently, we have taken a questionnaire survey on new inpatients in our hospital to sound them out on their thinkings about hospital care, and examined the findings along with the validity of survey.Many respondents including those contracting either benign or malignant diseases wished to be keptposted on what they are really up against and to partake in the decision-making process before treatment plans are put into practice. The recent questionnaire survey has proved to be worthwhile as a tool to know the wishes of hospitalized patients and suggested an effective way to promote the practice of obtaining informed consent before specific test and therapautic procedure.

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Home-Care services for aged people are being provided in Nishi-Tosa Village, Kochi Prefecture, to prevent the elderly from being bedridden. The village is one of the so-called “old communities.” About 25% of the village's 4, 250 inhabitants are over the age of 64.
This paper deals with the preventive steps taken by the community health center and the results that have been obtained thus far. The number of bedfast elderly people (ranked as B and C according to the Health and Welfare Ministry criteria of judgment for the lives of ailing old people) has been tending to decrease yearly: from 31 persons in 1985 down to 18 and 19 in 1990 and 1991. The percentage of bedridden old people to the total number of the elderly also decreased from 3.8% in 1985 to 1.9% in 1991.
In working out the preventive measures for the elderly, special emphasis has been laid on the following four points:
1. Opening of health study course more than 200 times a year;
2. Encouragement of dietary cure for the hypertensive and medication;
3. Recommending hospital care after a stroke occurs and early rehabilitation practice;
4. Continued rehabilitation after discharge of hospital and regular visits by nurses and health aides to patients in their homes.
We are convinced that these activities must have contributed to the decline in the number of bedridden old people.

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The patient was a 56-year-old male. He had a history of alcoholism since 1975 and diabetes mellitus since 1978. He was treated with insulin therapy. But the control of diabetes mellitus was very poor and he had six hypoglycemic comas attacks. He had diabetic triopathy but no symptoms of gait disturbance, dementia and incontinence. Brain computerized tomography and magneting resonance imaging revealed severe communicating hydrocephalus with mild brain atrophy.¹¹¹In-DPTA cisternography revealed retension of isotope in the ventricle after 48 hours. The pressure of cerebrospinal fluid was normal.
This case report is interesting as it suggests the relationship between normal pressure hydrocephalus and hypoglycemia.

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A case of type C chronic hepatitis with depressive states probably induced by interferon treatment is reported. Some other Japanese cases of type B or C chronic hepatitis with psychotic symptoms induced by interferon treatment were also reviewed. The state of symptoms, the time of onset, the course of development, dosage, many factors (endogenous, exogenous, psychogenic), predictability, and so on were examined.

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