Hachimi-Jio-Gan is clinically used for the treatment of pollakiuria in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. The present study demonstrated the effects of Hachimi-Jio-Gan on the function of the urinary bladder in anesthetized dogs. At 10mg/kg, Hachimi-Jio-Gan slightly increased rhythmic bladder contractions (RBCs), but administration of 100mg/kg inhibited the frequency of RBCs. Both Hachimi-Jio-Gan and atropine sulfate depressed the amplitude of RBCs. Cystometrograms showed that Hachimi-Jio-Gan significantly increased both maximum vesical volume and effective vesical volume. Atropine sulfate (0.1mg/body) depressed maximum vesical contraction, but Hachimi-Jio-Gan did not. These findings indicate that Hachimi-Jio-Gan is a useful drug for the treatment of pollakiuria.

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The hemoglobin concentrations of inhabitants of Gunma Prefecture have remained unchanged since 1982 in contrast to their serum cholesterol levels which have increased throughout the same period.
A comparative study of hemoglobin concentrations during 1994-1996 revealed more low-hemoglobin inhabitants of Gunma Prefecture than the national average among males in their 40s-60s and females in their 40s-50s. These findings to be related to the low meat consumption in this prefecture.
Approximately 20% of females in their 40s in this prefecture, have low hemoglobin concentrations despite being obese or hypercholesterolemic.
Although nutritional guidance was introduced long ago, many women in their 40s still have low hemoglobin levels. This suggests that the more precise nutritional guidelines are needed for females in their 40s.

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This study aimed at understanding the actual status of mental health and welfare activities and the role of public health nurses working for public health centers and municipalities after enactment of the Community Health Act as well as identifying future challenges. The questionnaire was mailed to the chief public health nurses at 493 prefectural public health centers and in 3, 189 municipalities public health centers (excluding designated cities, core cities and ordinance-designated cities). The response rate were 70.4% and 69.2%, respectively, and the results can be summarized as follows :
(1) The highest priority health activity of public health centers is mental health and welfare, which will be upgraded.
(2) 68.5% of municipalities provide mental health home visits for instruction and advice. The peer group family support, mental health and welfare consultation, and management and support of small-scale sheltered workshops are provided in 29.7%, 26.7% and 23.2% of municipalities, respectively.
(3) In terms of collaboration and cooperation, municipalities expect public health centers to take leading responsibility for such activity areas as day care, management and support of small sheltered workshops, support of patient and family peer groups and mental wellness programs. They expect to collaborate with public health centers for home visits. In terms of mental health and welfare consultation, they expect to collaborate with public health centers and that public health centers will take primary responsibility.
(4) Public health nurses want more practical OJT training in mental health, since it requires highly specialized interpersonal communication skills.
(5) The future direction of community mental health activities in Japan will be reinforcement of continual education systems for active mental health practices by public health nurses in municipalities, and cooperative systems with public health nurses in public health centers.

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The purpose of this preliminary survey was to determine the attitude of nurses toward decision-making and to discuss the supportive role of nursing regarding decision-making by patients.
The sample size was 52 nurses. Their average age was 37 years old, and their average career as nurses was 11 years. Original questionnaires on decision-making were handed out, and answer sheets were collected individually by mail.
Transfer and discharge from hospitals and operations were the main subjects that nurses found undecidedness in patients and actually asked advice from patients during those decision-making process. These subjects went up to 65% of all matters. In comparison between two groups, one is listing up one item and the other is listing up more than two items for undecidedness in patients, the later group was significantly scored high (p<0.05) in age and career years.
The best characteristic of nurses who were supportive in decision making by patients was being a good listener ; and the most needed support for patients was offering information and knowledge at any time.
We concluded that nurses need to realize their important role in the process of decision making by patients and that they must improve their quality as supporters, since patients hesitate and want advice when confronted with decisions regarding transfer, discharge, and operations.

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The relationship between morphologic changes in the heart after irradiation and expression of the cytokines, transforming growth factor β3 (TGFβ3), platelet derived growth factor A chain (PDGF-A), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), was assessed.
Sixty C57B1/6 male mice were irradiated or sham irradiated with a split dose, 2 × 15Gy, three days apart. Hearts were removed from each group three days, two weeks, four weeks, eight weeks, and 12 weeks, after the completion of irradiation, and prepared for histological and immunohistochemical study. Expression of TGFβ3, PDGF-A, and bFGF was evaluated by immunohistochemistry.
In the irradiated group, local degeneration of cardiac myocytes, local fibroblastic change, and the expression of TGFβ3 in the same area were observed in 7.5% of the mice. Slight fibrous thickening of pericardium and the expression of TGFβ3 and bFGF were observed in 25% of the mice in the irradiated group. The myocardium tended to be thinner in the irradiated group than the sham irradiated group.
The results of this study suggested that TGFβ3 and bFGF may contribute to the fibrosis that occurs in the pericardium and myocardium after irradiation of the heart.

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We experienced a rare case of lobular carcinoma in situ developing in lactating adenoma of the breast. A 32-year-old woman had a lump in the upper lateral quadrant of the left breast. Excisional biopsy of the breast tumor was performed and histological examination confirmed a diagnosis of lactating adenoma and lobular carcinoma in situ. The patient has been followed up at our outpatient clinic without additional resection and there has been no evidence of recurrence.

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