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Summarizes an investigation of cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease associated with receipt of cadaveric dura mater grafts. Identification of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease cases in Japan between 1996 and 2003.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate trends in cancer screening participation among people with severe mental illness (PSMI) from periods before and after the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: In this repeated cross-sectional study, we used anonymized datasets on municipal cancer screening participation among PSMI in Okayama City. The data covered fiscal year (FY) 2018 to FY2022; we used the municipal cancer screening database and Medical Payment for Services and Supports for Persons with Disabilities. PSMI were defined as those with schizophrenia or related psychotic disorders (F20-29) or bipolar disorder (F30 or F31), identified using International Classification of Diseases , Tenth Revision, codes. The analysis included men and women aged 40-69 years for colorectal and lung cancer screening; men and women aged 50-69 years for gastric cancer screening; women aged 40-69 years for breast cancer screening; and women aged 20-69 years for cervical cancer screening. Municipal cancer screening rates among PSMI were calculated for each FY., Results: For all cancer types, cancer screening rates for PSMI in FY2020 (colorectal: 9.0%; lung: 11.6%; gastric: 4.9%; breast: 6.2%; and cervical: 6.1%) were lower than the rates in FY2019 (11.5%, 14.0%, 6.5%, 9.3%, and 8.3%, respectively). In FY2022, the rates (9.9%, 12.9%; 5.3%; 8.0%, and 6.9%, respectively) recovered, but remained low., Conclusion: This study showed that cancer screening rates among PSMI were very low, both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Efforts to encourage participation in cancer screening in this population are urgently needed., Competing Interests: Y. Yamada has received honoraria from Meiji, Sumitomo Pharma, Takeda, and Lundbeck. M. Fujiwara has received honoraria from Mochida and Eisai. K. Otsuki has received honoraria for lectures from Otsuka, Meiji, Sumitomo Pharma, Takeda, Nippon Shinyaku, and Yoshitomiyakuhin. M. Inagaki has received grants from Astellas, Eisai, Otsuka, Shionogi, Daiichi Sankyo, Sumitomo Pharma, Takeda, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Nihon Medi‐Physics, Pfizer, Fujifilm, and Mochida and has received honoraria for lectures from EA Pharma, Meiji, MSD, Viatris, Eisai, Otsuka, Sumitomo Pharma, Takeda, Eli Lilly, Nippon Shinyaku, Pfizer, Mochida, Janssen and Yoshitomiyakuhin. The other authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2025 The Author(s). Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences Reports published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.)

Background Cardiopulmonary arrest is a leading cause of death and requires swift intervention for survival. Previous studies have highlighted the critical importance of initiating cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation within a limited timeframe. Improving outcomes depends on widespread CPR training, accessible automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and increased public awareness. Japan's universal healthcare system and accessible emergency medical services create an ideal environment for timely intervention. While global research has examined CPR hesitancy, few studies have focused on this issue in Japan. This study investigated willingness and attitudes toward CPR among various occupational groups in Japan, emphasizing the initial steps in responding to cardiopulmonary arrest. Objective This study explored the willingness and attitudes toward CPR among diverse occupational groups in Japan, focusing on the initial steps in responding to patients with cardiopulmonary arrest. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted through an Internet panel research company. Participants, stratified by occupation, age, and sex, completed a web-based questionnaire on CPR knowledge and willingness to act in a cardiac arrest scenario. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate linear regressions to identify factors influencing CPR attitudes and behaviors. Results Data from 1,648 respondents revealed differences in CPR attitudes and behaviors based on sex and occupational group. High resuscitation skills increased the likelihood of action, whereas concerns and worries reduced it. Self-evaluation of skills had a less significant effect. Variations existed in performing artificial respiration, with concerns about specific techniques influencing decisions. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated an inverse relationship between the likelihood of action and worries about resuscitation. Sex and moral values also affected responses. Male medical doctors and nurses with lower moral values and higher resuscitation concerns were less likely to take action. However, they were more inclined to assist if the patient was familiar rather than unfamiliar. Conclusions The study identified notable differences in willingness and attitudes toward CPR between medical professionals (e.g., doctors and nurses) and non-medical professionals (e.g., the general public and care workers) as well as between men and women. Non-medical professionals were more likely to seek help when concerned about resuscitation techniques, whereas medical professionals showed hesitation due to worries about their performance. Women with uncertainties about resuscitation procedures were less likely to assist despite demonstrating a strong moral sense., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Ethics Committee of Nara Medical University issued approval 2238. The study was approved on June 25, 2019. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: This study was partially supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Matsumoto et al.)

Classification and analysis of existing data on medical malpractice lawsuits are useful in identifying the root causes of medical errors and considering measures to prevent recurrence. No study has shown the actual prevalence of all closed malpractice claims in Japan, including the number of cases and their trial results. In this study, we illustrated the recent trends of closed malpractice claims by medical specialty, the effects of the acceptance rates and the settlements and clarified the trends and characteristics. This was a descriptive study of all closed malpractice claims data from the Supreme Court in Japan from 2006-2021. Trends and the characteristics in closed malpractice claims by medical specialty and the outcomes of the claims, including settlements and judgments, were extracted. The total number of closed medical malpractice claims was 13,340 in 16 years, with a high percentage ending in settlement (7,062, 52.9%), and when concluding in judgment (4,734, 35.3%), the medical profession (3,589, 75.8%) was favored. When compared by medical specialty, plastic surgery and obstetrics/gynecology were more likely resolved by settlement. By contrast, psychiatry cases exhibited a lower likelihood of settlement, and the percentage of cases resulting in unfavorable outcomes for patients was notably high. Furthermore, there has been a decline in the number of closed medical malpractice claims in Japan in recent years compared to the figures observed in 2006. In particular, the number of closed medical malpractice claims in obstetrics/gynecology and the number of closed medical malpractice claims per 1,000 physicians decreased significantly compared to other specialties. In conclusion, half of the closed malpractice claims were settled, and a low percentage of patients won their cases. Closed medical malpractice claims in Japan have declined in most medical specialties since 2006. Additionally, obstetrics/gynecology revealed a significant decrease since introducing the Obstetrics/Gynecology Medical Compensation System in 2009., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Taniguchi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: In Japan, incidents of falsified expiration dates on popular cookie brands and health hazards associated with frozen Chinese dumplings have raised food safety awareness. To prevent the intentional contamination of food by foreign substances, large food manufacturing companies have adopted the concept of food defense., Objective: The aim of this study was to assess people's willingness to pay for food protection measures. In addition, the impact of participants' personalities and considerations regarding their purchase choices on how much they were willing to pay when shopping for food and other products were measured., Methods: A questionnaire on willingness to pay for food hygiene and food defense was administered via a web survey and 1414 responses were included in the analysis. Univariate logistic regression analyses were performed with individuals willing and unwilling to pay additional costs as the objective variable and other questionnaire items as explanatory variables. A principal component analysis was performed on 12 questions regarding how much additional money people were willing to pay, and the principal component scores and other questions were examined for implications and other information., Results: Approximately one-third of the respondents stated that they were unwilling to pay additional costs and reported a willingness to consume delivery food even if it contained items that were not part of the original order. The first principal component reflected the extent to which people were willing to pay additional money, and if so, how much. This tendency existed even if the individual foods and amounts varied. The third principal component reflected the amount of extra money that people were willing to pay, which was determined by the amount people had to pay toward food safety measures. Those who answered "zero" were more likely to believe that consumers should not have to pay to ensure food safety. The second principal component reflected an axis separating food defense and food hygiene. Some items not directly related to food were correlated with this axis., Conclusions: In Japan, the concept of food hygiene is well-established and is generally taken for granted. In contrast, the concept of food defense is relatively new and has not yet fully penetrated the Japanese market. Our research shows that people who think that clothing brands provided added value to clothing products may have similar feelings about food defense. In addition, food hygiene efforts to prevent outbreaks of food poisoning are common in Japan and have been established as the basis of food safety. While food defense efforts are spreading, mainly in companies, it is presumed that they are valuable for the general public as supplementary measures to routine (or basic) food hygiene., (©Shinya Matsumoto, Yoshiyuki Kanagawa, Kiwamu Nagoshi, Takemi Akahane, Tomoaki Imamura, Manabu Akahane. Originally published in the Interactive Journal of Medical Research (https://www.i-jmr.org/), 23.10.2023.)

Objectives: To reduce cancer care disparities in people with mental illness, this study aimed to quantify psychiatric care providers' perceptions regarding issues that are insufficiently addressed or difficult to address., Methods: Psychiatric care providers at 23 psychiatric hospitals in Japan were surveyed using mail questionnaires. Respondents were asked to rate 15 items with four categories related to insufficiencies/difficulties in cancer care for patients with mental illness on a five-point Likert scale. We analyzed the proportion of respondents who answered "insufficient/difficult" for each item., Results: A total of 255 (76.3%) psychiatric care providers responded. For questions related to the skills and attitudes of psychiatric professionals, 48.3%-58.4% of respondents perceived that efforts for supporting cancer screening and treatment were insufficient. For the questions related to collaborations between cancer and psychiatric care providers, 75.3% of respondents perceived that inpatient visits between psychiatric and cancer hospitals were insufficient. For the questions related to in-psychiatric-hospital medical systems, 50.2%-87.2% of respondents perceived that support for screening, diagnosis/treatment, and palliative care for psychiatric inpatients were insufficient/difficult. 41.9%-57.4% of respondents perceived that social services in the community were insufficient., Conclusions: This study clarified the level of insufficiency/difficulty perceived by psychiatric care providers regarding issues related to cancer care for people with mental illness. Psychiatric care providers are required to have knowledge and skills in cancer screening and treatment. To improve access to cancer prevention, treatment, and palliative care, it may be helpful to establish systems to promote coordination between cancer hospitals and psychiatric hospitals., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) allows the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expedite the availability of therapeutics in the context of a public health emergency. To date, an evidentiary standard for clinical efficacy to support an EUA has not yet been established. This review examines the clinical data submitted in support of EUA for antiviral and anti-inflammatory therapeutics for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) through December of 2021 and the resilience of the authorization as new clinical data arose subsequent to the authorization. In the vast majority of cases, EUA was supported by at least one well-powered randomized controlled trial (RCT) where statistically significant efficacy was demonstrated. This included branded medications already approved for use outside of the context of COVID-19. When used, the standard of a single RCT seemed to provide adequate evidence of clinical efficacy, such that subsequent clinical studies generally supported or expanded the EUA of the therapeutic in question. The lone generic agent that was granted EUA (chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine) was not supported by a well-controlled RCT, and the EUA was withdrawn within 3 months time. This highlighted not only the ambiguity of the EUA standard, but also the need to provide avenues through which high quality clinical evidence for the efficacy of a generic medication could be obtained. Therefore, maintaining the clinical trial networks assembled during the COVID-19 pandemic could be a critical component of our preparation for future pandemics. Consideration could also be given to establishing a single successful RCT as regulatory guidance for obtaining an EUA., (© 2022 The Authors. Clinical and Translational Science published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.)

Objectives: Approximately 20 years have passed since hospital information systems (HISs) featuring full-scale electronic medical records were first implemented in Japan. Patient safety is one of the most important of the several "safety" roles that HISs are expected to fulfill. However, insufficient research has analyzed the contribution of HISs to patient safety. This paper reviews the history of HISs in connection with patient safety in Japan and discusses the future of the patient safety function of HISs in a favorable environment for digitization., Methods: A review on the history of HISs with functions that contribute to patient safety was conducted, analyzing evidence from reports published by the Japanese government and papers on patient safety and HISs published in various countries., Results: Patient safety has become a concern, and initiatives to promote patient safety have progressed simultaneously with the spread of HISs. To address the problem of patient safety, most large hospitals prioritize patients' welfare when building HISs. However, no HIS-associated reduction in adverse events due to medical treatment could be confirmed., Conclusions: HISs are expected to help prevent medical accidents, such as patient- and drug-related errors. It is hoped that the patient safety functions of HISs will become generalized and contribute to patient safety in the future. To achieve this, the government and academic societies should provide regulations and guidelines on HISs and patient safety to the medical community and medical-device vendors. Furthermore, departments responsible for HISs and patient safety should collaborate to gather evidence for the effectiveness of HISs.

Single porous silica microparticles coated with a styrene-divinylbenzene polymer (SDB) impregnated with octyl(phenyl)-N,N-diisobutylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxide (CMPO) were injected into an aqueous 3 mol/L nitric acid solution containing trivalent lanthanide (Ln(III)), as a high-level liquid waste model. We used the microcapillary manipulation-injection technique; and the extraction rate of Ln(III), as an Ln(III)-CMPO complex, into the single microparticles was measured by luminescence microspectroscopy. The extraction rate significantly depended on the Ln(III), CMPO, or NO 3 - concentration, and was analyzed in terms of diffusion in the pores of the microparticles and the complex formation of Ln(III). The results indicated that the rate-determining step in Ln(III) extraction was diffusion in the pore solution of the microparticles.

Purpose: Peer assisted learning (PAL) promotes the development of communication, facilitates improvement of clinical skills, and provides feedback to learners. We utilized PAL as a conceptual framework to explore the feasibility of peer-assisted feedback (PAF) to improve note writing skills without requiring faculty time. The aim was to assess if peer assisted learning was a successful method to provide feedback on USMLE-style clinical skills exam notes by using student feedback on a survey in the United States., Methods: The University of Florida College of Medicine administers clinical skills examinations (CSEs) includes USMLE-like note-writing. PAL, where students support the learning of peers, was utilized as an alternative to faculty feedback. Second (MS2) and third (MS3) year medical students taking CSEs participated in faculty-run note-grading sessions immediately after testing, which included explanations of grading rubrics and the feedback process. Students graded an anonymized peer's notes. The graded material was then forwarded anonymously to its student author to review. Students were surveyed on perceived ability to provide feedback and benefits derived from PAF using a Likert scale (1-6) and open-ended comments during the 2017-2018 academic year., Results: Students felt generally positively about the activity with mean score for items related to educational value of 4.49 for MS2 and 5.11 for MS3 out of 6. MS3s perceived peer feedback as constructive, felt benefit from evaluating other's notes, and felt the exercise would improve their future notes. While still positive, MS2 students gave comparatively lower scores than the MS2 students., Conclusion: PAF was a successful method to provide feedback on student CSE notes, especially for MS3s. MS2s commented that although they learned during the process, they might be more invested in improving their note writing as they approach their own USMLE exam.

Radical-driven dissociation (RDD) of hydrogen-deficient peptide ions [M - H + H] ·+ has been examined using matrix-assisted laser dissociation/ionization in-source decay mass spectrometry (MALDI-ISD MS) with the hydrogen-abstracting matrices 4-nitro-1-naphthol (4,1-NNL) and 5-nitrosalicylic acid (5-NSA). The preferential fragment ions observed in the ISD spectra include N-terminal [a] + ions and C-terminal [x] + , [y + 2] + , and [w] + ions which imply that β-carbon (Cβ)-centered radical peptide ions [M - Hβ + H] ·+ are predominantly produced in MALDI conditions. RDD reactions from the peptide ions [M - Hβ + H] ·+ successfully explains the fact that both [a] + and [x] + ions arising from cleavage at the Cα-C bond of the backbone of Gly-Xxx residues are missing from the ISD spectra. Furthermore, the formation of [a] + ions originating from the cleavage of Cα-C bond of deuterated Ala(d3)-Xxx residues indicates that the [a] + ions are produced from the peptide ions [M - Hβ + H] ·+ generated by deuteron-abstraction from Ala(d3) residues. It is suggested that from the standpoint of hydrogen abstraction via direct interactions between the nitro group of matrix and hydrogen of peptides, the generation of the peptide radical ions [M - Hβ + H] ·+ is more favorable than that of the α-carbon (Cα)-centered radical ions [M - Hα + H] ·+ and the amide nitrogen-centered radical ions [M - H N  + H] ·+ , while ab initio calculations indicate that the formation of [M - Hα + H] ·+ is energetically most favorable. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

The formation of monomeric and dimeric ions of seven different aminonaphthols (ANLs) has been studied by using laser desorption/ionization (LDI) with a nitrogen laser. The positive-ion data of all the ANLs merely showed molecular ion M(·+) without protonated molecule [M+H](+), while 1-amino-2-naphthol (1,2-ANL) and 2-amino-1-naphthol (2,1-ANL) showed an intense dimeric ion [2 M-2H2O+H](+). The negative-ion data showed deprotonated molecule [M-H](-) in common, while the spectra of 1,2-ANL, 2,1-ANL and 8-amino-2-naphthol (8,2-ANL) accompanied an intense peak corresponding to negative molecular ion M(·-) and the 8,2-ANL and 4-amino-1-naphthol (4,1-ANL) accompanied dehydrogenated anion [M-2H](·-). The formation of monomeric ions was discussed from the standpoints of thermochemical properties such as ionization energy, gas-phase acidity, electron affinity, and bond dissociation energy. The formation of dimeric ions [2 M-2H2O+H](+) observed in the 1,2-ANL and 2,1-ANL could be explained by the radical combination in the amino groups. An isomer 5-amino-1-naphthol (1-ANL) did not give any dimeric ions in the both positive- and negative-ion spectra. The influence of laser fluence upon the appearance of the monomeric ions such as M(·+), [M+H](+), [M-H](-) and [M-2H](·-) of the 5,1-ANL has been examined.

The fragment ions observed with time-of-flight (TOF) and quadrupole ion trap (QIT) TOF mass spectrometers (MS) combined with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization in-source decay (MALDI-ISD) experiments of phosphorylated analytes β-casein and its model peptide were compared from the standpoint of the residence timeframe of analyte and fragment ions in the MALDI ion source and QIT cell. The QIT-TOF MS gave fragment c-, z'-, z-ANL, y-, and b-ions, and further degraded fragments originating from the loss of neutrals such as H(2)O, NH(3), CH(2)O (from serine), C2H4O (from threonine), and H(3)PO(4), whereas the TOF MS merely showed MALDI source-generated fragment c-, z'-, z-ANL, y-, and w-ions. The fragment ions observed in the QIT-TOF MS could be explained by the injection of the source-generated ions into the QIT cell or a cooperative effect of a little internal energy deposition, a long residence timeframe (140 ms) in the QIT cell, and specific amino acid effects on low-energy CID, whereas the source-generated fragments (c-, z'-, z-ANL, y-, and w-ions) could be a result of prompt radical-initiated fragmentation of hydrogen-abundant radical ions [M + H + H](+) and [M + H - H](-) within the 53 ns timeframe, which corresponds to the delayed extraction time. The further degraded fragment b/y-ions produced in the QIT cell were confirmed by positive- and negative-ion low-energy CID experiments performed on the source-generated ions (c-, z'-, and y-ions). The loss of phosphoric acid (98 u) from analyte and fragment ions can be explained by a slow ergodic fragmentation independent of positive and negative charges.

A factor for estimating the flexibility of proteins is described that uses a cleavage method of "in-source decay (ISD)" coupled with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS). The MALDI-ISD spectra of bovine serum albumin (BSA), myoglobin and thioredoxin show discontinuous intense ion peaks originating from one-side preferential cleavage at the N-Cα bond of Xxx-Asp, Xxx-Asn, Xxx-Cys and Gly-Xxx residues. Consistent with these observations, Asp, Asn and Gly residues are also identified by other flexibility measures such as B-factor, turn preference, protection and fluorescence decay factors, while Asp, Asn, Cys and Gly residues are identified by turn preference factor based on X-ray crystallography. The results suggest that protein molecules embedded in/on MALDI matrix crystals partly maintain α-helix and that the reason some of the residues are more susceptible to ISD (Asp, Asn, Cys and Gly) and others less so (Ile and Val) is because of accessibility of the peptide backbone to hydrogen-radicals from matrix molecules. The hydrogen-radical accessibility in MALDI-ISD could therefore be adopted as a factor for measuring protein flexibility.

Background: Prion diseases are untreatable, progressive, and fatal brain disorders that occur worldwide, and the annual incidence rate is approximately 1 case per 1 million people. The duration of these diseases in Japan is unclear., Methods: Based on data from 1 April 1999 through 4 September 2008 provided by the Japanese Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) surveillance program, we analyzed disease duration and its relationship with clinical features. Duration was assumed to be the time from disease onset to death., Results: Evaluation by the surveillance committee indicated that during the observed period 1128 individuals received a diagnosis of prion disease and were registered in the surveillance program. Mean disease duration in the 855 patients who died was 17.4 months. Overall, 46.0% of patients died within 1 year and 77.2% died in less than 2 years. Among those with sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which represented 77.0% of cases, mean disease duration was 15.7 months, while that of patients surveyed by the European Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease Surveillance Network (EUROCJD) was only 5 months., Conclusions: Disease duration among Japanese with prion diseases was much longer than that of patients in Western countries conducting surveillance of prion diseases. This finding suggests that the characteristics of the system for providing life-sustaining treatment for patients with fatal, progressive diseases in Japan are related to the longer duration of these illnesses.

A through hole with a diameter less than 100 nm was fabricated in an Ag foil using only a focused ion beam (FIB) system and in situ measurements of the penetrating ion beam. During the drilling of the foil by a FIB of Ga(+) ions, the transmitted part of the beam was measured with an electrode mounted on the back face of the foil. When the beam current penetrating through the nanopore reached a certain value, irradiation was stopped and the area of the created aperture was measured with a scanning electron microscope. The resulting area was correlated with the current of the penetrating ion beam. This suggests that we can fabricate a nanopore of the desired size by controlling the ion beam via penetrating ion beam measurements. The smallest aperture thus created was circular with diameter of 30 nm.

Background: The geographic mortality difference of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is still unclear in Japan., Methods: Using vital statistics of Japan for 6 year period between 1999 and 2004 officially published by the government, we observed the mortality from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (ICD-10th: A81.0 and A81.8) by prefecture. Standardized mortality ratios were calculated for the 47 prefectures., Results: For the observed 6 years, a total of 792 deaths from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease were observed whole in Japan. Two prefectures, Akita and Yamanashi, presented significantly high standardized mortality ratios. In addition, Tochigi, Kochi, and Nagasaki showed standardized mortality rates higher than 1.5 without significance. No prefecture had significantly low standardized mortality ratios., Conclusion: Some prefectures with high mortality rate from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease existed in Japan. Some of them had high incidence rate in a survey conducted in 1996 as well.

Japan has been taking measures to cope with intractable diseases centering on five principles: "promoting investigation and research", "providing medical care facilities", "reducing co-payment for medical costs", "improving and coordinating community-based health care", "medical care and welfare services", and "promoting welfare measures aimed at improving the quality of life (QOL)". As the object of measures, 118 diseases including serious neurological diseases (e.g. ALS, CJD, PD etc.) have been specified. Thirty years have passed since the specific diseases treatment research program was launched, during which the environment surrounding intractable diseases has changed significantly. In light of this, "Committee on Measures Against Intractable Diseases" was organized in Sept 2001 under the Health Science Council. Based on the interim report of the committee, the government is going to take new measures against the intractable diseases.

An automated direct assay system using high performance liquid chromatography was developed for the measurement of RU38486 and its three metabolites (RU42698, RU42848, RU42633) in human serum. Serum concentrations of these compounds were measured up to 144 h following single oral administration of 200 (200 mg group, n = 3) or 400 mg (400 mg group, n = 3) of RU38486 to healthy female volunteers. The serum half-lives (200 mg group-400 mg group) of RU38486, RU42698, RU42848 and RU42633 were 31.8-33.1 h, 41.2-39.3 h, 33.9-36.6 h and 29.2-36.6 h, respectively. Our system could quantify them easily and simultaneously, and was considered to be valuable in studies on the relationship between the pharmacokinetics and the clinical effects of RU38486.

From October 1977 to September 1981, 68 patients with esophageal varices (30 emergency cases of bleeding and 38 elective cases) were treated by injecting 5% ethanolamine oleate into varices, using an esophagofiberscope. Esophageal bleeding was successfully controlled in 29 of 30 patients who had emergency surgery. None of the 38 patients who underwent elective operation had bleeding after treatment. When recurrence occurred 1 or 2 years after treatment, the same procedure was repeated. Pleuritis occurred in one of the patients who had emergency surgery, and bleeding (300 to 400 ml) from the esophagocardial junction occurred in two patients who underwent elective operation. These patients were treatment conservatively.

The authors developed a colostomy appliance for use during barium-enema examinations. It is 8 cm in diameter and 4 cm in height, and is made of acrylic resins. With the use of this device, 21 patients were fluoroscopically examined through the stoma; good contrast views of the lower intestinal tract were obtained in all cases without leakage of barium or air.

Forty patients with gastric cancer and 30 patients with colon cancer were administered FT-207 prior to the operation. The relation between a total dose (4-88g) and tissue concentration of 5-FU was investigated and the following results were obtained. (5-FU concentration was measured with the method of Gas chromatography mas fragmentography) 1) The relation between total doses of FT-207 (x) and concentration of 5-FU in the tissue (y) was demonstrated by the formula: y = 0.00317x + 0.025 (gastric cancer) r = 0.519, p = 0.0001 y = 0.0019x + 0.043 (colon cancer) r = 0.641, p = 0.0001 2) In most of the patients with rectal cancer who received radiation therapy prior to the operation, 5-FU concentration in the tissue was extremely low. 3) 5-FU concentration showed no difference between the normal and metastatic lymph nodes, or among the lymph node groups. Administration methods (oral intake or suppository) had no influence on the concentration of 5-FU. 4) Among the organs, 5-FU concentration was higher in the following orders: liver, normal mucosa, lymph node, tumor, normal serosa. 5) In five autopsy cases, 5-FU concentration of the tissue show a great difference among them, and some cases showed 10 times as high concentration as others in the tissue of every organ.