Predictive Validity of the WAIS-Ⅲ as a Driving Skill in Individuals with Brain Injury / The Japanese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine

Objective：We aimed to examine the clinical validity of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)-III for resuming automobile driving in patients with brain injury.Methods：A total of 71 patients who requested to resume driving after brain injuries were included, with 43 and 28 patients categorized in the resumed and non-resumed driving groups, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed by comparing the sub-items of the WAIS-III between the groups. The reference value of accurate determinants was estimated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.Results：The results of the ROC curve analysis showed that the areas under the curves for full-scale intelligence quotient (FIQ), performance IQ (PIQ), and perceptual organization index (POI) were higher than 0.7 (with moderate predictive accuracy). The cutoff values were as follows with high specificity and low sensitivity：PIQ, 98.5；FIQ, 107；and PO, 107.Conclusion：The cutoff values of the FIQ, PIQ, and POI of the WAIS-III were inadequate predictors for resumption of driving in patients with brain injury. However, if patients had all three scores less than 70, it was suggested that they refrain from driving.

Perception Gap between Patients and Healthcare Professionals in Press-Through Package Appearance of Generic Drug / 医薬品情報学

<b>Objective: </b>Generic drugs similar in appearance to their brand-name counterparts have both advantages and disadvantages.  This study aimed to investigate patient preferences regarding the appearance of generic drugs.<br><b>Design: </b>A cross-sectional survey.<br><b>Methods: </b>We conducted a web-based survey between 2013 and 2014.  Patients aged ≥40 years who reported taking prescription drugs for >6 months were asked to provide their opinions on the appearance of generic drug formulations and press-through packages (PTPs).  Medical doctors and pharmacists were asked as to what type of appearance of generic drugs would be suitable as well as whether the appearance of these drugs and PTPs should be similar to that of their brand-name counterparts.<br><b>Results: </b>A total of 911 patients, 238 pharmacists, and 81 medical doctors responded to the survey.  Most of the patients (45.3%) surveyed reported that the similarity in the appearance of generic drug formulations and PTPs to those of their brand-name counterparts was not important, whereas only 15.6% of patients preferred generic drug formulations and PTPs similar in appearance to their brand-name counterparts.  In contrast, most of the medical doctors (53.1%) and pharmacists (88.2%) reported that the appearance of generic drug formulations and PTPs should be similar to that of their brand-name counterparts.<br><b>Conclusion: </b>Patients’ opinions on the appearance of generic drugs differ from what medical doctors and pharmacists perceive them to be.  Therefore, health care professionals should select generic drugs with an appearance as per the individual patient’s preference.

Cyclooxygenase 2 1195G > A polymorphism is associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Japanese and Chinese patients / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is overexpressed during airway inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the COX-2 promoter might contribute to differential COX-2 expression and subsequent interindividual variability in susceptibility to COPD. We investigated the association between COX-2 (-765G > C, -1195G > A) polymorphisms and COPD susceptibility in Japanese and Chinese patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>COX-2 genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction, restriction fragment length polymorphism in 230 COPD patients (103 Japanese and 127 Chinese) and 273 healthy controls (129 Japanese and 144 Chinese).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The frequency of -1195AA homozygote was significantly higher than the controls in Chinese COPD (adjusted OR = 2.43, 95%CI 1.14 - 4.19), Japanese COPD (adjusted OR = 2.25, 95%CI 1.06 - 4.76) and combined COPD groups (adjusted OR = 2.26, 95%CI 1.34 - 3.99). There was no difference in COX-2 -765G > C polymorphism between COPD and control groups in either Japanese or Chinese, while more Chinese individuals carried the -765C allele than Japanese in both groups (15.3% vs. 2.9% in COPD, 18.8% vs. 5.5% in control). Chinese individuals with the haplotype -765G:-1195A were at higher risk for COPD (adjusted OR = 1.93, 95%CI 1.05 - 3.55).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The COX-2 -1195AA genotype is associated with increased risk for COPD in both Japanese and Chinese individuals. Although COX-2 -765G > C polymorphism was not associated with COPD in either ethnic group, the -765C allele frequency was higher in Chinese than Japanese and haplotype -765G-1195A may confer susceptibility to COPD in Chinese.</p>

Relationship between serum OCT activity and nutrient intake pattern / 日本農村医学会雑誌

Relationship between serum OCT activity and nutrient intake pattern were investigated in 90 young adults. Applying multiple regression and factor analysis, we found the following results:<BR>1) Multiple regression analysis showed that the variables which correlated best with the serum OCT activity were dietary intakes of the energy, fat and vitamin C.<BR>2) In the factor analysis, no significant correlation was found between serum OCT and food intake pattern.