[Practice of Disaster Medicine and Clinical Laboratory Tests].

In recent years, Japan has been hit by natural disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, torrential rains, and heavy snow every year without exception. When such disasters occur, human lives are put at risk. These emergency situations are an unrivaled sphere of activity for physicians, nurses, and emergency life-saving technicians, and the need for these workers becomes the focus of society; however, for advanced rescue in the acute phase of disasters and to prevent disease onset in the chronic phase, clinical laboratory tests are expected to play a major role in developing more accurate diagnoses and promoting prompt medical care. In this paper, I examine whether clinical laboratory tests are beneficial for practicing disaster medicine.

[Certifying Examination System in College of Laboratory Medicine of Japan].

The three types of certifying examinations provided by the College of Laboratory Medicine of Japan are introduced. They are the Technologist in Laboratory, Specialist in Laboratory, and Technologist in Emer- gency Laboratory. Both the Technologist in Laboratory and Specialist in Laboratory examinations focus on eight areas: microbiology, pathology, chemistry, hematology, immunology, cardiology, neurology, and respi- rology. The Technologist in Laboratory examination started in 1954, and, as of today, it has been passed by 34,646 people. The Specialist in Laboratory examination started in 1956, and due to its level of difficulty, it has been passed by only 232 people. Meanwhile, the Technologist in Emergency Laboratory examination start- ed in 1992, and it has been passed by 5,047 people. These certificates prove that their holders have acquired a certain level of knowledge and technical aptitude, and that they represent the caliber of personnel necessary for clinical laboratories to obtain facility authentication from organizations such as the International Organiza- tion for Standardization (ISO) and the College of American Pathologists (CAP). Therefore, the significance and value of acquiring these qualifications are marked. [Review].

[Required education for medical technologists of the next generation--chairmen's introductory remarks].

This symposium is named "Required education for medical technologists of the next generation", and is held under the joint sponsorship of the Japanese Association of Medical Technology Education. We received lectures by two speakers from the clinical field and two speakers from a medical technology educational institution. From the perspective of the medical technology education institution, we were introduced to education that is actually being provided. From the clinical perspective, we were given lectures that concretely discussed the necessary role of medical technologists in clinical practice. All of the lectures were very interesting and helpful.

[Certifying examination which college of laboratory medicine of Japan is sponsoring].

Becoming a Medical Technologist capable of contributing to the clinical field requires an ability to keep up with rapid advances in the field of medicine, as well as the diligence to constantly keep abreast of new discoveries and technologies. To this end, one should forge a social identity as a Medical Technologist, thereby bringing more esteem to the profession. Moreover, applying knowledge of medical laboratory work to not only medicine but also other fields is linked with maintaining and improving public health, which is an important objective for the Medical Technologist. In society, the various certifications held by such Medical Technologists are acquired as part of a lifelong learning process and not only lead to individual advancement but also, presumably, business expansion through the application of prodigious knowledge and skills.

[Education of medical technology and graduate school in Japan].

Now the education of medical technologists has reached the fourth turning point. The first turning point was the start of the two year education in 1958 and the second was the start of the three year education of medical Technologists in 1971 and the third was the start of the full-fledged university education in 2004 and, this time, the fourth turning point is the start of graduate school education of medical technology. From this situation, for education of graduate school, mind education that polishes personality practically is may be demanded, Therefore, human resource development with not only knowledge and technique as medical technologists but also with humanly nurtured sentiment is expected in the future.

Isolation of stable (alphabeta)4-Tetraprotomer from Na+/K+-ATPase solubilized in the presence of short-chain fatty acids.

Previously, it was demonstrated that acetate anions increase the higher oligomer (H), consuming (alphabeta) 2-diprotomer (D) and alphabeta-protomer (P) of solubilized dog kidney Na (+)/K (+)-ATPase [ Kobayashi, T. et al. (2007) J. Biochem. 142, 157-173 ]. Presently, short-chain fatty acids, such as propionate (Prop) and butyrate, have been substituted effectively for acetate. The molecular weight of 6.01 x 10 (5) for H and quantitative Na (+)/K (+)-dependent interconversion among H, D, and P showed that H was an (alphabeta) 4-tetraprotomer (T). T was optimally isolated from the enzyme solubilized in aqueous 40 mM K (+)Prop at pH 5.6 by gel chromatography performed at 0 degrees C with elution buffer containing synthetic dioleoyl phosphatidylserine (PS). K 0.5 values of K (+)-congeners constituting K (+)Prop for the maximal amount of T were NH 4 (+) >> Rb (+) congruent with K (+) > Tl (+), while Na (+) had no effect. The oligomers of T, D, and P were simultaneously assayed for ATPase upon elution from the gel column, resulting in a specific activity ratio of 1:2:2. The activity of the chromatographically isolated T increased with an increasing dioleoyl PS, giving a saturated activity of 2.38 units/mg at pH 5.6 and 25 degrees C, and the active enzyme chromatography of T showed 34% dissociation into D by exposing it at 25 degrees C. On the basis of these data, the specific ATPase activities of T, D, and P were concluded to be 32, 65, and 65 units/mg, respectively, under the conventionally optimal conditions of pH 7.3 and 37 degrees C, suggesting an equivalence to a fully active enzyme for D and P but half activity for T. The physiological significance of the stable form of T remains to be investigated.

Na+- and K+-dependent oligomeric interconversion among alphabeta-protomers, diprotomers and higher oligomers in solubilized Na+/K+-ATPase.

Protein fractions of a higher-oligomer (H), (alphabeta)(2)-diprotomer (D) and alphabeta-protomer (P) were separated from dog kidney Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase solubilized in the presence of NaCl and KCl. Na(+)/K(+)-dependent interconversion of the oligomers was analysed using HPLC at 0 degrees C. With increasing KCl concentrations, the content or amount of D increased from 27.6 to 54.3% of total protein, i.e. DeltaC(max) = 26.7%. DeltaC(max) for the sum of D and H was equivalent to the absolute value of DeltaC(max) for P, regardless of the anion present, indicating that K(+) induced the conversion of P into D and/or H, and Na(+) had the opposite effect. When enzymes that had been denatured to varying degrees by aging were solubilized, DeltaC(max) increased linearly with the remaining ATPase activity. The magnitude of the interconversion could be explained based on an equilibrium of D <==> 2P, assuming 50-fold difference in the K(d) between KCl and NaCl, and coexistence of unconvertible oligomers, which comprised as much as 39% of the eluted protein. Oligomeric interconversion, determined as a function of the KCl or NaCl concentration, showed K(0.5)s of 64.8 microM and 6.50 mM for KCl and NaCl, respectively, implying that oligomeric interconversion was coupled with Na(+)/K(+)-binding to their active transport sites.

Kinetic analysis of bile acids in the feces of colorectal cancer patients by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

PURPOSE: We used gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and reviewed dynamics of bile acids every colorectal cancer occupation part as contrast with a healthy adults after enforcement by all at once analysis of bile acids in feces of a healthy adults and the colorectal cancer patients so that we clarified the details of a possibility of colorectal cancer outbreak participation of allo type bile acids. SUBJECTS: The fecal bile acid measurements were made in a colorectal cancer group consisting of 89 patients and a control group consisting of 103 healthy adults. METHODS: All at once analyzed bile acid in feces of a control group and colorectal cancer group by GC-MS. Student's t-test was used to test for significant differences. RESULTS: As for allo cholic acid (allo CA), allo deoxycholic acid (allo DCA), allo lithocholic acid (allo LCA) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) which was 4 ingredients of 12 bile acid ingredients out of feces of colorectal cancer group, it showed a significant high level tendency in colorectal cancer group. The following ingredient showed a tendency to significant high level in every colorectal cancer occupation part. Ascending colon: allo DCA and allo LCA. Transverse colon: allo LCA. Descending colon: UDCA. Sigmoid colon: allo DCA and allo LCA. Rectum: allo CA, allo DCA, allo LCA and UDCA. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that the allo type secondary bile acids (allo DCA and allo LCA) are factors that are more strongly involved in colorectal carcinogenesis than DCA or LCA. It was particularly noteworthy that there was a tendency for the allo LCA values to be higher in both sexes (p<0.001-p< 0.005). The results suggested that allo LCA may be a factor involved in colorectal cancer at all sites, except cecum and descending colon. The results suggested that at high values UDCA may be a bodily defense reaction factor that is involved in suppression of carcinogenesis rather than a factor involved in carcinogenesis.

[Study of quantification of oxidative stresses caused by lifestyle habits].

It is now clear that oxidative stresses caused by reactive oxygen species, free radicals originating in them, and lipid peroxides can be factors to cause over 90% of lifestyle-related diseases including cancer, heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. In the present study, health conditions, nutrition intake, bodily activities, smoking/non-smoking, and sleep hours among other factors were surveyed with youths around twenty years old of age as subjects, and those results and the results of measurement of speed for the generation of 8-OHdG (8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine) as oxidative stress biomarker were compared for consideration. As a result, there were correlations detected as to exercise habits, cholesterol values, and smoking habits. It was also clarified that oxidative stresses decrease by continuing taking constant aerobic exercises or by quitting smoking or reducing the numbers of cigarettes to smoke. Thereby, it was suggested that the measurement of speed for the generation of 8-OHdG can provide an indicator that is useful as an integrated evaluation to improve lifestyle habits that are to be understood to induce lifestyle-related diseases.

[Education in medical technology].

This year the education of Medical Technologists has reached the third turning point. The first turning point was the start of the two-year education of health laboratory technicians in 1958 and the second turning point was the start of the three-year education of Medical Technologists in 1971 and, this time, the third turning point is the start of the full-fledged university education. All 20 national education facilities for Medical Technologists and 2 public junior colleges have started the university education from this year. Adding the existing universities, about a half of education facilities for Medical Technologists are universities. From this situation, human resource development with not only knowledge and technique as medical technologists but also with humanly nurtured sentiment is expected in the future. In such situation, I'd like to discuss the progress of education of Medical technologists for 53 years, the current educational situation, and the future education of Medical technologists including the direction of desirable course for the three-year educational facilities.

[Futue direction of three-year educational establishments for students of medical technology].

The medical laboratory technologist education currently offered at four state run junior colleges will be upgraded to higher education as all those junior colleges become universities in 2004. It has already been decided that several private junior colleges and vocational schools are to be upgraded to universities as well. Furthermore, the course will not only be offered in undergraduate universities, but also on a postgraduate level, increasing the number of medical laboratory technologists with a master's degree or a doctorate. This reform is perhaps due to a demand for medical laboratory technologists of higher quality because of such social conditions as a highly-sophisticated information society, advancement in healthcare and medicine, and transition from volume to quality. It is also a measure for securing further capacity by seeking adequate human resources because of the declining population in the 18-year-old bracket, due to the declining birth rate. In such a condition, the direction three-year educational establishments must take is to nurture human resources with qualities that compare favorably with university graduates. As ways of accomplishing this, we could focus on practical technological education at vocational schools with the educational period set at four years, or recruit and train university graduates with rudimental abilities, as they do at specialist postgraduate schools.