Terrestrial gamma radiation dose rate in Ryukyu Islands, subtropical region of Japan.

In order to explain the distribution of natural radiation level in the Asia, in situ measurements of dose rate in air due to terrestrial gamma radiation have been conducted in a total of 21 islands that belong to Ryukyu Islands (Ryukyu Archipelago), subtropical rejoin of southwest Japan. Car-borne surveys have also been carried out in Okinawa-jima, the biggest island of the archipelago. Based on the results for these measurements, arithmetic mean, the maximum and the minimum of the dose rates at 1 m in height from the unpaved soil ground in the archipelago were estimated to be 47, 165 and 8 nGy h(-1), respectively. A comparative study of car-borne data obtained prior to and subsequent to the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident, as for Okinawa-jima, indicated that the nuclear accident has no impact on the environmental radiation at the present time.

[A case of intrasellar and suprasellar meningioma with hypopituitarism].

A case of intrasellar and suprasellar meningioma with hypopituitarism is reported. A-64-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with chief complaints of reduced consciousness and inactivity. She had a history of subarachnoid hemorrhage 20 years previously, and developed right third nerve palsy. Physical examination demonstrated that, in consciousness, she was stuporous, and she had impaired visual acuity and palsy in the right third nerve. An X-ray film of the sella turcica showed enlargement and intrasellar calcification. A CT scan with contrast enhancement revealed a homogenously enhanced mass in the sella and suprasellar region. A cerebral angiogram showed elevation of the bilateral A1 portion of the anterior cerebral artery. No tumor blush was evident. Endocrinologic function tests confirmed impaired anterior lobe hormones and hypothyroidism. Preoperative diagnosis was pituitary adenoma. The tumor was subtotally removed by using the transsphenoidal approach and right frontotemporal craniotomy was carried out using microsurgery in a two staged operation. The tumor was yellowish-grey, partly firm in consistency, and it had a soft elasticity. Operative findings showed that the dura matter of the tuberculum sella, the anterior and posterior clinoid process, the medial sphenoidal ridge, and the wall of the cavernous sinus were intact, which was confirmed at autopsy, later. Microscopical examination revealed a mixed meningothelial and fibroblastic meningioma with papillary component and psammomatous bodies. The tumor was thought to originate in the diaphragma sella, and to extend in intrasellar and suprasellar directions. The patient died of basilar artery thrombosis. In clinical and radiological examination, there is no definite difference between pituitary adenoma and intrasellar meningioma.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A new method of external cardiac massage to improve diastolic augmentation and prolong survival time.

Experiments were performed on 50 dogs to determine the reason for unsatisfactory survival rates following closed-chest cardiac massage and to help develop new means for increasing survival following acute myocardial infarction and other causes of cardiac arrest. A new technique, named the countermassage method, was subsequently developed. Coronary and carotid flows after use of countermassage following cardiac arrest were increased 1.4 and 2 times, respectively, in contrast to flows obtained during manual closed-chest cardiac massage. These increases brought flows up to normal levels. We also tried to determine whether survival could be extended by this method to facilitate clinical treatment such as defibrillation or placing a temporary pacemaker catheter under fluoroscopic control, which are hard to accomplish during the brief time permitted by conventional closed-chest cardiac massage.