International Medical Journal

Autonomic nervous dysfunction is a well-recognized symptom in chronic kidney disease (CKD). We have reported that slow breathing exercise (SBE) enhances parasympathetic nervous activity in healthy males. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of SBE in CKD patients. Six male outpatients with severe CKD participated. SBE (six abdominal breaths per minute for each 15-minute session) were performed twice a day for around four weeks. Before and after the SBE trials, electrocardiogram, blood pressure, respiratory rate, skin temperature and skin blood flow were obtained at rest. Autonomic nervous activity was evaluated with power spectral analysis of heart rate variability. High frequency (HF) and low frequency (LF) powers corresponded to the para- sympathetic nervous activity and sympathetic-parasympathetic nervous activity, respectively, and LF/HF ratio corresponded to sympatho-vagal balance. After SBE, respiratory rate and LF/HF ratio decreased, diastolic blood pressure tended to decrease, and HF and skin temperature tended to increase. Sympatho-vagal balance is shifted to sympathetic dominance in CKD patients compared to healthy adults. Our results showed that SBE can shift autonomic balance to parasympathetic nerve dominance even in severe CKD patients. SBE has the potential to improve autonomic nervous imbalance in CKD patients.

Goat-assisted therapy is widely used and recognized for the medical benefits. An experimental study. Tokara, Alpine, Saanen, Shiba and Korean therapy goats (age under 11 year-old) were used. We cooperated with 6 therapy goat farms. We intercrossed Tokara male goat with Tokara, Alpine, Saanen, Shiba and Korean goats. White daughter F1 hybrid backcross with Tokara father goat (white) bore white grandson and black granddaughter BC1 hybrids just 8 months after her birth. Tokara goat kept peculiar characteristics, namely colored coat, horns, supernumerary teats, no wattles. Some Tokara goats are supposing Saanen breed crossing and the genetic variation differed from the native Tokara goats. Nevertheless, just about any breed of goat can be a therapy goat.

The consumption of citric acid, contained in lemon juice, may effectively improve indigestion and maintain an optimal intestinal environment because it promotes gastric acid function. In the present study, we recruited healthy male university students and randomized them into two groups that drank 300 cc of water or lemon water prior to meals for 4 weeks. Stool samples were collected before and after the test period, and the intestinal microbiota was analyzed using next generation sequencing. Bacterial species were identified based on taxonomic classification and binomial nomenclature, and were categorized at the genus level. Bacterial species with a relative abundance rate higher than 0.01% in the water- and lemon water-drinking groups were identified, and changes in the amounts of these bacteria were examined. The results obtained revealed a significant change in the amount of Bilophila, and slight changes in the amounts of Adlercreutzia, Haemophilus, Megamonas, and Roseburia. Therefore, the pre-meal intake of lemon water appeared to promoted peristalsis and digestion, which changed the intestinal microbiota.

To find what freshman medical and nursing students in Japan, think about kissing behavior as practiced in Japan. Freshman students who entered the medical and nursing curriculum (N = 37, with 12 men and 25 women) at a national university in 2015 were asked the question 'Write your impressions and criticism to a published editorial 'Kissing behavior among Japanese' (Internat Med J., 2014; 21 374-375) Obtained results are summarized in two tables. Majority of the students expressed that kissing practices in Europe or America differs from the kissing behavior in Japan. Whereas kissing in public places are more common in Europe or America as a form of greeting, this is hardly seen in Japan because kissing is mainly considered as a gesture/signal of erotic love in Japan. Two female students raised a question and a concern related to kissing as a mode of transmission of AIDS disease. Another male student had humorously asked, "Aren't fellatio or cunnilingus, a kind of kissing?" Among the 37 responses on kissing behavior of Japanese, we highlight two (1) More researchers should research about kissing, not independently but collaboratively; (2) The risk of infections caused by kissing behavior has to be investigated. These suggestions have high relevance now due to the coronavirus disease --- 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown experienced in Japan in 2020 and 2021.

This study aimed to determine the correlation between Cycle Threshold (CT) value with severity of clinical symptoms in Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients at the time of admission. A survey cross sectional study was conducted in two hospitals: Wahidin Sudirohusodo Hospital and Hasanuddin University Hospital in Makassar, Indonesia, involved 270 subjects from May to July 2020. Medical records which met the study criteria were included in this study. CT value data was collected and compared among different clinical symptom severity. The correlation was analysed using SPSS version 25. The statistical tests used were Anova and Chi Square test. A multivariate analysis was conducted using multinomial logistic regression. The mean CT value was significantly lower in severe group and higher in mild group (p < 0.05). We also found a significant correlation between gender, age, comorbidities, and radiological features with the severity of clinical symptom (each p < 0.01) and proceed to the multivariate analysis. The variables which significantly related to severity of clinical symptom were the radiological features of pneumonia (p < 0.001), comorbidities (p < 0.01), and CT value (p < 0.05). The CT value has significant negative correlation with the severity of clinical symptoms in COVID-19 patients at the time of admission. Adjusted by other variables, CT value still has a significant association with severity of COVID 19 symptom.