Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
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The old Japanese army developed several chemical warfare agents on Ohkuno Island in Seto inland sea, Hiroshima Japan, during the period between 1919 and 1944. These chemical agents including yperite (mustard; irritating agent), lewisite (irritating agent), diphenylchloroarsine (DA; vomiting agent), diphenylcyanoarsine (DC; vomiting agent) and other poisonous gases were manufactured to be used in China. After World War II, the old Japanese army abandoned or dumped these agents into seas inside or outside of Japan and interior of China. ⋯ There are still many abandoned or dumped warfare agents in Japan and China, therefore chemical agents containing arsenic are needed to be treated with alkaline for decomposition or to decompose with oxidizing agent. Presently, a large quantity of chemical agents and the contaminated soil are processed by combustion, and industrial waste is treated with sulfur compounds as the insoluble sulfur arsenic complex. This report describes the methods for the disposal of these organic arsenic agents that have been implemented until present and examines the future prospects.
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To evaluate the cardio pulmonary resuscitation(CPR)/automated external defibrillator(AED)operation class and disability (wheelchair, inconvenience, and eye mask) experiences class provided as part of the 2007 early exposure program at Gifu Pharmaceutical University, a questionnaire survey was conducted among students who had participated in this program. Many students had already participated in a previous CPR class (79%) and/or disability experiences class (55%), and some students had even experienced a real-life situation requiring these techniques (9% and 14%, respectively). Those with previous training experience performed more effectively in this year's early exposure program than those without such an experience. ⋯ Furthermore, many students commented that their experience in this year's program increased their motivation for future training and confidence to cope with a real-life situation in the future. These findings demonstrated the effectiveness of repeated training in mastering the CPR/AED and welfare-related techniques, and the usefulness of incorporating such training into the early exposure program. To provide regularly a meaningful early exposure program, the concept of a "model core curriculum" led by learners as well as the age-mixing method with senior students supporting instruction of their juniors should be introduced.
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To evaluate the antiemetic effects of 5-HT(3) receptor antagonists, we investigated the relationship between condition of food intake and occurrence of nausea and vomiting. We collected data such as sex, age, disease, combination of steroids and central antiemetic agents, eating condition, and vomiting condition from medical records in 33 hematologic cancer patients receiving chemotherapy; combination with 5-HT(3) receptor antagonists. The conditions of food intake and nausea/vomiting were checked at 4 mealtime points (lunch, supper, breakfast, and next lunch) after chemotherapy, and were recorded as 1, 3, or 5 as each condition score. ⋯ At eating points in which combination therapy with steroids and central antiemetic agents was not given, antiemetic effects of granisetron, azasetron and ramosetron were compared and revealed that azasetron was the most effective antiemetic agent. This result is in agreement with our previous study predicting antiemetic effects of 5-HT(3) receptor antagonists based on the receptor occupancy theory. This study suggests that eithes receptor occupancy or eating score is a useful indicator for assessment of the efficacy of 5-HT(3) receptor antagonists.
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Comparative Study
Assessment of palliative care team activities--survey of medications prescribed immediately before and at the beginning of opioid usage.
We established the Terminal Care Study Group, consisting of physicians, pharmacists, and nurses, in September 2001, and developed the group into the Palliative Care Team. We have surveyed the state of concomitant medications immediately before and at the beginning of opioid usage (except injections) to assess the role of the Palliative Care Team. ⋯ Many of the drugs used were those that were recommended in our cancer pain management program. Thus, the activities of the Palliative Care Team are considered to have led to proper measures for the control of the major adverse effects of opioids such as constipation and nausea/vomiting in addition to pain control in accordance with the WHO's pain ladder, and also contributed to improvements of the patients' QOL.
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Spinosin is the major effective single constituent in the traditional Chinese herb Semen Ziziphi Spinosae, which is used for sedation and hypnosis. For the further use of spinosin in treating insomnia, the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of spinosin after intravenous administration to rats was investigated. An HPLC method with an ODS column (250 mm x 4.6 mm, i.d.) and a mobile phase of acetonitrile-water-acetic acid (23:77:1) was used for the determination of spinosin in the plasma and tissues of rats. ⋯ The lowest level of spinosin appeared in the testis, followed by the brain. Spinosin was not detected in smooth and skeletal muscle. After intravenous administration, the drug was distributed extensively and transferred quickly in rats in vivo.