Is personality a factor for heart disease!

It is already acknowledged that personality has been related with development of heart disease by blocking artery of heart. Then, we look for personality which is harmful for our heart. It is suggested that people with type-A personality are susceptible to grow heart disease. People with type-A personality have more sympathetic outflow from autonomic nervous system, that eventually inducing excessive fat deposition on the cardiac arterial wall, developing blockage of cardiac artery. Sometime, social environment may aggravate behavioral anxiety, initiating aggressive personality in exuding excessive sympathetic flow. 'Self-meditation' such as deep breathing relaxation may be useful in abstaining from personality relating heart disease.

Importance of Brain Scan in Seizure: A Perspective!

The unintentional jerking of body (involuntary) is termed as seizure in medicine. The symptom of seizure has significant importance during clinical evaluation of a patient. For example, one young adult person may have seizure without other abnormality, so whole-brain scan should be additional investigation for clinical interpretation. With this perspective, childhood trauma of brain can not be ruled out as one cause, that can be assessed by brain imaging technique. Usually, CT and MRI are useful imaging techniques. Therefore, nowadays, advanced nuclear medicine technique such as Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging has also significant role in the functional and anatomical assessment among seizure patients with childhood brain trauma.

Benefits of Tomato against cancer!

For last few days, I am thinking to write about the beneficial effects of ‘tomato’, a seasonal fruit. There is a mixed impression on this fruit (tomato) relating with the taste. I myself use to take it as salad. However, the benefit of ingredient of tomato is little known to us, which is called lycopene, a carotenoid pigment usually found in the red and yellow fruits and vegetables. It has been studied that lycopene has anti-oxidant effect, that may prevent abnormal growth of cells in the body. I would like to mention that this lycopene has anti-cancer affect. It is studied that lycopene in the tomato may prevent prostate cancer in the middle decade of life. In addition, it has been postulated that lycopene has also anti-oxidant effect against breast cancer. Why do not we take tomato in our daily recipe? For any inconvenient taste of tomato, it can be taken as ketchup with our daily meal, I suggest.

Non-therapeutic approach: a benefit for psychological health!

Psychological symptom may be pronounced at any stage of life. Advanced technology such as nuclear medicine imaging method (positron emission tomography) has already stated that some neurotransmitters (chemical substances in the brain) have vast role in controlling human psychological status, synchronizing the brain and mind (emotion). Therefore, it is acknowledged that the emotion is mostly influenced by the higher brain function. There is therapeutic option (psychiatric medication) to prevent this psychological disorder in the medical procedure. However, some non-therapeutic approaches may have beneficial effects on higher brain function for modulating psychological symptoms. Body mind training (BMT) such as ‘deep breathing exercise’ is one useful non-therapeutic approach for psychological disorder, I suggest.

Hypertension and Lacunar stroke!

I would like to focus on hypertension-inducing brain stroke. There is always a chance of initiating brain stroke, suffering from malignant hypertension (MHTN). In the chronic stage (MHTN), there might be infarction of deep-brain structures, which is called lacunar stroke. Usually, deep structures of the brain are mostly involved in lacunar stroke, which is caused by the blockage of small arteries of deep brain.
Once this lacunar stroke is developed, it might be symptomless or mild symptoms are pronounced such as mild loss of sensation in the face, limbs or other parts of the body (sensory symptoms). MRI imaging method is useful to find out the lacunar stroke related deep brain lesions among the patients suffering from MHTN. However, it is useful to control chronic hypertension (MHTN) to prevent from lacular stroke.

Symptomless disease!

I desire to write about one devastating pathogenesis of major artery of human – carotid artery stenosis. I use to mention this stenosis carotid artery as carotid artery disease (CAD). The most devastating feature relating with clinical symptom is that this carotid artery stenosis sometime reveals symptomless, which is harmful for developing cerebral ischaemia. If we consider about medical problems that persuading carotid artery stenosis, cardiac disease (CD) or hypertension (HTN) are mentioned. Therefore, in regular medical check up of CD or HTN, it is wise to arrange one bed side examination of carotid arteries using US imaging method (ultrasound imaging).

Predictor of peripheral arterial disease and peripheral neuropathy!

A thorough clinical examination will pursue correct clinical diagnosis. With this perspective, I would mention two diseases - peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and peripheral neuropathy (PN). Peripheral arterial disease is caused due to peripheral arterial occlusion. The most common precipitating factor is atherosclerosis deriving from diabetes, hyperlipidaemia etc. In addition, Peripheral neuropathy is casued by infection related diseases (e.g., viral). Sometime it is a critical issue to assertain the specific physical symptoms of these two diseases - PAD and PN. Assessment of peripheral pulse should be a useful predictor for differentiate PAD and PN diseases.

Self-assessment can be fruitful!

Self-assessment can be a useful procedure in preventing some medical problems. For example, selft-assessment of any surface organ can detect any lump or sweling. We do not have to take these lump or swelling simple sometime. It is always a tendency to omit such lesions. Therefore, it is obligatory to assess the overall characteristics of those lesions in any surface organ of the body - size, shape, consistency are important to assess. For any abnormal score from self-assessment, it is wise to visit doctor for further medical procedures. Usuallay, beyond the 4th decade of life is delicate to grow any medical problem. So, self-assessment should be useful and fruitful, that I suggest.

Gingivitis (periodontal disease) can be fatal!

Gingivitis, a periodontal disease can be fatal in the course of pathogenesis. Sometime, we omit this gingivitis and we take it as a minor medical problem. First, I would like to reveal - what is gingivitis? The gingivitis is the infection of gum of tooth, caused by bacteria in general. When infection spreads upto 3mm or more than 3mm depth of gum, gingivitis is commenced. Now, the worst complications of this disease are heart disease or stroke. Recently, clinical study suggested that blood glucose concentration was increased in the patient, suffered from gingivitis, which is referred to gingivitis related diabetes. Therefore, precaution is to be taken to prevent from gingivitis inducing major medical problems such as heart disease or stroke. 'Dental hygene' is suggested.

Urinary urgency should not be neglected!

A mild medical symptom can be fatal and life-threatening. It is neglected as well. With this view point, I would mention 'urinary urgency' of male individual. It is postulated that some male subjects suggests urinary urgency (intermittent void) at night. Sometime, this persuades wake up at mid-night. This symptom sometime is avoided by someone, who suffers from it. He feels it as normal physiological process; however, this may be fatal and/or life threatening. This should be taken into medical symptom among middle-aged males. Medical check up is suggested for evaluate any abnormal genito-urinary function. Medical assessment of prostate is an appropriate choice with imaging evaluation and PSA assay, to arrange a 'timely medical management'.

Snoring can be a fatal medical problem!

Snoring is a physiological disorder that we often omit. It is always taken as less important physical problem; however, recently, it is studied that this snoring can be fatal medical problem. It is studied that elderly individual suffering from snoring may have absent respiration (apnea) for few
seconds during sleep. Then, intermittent snoring would aggravate cardiac related symptoms. Obesity is a significant cause of snoring among different age group. In another, elderly people suffer from snoring due to aging process. Therefore, physiological rehabilitation would be an important
non-therapeutic management of snoring for different age group individual as to prevent from it. Deep voice training is suggested, revealing useful physiological rehabilitation.

Benefit of dark chocolate!

Chocolate is a delicious food that my daughter always presses me to buy for her. However, this chocolate has greater beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. It is suggested that one bit of dark chocolate per week may reduce the risk of heart disease (risk of heart failure) [source: Journal of Circulation]. The mechanism is not clear enough; however, it is investigated that flavonoid ingedient in the cocoa acts on blood vessel and reduces the blood pressure. Therefore, it is wise to maintain a normal blood pressure as to prevent from heart diseases.

Brain hemodynamic imbalance and antihypertensive drug!

Drugs have therapeutic effects and as well they also have side effects. However, most of the drugs do not show their adverse effects strongly. It is observed that some important drugs sued
in the major clinical disorder, have sometime major side effects. For this purpose, I would mention, one important anti-hypertensive drug (nifedipine) has adverse effect on global cerebral (brain) blood flow. One case study using nuclear medicine technique (SPECT scan) revealed that administartion of anti-hypertensive drug, nifedipine among hypertensive patients initiated inhomogenous global cerebral blood flow; however, cogntive impairment was not suggestive. It is suggested to pursue a close observation of hypertensive patients during antihypertensive drug administration.

Significance of physical therapy in low back pain!

It is always a common problem from eraly middle age - low back pain. This low back pain usually is commenced at early morning. It is presuamably assumed that early morning back pain is related with temperature and/or hormonal balance. Physicians usually suggest normal pelvic X-ray, however, MRI scanning is useful in evaluating any disk prolapse. Spinal stenosis should be important cause of this low back pain - persuaded by degeneration or trauma. In this case, I always prefer proper clinical history, that would be important for appropriate investigation and management. Usually, symptomatic treatment with vitamin supplements are suggested (vitamin D or Vitamin B1). Rehabilitation is an important non-therapeutic management in low back pain - aerobic training (ergometer bicycle pedal) in flexed position (40 to 50 min for 4 to 5 days) are suggested by considering patients' condition.

How to preserve normal I.Q.!

Always I have a tendency to be clever, though I am not at all. From my childhood, I was always poor in I.Q. (Intelligence quotient); however, nowadays I try to elucidate to retain it in natural phenomenon. Our brain has complex network of neurons (brain cell) those are responsible for keeping a smart I.Q. Usually normal I.Q. should be 100 for a human. However, mentally retarded people (congenital neurodegeneration) have sometime less than 25 of I.Q., those who need full time care by family and/or by nursing home. For a normal human, after the middle age (after 40 y.o.), some natural degeneration of neurons are commenced that initiating some aberrant neuronal networking in the brain refer to decrease in I.Q. Now, it is to evaluate to retain the I.Q. after the middle age – the physical exercise, cognitive training, balanced nutrition etc. are useful natural approaches.

Drinking green tea can reduce the risk of blood and lymphatic system cancer.

Japan is a land of green tea. People frequently drink green tea at home and restaurant. There is also tea ceremony – that revealing the serving of green tea in well-manner. I had a chance to participate in the green tea ceremony, that was wonderful. However, this green tea has splendid activity in human’s physiological system, especially in the hematological system. There are several researches since last decades to find out the beneficial effects of green tea in the human physique. Recently, Japanese researchers at Tohoku University (my host University) found that regular drinking of green tea would prevent blood and lymphatic cancer. They found that regular 5 cups of drinking green tea are beneficial in preventing blood and lymphatic system cancer. Some antioxidant ingredients in the green tea may curb the risk of blood and lymphatic system cancer; however, the clear mechanism is yet to be evaluated. Why do we not take green tea regularly?

Facts of heat stroke!

Nowadays, world temperature is getting higher due to climate change. It is suggested, this year, the average temperature of summer is higher than previous years, that is susceptible to heat stroke and eventually fatality. Normal human body temperature is 37 degree centigrade. Hence, the increase in body temperature due to physiological cause such as high environmental temperature, inferring ‘heat stroke’. Usually, it is said that when core body temperature exceeds 40 degree centigrade, heat stroke is commenced. Usually, the elderly people ( > 65 y.o.) are sufferer, study suggests. However, younger people are not out of risk of heat stroke – that might be caused by summer-hiking in the hot and humid environment. The critical pathological phenomenon is multiple organ damage due to cardiovascular failure in the chronic stage of heat stroke. The vital organs those might be affected are liver and kidney and as well as muscle. It is suggested to take adequate fluid (water) and cooling of body with wet towel in the hot and humid environment. Hence, subjects suffering from heat stroke should be transferred to the critical care unit for emergency management.

Importance of chest x-ray in chagas disease!

A normal chest x-ray may give answer of certain infectious disease – chagas disease, when patient suffers from cardiac problem. Chagas disease is an infectious disease caused by parasite invasion after biting bugs. The specific parasite is responsible for this disease is Tryponosoma Cruzi (T. Cruzi). Sometime it is known as zoonotic disease transmitted to humans from dogs and/or cats or other wild animals. WHO already announced the chagas disease – pandemic around the world. The most prominent clinical features are fever, swelling of glands (lymph) and spleen, eventually cardiac symptoms are noticed. Therefore, chest x-ray is suggested to detect specific cardiac abnormality – calcification is noticed.

Significance of high resolution ultrasound technique!

The bed-side investigation procedure is always a quick management option for physicians’ clinical endeavors. Physicians should have disciplined; however, quick management plan during bed-side patient management is obligatory. Therefore, high resolution ultrasound can be a good imaging device. For example, subject suffering from palpitation, weight loss should be a choice of thyroid scanning using high resolution ‘ultrasonograph technique’. There are some characteristics in thyroid swelling – would signify benign from malignant and/or viceversa. This would infer further management plan, that demonstrating, the high resolution ultrasound imaging device renders useful and noninvasive for physicians. It is suggested to use linear imaging mode with 7.5 MHz ~ frequency during ‘thyroid imaging’.

Role of imaging modality in persistent high blood pressure!

I feel to write one important role of imaging modality (radiological technique) when patient suffers from persistent high blood pressure. Sometime patient suffers from persistent high
blood pressure even systemic investigations are normal. It is also noticed normal hormone
level - which is responsible for high blood pressure. In this perspective, imaging method (radiological technique) might be useful option for medical investigation - chest scan of CT
should be suggested. Sometime, it is shown that persistent high blood pressure is caused by abnormal growth of lung tissue (malignant) and it's hormone; however, the charactersitic of
cancer is yet to be studied.

Motion sickness can be fatal!

Motion sickness can be fatal - it is important to pursue close medical observation. Sometime, subject complaints of motion sickness at erect posture, considering orthostatic hypotension.
However, this symptom with rise in body temperature should be observed very closely.
For young individual, who suffers from above mentioned medical symptoms, sould be considered as cardiovascular disease. It is always important to arrange bed-side medical examination in the first visit to the clinic. For this evaluation, the delay between arterial pulsations (i.e. radial) is an important physical examination. In addition, ultrasound examination (with higher MHz) of major vessels (i.e. carotid artery) is another significant imaging investigation to promote early diagnosis and to prevent from further fatality.

Preventive measure of abnormal cell growth!

Still it is yet to be understood abnormal cell growth in the body - persuading cancer. There are already many predisposing factors for developing abnormal cell growth especially in the vital organs (i.e. lung, liver, stomach, bladder, prostate, ovary, cervix, uterus, brain etc.). For example, one virus (papilloma) is mostly responsible for cervical cancer among women.
However, the mechanism of abnormal cell growth in certain organ is not clear enough. Recent studies suggest that genetic mutation inside the nucleus of cell is responsible for abnormal cell proliferation. Now, it is to be studied - the preventive measure of abnormal cell growth. As it is already known to people the predisposing factors to grow cancer; however, some preventive measures consisting food habit, physiological etc. are to be taken into considerations - antioxidant diet, fish are well food habit. Aerobic training has enormous benefit as well. Till, there are unknown preventive measures from developing abnormal cell growth (cancer); however, the important is to keep the cells of any organ in the body cool and relaxed.

The benefits of physical exercise on psychophysiology!

I always try to evaluate the intensity of physical exercise on health – the slow jogging or moderate physical exercise. The slow jogging is always done under aerobic condition which is beneficial in physiological or psychological viewpoints. The regular aerobic jogging also keeps the blood glucose level in normal condition. Previous reports argued that slow jogging would bring mental well-being as well. However, it is also necessary to keep the fatty acid level (LDL, low density lipoprotein) in normal condition, that may not be always sufficient with slow jogging when I consider the food-habit. So, in this perspective, moderate exercise is also necessary to sustain normal blood fatty acid level (LDL) as to refrain from cardiac disease (coronary artery disease; CAD). It is acknowledged that 1 hour moderate exercise can reduce blood fatty acid level up to 4 mg; however, it is also important to maintain a normal heart function during moderate exercise.

Vitamin B12 AND Helicobacter pylori!

It is always important to find the precise predisposing factor of any neurological symptom, though it is a 'difficult task' sometime for a clinician. Sometime, complex neurological clinical
history has been argued by the patients - those are combination of neuropsychological related.
In this case, proper neurological examination is obligatory to establish provisional diagnosis.
If the provisional diagnosis is vitamin B-12 deficiency induced neurological disorder, then it's
malabsorbtion can be suggested. Usually, those who suffer from helicobacter pylori induced
gastritis are prone to vitamin B12 deficiency related neurological disorder.

Diabetes and AD pathology: the role of imaging technique!

It is always a controversial issue that if there is any relation with diabetes and Alzheimer disease (AD) pathology. Some studies found that diabetes is a cause of cerebral infarction, but not with AD pathology. However, the diabetic people who suffer from cerebral infarction, they might develop low cognitive function eventually, categorized into dementia like diseases. Then, diabetes might be an indirect predisposing factor to grow dementia-like disease such as AD in the elderly population. In this perspective, the elderly people those who suffer from diabetes with dementia like symptoms, should be advised to take imaging scan for evaluation of brain function. There are some imaging techniques for this evaluation – until now, MRI scanning method is useful. Among nuclear medicine techniques, SPECT scanning method has also been useful. Specific radiotracer is still on the way of development for PET scanning method; however, 18FDG-PET has been used commercially worldwide. 18FDG-PET scanning method can be useful to evaluate AD pathology in the brain – both functional and anatomical.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage – a silent killer!

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SA) is a devastating clinical phenomenon mostly commenced at the middle age (30 to 40 year). It is acknowledged that cerebral artery aneurism (dilated vessel) is a fatal procedure on this issue to initiate bleeding inside the brain from ruptured artery. Until now, the cause is unknown – demonstrating that high blood pressure, diabetes are responsible for this disease procedure; however, some studies suggest that SA is not related with these diseases. Genetic disorder can be mentioned on this issue. Closed head injury is also another precipitating cause of cerebral artery aneurism. The worst is this, the dilatation of artery has no clinical feature that after vessel-rupture, the patient feels mild headache. Now, it is obligatory to abstain from this disease procedure – imaging screening should be an ideal method. In another, from the middle decade of life, regular monitoring of blood pressure relating with imaging scanning method might be suggested, when any predisposing symptom is noticed. CT scan of head is one option.

The art of loss!

I put the title – ‘The art of loss’ to evaluate pathogenesis and investigation of central nervous system diseases. Recently one international symposium organized by Tohoku University (my host university) of Japan elucidated the imaging diagnostic procedure of central nervous system disease (neurodegeneration) with the title mentioned above. It is acknowledged that nerve cell (neuron) degeneration of central nervous system (brain) is started usually from the middle age (at the age 50 y). Dementia (memory loss) is the devastating symptom of neurodegenration. There are some investigation procedures when symptoms are pronounced – CSF assessment (spinal fluid) and imaging (MRI scan) are useful for this evaluation. Recently PET imaging (positron emission tomography) – a nuclear medicine technique has been applied to evaluate nerve cell degeneration (neurodegeneration). Thanks to this nuclear medicine imaging method. In future, this method (PET scan) might have clinical application in evaluating in dementia like (memory loss) diseases.

Imaging perspective of intestinal function!

‘Bowel dysfunction’ is a common problem relating with abnormal intestinal motility especially among female subjects – leading to gastrointestinal disorder. This bowel dysfunction consists of abnormal bowel symptoms – constipation and/or loose stool. It is argued that stress is a predisposing factor to initiate this ‘bowel dysfunction’ – might be associated with imbalance between sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system function (autonomic nervous system). It is also suggested that improper ‘life-style’ such as abnormal food habit should also be a delicate factor. However, assessment of intestinal function (physiology and anatomy) can be a good predictor to set up appropriate medical management on abnormal ‘bowel dysfunction’. Radiological approach such as barium-swallow X-ray and/or ultrasound examination are important investigation procedures on this issue.

Herb and drug interaction!

Nowadays, the herbal medicine is becoming popular. It is acknowledged that some herbs can reduce cardiovascular symptoms-such as ginger and/or garlic have potential importance to health benefits. It is argued that these herbs (ginger and garlic) may have vital role in reducing high blood pressure and/or hypertriglyceraedemia. When the individual suffers from cardiovascular disorder, take cardiovascular drugs according to prescription. Recently some studies suggest that herbs (garlic or ginger) have adverse reactions, when they are administered with cardiovascular drugs-may induce the blood thinner than usual. Bleeding disorder is a critical phenomenon in this issue. So, it is suggested to omit the herb (ginger or garlic) combined with cardiovascular drug, to prevent from further adverse reactions.

Breast cancer and perspective!

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women. There are certain factors such as hormonal, environmental those initiate in developing breast cancer. Arsenic is one of the important causes of major types of breast cancer in case of environmental issue. Recently, it is reported that alcohol consumption is linked with developing breast cancer among women. Though mechanism is not clear enough, however, it is involved with genetic mutation. One cancer epidemiological survey suggested that more than one million women around the world are diagnosed with breast cancer every year and out of them 410,000 lost their lives. Now, regarding investigation procedure, ‘mammography’ is the valuable and useful diagnostic method of breast cancer mass detection. Until now, this ‘mammographic examination’ is established as only ‘screening procedure’ of breast cancer. There would be new nuclear medicine technique for future trend. Clinical examination is also mandatory in this regard. It is shown that breast cancer mass is mostly diagnosed in the later stage of malignancy. So, this is also suggested to perform ‘self examination’ to prevent fatality. Self examination and yearly screening are necessary steps.