Reliability of personality and values tests: The effects of "high stakes" selection conditions, and of four years in medical school.

This study investigated if scores on tests of personal qualities are affected by whether they will determine selection decisions ("high stakes") or not; and whether they are stable for individuals and groups across a four-year medical course. Two tests, one assessing values and one assessing components of personality, were administered either at the same time as a medical university entrance exam (first cohort;  = 216), or after entry was confirmed (second cohort;  = 142). Both cohorts took the tests again after four years of medical school.

Trial use of the Personal Qualities Assessment (PQA) in the entrance examination of a Japanese medical university: similarities to the results in western countries.

Background: The Personal Qualities Assessment (PQA), developed by the University of Newcastle, Australia to assess the aptitude of future medical professionals, has been used in Western countries.

Purposes: The objective was to investigate whether the PQA is appropriate for Japanese medical school applicants.

Methods: Two of the PQA tests, Libertarian-Dual-Communitarian moral orientations (Mojac) and Narcissism, Aloofness, Confidence, and Empathy (NACE), were translated into Japanese, and administered at the Tokyo Women's Medical University entrance examinations from 2007 to 2009.

Identification of ventrolateral intramedullary intervertebral disc herniation in a dog.

A 10-year-old male cross-breed dog was brought to Nihon University Animal Hospital with a history of acute onset of paralysis in the pelvic limbs 13 days previously. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an intramedullary linear tract in the spinal cord at the thoracic vertebrae 12-13 region, which appeared hyperintense on T2-weighted images, but was hypointense and isointense on T1-weighted images when compared with normal parenchyma of the spinal cord. A hemilaminectomy was performed and a blob of what appeared to be fibrous tissue was found adhering to the surface of the dura mater.

Magnetic resonance imaging features and clinical signs associated with presumptive and confirmed progressive myelomalacia in dogs: 12 cases (1997-2008).

Objective: To characterize clinical signs and findings from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and CSF analysis for dogs with progressive myelomalacia (PM) diagnosed on the basis of clinical and histologic features.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: 5 dogs with confirmed PM and 7 with presumptive PM evaluated from 1997 through 2008.

MRI of secondary cervical syringomyelia in four cats.

This report describes the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to diagnose cervical syringomyelia in 4 cats. MRI revealed enlargement of the lateral ventricle in all the cats. Of the 4 cases, MRI revealed herniation of the cerebellum in 3 cats, an isolated fourth ventricle in 1 cat, severe hydrocephalus in 2 cats and brain masses in 1 cat.

Symptomatic tongue atrophy due to atypical polymyositis in a Pembroke Welsh Corgi.

A three-year-old, 7.3-kg, female Pembroke Welsh Corgi exhibited symptomatic tongue atrophy, crinkling of the tip of the tongue, dysphagia and excessive salivation. Neurological examination suggested multiple cranial neuropathy, but polymyositis was diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging and muscle biopsy.

Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography findings of vertebral osteosarcoma in a cat.

An 8-year-old female Persian cat with a gait disorder was brought to our hospital. Pelvic limb mobility had gradually reduced over the preceding 3 months, then rapidly deteriorated 2 weeks before consultation. Signs also occurred in the thoracic limbs.

Ocular granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis in a dog: magnetic resonance images and clinical findings.

A 4-year-old female miniature dachshund presented with a history of progressive decrease in vision, neck pain, and ataxia for which an MRI was performed 21 days after the initial consultation. The optic nerves showed isointensities on T1- (T1W) and T2-weighted (T2W) images that were enhanced by the contrast medium. The optic chiasm was swollen.

A canine case of necrotizing meningoencephalitis for long-term observation: clinical and MRI findings.

A 3-year-old female pug presented with general seizure following a partial seizure. During the remaining 48 months till death, the dog showed various neurological signs such as disturbance of consciousness, myoclonus and various types of partial seizure after each occurrence of the seizure clusters, and the dog eventually exhibited inability to stand and dementia. Magnetic resonance imaging findings revealed atrophy of the brain over the course of the disease.

A feline case of isolated fourth ventricle with syringomyelia suspected to be related with feline infectious peritonitis.

A one-year-old female cat was unable to stand. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed, and an enlargement of the lateral, third, and fourth ventricles and syringomyelia were detected. The cat was diagnosed with an isolated fourth ventricle (IFV) with syringomyelia.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor arising from the spinal canal in a cat.

A 10-year-old female mongrel cat with back pain was brought to the Nihon University Animal Medical Center. Palpation demonstrated a mass in the back region. Radiography revealed partial destruction of the processus spinosus and the arch of the T8 and T9 vertebrae.

Traumatic intracerebral hematoma in a dog: MR images and clinical findings.

A nine-year-old, male, mongrel dog was unsteady after falling down a set of stairs. The dog exhibited a mildly abnormal gait 2 days after injury, and was not able to stand, with spasticity of the right limbs, 4 days after injury. MR imaging revealed a clearly demarcated mass on the top of the left lateral ventricle that showed mild hyperintensity on T1-weighted images and hyperintensity on T2-weighted images.

Left atrial volume and the risk of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) is a common complication of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, often leading to acute or progressive heart failure and cerebral infarction. We assessed the echocardiographic data of 141 consecutive patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, with and without PAF. In all, 31 patients (22%) had a history of PAF with spontaneous conversion to in sinus rhythm.

[Validation of a new hand-carried ultrasound device equipped with directional color power Doppler and continuous wave Doppler].

Objectives: This study evaluated the accuracy of the directional color power Doppler (DCPD) and continuous wave Doppler (CWD) methods incorporated in the new hand-carried SonoSite 180PLUS ultrasound device.

Methods: The hand-held ultrasound system with 2.5 MHz transducer and SONOS 5500 was used as a standard ultrasound system with a 2 to 4 MHz wideband transducer.

Single-beat determination of Doppler-derived aortic flow measurement in patients with atrial fibrillation.

The clinical assessment of left ventricular systolic function in patients with atrial fibrillation is unreliable and difficult because of beat-to-beat variation. We initially evaluated an index that is on the basis of the ratio of preceding R-R (RR1) to pre-preceding R-R (RR2) intervals (RR1/RR2) for the measurement of Doppler aortic flow (peak flow velocity [Vp] and time-velocity integral [TVI] proportional to stroke volume) in 20 patients (aged 65 +/- 9.6 years) with atrial fibrillation.

[Assessment of the clinical feasibility of OptiGo for hand-held echocardiography].

Objectives: Hand-held ultrasound devices are becoming available for clinical examination, but the accuracy and precision of such devices are unclear. This study compared the accuracy of a hand-held echo device to a standard echo system.

Methods: Twenty-two patients were examined with the OptiGo (Phillips Medial Systems) hand-held ultrasound system with a 2.

Production of hydroxyl radicals and alpha-dicarbonyl compounds associated with Amadori compound-Cu2+ complex degradation.

The chemical properties of Amadori compounds in the presence of transition metal ions were studied, using the analogs 1-deoxy-1-n-butylamino-D-fructose (DBF) and N(alpha)-formyl-fructoselysine (fFL). The following characteristics were revealed: (a) DBF combined easily with Cu2+ (but no other transition metal ions) to form a DBF-Cu2+ complex in phosphate buffer, pH 7.4; (b) the complex was unstable, and degraded with the release of Cu+ during incubation at 37 degrees C; (c) degradation of the complex was associated with the production of hydroxyl radicals by the Fenton reaction and alpha-dicarbonyl compounds by non-autoxidative degradation; and (d) properties of DBF were similar to those of fFL.

A canine case of gliosis with cyst formation in the posterior fossa.

A 5-month-old male Great Pyrenees with symptoms of convulsions, circling, and a head tilt was referred to the Animal Medical Center of Nihon University. On a magnetic resonance image (MRI), a cyst in the posterior fossa was noted and a part of the cyst enhanced by gadoteridol. Based on MRI and clinical findings, the patient was tentatively diagnosed with a cyst formation tumor, and an operation to open the cyst and remove the part enhanced by contrast was performed.