Five-Year Technological Changes of Distant Medical Education in Asia

All physicians would benefit from more comprehensive distance learning. However, the technology is often difficult to use because technological infrastructure is limited in many hospitals in Asia. Since 2003, we have worked to advance international distant medical education implemented through the Internet in Asia. This paper presents an analysis of our activities over the past five years to evaluate the technical transition and its effects on modes of distant medical education. Methods: We analysed distant medical education programmes that we conducted from 2011 to 2015. We used a Digital Video Transport System (DVTS), H.323 and Vidyo, along with commercial and research and education networks (REN) installed in the subject hospitals. Questionnaires were randomly distributed to the audience to evaluate image resolution, image movement, sound quality, and programme content. Results: The number of programmes increased to over 90 per year in 2014–2015. The main system gradually changed from DVTS (58%, 30/52 in 2011) to Vidyo (64%, 67/104 in 2015). The number of new institutions increased to 149 in 2014–2015. Over 92% of the ratings for image resolution and movement were positive. Sound quality was somewhat lower at 83%. Ultimately, 98% of respondents rated the programmes “very good” or “good.” Conclusions: Continuous technical development was observed with increasing numbers of sites for each programme. This resulted in expansion of activity involving non-university hospitals. Practical distant medical education, satisfies physicians’ need for quality and inclusiveness could be expanded to normal hospitals in Asia and beyond

12(S)-hydroxyheptadeca-5Z, 8E, 10E–trienoic acid is a natural ligand for leukotriene B4 receptor 2

Activated blood platelets and macrophages metabolize prostaglandin H2 into thromboxane A2 and 12(S)-hydroxyheptadeca-5Z, 8E, 10E–trienoic acid (12-HHT) in an equimolar ratio through the action of thromboxane synthase. Although it has been shown that 12-HHT is abundant in tissues and bodily fluids, this compound has long been viewed as a by-product lacking any specific function. We show that 12-HHT is a natural ligand for leukotriene B4 (LTB4) receptor-2 (BLT2), a G protein–coupled receptor that was originally identified as a low-affinity receptor for LTB4. BLT2 agonistic activity in lipid fractions from rat small intestine was identified as 12-HHT using high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Exogenously expressed BLT2 in mammalian cells was activated by synthetic 12-HHT, as assessed by guanosine 5′-O-(3-thio) triphosphate binding, the activation of intracellular signaling pathways, and chemotaxis assay. Displacement analysis using [3H]LTB4 showed that 12-HHT binds to BLT2 with a higher affinity than LTB4. Lipid extracts from cyclooxygenase 1–deficient mice failed to activate BLT2. Bone marrow–derived mast cells (BMMCs) isolated from wild-type mice migrated toward a low concentration of 12-HHT, whereas BMMCs from BLT2-deficient mice did not. We conclude that 12-HHT is a natural lipid agonist of BLT2 in vivo and induces chemotaxis of mast cells

Creation of a Coparenting Awareness Scale

departmental bulletin pape