The present study examined both human and horse heart rates (HRs) when humans stroked horses for 90 seconds; the subjective arousal levels of the humans were measured by the Tohoku Activation Deactivation Adjective Check List before and after stroking horses. Six male sublects with a positive attitude toward companion animals and 6 male subjects with a negative attitude were selected by their scores on the Pet Attitude Scale, and these two groups, together with a third group, of 6 subjects who were male members of the Doshisha University horse-riding club, participated in this experiment. The HRs of the human subjects during the first 10 seconds immediately after the stroking began were significantly higher than those obtained after that period, but these higher levels gradually returned to baseline levels. This tendency appears more clearly in the negative attitude group. The HRs of the horses increased during the first 20 seconds immediately after the human subjects of the NA group started stroking them, but gradually reduced as the stroking continued. The results of subjective arousal levels suggest a decrease in tension by stroking horses. These results suggest that a certain affectional interaction may exist between humans and companion animals.

No abstract

Two sibling cases with chronic recurrent hepato-cerebral syndrome which correspond to the nutritional form of hepato-cerebral disease entitled by Shikata et al. and the data of plasma free aminoacids analyses of these cases were reported. The one case is 27 years old male and the other case is 36 years old female. Their parents were cousins. Both cases have had unbalanced diet, especially liked legumes unusually. Their main symptom was recurrent disturbance of conciousness and convulsive seizures. Slight abnormality of liver function test and hyperammonemia were demonstrated. Electroencephalogram showed the pattern of triphasic wave. Coeliac angiography did not revealed a portal-systemic shunt. Hepatic biopsy specimen revealed liver fibrosis with fatty change in the one case and mild fatty change in the other case. Analyses of plasma free aminoacids showed particurally high level of citrulline in both cases. From the results of plasma free aminoacids analyses, it is considered that pathogenesis of these patients is congenital hereditary urea cycle disorders.

We inspected Lang's bio-informational theory and furthered the research. 24 subjects were divided into two groups, a stimulus group (S-group) and a response group (R-group) for scripts with Joy, Anger, and Neutral emotions. In the training session, the S-group was instructed to image the scripts as vividly as possible, while the R-group was instructed to concentrate on physiological and physical responses in addition to what was asked of the S-group. On the test day, subjects imaged two Neutral scripts, two standard emotional scripts, and two personally relevant emotional scripts. Indices were physiological response (blood pressure) and subjects' ratings for imaging. We confirmed that emotional scripts increased physiological responses more than nonemotional scripts did. The results suggested that the differences in the scripts' content affected blood pressure and subjects' ratings of imaging.

No abstract