The Kurume Medical Journal (Kurume Med J) was established in 1954 and is published quarterly by the Kurume University School of Medicine. Manuscripts should be submitted in English. The Journal publishes original works that fall within the broad range of medical science. Manuscripts accepted for publication become the exclusive property of the Journal and may not be published elsewhere. To be considered for rapid publication, Short Communications must not exceed four journal pages, including text, figures, tables, and references. Papers that describe experimental methods may be accepted as Technical Notes.