This study was designed to investigate the association between autonomic nervous activities and clinical symptoms of climacteric women with qi disturbance. Power spectral analysis of heart-rate variability (HRV) was performed in 55 climacteric patients with undefined symptoms (age;51.9±2.8). The total power of HRV in patients with hot flushes was significantly higher (529.6±529.9ms²) than that of patients without this symptom (295.4±260.8 ms²) (P<0.05). The sympathetic nerve system (SNS) index in patients with hot flushes and with jitters (2.81±2.93 and 3.16±2.78), was significantly higher than those of patients without them (1.03±0.78 and 0.87±0.72) (P<0.001 and P<0.0001, respectively). The parasympathetic nerve system (PNS) index of patients with hot flushes and patients with jitters (0.38±0.19 and 0.33±0.16) was significantly lower than those of patients without them (0.55±0.17 and 0.58±0.14) (P<0.001 and P<0.0001, respectively). These findings indicate that HRV-based assessment of the autonomic nervous system activity of climacteric women with hot flushes and jitters, which have been known as symptoms of qi counterflow in the Kampo medicine, is associated with an increase in sympathetic nerve system and a decrease in parasympathetic nerve system activity. It has been suggested that autonomic nervous activities be included in the part of pathological condition of qi in the Kampo medicine, and that evaluation of qi be used as one diagnostic tool in the practical Kampo medicine, or fusion of western and oriental medicine.

A 42-year-old female suffered annulo-aortic ectasia (AAE) and mitral regurgitation associated with Marfan's syndrome was successfully treated by a modified Bentall procedure combined with mitral valve replacement (MVR) under continuous warm blood cardioplegia (CWBC). With the patient under total cardiopulmonary bypass and myocardial protection with CWBC, MVR with 27 mm mechanical valve was first done, followed by the total replacement of the aortic root with a composite graft made of vascular graft and an aortic mechanical valve. Anastomosis of the composite graft to the aortic valve annulus was made to guarantee a watertight closure using numerous interrupted mattress sutures and three pieces of Teflon felt strips to the annulus. Both coronary arteries were reconstructed by means of the “Interposition Graft Method” which interposes two short grafts between the composite graft and both coronary ostia. In spite of long time aortic cross clamp (235 min), cardiac function was recovered excellenthy and a peak CK-MB value was very low (23 IU/L) in the early postoperative period. Thus, CWBC provided a satisfactory myocardial protective effect. It was suggested that the modified Bentall procedure combined with MVR using CWBC was an effective therapy for a patient with AAE and mitral regurgitation associated with Marfan's syndrome.

In spite of the fact that the functional mechanism of acupuncture therapy is almost completely unknown its effect is widely accepted. Does acupuncture work as the result of body fluid factors or of nerue factors? There is still no conclusive evidence either way. We measured variations in body temperature (deep body temperature) one area in which it is said fluctuation due to acupuncture therapy can be expected, and studied the acupuncture therapeutic results.
The subjects of the study were healthy adults who had no cervico-scapulo-brachial disorders. The deep body temperature on the right and left 2nd fingers (between DIP and PIP on the back of the hand) was measured using a DCC-1 type apparatus manufactured by Thermo Co Stationary insertion was performed at LI-4-TH-5 on the right hand and electrical current administered for 5 minutes. Before and after electrical stimulation the right and left deep body temperature was measured.

A questionnairing was conducted on those who had graduated from acupuncture schools for last three years. 288 questionnaires, that is, 28.8% of the total were answerd.
As the result, 41% of the graduates are practicing, 27% are working for institutions connected with acupuncture, and 28% are working in hospitals.
Combining present practitioners and those who are to start practice, it seems 76% of the graduates enter practice; most of the graduates aim at setting up practice. Which course to be taken makes the difference in medical charge, the number of patients, and their annual income.

In a previous paper, we reported the efficacy of auricular acupuncture in the treatment of hypertension. In the present study, auricular acupuncture was applied to two groups of patients: those taking hypotensive drugs for a long time and those taking no drugs. The difference in the efficacy of the therapy between the two groups was investigated. The fluctuation of blood pressure, the renin activity and catecholamines concentration in the blood during a three-month period were examined.
Patients, who had essential hypertension without any obvious underlying disease, were classified into three groups according to World Health Organization's criteria as follows:
Group I. (Hypertension) exceeding systolic value of 160mmHg, or exceeding diastolic value of 95mmHg. Group II. (Boundary Zone) neither Group I nor II. Group III. (Normal) below systolic value of 140mmHg or diastolic value of 90mmHg.
A subcutaneous needle was inserted horizontally in the anterior direction at the hypotensive point in the fossa triangularis, and then left there. Once a week, the needle was changed, and the blood pressure was measured. The efficacy was evaluated two weeks later as follows: A case which moved from Group I to III was “remarkable”. A case from Group II to III or from Group I to II was “effective”. An unmoved case was “unchanged”. A case from Group II to I was “aggravated”.
Result: No drug group. The efficacy of the auricular acupuncture was noted in 84% (32%: remakable, 52%: effective) of the nineteen Group I, II patients who were taking no hypotensive drugs. Drug group. The efficacy of the auricular acupuncture was noted in 50% (21%: remarkable, 29%: effective) of the twenty-four Group I, II patients who were taking hypotensive drugs. Druing the three-month period, both systolic and diastolic pressure in all the patients in Group I and II showed a significant decrease.
The serum renin activity showed a tendency to decrease but only within the normal range. The concentration of catecholamines changed also within the normal range, though no consistent tendency was seen.

Introduction
Essential hypertension is one of the leading causes of hypertension; responsible for more than 90% of such cases. Diet cure or drug treatment are usually prescribed for this disease. We drew notice to the antihypertensive effects of acupuncture.
Method
Subjects were healthy persons as well as patients complainig of simple essential hypertension. According to the WHO method, they were divided into three groups, e. g. normal, limitaneus, hypertensive. In situ needles were inserted in the antihypertensive points of both auricular sides for one week.
Effect
This treatment gave immediate results in 70% of the limitaneus and hypertensive groups. There was no observable effect for the balance. A number of these subjects were obese; a factor to be considered.
Evaluation
This method is very uncomplex and takes but minimal amount of time to treat patients.