Effects of moxibustion on the jaw-opening reflex (JOR) were examined in lightly anesthetized rats. The evoked EMGs of digastric muscle elicited by tooth pulp stimulation were clearly suppressed for 2-3min by the moxibustion applied to the hair-removed skin. The suppressive effects of moxibustion on the JOR indicated some regional differences. The most effective region was the contralateral fore-arm, and a slightly less effective regions were the ipsilateral face, ipsilateral fore-arm and contralateral hind-leg. The difference of the effectiveness on JOR suppression between the acupuncture point and non-acupuncture point was not apparent.
These results suggest that the polymodal receptor, which is undoubtly activated by moxibustion, participates in the peripheral process of the induction of analgesic effect.

In the acupuncture clinic the method of selecting treatment points by measuring the electrical resistance of the skin has been widely used. It has become known that depending on the measuring period and the loaded voltage, the low resistance points of the skin are easily created, thus there remain many problems of the methods for measuring the skin resistance.
The present study was performed on the forearm skin of human subjects. For the measuring electrode an Ag-AgCl wire electrode with a diameter of 0.5mm was used. The electrode was fixed up to a FD-pick up (Nihon Kohden) and monitoring the pressure applied to the skin. A metal rod wrapped in a piece of gauze soaked with saline solution was used as the indifferent electrode. The skin resistance was calculated by measuring the current pass the both electrodes with a fixed resistance (10KΩ) Placed in series in the circuit when a square pulse (10msec, 4V) was appqied to the skin.
By used of the spuare pulse the low resistance points of the skin are stably detected when they are measured repeatedly. On the other hand, by of -DC 10 Volt, tce low resistance points gradually increase in number and lowering the resistance value by repeated measurerents. The sweat glands and hair follicle also show the low resistance value.
In conclusion, we could not distinguish the “true” low resistance points from sweat gland and other resistance destroyed points by measuring current clearly. But the square pulse method for measuring the skin resistance is useful to detect the low resistance point.

Patients with aural vertigo on changing their position in bed were selected for an investigation of the effects of acupuncture on aural vertigo. Second, the effects of acupuncture were compared among two points on the inner ear, Jia'che point (ST-6) and Tinggong's (SI-19), using the Fukuda's vestibular function test. By acupuncture treatment on a point used to treat inner ear symptoms, aural vertigo disappeared and scores on Fukuda's vestibular function test improved. Acupuncture treatment of an inner ear point was shown to be effective for the aural vertigo.

Experimental gastric ulcer rat was prepared by submucosal injection of acetic acid (0.1ml) and the number of the low resistance point and the degree of sweating were measured at 3, 7, 14 and 21 days after the operation. The stomach and the auricular skin at the low resistance point were fixed then examined histologically.
The low resistance points detected by the square pulse method were gradually increased with the development of gastric ulcer then decreased to the control level at 21 days after the operation. The degree of sweating of the auricular skin also increased accompanied with visceral disorder. The parallel change of the low resistance point and sweating was slightly diminished by the bilateral section of the superior cervical ganglion. No characteristic histological changes of the skin was observed in the low resistance point as far as we examined.
These results suggest that the increase of the low resistance points accompanied with the gastric ulcer is caused by the neural and humoral activation of the sweating gland.

We describe a case of cardiac surgery for a patient with CD36 deficiency. A 56-year old man had progressive dyspnea on effort for 1 year. On admission, echocardiography revealed severe aortic valve regurgitation. He required medical treatment for heart failure, and subsequently elective aortic valve replacement was planned. Pre-operative cardiac scintigraphy (¹²³I-BMIPP) showed total defect of myocardial uptake. CD 36 deficiency was diagnosed based on the characteristic findings. CD 36 deficiency could cause transfusion related complication by donor blood transfusion. We prepared 1,200 ml autologous blood preoperatively in a two week period. The operation was performed successfully without donor blood transfusion. He was discharged uneventfully.

(Object) We, in collaboration with Wacoal Corp., assessed the effects of human hemoglobin dynamics associated with pressure stimulus applied by half-ovoid protrusions lined on brassiere straps, which were developed with an intended use by females to safely alleviate shoulder stiffness and associated pain in a convenient manner, and compared them to those of conventional flat and round magnets (5 mm in diameter, 800 Gauss).
(Method) Six healthy females volunteered for each of the four experiments. The participants'thoracic circumference or band size was 70 cm (B70) for experiments one and two, and 80 cm (B80) for three and four. For experiments one and three, we obtained the control hemoglobin (Hb) values, by near-infrared spectroscopy, 20 minutes after participants had worn brassieres with the newly developed straps turned inside out;and were compared to the values obtained after the straps were worn with protrusions pressing down on the skin (Protrusion-lined Strap Group, PST). For experiments two and four, the control Hb values were obtained after the participants had worn generic brassiere straps, and were compared to Hb values obtained after the magnet-lined straps were worn (Magnet-lined Strap Group, MSG).
(Result) In the PSG (B70 &B80), both Oxy-Hb and Total-Hb values increased by stimulation with a 5%significant difference;however, no significant increase was observed in the MSG (B70 &B80). There was no significant difference depending on the band size.

(Discussion) In the present study, the post-stimulation increase of Hb values showed significant differences in PSG as a result of stimulation by protrusions. Stimulation by flat magnets demonstrated no such significance on Hb values, presumably due to the lower pressure to the skin. Stimulation by magnets showed no significant changes in total Hb values despite prior reports of it accelerating the blood flow. The shape with which pressure is applied against the skin may have relevance to the effect of stimulation.
Protrusions left post-stimulation depression marks and flare on the skin surface, suggesting the possible involvement of mechanothermal polymodal receptors.
(Conclusion) Stimulation with the protrusions we developed increased Hb values, showing a regional concentration of hemoglobin. This suggests that it is effective in alleviating shoulder stiffness and associated pain, and lining brassiere straps with the protrusions provides a means for females to self-apply such stimulation safely and conveniently.

Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia is a rare metabolic disorder with characteristic clinical presentations, such as tendon xanthomas, hypercholesterolemia, and significant cardiovascular disease including premature coronary artery disease. We describe a case of a 56-year-old woman with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. She had been treated with low-density lipoprotein apheresis for 23 years. Preoperative echocardiography and coronary angiography showed severe aortic valve stenosis and right coronary artery stenosis. Aortic valve replacement with patch enlargement of the aortic valve annulus, and coronary artery bypass grafting were successfully performed. She was discharged uneventfully.

Objective：The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between the timing of gait acquisition and the length of hospitalization, and to clarify the differences in background factors and functional recovery during the early postoperative period and their effect on the variability in gait acquisition.
Methods：We recruited 148 patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) at three hospitals. The participants were divided into two groups on the basis of the number of days needed to achieve independent gait at ≤14 days after surgery (group A) and ＞14 days after surgery (group B). We compared the background factors between the two groups. Additionally, we compared the preoperative and postoperative function in each group.
Results：We observed a significant positive correlation between the number of days needed to achieve independent gait and the length of hospitalization. In group A, the significant background factors were younger age and higher preoperative activity level. In group A, compared with the level of preoperative function, the postoperative maximum knee extension angle on the operated side and pain had significantly improved. In both groups, the postoperative knee extensor strength on the operated side, knee extensor strength on the nonoperated side, knee flexion strength on the operated side, maximum knee flexion angle on the operated side, and walking speed were significantly reduced.
Conclusion：During early rehabilitation, it is necessary to consider the age and previous activities of patients. In addition, we suggest that early rehabilitation with a focus on reducing pain by alleviating inflammation and improving maximum knee extension angle on the operated side may be effective for fast acquisition of gait.

The awareness of many residents on generic drugs has increased recently, which is also reflected in their increased consumption. Enlightenment activities for citizens have become an important tool to further promote the use of generic drugs. We performed a questionnaire survey and assessed residents’ consciousness after a lecture on generic drug usage in a people’s forum. We received responses from 105 of the recruited 127 participants. Most questionnaire respondents were from the age group of 70 years and comprised about half of the sample. The respondents having undefined will to the question about use of generic drugs was the most frequent. Only a few participants answered that they hoped getting generic drugs from a pharmacy or hospital. The concerns and future requests for generic drugs were the cost of medicine, validity, safety, and quality. The middle group by which the participants were classified into a positive group, a middle group and a negative group among question on usage and request of generic drugs, in its percentage each age groups, was most. Many respondents answered that generic drug use “should be spread” after the lecture. However, it was identified that the communication between doctor, pharmacist, and the patient on generic drug use is insufficient in the open question. Enlightenment activities for citizens will become necessary because half of the respondents expressed negative opinions on the use of generic drugs.