The pain eliminating effects of electroacupuncture have long been known however the analgesic mechanism involved has yet to be clarified. Recently with the discovery of endogenous analgesic peptids called endorphins much attention has been called to the relationship of these endorphins and the acupuncture analgesic effect. We examined to determine how electroacupuncture influences lumbar CSF endorphins and the so-called pain transmitting substance, Substance P.
In order to establish continuous lumbar anesthesia using tetracaine for 8 patients with gynecological lower abdominal diseases, a Tuohy needle was inserted from the lumbar area and a catheter inserted into the subarachnoidal space. In each case at the time of the insertion of the catheter 5ml. CSF was tapped. As pre-medication 0.01mg/kg. atropine sulfate, 2mg/kg secobarbiturate were administered. To maintain the analgesic effect hyperbaric or hypobaric tetracaine was administered according to individaul needs. For hypotension during the operations a plasma expander and when necessary ephedrine were administered by intramuscular or intravenous injection.
Immediately following the start of surgery acupuncture needles were inserted at right and left LI-4 and electrical stimulation at 3c/s, 1.0mA was administered for 50-120 minutes using the acupuncture therapy apparatus “TOKKI”. when the operation was finished, after 5ml. of CSF was again tapped through the catheter, the catheter was withdrawn as far as the subdural space and 20-40ml. physiological saline injected to combat the headache due to spinal fluid leakage. The test substance was immediately transferred to a siliconized test tube and cooled to a temperature of-80°C.
The RIA methods were used for the measurement of both endorphins and substance P. The crossover reaction between the β-endorphin and the βLPH was 50%. (Using the β-endorphin measuring kit manufactured by NEN).
The results in 7 of 8 examples showed a significant increase in CSF endorphins after electroacupuncture. It also became clear that there was a tendency for substance P levels to decrease due to electroacupuncture.

Objective: In the intensive care unit (ICU), drugs are administered in sequence as the conditions of the patient change rapidly, and there are often cases where many injections are administered simultaneously.  For this reason, it is important to quickly select the appropriate administration route.  In this study, we prepared a quick reference table for incompatibilities of frequently used and highly important injections in the ICU (referred to as the “quick reference table”) that will enable selection of the appropriate administration route, and we investigated the status of use and usefulness of this quick reference table.
Methods: The drugs included in the quick reference table were extracted from prescription records from May to October 2009, and these were finalized by discussions with the nurses in the ICU.  Three reference materials were used: Manual on the Supervision of Injection Preparation (3rd Edition), Data Search on Injection Incompatibilities 2009, and MICROMEDEX®.  The survey was conducted with all 12 nurses in the ICU after 4 months of distributing the quick reference table.
Results: The quick reference table included 57 pharmaceutical items, and compatibility was classified into 10 categories.  The quick reference table was prepared as one A3 page for convenience.  The retrieval rate of the survey was 100%.  The average number of years of practical experience as a nurse was 12.2 years, and 11 out of 12 nurses used the quick reference table.  Of the 11 nurses who used the table, 6 answered that it was “very useful,” while 4 answered that it was “useful.”  All 11 nurses who used the quick reference table answered that they “consulted the pharmacists less frequently.”
Conclusion: Satisfactory evaluations were obtained with regard to the details included in the quick reference table, and the table was estimated to be highly useful and important even for ICU nurses with many years of experience.  Furthermore, it was suggested that the quick reference table was also useful in reducing the workloads of the pharmacists.