Objectives—We tested the effect of a clinically applicable dose of moxibustion on adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) of rat, an experimental model of rheumatoid arthritis.
Methods—Male Lewis rats were inoculated with Mycobacterium butyricum suspended in paraffin oil into the right hind paw to induce arthritis. Moxibustion (60°C) was applied to the right hind limb point, Tsu-san-Li (ST36), twice a week for 4 consecutive weeks. The efficacy of the above treatment was determined by the measurements of paw swelling, arthritic score. The effects of moxibustion upon immune and inflammatory responses were analyzed by enumerating peripheral blood leukocyte subsets. The data were analyzed with Mann-Whitney U-test between the experimental and control groups.
Results—Moxibustion significantly suppressed paw swelling in the systemic phase, but not in the acute phase, of arthritis. Moxibustion also significantly suppressed the increase in T lymphocyte numbers in the late acute phase and that of neutroplils in the systemic phase.
Conclusion—After the treatment with moxibustion, significant alterations were observed in the numbers of peripheral blood leukocyte subsets in AIA, along with the amelioration of clinical signs. These observations suggest that suppression of AIA with moxibustion may be mediated through the suppression of proliferating number of T-cell and acceleration of decrease in number of neutrophils in the peripheral blood.

Based upon the 8 years' experience in vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG) for the treatment of morbid obesity in our department, we analysed the clinical results after operation. As a result, the weight-reducing effect and safety of VBG were found favourvable, but some of complications developed in a few, causing serious conditions. Therefore, a modification of VBG was tried in order to utilize the characteristics of VBG and to lessen the factors of complications development as much as possible. Its essential points are to utilize the His-angle by making an oblique staple line instead of a vertical one, and to block the stomach with GIA90 and EEA28 and embed the staple line by suturing the serous membrane. Because the stomach is formed into a K-shape, it has been named k-gastroplasty. Its operative mode is discussed.

OBJECTIVESWe evaluated the effectiveness and safety of a disinfectant newly developed by our laboratories for use against influenza viruses.

METHODSThe effectiveness of our new disinfectant against avian, swine and human influenza viruses was tested in ovo. The acute toxicity of this disinfectant to two different cultured cell lines was investigated.

RESULTSThis new disinfectant showed very strong anti-influenza viral activity in the in ovo tests. All of the influenza viruses tested were inactivated very quickly. Following exposure to the disinfectant, the infectivity of all viral strains tested had been eliminated within ≤10 min. The infectant showed a weak acute toxicity in vitro.

CONCLUSIONThis new disinfectant is expected to be useful for preventing viral infection during a new influenza pandemic.