As a part of systematic studies at the author's institute on the effect of gradually warming partial bathing (Sugiyama) upon functions of the circulatory system, the response of blood pressure, phonocardiogram, electrocardiogram and digital plethysmogram to this bathing was compared with their response to whole-body steam bathing. The results are as follows.
1) In whole-body steam bathg a sharp, transient rise followed by a rapid fall in blood pressure was commonly observed both during and after completion of bathing. Such a change was particularly remarkable in cases with hypertension, and in these instances blood pressure resumed the pre-bathing hypertensive level in a comparatively short time after bathing. In gradually warming partial bathing, on the other hand, blood pressure fell gradually and mildly without showing an initial rise, ahd maintained a lowered level for a fairly long time. These and previous experimental results indicate that bathing has influence on blood pressure in the ascending order of severity of gradually warming partial bathing, long bathing in lukewarm carbon-dioxated water, hightemperature whole-body bathing of conventional mode and whole-body steam bathing.
2) The effect of gradually warming partial bathing on intracardial hemodynamics, as revealed by phono-electrocardiography, was apparently more gradual and milder in contrast with that of whole-body steam bathing: in the former case the load on the auriculo-ventricular and the semilunar valves varied less abruptly and less vigorously, and the cardiac output increased more gradually.
3) The intracardial hemodynamic effect of gradually warming partial bathing tended to be alleviated during repeated treatments with this bathing. Particularly in patients with hypertension who initally had responded to the bathing with rather prominent changes in phono-electrocardiogram, the changes became less remarkable as the treatment progressed and eventually approximated to those of normotensive subjects.
4) Plethysmographic observation disclosed that the response of peripheral vessels to bathing, i. e. a decrease in vascular tone resulting in an increase in peripheral blood flow, was gradual, moderate and long-durating in the case of gradually warming partial bathing, whereas this was rapid, intensive and short-durating in whole-body steam bathihg.
5) Such an effect of bathing on peripheral hemoynamics also tended to become less intensive during repeated treatments with gradually warming partial bathing. This was particularly true in hypertensive patients, with progress of the treatment the plethysmographic changes in bathing gradually resembling those of normotensive subjects.

A few attempts were made to study the effect of Tamagawa hot spring bathing upon the capillary resistance in healthy subjects and patients with hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis and fibrositis.
The results may be summarized as follows:
1) The capillary resistance decreased more significantly in patients with hypertension and rheumatoid arthritis than in healthy persons, but there was no difference in capillary resistance between healthy persons and patients with fibrositis.
2) Similarly, single bathing showed a decrease in capillary resistance both in healthy subjects and patients immediately after bathing, but tended to return gradually to the pre-bathing value about 1 hour later.
3) Successive bathing clearly increased capillary resistance in patients with hypertension in whom the decrease of capillary resistance was apparent. Such tend was also observed in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The variation in capillary resistance in them brought forth by single bathing gradually grew smaller in degree with progress of successive bathing and showed a tendency to be similar to that in healthy subjects.
No significant variation was observed in capillary resistance in healthy persons and patients with fibrositis.
4) It can be said from the results mentioned above that balneotherapy is very effective for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and hypertension.

The results of our general and medical survey are summarized as follows:
(A) About Shinjo Spa
1) Most of visitors to this spa are residents of Yamagata Prefecture and engaged in agriculture.
2) In age they are 20 to 50.
3) Visitors who are few in number came to this spa for the purpose of spa treatment. Most of them visit this spa for recreation.
4) Most visitors take bath 2 to 3 times a day.
5) The bathing reaction and its effect are obscure, because most visitors do not stay here long enough for observation of the effect. It is, however, verified that this spa is effective in keeping the body father warm for a long time.
(B) About Niiyama Spa
1) Most visitors are residents of Yamagata Prefecture and those from neighboring prefecture are small in number. Half of visitors are farmers.
2) Most visitors are old in age, male and female visitors are almost equal in number.
3) The larger number of visitors come here for balneotherapy of or rehabilitation from diseases, especially neuralgia, rheumatism.
4) Most visitors are conscious of the good effect of bathing, but those who are conscious of thermal crisis are relatively few in number, being 9.8% of the total number of visitors.
The authors are indebted to the Pharmaceutical Section, Sanitation Bureau, Yamagata Prefectural Office and the Sanitation Section, Shinjo City Office for assistance given to the present survey, and to Shinjo and Niiyama Spa Associations for careful cooperation.

The results obtained from a survey of balneal treatment and medical researches made at Hanezawa Spa in Yamagata Prefecture are summarized as follows.
1) Visitors to this spa vary in age, include both sexes in equal number and are, by far, farmers.
2) Visitors are mostly from the local area and surrounding villages and towns, 70% of whom come to the spa for recreation and 20% for therapeutic treatment and recuperation. The figures mentioned here greatly depend upon the time this survey was made, and it is quite probable that the number of visitors for balneal treatment should always be much larger.
3) In this survey, short-time visitors are largest in number, coming to the spa for recreation. Long-time visitors come there for balneal treatment. Visitors are mostly those with diseases of the digestive organs and those with the skin diseases.
4) The larger number of visitors bathe four to five times a day and about 40% of them drink hot-spring waters. Because of the presence of a large number of short-time visitors, the effect of balneal treatment and bathing reaction could not be made clear.
5) Only 4.4% of visitors came there under doctor's directions.
6) Observation of the effect of drinking hot-spring waters on the excretion of gastric juice revealed that it has power to neutralize acid in the stomach and to control the excretion of gastic juice. Such should naturally be the case because this spa is of alkaline muriated spring.
7) With a view to find the effect of drinking hot-spring waters at this spa, examinations were made of renal function. The results obtained from the dilution tests show that the urinary excretion has been delayed and the power of dilution has declined. It is advisable, therefore, that visitors should see whether they are afflicted with the diseases of kidney or circulatory system before they resort to drinking hot-spring waters at this spa.

The results of our general and medical surveys are summarized as follows:
1) The visitors to this spa are inhabitants of Yamagata prefecture, farmers being the largest in number.
2) Considering the fact that more than half the number of spa visitors come here with therapeutic or convalescing purpose, this spa may be said to be a spa to which visitors come with the sole object of curative treatment.
3) Visitors came for the treatment of common cold, hypertension, neuralgia and diseases of the stomach and intestines respetively from the frequency of diseases. The fact that the visitors with cold were largest in number was probably because of the prevalence of common cold at the time of our survey.
4) Half the number of spa visitors stayed for about 2 weeks, and most of them took bath four to five times a day for curative treatment.
5) 40.1% spa visitors drank hot spring water for curative treatment. Which incidence is higher than that in our previous reports for other Tohoku Area.
6) Only 6.1% of the visitors came to the spa under doctor's direction. Those who noted the bathing reaction: anorexia, feeling of weakness etc., were 23.1%
7) In the tubeless gastric analysis (Gastrotest) scarcely any change was observable for successive drinking of hot spring water.
8) In most cases the oral temperature measured at the time of bathing in this spa never returned to the value before bathing for two hours and the feeling of warmth remained for a long time. This is probably due to the chemical properties of the spring waters and proper treatment after bathing.

BACKGROUND: Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD), which is accelerated by interferon (IFN)-γ and suppressed by interleukin (IL)-10 as regulators, is generally self-limited after removal of the contact allergen. Adipose tissue-derived multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) potentially exert immunomodulatory effects. Considering that subcutaneous adipose tissue is located close to the site of ACD and includes mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), the MSCs in adipose tissue could contribute to the self-limiting course of ACD. OBJECTIVE: The aims of the present study were to elucidate the effects of MSCs in adipose tissue on ACD and to examine any cytokine-mediated mechanisms involved. METHODS: Ear thickness in a C57BL/6 mouse model of ACD using contact hypersensitivity (CHS) elicited by 2,4,6-trinitro-1-chlorobenzene was evaluated as a marker of inflammation level. Five and nine mice were injected with ASCs and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), respectively. After ASC or PBS injection, real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were performed. RESULTS: Histology showed that CHS was self-limited and ear thickness was suppressed by ASCs in a dose-dependent manner. IFN-γ expression in the elicited skin site and regional lymph nodes was significantly lower in ASC-treated mice than in control mice. IL-10 expression did not differ between treated and control mice. The suppressive effects of ASCs on CHS response did not differ between IL-10 knock-out C57BL/6 mice and wild-type mice. CONCLUSION: The present findings suggest that MSCs in adipose tissue may contribute to the self-limiting course of ACD through decreased expression of IFN-γ, but not through increased expression of IL-10.
Adipose Tissue* ; Animals ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact* ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Ear ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Inflammation ; Interferons ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukins ; Lymph Nodes ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells* ; Mice ; Picryl Chloride ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Fat