In this study, we investigated the effect of bathing with cut crude drugs on thermal preservability, water holding capacity, and smoothness of the feel. After immersion with cut crude drugs of 5min at 41°C, the forearm skin core temperature was significantly higher than after plain water bathing. Water sorption-desorption tests on the skin in vivo with cut crude drug extract for the functional assessment of the stratum corneum revealed that the GARENIAE FRUCTUS extract, all of cut crude drugs extract, and FOENICULI FRUCTUS extract are significantly superior to plain water bathing in water holding capacity.
Furthermore, an evaluation using a skin model revealed that cut crude drugs have effects significantly superior to that of plain water bathing in increasing the smoothness of the feel. The above results clarified that bathing with cut crude drugs has a stronger effect on thermal preservability and that their extract increases water holding capacity and smoothness of the feel.

Before and after the physical fitness tests included 1000 meter endurable walking, aged males and females more than 61 to 80 years old were tested on the blood pressure, heart rate and blood components. The results were as follows.
1) The systolic and diastolic blood pressure were not varied so distinctly.
2) Heart rates were increased in all groups.
3) Serum cholesterol, GOT and GPT were not influenced.
4) Fatty acid, especially unsaturated one, was increased remarkably.
5) Fatty acid increasing observed on excellent performer of the endurable walking was higher than that of poor performer.
6) Increasing ratio of the fatty acid which was found on the subjects with abnormal ECG was higher than that of the subjects with normal ECG.
As above mentioned facts, the test of serum fatty acid seemed very important item to the aged people from the view point of security of the exercise.

The variation of venous concentration of FFA as the effect of exercise under several nutritive conditions were tested on two subjects, i, e., 56 years old male and 20 years old female.
Arrhythmia were recorded when sudden increase in palmitoleic acid in venous concentration was observed, while no arrhythmia were recorded otherwise. Arrtythmia seemed to have been prevented by intaking glucose prior to exercise.
It was also observed that arrhythmia would easily be produced by sudden uprise of palmitoleic acid under hunger after low carbohydrate nutrition.

Two experiments were performed to clarify the effects of balneotherapy on platelet glutathione metabolism. One experiment, in which healthy men were subjected to water immersion at temperatures of 25°C, 36°C, and 42°C for 10min, showed that the level of platelet lipid peroxides (LPO) tended to increase at 25°C and 42°C, suggesting the presence of oxidative stress at these temperatures. When an antioxidative defense system was induced at these temperatures, the levels of platelet glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities increased. The other experiment, in which 4 weeks of balneotherapy was applied to type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients, showed that the level of GSH on admission correlated well with that of fasting plasma glucose (FPG, r=0.692, p<0.050). After 4 weeks of balneotherpy, the level of GSH increased (p<0.01) in well-controlled patients (FPG<150mg/dl) and decreased (p<0.05) in poorly controlled patients (FPG≥150mg/dl), There was a negative correlation between GPX activities and the level of FPG (r=-0.430, p<0.05). After the balneotherapy, the activity increased in five patients, decreased in three patients, and showed no changes in four patients.
These results indicate that, in diabetic patients, 1) platelet GSH synthesis is obviously induced in response to oxidative stress, 2) lowered GPX activities suggest an impaired antioxidative defense system, and 3) platelet glutathione metabolism was partly improved by 4 weeks of balneotherapy but depended on the control status of plasma glucose levels. From these findings, we conclude that 1) patients whose platelet antioxidative defense system is damaged such as those with diabetes mellitus should not take hot or cold bath, and that 2) balneotherapy improves platelet glutathione metabolism, leading to normalization of platelet aggregability.

We investigated the effects of bathing with bath preparation (sodium sulfate, sodium chloride, 30g/200l) on the thermal preservability in healthy volunteers. We also investigated these effects on the antioxidative defense system in patients with vibration syndrome (VS). In these investigations, we measured the activities of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD).
After immersion at 41°C for 5min, forearm skin temperature, photoplethysmograph, and transepidermal water loss increased significantly as compared with those after bathing in a plain water.
After bathing for 4 weeks at around 40°C for 10min, activities of erythrocyte SOD increased significantly.
These data indicate that bathing with the bath preparation has a stronger effect on thermal preservability in healthy volunteers and activation of the antioxidative defense system in patients with vibration syndrome due to a significant increase in activities of erythrocyte SOD.

Uninterrupted recordings of grip strength were measured in the male and female physical education students, university sports club members, middle-aged physical laborers and clerks, and young weight-lifters. The results were as follows ;
1) In the rate of supporting of uninterrupted measurements of grip strength, recordings among the males were greater than females. But, there were no differences between the recordings in the rate of supporting at morning and at evening.
2) In the university sports club members, the rate of supporting of Basketball club members were the most, Judo, the medium, Volleyball, Tennis, and others, the least.
3) Among the middle-aged subjects, the rate of supporting of uninterrupted measurements of grip strength indicate high in physical laborers and low in the clerks.
4) The rate of supporting of uninterrupted measurements of grip strength in youngweight-lifters was smaller than in well trained weight-lifters.
5) By the comparison between right and left recordings in the rate of supporting of uninterrupted measurements of grip strength, certain tendencies were observed in some sports, but, not greater than differences among some sports. Certain individual, however, indicate great differences between right and left recordings.
6) No significant correlations between maximum grip strength and rate of supporting of uninterrupted measurements were observed.

A 2-month-old girl had been urgently seen on postnatal day 10 due to poor weight gain and tachypnea. Echocardiography showed congenital valvular aortic stenosis (AS), ventricular septal defect (VSD), atrial septal defect (ASD), and aortic valve dysplasia, but no cyst image was seen at the aortic valve level. Aortography revealed a dysplastic aortic valve along with coarctation of aorta (CoA) and patent ductus arterious (PDA). Balloon aortic valvotomy (BAV) was performed on day 53. Ballooning was satisfactory, but there was no change in gradient. Operation was performed on day 70 under a diagnosis of congenital AS and CoA complex. After cardiopulmonary bypass was established, the ascending aorta was transected. The blood cyst originated from the center of the anterior leaflet and was resected. The pressure gradient at the aortic valve decreased to 22.5mmHg. The patient was discharged 25 days after surgery.

Operations were performed 3 times on ventricular septal perforation after acute myocardial infarction which exhibited cardiogenic shock, and the patient's life was saved successfully. The case was a female aged 64. Ventricular septal perforation developed in 6 hours after onset of acute myocardial infarction, and an emergency operation was performed because the patient exhibited cardiogenic shock. Intraventricular re-shunt was observed on the postoperative 5th day, and second operation was performed on the postoperative 7th day because a trend of cardiac insufficiency was intensified. Intraventricular re-shunt was observed again on the 5th day of the second operation, but third operation with a principle that further operation is to be performed awaiting regeneration of the tissue on the perforated margin to occur since the circulatory kinetics were seen to have been stabilized. The postoperative course was favorable, and the patient was discharged on 53 rd day of the third operation with the symptom alleviated. It was considered that our policy is to have to repeat operation when the patient's movement of circulation deteriorate at re-shunt from our experience of this time.

A 67-year-old man presented complaining of unstable angina. Coronary angiography revealed 50% stenosis of the left main trunk of the left coronary artery and a coronary artery aneurysm in the left anterior descending artery (LAD) #6. Furthermore, significant stenosis was noted in the peripheral LAD #7 and #9. The patient had hepatitis C, probably due to an earlier transfusion, and was suffering from liver cirrhosis (Child-Pugh classification grade A) and advanced thrombocytopenia. We anastomosed the saphenous vein graft (SVG) to the LAD and diagonal branch by off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting; we did not treat the aneurysm. There were no postoperative complications and the patient's progress was good. On postoperative coronary angiography, the aneurysm was occluded and the patency of the SVG was satisfactory.

We experienced the coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with essential thrombocythemia (ET). A case is a man of 73 years old. As for him, 3 vessel disease including left main trunk was recognized on coronary angiography, and it was planned CABG. However, we recognized blood cell aberration in blood examination, and it was diagnosed as ET. ET is classed as a chronic myeloproliferative disorder. It has two opposite tendencies, a bleeding tendency and thrombus tendency. Ischemic heart disease to merge ET is acute myocardial infarction by thrombus in case of most, and there are a few cases to need blood circulation reconstruction of coronary artery for angina pectoris. Perioperative hemorrhage and postoperative graft closure become a problem in CABG with ET. With the hydroxycarbamide which is DNA synthesis inhibitor of a platelet count, a function controlled it, and enforced CABG. He doesn't have any cardiac events and complications due to ET for 7 years post CABG. We report this case with a review of the literature.