[Objective]To investigate the effect of pressure stimulation at a site hemodynamically close to forearms
[Methods]Ten volunteers participated in this study. Hemodynamics (Oxy-and total-hemoglobin) was recorded by near-infrared spectroscopy. Pressure stimulation was performed on the forearms.
[Results]Oxy-hemoglobin increased significantly following 10 minutes of pressure stimulation. In contrast, total-hemoglobin was not changed.
[Conclusion]These results suggest that axon reflexes might be a possible mechanism for the action of pressure stimulation. It can be expected to have more effects when the pressure stimulation is performed for a long term.

We investigated the relationship between the effects of performance and motivation on intrinsic and extrinsic training methods of moxibustion among the total number of students in our class. The students were assigned to perform moxibustion by two methods; (1) the students were self-taught and learned moxa cone preparation and use by employing an instrument that measures moxa burning temperature and time, and then evaluated their own performance; (2) the students had their performance evaluated by the teacher without the use of the instrument.
The students' motivation for learning moxibustion was estimated by the S. D. (Semantic Differential) method, a rating scale, and by the descriptions of the student's impressions.
Motivation was different according to the performance of the two methods. The comparison of the students subjective self-reports indicates that self-evaluation with the use of the instrument provides stronger self-confidence and motivation, thus method 1 has advantages.
Conclusion:
A comparison of the students' reactions suggests that the stronger motivation of the students regarding their practical training was due to the fact that method 1 was more interesting since the students could monitor the temperature by using the instrument.

The effectiveness of acupuncture in treating rhinitis due to allergic reaction to housedust and mites was tested by inducing an allergic response through a nasal mucosa test and observing the influence of acupuncture stimulation in the stellate ganglion. Stimulating the ganglion of the same side as that nasal passage which was most strongly blocked obtained suppression of nasal drip on that side with improvement in clearance of the nasal air passage in four out of five subjects. This is thought to be due to the excitation of the sympathetic nervous system in the cervical region.
Next, acupuncture therapy was coupled with conservative therapy to test their usefulness in combination. Seven subjects were treated for allergic rhinitis and of these, six subjects' subjective symptoms (such as nasal obstruction) improved immediately after the acupuncture stimulation. Of these six subjects, two subjects' improved condition continued while the other four subjects' relief lasted only one day.
Then five of the subjects were given long term acupuncture treatment with all five subjects having a complete improvement of their nasal allergy symptoms to housedust and mites.

The relation of needles inserted to the points of the posterior neck with the anatomical structures was investigated with dissection of four cadavers. The points investigated here are the five points of “Amon”, “Tenchuu”, “Fuuchi”, “Kankotsu”, and “Eifu”. The needles inserted to the respective points of the former three were found to penetrate the posterior atlantooccipital membrane and then the dura mater, and finally to reach the medulla oblongata. The depth from the inserted spots on the surface of the skin to the dura mater are 50, 51, and 49mm in the Amon, Tenchuu, and Fuuchi, respectively, in a cadaver with 39.1cm of circumference of the neck. Furthermore, it was found that the vertebral, the occipital, and the external carotid and the maxillar arteries were penetrated by or located near the needles which were inserted to the Fuuchi, Kankotsu, and Eifu, respectively.

The positional relation between the dorsal sacral foramina and a needle inserted in the point “T, ze-Liao” according to the method of Takenouchi-Hamazoe, and the projection positions of the respective foramina to the body surface were anatomically and bilaterally examined using fifteen cadavers. The results were as follows. (1) The needles inserted in the point “T, ze-Liao” missed the second dorsal sacral foramen caudally or latero-caudally in many cases. (2) In the mediolateral direction, the first to fourth dorsal sacral foramina were located in the middle zone between the dorsal median line and the posterior superior iliac spine. (3) In the rostro-caudal direction, the first dorsal sacral foramen were, approximately located at the same level as that of the posterior superior iliac spine. The second to fourth foramina corresponded to three points which divided the rostro-caudal distance between the posterior superior iliac spine and the sacral cornua equally into four.

The lower one-third point of a line connecting the posterior superior iliac spine and the middle of the lower margin of the ischial tuberosity is used as the acupuncture point to the pudendal nerve. The present study anatomically examined the positional relation between a needle inserted in the acupuncture point and the pudendal nerve as well as examined the projection region of the nerve to the body surface, using the bilateral pudendal nerves of 18 Japanese cadavers.
The needle inseted in the acupuncture point to the pudendal nerve missed the nerve caudally or laterocaudally in many cases, but with twelve cases directly pricking the caudal portion of the nerve. The pudendal nerve lying on the sacrospinous ligament was projected just on or lateral to a line connecting the posterior superior iliac spine and the medial edge of the lower margin of the ischial tuberosity, and in rostro-caudal direction the pudendal nerve was situated in a range 50 to 60% from the top of that line. The height of the sacral cornua corresponded to that of the rostral half of the pudendal nerve lying on the sacrospinous ligament or that more rostral than the rostral tip of the nerve, and the height of the lower tip of the coccyx corresponded to that more caudal than the caudal tip of the nerve.

(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.

The positional relation between the point Jingei and the bifurcation of the common carotid artery was investigated with dissection of the neck after inserting a needle into the bilateral Jingei, using nineteen Japanese cadavers. We determined first the position of the point Futotsu as a point in the sternocleidomastoid lying about 10cm lateral to the laryngeal prominence along the neck wrinkle, and defined the location of Jingei in the cadavers as the mid-point between the laryngeal prominence and Futotsu mentioned above. The common carotid artery shows a dilatation, termed the carotid sinus, at its point of division into the external and internal carotid arteries. The needle did not prick the carotid sinus in all of the thirty-eight cases of insertion; it pricked the common carotid artery at a lower level than the carotid sinus in four of these cases, and in the other cases the needle did not prick the vessel, but rather a portion of the neck medial to the vessel at the lower level, similarly as in the former cases. The points of division of the common carotid arteries of the cadavers dissected were all located at a considerably higher level than the laryngeal prominence; the average level was 32.8mm higher than the prominence on the left, with maximum and minimum values of 52 and 11mm, respectively, and 29.9mm upper on the right (maximum and minimum values: 45 and 8mm). Furthermore, it was suggested that the insertion of a needle at the level of the hyoid bone has a higher possibility of reaching the carotid sinus than that at the level of the laryngeal prominence in acupuncture of the sinus.

The posional relation of the bifurcation of the common carotid artery to the needle which was inserted to the position of the bifurcation presumed from the level of the hyoid bone, as well as its relation to the hyoid bone and the transverse process of the cervical vertebra, has been studied bilaterally with dissection of 19 cadavers.
Though most of the inserted needles missed medially from the bifurcation of common carotid artery, all of them were located about the level of the bifurcation in the up-to-downward direction, with two cases directly pricking the bifurcation.
The bifurcation of the common carotid artery was mostly located about the level of hyoid bone. Thus, 17 cases out of 19 on the right side and 13 cases out of 18 on the left side were within a range of 1.0mm above or below the hyoid bone.
The height of the bifurcation of the common carotid artery against the cervical vertebrae was mostly located between the transverse process of the 3rd and that of the 4th cervical vertebra, 21 cases out of 28 being included within this range.

An educational video describing the acupunctural stimulation of the pudendal nerve for treatment of urinary disturbances was produced. Treatment points on the meridian were selected within the limits of the top 1/2 to 3/5 of the line that connects the superior posterior iliac spine and the inner lower edge of the ischiatic tuberosity. Since the pudendal nerve is situated between the sacrospinous ligament in this region, it could be readily stimulated from the body surface. A 90mm (#24) acupuncture needle was used for the treatments. When the needle was inserted to a depth of 50-80mm from the body surface, the pudendal nerve was reached. Echo sensation in the penis indicated that the acupuncture needle had contacted the pudendal nerve.
Either the sparrow-pecking, needle-twisting, or the low frequency acupunctural techniques were used to delver stimulation to the pudendal nerve. In conclusion, acupunctural stimulation of the pudendal nerve was clinically useful for treatment of urinary disturbances, such as uncoordination of the detrusor muscles in neurogenic bladder and urinary incontinence.