By means of indirect sphygmomanometer called “volume compensation technique” systolic and diastolic blood pressure in finger arteries were noninvasively and continuously measured during and after the “doshi” which is the acupuncture of the carotid sinus. After 15-min resting, 2-min puncture of the right and left carotid sinus was carried out in 23 healthy subjects (8 males and 15 females, aged 18-55). Finger arterial blood pressure was measured during the rest and the in-situ puncture, and then at 30 minutes after the withdrawing. For the control the dodged puncture of the carotid sinus was also made in other 6 healthy subjects (2 males and 4 females, aged 23-55).
Decreasing in blood pressure were observed during and after the doshi in 87% of the subjects. The mean magnitude of the decrease in the systolic and diastolic pressure at 15-21 minutes after the withdrawal of the needle were 12 and 10mmHg, respectively. Pulse pressure and heart rate showed little changes during the experiment. To the control dodged puncture, the maximum change in the systolic and diastolic pressure were 3.4 and 5.0mmHg, respectively, which were within the range of the physiological blood pressure variation. These data suggests that the blood pressure response to the “doshi” may not be induced by the vagal cardiac inhibition but by the change in peripheral vascular resistance.

During and after the “Toshi” which is the acupuncture of the carotid sinus, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured in the basal pharanx of finger arteries by means of indirect sphygmomanometer called the “volume compensation method”. After 15 minutes resting, 2 minutes acupuncture on both sides of the carotid sinus was carried out in 16 hypertensive subjects. Finger arterial pressure showed a significant decrease by about 14mmHg (mean) in systolic pressure and by 9mmHg (mean) in diastolic pressure during and after the acupuncture (p<0.05). The decrease in blood pressure showed a maximum at 15-20 minutes after the withdrawal of needles. Pulse pressure and heart rate did not show a significant change. These results were almost similar to those obtained in normotensive subjects. These data suggests that hypertensive subjects are also responsible to “Toshi” and that this effect may not be caused by the cardiac inhibition refrex but the change in vascular tonus.

During and after the LI4 and LI10 Acupuncture, the volume elastic modulus Ev in the basal phalanx of finger arteries were measured. Ev values were noninvasively obtained using a new type of plethysmograph called the “electric impedance-cuff” which can detect indirect arterial pressure and volume change in the artery. After 15 minutes of rest, 2 minutes acupuncture on LI4 and LI10 were carried out in 16 healthy subjects, respectively. Volume elastic modulus showed a significant decrease (p<0.01) during and after the LI10 Acupuncture. Its decrease were maintained at least 20 minutes after the withdrawal of the needle. While the Ev values did not show the typical change during and after the LI4 acupuncture. These date suggest that the elasticity of the peripheral wall was lagely affected by the LI10 acupuncture, and the effect was caused not only by peripheral reflex but by other factors.

Temporomandibular arthrosis, whose major symptoms are trismus, pain of the temporomandibular joint and articular noise, has recently been increasing, primarily in younger people. This condition is often accompanied by unexplained complaints (e. g., headache and stiffness of the neck and/or shoulder) which are indications for the application of acupuncture therapy. To deepen the recognition of temporomandibular arthrosis by clinicians, we recently prepared a video tape showing detailed procedures of acupuncture therapy for this disease. The first half of this video tape consists of an explanation of the anatomical features of the temporomandibular joint, the pathophysiology and classification of temporomandibular arthrosis, and magnetic resonance images of the temporomandibular joint. The latter half consists of the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for this disease, including the acupoints often stimulated for its treatment and the techniques of acupuncture therapy.

The mediobasal segment (S7) of the right lung has been considered to correspond to the cardiac lobe generally seen in mammals. To investigate fetal development of the right mediobasal segmental bronchus (B7), we examined paraffin-embedded serial sections of 15 embrynic and fetal lungs at 7-8 weeks (serial sections) as well as semiserial sections of 8 fetuses at 15-18 weeks (semiserial sections). All of the smaller specimens did not contain B7, but 2 of the 8 larger specimens carried B7: one was found in the immediately anterior side of the inferior pulmonary vein, while in the other, the subdivisions (B7a, B7b) were overriding the vein. Although the incidence might be underestimated because of observations using semiserial sections, the B7 was most likely to develop secondarily during a period from 8 to 15 weeks. Fetal topographical changes (mainly, the descent) of the middle lobe and the inferior pulmonary vein might relate with the secondarily budding of B7. The present result does not reduce a clinical relevance of B7 as a segmental bronchus of the lung segment system.
Bronchi ; Fetal Development* ; Fetus ; Incidence ; Lung* ; Mammals ; Pulmonary Veins ; Veins

There is little or no information about the distribution of elastic fibers in the human fetal head. We examined this issue in 15 late-stage fetuses (crown-rump length, 220-320 mm) using aldehyde-fuchsin and elastica-Masson staining, and we used the arterial wall elastic laminae and external ear cartilages as positive staining controls. The posterior pharyngeal wall, as well as the ligaments connecting the laryngeal cartilages, contained abundant elastic fibers. In contrast with the sphenomandibular ligament and the temporomandibular joint disk, in which elastic fibers were partly present, the discomalleolar ligament and the fascial structures around the pterygoid muscles did not have any elastic fibers. In addition, the posterior marginal fascia of the prestyloid space did contain such fibers. Notably, in the middle ear, elastic fibers accumulated along the tendons of the tensor tympani and stapedius muscles and in the joint capsules of the ear ossicle articulations. Elastic fibers were not seen in any other muscle tendons or vertebral facet capsules in the head and neck. Despite being composed of smooth muscle, the orbitalis muscle did not contain any elastic fibers. The elastic fibers in the sphenomandibular ligament seemed to correspond to an intermediate step of development between Meckel's cartilage and the final ligament. Overall, there seemed to be a mini-version of elastic fiber distribution compared to that in adults and a different specific developmental pattern of connective tissues. The latter morphology might be a result of an adaptation to hypoxic conditions during development.
Adult ; Capsules ; Cartilage ; Connective Tissue ; Ear Cartilage ; Ear Ossicles ; Ear, Middle ; Elastic Tissue ; Fascia ; Fetus ; Head ; Humans ; Joint Capsule ; Laryngeal Cartilages ; Ligaments ; Muscle, Smooth ; Muscles ; Neck ; Pterygoid Muscles ; Stapedius ; Temporomandibular Joint Disc ; Tendons ; Tensor Tympani

OBJECTIVESMucosal immunity plays a pivotal role for body defense against infection and allergy. The aim of this study was to clarify the effects of 2,3,7,8-tetraclorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on mucosal immunity in the gut.

METHODSFecal IgA level and oral tolerance induction were examined in TCDD-treated mice. Flow cytometric and histological analyses were also performed.

RESULTSSingle oral administration of low dose 2,3,7,8-TCDD resulted in a marked decrease in IgA secretion in the gut without any effects on the cellular components of gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT) including Peyer's patches (PPs) and mesenteric lymph nodes (LNs). Decressed IgA secretion by TCDD was not observed in aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-deficient mice. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that IgA B cells in PPs and the mesenteric LNs remained unchanged in the TCDD-treated mice. An immunofluorescence study also demonstrated that a significant number of cytoplasmic IgA cells were present in the lamina propria of the gut in the TCDD-treated mice. Furthermore, oral tolerance induction by ovalbumin (OVA) was impaired in the TCDD-treated mice and OVA-specific T cell proliferation occurred in the peripheral lymphoid tissues including the spleen and LNs.

CONCLUSIONSThese results suggest that a relatively low dose of TCDD impairs mucosal immunity in the gut and induces systemic sensitization by oral antigens.

Background: Gingyo-gedoku-san (GGGS) is an herbal medicine approved for upper respiratory infections in Japan. We conducted an open-label, multi-center, prospective trial, comparing GGGS with oseltamivir in patients with influenza and influenza-like illness (ILI) as a pilot study.
Methods: Subjects were healthy persons aged between 16 and 40, and were enrolled from January 12, 2010 to March 24, 2011. Fifteen patients were enrolled in this trial (8 and 7 for GGGS and oseltamivir, respectively). RT-PCR was positive for pandemic influenza A (H1N1) in 10 patients. The patients were provided with either GGGS or oseltamivir for 5 days. The primary outcome was mortality and/or hospitalization 7 days after the initial diagnosis. Body temperature and other clinical characteristics were also evaluated.
Results: All patients recovered from illness without complication or hospitalization. The mean time to resolve symptoms for the GGGS and oseltamivir groups was 3.9 days and 3.3 days, respectively (p=0.43). The GGGS group appeared to have a smaller symptom score AUC than the oseltamivir group, (p=0.26). Time to recover activity level appeared to be shorter in the GGGS group (p=0.10), with shorter time to recover health status (p=0.02). Sub-group analysis on patients with positive PCR showed similar results between the two groups.
Conclusion: GGGS was associated with symptom improvements resembling oseltamivir for both influenza and ILI. Randomized controlled trials involving larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these results.