The study investigated the influence of acupuncture on synergistic coordination by observing dynamic lumbar electromyographic activity. Left and right lumbar paraspinal (LP) EMG activities were recorded for 30 healthy subjects during a 45-degree trunk flexion-return movement, and the maximum RMS EMG activities (MREA) during this movement were compared between the two sides. Twenty subjects showed less than 20% LP MREA difference (symmetrical subjects-SS) between the left and right side, and 10 subjects showed more than a 20 % difference (asymmetrical subjects-AS). SS were reevaluated after lying on a treatment table in a prone position for 2 minutes and little change was observed in the degree of LP MREA asymmetry (P=0.164). AS were administered acupuncture stimulation on LP muscles. After the stimulation, a significant reduction in LP MREA asymmetry was observed (P=0.049), with a clear increase in symmetry of dynamic EMG activity for 9 of the 10 asymmetrical subjects. No specific pattern of response in LP MREA values was observed in the stimulated side following stimulation. On the non-stimulated side, there was a significant trend toward LP MREA decrease when the baseline value for that side was high (P=0.037), and an increase when it was low (0.0185). The study did not attempt to explore the exact mechanism of LP MIEA asymmetry reduction following acupuncture, however, it suggested that the response occurred as a result of interaction between the central and peripheral nerves which simultaneously caused systemic and local responses. This study indicated that acupuncture stimulation significantly decreased the asymmetrical dynamic EMG activity, suggesting that acupuncture treatment may be a useful method for decreasing functional muscular distortion and improving synergistic coordination.

In order to investigate the meridian phenomenon elicited by the stimulation on auricular acupuncture point, a patient, 58-year old, in whom marked meridian phenomena are observed on the body was selected as a subject.
The stimuli were ginen by means of a low frequency electrical stick method on the 210 auricular-points of the left ear.
The echo sensation to the remote district from the auriculo-points stimulated was observed in about 30% of the total points.
In 4.3%, the site to which echo sensation reached corresponded to the response organ that is expresed in the name of point. A point named “anesthetic point for tooth extraction” was one of the representatives.
The comfortable feeling over head, eyes, and whole body was also observed when stimulation was given to these points.

In this seminar, the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on muscle diseases and muscular functions/metabolism were reported, and the status of these techniques were summarized.
In the clinical study section, it was reported that the effects of treatment on muscle diseases and muscular functions were evaluated using objective criteria, such as electromyograms. In the review of the methods for the evaluation of muscular functions using surface electromyograms, the static electromyograms, dynamic electromyograms, and power-spectrum analysis were presented, and the effects of acupuncture and manual treatment on diseases mainly in locomotor organs and their problems were discussed. For example, 72.9% of the 48 patients with cervical dystonia were found to show improvement by 10 courses of acupuncture treatment, and effects were observed in all patients by electromyography. Similar effects were obtained with patients with drug-induced dystonia. In many of the patients with writer's cramp who underwent 10 courses of acupuncture treatment, improvement in writing tests, subjective evaluation, and the strength of pen stokes were observed.
In the review of the basic studies, the effects of acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on muscular tension, muscular metabolism (energy metabolism, intracellular pH, lactate metabolism), muscular circulation, and noxious and non-noxious motor reflex were surveyed, and their mechanisms and problems were discussed.

OBJECTIVEThe morphological and color characteristics of the tongue sublingual veins (SLVs) can manifest differently within the subjects, depending on the way their tongue is curled upward. This study was conducted in order to investigate the clinical relevancy of tongue SLV diagnosis in relation to menstrual clinical symptoms (pain, clots, heavy, and scanty), using three different inspection procedures (IP1, IP2, and IP3).

METHODSThree-hundred and seventy-seven female patients were asked to stick out their tongues in three specific ways which were intended to create different tongue protrusion angles. The SLV parameters for thickness (TK), length (LE), color (CL), shape (SP), and nodules (ND) were then evaluated.

RESULTSAccording to the results of the Wald χ2 test, IP1 provides the best model for pain (R2=0.155), IP3 for clots (R2=0.437), IP2 for heavy (R2=0.268), and scanty (R2=0.192). Abnormal SLV diagnostic parameters were most strongly associated with the clinical symptom of clots (R2=0.492).

CONCLUSIONWhile the study showed the relations between tongue SLV features and menstrual clinical symptoms, as well it showed that IP2 was the best overall predictor for the symptomatic indexes used in this study, and using one particular SLV inspection procedure may not be sufficient. The application of a particular inspection method alone may cause under- or over-estimation of SLV abnormalities.

Adult ; Color ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Menstruation ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Tongue ; pathology ; Tongue Diseases ; diagnosis ; Young Adult

Cordyceps militaris has been known to produce an anticancer agent, cordycepin. Investigation on optimum culture condition for C. militaris had been performed. In the research program for discovering a novel function in the culture of C. militaris, the culture media was applied to a proliferation assays using various cell lines. The media showed significant anti-proliferative activities against al cell lines, especially to human leukemia cell line HL-60. The activity-guided purification of active ingredient was performed to obtain uracil. To the best of our knowledge, uracil has not been reported to possess anti-proliferative activity. However, the uracil obtained from the culture media was subjected to ICP-MS analysis to reveal that sodium, potassium and magnesium were found to co-exist with uracil, which might show anti-proliferative activity. Further study on the mechanism of the expression of the activity is now underway.

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the usefulness of the stepping rate for assessing the time spent in moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA). In the present investigation, 11 young men wore two pedometers (LIFECORDER EX ; KZ, Walking Style ; WS) during controlled walking and jogging, as well as during free-living conditions for 3 days. In addition to the number of steps, the KZ determined the time spent in physical activity based on the intensity of the physical activity (light intensity physical activity (LPA); below 3 METs, and MVPA ; above 3 METs), and the stepping rate (≧60, ≧80, or ≧100 steps·min^-1). In contrast, the WS was defined as the physical activity for a stepping rate of 60 steps·min^-1 or more, continuously for longer than 10 min as the time spent in physical activity. Regarding the results, under continuous walking/jogging, the KZ-assessed LPA and MVPA well reflected the intensity of the physical activity. On the other hand, the WS accumulated the time spent in physical activity for longer than 90% of the actual exercise duration, regardless of the walking speed. Furthermore, the stepping rate corresponding to 3 METs was 102 steps·min^-1. Under free-living conditions, however, the KZ-detected MVPA differed significantly in comparison to the time of the physical activity as determined by the other algorithms, except for the time spent in a stepping rate of 80 or higher steps·min^-1. In conclusion, these results indicate that 100 steps·min^-1 is a useful stepping rate for the assessment of MVPA. However, under free living conditions, the stepping rate should be determined at a higher frequency than a one minute interval length in order to improve the accuracy of the MVPA assessment.

The aim of this study was to examine the changes in natural killer (NK) cell activity, pulse rate, and pain intensity among older adults before and after acupuncture treatment.