The present studies were performed to investigate changes of reaction time and increase of muscle strength by isometric training of biceps brachii muscle. The intensity of its training was the three types of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), 70%MVC and 50%MVC. EMG reaction time (EMG-RT) as a function of motor control in center nervous system was measured by isometric contraction on fixed elbow.
After training for 8 weeks period, integrated EMG (IEMG) and power spectorum (mean power frequency, MPF) were increased as a component of muscle strength. IEMG and MPF were increased 83.6% and 16.6% in MVC training group, and were increased 86.2% and 20.8% in 70%MVC training group, and were increased 69.2% and 13.2% in 50%MVC training group. Increase of muscle strength in MVC, 70%MVC and 50%MVC training group increased 36.8%, 42, 3% and 30.6%, respectively. Consequently, decrease of EMG-RT was markdly associated with increase of muscle strength. The heavy intensity of isometric training, MVC and 70%MVC groups, decreased the EMG-RT greater than 50%MVC training group. Therefore, the decrease of training-induced EMG-RT correlated to development of muscle strength due to stimulation by training intensity. These results suggest that the decreased EMG-RT might be due to stimulation on motor central system by muscle training of heavy intensity.

The present studies were performed to investigate changes of reaction time and increase of muscle strength by isometric training of biceps brachii muscle. The intensity of its training was the three types of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), 70%MVC and 50%MVC. EMG reaction time (EMG-RT) as a function of motor control in center nervous system was measured by isometric contraction on fixed elbow.
After training for 8 weeks period, integrated EMG (IEMG) and power spectorum (mean power frequency, MPF) were increased as a component of muscle strength. IEMG and MPF were increased 83.6% and 16.6% in MVC training group, and were increased 86.2% and 20.8% in 70%MVC training group, and were increased 69.2% and 13.2% in 50%MVC training group. Increase of muscle strength in MVC, 70%MVC and 50%MVC training group increased 36.8%, 42, 3% and 30.6%, respectively. Consequently, decrease of EMG-RT was markdly associated with increase of muscle strength. The heavy intensity of isometric training, MVC and 70%MVC groups, decreased the EMG-RT greater than 50%MVC training group. Therefore, the decrease of training-induced EMG-RT correlated to development of muscle strength due to stimulation by training intensity. These results suggest that the decreased EMG-RT might be due to stimulation on motor central system by muscle training of heavy intensity.

The main drug therapy for chronic kidney disease (CKD) is Western medical treatment, and no recommended oriental medical approach has been described. In this report, we focused on the medical herb Radix Astragali of single component which has been reportedly effective in improving nephritis and renal function. We analyzed the experience of using Radix Astragali in our hospital and reviewed the clinical features. Twenty-two cases were enrolled in this study. Irrespective of gender, age, CKD duration, the decreasing speed of estimated GFR, proteinuria, or diabetes, eGFR improved in all the patients. Furthermore, clinic blood pressure fluctuation and qualitative urinary protein also showed improvement. Radix Astragali is effective for CKD regardless of clinical features, severity, causative disease, and may be useful and safe for CKD treatment.

Early detection of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant bacteria in blood culture tests influences the choice of antimicrobial agents. We report on our hospital’s system for early reporting of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant bacteria and its utility. The hospital operates a 24-h simple cefpodoxime (CPDX) testing system, where the content of a sample container with a positive blood culture result is smeared on a CA Sheep Blood Agar/VCM Chocolate EX II fractionation medium, and an antibiotic susceptibility test (AST) disk (Sensi-Disk CPDX) is placed at the center of the medium and incubated. The presence or absence of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant bacteria is estimated from the diameter of the growth inhibition zone. The physician in charge of AST makes comments on the chart based on the simple CPDX test results. The sensitivity of the simple CPDX test for detecting third-generation cephalosporin-resistant bacteria, based on AST results, was 95.5%. Among patients with failed antimicrobial therapy, the rate of switching antimicrobials before the AST results were known was 57.9% in cases where there were comments made by the physicians in charge of AST, compared with 42.9% in cases without comments. These results suggest that the simple CPDX test enables early and accurate detection of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant bacteria, facilitating early switching of antimicrobial agents through collaboration with physicians in charge of AST.