Phosvel is an organophosphorus pesticide known to produce delayed neurotoxicity. In our earlier investigation, the neurotoxicity was greater in hens which fasted for two weeks than in those which were normally or force fed for some weeks. This suggested a relationship between the sensitivity to the neurotoxicity of phosvel and the amount of adipose tissue of animals receiving this compound.
In this study, neurotoxicity levels in five groups of hens, each fasted for different duration (3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 days) before administration of phosvel, were compared with normally fed hens. The results are as follows;
1. A single oral dose of phosvel was administered to each hen at the rate of 250 mg/kg body weight.
2. There were no abnormal hens in the fed group or the ‘3 days fasting’ group.
3. In the ‘6 days fasting’ group, 2 out of 5 hens showed ataxia and one of them developed mild paralysis. But no hens died in this group.
4. However, in both groups of ‘9’ and ‘15 days fasting’, all hens were attacked by delayed neurotoxic effect. Three out of five in each group died after developing severe paralysis.
5. One bird in the ‘12 days fasting’ group died due to the acute poisoning of phosvel on day 3 after administration. This was a very rare case in the series of studies of the compound. Three out of 4 remaining hens developed severe paralysis and one of these affected hens died.
6. In general, the longer the animals fasted the greater was the delayed neurotoxic effect, however, if the adipose tissue of the animals was cosumed more than a certain level by enforced fasting, the neurotoxicity tended to be markedly increased.

Thromboembolic events after cardiac surgery, including ischemic strokes, can be devastating complications, however only a few studies manifest the platelet activation and coagulation state after off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB). Platelet-derived microparticles (PMP) are observed as released vesicles from platelets following platelet activation, and are believed to play a role in some clinical diseases because of their procoagulant activity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hypercoagulant state after OPCAB using PMP and other indices. Data were obtained from 15 patients (aged 69±7 years; only men) undergoing elective OPCAB surgery. One hundred milligrams of aspirin were used as postoperative antiplatelet drugs. Preoperative risk factors, operation time, postoperative hospital stay, transfusion and blood samples of CBC, PMP, βTG, PF 4, platelet aggregation, FDP, D-dimer and TAT of pre- and postoperative days (POD) 3 and 7 were studied. There was no difference between the PMP level with or without risk factor. The PMP levels of POD 3 and 7 were significantly higher compared to the preoperative levels (pre-op, POD 3, 7:9.1±5.1, 15.2±10.3, 28.4±24.5/10⁴plt respectively, p<0.05). The levels of FDP, D-dimer and TAT rose significantly on POD 3 and 7 and significantly correlated with the PMP levels. Beta TG, PF 4 and platelet aggregation did not change after OPCAB surgery, and no correlation was found with the PMP levels. Elevated levels of PMP, TAT, FDP and D-dimer persisted until POD 7 and suggested not only platelet activation, but also activation of the coagulation and fibrinolytic system. The findings suggest that 100mg of aspirin may not be adequate for the inhibition of platelet activation after OPCAB surgery.

Previously we reported effects of acupuncture to the stellate ganglion on measurements of skin electroconductivity by a Neurometer.
By using 8 healthy adults and 23 patients, we measured effects of electrical acupuncture to the stellate ganglion on carotid blood flow, deep tissue temperature, blood pressure and pulse rate in order to clarify the influence on functions of the autonomic nervous system.
After electrical acupuncture to the right stellate ganglion (SGA), the right and left carotid blood flow decreased with 4-9% and 7-12%, respectively. Deep tissue temperature of the right anterior forearm after SGA showed a little increase (with no significance), while the temperature increased with 0.4-0.7°C after the right stellate ganglion block (SGB). Deep tissue temperature of the left anterior forearm showed no significant change after SGA, while it increased with 0.1-0.3°C significantly after SGB. Systolic blood pressure increased with 2-4mmHg after SGA and this also increased with 9-11mmHg after SGB. Those increases were significant. While the pulse rate decreased (2bpm) significantly after SGA, it increased (4-6bpm) significantly after SGB.
Except the decreased pulse rate after SGA, the other data did not support a common hypothesis that electrical acupuncture to the stellate ganglion suppresses the sympathetic system as SGB.

Previously we reported that acupuncture to the stellate ganglion stimulates sympathetic nervous system while it decreases heart rate.
As it is said that R-R intervals in electrocardiogram (ECG) reflect functions of parasympathetic nervous system, we measured effects of electrical acupuncture to the stellate ganglion (SG) or traditional acupuncture points (AP) on the meridians (H7: SHENMEN and P4: HSIMEN) on R-R intervals in ECG by using 24 patients; 12 each in SG-group and AP-group.
Results are as follows; (1) Means of heart rate (HR) decreased with 1-3bpm in the both groups; (2) Coefficients of variation (CV) of HR increased with 1-2% in the both groups; (3) Means of R-R intervals prolonged with 39-47msec in the SG-group and 20-44msec in the AP-group, respectively; (4) CV of R-R intervals increased with 1% in the SG-group only.
It is suggested that acupuncture stimulates not only sympathetic nervous system, but also parasympathetic nervous system.

An accidental break of an acupuncture needle is one of the most serious complication in acupuncture.
A German Shepherd weighed 25kg was anesthetized with pentobarbital.
Then, unused 7 needles of 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0cm long each were inserted at 7 acupuncture points.
The movement of broken acupuncture needles were observed by X-ray for 72 days and pathological examination of tissue surrounding broken needles was also done.
While broken needles inserted nearby the joints were found moving much around, others inserted in the region of straight bones stayed almost.
The dog was dissected 72 days after the preparation. Three broken needles were found just beneath the muscular fascia and two broken needles were in the subcutaneous tissue. Another broken needle in the lumbar region was penetrated into the lumbar spinal cord and the other needle in the region of neck was lost.
Pathological examination showed chronic inflammatory changes such as cellular infiltration and muscle fiber necrosis in the lumbar spinal cord and the thigh region, but little changes in the other four regions.

On twenty patients and ten healthy adult volunteers, pain threshold was measured by a dolorimeter (Pain meter NYT-5) to clarify whether analgesic effects of electrical acupuncture on various body surface may be changed by acupuncture points or not.
Electrical acupuncture was performed to the traditional acupuncture points on the two meridians. A group is the combination of LI 10 (Shousanli) and LI 14 (Hoku) on the right side, the other is the combination of ST 36 (Tsusanli) and ST 40 (Liangchiu) on the right side.
Measured points of pain threshold are (1) face, (the point 2cm above from the center of both eyelids), (2) (3) left and right upper extremities (LI 11; Chuchih) and (4) (5) left and right lower extremities (ST 41; Chiehhsi).
In the Shousanli-Hoku group, pain thresholds of face, both upper extrimities increased significantly. However, those of both lower extremities were not significantly changed.
In the Tsusanli-Liangchiu group, pain thresholds of the upper and lower extremities on both sides increased significantly. However there were no significant changes in the forehead.
In comparison of two groups, increases of pain thresholds of both lower extremities were observed in significantly more cases with acupuncture to Tsusanli and Liangchiu points than those with Shousanli and Hoku points by the Chi-square test (p<0.01). From this fact, acupuncture of Tsusanli-Liangchiu points seems to be more effective on the lower extremities than that of the Shousanli-Hoku points.
Therefore, we conclude that effects on pain threshold by electrical acupuncture depend on various points on meridians and are not evenly shown on the whole body surface.

A 73 year old female, who had suffered from serious bronchial asthma and had been taking prednisolone and theophylline, was treated with acupuncture and herbal medicine. Twenty points, which are so called effective points for bronchial asthma, were used for acupuncture, e. g. LU 1: Zhongij, LU 2: Yunmen, and CV 22: Tiantu, etc. As Ryoudouraku mesurments showed suppression of F3 (Kidny Meridian) and F5 (Gallbladder Meridian), the exciting points on those meridians (KI 7: Fuliu and GB 43: Xiaxi) were also mildly stimulated by acupuncture. The severity of asthmatic attack, the strength of cough and the amount of sputum were expressed by a scoring system, where the most sever one which had been experienced before was scored as 10.
At the initiation of acupuncture, the frequency of asthmatic attack was 5 times a day, the severity of asthmatic attack was 6/10, the strength of cough was 6/10 and the amount of sputum was 8/10. Recently prednisolone was successfully reduced from 20mg to 7.5mg per day with acupuncture and the severity of asthmatic attack, the strength of cough and the amount of sputum were improved to 2/10, 1/10 and 3/10, respectively.
On the other hand, % FVC, FEV 1.0% and blood gas analysis data were not improved.
In summary, we believe that acupuncture acts beneficially to reduce the subjective symptoms of asthma even when the dose of prednisolone were decreased.

It is said that Ryodoraku reflects the dysfunction of the autonomic nerve in spite of no objective evidence for the theory.
Using 60 patients received right stellate ganglion block, we measured 24 typical determinate points of ryodoraku with a neurometer and an electrodermometer.
With a neurometer, an average current value of 6 points of the right upper extremity decreased in 52% as well as that of 6 points of the left decreased in 62%. Both the right and the left lower extremities decreased in 91% and 85%.
With an electrodermometer, the average impedance of the right upper extremity increased in 108%.
Finally, the sympathetic blockade showed decrease in a current value with a neurometer and increase in impedance with an electrodermometer.

It has been told that acupuncture to the stellate ganglion suppresses the sympathetic activity. By using 15 patients, we made measurements of electrical current of the skin at the 24 typical determinate points of Ryodoraku with a Neurometer before and after electrical acupuncture to the right stellate ganglion.
After 20min rest in the supine position, average values of 6 points of the right and left upper extremities decreased with 30% and 27%, and those of the right and the left lower extremities decreased with 34% and 31%, respectively.
Immediately after 30min of electrical acupuncture, average values of 6 points of the right and left upper and the right and left lower extremities increased with 9%, 12%, 17% and 9%, respectively.
Twenty minutes after the right stellate ganglion block, average values of 6 points of the right upper extremity decreased with 16%, and those of the left one, the right and left lower extremities decreased with 9%, 18% and 14%, respectively.
These data suggest that acupuncture to the stellate ganglion stimulates the sympathetic tone by showing increase of electrical conductivity of the skin, while the stellate ganglion block shows the decrease.

An organophosphorus insecticide EPN, O-ethyl-O, 4-nitrophenyl phenylphosphonothioate, is a stronger inhibitor of ChE activity than leptophos or cyanofenphos which are delayed neurotoxic organophosphorus insecticides, and it is usually difficult to demonstrate its delayed neurotoxicity with a single oral dose without atropinization. In this study, delayed neurotoxic effect of EPN was observed in non-atropinized hens by using the repeated pretreatment method.
1) Three groups of hens were given preliminarily small dose of EPN such as 10mg/kg/day for 10 days, 5 mg/kg/day for 20 days and 10mg/kg/day for 20 days. Another group was not given any preliminary dose. After each pretreatment, these groups received a large amount of dose called ‘challenge dese’, 150mg/kg, 200mg/kg or 300mg/kg of EPN. During the pretreatmental period, only 2 out of 60 hens which received the pretreatment died.
2) The mortality rate due to the acute toxicity after the challenge does in the group pretreated by 10 mg/kg/day for 20 days was significantly lower than in the non-pretreated group.
3) It is clear that EPN shows delayed neurotoxicity in hens. Delayed neurotoxic effect was observed in all groups which were given repeatedly the pretreatment of EPN prior to each challenge dose. While the survived hens from the acute death in the non-pretreated group did not show any sign of delayed neurotoxicity. The specific relationship, however, was not observed between the anount and times of pretreatment and the incidence of delayed neurotoxicity.
4) Delayed neurotoxic effects of EPN such as clinical symptomes, the cource of body-weight change and the findings of histopathological changes were just similar to those of leptophos and cyanofenphos.
5) The results of this study suggest that the using of the repeated pretreatment method allows to give high concentrated organophosphorus compound without atropinization and to accurate assessment of delayed neurotoxicity of some organophosphates; these effects would otherwise not be detected using a single dose of LD₅₀.