The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of expiratory effort on the magnitude and low-frequency components of force variability during submaximal isometric knee extension (IKE). Eight subjects performed 5-s IKE of the dominant leg at the intensity of 10% of maximal voluntary contraction (10% MVC). During the IKE, the subjects performed one of three forced expirations (FEs) of different effort levels. The three effort levels of FE were 0% effort (normal breathing, FE0), 50% effort (FE50) and 100% effort (FE100). In the expiratory phase of each IKE, the amplitude of the force variability was quantified by the coefficient of variation (FCV), and the low-frequency components of the force variability were evaluated by calculating the peak power values of the filtered force signal (F) and rectified EMG signal with high-pass filtering (rEMGH) of the vastus lateralis muscle. The cross-correlation between F and rEMGH was also calculated. FCV was significantly higher in FE100 than in FE0 and FE50 (p < 0.01). The peak power values of F and rEMGH was significantly higher in FE100 than in FE0 (p < 0.05). Cross-correlation between F and rEMGH with the latter preceding the former was observed in each FE condition. These results suggest that FE with maximal effort (FE100) increased not only the absolute amount of force variation but also low-frequency oscillatory components of force and EMG and that low-frequency oscillations of motor unit firing may be responsible for the increase in force variation induced by FE.

A42-year-old man presented with a history of tidal fever almost every evening to night with 10-year duration. We could not find out the cause of his fever, so we thought he was classified in fever of unknown origin. The patient suffered from an anhydrosis phase during the temperature rose, but his fever broke after perspiration occurred at the end. The lack of perspiration with fever is a typical symptom of excess pattern of tai yang stage, and fever at night is suggestive of shao yang stage. Saikatsugekito was thought to be best suited as it would address both stages. The formula promoted perspiration, and the body temperature remained stable thereafter. It is not unusual to encounter complicated symptoms due to combined or overlapped pattern in clinical setting. This case represented successful outcome by identifying and analyzing the concept of gobyo and heibyo and prescribing a formula accordingly.

Case 1 was a 72-year-old man with a generalized pain after 6 months of heavy physical work. Kakkonto was prescribed based on his symptoms of severe shoulder stiffness and pain, and keishibukuryoganryo was added to treatoketsu. It caused dysuria because of ephedra herb, so the dosage was reduced. Atractylodes lancea rhizome and processed aconite root were added to enhance the effect of treatment. And then, his pain was alleviated. Case 2 was a 53-year-old man with a generalized pain. He had a previous history of whiplash and two surgical operations. Daisaikoto was prescribed based on his symptom of bilateral costal arch pain, and keishibukuryoganryo was added because of oketsu. It caused an increased frequency of bowel movement due to crude drug of rhuharb, so the dosage was reduced. Pueraria root was added for the purpose of relieving severe shoulder stiffness. And then, his pain went away. It is often difficult to treat fibromyalgia. The decoction can be effective with increase or decrease and deleting or adding of the dosage of crude drug. Decoctions become handy as it allows dosage adjustment of crude drug to minimize the side effects and improve the efficacy.

Physical constitution consists of biologically different components, such as fat mass (FM) associated with various risks and fat-free mass (FFM) associated with physical fitness. Given a hypothesis that body composition to provide the best physical fitness is the healthiest, we estimated the relationship between fat-to-lean ratio (FLR= FM/FFM) and physical fitness outcomes in school children. Five hundred and three 4^th grade school children aged at 10 years were recruited and their body composition were measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis. They underwent physical fitness test including grip strength, sit-up, sit & reach, side step, 20m shuttle run, 50m dash, standing broad jump, softball throw. According to the sexes, the subjects were classified into 5 ranks (quintile) based on their heights, and subsequently stratified into 4 groups (quartile) in each height-rank (quintile) groups based on their FLR. By grouping the same FLR quartile group in 5 height-ranks (quintile groups), quartile groups (FLR-1 to FLR-4) were compared among their outcome of physical fitness test. Without relation to heights and FFM, 20m shuttle run as an index of cardiorespiratory fitness, 50m dash and standing broad jump showed significant difference among groups in stepwise manner in both boys and girls, where the most lean group had highest capacity. FM and FFM have to be discriminated each other, because of their characteristic biological significance. FLR, strongly correlated to aerobic power, is a useful index to estimate body composition associated with physical fitness.

A 31-year-old woman started to have a yellowish-white scab with exfoliation on her lip after delivery. Her exfoliative cheilitis did not improve with kigikenchuto nor juzentaihoto for treating deficiency of vital energy and lack of blood. After she developed upset stomach, her prescription was changed to hochuekkito which supports the digestive system. Her symptom improved dramatically. The characteristic of exfoliative cheilitis consists of chronic inflammation of lips which is considered to be yang-syndrome, therefore hochuekkito was effective as it covers yang-syndrome as well as yin-syndrome. It is suggested that psychological factors play a role for a pathogenesis of exfoliative cheilitis. We consider that antistress effect of bupleurum root and sedative effect of citrus unshiu peel in hochuekkito might also be key factors.

A 48-year-old woman started to have dizziness after experiencing an earthquake. Her clinical signs improved with the use of shimbuto that was prescribed based on her symptom of yin-syndrome and hypofunction. At the same time, there was a decrease in reading errors with her finger, in a vein authentication device. One of the common reading errors that the security system makes is due to a change in blood flow due to vasoconstriction caused by low temperature. It is speculated that the use of a warming formula increased peripheral blood circulation, which contributed to the improvement of vein authentication.

A decrease in swallowing function growth may lead to drooling and a diminished quality of life in patients with tongue cancer. Common ways to counteract drooling include a reduction of fluid intake, and the administration of anticholinergics. These actions, however, may not often suppress drooling sufficiently. Here we report how the application of the formulation of scopolamine ointment near the mastoid process behind the ear resulted in the alleviation of drooling in a tongue cancer patient, after continuous intravenous scopolamine butylbromide infusion was unsuccessful. Dry mouth was noted as an adverse event, which was not problematic. Also, the ointment could be used without local dermatitis. Scopolamine ointment is much more convenient to use than continuous injection, suggesting the improved treatment for drooling in patients with tongue cancer.

Objectives: To investigate the stress-relief and mood-change effects of extractives from the leaves of Abies sachalinensis Methods: The essential oil was steam-distilled from the leaves of Abies sachalinensis (Todomatsu) and it was a generous gift from Japan Aroma Laboratory. Ten healthy university students (male 8, female 2) participated in the present study. After informed consent was obtained, the subject sat on a chair in a climatic chamber in which temperature and relative humidity were kept at 24°C and 50%, respectively. After ten min rest in a room, first salivary collection for cortisol, amylase and questionnaire with mood check list short form 2 (MCL-S.2) were performed. Second measurement was done after 20 min rest without aroma and then further 20 min later with aroma, third measurement was done. None felt discomfort during the experiment. Differences between the three measurements were examined using Friedman test, then if there is any significant differences, Scheffe’ test was performed. Results and Conclusion: Regarding the emotional changes, higher “relaxation” score and lower “anxiety” score were observed in the cases with aroma (third measurement) than those without aroma (second measurement, p<0.05). “Pleasantness” score did not show significant changes. No significant differences between first and second measurements.   Salivary stress parameter such as cortisol decreased significantly in the subjects with aroma (first vs. third, p=0.001). There was also significant difference between second and third measurements (p<0.05). Salivary amylase activity showed lower value with aroma than the resting value (first vs. third, p<0.05).   From these findings, essential oil from the leaves of Abies sachalinensis (Todomatsu) assumed to improve mood status and have a stress-relief activity.