5200-year-old acupuncture in central Europe?

Emergency Protective Measures and Strategies of COVID-19: From Lifestyle to Traditional Chinese Medicine

This article reviews various aspects of COVID-19, including its current status, its side-effects, emergency protective measures and strategies from lifestyle to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for fighting against the SARS-CoV-2, and its major variants (Delta and Omicron), with the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, which include "Carassius auratus lifestyle" for high effective isolation, social and high-tech medical strategies, traditional Chinese herbs "Bark-Flower-Fruit-Grass-Leaf-Nucleolus(seed)-Root (BFFGLNR)", and the combination of Chinese and western medicine. As a choice, little is known whether the Chinese acupuncture is an effective method for confirming and suspecting COVID-19 patients, which include imported and asymptomatic cases. Definitely, acupuncture has been proven effective treatment for the recovery of COVID-19 cases. However, further animal experiments and clinical trials are required to confirm its effects and disclose underlying mechanisms. In conclusion, these emergency protective measures and strategies for COVID-19 will help to effectively combat the SARS-CoV-2 and its variants during the pandemic and post-COVID-19 era.

Neuromodulation techniques for cancer pain management

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Advanced pain management techniques may be indicated in 5-15% of cancer patients. Despite this, a recent review identified that, over the course of 1 year in England, only 458 patients received a procedure intended to provide analgesia and only 30 patients had intrathecal drug delivery (ITDD) devices implanted. This article describes the emerging evidence for ITDD in cancer pain and provides a narrative review of other neuromodulatory techniques (including spinal cord stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation and acupuncture), approaches that might be employed to address this area of significant unmet clinical need.

RECENT FINDINGS

Numerous studies have been published within the last year reporting positive outcomes associated with ITDD in cancer pain management. Neuromodulation represents an important strategy in the management of persistent pain. Whilst the nonmalignant pain evidence-base is rapidly growing, it remains sparse for cancer pain management. The growing cohort of cancer survivors may significantly benefit from neuromodulatory techniques.

SUMMARY

ITDD and other neuromodulatory techniques for cancer pain management appear underutilised in the UK and offer the prospect of better treatment for cancer patients with refractory pain or intolerable side-effects from systemic analgesics.

Differences in personality characteristics between body‐modified and non‐modified individuals: associations with individual personality traits and their possible evolutionary implications

After a long history of negative stigmatisation, the practices of tattooing and body piercing have become fashionable in the last decade. Today, 10% of the population in modern western societies have some form of body modification. The aim of this study was to quantify the demographic and personality traits of tattooed and pierced individuals and to compare them with a control group of individuals without body modifications. These comparisons are based on questionnaires completed by 359 individuals that investigate the details of body modification, and which incorporate five personality scales. We describe several sex differences in ornament style and location. We found no relevant differences between modified and non‐modified individuals in relation to demographic variables. This indicates that some of the traditional attitudes towards tattoos and piercings appear to be outdated. However, we found striking differences in personality traits which suggest that body‐modified individuals are greater sensation seekers and follow a more unrestricted mating strategy than their non‐modified contemporaries. We discuss these differences in light of a potential signalling function of tattoos and piercings in the mating context. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Psycho-physiological mechanism of energy transfer in the human body: myth or reality?

The authors consider the existence of an energy transfer system (ETS) in the human body and its consequenc-es for health, performing a review of the available literature and studies. The article is an attempt to describe the possible psychophysiological mechanism of ETS (i.e. mechanism of transmission of stimuli in connective tissue) based on biochemical reactions, which was first described in Eastern Medicine a long time ago. Some previously reported results suggest that it is possible to modulate the psychophysiological effects on the con-nective tissue, and that the internal ETS can be activated not only through internal acupoints but also through breath self-regulation techniques. Among the people specialized in such breathing are martial art fighters. In a very preliminary pilot study we investigate four cases in a Vietnamese Thiên Môn Đạo (TMD) group, where breathing techniques result in cardiovascular and blood pressure changes, which can indirectly suggest activa-tion of ETS. An additional energy system in the human body is postulated. However, future research is serious-ly needed. Findings could be applicable e.g. in cardiac rehabilitation programs.

Insight into the biological effects of acupuncture points by X-ray absorption fine structure

Exploration of the biological effects of transition metal ions in acupuncture points is essential to clarify the functional mechanism of acupuncture treatment. Here we show that in the SP6 acupuncture point (Sanyinjiao) the Fe ions are in a high-spin state of approximately t_2g^4.5e_g^1.5 in an Fe-N(O) octahedral crystal field. The Fe K-edge synchrotron radiation X-ray absorption fine structure results reveal that the Fe-N and Fe-O bond lengths in the SP6 acupuncture point are 2.05 and 2.13 Å, respectively, and are 0.05-0.10 Å longer than those in the surrounding tissue. The distorted atomic structure reduces the octahedral symmetry and weakens the crystal field around the Fe ions by approximately 0.3 eV, leading to the high-spin configuration of the Fe ions, which is favorable for strengthening the magnetotransport and oxygen transportation properties in the acupuncture point by the enhanced spin coherence. This finding might provide some insight into the microscopic effect of the atomic and electronic interactions of transition metal ions in the acupuncture point. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Using India Ink as a Sensor for Oximetry: Evidence of its Safety as a Medical Device

Clinical EPR spectroscopy is emerging as an important modality, with the potential to be used in standard clinical practice to determine the extent of hypoxia in tissues and whether hypoxic tissues respond to breathing enriched oxygen during therapy. Oximetry can provide important information useful for prognosis and to improve patient outcomes. EPR oximetry has many potential advantages over other ways to measure oxygen in tissues, including directly measuring oxygen in tissues and being particularly sensitive to low oxygen, repeatable, and non-invasive after an initial injection of the EPR-sensing material is placed in the tumor. The most immediately available oxygen sensor is India ink, where two classes of carbon (carbon black and charcoal) have been identified as having acceptable paramagnetic properties for oximetry. While India ink has a long history of safe use in tattoos, a systematic research search regarding its safety for marking tissues for medical uses and an examination of the evidence that differentiates between ink based on charcoal or carbon black has not been conducted.

METHODS

Using systematic literature search techniques, we searched the PubMed and Food and Drug Administration databases, finding ~1000 publications reporting on adverse events associated with India/carbon based inks. The detailed review of outcomes was based on studies involving >16 patients, where the ink was identifiable as carbon black or charcoal.

RESULTS

Fifty-six studies met these criteria. There were few reports of complications other than transient and usually mild discomfort and bleeding at injection, and there was no difference in charcoal vs. carbon black India ink.

CONCLUSIONS

India ink was generally well tolerated by patients and physicians reported that it was easy to use in practice and used few resources. The risk is low enough to justify its use as an oxygen sensor in clinical practice.

A background to acupuncture and its use in chronic painful musculoskeletal conditions

This article gives a brief description of the origins of acupuncture and describes some of the underlying philosophy behind this treatment and attempts to place it in context of the traditional Chinese medicine genre within which acupuncture is set. The article then explains the difference between traditional and Western style acupuncture and explains how point selection is made. The use of acupuncture is steadily increasing for a variety of reasons, it is a very safe intervention particularly when compared to conventional treatment and its lack of serious side effects might in part account for some of its popularity. The science behind acupuncture is also explored in terms of its underlying mechanisms and includes pain gate, endogenous opioids, diffuse noxious inhibitory control, serotonin and bioelectricity as possible explanations. The efficacy of acupuncture for a range of chronic musculoskeletal conditions is then explored and it is concluded that acupuncture has a place in the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain and in particular osteo-arthritis (OA). Where degenerative conditions are involved, acupuncture clearly cannot provide a ‘cure’ but can provide symptomatic relief, often over a prolonged period.

Primo-Vascular System as Presented by Bong Han Kim

In the 1960s Bong Han Kim discovered and characterized a new vascular system. He was able to differentiate it clearly from vascular blood and lymph systems by the use of a variety of methods, which were available to him in the mid-20th century. He gave detailed characterization of the system and created comprehensive diagrams and photographs in his publications. He demonstrated that this system is composed of nodes and vessels, and it was responsible for tissue regeneration. However, he did not disclose in detail his methods. Consequently, his results are relatively obscure from the vantage point of contemporary scientists. The stains that Kim used had been perfected and had been in use for more than 100 years. Therefore, the names of the stains were directed to the explicit protocols for the usage with the particular cells or molecules. Traditionally, it was not normally necessary to describe the method used unless it is significantly deviated from the original method. In this present work, we have been able to disclose staining methods used by Kim.

Moxibustion treatment for knee osteoarthritis: a multi-centre, non-blinded, randomised controlled trial on the effectiveness and safety of the moxibustion treatment versus usual care in knee osteoarthritis patients

Introduction

This study tested the effectiveness of moxibustion on pain and function in chronic knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and evaluated safety.

Methods

A multi-centre, non-blinded, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial compared moxibustion with usual care (UC) in KOA. 212 South Korean patients aged 40–70 were recruited from 2011–12, stratified by mild (Kellgren/Lawrence scale grades 0/1) and moderate-severe KOA (grades 2/3/4), and randomly allocated to moxibustion or UC for four weeks. Moxibustion involved burning mugwort devices over acupuncture and Ashi points in affected knee(s). UC was allowed. Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Questionnaire (K-WOMAC), Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36v2), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), physical performance test, pain numeric rating scale (NRS) and adverse events were evaluated at 5 and 13 weeks. K-WOMAC global score at 5 weeks was the primary outcome.

Results

102 patients (73 mild, 29 moderate-severe) were allocated to moxibustion, 110 (77 mild, 33 moderate-severe) to UC. K-WOMAC global score (moxibustion 25.42+/−SD 19.26, UC 33.60+/−17.91, p<0.01, effect size  = 0.0477), NRS (moxibustion 44.77+/−22.73, UC 56.23+/−17.71, p<0.01, effect size  = 0.0073) and timed-stand test (moxibustion 24.79+/−9.76, UC 25.24+/−8.84, p = 0.0486, effect size  = 0.0021) were improved by moxibustion at 5 weeks. The primary outcome improved for mild but not moderate-severe KOA. At 13 weeks, moxibustion significantly improved the K-WOMAC global score and NRS. Moxibustion improved SF-36 physical component summary (p = 0.0299), bodily pain (p = 0.0003), physical functioning (p = 0.0025) and social functioning (p = 0.0418) at 5 weeks, with no difference in mental component summary at 5 and 13 weeks. BDI showed no difference (p = 0.34) at 5 weeks. After 1158 moxibustion treatments, 121 adverse events included first (n = 6) and second degree (n = 113) burns, pruritus and fatigue (n = 2).

Conclusions

Moxibustion may improve pain, function and quality of life in KOA patients, but adverse events are common. Limitations included no sham control or blinding.

Trial Registration

Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS) KCT0000130

Acupuncture for allergic disease therapy--the current state of evidence

This review summarizes current evidence for acupuncture treatment of allergies. Several randomized controlled trials have demonstrated a specific effect of acupuncture for allergic rhinitis; while a few studies have shown positive effects for atopic dermatitis, asthma and itch. Specifically for allergic rhinitis and asthma, acupuncture may be cost-effective in terms of money spent per quality-of-life gained. Acupuncture plays an increasingly important role as an evidence-based therapy for allergy relief and can be recommended as adjunct therapy for allergic rhinitis. Future randomized controlled trials need to further explore acupuncture efficacy for the treatment of itch, atopic dermatitis and asthma. More experimental research is also needed to investigate mechanisms of action underlying acupuncture for allergy relief.

The musculoskeletal abnormalities of the Similaun Iceman ("ÖTZI"): clues to chronic pain and possible treatments

BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION

In 1991, a deceased human male was found frozen in a glacier pool in the Italian Alps in north west Italy, and is now carefully preserved in the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, in Bolzano, Italy. The bodily tissues of the 5,300 year old male (colloquially referred to as the Iceman or Ötzi) were well preserved despite damage related to freezing, and glacial movement. Associated articles of well-preserved clothing, tools, weapons and other devices were also present and have been studied in detail. Clinical examination and imaging investigations have also shown that the Icemen had experienced possible illnesses in his lifetime and had identifiable areas of arthritis and musculoskeletal injury. This report includes some key observations on the musculoskeletal state of Ötzi and reference to the involvement of tattoo markings. Some aspects about the aetiology of his abnormalities and inflammatory arthritis are considered along with possible treatments that he might have employed.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We (WFK and MK) undertook a clinical musculoskeletal examination of the Iceman, details of which with available photographs and radiographic imaging pertaining to the musculoskeletal findings of the Iceman are reported here. The skin of the Iceman has numerous linear carbon tattoos, which are not of a decorative type. These have been presumed to possibly be "medicinal" tattoos administered for therapeutic reasons and may have been used in acupuncture-like treatment of pain. Spinal imaging identified areas of spinal damage and our observations have provided clues as to possible sites of spinal initiated pain and hence sites for administration of the "medicinal" tattoos. We observed body areas of the Iceman, in which imaging demonstrated arthritis and other forms of long-term musculoskeletal damage, but which do not have adjacent or corresponding "medicinal" tattoos. We contend that the back and leg "medicinal" tattoos correspond directly to sites of chronic right knee and right ankle pain, and left thoracolumbar pain. They also correspond to lower lumbar and sciatic referred radicular pain which may have a contributory cause related to the presence of a transitional lumbar 5 vertebra. Using recent published data (Keller et al. in Nature Commun 3:698, 2012. doi: 10.1038/ncomms1701 ) of the genome structure of the Iceman, we suggest some potential causes of the osteoarthritis or inflammatory joint injury may relate to presence of coronary heart disease (CHD) and Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) infection. We speculate on possible medical applications of natural products for self-medication.

CONCLUSIONS

These observations highlight several diagnostic features of musculoskeletal conditions in the Iceman with the possibility that tattoos may have been used for diagnosis or location of his painful states. The origins of his musculoskeletal conditions are unclear but there are indications that Lyme disease and CHD may have been factors. The associations or use of natural products may give insights into their applications at the time of the life of the Iceman.

Acupuncture for zoological companion animals

Research in complementary and alternative veterinary medicine (CAVM) has increased dramatically in recent years. Acupuncture represents the most commonly practiced and extensively researched of all the CAVM modalities. Acupuncture is considered a valid therapeutic mode of treatment that can be integrated into Western veterinary medicine for the treatment of large, small, and zoological companion animal patients, especially in the area of analgesia. This article is intended to provide a guide for the zoological companion animal practitioner to gain a basic understanding of acupuncture and its potential for use in the zoological companion animal patient.

From Galapagos to the labs: Darwinian medicine and epilepsy today

In 1991, a mummy frozen in ice was found by climbers in the Tyrolean Alps. Otzi the Iceman has since been studied in the light of evolutionary explanations for diseases. This year, which marks Charles Darwin's 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of his publication On the Origin of Species, should re-ignite discussion of the importance of the correlation between nutritional diet and diseases. Epilepsy is one of the commonest diseases in the world. Individuals with epilepsy are at higher risk of death than the general population, and sudden unexpected death (SUDEP) is the most important direct epilepsy-related cause of death. A number of factors may influence the risk for SUDEP. Along these lines, several studies have demonstrated that polyunsaturated (omega-3) fatty acids may reduce the risk of cardiovascular mortality, and diminish neuronal excitability. Also, omega-3 fatty acids may decrease seizure frequency, contributing to the reduction of SUDEP risk. Reconstruction of the nutritional patterns of Stone Age humans and optimal human nutrition in the present may be relevant to the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases such as epilepsy and the catastrophic evolution into epilepsy refractoriness and SUDEP.

Mummies

Mummies are human remains with preservation of nonbony tissue. Mummification by natural influences results in so-called natural mummies, whereas mummification induced by active (human) intervention results in so-called artificial mummies, although many cultures practiced burial rites, which to some degree involved both natural and artificial mummification. Since they are so uniquely well-preserved, mummies may give many insights into mortuary practices and burial rites. Specifically, the presence of soft tissues may expand the scope of paleopathological studies. Many recent mummy studies focus on the development and application of nondestructive methods for examining mummies, including radiography, CT-scanning with advanced three-dimensional visualizations, and endoscopic techniques, as well as minimally-destructive chemical, physical, and biological methods for, e.g., stable isotopes, trace metals, and DNA. This article discusses mummification and gives a presentation of various key mummy finds and a brief history of mummy studies. A description of the extant key technologies of natural and medical science that are applied in mummy studies is given; along with a discussion of some of the major results in terms of paleopathology. It is also shown how mummy studies have contributed much to the knowledge of the cultural habits and everyday life of past populations. Finally the impact of mummy studies on analyses of mortuary practices and cultural history is discussed.

The neuroimmune basis of anti-inflammatory acupuncture

This review article presents the evidence that the antiinflammatory actions of acupuncture are mediated via the reflexive central inhibition of the innate immune system. Both laboratory and clinical evidence have recently shown the existence of a negative feedback loop between the autonomic nervous system and the innate immunity. There is also experimental evidence that the electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve inhibits macrophage activation and the production of TNF, IL-1beta , IL-6, IL-18, and other proinflammatory cytokines. It is therefore conceivable that along with hypnosis, meditation, prayer, guided imagery, biofeedback, and the placebo effect, the systemic anti-inflammatory actions of traditional and electro-acupuncture are directly or indirectly mediated by the efferent vagus nerve activation and inflammatory macrophage deactivation. In view of this common physiological mediation, assessing the clinical efficacy of a specific acupuncture regimen using conventional double-blind placebo-controlled trials inherently lacks objectivity due to (1) the uncertainty of ancient rules for needle placement, (2) the diffuse noxious inhibitory control triggered by control-needling at irrelevant points, (3) the possibility of a dose-response relationship between stimulation and effects, and (4) the possibility of inadequate blinding using an inert sham procedure. A more objective assessment of its efficacy could perhaps consist of measuring its effects on the surrogate markers of autonomic tone and inflammation. The use of acupuncture as an adjunct therapy to conventional medical treatment for a number of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases seems plausible and should be validated by confirming its cholinergicity.

Modifying the body: motivations for getting tattooed and pierced

Body modifications have been prevalent for centuries and are practiced for a great variety of reasons. Lately, tattoos and body piercings have become increasingly popular. Thus, a profound understanding of the underlying motivations behind obtaining tattoos and body piercings nowadays is required. A considerable body of research on motivational aspects already exists, mainly using explorative approaches to describe motivations. In this paper we provide a review of the existing relevant literature. Furthermore, we establish ten broad motivational categories, comprising motivations for getting tattooed and body pierced, for reference in future research.

Paleodermatoses: lessons learned from mummies

Mummies, the preserved remains of living beings from former times, bear witness across millennia to the maladies plaguing humankind. Disease, older than humanity, is better understood when examined in the context of history. Paleopathology, literally meaning "ancient suffering", is the study of disease through evaluation of ancient remains. This area of increasing medical interest offers insights into the management of public health issues and disease epidemiology. This article provides an introduction and overview to paleodermatology, the branch of dermatology concerned with the evaluation of diseases associated with the integument by examination of ancient human remains. Mummy sources, how they were made and used throughout history, and the multidisciplinary approach used to study skin diseases found in mummies is briefly described. Despite pervasive pseudopathology, a remarkable array of diseases are well substantiated in the paleorecord, including infectious, heritable, nutritional, hormonal, acquired, iatrogenic, and neoplastic disorders. Legitimate ethical concerns have been raised in the use of human remains for any purpose, with the lack of informed consent eliciting accusations of exploitation. While these studies are undertaken with certain risks, such as the acquisition of potentially dangerous or extinct infections, paleodermatology offers a unique and historical perspective on the afflictions of the skin and the way of all flesh.

Acupuncture beyond the endorphin concept?

Traditional acupuncture has been used for treating a variety of health conditions. In contrast, Western physicians limited acupuncture to the alleviation of pain. Concomitant with a recent view that not all kinds of pain are within the reach of acupuncture-induced relief, it has been suggested that some conditions other than pain can be effectively treated by this method. Increased release of the neuropeptide beta-endorphin was proposed to explain the antinociceptive function of acupuncture. Even if correct beta-endorphin cannot account for the effect of acupuncture in other conditions. Endorphins might be interacting with cytokines, some of which (e.g. interleukin-10) downregulate the inflammatory component of disorders in which acupuncture may be useful. We present a speculative notion of the view that acupuncture may amplify the interaction between neuropeptides and cytokines. A non-invasive approach, such as immune-committed cells harvested from blood of acupuncture-treated patients, could be used to examine this hypothesis. Inclusion of a placebo group might support the credibility of acupuncture.