Severe burn injuries may result in gastrointestinal paralysis, and barrier dysfunction due to gut ischemia and lowered vagus excitability. In this study we investigate whether electroacupuncture (EA) at Zusanli (ST36) could prevent severe scalds-induced gut ischemia, paralysis, and barrier dysfunction and whether the protective role of EA at ST36 is related to the vagus nerve. 35% burn area rats were divided into six groups: (a) EAN: EA nonchannel acupoints followed by scald injury; (b) EA: EA at ST36 after scald injury; (c) VGX/EA: vagotomy (VGX) before EA at ST36 and scald injury; (d) VGX/EAN: VGX before EAN and scald injury; (e) atropine/EA: applying atropine before scald injury and then EA at ST36; (f) atropine/EAN: applying atropine before scald injury and then EA at nonchannel acupoints. EA at the Zusanli point significantly promoted the intestinal impelling ratio and increased the amount of mucosal blood flow after scald injury. The plasma diamine oxidase (DAO) and intestinal permeability decreased significantly after scald injury in the EA group compared with others. However, EA after atropine injection or cervical vagotomy failed to improve intestinal motility and mucosa blood flow suggesting that the mechanism of EA may be related to the activation of the cholinergic nerve pathway.

Changes of light intensity of different colors can shift many physiological parameters and conditions like melatonin, alertness, body temperature, heart rate (HR), and heart rate variability (HRV). The aim of this pilot study was to investigate acute temperature, HR, HRV, and state of mind reactivities after illumination with red (631 nm) and blue (456 nm) light (illuminance 140 lux for both). Seven healthy volunteers (5 females, 2 males; mean age ± SD 34.1 ± 11.9 years) were investigated at the Medical University of Graz, using new color light panels. Significant decreases were found only after 10 min blue light stimulation in nose temperature (P=0.046), HR (P<0.05), and total HRV (P=0.029), in association with a significant alteration of the emotional state (stress level score,P=0.006). However, red light stimulation of the same persons did not induce the same effects in these parameters. The effect of blue light as environmental stimulation on human health is not clarified in detail and needs further investigations.

Every year more than 600,000 Europeans suffer a stroke. This burdens the health system and it can be assumed that the incidence of stroke will increase in the coming decades. In addition to conventional methods of drug therapy, stroke is sometimes treated with highly invasive methods. The non-invasive laser procedures on the other hand operate through the bony skull. Large-scale laser studies are being conducted with varying degrees of success around the world, and without the certainty that the corresponding laser beam even penetrates the bone. No one currently knows in detail the laser parameters that have to be chosen on the intact skull; so that the laser light can develop its possible efficacy inside the human skull. The present study demonstrates that the values for the wavelengths 810 nm and 658 nm correlate well with previous experimental findings however the information on the yellow laser was estimated incorrectly by a factor of ten by other authors. Further research on the topic is important so that one can be sure to apply the correct wavelength and parameters. This can open up new dimensions in transcranial laser therapy, not only in stroke patients.

The protective effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at Zusanli points (ST36) on myocardial injury in a model of sepsis was observed. Forty‐eight male Sprague‐Daley rats were subjected to sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) and randomly divided into 4 groups (n=12; A: sepsis + EA; B: sepsis + sham acupuncture; C: sepsis + vagotomy; D: sepsis + vagotomy + EA). Bilateral points were stimulated (2mA, 2‐100 Hz) for 1 hour. Abdominal vagotomy was performed in groups C and D. At 6h after CLP, the plasma activity of creatine kinase‐MB (CK‐MB) was determined. A part of cardiac muscle was harvested for evaluating levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF‐α), nitric oxide (NO), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and the rate of water content. The activities of CK‐MB, TNF‐α, NO, and MPO and the rate of water content in group A were significantly lower than those of the other groups 6h after CLP. EA after vagotomy showed less anti‐inflammatory and protective effects. The results indicated that EA obviously reduced the increased levels of the proinflammatory factors at 6h after CLP, and vagotomy could weaken or eliminate the effects of EA. Cholinergic anti‐inflammatory pathway is one of the main mechanisms of cardioprotective effect of EA.

This single-blind, placebo-controlled study assesses the efficacy of synergic administration of intravenous laser blood irradiation (ILBI) and etanercept in selected subtypes of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Etanercept is a tumor necrosis factor alpha blocking agent with recognized importance in JIA. Laser radiation has immunomodulatory effects in animal and human studies. Fourteen patients (Group I) received ILBI and 9 patients (Group II) received placebo laser. ILBI was performed in addition to ongoing JIA medication, including etanercept. ILBI was administrated in 3 sets of 5 consecutive daily sessions, with a 7-week interval between every set of sessions. Evaluation was performed using ACR (American College of Rheumatology) Pediatric Criteria (ACR Pedi) at study enrollment and at 10 and 20 weeks, respectively. After 10 weeks, 85.7% of the patients in Group I fulfilled Pedi 30 criteria, compared to only 55.6% of the patients in Group II. After 20 weeks, all patients in both groups had a Pedi 30 response. In Group I, 92.8% of the subjects met the Pedi 50 response, compared to only 55.6% in the placebo group. One patient in Group I responded best, fulfilling Pedi 70 criteria. If applied synergistically, ILBI and etanercept would have an increased efficacy in promoting JIA remission.

We observed the effect of scalp point cluster‐needling treatment on learning and memory function and neurotransmitter levels in rats with vascular dementia (VD). Permanent ligation of the bilateral carotid arteries was used to create the VD rat model. A Morris water maze was used to measure the rats’ learning and memory function, and the changes in neurotransmitter levels in the rats’ hippocampus were analyzed. The results show that scalp point cluster‐needling can increase the VD rat model’s learning and memory score. The VD rat model’s learning and memory score was significantly different when compared with that of the sham operation group (P < 0.05). Hippocampal acetylcholine (ACh), dopamine (DA), and 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT) concentrations significantly decreased in the rat model. Compared with the model group, the scalp point cluster‐needling group’s ACh concentration markedly increased and DA and 5‐HT levels increased as well. In conclusion, scalp point cluster‐needling can improve learning and memory function in VD rats, and its function may be related to an increase in neurotransmitter release.