Combi-Elastography versus Transient Elastography for Assessing the Histological Severity of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease.

Background/aims: Combi-elastography is a B-mode ultrasound-based method in which two elastography modalities are utilized simultaneously to assess metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). However, the performance of combi-elastography for diagnosing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and determining fibrosis severity is unclear. This study compared the diagnostic performances of combi-elastography and vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) for identifying hepatic steatosis, fibrosis, and high-risk MASH.

Low-quality muscle mass rather than normal-quality muscle mass determines fibrosis progression in biopsy-proven NAFLD.

Background And Aims: Sarcopaenia is associated with advanced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the impact of the muscle mass categorised by muscle quality on fibrosis progression remains unclear.

Methods: A total of 292 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD who underwent serial vibration-controlled transient elastography assessments at least 1 year from baseline were selected.

A sequential approach using the age-adjusted fibrosis-4 index and vibration-controlled transient elastography to detect advanced fibrosis in Korean patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background And Aims: Vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) has shown good diagnostic performance in predicting fibrosis stages in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, an optimal diagnostic approach to detect advanced fibrosis in patients with NAFLD has not been established.

Approach And Results: We prospectively collected data from 539 subjects who underwent liver biopsy at a single centre between January 2014 and December 2019.

Round Acupuncture for the Treatment of Recurrent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Objectives: Round Acupuncture having blunt end has developed from acupotomy. This case report is to find out that Round Acupuncture is effective in treating patients with recurrent carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), which has not improved by steroid injection or acupotomy.

Methods: Round Acupuncture was inserted into the distal fibers of transverse carpal ligament and released toward the proximal fibers.

Acupuncture inhibits reinstatement of intravenous methamphetamine self-administration via gamma aminobutyric acid pathway.

Methamphetamine is one of the widely abused drugs. Nevertheless, there is little predominant therapy for the abuse. In the previous study, acupuncture had shown to attenuate methamphetamine self-administration behavior, and based on, the present study investigated whether acupuncture inhibits the reinstatement of methamphetamine self-administration.

Acupuncture suppresses intravenous methamphetamine self-administration through GABA receptor's mediation.

Objectives: Methamphetamine is one of the widely abused drugs. In spite of a number of studies, there is still little successful therapy to suppress the methamphetamine abuse. Acupuncture has shown to attenuate the reinforcing effects of psychostimulant.

Acupuncture Suppresses Morphine Craving in Progressive Ratio Through the GABA System.

Previous studies revealed that acupuncture suppressed both morphine self-administration and morphine-seeking behavior after abstinence. Based on these results, this study examined whether acupuncture attenuated morphine-craving under a progressive ratio (PR) schedule and investigated the possible neuronal mechanism. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to self-administer morphine (0.

Acupuncture at HT7 suppresses morphine self-administration at high dose through GABA system.

In the previous study, acupuncture at HT7 has shown to attenuate the self-administration of morphine at a low dose (0.1mg/kg). In this study, it was further investigated whether acupuncture at HT7 could attenuate the morphine self-administration at a high dose (0.

The glycemic status of diabetes in an urban area of Cambodia.

Recently the Korea Diabetes Association participated in the 'Cambodia-Korea Twinning Project' to help Cambodia establish its own modernized diabetes center and to raise awareness of the seriousness of diabetes. Here we report the status of diabetes in an urban area of Cambodia as obtained through this project.

Acupuncture suppresses reinstatement of morphine-seeking behavior induced by a complex cue in rats.

Morphine causes physical and psychological dependence for individuals after repeated-use. Above all, our previous study showed that acupuncture attenuated reinstatement of morphine-seeking behavior induced by pharmacological cue. In this study, we investigated whether acupuncture could suppress the reinstatement of morphine-seeking behavior induced by the combination of environmental and pharmacological cues and the possible neuronal involvement.

Modulatory Effects of Chrysanyhemi Flos Pharmacopuncture on Nitric-oxide (NO) Production in Murin Macrophagy Cells.

Objectives: Much evidence exists that herbs have effective immunomodulatory activities. Chrysanthemi Flos (CF) is effective in clearing heat, reducing inflammation, dropping blood pressure and treating headache and is used as a pharmaceutical raw material for an immune enhancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the modulatory effect of Chrysanthemi Flos pharmacopuncture on nitric-oxide (NO) production in activating macrophages.

Effects of atractylodis rhizoma pharmacopuncture on an acute gastric mucosal lesion induced by compound 48/80 in rats.

Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the protective effects of Atractylodis Rhizoma pharmacopuncture (ARP) against acute gastric mucosal lesions induced by compound 48/80 in rats.

Methods: The ARP was injected in Joksamni (ST36) and Jungwan (CV12) 1 hr before treatment with compound 48/80. The animals were sacrificed under anesthesia 3 hrs after treatment with compound 48/80.