The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of isotonic exercise during a 38°C mist sauna on oxygen uptake in comparison with conditions of the exercise only.
  The subjects of this study were 10 young persons (average 20.5 years old). Oxygen uptake and breath rate were measured using an expiratory gas analysis system and the tympanic temperature was measured using a thermistor during a control period 10 minutes before the tasks, for 10 minutes during the tasks, and for 10 minutes after the tasks. Heart rate was measured using an autonomic spygmomanometer during the 10 minutes control period before the tasks, at five and 10 minutes during the tasks, and for 10 minutes after the tasks. Body weight was measured before and after the experiment. The temperature and humidity of the mist sauna were set to 38°C and 96%, and the rest room temperature and humidity were set to 28°C and 52%.
  In isotonic exercises with mist sauna, the oxygen uptake for 10 min, tympanic temperature and heart rate were all significantly increased, and the body weight was significantly decreased in comparison with exercise only. The oxygen uptake for 10 min during the exercise in the sauna was greater than the value found for exercise only. These results showed synergistic effects due to exercise and heating during the sauna.
  These findings suggest that a condition of isotonic exercise with sauna advance energy metabolism in comparison with exercise only, and that we can use this to protect against metabolic syndrome and maintain health.

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Introduction
  Redox state of glutathione as an oxidative stress marker changes by exercise. Therefore, oxidative stress marker has been used to evaluate the physical condition of athletes. In athletics it is important to prevent fatigue for peak performance. Acupuncture has been used for fatigue prevention of athletes. However, there is little scientific evidence to prove the effect. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on the change in redox state of glutathione as an oxidative stress marker in the blood by ergometer exercise.
Methods
  In this crossover study, the EA and control (CONT) groups each included 12 healthy male volunteers. EA at 2 Hz and optimum intensity was performed on each subject at both the SP10 (Xuehai) and SP11 (Jimen) locations for 10 min before exercise. Respiratory metabolism was recorded during bicycle ergometer exercise by ramp rate until exhaustion. Blood samples were collected from the fingertip of each subject before and after exercise. Oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and total glutathione (tGSH) concentrations in the blood were biochemically determined as a marker of oxidative stress. The degree of fatigue before and after exercise was evaluated by the visual analogue scale (VAS).
Results
  The ventilatory threshold (VT) and the respiratory compensation point (RC), parameters of respiratory metabolism during exercise, did not differ significantly between the EA and CONT groups. Between both groups, the significant difference was not recognized to the amount of change in tGSH, GSSG, GSH, GSSG/tGSH by exercise. The GSSG/tGSH values after exercise was significantly lower than that before exercise in the EA group (p<0.05). In contrast, this level did not change significantly in the CONT group. The VAS values increased significantly after exercise in both groups (p<0.05); however, the VAS value in EA group showed a low tendency in comparison with that in CONT group.
Discussion
  VT and RC did not differ between the two groups, indicating that the level of exercise was nearly the same for both groups. In comparison of both groups, there was no significant difference on the amount of change of each glutathione parameters by exercise. On the other hand, The GSSG/tGSH and the VAS values after exercise were lower than those values before exercise in the EA group. Therefore, it might be possible that the EA affects the change of the glutathione due to the exercise. Our results might suggest that EA-mediated change of GSH bear some related to suppression of fatigue.

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Background: Bathing care for the elderly in long-term care facilities tends to differ significantly compared to their pre-institutional lifestyles. Bathing before sleeping can contribute to improvement of sleep disorders. Therefore, I think that the bathing care in the long-term care facilities needs to consider an elderly’s past lifestyle and the influence on sleep to choose the appropriate time and to satisfy individual needs.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the issue of bathing in long-term care facilities. A survey was carried out on the time of bathing care in such facilities and the reasons for the choice.
Method: A questionnaire was mailed to the administrators of all of the long-term care facilities (nursing homes, geriatric health care facilities and geriatric medical care facilities) in three prefectures in Japan. A total of 444 subject institutions were identified, and the time of the bathing care and the reasons for the choice were asked.
Results: I obtained responses from 246 institutions (55.4%). Only 1.6% of the institutions stated they were carrying out bathing care after supper, and all the other institutions were carrying out bathing care before supper. Among the reasons for the selection of bathing time, many stated that it was the time many caregivers are available or the time balanced with other care routines.
Discussion and Conclusion: Many facilities choose the time elderly take a bath to be when there are many allocated caregivers to look after them. The reason is for the safety of elderly with high nursing care levels. I believe that we should examine the effects of bathing on sleep based on balneology findings. This will lead to better bathing care that will satisfy individual needs and overall improvement of bathing care.

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Objective: We applied acupuncture to the cervical region of patients suffering from upper extremity radicular symptoms due to cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR) and verified clinical efficacy.
Methods: 16 extremities of 15 patients were selected as subjects diagnosed with CSR and suffering from upper extremity pain and/or dysaesthesia. All of the patients were treated with acupuncture once a week for four weeks, on up to ten sites where tension/induration was recognized in the cervical paraspinal region centered around the affected area. A stainless steel needle 0.18mm in diameter was inserted 10 to 20mm, manipulated using the sparrow pecking method (1Hz, 20sec) and removed. The severity of symptoms was recorded before each treatment and one month after the completion of the treatments using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and evaluated. In addition, a Quality of Life (QOL) evaluation was conducted before treatment, after four treatments, and one month after the completion of the treatments using the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and CSR treatment effectiveness metrics.
Results: VAS plots show a significant change in pattern over time in all cases (Neck-shoulder pain: p<0.0001, upper extremity pain: p<0.0001, upper extremity dysaesthesia: p<0.001). Furthermore, in QOL evaluation, both NDI and CSR treatment effectiveness metrics similarly showed a significant change (NDI: p<0.0001, CSR treatment effectiveness metrics: p<0.0001). Because there was a significant difference (p<0.001) between symptoms before treatment and before the fourth treatment, the efficacy of continued treatments was verified. Meanwhile, there was no significant difference between the symptoms at the completion of the treatments and the symptoms one month after the completion of the treatments; thus, the sustained efficacy of treatments over a certain period was verified (p=0.52).
Discussion and Conclusion: These results verified that acupuncture treatment to the cervix has continued and sustained efficacy not only on the symptoms of neck and shoulders due to CSR, but also on upper extremity pain and/or dysaesthesia; therefore, we think this is a promising treatment as the first choice for conservative therapy. The mechanism that alleviates upper extremity pain and/or dysaesthesia through acupuncture treatment to the cervix via the stimulation of the posterior branch of the spinal nerve dominating the cervical paraspinal muscle creates a reflex effect in the anterior branch of the same nerve; as a result, it is beneficial for suppressing upper extremity pain dominated by the anterior branch as well as improving nerve blood flow.

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  We report here on the current situation, regulations by law, and education of spa therapy and massage in France, as determined through a survey study on massage conducted by our university in France between March 19 and 28, 2012. Spa therapy is one of France natural therapies and means‘health through water’in Latin. It includes balneotherapy (le thermalisme) using thermal spring water, thalassotherapy (la thalassothérapie) using sea water, and hydrotherapy (la balnéothérapie) using water. At present in France, there are 105 balneotherapy centers (Thermés) at 89 sites with thermal spring water, located mainly in mountainous regions. National medical insurance can be used for 18-day balneotherapy treatment of 12 symptoms, provided as a 3-week stay (excluding Sundays) in sites with thermal spring water. Thalassotherapy, on the other hand, is currently regarded as a form of relaxation. Balneotherapy and thalassotherapy both include bathing with jets, showers (douche), exercise in the pool, mud therapy (mud pack and wrapping), and massage among other treatments, but there are differences between the two: balneotherapy uses thermal spring water while thalassotherapy uses sea water; the aim of balneotherapy is to treat or prevent disease while that of thalassotherapy is to promote well-being (relaxation); subjects for balneotherapy are patients, whereas those for thalassotherapy are generally healthy people.
  The term‘massage’in France refers only to massage provided in medical practice, by massage therapists (masseur-kinesithérapeute) who hold a national massage therapy license. The treatment they provide is covered by national medical insurance. They work in hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, and balneotherapy centers and can run their own massage clinics. In contrast, the term‘relaxation massage’(praticien bien-être), which refers to massage for well-being and is never called “massage” in order to distinguish it from medical massage, is not regulated by law. There is a self-regulatory body, that issues licenses for aestheticians, Certificat d’Aptitude Professionnelle (CAP). Their practice is known as modelage. The balneotherapy centers we visited employed licensed masseur-kinesithérapeutes, hydrotherapists who received 600 hours of training, and assistants with no licenses. The thalassotherapy centers mainly employed estheticians with CAP.

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