RESEARCH PAPERS

Meffert.H & associates

Systemic effects of ultraviolet, visible and infrared radiation in serial whole body irradiation. I. Oxygen utilisation, flow properties of blood, hemodynamics, blood components and phagocytosis.

Meffert H, Scherf HP, Baumler H, Ziegler-Bohme H, Gulke L, Struy H, Strangfeld D, Siewert H, Sonnichsen N.
 

31 healthy volunteers at the age of 19-29 years underwent whole-body irradiation by either ultra violet radiation (NARVA UVS 65-2: continous sunshine-like emmision, predominantly UVA plus 8% UVB, cumulative doses after 4 and 20 irradiation 8.8 J/cm2 and 51.0 /J cm2, respectively), or visible light (emission of a 3500 watt lamp HGMI 3500 DL, Tungsram CSSR, filter through 6 mm window glass; cumulative dose 267.0 J/cm2 after 4 irradiation) or infrared radiation (250 watt infrared lamps NARVA "Biotherm", emmiting more than 70% infrared radiation cumulative dose 159.0 J/cm2 after 4 irradiation ). Before, during and after the irradiation series the following investigation were made: Arterial and venous oxygen pressure oxygen utilisation index: flow properties of peripheral blood (plasma viscocity, erythrocyte aggregation kinetics, apparent blood viscocity); hemodynamics (veineal plethysmography, 133 Xenon clearance, functional diameter of small blood vessels, peripherals blood pressure), phagocytotic capacity of polymorphonucler white blood cells:, hemoglobin, hematocrit), serum proteins (IgG, IgA, IgM, compliment C3, alpha-I-glycoprotein, alpha-I-antitrypsin, haptoglobin, transferrin); calcium and phosphate in serum. As far as irradiance, dose and treatment frequencies are concerned, the experimental conditions were very similar to those in.

Ogawa T & associates

Dynamic sweating response of man to infrared irradiation in various spectral regions.

Ogawa T, Sugenoya J, Ohnishi N, Natsume K, Ochiai M, Nishida M, Shinoda N, Katoh K & Imamura R.
 

In an attempt to detect differences in the thermal effect of infrared irradiation of different wave-lengths, transient sweating response to infrared irradiation in various spectral regions was examined. In series 1, the ventral or dorsal surface of the nude subject was irradiated repetitively for a period of 4 min (2 min on , 2 min off) by each of 3 kinds of infrared heaters with main emissivity in 'near-infrared' (NIR;0.7-2.8 microns), 'intermediate-infrared ' ( MIR;1.5-5.8 microns), 'far-infrared'(FIR;2.8-25 microns) regions. The sweating response on a non-irradiated area tended to be the greatest with MIR, while the magnitude of the sweating response on the irradiated area showed no consistent differences among various wave lengths. The results infer that MIR stimulated cutaneous thermo receptors most effectively, while its direct effect on local sweat on gland activity was minimal. In series 2, the effects of 9-12 min irradiation is more restricted ranges of wavelengths were compared by the combination of the 3 kinds of heaters with filters( translucent to wavelength ranges of 1.3-2.7, 2.7-3.5,3.6-8.0 microns, respectively). The sweating response on a remote area was predominantly greater with the range of 2.7 -3.5 microns than with the other wavelength ranges, while the local effect on sweating was minimal with this range. The result of Series 2 reinforced those of Series 1, indicating that the degree of stimulation of cutaneous thermoreceptors and of direct thermal effect on sweat gland activity differ with spectral regions incident on the skin, thus affecting local and remote effects on the sweating response.

Ogita S & associates

Effects on far-infrared radiation of lactation.

Ogita S, Imanaka M, Matsuo S, Takebayashi T, Nakai Y, Fukumasu H, Matsumoto M & Iwanaga K

Massage and warm compress to the breast have been commonly used for stimulating and/or increase blood flow o the breasts, an for enhancing lactation consequently. However, more effective and easier remedies seem to be necessary. The vasodilating and warming effects of ceramics far-infrared radiation were studied. Based on the results obtained, the effect of a ceramic disc on lactation, attached to the breast skin, was evaluated in 27 puerperal women who had poor lactation previously and in 36 with currently poor lactation monthly until weaning. Approximately 3/4 of these puerperal women enhanced lactation significantly 1 month after attachement and 1/2 of the women were able to breast-feed until weaning. Thus, we found that ceramics far-infrared radiation may be an effective remedy for enhancing lactation

Nagasawa H & associates

Evidence that irradiation of far-infrared rays inhibits mammary tumour growth in SHN mice.

Nagasawa H, Udagawa Y, Kiyokawa S

To evaluate the effect of irradiation of far-infrared rays (FIR), the growth of spontaneous mammary tumours of SHN mice was compared among 3 groups: The control was kept until the end of experiment under the normal rack in the absence of FIR and Experimental group 1 was constantly exposed to FIR. Experimental groups 2 was raised as the control followed by movement to the FIR rack after mammary tumour appearance. While there was little difference between the control and experimental group 1 in mammary tumour growth for 16 days, Experimental group 2 was significantly lower than the control in this parameter. Further more, the % of rapidly growing tumours showing greater than 200% of growth rate was apparently lower in Experimental group 2. Associated with this, epidermal growth factor receptor expression in mammary tumours, anterior pituitary weight and serum leptin level were significantly decreased in Experimental group 2. The findings suggest that whole-body FIR irradiation at ambient temperature could be a possible way of hyperthermic therapy for tumours.

Jiang P & Luo L

The effect of far infrared rays on the survival of randomized skin flap in the rat : an experimental study..

In order to observe the effects of far infrared rays on the survival of skin flap, the following experiment was performed. Forty-eight SD rats were selected and divided in 2 groups. The rats received 0.3 w/cm2 radiation twice a day from 3 days before operation to 5 days after operation in the experimental group, while in the control group the rats received none before or after the operation. The flap was designed as 2cm * 6cm in the back of the rats with the pedicle caudalward. The microcirculatory changes of the flap were observed, and the survival area of the flap was calculated. The results showed that either in the proximal or in the distal part of the graft, in the experimental group, the mean opening rate, diameter and flowing velocity of the microvessels were significantly higher than those in the control group(P<0.05). The mean rate of the survival area of the experimental group (80.5%) was also higher than that of the control group(62.7%)(P<0.01). It was suggested that radiation with far infrared rays could dilate the microvessels, improve the flap microcirculation, therefore enhance the survival of the randomized skin flap.

Callahan PS

Maserlike non-linear scatter from human breath, a surface-enhanced far infrared scatter effect.

A cotton tip applicator was utilized to stimulate FIR scatter (emmission) from human breath. The reticulated cotton tip was vibrated at 200 HZ, the acoustic frequency that matches the average vibration frequency of common species of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes have open resonater dielectric sensillae (spines) on their antenna that match the 643 cm-1(15.5 ) cabannes line in 667 cm-1 region of CO2 rotation line, acoustic Stokes Brillouin and Stokes Raman lines are noted. Implications of such maserlike (coherent or partial coherent) scatter lines to insect contral and disease diagnostics are discussed

Udagawa Y, Nagasawa H

Effects of far-infrared ray on reproduction, growth, behaviour and some physiological parameters in mice.

The effects of chronic exposure to far-infrared ray (FIR) on reproduction, growth, behaviour, survival time and some related parameters were examined in SHN mice. The reproductive parameters differed slightly between the females on the normal racks and those FIR racks, which emitted FIR from the ceiling. The page and body weight on the day of vaginal opening was lower in the experimental mice born and maintained on the FIR rack than in the control on the normal rack. In both sexes, the level of urinary components in the experimental groups was significantly higher than the control at 6-7 months of age. Spontaneous motor activity of females during the light and dark phases were higher and lower, respectively , in the experimental growth than the control. The survival rate was significantly higher in the experimental group than the control. These findings suggest that FIR has 'normalisation effects' on the organisms.

Inoue S, Kabaya M.

Biological activities caused by far-infrared radiation.

Contrary to previous presumption, accumulated evidence indicates that far-infrared rays are biologically active. A small ceramic disc that emits far-infrared rays (4-16 microns) as commonly been applied to a local spot or a whole part of the body for exposure. Pioneering attempts to experimentally analyze an effect of accure and chronic radiation of far-infrared rays on living organisms have detected a growth-promoting effect in growing rats, sleep-modulatory effect in freely behaving rats an insomiac patient, and a blood circulation-enhancing effect in human skin. Questionnaires to 542 users of far-infrared radiatior disks embedded in bedclothes revealed that the majority of the users subjectively evaluated an improvement of their health. These effect on living organisms appears to be non-specifically triggered by an exposure to far-infrared rays, which eventually induce an increase in temperature of the body tissues or, more basically, an elevated motility of body fluids due to degrees in size of water clusters.