Atlas Acupuncture

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A Definitive Guide to Exploring
Traditional Chinese Medicine

 

Whole Herbs for Xiao Yao San Formula (source)

REDUCE YOuR STRESS with XiAo YAO SAN Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) FORMULA

This decoction contains eight commonly used herbs (Bupleurum root, Chinese angelica root, white peony root, Poria, bighead atractylodes rhizome, roasted ginger, prepared licorice root, menthol, and peppermint) that have been prescribed for the treatment of various mental disorders like stress and depression for centuries in China (source).

 

Watch a documentary on how 9000 needles helped A QUADRIPLEGIC PARTIALLY RECOVER

Before his stroke, Devin Dearth was a competitive bodybuilder, businessman, husband, and father to three children. After losing over 70% of his mobility, he and his family would travel to one of China’s most renowned acupuncture medical clinics for a combination of Western and Eastern medical treatments. He has since passed in 2014 due to complications, but the story still rings true for the potential of acupuncture, the power of a determination to thrive, and value of love from family.

9000 Needles Full Documentary via Youtube

 

learn more about TCM in the EASTERn AND WESTERN PERSPEctive

The Web that has no Weaver is one of those books on every aspiring acupuncturist to-read list. It does a pretty good job of demystifying Chinese medicine in a way that can be understood by a casual reader. The Spark in the Machine is my personal favorite — it breaks down the fundamentals taught in pre-medical studies in both biomedical and TCM terms — it’s like a walk down UCI memory lane except lined with energetic pathways and temples for spirituality lessons.

 

Peer-ReviewED Clinical research On HOW ACUPUNCTURE eases pain via stem-cell release

This is a cool study on the biological mechanism behind acupuncture besides endorphin release. A key finding was that neurostimulation with electroacupuncture at specific immune points causes the release of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into the bloodstream for injury-induced pain relief and tissue regeneration. MSC’s are adult stem cells found mainly in the bone marrow that can turn into various tissue types in the body.

Adult stem cells (source)

 

Acupuncture (source)

Try A FREE or DiSCOUNTED Acupuncture TREATMENT at a local TCM SCHOOL

Depending on how many people you can endure peeking and poking at you, it’s truly not that bad. But in all seriousness, dozens of accredited acupuncture schools are available that can provide both an educational and healing experience for those of us on a shoestring budget or just want to give acupuncture a test run. And you know that Chinese mom in you loves a discount.

 

FOR ADDITIONAL TREATMENTS, CHECK TO SEE IF YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE PROVIDER COVERS IT

Since the inclusion of acupuncture as an Essential Healthcare Benefit under "Obamacare", over fifty-four million Americans have received acupuncture in 2014 alone (source). I’m not entirely sure what coverage looks like now as researchers have found insurers rarely covered some potentially helpful non-opioid treatments for individuals suffering from lower back pain. While almost all covered physical therapy, coverage varied dramatically, with some plans paying only for a couple of sessions (source).

Covered California 2019 Plan Rates Brochure

 

Acupuncturist at HeCares Integrative Clinic

For the extra measure, get marathon-ready with an Integrative Sports Medicine Practitioner

The founder and lead practitioner, Dr. Frank He, has taught his integrative sports medicine approach, Muscle Channel Technique (MCT) and Subcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (SENS), to orthopedic surgeons throughout Europe, and also pairs diagnosis with the use of X-rays and various other labs. Since his move to the U.S., Frank has been lecturing in states to licensed acupuncturists and other health care professionals.

 

Bio-Designing Our Future

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Diversifying Design
with Nature

feat. Ross Lovegrove


 

Late 90s Shinkansen trains based of Kingfisher bill by Eiji Nakatsu

Design informed by nature is a disposition that I find to be a necessary element for the form and functionality of the products we create in our current economic climate. Since coming across musings of Janine Benyus, designer and author of Biomimicry, and innovations of this design-perspective as compiled by William Myers in Biodesign- it has become more apparent where science fiction can emerge into reality without the having to rely on the colonization of Mars as our saving grace from our destructive demands on limited resources. Additional literature reveals many other descriptors of this philosophy - green build, sustainable, whole system, integrative, ecological, biofabrication and regenerative just to name a few. Yet our current narratives behind consumption seem to be quite conflicting to the finite characteristics of the primordial planet that we evolved in.

 

15th Century design of the "Flying Machine" by Leonardo da Vinci

beauty from the beast

Observation of our natural environments reveals to us models to solutions for design, business, and life that have emerged from over 3.4 billion years of research and development in the oldest laboratory - nature! One particularly curious case of continuous involvement in our ontological creativity is observed through birds, which so happens to be among the few remaining descendants of dinosaurs. Their long-standing history of inspiring humanity's upward motility started with 15th-century Italian painter Leonardo da Vinci's emulation of his "flying machine". And followed the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, to the reduction of the sonic boom effect in Japan's Tokaido Shinkansen high-speed-rail. This "emerging field" continues to be cultivated for high innovation potential and societal impact in consumer, medical, and technology industries. It seems the historical prose of nature renders the rules of engagement for not only surviving but thriving on this planet.

 

A Grove of Green Design

During my visit to Paris last summer, I had the fantastic opportunity of meeting the "Captain Organic" of design, Ross Lovegrove — one of the most visible figures of the biodesign movement. Upon close tactile discrimination of his creations, I sensed a nostalgic familiarity to elements in his design which I could identify from my evolving career in sciences. It wasn't just the form that exposed this biodesign sensibility, but how the thought processes and the dynamic composition of the designs that emerged like cellular processes in embryonic, DNA replicating fashion (see the photo of wind-generator below). What I appreciated most was that his thoughtful emphasis on conservation through careful form and material selection rather than just biomimicry for an aesthetic appeal.  As someone drawing an understanding of design from a scientific perspective, casual rapport with this inquisitive mind allowed me to detect the parallels in thought processes behind someone approaching a scientific perspective through design - chatting with Ross was like joking with an old friend. I think to find like-minded guides are always a positive indicator of progress in your journey of figuring out your place in the dichotomy between science and creativity, or whatever passion you are pursuing. Here are a few of my favorite pieces from this biodesigner’s collection:

 

OPTICAL ILLUSION

This digital camera design concept had been proposed to the Olympus Optical Company in Japan. It’s meant to resemble an amorphous amoeba as an easy-to-grasp and modernized approach in capturing the temporary nature of life. The futuristic version of me would be casually carrying this in my pocket as I make my way through crowds of a cyberpunk waterpark on my solar-powered hoverboard.

 

Watered Down

Plastic water bottles are meant to be relegated to the past, but it doesn’t mean that the reusable ones need to look like canisters from the continental U.S era. This design is meant to capture the natural feel of water while allowing the precious resource to be fully expressed in the hands of the beneficiary. And it’s made from a during PET plastic that allows for multiple uses. This bottle design was commissioned by Tŷ Nant for their Ripple (PET) bottle, a bottle designed to encourage reusability and collectibility as an art piece.

 

Shoe Story

For awhile, 3D printing had been touted as the next revolutionary technology for batch producing products in a way that reduced the carbon footprint caused by conventional mass production methods. This shoe technically can be recast on-the-go from any 3D-printer for your last-minute reservation to that Atlantean gala in the city.

 

Virtually Imagined Reality

You can find the incarnations of Ross's designs worldwide and across the web, but his original designs emerging from the classic pen and pad are most fascinating to me. Direct depictions of our imagination represent a primal instinct of humanity that connects us to the roots of our archaic predecessors (arguably considering the current state of affairs in the U.S.), as observed in early caveman drawings. The leather-bound books a la Leonardo da Vinci are also a nice touch too. Yet these are neither archaic in style nor unique to the imagined realm, but rather a representation of near-futuristic possibilities of standard stylization. With the advent of emerging technologies and virtual extensions of our reality, it seems natural for humanity to experience destructive compression when a tactile form is translated into binary code and digital constructs. Will the machine's representation of man echo a semblance of design by nature or will we naturally select out organic matter through mechanization? For the time being, here are some of Ross's blueprints of biodesign that gives us hope that there can be a balance between both worlds

 

BIODESIGN BIBLIOGRAPHY

Here are a few of my top reading resources that just might inspire your next biodesign innovation!

 

Bio-tastic Talks

Here is me and Ross Lovegrove in front of the Centre Pompidou after having lunch together and a good chat at one of his favorite restaurants. Thank you for your time, introducing me to your favorite meal, and being one of the best parts of my experience in Paris. And cheers (with water, of course) to crossing paths again in our future endeavours in creating a bio-tiful future! -VF

The Itchy and Scratchy Show at UCSF

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Scratching that Itch

Vicious Cycles

Before my exploration into visual arts and the advertising realm, I started my career in the scientific/medical field. A good chunk of my science career was dedicated to debunking the terrors of itch, inflammation, and pain — yes, that notorious reflex we experience during an unknowing attack by an obnoxious mosquito. But just on metaphorical steroids — when a combination of genetic factors, environmental stressors, and chemical allergens come into the attack for an uncontrollable itch, inflamed lesions, and often incessant pain. And it was our job to stop this vicious cycle of ruptured flesh inflicted by the over-enthusiastic scratching of that notorious itch! And did I mention how it can lead to leaky pustules that couldn’t be controlled with over-the-counter antihistamines (which primarily interact with a subset of receptors called H4R). Yes, itch like THIS was the kind of horror show that we played around in! With a top-notch international team of scientist hailing from the scientific research epicenters of Germany, Japan, and the USA, it appeared that Pruritus’ defunct cellular communication would finally be disarmed once and for all!

Pathway of pain and pruritic stimulation from the skin to central nervous system through peripheral nervous system. Infographic based on a scientific review article by my prior PI titled “Frontiers in Pruritus Research: Scratching the Brain for More Effective Itch Therapy” (nice title) published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2006 (source).

Technicolor Dreams

There are design concepts used in formulating science research — one can argue that any form of experimentation is an art form. I especially enjoyed developing beautiful immunofluorescence or immunohistochemistry images of different tissues for markers we were looking to track, which provides insightful visual proof on your predictions. I've attached an image that we’ve produced for one of the projects I was working on involves pruritus, along with one created by a team at John Hopkins University that also found a neurological correlation between itch and pain. The purpose of this experiment was to see if our novel itch-inducing agonist, peptide Interleukin 31 (IL31), and it's corresponding receptor Interleukin 31 Receptor A (IL31RA), was somehow related to various known neuronal pathways for pain and inflammation signaling.

Immunofluorescence stained murine dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons of various pain-sensing neurons (red) and itch-sensing neurons (purple and yellow) triggered from the skin. Image credit: Xinzhong Dong et. al from John Hopkins University (source).

Getting Glowed-UP

In images, a, b, and c, the round structures are individual neurons in a section of mouse dorsal root ganglion (DRG), which is essentially a ball of neurons that acts as a relay station between the peripheral nervous system and the central nervous system. The dorsal horn of the spinal cord is also visualized (as seen in images d & e), which receives several types of sensory information from the DRGS including (aside from itch and pain) fine touch, proprioception, and vibration from the body. And more specifically, the various levels of laminae in the dorsal horn receives sensory projections from the body and coordinates the type of sensory information to be processed with the support of additional cell types (e.g interneurons). The sections have been labeled with fluorescent-labeled antibodies that bind to specific protein structures that they have been bioengineered to compliment — like glowing push-pins on a cork board except we're using a cross-section of tissue, and the pin only attaches to specific shapes of material.

(a,b,c) Immunofluorescence stained murine dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of itch-receptor IL31RA with various neuromarkers (TRPV1, IB4, and N52). Image credit: Ferda Cevikbas et. al. from University of California, San Francisco (source).

STOP it like it’s hot

At the far left column, you will see that our receptor of interest in red (IL31RA), which we believe directly modulates itch, hangs-out (or co-localised & appear yellow by image merge) on some of the same cells as transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (woo* that’s a typeful) labeled in green (or TRPV1/capsaicin receptor/vanilloid receptor for short). You're probably very familiar with the (arguably delicious) burning sensation of capsaicin when you bite into a jalapeño popper. This so happens to be correlated with endorphin and dopamine release via another molecule released called Substance P — talk about a foodie’s high! It’s been suspected that pain overrides some of the itch signals to reduce its rage - hence one’s natural reflex to scratch that itch.

Scientists have cleverly identified the receptor to these more specifically capsaicinoid molecules as the same ones that get turned on by hot temperatures of over 109˚F (43˚C). And have capitalized its use as the stereotypical an acute pain receptor to thermal-mechanical stimuli. On the same type of tissue, with two true positives are used to detect a specific subpopulation of neurons which include Lectin IB4 — a marker for non-peptidergic, unmyelinated sensory neurons, which is typically related to neuropathic pain, and modulates mechanical stimuli. The other is Neurofilament N52, which is a marker for neurons with myelinated axons that allow for fast responses, like pain transmission.

(d) Immunofluorescence stained murine dorsal horn of the spinal cord from control subjects (received intrathecal injection of vehicle) IL31RA and TRPV1, and (e) same procedure except from experimental subjects with TRPV1+ neurons ablated with an intrathecal injection of capsaicin. Image credit: Ferda Cevikbas et. al. from University of California, San Francisco (source).

A Nervous Breakdown

Based on images d and e, it appears that IL31RA is found on some of the same TRPV1+ neurons in the nervous system’s relay station (DRGs), and almost 100% coordination (co-localisation) in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. This was further confirmed by ablating (basically burning away) all TRPV1+ neurons with a spinal flood (intrathecal injection) of capsaicin. However, this itch signaling pathway is only weakly related to a subpopulation of non-peptidergic, unmyelinated sensory neurons (N52), with almost no relation to myelinated neurons (IB4). So basically, IL-31 itch stimuli are strongly correlated with acute pain (TRPV1), but not part of our body’s fast-reacting response system (N52) or neuropathic pain pathways (IB4). When comes to modulation in the spinal cord, most of the IL31RA+/TRPV1+ neurons are found in laminae II which means they are involved in processing injury and inflammation and are concerned with pain sensation. And they probably do this with the help of excitatory interneurons that commonly occupy laminae II and III

Ferda Cevikbas, the principal researcher of IL-31 on skin disease, speaking at the 2011 International Conference on Itch in Tokyo, Japan (video source: Victoria Fong).

Recovery Pathways

This is super interesting because this is visual proof of how acute pain and itch may have coordinated signaling functions through the TRPV1 pathway, and is experienced directly in your central nervous system by IL-31 cytokine signaling. Unfortunately, this means that IL-31/IL31RA related itch cannot be entirely treated by topical methods. But on a more optimistic note, there may be the potential of directly targeting its afferent neurons in the central nervous system, though it would only be possible if the treatment could somehow bypass the blood-brain barrier, e.g. in a compromised CNS caused by multiple sclerosis. Nonetheless, it’s still another scratch closer to helping us pave a pathway that can control antihistamine-resistant pruritus. Our publication “A Sensory Neuron- expressed Interleukin-31 Receptor Mediates T helper Cell-dependent Itch: Involvement of TRPV1 and TRPA1” further elaborates on the molecular basis of T-Helper immune cell-derived IL31 on itch, and the way this signaling differentiates from the classic pain pathways. I’ve also included an infographic that I’ve created on the general overview of these “Pruritic Pathways” that’s based on the publication.

Anyway, I hope I've tickled your … nervous system … with some itchy science (no hemorrhoids here, I promise)!

A general overview on the potential peripheral and central pathways for the novel itch molecule IL-31 based on my prior research lab’s publication: “Our publication “A Sensory Neuron-expressed Interleukin-31 Receptor Mediates T helper Cell-dependent Itch: Involvement of TRPV1 and TRPA1” (source).

The research publication that most of this article is based on that I worked on with a few of the radest scientists ever (source).

The research publication that most of this article is based on that I worked on with a few of the radest scientists ever (source).

An in-depth review on the neurobiology of itch written by one of the post-doctorates and PI from my lab (source).

An in-depth review on the neurobiology of itch written by one of the post-doctorates and PI from my lab (source).

Here is a framed photo of my lab group giving their best Matrix moment (or SnazzyFresh statement). This was given to me as a parting gift when I decided to leave the team to explore life beyond the lab bench. Thank you for everything that you have given to me— it was a stress at times, but mostly the best of times, and a blessing from the Universe to have been set up with you fine folks.

Update: Last edited in May 1, 2019

The Gorilla in the Room

I wrote this article sometime in 2014 on “Ishmael,” a 1992 philosophical novel by Daniel Quinn. The novel is an examination of the mythological thinking central to modern civilisation, how it affects our accepted code of conduct, and ultimately the impact of sustainability on a global scale. For the purpose of enforcing the author’s message, I’ve discussed a current oil exploration controversy in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to highlight these catastrophic consequences. -VF

Arctic Wildlife Refuge- photo by Jan Reurink

Daniel Quinn’s Ishmael is like having a conversation with a favorite grandparent. It’s that gentle shake intended to get you moving in the right direction. Except Grandpa is a gorilla with telepathic powers and an exceptional understanding of human civilization — like a Buddha meets Yoda hybrid. But this time, he’s got some really bad news.

Ishmael by Daniel Quinn Comic (source)

Ishmael is a “teacher [in search of ] a pupil [with] an earnest desire to save the world.” And the narrator, a writer intrigued by the apprenticeship, ultimately accepts the challenge with surprisingly little apprehension of his new mentor’s physicality. But with no time is wasted the apprenticeship begins. Through a Socratic-style choreographed dialogue, you come to understand the cumulative causes behind the ecologically destructive attitudes running rampant in our culture- mythology being a primary motivator. 

The mentor distinguishes mankind into two cultures: the “Leavers” being the hunter/gatherers of indigenous societies that thrived long before the agricultural revolution. And the “Takers” of the populations who kill or pillage other cultures to exploit their native lands’ resources for our insatiable wants. Ishmael exemplifies this condition through the concept of Creationism. The story of Adam & Eve, the Tree of Knowledge, the Fall of Man, and Cain & Able all entail components of the “Taker and Leaver” theory. Leading the disciple to question whether humanity alone would be the root cause of an impending global meltdown, or rather the result of a culture’s stronghold on the global economy. And that’s exactly Ishmael’s point- it is one culture acting out one story, a story where humans believe they have ultimate knowledge of what’s right and wrong, and limitless production and population growth is the objective.

The storyline of the “Leavers” and the offshoot of the “Takers”, (source).

Daniel Quinn’s method of examining human and environmental sustainability is unconventional, but it makes sense that a gorilla is the “teacher”. Homo sapiens are a direct descendant from the gorilla species with just under 1.6% variation in genomic DNA. Except for the evolution of the consciousness and a few other phenotypic characteristics, it’s not unusual that we share many qualities with our ancestors including Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. However, the narration didn’t necessarily make a direct link to the current impact of our “taker’s” enactment of “man’s fall”. 

Gwich'in Sisters, Cora and Lillian, participated in a traditional dance performance during the 2016 Gwich'in Gathering in Arctic Village, Alaska via Smithsonian Magazine

To correlate the greater political powers at play and the potential ramifications of our current “taking” irresponsibilities, consider the recent Arctic Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) oil drilling controversy. The expansion of domestic oil production into the Arctic regions has been an ongoing public battle since gaining traction in 1977. The primary taker and leaver parties involved were U.S. oil companies and Native Gwich’in communities respectively. Acknowledging the loses over the gains, President Carter passed a bill in 1980 that banned oil drilling in 194 million acres of ANWR wilderness but allowed further analysis of this “1002” area without any drilling. However, this issue was reconsidered multiple times by US Congress/Electoral powers until President Bush successfully reversed the ban, citing the “energy crisis” a major factor for more oil access.

An oil production facility and pipelines in Alaska's Prudhoe Bay. Photo: Design Pics Inc/National Geographic Image Collection (source)

Fast-forward a few years later, some heavy investments, and multiple bitter court battles- turns out the ANWR contained an almost comically lower amount of oil than anticipated. Due to new technology, oil reserves estimates were corrected to hold a disappointing 896 million barrels instead of the initial estimate of 5.7-15 billion barrels. In addition to financial losses of $4.6 billion, the economic viability of this venture was looking even more questionable- not to mention the potential environmental catastrophes and the uprooting of a nearly extinct aboriginal culture. So in January 2014, Shell CEO Ben van Beurden announced that they would no longer pursue exploration drilling in the Arctic Ocean.

Russia's Gazprom and Ukraine's Naftogaz: David and Goliath? (Credit: DW contributing cartoonist Sergey Elkin)

Unfortunately, this delay in oil exploration was short-lived. Shell still plans to partner with Gazprom to drill into Russia- Gazprom is Forbes’ #2 biggest oil company in the world with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. In light of the current diplomatic crisis in Ukraine, Gazprom stated they would stop providing the country discounted gas prices starting April 2014 due to unpaid debts- adding to Ukraine’s already deteriorating finances. This prompts an Ishmael-influenced question: has humankind made itself into a global tyrant?

NASA-funded study: Over 32 advanced civilisations have collapsed before us, and we’re next in line (source).

Upon examination of Ishmael’s closing lines: “With gorilla gone, will there be hope for man? With man gone, will there be hope for gorilla?” He makes us question the survival of humankind as the original ways of sustainable living become dilute over time. However, there have been several historical accounts where complete civilizations collapsed due to overconsumption — the Mayans, the Roman Empire, the advanced Han Civilisation, the Mesopotamian Empires, just to name a few. Perhaps we are underestimating the Earth’s resilience, as it has also gone through several significant climate changes and environmental alterations over millions of years before the industrial era (i.e. the Ice Age). This evidence supports Earth’s immense capacity to self-restore.

The De-evolution of Man (source)

The gorilla species, or any species as we know it might not be able to survive in the environment that we leave behind upon our self-inflicted extinction. However, whatever organisms left behind may eventually evolve and expand in response to Earth’s evolution, just as they originally did in Earth’s primordial soup. Ultimately, Ishmael makes the preventative approach crystal clear: “Man’s place is to be the first without being the last. Man’s place is to figure out how it’s possible to do that — and then to make some room for all the rest who are capable of becoming what he’s become.” -VF

Updated in 2019