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Increased Theta and Alpha EEG Activity During Nondirective Meditation.
Increased Theta and Alpha EEG Activity During Nondirective Meditation.
J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Nov;15(11):1187-1192
Authors: Lagopoulos J, Xu J, Rasmussen I, Vik A, Malhi GS, Eliassen CF, Arntsen IE, Sæther JG, Hollup S, Holen A, Davanger S, Ellingsen O
Abstract Objectives: In recent years, there has been significant uptake of meditation and related relaxation techniques, as a means of alleviating stress and maintaining good health. Despite its popularity, little is known about the neural mechanisms by which meditation works, and there is a need for more rigorous investigations of the underlying neurobiology. Several electroencephalogram (EEG) studies have reported changes in spectral band frequencies during meditation inspired by techniques that focus on concentration, and in comparison much less has been reported on mindfulness and nondirective techniques that are proving to be just as popular. Design: The present study examined EEG changes during nondirective meditation. The investigational paradigm involved 20 minutes of acem meditation, where the subjects were asked to close their eyes and adopt their normal meditation technique, as well as a separate 20-minute quiet rest condition where the subjects were asked to close their eyes and sit quietly in a state of rest. Both conditions were completed in the same experimental session with a 15-minute break in between. Results: Significantly increased theta power was found for the meditation condition when averaged across all brain regions. On closer examination, it was found that theta was significantly greater in the frontal and temporal-central regions as compared to the posterior region. There was also a significant increase in alpha power in the meditation condition compared to the rest condition, when averaged across all brain regions, and it was found that alpha was significantly greater in the posterior region as compared to the frontal region. Conclusions: These findings from this study suggest that nondirective meditation techniques alter theta and alpha EEG patterns significantly more than regular relaxation, in a manner that is perhaps similar to methods based on mindfulness or concentration.
PMID: 19922249 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
A Systematic Review of the Therapeutic Effects of Reiki.
A Systematic Review of the Therapeutic Effects of Reiki.
J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Nov;15(11):1157-1169
Authors: Vandervaart S, Gijsen VM, de Wildt SN, Koren G
Abstract Introduction: Reiki is an ancient form of Japanese healing. While this healing method is widely used for a variety of psychologic and physical symptoms, evidence of its effectiveness is scarce and conflicting. The purpose of this systematic review was to try to evaluate whether Reiki produces a significant treatment effect. Methods: Studies were identified using an electronic search of Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. Quality of reporting was evaluated using a modified CONSORT Criteria for Herbal Interventions, while methodological quality was assessed using the Jadad Quality score. Data extraction: Two (2) researchers selected articles based on the following features: placebo or other adequate control, clinical investigation on humans, intervention using a Reiki practitioner, and published in English. They independently extracted data on study design, inclusion criteria, type of control, sample size, result, and nature of outcome measures. Results: The modified CONSORT Criteria indicated that all 12 trials meeting the inclusion criteria were lacking in at least one of the three key areas of randomization, blinding, and accountability of all patients, indicating a low quality of reporting. Nine (9) of the 12 trials detected a significant therapeutic effect of the Reiki intervention; however, using the Jadad Quality score, 11 of the 12 studies ranked "poor." Conclusions: The serious methodological and reporting limitations of limited existing Reiki studies preclude a definitive conclusion on its effectiveness. High-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to address the effectiveness of Reiki over placebo.
PMID: 19922247 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Unscheduled bleeding in combined oral contraceptive users: focus on extended-cycle and continuous-use regimens.
Unscheduled bleeding in combined oral contraceptive users: focus on extended-cycle and continuous-use regimens.
J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care. 2009 Oct;35(4):245-8
Authors: Hickey M, Agarwal S
Combined oral contraceptives (COCs) are highly effective when correctly used but unscheduled bleeding, which occurs fairly commonly during the early months, is disruptive for many women. The mechanisms underlying this bleeding are not fully understood. Several studies have shown that extended-cycle or continuous-use COCs are typically associated with higher initial rates of unscheduled bleeding than are conventional 21-day cyclical COCs. Some medicines, herbal supplements and smoking may increase unscheduled bleeding by interfering with estrogen metabolism. The most common cause of unscheduled bleeding is non-adherence to a prescribed COC regimen. Compliance can be improved by appropriate counselling of women about the possibility of unscheduled bleeding and the importance of adherence to the pill regimen. If abnormal bleeding persists beyond 3-4 months and causes such as incorrect usage can be ruled out, other causes should be considered.
PMID: 19849921 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Four new fatty acid esters from the Feces of Trogopterus xanthipes.
Four new fatty acid esters from the Feces of Trogopterus xanthipes.
Lipids. 2009 Sep;44(9):849-53
Authors: Yang NY, Tao WW, Duan JA, Guo JM, Cao LL
Four new fatty acid esters have been isolated from Feces Trogopterus. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic and chemical methods to be bis(7-hydroxyheptyl) icosanedioate (1), bis(7-hydroxyheptyl) heptadecanedioate (2), bis(7-hydroxyheptyl) decanedioate (3), and bis(7-hydroxyheptyl) octanedioate (4). In the anticoagulative assay, compounds 3 and 4 had significant antithrombin activity.
PMID: 19649668 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Acupuncture for Treatment of Insomnia: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Acupuncture for Treatment of Insomnia: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.
J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Nov;15(11):1171-1186
Authors: Cao H, Pan X, Li H, Liu J
Abstract Background: Acupuncture is commonly used in treating insomnia in China, and clinical studies have shown that acupuncture may have a beneficial effect on insomnia compared with Western medication. Methods: We included randomized controlled trials on acupuncture for insomnia. We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library (2008 Issue 3), China Network Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), and Wan Fang Database. All searches ended in December 2008. Two authors extracted data and assessed the trials' quality independently. RevMan 5.0.17 software was used for data analysis with effect estimate presented as relative risk (RR) and mean difference (MD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Forty-six (46) randomized trials involving 3811 patients were included, and the methodological quality of trials was generally fair in terms of randomization, blinding, and intention-to-treat analysis. Meta-analyses showed a beneficial effect of acupuncture compared with no treatment (MD -3.28, 95% CI -6.10 to -0.46, p = 0.02; 4 trials) and real acupressure compared with sham acupressure (MD -2.94, 95% CI -5.77 to -0.11, p = 0.04; 2 trials) on total scores of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Acupuncture was superior to medications regarding the number of patients with total sleep duration increased for >3 hours (RR 1.53, 95% CI 1.24-1.88, p < 0.0001). However, there was no difference between acupuncture and medications in average sleep duration (MD -0.06, 95% CI -0.30-0.18, p = 0.63). Acupuncture plus medications showed better effect than medications alone on total sleep duration (MD 1.09, 95% CI 0.56-1.61, p < 0.0001). Similarly, acupuncture plus herbs was significantly better than herbs alone on increase of sleep rates (RR 1.67, 95% CI 1.12-2.50, p = 0.01). There were no serious adverse effects with related to acupuncture treatment in the included trials. Conclusions: Acupuncture appears to be effective in treatment of insomnia. However, further large, rigorous designed trials are warranted.
PMID: 19922248 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Complementary Acupuncture Treatment Increases Cerebral Metabolism in Patients with Parkinson's Disease.
Complementary Acupuncture Treatment Increases Cerebral Metabolism in Patients with Parkinson's Disease.
Int J Neurosci. 2009;119(8):1190-1197
Authors: Huang Y, Jiang X, Zhuo Y, Tang A, Wik G
We used positron emission tomography (PET) and the 18-flourodeoxyglucose tracer to study cerebral effects of complementary acupuncture in Parkinson's disease. Five patients received scalp-acupuncture and Madopa, while the other five had Madopa only. PET scans before and after 5 weeks of complementary acupuncture treatment show increased glucose metabolisms in parietal, temporal, occipital lobes, the thalamus, and the cerebellum in the light-diseased hemisphere, and in parietal and occipital lobes of the severe-diseased hemisphere. No changes were observed in the Madopa-only group. Acupuncture in combination with Madopa may improve cerebral glucose metabolism in Parkinson's disease.
PMID: 19922349 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Iatrogenic Bullae Following Cupping Therapy.
Iatrogenic Bullae Following Cupping Therapy.
J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Nov;15(11):1243-1245
Authors: Lin CW, Wang JT, Choy CS, Tung HH
Abstract Background: Cupping therapy is a popular technique in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Cupping is the application of a vacuum to a closed system cup on a specific area of skin. Subject and setting: A 55-year-old, previously healthy man presented at our emergency department (ED) due to tingling and a painful sensation on his back after receiving cupping therapy while on his private airplane. Physical examination of the patient's back revealed multiple blisters within circular marks of differing sizes and varying shades of redness, petechiae, and ecchymosis. Results: After regular, judicious changes of sterile dressing over several weeks at our ED, the vesicle healed well and left no visible scars. Conclusions: Although bleeding, erythema, edema, and ecchymosis are created on purpose to achieve acupuncture point microcirculation, complications such as burn injury and thrombocytopenia also have been reported. We report a case of cupping-related blisters as a result of changes in atmospheric pressure related to the unexpected descent of an airplane.
PMID: 19922257 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Effect of Acupuncture on Induction of Labor.
Effect of Acupuncture on Induction of Labor.
J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Nov;15(11):1209-1214
Authors: Lim CE, Wilkinson JM, Wong WS, Cheng NC
Abstract Objective: The objective of this study is to review the existing scientific evidence on the potential role of acupuncture on induction of labor during pregnancy. Design: The Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, AMED (Allied and Complementary Medicine), and NCCAM (The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) databases were searched to identify relevant monographs from 1970 to 2008. Inclusion criteria: These criteria included all available human acupuncture studies on pregnant women carrying a viable fetus due for third trimester induction of labor. Exclusion criteria: These criteria included studies not meeting the inclusion criteria, in languages other than English, or animal studies. Results: Ten (10) studies on labor induction were identified. The duration of labor as a result of acupuncture treatment ranged from 10 hours 20 minutes to 29.1 hours. All of the studies demonstrated labor induction by acupuncture treatment. However, because two randomized controlled trials reported that there was no statistically significant effect of acupuncture, these results are more suggestive than definitive. Furthermore, although the relationship between cervical ripening and interleukin-8 (IL-8), prostaglandin F(2alpha) (PGF(2alpha)), and beta-endorphin is well documented in the literature, there is no evidence to suggest that acupuncture alters these mediators. Serum levels of IL8, beta-endorphin, and PGF(2alpha) were not found to be significantly influenced by acupuncture. Conclusions: Although the definitive role of acupuncture in inducing labor is still yet to be established, the existing studies suggest that acupuncture may be beneficial in labor induction. Further randomized clinical trials are needed to investigate this further.
PMID: 19922252 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Effects of Scalp Acupuncture Versus Upper and Lower Limb Acupuncture on Signal Activation of Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) fMRI of the Brain and Somatosensory Cortex.
Effects of Scalp Acupuncture Versus Upper and Lower Limb Acupuncture on Signal Activation of Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) fMRI of the Brain and Somatosensory Cortex.
J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Nov;15(11):1193-1200
Authors: Park SU, Shin AS, Jahng GH, Moon SK, Park JM
Abstract Objective: The objective of this article is to investigate brain activity of scalp acupuncture (SA) as compared to upper and lower limb acupuncture (ULLA) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Subjects and methods: Ten (10) healthy right-handed female volunteers aged 20-35 were divided into 2 groups: a SA group and an ULLA group. The SA group had needles inserted at the left Sishencong (HN1), GB18, GB9, TH20, and the ULLA group at the right LI1, LI10, LV3, ST36 for 20 minutes, respectively. Both groups had tactile stimulation in the order of the right LI1, LI10, LV3, ST36 before and after acupuncture for a block of 21 seconds repeated 3 times. The blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) fMRI was used to observe the brain and somatosensory cortex signal activation. Results: We compared the signal activation before and after acupuncture needling, and the images showed signal activation after removing the acupuncture needles and the contralateral somatosensory association cortex, the postcentral gyrus, and the parietal lobe were more activated in the SA group. The right occipital lobe, the lingual gyrus, the visual association cortex, the right parahippocampal gyrus, the limbic lobe, the hippocampus, the left anterior lobe, the culmen, and the cerebellum were activated in the ULLA group. Conclusions: We concluded that there were different signal activations of BOLD fMRI before and after SA versus ULLA, which can be thought to be caused by the sensitivity of acupoints and the different sensory receptors to acupuncture needling.
PMID: 19922250 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Acupuncture for Treatment of Insomnia: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Acupuncture for Treatment of Insomnia: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.
J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Nov;15(11):1171-1186
Authors: Cao H, Pan X, Li H, Liu J
Abstract Background: Acupuncture is commonly used in treating insomnia in China, and clinical studies have shown that acupuncture may have a beneficial effect on insomnia compared with Western medication. Methods: We included randomized controlled trials on acupuncture for insomnia. We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library (2008 Issue 3), China Network Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), and Wan Fang Database. All searches ended in December 2008. Two authors extracted data and assessed the trials' quality independently. RevMan 5.0.17 software was used for data analysis with effect estimate presented as relative risk (RR) and mean difference (MD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Forty-six (46) randomized trials involving 3811 patients were included, and the methodological quality of trials was generally fair in terms of randomization, blinding, and intention-to-treat analysis. Meta-analyses showed a beneficial effect of acupuncture compared with no treatment (MD -3.28, 95% CI -6.10 to -0.46, p = 0.02; 4 trials) and real acupressure compared with sham acupressure (MD -2.94, 95% CI -5.77 to -0.11, p = 0.04; 2 trials) on total scores of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Acupuncture was superior to medications regarding the number of patients with total sleep duration increased for >3 hours (RR 1.53, 95% CI 1.24-1.88, p < 0.0001). However, there was no difference between acupuncture and medications in average sleep duration (MD -0.06, 95% CI -0.30-0.18, p = 0.63). Acupuncture plus medications showed better effect than medications alone on total sleep duration (MD 1.09, 95% CI 0.56-1.61, p < 0.0001). Similarly, acupuncture plus herbs was significantly better than herbs alone on increase of sleep rates (RR 1.67, 95% CI 1.12-2.50, p = 0.01). There were no serious adverse effects with related to acupuncture treatment in the included trials. Conclusions: Acupuncture appears to be effective in treatment of insomnia. However, further large, rigorous designed trials are warranted.
PMID: 19922248 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Acupuncture Anesthesia for Complicated Dental Extractions in Patients with Lidocaine Allergy.
Acupuncture Anesthesia for Complicated Dental Extractions in Patients with Lidocaine Allergy.
J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Nov;15(11):1149-1152
Authors: Hu WL, Chang CH, Hung YC, Shieh TY
[Figure: see text].
PMID: 19922244 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
'Drug resistant' swine flu probed
New Publication Offers Relief to Those Suffering from Pain and Other Distressing Symptoms of Illness
Rainbow healing and cosmic rays of light - Times of India
Rainbow healing and cosmic rays of light
Times of India
Gradually, through practice and meditation, visualisation and conscious imagination, the body of the practitioner soaks and breathes the seven components of ...
Misconceptions about sexual health are widespread
Transcendental Meditation: At-Risk College Students Reduce High Blood Pressure - NewsBlaze
Transcendental Meditation: At-Risk College Students Reduce High Blood Pressure
NewsBlaze
The Transcendental Meditation® technique may be an effective method to reduce blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and anger among at-risk college students, ...
Scientists make mad cow discovery
Silver Lake youth wrestling sign ups - Wicked Local Plympton
Silver Lake youth wrestling sign ups
Wicked Local Plympton
PLYMPTON – Plympton resident Darnell Nestor is a Reiki practitioner and certified in both Hatha and Kundalini Yoga. Her home-based studio at 55 Pleasant St. ...
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Church Notes - The Reporter
Church Notes
The Reporter
Ajahn David Chutiko will talk about the role of the meditation dharma (truths about life and the universe) from 7:15 to 8:30 pm on Tuesday, Nov. ...
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