Can acupuncture increase microcirculation in peripheral artery disease and diabetic foot syndrome? - a pilot study.

Background: Globally, diabetes mellitus (DM) and peripheral artery disease (PAD) have an increasing incidence and a high prevalence and are both associated with high morbidity and complication rates, e.g., as chronic non-healing peripheral ulcers. Impaired macro- and microcirculation and peripheral neuropathy lead to an increased risk of foot ulcers and infections. These complications are difficult to treat, have a high risk of becoming chronic and often lead to lower limb amputation. The aim of this planned study was to investigate the potential effects of acupuncture on improving microcirculation in patients with Diabetic Foot Syndrome (DFS) and PAD. Materials and methods: In 18 patients with chronic non-healing peripheral ulcers and diagnosed DM or PAD, data on 8 microcirculatory parameters were collected simultaneously on intact skin close to the wound margin. Microcirculation was assessed using an O2C device combining laser Doppler shift and white light spectroscopy (LEA Medizintechnik GmbH, Giessen, Germany). Unilateral and bilateral acupuncture was performed on the connecting line between acupuncture points Stomach 14 and Stomach 15. Results: After unilateral acupuncture (ipsilateral to the wound side), a statistically significant improvement in 7 out of 8 microcirculatory parameters was demonstrated compared to baseline measurements before acupuncture. After bilateral acupuncture, there was an additional improvement and statistical significance in all parameters in both DFS and PAD patients. Discussion: These results show an improvement in the microcirculation and peripheral blood flow at the edges of the wound. As impaired micro- and macrocirculation is considered to be a critical prognostic factor for the healing of a peripheral lesion, the intervention could have a positive impact on the healing of (chronic) peripheral wounds.

Personalized checkpoint acupuncture can reduce postoperative pain after abdominal surgery-a STRICTA-conform pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Optimal pain management is one of the core elements of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) protocols and remains a challenge. Acupuncture (AC) is an effective treatment for various pain conditions. Systematic and personalized allocation of acupoints may be decisive for efficacy. METHODS: Based on the predominant pressure sensitivity of six gastrointestinal (GI) checkpoints (G1-G6), we devised a method to detect personalized patterns of pain and a corresponding set of acupoints. We performed a single AC treatment with semi-permanent needles and assessed the visual analogue scale (VAS) score, pain threshold based on pressure algometry (PA), and temperature changes on abdominal skin areas before and 5 min after AC. RESULTS: Between April and June 2021, thirty-eight patients were prospectively included in this pilot study. The mean reduction in subjective pain sensation as assessed by VAS was 86%, paralleled by an augmentation of the pain threshold as measured by PA by 64%. A small but significant increase in the skin temperature was observed above the abdominal surface. These effects were independent of the type of surgery. CONCLUSION: Checkpoint acupuncture may be a complementary tool for postoperative pain management. Further investigations are needed to explore this analgesic effect.

Reduction of Pain After Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery by Personalized Checkpoint Acupuncture-Data of a STRICTA Conform Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: It remains challenging in clinical practice to perform optimal pain management following bariatric surgeries. Acupuncture (AC) is an effective method of postoperative pain management, but its clinical efficacy depends on the rationale used to select AC points. METHODS: We developed a method to identify individual patterns of pain and a corresponding set of acupoints (corrAC) based on the relative pressure sensitivity of six abdominal visceral pressure points, i.e., the gastrointestinal (GI) checkpoints (G1-G6). Patients with moderate to severe pain were included and received a single AC treatment following surgery. The visual analog scale (VAS) score, pain threshold, and skin temperature were assessed before AC and at 5 min, 1 h, and 24 h following AC. AC was performed with 1-mm-deep permanent needles. RESULTS: From April 2021 to March 2022, 72 patients were included in the analysis. Fifty-nine patients received corrAC, whereas 13 received a noncorresponding AC (nonAC) as an internal control. Patients receiving corrAC showed a significant reduction (74%) in pain at 5 min after treatment (p < 0.0001) and a significant increase (37%) in the pain threshold (p < 0.0001). In this group, a significant increase in skin temperature above G1, G3, G4, and G5 was observed. Patients receiving nonAC showed neither significant pain reduction nor significant changes in pain threshold. The skin above G3 and G4 did not reveal temperature changes. CONCLUSION: Checkpoint AC may be an effective tool in postoperative pain therapy after bariatric surgery. Vegetative functional involvement might be associated with pain relief.

A drug repurposing approach for individualized cancer therapy based on transcriptome sequencing and virtual drug screening.

RNA-sequencing has been proposed as a valuable technique to develop individualized therapy concepts for cancer patients based on their tumor-specific mutational profiles. Here, we aimed to identify drugs and inhibitors in an individualized therapy-based drug repurposing approach focusing on missense mutations for 35 biopsies of cancer patients. The missense mutations belonged to 9 categories (ABC transporter, apoptosis, angiogenesis, cell cycle, DNA damage, kinase, protease, transcription factor, tumor suppressor). The highest percentages of missense mutations were observed in transcription factor genes. The mutational profiles of all 35 tumors were subjected to hierarchical heatmap clustering. All 7 leukemia biopsies clustered together and were separated from solid tumors. Based on these individual mutation profiles, two strategies for the identification of possible drug candidates were applied: Firstly, virtual screening of FDA-approved drugs based on the protein structures carrying particular missense mutations. Secondly, we mined the Drug Gene Interaction (DGI) database (https://www.dgidb.org/) to identify approved or experimental inhibitors for missense mutated proteins in our dataset of 35 tumors. In conclusion, our approach based on virtual drug screening of FDA-approved drugs and DGI-based inhibitor selection may provide new, individual treatment options for patients with otherwise refractory tumors that do not respond anymore to standard chemotherapy.

Can Qigong Be a Tool to Assist Students in Handling COVID-19's Resulting Academic Stress?

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has increased students' stress as they may feel under increased pressure to have a good performance and compensate for the disruption to their education. Improving attention levels and learning capacity may assist in ameliorating academic performance. Qigong is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that appears to have positive effects on the management of mental health and may provide tools for coping with stressful situations. This paper explores data obtained while conducting a previous study and includes an excess of data from a total of 44 participants who were previously divided into an experimental Qigong group and a sham Qigong control group. The improvements in specific auditory processing and reaction times may indicate benefits in attention and learning capacity. These improvements were more pronounced in the experimental Qigong group compared to the sham Qigong group. Qigong may be able to assist in improving students' academic performance and can be easily integrated into physical education classes. It could also assist students to cope with the increased academic pressure resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic context.

Qigong in Perceptual Auditory Attention: Tool to Improve Sound Integration in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Context: Qigong, a mind-body practice in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), can improve cognitive functions, emotional balance, attention, multitask management, stress-coping, and well-being. One limitation of Qigong research is a lack of adequate controls. Objective: The current study intended to evaluate whether a single 5-min practice of a White Ball (WB) Qigong exercise could improve the perceptual auditory attention, divided and focused, in adults and whether obtaining potential effects would require a minimum level of training. Design: The research team designed a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, and single-blinded study. Setting: The study took place at the Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS) at the University of Porto in Porto, Portugal. Participants: Participants were 55 students at the University of Porto, 30 of whom were students attending the second year of medical school at ICBAS with no experience in Qigong and 25 of whom were students in the specialization and Master's programs in TCM with experience in Qigong. Intervention: The research team randomly distributed the 30 participants without experience into two groups, a negative control group (n = 15), who watched a wildlife video for 5 min in an orthostatic position, and a positive control group , the verum Qigong group (n = 15), who participated in 5 min of Qigong practice. The Qigong-practitioner group (n = 25), the intervention group, participated in the same 5-min Qigong, doing it with expertise. Outcome Measures: The study measured reaction time (RT) under two experimental conditions, one an auditory RT task and the second an auditory RT task with visual distraction. The procedure was constant for all the studied groups. Results: Postintervention, the reaction time (RT) in the negative control and the verum Qigong groups hadn't changed significantly (P > .05), while that of the Qigong-practitioner group had decreased significantly, with shorter RTs under the two experimental conditions, with P = .006 for the auditory RT and P = .003 for the auditory + visual distraction. Qigong may induce a conditioning effect that comes with regular practice. Conclusions: The WB Qigong had a positive effect on the AA mechanism, with a significant reduction in RT. The results support the importance of practice to achieve positive effects. People with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism and ADHD, struggle every day for sensory integration of AA mechanisms. Qigong can be taught and easily learned from the age of 2 years until senior ages, and it's a safe and very low-cost intervention that deserves to be researched further in clinical trials. These potential benefits of Qigong should be confirmed by future studies.

Perspectives, Measurability and Effects of Non-Contact Biofield-Based Practices: A Narrative Review of Quantitative Research.

Practices such as "Reiki", therapeutic touch, healing touch, and external "Qigong" have been regarded as some form of "energy medicine" or "biofield therapy". The biofield concept has been studied and debated by researchers of distinct areas of expertise, and although the phenomenon was sometimes described as physically related to electromagnetics, other factors such as "subtle energy" and focused intention might be involved. These nonconventional practices integrate contact and non-contact techniques, and those dealing with so-called distant healing interventions are perhaps the most difficult to understand and accept. Practitioners describe these so-called nonlocal interventions as involving intentional factors and particular states of consciousness. With a spiritual mindset and a particular state of awareness, compassion is said to work out as a catalyst to produce physiological and physical changes through mechanisms that are still unknown. At the body level, these vegetative changes might be related to individual self-perception variations as part of the body neurovegetative feedback system of regulation. Further mechanisms are difficult to document and measure, and might be more accessible to research by using physical signal detectors, chemical dynamics methods, detectors using biological materials, detectors using living sensors, and detectors using the human body. The growing interest in these practices and the considerable amount of research exploring their effects and clinical applications encouraged this narrative review, which aims to provide an easy to consult partial overview of the history, theory and findings of quantitative research strategies exploring non-contact biofield-based practices. This work also aims to stimulate the reader's mind with the raised hypotheses, catalyzing further research on the subject to confirm or deny the reported outcomes.

Can the electrical potential of acupoints be used to assess the functional state of meridians and the effects of therapeutics? An exploratory data analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Acupoints have bioelectrical properties distinct from common skin. Besides the higher electrical conductivity and lower resistance, acupoints show capacitor-like properties, which can be related to their endogenous electrical potential. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) postulates that meridians are physiological structures connecting acupoints and working as a conduit for the flow of two essential substances known as qi and xue. OBJECTIVES: This pilot study was focused in evaluating whether the electrical potential of acupoints can be correlated objectively to the functional properties as described by ancient Chinese medical theories, such as the theories of coupled meridians of the same phase ('elements'), and the principle of coupled points. METHODS: Direct needle moxibustion on LU5 and needle dispulsion of LI4 were performed in 21 subjects. The electrical potential of each acupoint was measured with a high-resolution data acquisition system taking to reference the acupoint SP6 of the Spleen conduit. RESULTS: The results may indicate a functional relationship between the therapeutics and the electrical potential response on the selected acupoints. These effects seem to be explainable considering the specific properties of each acupoint, the relationship between TCM phases, and the dynamics between coupled conduits. CONCLUSION: The evaluation of the endogenous electrical potential of acupoints and the changes caused by an external stimulus might contribute to the understanding of TCM concepts, mechanisms, and the effects of associated therapeutics. The observed phenomena encourage the systematic assessment of the functional vegetative status via skin electrophysiology and using objective measurements.

Understanding Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapeutics: An Overview of the Basics and Clinical Applications.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a systematic healthcare system developed from clinical experience based on a scientific model of regulation. TCM relies on unique theories and practices to treat diseases and enhance health. These practices include Chinese herbal medicine and dietetics, acupuncture and moxibustion, and other non-medication therapies such as Chinese bodywork or manual therapy, known as "Tuina", and traditional biofeedback exercises, known as "Qigong" and "Taijiquan". The integration of TCM in Western health systems and research requires a rational communicable theory, scientific proof of efficacy and safety, and quality control measures. Understanding the structural concepts of the TCM language makes possible the parallelism to Western physiology, and the inherent rational use of the reflex therapeutic systems, anti-inflammatory mechanisms and mental training involved, for example, in acupuncture and "Qigong". The results of TCM clinical trials and fundamental research on its nature and mechanisms have encouraged the development and application of well-designed research strategies such as double blinding in acupucture to overcome limitations and resistances in integrating these practices into the existing biomedical paradigms of the West. This review aims to overview some TCM theoretical concepts and the evidence-based clinical application of TCM's leading practices to create an easy-to-consult and condensed source of information, available for the healthcare community, facilitating the understanding and communication between conventional health professionals and TCM practitioners and acupuncturists.

Identification of novel compounds against three targets of SARS CoV-2 coronavirus by combined virtual screening and supervised machine learning.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a major threat worldwide due to its fast spreading. As yet, there are no established drugs available. Speeding up drug discovery is urgently required. We applied a workflow of combined in silico methods (virtual drug screening, molecular docking and supervised machine learning algorithms) to identify novel drug candidates against COVID-19. We constructed chemical libraries consisting of FDA-approved drugs for drug repositioning and of natural compound datasets from literature mining and the ZINC database to select compounds interacting with SARS-CoV-2 target proteins (spike protein, nucleocapsid protein, and 2'-o-ribose methyltransferase). Supported by the supercomputer MOGON, candidate compounds were predicted as presumable SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors. Interestingly, several approved drugs against hepatitis C virus (HCV), another enveloped (-) ssRNA virus (paritaprevir, simeprevir and velpatasvir) as well as drugs against transmissible diseases, against cancer, or other diseases were identified as candidates against SARS-CoV-2. This result is supported by reports that anti-HCV compounds are also active against Middle East Respiratory Virus Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus. The candidate compounds identified by us may help to speed up the drug development against SARS-CoV-2.

Can Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis Be Parameterized and Standardized? A Narrative Review.

The integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in Western health systems and research requires a rational communicable theory, scientific proof of efficacy and safety, and quality control measures. The existence of clear definitions and the diagnosis standardization are critical factors to establish the patient's vegetative functional status accurately and, therefore, systematically apply TCM therapeutics such as the stimulation of reflex skin areas known as acupoints. This science-based conceptualization entails using validated methods, or even developing new systems able to parameterize the diagnosis and assess TCM related effects by objective measurements. Traditionally, tongue and pulse diagnosis and the functional evaluation of action points by pressure sensitivity and physical examination may be regarded as essential diagnostic tools. Parameterizing these techniques is a future key point in the objectification of TCM diagnosis, such as by electronic digital image analysis, mechanical pulse diagnostic systems, or the systematic evaluation of acupoints' electrophysiology. This review aims to demonstrate and critically analyze some achievements and limitations in the clinical application of device-assisted TCM diagnosis systems to evaluate functional physiological patterns. Despite some limitations, tongue, pulse, and electrophysiological diagnosis devices have been reported as a useful tool while establishing a person's functional status.

Drug repurposing using transcriptome sequencing and virtual drug screening in a patient with glioblastoma.

Background Precision medicine and drug repurposing are attractive strategies, especially for tumors with worse prognosis. Glioblastoma is a highly malignant brain tumor with limited treatment options and short survival times. We identified novel BRAF (47-438del) and PIK3R1 (G376R) mutations in a glioblastoma patient by RNA-sequencing. Methods The protein expression of BRAF and PIK3R1 as well as the lack of EGFR expression as analyzed by immunohistochemistry corroborated RNA-sequencing data. The expression of additional markers (AKT, SRC, mTOR, NF-κB, Ki-67) emphasized the aggressiveness of the tumor. Then, we screened a chemical library of > 1500 FDA-approved drugs and > 25,000 novel compounds in the ZINC database to find established drugs targeting BRAF47-438del and PIK3R1-G376R mutated proteins. Results Several compounds (including anthracyclines) bound with higher affinities than the control drugs (sorafenib and vemurafenib for BRAF and PI-103 and LY-294,002 for PIK3R1). Subsequent cytotoxicity analyses showed that anthracyclines might be suitable drug candidates. Aclarubicin revealed higher cytotoxicity than both sorafenib and vemurafenib, whereas idarubicin and daunorubicin revealed higher cytotoxicity than LY-294,002. Liposomal formulations of anthracyclines may be suitable to cross the blood brain barrier. Conclusions In conclusion, we identified novel small molecules via a drug repurposing approach that could be effectively used for personalized glioblastoma therapy especially for patients carrying BRAF47-438del and PIK3R1-G376R mutations.

Genomic landscape analyses in cervical carcinoma and consequences for treatment.

Where we are on the road to 'tailor-made' precision medicine for drug-resistant cervical carcinoma? We explored studies about analyses of viral and human genomes, epigenomes and transcriptomes, DNA mutation analyses, their importance in detecting HPV sequences, mechanisms of drug resistance to established and targeted therapies with small molecule or therapeutic antibodies, to radiosensitivity and to chemoradiotherapy. The value of repurposing of old drugs initially approved for other disease indications and now considered for cervix cancer therapy is also discussed. The microbiome influences drug response and survival too. HPV genomic integration sites were less significant. Nomograms (Lee et al., 2013) even outperformed FIGO staging regarding prediction of five-year overall survival times. We conclude that there are still many loose threads to be followed up, before coherent conclusions for individualized therapy of drug-resistant cervical carcinoma can be drawn.

Problems of scientific methodology related to placebo control in Qigong studies: A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Qigong is widespread in the West and used for preventive care, stress-induced conditions, emotional and vegetative symptoms like migraine and hypertension, as well as for better coordination in the elderly and quality of life enhancement in severe disease such as cancer. Adequate controls for Qigong research are lacking, compromising the level of efficacy evidence. Adequate Qigong placebo control exercises should match clear and standardized criteria. METHODS: Three computerized databases were assessed in January 2018 (Scopus, Web of Science and MEDLINE on PubMed) using the following keywords or their combinations: (Qigong OR Qi Gong OR Gong Qi OR Chi Kung OR Kung Chi OR Kiko OR Ki Gong OR Ki Kong) AND placebo. In addition, all reference lists were scanned for further relevant articles. Literature was examined for the effects of Qigong as compared to a control intervention. RESULTS: 110 articles were found, 78 of which were excluded after examining the title and abstract, and 16 because they were duplicates. Four more articles were found by searching in the bibliographies of published papers. A total of 20 studies were included in this systematic review. We found that, to the best of our knowledge, no criteria for placebo controls have been published in peer-reviewed journals so far. CONCLUSION: Placebo controls should be developed by the usage of vegetative functional assessments such as heart rate variability, thermography, and electrophysiological measurements, thus excluding major vegetative effects of the exercise, as well as by the usage of psychometric tests and other quantitative evaluations.

Effect of ABC transporter expression and mutational status on survival rates of cancer patients.

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters mediate multidrug resistance in cancer. In contrast to DNA single nucleotide polymorphisms in normal tissues, the role of mutations in tumors is unknown. Furthermore, the significance of their expression for prediction of chemoresistance and survival prognosis is still under debate. We investigated 18 tumors by RNA-sequencing. The mutation rate varied from 27,507 to 300885. In ABCB1, three hotspots with novel mutations were in transmembrane domains 3, 8, and 9. We also mined the cBioPortal database with 11,814 patients from 23 different tumor entities. We performed Kaplan-Meier survival analyses to investigate the effect of ABC transporter expression on survival rates of cancer patients. Novel mutations were also found in ABCA2, ABCA3, ABCB2, ABCB5, ABCC1-6, and ABCG2. Mining the cBioPortal database with 11,814 patients from 23 different tumor entities validated our results. Missense and in-frame mutations led to altered binding of anticancer drugs in molecular docking approaches. The ABCB1 nonsense mutation Q856* led to a truncated P-glycoprotein, which may sensitize tumors to anticancer drugs. The search for ABC transporter nonsense mutations represents a novel approach for precision medicine.. Low ABCB1 mRNA expression correlated with significantly longer survival in ovarian or kidney cancer and thymoma. In cancers of breast, kidney or lung, ABC transporter expression correlated with different tumor stages and human populations as further parameters to refine strategies for more individualized chemotherapy.

Can measurements be physically conditioned by thought? Further observations following a focused intention experiment.

Background The biofield is a controversial concept among the scientific community. Some aspects of this phenomenon relate to measurable factors of mainstream science such as electromagnetics, while others, involving nonlocal interventions, intention, and consciousness, seem to produce physical changes through mechanisms that are still unknown, making the outcomes of many studies not fully explained by our current state of scientific understanding. This study explored the hypothetical effects of intention on the conditioning of a pH system with continuous data acquisition for real-time measurements. As a follow-up study, those effects were related to changes in the physicochemical properties of water samples chosen as a target in a previous large-scale intervention of focused intention. Methods The intention experiments were conducted under controlled conditions from the 8th to September 11, 2015. During this period, 286 qualified biofield therapy practitioners meditated at a distance with the intention of changing the vibrational state of the water molecules contained in specific flasks. Several variables were evaluated, including the magnetic field and ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) radiation from 175 to 954 nm near the experimental spot, as well as Raman spectra, pH, and electrical conductivity of all the water samples. After this period, real-time pH measurements of water samples were taken with the same equipment and under the same experimental conditions, except for the practitioners' awareness of those experiments, and without their focused intention. Real-time pH, electrical conductivity and the concentration of cations and anions measured by ion chromatography in the water samples were used to test the proposed hypothesis. Results Real-time pH was responsive during the intention experiments and after this period. Further continuous measurements performed after the 11th September showed that the pH variations overtime kept a systematic and consistent tendency similar to the one observed during the experimental activities involving focused intention. After the replacement of the electrode internal electrolyte, this behavior was no longer verified, and the pH was stable as the initial tests to evaluate the equipment sensitivity. Conclusions After the experimental period involving focused intention, the pH system maintained a systematic and consistent behavior while measuring the pH of new water samples. An eventual intention-mediated conditioning of the pH measurement system occurred because of changes in the properties of the electrode internal electrolyte.

Identification of Novel Rare ABCC1 Transporter Mutations in Tumor Biopsies of Cancer Patients.

: The efficiency of chemotherapy drugs can be affected by ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter expression or by their mutation status. Multidrug resistance is linked with ABC transporter overexpression. In the present study, we performed rare mutation analyses for 12 ABC transporters related to drug resistance (ABCA2, -A3, -B1, -B2, -B5, -C1, -C2, -C3, -C4, -C5, -C6, -G2) in a dataset of 18 cancer patients. We focused on rare mutations resembling tumor heterogeneity of ABC transporters in small tumor subpopulations. Novel rare mutations were found in ABCC1, but not in the other ABC transporters investigated. Diverse ABCC1 mutations were found, including nonsense mutations causing premature stop codons, and compared with the wild-type protein in terms of their protein structure. Nonsense mutations lead to truncated protein structures. Molecular docking and heat map analyses of ABCC1/MRP1 pointed out that Lys498* appeared in a separate cluster branch due to the large deletion, leading to a massive disruption in the protein conformation. The resulting proteins, which are nonfunctional due to nonsense mutations in tumors, offer a promising chemotherapy strategy since tumors with nonsense mutations may be more sensitive to anticancer drugs than wild-type ABCC1-expressing tumors. This could provide a novel tumor-specific toxicity strategy and a way to overcome drug resistance.

Can Qigong improve attention in adolescents? A prospective randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: The ability to direct and maintain attention is a prerequisite for learning. Qigong exercises are already commonly practiced in many developed countries to increase attention and memory. The main goal of this study was to examine whether Qigong would improve the attention levels of adolescents (12-14 years of age) when practiced as part of their physical education course. METHOD: Three groups of 22 individuals were considered: the verum group, which performed true Qigong; the control group, which performed sham, or placebo Qigong; and the waiting list group. In order to evaluate Qigong effects, attention tests (d2) were applied to all groups before the intervention period (t1) and after two and four weeks of practice (t2 and t3, respectively). RESULTS: At t1, there was no significant difference between the verum, control and waiting list groups in all measurable features. After 4 weeks of exercise, the verum group was significantly superior in all measurable features in comparison to the control group and the waiting list group. Values in the waiting list group were generally worse than in the control group (placebo Qigong), but there was no significant difference between the control and waiting list group, showing that the placebo offered an effect that was not significantly greater than the effect of no intervention at all. CONCLUSION: 'White Ball' Qigong was able to improve attention in adolescents after 4 weeks of practice, leading us to conclude that it may be a useful tool when integrated into physical education classes.

Acupuncture can be beneficial for exercise-induced muscle soreness: A randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Strenuous physical exercise may cause acute muscle soreness (AMS), which occurs directly after exercise, as well as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which occurs about 24 h after exercise. Studies of acupuncture's effect on DOMS have had contradictory results, whereas its effect on AMS has not been extensively studied. The main goal of this study was to evaluate acupuncture's effects on AMS and DOMS and on the prevention of DOMS. METHOD: 45 volunteers were randomised into a verum acupuncture group, a sham acupuncture group and a control group. After exercise-induced muscle damage was elicited, muscle soreness and pressure pain threshold were assessed at different time points. The outcome assessments were performed before (T1) and 20 min after the first acupuncture treatment (T2); then, 24 h later, they were performed before (T3) and 20 min after the second acupuncture treatment (T4). In the verum and sham acupuncture groups, acupuncture was performed for 2 min, immediately after T1 and T3 assessments, whereas subjects in the control group simply rested for 2 min without treatment. Verum acupuncture was given at ST34, ST36 and LR3, whereas sham acupuncture was given at three nontraditional points. RESULTS: We found that verum acupuncture can reduce the occurrence of AMS by one-half and DOMS by one-third. We also found specific and nonspecific acupuncture effects in AMS and DOMS. CONCLUSION: The uneven induction of muscle damage identified by our study, as shown by heterogeneity in pressure pain threshold values, may have led to the contradictory results in published studies on DOMS.

Changes of skin electrical potential in acupoints from Ren Mai and Du Mai conduits during Qigong practice: Documentation of a clinical phenomenon.

Qigong is a therapeutic method of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that combines slow, soft movements and postures with breath control and a special mental state of 'awareness'. TCM holds that the practice of Qigong promotes the 'circulation of qi' in the human body, the 'flow' of upward yang qi and downward yin qi to establish 'balance'. In Western terms, this may be generally equivalent to vegetative homeostasis and the emotionally balanced state induced thereby. Researchers have often attempted to evaluate the functional movements of qi using measurements of the skin's electrical resistance. However, these methodologies have proven difficult to gauge, validate, repeat, and interpret. We aimed to overcome these limitations by measuring the skin's electrical potential between two points of the same system. The main goal of this study was to assess the skin's electrical potential changes in acupoints from the Ren Mai and Du Mai conduits, or meridians, as well as in other points of interest, during Qigong practice. While participants performed a specific Qigong exercise called 'White Ball', we observed significant changes in the skin electrical potential on Mìngmén (GV 4), Shèndáo (GV 11) and Baihuì (GV 20), from the Du Mai conduit, as well as on Huiyin (CV 1), Qìhai (CV 6), Zhongwan (CV 12) and Dànzhong (CV 17), from Ren Mai. These observations are in accordance with TCM theory and may contribute to the explanation of the vegetative physiological changes that are associated with 'qi flow' in TCM.