Yoga therapy DYADS: A novel approach to chronic pain management in underserved populations.

Yoga therapy is an emerging integrative health approach that applies the practices and teachings of yoga for individuals with clinical concerns. It is generally offered as individual sessions between a yoga therapist and client or in a small group setting with several clients who share a clinical concern. Here we describe a third model for consideration- the yoga therapy dyad. A dyad includes two clients working simultaneously with a single yoga therapist and differs from both individual and small group sessions in the potential benefits and challenges. The yoga therapy dyad model that is detailed here was implemented as part of a feasibility trial along with group acupuncture therapy for chronic pain in an underserved population. Underserved populations are at risk for pain and reduced access to care. This pilot may inform future research, policy, education, and clinical practice.

Temperature measurements in a laser-heated gas by quantitative shadowgraphy.

A whole-field quantitative shadow method was used to determine the temperature in a laser ignition experiment. An ethylene-air mixture was heated by a CO(2) laser, and the hot gas was illuminated with a collimated laser beam. The resulting shadow image was recorded digitally and analyzed to determine the temperature. Very good spatial and temporal resolutions (15 microm and 10 ns) were achieved using a simple optical arrangement. A computer simulation was used to determine the sensitivity of the shadow temperatures to blurring due to diffraction and uncertainties in parameters such as the ambient pressure. Temperatures determined from Rayleigh light scattering agreed with the shadow measurements to within 1-4%.

Accurate convolutions of coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectra.

The standard approach for including laser line-shape effects in calculated coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectra is shown to be incorrect. The correct approach involves extra terms that become important if the laser linewidth is larger than the Raman linewidths. The standard approach can lead to errors in measurements of concentration or nonresonant susceptibility. A closed-form solution for the special case of Lorentzian laser line shapes is presented. Measurements using broadband and narrow-band lasers support the modified theory but are inconsistent with the standard theory.

Coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectra of oxygen atoms in flames.

Coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) was used to detect oxygen atoms (electronic Raman scattering) and oxygen molecules (rotational Raman scattering) in both hydrogen-oxygen and methane-oxygen flames. The high spectral resolution of CARS is useful for distinguishing the oxygen-atom signals from larger nearby rotational Raman signals. Saturation of the molecular CARS signal that is due to stimulated Raman scattering was observed. This effect limits the sensitivity of the CARS method.

Hydroxyl and its concentration profile in methane-air flames.

Hydroxyl concentration profiles are measured in several atmospheric-pressure premixed laminar flames. The first quantitative comparison of hydroxyl concentration profiles to recent flame models is presented. These models include the influence of hydroxyl on fuel breakdown, on carbon monoxide oxidation, and on other species concentrations. The hydroxyl concentration profiles are measured by laser-induced fluorescence, and absolute mole fraction concentrations are determined by normalizing to laser absorption measurements in similar flames. The 100-microm spatial resolution of laser-induced fluorescence provides the first optical measurements of the flame's reaction zone at atmospheric pressure. The data are consistent with the electronic-excited state of hydroxyl having a negligible influence on the flame's structure.