EFFECTS OF QIGONG ON CELL-FREE MYOSIN PHOSPHORYLATION: PRELIMINARY EXPERIMENTS

This work examines the effect of Qigong from two experienced practitioners on in vitro cellfree myosin phosphorylation. This system has a demonstrated sensitivity to variations in static magnetic fields above and below ambient values. The results show that both Qigong practitioners were able to consistently yield results similar to those observed for variations in applied magnetic fields near the ambient level. Qigong treatment with the myosin reaction mixture in the ambient magnetic field reduced phosphorylation in each experiment by an average of approximately 15% (p < .05). For trials with the myosin samples in a magnetic shield, two of four (one for each practitioner) Qi treatments yielded significant reductions in phosphorylation (average approximately 10%, p < .05). These effects were somewhat lower and not as consistent as those obtained under ambient field conditions. The results obtained in this study demonstrate that Qigong practice can consistently affect a biologically relevant enzyme system. requiring no physical contact between the practitioner and the sample. The mechanisms of the Qigong effects observed in this study are as yet unclear

Effects of Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields on Postoperative Pain: A Double-Blind Randomized Pilot Study in Breast Augmentation Patients

Abstract Background Postoperative pain may be experienced after breast augmentation surgery despite advances in surgical techniques which minimize trauma. The use of pharmacologic analgesics and narcotics may have undesirable side effects that can add to patient morbidity. This study reports the use of a portable and disposable noninvasive pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) device in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study. This study was undertaken to determine if PEMF could provide pain control after breast augmentation. Methods Forty-two healthy females undergoing breast augmentation for aesthetic reasons entered the study. They were separated into three cohorts, one group (n = 14) received bilateral PEMF treatment, the second group (n = 14) received bilateral sham devices, and in the third group (n = 14) one of the breasts had an active device and the other a sham device. A total of 80 breasts were available for final analysis. Postoperative pain data were obtained using a visual analog scale (VAS) and pain recordings were obtained twice daily through postoperative day (POD) 7. Postoperative analgesic medication use was also followed. Results VAS data showed that pain had decreased in the active cohort by nearly a factor of three times that for the sham cohort by POD 3 (p \ 0.001), and persisted at this level to POD 7. Patient use of postoperative pain medication correspondingly also decreased nearly three times faster in the active versus the sham cohorts by POD 3 (p \ 0.001). Conclusion Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, adjunctive to standard of care, can provide pain control with a noninvasive modality and reduce morbidity due to pain medication after breast augmentation surgery

Moderate Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation After Posterolateral Myocardial Infarction in Sheep Alters Left Ventricular Shear but Not Normal Strain in the Infarct and Infarct Borderzone

BACKGROUND: Chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation (CIMR: MR) is associated with poor outcome. Left ventricular (LV) strain after postero-lateral myocardial infarction (MI) may drive LV remodeling. Although moderate CIMR has been previously shown to effect LV remodeling, the effect of CIMR on LV strain after postero-lateral MI remains unknown. We tested the hypothesis that moderate CIMR alters LV strain after postero-lateral MI. METHODS/RESULTS: Postero-lateral MI was created in 10 sheep. Cardiac MRI with tags was performed 2 weeks before and 2, 8 and 16 weeks after MI. LV and right ventricular (RV) volumes were measured and regurgitant volume indexed to body surface area (BSA; RegurgVolume Index) calculated as the difference between LV and RV stroke volumes / BSA. Three-dimensional strain was calculated. Circumferential (E(cc))and longitudinal (E(ll)) strains were reduced in the infarct proper, MI borderzone (BZ) and remote myocardium 16 weeks after MI. In addition, radial circumferential (E(rc)) and radial longitudinal (E(rl)) shear strains were reduced in remote myocardium but increased in the infarct and BZ 16 weeks after MI. Of all strain components, however, only E(rc) was effected by RegurgVolume Index (p=0.0005). There was no statistically significant effect of RegurgVolume Index on E(cc), E(ll), E(rl), or circumferential longitudinal shear strain (E(cl)). CONCLUSIONS: Moderate CIMR alters radial circumferential shear strain after postero-lateral MI in the sheep. Further studies are needed to determine the effect of shear strain on myocyte hypertrophy and the effect of mitral repair on myocardial strain