Performance at a Precognitive Remote Viewing Task, with and without Ganzfeld Stimulation: Three Experiments

Recent research by the lead author has sought to incorporate ganzfeld stimulation as part of a remote viewing protocol. An initial exploratory experiment (Roe & Flint, 2007) suggested that novice participants can successfully describe a randomly selected target location while in the ganzfeld but did not make a direct comparison with performance in a waking state. This paper describes a series of three subsequent experiments that compared performance at a remote viewing task in a waking condition with a ganzfeld stimulation condition using a counterbalanced repeated measures design. There were only minor variations in design across the three experiments to enable combination of data in a summary analysis. In total, 110 participants produced 43 hits in the ganzfeld stimulation condition (39.1%), giving a statistically significant positive deviation from chance expectation (sum of ranks = 225, p = .000012), whereas in the waking RV condition they achieved 30 hits (27.3%) which is marginally better than chance expectation (sum of ranks = 253, p = .034). The difference in z scores for target ratings in the two conditions approaches significance (t[39] = 1.865, p = .065). In experiment 1, individual difference measures identified as predictors of psi performance were unrelated to target ratings. Participants completed Pekala’s (1991) Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (PCI) in order to gauge their responsiveness to the ganzfeld protocol and of the 12 sub-dimensions tested, ganzfeld performance correlated significantly with greater absorption in their subjective experience, lower physiological arousal and less internal dialogue. In experiments 2 and 3 individual differences measure were replaced by measures of transliminality, openness to experience, and dissociative experiences, but these were also unrelated to task success. Data from experiment 2 did not confirm findings using the PCI from experiment 1, though a significant association was found with the time sense dimension. In experiment 3 no PCI dimensions were correlated with task performance, a pattern which was confirmed when data was combined across all three experiments

A Systematic Review of the Cost-Effectiveness of Chemotherapy Regimens

Background: The rising cost of chemotherapy dramatically increases the burden on healthcare and presents new challenges in achieving optimal patient outcomes. New treatments, in general, are more specialized but show minor progress in regards to efficacy. Accordingly, the threat of overpaying for chemotherapy regimens has increased. There is a need for a comprehensive review to compile relevant studies in order to inform clinician decisions on the basis of cost-effectiveness and quality of life. Objectives: The objective of this project is to assess the cost-effectiveness of anticancer medications with a special focus on the quality of life of patients undergoing chemotherapy, with the intent to form recommendations that unite evidence-based literature with clinical practice. The long-term goal is to create a clinical reference for prescribers to use in order to make more informed decisions on chemotherapy regimens. Methodology: In line with the objectives above, eligibility criteria were established to refine the database results. An initial literature search will be conducted to verify the appropriateness of the eligibility criteria and search terms. Upon finalizing study selection parameters, abstracts will be reviewed and full-text articles will be retrieved. Grey literature will be searched to eliminate publication bias. Hand searchers will be performed to ensure all studies in relevant journals will be retrieved. Selected articles will be reviewed and rated based on a modified GRADE approach. Analysis: Studies will be given a preference status based on their GRADE score. Final recommendations will be made at the professional judgments of the researchers based on pharmacoeconomic data extracted from studies weighted by preference status

A Systematic Review of the Cost-Effectiveness of Chemotherapy Regimens

Background The rising cost of chemotherapy dramatically increases the burden on healthcare and presents new challenges in achieving optimal patient outcomes. New treatments, in general, are more specialized but show minor progress in regards to efficacy. Accordingly, the threat of overpaying for chemotherapy regimens has increased. There is a need for a comprehensive review to compile relevant studies in order to inform clinician decisions on the basis of cost-effectiveness and quality of life. Objectives Therefore, the aim of this project is to assess the cost-effectiveness of anticancer medications with a special focus on the quality of life of patients undergoing chemotherapy, with the intent to form recommendations that unite evidence-based literature with clinical practice. The long term goal is to create a clinical reference for prescribers to use in order to make more informed decisions on chemotherapy regimens. Methodology In line with the objectives above, eligibility criteria was established to refine the database results. An initial literature search will be conducted to verify appropriateness of the eligibility criteria and search terms. Upon finalizing study selection parameters, abstracts will be reviewed and full text articles will be retrieved. Grey literature will be searched to eliminate publication bias. Hand searchers will be performed to ensure all studies in relevant journals will be retrieved. Selected articles will be reviewed and rated based on a modified GRADE approach. Studies will be synthesized based on GRADE score and pharmacoeconomic analysis. Analysis ­­ Studies will be given a preference status based on their GRADE score and pharmacoeconomic analysis. Final recommendations will be made at the professional judgements of the researchers based on pharmacoeconomic data extracted from studies weighted by preference status

Protocol for the Psychosis Immune Mechanism Stratified Medicine (PIMS) trial: a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial of single-dose tocilizumab in patients with psychosis.

Peer reviewed: TrueFunder: National Institute of Health Research Oxford Health Biomedical Research CentreINTRODUCTION: Evidence suggests a potentially causal role of interleukin 6 (IL-6), a pleiotropic cytokine that generally promotes inflammation, in the pathogenesis of psychosis. However, no interventional studies in patients with psychosis, stratified using inflammatory markers, have been conducted to assess the therapeutic potential of targeting IL-6 in psychosis and to elucidate potential mechanism of effect. Tocilizumab is a humanised monoclonal antibody targeting the IL-6 receptor to inhibit IL-6 signalling, licensed in the UK for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The primary objective of this study is to test whether IL-6 contributes to the pathogenesis of first episode psychosis and to examine potential mechanisms by which IL-6 affects psychotic symptoms. A secondary objective is to examine characteristics of inflammation-associated psychosis. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A proof-of-concept study employing a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled design testing the effect of IL-6 inhibition on anhedonia in patients with psychosis. Approximately 60 participants with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders (ICD-10 codes F20, F22, F25, F28, F29) with evidence of low-grade inflammation (IL-6≥0.7 pg/mL) will receive either one intravenous infusion of tocilizumab (4.0 mg/kg; max 800 mg) or normal saline. Psychiatric measures and blood samples will be collected at baseline, 7, 14 and 28 days post infusion. Cognitive and neuroimaging data will be collected at baseline and 14 days post infusion. In addition, approximately 30 patients with psychosis without evidence of inflammation (IL-6<0.7 pg/mL) and 30 matched healthy controls will be recruited to complete identical baseline assessments to allow for comparison of the characteristic features of inflammation-associated psychosis. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study is sponsored by the University of Bristol and has been approved by the Cambridge East Research Ethics Committee (reference: 22/EE/0010; IRAS project ID: 301682). Study findings will be published in peer-review journals. Findings will also be disseminated by scientific presentation and other means. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN23256704

Protocol for the Psychosis Immune Mechanism Stratified Medicine (PIMS) trial: a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial of single-dose tocilizumab in patients with psychosis

Introduction Evidence suggests a potentially causal role of interleukin 6 (IL-6), a pleiotropic cytokine that generally promotes inflammation, in the pathogenesis of psychosis. However, no interventional studies in patients with psychosis, stratified using inflammatory markers, have been conducted to assess the therapeutic potential of targeting IL-6 in psychosis and to elucidate potential mechanism of effect. Tocilizumab is a humanised monoclonal antibody targeting the IL-6 receptor to inhibit IL-6 signalling, licensed in the UK for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The primary objective of this study is to test whether IL-6 contributes to the pathogenesis of first episode psychosis and to examine potential mechanisms by which IL-6 affects psychotic symptoms. A secondary objective is to examine characteristics of inflammation-associated psychosis.Methods and analysis A proof-of-concept study employing a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled design testing the effect of IL-6 inhibition on anhedonia in patients with psychosis. Approximately 60 participants with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders (ICD-10 codes F20, F22, F25, F28, F29) with evidence of low-grade inflammation (IL-6≥0.7 pg/mL) will receive either one intravenous infusion of tocilizumab (4.0 mg/kg; max 800 mg) or normal saline. Psychiatric measures and blood samples will be collected at baseline, 7, 14 and 28 days post infusion. Cognitive and neuroimaging data will be collected at baseline and 14 days post infusion. In addition, approximately 30 patients with psychosis without evidence of inflammation (IL-6&lt;0.7 pg/mL) and 30 matched healthy controls will be recruited to complete identical baseline assessments to allow for comparison of the characteristic features of inflammation-associated psychosis.Ethics and dissemination The study is sponsored by the University of Bristol and has been approved by the Cambridge East Research Ethics Committee (reference: 22/EE/0010; IRAS project ID: 301682). Study findings will be published in peer-review journals. Findings will also be disseminated by scientific presentation and other means.Trial registration number ISRCTN23256704