Complementary and alternative medicine : facts and figures (part I)

Complementary and alternative medical practices are flourishing despite the current fast pace of scientific research and discovery. Traditional practices combine with newer philosophies to make up the vast spectrum that constitute this phenomenon. To describe homeopathy and acupuncture, proposed mechanisms of action, present scientific research to prove or disprove their efficacy and discuss safety issues. Studies, reviews and meta-analyses dealing with this subject were researched from various publications to present evidence for or against the efficacy of complementary and alternative medicine. Recent rigorous studies on acupuncture and homeopathy show no results beyond what is attributable to placebo effect. Complementary and alternative medical practices should be researched for efficacy and safety by the same standards used in conventional medicine.peer-reviewe

Unmarried mothers and their relationships with their dominating mothers.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston Universit

CANADA-U.S. BILATERAL DIRECT INVESTMENT AND TRADE: FOOD AND BEVERAGE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

International Relations/Trade,

The impact of dog therapy on nursing students’ heart rates and ability to pay attention in class

In this study we explored if the presence of a therapy dog has an impact on students’ stress and ability to pay attention in class. The students' heart rates were measured when the dog was present and when he was absent. The students were also asked to fill in a questionnaire. results showed no significant difference in the students’ average and maximum heart rates, between the experimental and control group, however the average resting heart rate was lower when the dog was present. The low resting heart rate coupled with written comments from the students in- dicate that the presence of the dog did reduce stress and had a calming effect on the students.peer-reviewe

Fatty Acid Oxidation and Meiotic Resumption in Mouse Oocytes

We have examined the potential role of fatty acid oxidation (FAO) in AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-induced meiotic maturation. Etomoxir and malonyl CoA, two inhibitors of carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1 (CPT1), and thus FAO, blocked meiotic induction in dbcAMP-arrested cumulus cell-enclosed oocytes (CEO) and denuded oocytes (DO) by the AMPK activator, AICAR. C75, an activator of CPT1 and FAO, stimulated meiotic resumption in CEO and DO. This effect was insensitive to the AMPK inhibitor, compound C, indicating an action downstream of AMPK. Palmitic acid or carnitine also promoted meiotic resumption in DO in the presence of AICAR. Since C75 also suppresses the activity of fatty acid synthase (FAS), we tested another FAS inhibitor, cerulenin. Cerulenin stimulated maturation in arrested oocytes, but to a lesser extent, exhibited significantly slower kinetics and was effective in CEO but not DO. Moreover, etomoxir completely blocked C75-induced maturation but was ineffective in cerulenin-treated oocytes, suggesting that the meiosis-inducing action of C75 is through activation of FAO within the oocyte, while that of cerulenin is independent of FAO and acts within the cumulus cells. Finally, we determined that long chain, but not short chain, fatty acyl carnitine derivatives were stimulatory to oocyte maturation. Palmitoyl carnitine stimulated maturation in both CEO and DO, with rapid kinetics in DO; this effect was blocked by mercaptoacetate, a downstream inhibitor of FAO. These results indicate that activation of AMPK stimulates meiotic resumption in mouse oocytes by eliminating a block to FAO

Behavioral Therapy for Tourette Syndrome and Chronic Tic Disorders

Purpose of review: To summarize behavioral interventions for the treatment of primary tic disorders. Recent findings: Although tics were attributed to a disordered weak volition, the shift towards neurobiological models of tic disorders also transformed nonpharmacologic treatment practices. Current international guidelines recommend habit reversal training, comprehensive behavioral intervention, and exposure and response prevention as first-line therapies for tics. Appropriate patient selection, including age and presence of comorbidities, are salient clinical features that merit consideration. Evidence for further behavioral interventions is also presented. Summary: Currently recommended behavioral interventions view tics as habitual responses that may be further strengthened through negative reinforcement. Although availability and costs related to these interventions may limit their effect, Internet-based and telehealth approaches may facilitate wide accessibility. Novel nonpharmacologic treatments that take different approaches, such as autonomic modulation or attention-based interventions, may also hold therapeutic promise