Registering of Electromagnetic Waves of the Human Body. Research with Various Model Physical Systems. Electric Activity of the Hearth

This paper outlines the results of evaluation of possible biophysical methods and approaches for registering of various non-ionizing radiation (NIR) wave types of the human body in the electromagnetic and optical range. Various types of NIR (electromagnetic waves, infrared radiation, thermo radiation, bioluminiscence) emitting from the human body were reviewed. In particular the images of the colour coronal spectral analysis obtained after the bioinfluence of biotherapists were submitted along with the spontaneous biophoton emission and delayed luminescence from the human body. It was demonstrated that 1 cm2 of skin generally emits ~85 photones for 1s. The intensity of biophoton emission ranges from 10−19 to 10−16 W/cm2 (approx. ~1–1000 photons.cm-2.s-1). The specific photon emission from part of the human thumb was detected as a spectrum of various colours with the Method for color coronal spectral analysis on a device with an electrode made ​​of polyethylene terephthalate (PET hostafan) with electric voltage 15 kV, electric impulse duration 10 ms, and electric current frequency 15 kHz. It was established that photons corresponding to a red color emission of visible electromagnetic spectrum have energy 1.82 еV. The orange color of visible electromagnetic spectrum has energy 2.05, yellow – 2.14, blue-green (cyan) – 2.43, blue – 2.64, and violet – 3.03 eV. The reliable result measurement norm was at E ≥ 2.53 eV, while the spectral range of the emission was within λ = 380–495 nm and λ = 570–750 nm±5 nm. Also were estimated some physical characteristics (energy of hydrogen bonds, wetting angle, surface tension) of water by the methods of non-equilibrium energy (NES) and differential non-equilibrium energy (DNES) spectrum of water, that helps understand in general how electromagnetic radiation interacts with water to establish the structural characteristics of water. Keywords: electromagnetic waves, infrared radiation, thermo radiation, bioluminescence, colour coronal spectral analysis, NES, DNE

Die Regime zur Kontrolle nuklearer, biologischer und chemischer Waffen

Die Regime gegen Massenvernichtungswaffen erfüllen wichtige sicherheitspolitische Funktionen und tragen dazu bei, Terrorismus mit diesen Waffen zu verhindern. Eine regimetheoretische Analyse zeigt für alle drei Regime stabilisierende und destabilisierende Tendenzen sowie eine Spaltung zwischen Nord und Süd. Im nuklearen Nichtverbreitungsregime wirkt die Diskriminierung zwischen Kernwaffen- und Nichtkernwaffenstaaten in Verbindung mit der mangelhaften Umsetzung der Abrüstungsverpfl ichtung destabilisierend. Das Biowaffen-Regime zeigt eine neue Dynamik zum Thema Biosicherheit, aber auch anhaltende Konfl ikte um Technologieaustausch und Verifikation. Obwohl das CWÜ derzeit am stabilsten erscheint, gilt es, drohende Probleme z.B. im Bereich Verifi kation und Abrüstung abzuwenden. Wenn die Regime ihrer Aufgabe effektiv nachkommen sollen, müssen die strukturellen Defizite bearbeitet sowie jeweils die Abrüstungs-, Nichtverbreitungs- und Kooperationsbestimmungen gleichermaßen vollständig und ausgewogen umgesetzt werden

Neurodynamic evaluation of hearing aid features using EEG correlates of listening effort

In this study, we propose a novel estimate of listening effort using electroencephalographic data. This method is a translation of our past findings, gained from the evoked electroencephalographic activity, to the oscillatory EEG activity. To test this technique, electroencephalographic data from experienced hearing aid users with moderate hearing loss were recorded, wearing hearing aids. The investigated hearing aid settings were: a directional microphone combined with a noise reduction algorithm in a medium and a strong setting, the noise reduction setting turned off, and a setting using omnidirectional microphones without any noise reduction. The results suggest that the electroencephalographic estimate of listening effort seems to be a useful tool to map the exerted effort of the participants. In addition, the results indicate that a directional processing mode can reduce the listening effort in multitalker listening situations

Alterations in Event Related Potentials (ERP) Associated with Tinnitus Distress and Attention

Tinnitus related distress corresponds to different degrees of attention paid to the tinnitus. Shifting attention to a signal other than the tinnitus is therefore particularly difficult for patients with high tinnitus related distress. As attention effects on Event Related Potentials (ERP) have been shown this should be reflected in ERP measurements (N100, phase locking). In order to prove this hypothesis single sweep ERP recordings were obtained in 41 tinnitus patients as well as 10 control subjects during a period of time when attention was shifted to a tone (attended) and during a second phase (unattended) when they did not focus attention to the tone. Whereas tinnitus patients with low distress showed a significant reduction in both N100 amplitude and phase locking when comparing the attended and unattended measurement condition a group of patients with high tinnitus related distress did not show such ERP alterations. Using single sweep ERP measurements the results of our study show, that attention in high tinnitus related distress patients is captured by their tinnitus significantly more than in low distress patients. Furthermore our results provide the basis for future neurofeedback based tinnitus therapies aiming at maximizing the ability to shift attention away from the tinnitus. © 2008 The Author(s)

Handbuch der Psychotraumatologie. - 2. Aufl.

Dieses Standardwerk behandelt systematisch alle Fragen der Psychotraumatologie und liefert das Grundwissen für alle Praktiker, Wissenschaftler, Studierende und Organisationen, die mit traumatisierten Menschen arbeiten. Das Handbuch bietet eine systematische Zusammenfassung der in Forschung und Klinik gesammelten aktuellen Erkenntnisse und gibt einen einzigartigen Überblick über alle Facetten der Traumatologie - inklusive einem ausführlichem Register. Die Autorinnen und Autoren sind führende Traumaexperten und -therapeuten. Die 65 Kapitel befassen sich mit den Themen: - Definition und Beschreibung der Psychotraumatologie - Historische Entwicklung - Krankheitsbilder - Alle Therapiemöglichkeiten - Traumatisierungen in bestimmten gesellschaftlichen und kulturellen Kontexten - Trauma und Justiz - Traumafolgestörungen in forensischen Kliniken sowie bei helfenden Berufen Insbesondere wird diskutiert: - Wie entstehen Psychotraumata? - Welchen Verlauf können sie nehmen? - Welche Möglichkeiten der Behandlung, Versorgung und Betreuung gibt es? - Was sind die gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhänge und Voraussetzungen? Zielgruppe: - PsychotraumatologInnen - PsychotherapeutInnen (insb. mit Trauma-Weiterbildung) - PsychoanalytikerInnen / Psychiater / PsychologInnen - Führungskräfte und Mitarbeiter in »Blaulichtberufen« und Beratungsstellen - SozialarbeiterInnen / SeelsorgerInnen - ErzieherInnen, insb. in Einrichtungen für Schwer- und Schwersterziehbare Studierend

Association between diesel exposure at work and prostate cancer

Objectives: The possible etiologic relevance of occupational factors such as cadmium, cutting oils, diesel fuel and fumes, herbicides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), polychlorinated biphenyls, soot, tar, mineral oil, and solvents to prostate cancer was studied. Methods: A case-referent study design was used to recruit 192 subjects with histologically confirmed prostate cancer and 210 referents who had prostate cancer histologically excluded either in one of two urologic practices (Hamburg and Frankfurt) or in the urological policlinic of the Frankfurt University. Data were gathered with a self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using logistic regression to control for age, region, and cigarette smoking. A job-exposure matrix was used for assigning exposure. For the calculation of dose-years, the duration of contact with specific substances was weighted by the intensity and probability of exposure according to a job-exposure matrix. Results: The analysis of dose-years yielded a statistically significant association between occupational exposure to diesel fuel or fumes and prostate cancer (odds ratio 3.7, 95% confidence interval 1.4-9.8, for subjects exposed to more than 25 dose-years in a comparison with subjects never exposed). For the other substances, no statistically significant differences in exposure were found between the cases and referents. When only jobs with a high exposure probability were used to classify the participants as exposed, only exposure to PAH was significantly associated with prostate cancer. Conclusion: In keeping with results from other studies, this study provides further evidence that exposure to diesel fuel or fumes - possibly mediated through PAH - may be associated with the development of prostate cancer

Sleep apnea and occupational exposure to solvents

Objectives: The possible effects of exposure to neurotoxic substances such as gasoline, diesel fuel, paint, varnish, and solvents on the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea were examined. Methods: Four hundred and forty-three persons with incident obstructive sleep apnea were recruited within the framework of a case-referent study. A reference population (N=397) was included as the first reference group. In addition 106 patients whose sleep laboratory findings confirmed that they were not suffering from obstructive sleep apnea were then included as a second reference group. Data were gathered with a questionnaire which had to be filled out by the persons with obstructive sleep apnea (cases) and the referents themselves. In the assessment of occupational exposure the questionnaires were filled out by the subjects themselves, and a job-exposure matrix was also used. Data were analyzed using logistic regression to control for age, region, body mass index, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption. Results: None of the exposures were statistically significantly associated with obstructive sleep apnea. There was no correlation with occupation. Only current activities in service occupations revealed an increased odds ratio, 1.6 (95% confidence interval 1.1-2.4). Conclusions: No suggestion was found of an association between exposure to solvents and obstructive sleep apnea

Free-field evoked auditory brainstem responses in cochlear implant users

The importance of binaural cues in auditory stream formation and sound source segregation is widely accepted. When treating one ear with a cochlear implant (CI) the peripheral auditory system gets partially replaced and processing delays get added potentially, thus important interaural time differences get altered. However, these effects are not fully understood, leaving a lack of systematic binaural fitting strategies with respect to an optimal binaural fusion. To get new insights into such alterations, we suggest a novel method of free-field auditory brainstem evoked responses (ABRs) analysis in CI users. This method does not bypass the technically induced intrinsic delays of the sound processor while leaving the whole electrode array active, thus the most natural way of stimulation is provided. We compared the ABRs collected of 12 CI users and 12 normal hearing listeners using two different stimuli (chirp, click) at four different intensities each. We analyzed the ABRs using the average of 2000 trials as well as a single trial analysis and found consistent results in the ABRs’ amplitudes and latencies, as well as in single trial relationships between both groups. This method provides a new perspective into the natural CI users’ ABRs and can be useful in future research regarding binaural interaction and fusion