An overview of microwave resonance therapy and eeg correlates of microwave resonance relaxation and other consciousness altering techniques

Microwave Resonance Therapy (MRT) is a novel medical treatment representing a synthesis of the ancient Chinese traditional knowledge in medicine (acupuncture) and recent breakthroughs in biophysics. MRT affects the appropriate acupuncture points by the generation of high-frequency microwaves (52-78 GHz); remarkable clinical results are being achieved. In this paper, the quantum-like macroscopic biophysical bases of MRT are elaborated, offering new insights into the mechanisms of the assembling gap junction hemichannels on the internal microwave (MW) electromagnetic field spatiotemporal maxima at the temporary position of the acupuncture system, and hence insights into the biophysical nature of temporary psychosomatic health or disease. Such a picture also supports an electromagnetic/ionic optical ultra-low-frequency modulated MW quantum holographic neural network-like function of the acupuncture system (similar to complex-valued oscillatory holographic, Hopfield-like neural networks), and its essential relation to consciousness, as strongly suggested from biophysical modeling of altered states of consciousness. Finally, our electroencephalographic (EEG) investigations showed more or less characteristic EEG features in many subjects when relaxation was induced by MRT applied to corresponding acupuncture points, as well as by some other activities that may alter consciousness (transcendental meditation, musicogenic states, healer/healee noncontact interaction, drowsiness), demonstrating that EEG may permit rapid and reproducible identification of different states of consciousness, which could be useful in evaluating the effectiveness of consciousness altering techniques and related stress reduction

3000 years of solitude: extreme differentiation in the island isolates of Dalmatia, Croatia

Communities with increased shared ancestry represent invaluable tools for genetic studies of complex traits. '1001 Dalmatians' research program collects biomedical information for genetic epidemiological research from multiple small isolated populations ('metapopulation') in the islands of Dalmatia, Croatia. Random samples of 100 individuals from 10 small island settlements (n<2000 inhabitants) were collected in 2002 and 2003. These island communities were carefully chosen to represent a wide range of distinct and well-documented demographic histories. Here, we analysed their genetic make-up using 26 short tandem repeat (STR) markers, at least 5 cM apart. We found a very high level of differentiation between most of these island communities based on Wright's fixation indexes, even within the same island. The model-based clustering algorithm, implemented in STRUCTURE, defined six clusters with very distinct genetic signatures, four of which corresponded to single villages. The extent of background LD, assessed with eight linked markers on Xq13-21, paralleled the extent of differentiation and was also very high in most of the populations under study. For each population, demographic history was characterised and 12 'demographic history' variables were tentatively defined. Following stepwise regression, the demographic history variable that most significantly predicted the extent of LD was the proportion of locally born grandparents. Strong isolation and endogamy are likely to be the main forces maintaining this highly structured overall population

The overstated merits of proportional representation. The Republic of Macedonia as a natural experiment for assessing the impact of electoral systems on descriptive representation

For the comparative study of the effects of electoral systems on the descriptive representation of ethnic minorities in parliament, Macedonia is a highly interesting case because the country had several elections under majoritarian as well as under proportional systems. Whereas most observers claim that ethnic Albanians have benefitted from the introduction of proportional representation, the article argues that the merits of PR have been overstated. First, scholars have often only reported members of political parties but not independent candidates in parliament. Second, when comparing the share of seats before and after the introduction of PR, the growing share of the Albanians in the population is usually ignored. © 2014 The Editor of Ethnopolitics