EEG source imaging during two Qigong meditations

Experienced Qigong meditators who regularly perform the exercises "Thinking of Nothing” and "Qigong” were studied with multichannel EEG source imaging during their meditations. The intracerebral localization of brain electric activity during the two meditation conditions was compared using sLORETA functional EEG tomography. Differences between conditions were assessed using t statistics (corrected for multiple testing) on the normalized and log-transformed current density values of the sLORETA images. In the EEG alpha-2 frequency, 125 voxels differed significantly; all were more active during "Qigong” than "Thinking of Nothing,” forming a single cluster in parietal Brodmann areas 5, 7, 31, and 40, all in the right hemisphere. In the EEG beta-1 frequency, 37 voxels differed significantly; all were more active during "Thinking of Nothing” than "Qigong,” forming a single cluster in prefrontal Brodmann areas 6, 8, and 9, all in the left hemisphere. Compared to combined initial-final no-task resting, "Qigong” showed activation in posterior areas whereas "Thinking of Nothing” showed activation in anterior areas. The stronger activity of posterior (right) parietal areas during "Qigong” and anterior (left) prefrontal areas during "Thinking of Nothing” may reflect a predominance of self-reference, attention and input-centered processing in the "Qigong” meditation, and of control-centered processing in the "Thinking of Nothing” meditatio

EXPRESSION OF BACTERIOOPSIN GENES IN ESCHERICHIA COLI

An inducible expression vector pUBO was constructed with native codons in order to express the gene of Bacteriorhodopsin (BOP) in Escherichia coli (E. coli). Vector pUBO contains lac-promoter followed by the partial structural gene of lacZ and the structural gene of BOP. The expression of this fusion protein was detected by ELISA with anti-BOP antiserum. The fusion protein obtained from E. coli trnsformed with pUBO formed approximately 0.1% of the total protein of the E. coli membrane fraction

Meditators and Non-Meditators: EEG Source Imaging During Resting

Many meditation exercises aim at increased awareness of ongoing experiences through sustained attention and at detachment, i.e., non-engaging observation of these ongoing experiences by the intent not to analyze, judge or expect anything. Long-term meditation practice is believed to generalize the ability of increased awareness and greater detachment into everyday life. We hypothesized that neuroplasticity effects of meditation (correlates of increased awareness and detachment) would be detectable in a no-task resting state. EEG recorded during resting was compared between Qigong meditators and controls. Using LORETA (low resolution electromagnetic tomography) to compute the intracerebral source locations, differences in brain activations between groups were found in the inhibitory delta EEG frequency band. In the meditators, appraisal systems were inhibited, while brain areas involved in the detection and integration of internal and external sensory information showed increased activation. This suggests that neuroplasticity effects of long-term meditation practice, subjectively described as increased awareness and greater detachment, are carried over into non-meditating state

Project Update of 500 TPD Demonstration Plant for Coal-fired Power Plant

AbstractSouthern Company and MHI successfully started the world's largest 500 TPD carbon capture plant for a coal-fired power plant in June 2011 at Alabama Power's Plant Barry and achieved full load operation. These operation experience and lessons & learned of the actual plants would help facilitate scale-up CO2 capture plant for coal fired power plant. This paper gives updated operation results of the demonstration plant along with MHI's R&D Activities for the commercial applicatio