Energy medicine

Calcium phosphate (CaP)-based ceramics are the most widely applied synthetic biomaterials for repair and regeneration of damaged and diseased bone. CaP bioactivity is regulated by a set of largely intertwined physico-chemical and structural properties, such as the surface microstructure, surface energy, porosity, chemical composition, crystallinity and stiffness. Unravelling the role of each individual property in the interaction between the biomaterial and the biological system is a prerequisite for evolving from a trial-and-error approach to a design-driven approach in the development of new functional biomaterials...

BACKGROUND: Sphaeralcea angustifolia (Malvaceae) is extensively used in Mexican traditional medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea and dysentery. OBJECTIVE: The current study was to validate the traditional use of S. angustifolia for the treatment of diarrhea and dysentery on biological grounds using in vitro antiprotozoal activity and computational experiments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ethanol extract, subsequent fractions, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and a sterol were evaluated on Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia trophozoites...

BACKGROUND: Herbal medicine is widely used all over the world for treating various health disorders. It is employed either alone or in combination with synthetic drugs or plants to be more effective. OBJECTIVE: The assessment of the effect of both water and methanol extracts of 57 widely used plants from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) against the main phase I metabolizing enzyme CYP3A4 in vitro for the first time. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The inhibition of cytochrome P450 activity was evaluated using a luminescence assay...

The ability to measure physical activity through wrist-worn devices provides an opportunity for cardiovascular medicine. However, the accuracy of commercial devices is largely unknown. The aim of this work is to assess the accuracy of seven commercially available wrist-worn devices in estimating heart rate (HR) and energy expenditure (EE) and to propose a wearable sensor evaluation framework. We evaluated the Apple Watch, Basis Peak, Fitbit Surge, Microsoft Band, Mio Alpha 2, PulseOn, and Samsung Gear S2. Participants wore devices while being simultaneously assessed with continuous telemetry and indirect calorimetry while sitting, walking, running, and cycling...

Research in the field of medicinal plants including Piper species like long pepper (Piper longum L.- Piperaceae) is increasing all over the world due to its use in traditional and Ayurvedic medicine. Piplartine (piperlongumine, 5,6-dihydro-1-[(2E)-1-oxo-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-2-propenyl]-2(1H)-pyridinone), a biologically active alkaloid/amide was isolated from the phytochemical investigations of Piper species, as long pepper. This alkaloid has cytotoxic, anti-fungal, anti-diabetic, anti-platelet aggregation, anti-tumoral, anxiolytic, anti-depressant, anti-leishmanial, and genotoxic activities, but, its anticancer property is the most promising and has been widely explored...

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) has been rapidly developing by combining several techniques with evidence-based adjustments, including preoperative education, preoperative carbohydrate loading, epidural or regional anesthesia, early initiation of enteral nutrition, ambulation and multi-modal pain management. The core part of ERAS is to reduce and reverse surgical stress and therefore greatly improve clinical outcome. Under the guidance of ERAS, perioperative management of robotic gastric cancer operation should follow the basic principles of ERAS and clinical pathway to maximize the advantages of the robotic surgery...

Most medical specialties including the field of gastroenterology are mainly aimed at treating diseases rather than preventing them. Genomic medicine studies the health/disease process based on the interaction of the human genes with the environment. The gastrointestinal (GI) system is an ideal model to analyze the interaction between our genes, emotions and the gut microbiota. Based on the current knowledge, this mini-review aims to provide an integrated synopsis of this interaction to achieve a better understanding of the GI disorders related to bad eating habits and stress-related disease...

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in a multitude of diseases and pathological conditions- the organelles that are essential for life can also be major players in contributing to cell death and disease. Because mitochondria are so well established in our existence, being present in all cell types except for red blood cells and having the responsibility of providing most of our energy needs for survival, then dysfunctional mitochondria can elicit devastating cellular pathologies that can be widespread across the entire organism...

BACKGROUND: Radial pressure pulse wave (RPPW) examination has been a key diagnostic component of traditional Chinese medicine. The objective of this study was to investigate the changes in RPPW along with various hemodynamic variables after acupuncture stimulation and to examine the validity of pulse diagnosis as a modern diagnostic tool. METHODS: We conducted acupuncture stimulation at both ST36 acupuncture points in 25 healthy volunteers. We simultaneously assessed the RPPW by pulse tonometry; heart rate variability (HRV) by electrocardiogram; photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals, respiration rate, peripheral blood flow velocity and arterial depth by ultrasonography; and cardiac output by impedance cardiography, before, during and after a session of acupuncture stimulation...

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Indirect calorimetry (IC) is considered gold standard for assessing energy needs of critically ill children as predictive equations and clinical status indicators are often unreliable. Accurate assessment of energy requirements in this vulnerable population is essential given the high risk of over or underfeeding and the consequences thereof. The proportion of patients and patient days in pediatric intensive care (PICU) for which energy expenditure (EE) can be measured using IC is currently unknown...

According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Qi (vital energy) is regarded as a driving force of biological activities in human body, including both nutrient substances and organ functions. Qi-invigorating TCMs are widely used to treat various symptoms and disorders, such as fatigue, obesity, immunosuppression, intestinal flora imbalance, and gastrointestinal diseases, in which Qi is considered to be reduced or depleted. Interestingly, abundant clinical evidences suggest that these disorders are associated with the alternation of intestinal flora, which directly affects disease status...

BACKGROUND: Sodium copper chlorophyllin (SCC), as one of the derivatives of chlorophyll - with its inherent green features; good stability for heat, light, acids and alkalies; unique antimicrobial capability; and particular deodori zation performance - is widely applied in some fields such as the food industry, medicine and health care, daily cosmetic industry etc. SCC, as one of the metal porphyrins, has attracted much attention because of its unique electronic band structure and photon conversion performance...

In the field of nuclear medicine, single photon emission tomography and positron emission tomography are the two most common techniques in molecular imaging, but the available radioactive tracers have been limited either by energy range or difficulties in production and delivery. Thus, the use of a Compton camera, which features gamma-ray imaging of arbitrary energies from a few hundred keV to more than MeV, is eagerly awaited along with potential new tracers which have never been used in current modalities...

Objective: This study aimed at evaluating the balance in the intake of protein, carbohydrate, and fat among the Brazilian elderly population. Methods: The data analyzed were taken from the National Dietary Survey 2008-2009, from a total of 4,286 Brazilian elders (60-104 years old). Based on the dietary intake obtained from two food records, the Multiple Source Method (MSM) was used to evaluate the macronutrients and saturated fat. The AMDR (Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range), by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), was used to evaluate the macronutrient energy percentage (%E)...

We describe a novel regeneratively-active barrier membrane which consists of a durable electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) net covered with a morphogenetically-active biohybrid material composed of collagen and inorganic polyphosphate (polyP). The patch-like fibrous collagen structures are decorated with small amorphous polyP nanoparticles (50 nm) formed by precipitation of this energy-rich and enzyme-degradable (alkaline phosphatase) polymer in the presence of calcium ions. The fabricated PCL-polyP/collagen hybrid mats are characterized by advantageous biomechanical properties, such as enhanced flexibility and stretchability with almost unaltered tensile strength of the PCL net...

Advances in the performances of many modern materials fundamentally depend upon the exploitation of new micro/nanostructures. Therefore, ingenious design of hierarchical structures through the mimicking of natural systems is of increasing importance. Currently, there is an urgent need for creation of multidimensional carbonaceous structures by integrating a customized hierarchical pore architecture and hybrid carbon framework. Here we report the pioneering fabrication of novel super-hierarchical carbons with a unique carbonaceous hybrid nanotube-interconnected porous network structure by utilizing well-defined carbon nanotube@polystyrene bottlebrushes as building blocks...

Computational neuroscience models have been used for understanding neural dynamics in the brain and how they may be altered when physiological or other conditions change. We review and develop a data-driven approach to neuroimaging data called the energy landscape analysis. The methods are rooted in statistical physics theory, in particular the Ising model, also known as the (pairwise) maximum entropy model and Boltzmann machine. The methods have been applied to fitting electrophysiological data in neuroscience for a decade, but their use in neuroimaging data is still in its infancy...

PURPOSE: To characterize the dependence of normalized glandular dose (DgN) on various breast model and image acquisition parameters during spot compression mammography and other partial breast irradiation conditions, and evaluate alternative previously-proposed dose-related metrics for this breast imaging modality. METHODS: Using Monte Carlo simulations with both simple homogeneous breast models and patient-specific breasts, three different dose related metrics for spot compression mammography were compared: the standard DgN, the normalized glandular dose to only the directly irradiated portion of the breast (DgNv), and the DgN obtained by the product of the DgN for full field irradiation and the ratio of the mid-height area of the irradiated breast to the entire breast area (DgNM )...

BACKGROUND: Due to its unclear pathophysiology, the pharmacological treatment of fibromyalgia is a challenge for researchers. Studies using medicinal plants, such as those from the genus Lippia, complexed with cyclodextrins (CDs) have shown innovative results. OBJECTIVE: The present research intended to evaluate the effect of an inclusion complex containing β-cyclodextrin (βCD) inclusion complex with Lippia grata (LG) essential oil in a chronic musculoskeletal pain model, its central activity and its possible interaction with neurotransmitters involved in pain...

While developing prediction models has become quite popular both in nephrology and in medicine in general, most models have not been implemented in clinical practice on a larger scale. This should be no surprise, as the majority of published models has been shown to be poorly reported and often developed using inappropriate methods. The main problems identified relate to either using too few candidate predictors (based on univariable P < 0.05) or too many (for the number of events), resulting in poorly performing prediction models...