Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a highly prevalent disease characterized by chronic hyperglycemia. Yoga is a form of mind-body intervention shown to have a positive impact on several health conditions in both healthy and diseased patients. The present study is intended to assess the effects of the Residential Integrated Yoga Program (RIYP) on blood glucose levels in patients with T2DM. Material and Methods: Data of 598 (186 females) T2DM patients from a holistic health center in Bengaluru, India, who attended a 15-day RIYP between January 2013 and December 2015 was obtained retrospectively. Average age of the participants was 56.45 ± 11.02 years. All subjects underwent a 15-day RIYP which involved yoga-based lifestyle changes with components of regulated sleep, balanced diet, asanas, pranayama, relaxation techniques, meditations, yogic cleaning procedures, and tuning to the nature. Fasting and post-prandial blood sugar, medication score, symptom score, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate, and respiratory rate were assessed before and after intervention. Result: There was a significant decrease in fasting (p < 0.001) and post-prandial blood sugar levels (p < 0.001) along with a significant reduction in medication and symptom scores after 15 days of RIYP compared to baseline. Conclusion: The present study indicates that 2 weeks of a yoga-based residential program improves blood glucose levels, blood pressure, and medication score in patients with T2DM. However, further randomized controlled studies need to be performed in order to confirm the present findings.
Background: Vaginal delivery is the best end of the pregnancy for the mother and the newborn. Aim: To evaluate the impacts of short-term antenatal pelvic floor muscle (PFM) exercises on a woman’s mode of delivery. Methods: This is a randomized controlled trial that recruited 20 healthy pregnant women aged between 20 and 25 years and able to contract the PFMs. The participants were included in the study at 20 weeks of gestation (WG) and were randomly allocated to one of two groups: the intervention group (n = 10) or the control group (n = 10). PFM strength was measured by vaginal squeeze pressure at 20 and 36 WG, and delivery outcomes were evaluated by a blinded searcher from the birth registry after labor. Results: There were no statistically significant changes between both groups at baseline regarding gestational age, type of labor, previous pregnancy complications, and PFM strength (p > 0.05). There was a significant change between both groups in mean PFM strength at 36 WG (p < 0.05). A significant correlation was observed between PFM strength at 36 WG and mode of delivery (vaginal delivery: r = 0.58, p < 0.05; caesarean delivery: r = –0.49, p < 0.05). Conclusions: PFM exercise is recommended for healthy pregnant women as a safe and inexpensive strategy for increasing the vaginal delivery rate.
In the past few years internet addiction (IA) and internet gaming disorder (IGD) have become very frequent, leading to many personality and psychiatric disorders including low self-esteem, impulsivity, poor sleep quality, mood disorder, and suicide. IA has been included in Appendix III of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as IGD. In addition, IA leads to many neuroanatomical and neurochemical alterations including cortical thinning of various components of the brain and altered dopaminergic reward circuitry. Due to widespread neuropsychiatric and neurobiological implications of IA, multiple therapeutic approaches are needed. Integrative therapy in the form of yoga and mindfulness has proven to be effective in many addiction disorders including IA.
Background/Aims: Acupuncture and moxibustion, when used together, have act mechanically and thermally on treated reflexological areas. The main goal of this work was to evaluate the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on the electrophysiological properties of the ulnar nerve. Methods: Electrical stimulation was applied to the ulnar nerve above the epicondyle of 28 volunteers. A 20-V potential was applied, and after each 10 impulses it was increased by 10 V, up to a maximum of 80 V. At 20 and 80 V, the participants were asked to rate the discomfort from 0 to 10 on a Numeric Rating Scale for pain. After the first stimulation and data collection, the control group rested for 6 min, while the intervention group was submitted to acupuncture and moxibustion on Lingdao (HT 4). Following this period of time, a second electrical stimulation was performed on both groups. Results: The discomfort was greater in the intervention group during the second stimulation. The stimulus required to achieve the maximum amplitude decreased, but the changes were only statistically significant in the intervention group (p = 0.006). An increase in latency and a decrease in reaction velocity were noticed between the first and the second stimulation for both groups; however, only the control group presented statistically significant differences (p = 0.018 and p = 0.022, respectively). Conclusions: Acupuncture and moxibustion on HT 4 increased the electrical sensitivity, decreased the stimulus intensity to achieve the maximum amplitude, and avoided a significant increase in latency and decrease in reaction velocity in two consecutive electrical stimulations.
Unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis is often suspected when a hemidiaphragm is found abnormally elevated on chest radiography. Chest radiography has a high sensitivity for diaphragmatic palsy. A 67-year-old male presented to the hospital with a history of 4 months of exertional breathlessness that improved after taking a rest. The patient had normal cardiac and respiratory physical function. He also had a normal electrocardiogram and good systolic function on echocardiography. A treadmill test revealed ST-segment changes during peak exercise and recovery phases. On chest X-ray, his right hemidiaphragm was shown to be significantly elevated. Further investigation was conducted to rule out diaphragmatic paralysis, and the findings took a surprising turn to an entirely different diagnosis.
Due to the “stigma” of neuropsychological and psychogenic disorders in China, patients with psychological and affective disorders mostly prefer to go to general hospitals or integrative medicine hospitals, while the majority of patients with mental disorders in the department of internal medicine are treated in the department of neurology. At present, there are few physicians with the ability to diagnose and treat neuropsychiatric diseases properly in the neurological department of general hospitals in China, and the diagnosis and treatment experience of mental diseases is insufficient. At the same time, the diagnosis and treatment of comorbid patients with internal diseases and mental disorders are more complicated. The psychology departments in general hospitals or mental health centers also have a limited ability to diagnose and treat comorbid diseases relating to internal medicine and mental disorders together. Therefore, this article reviews the current status of diagnosis and treatment of neuropsychiatric and mental disorders in general hospitals or integrative medicine hospitals.
We evaluated the levels of protein p53, retinoblastoma protein (RB), β-catenin, SMAD2, protein kinases AKT and focal adhesion kinase (FAK), and transcription factor CREB using ELISA in mononuclear leukocytes of patients with community-acquired pneumonia on days 15–17 of the disease. The research results showed that the subclinical immune-inflammatory process was characterized by a higher content of β-catenin by 19.8%, CREB by 23.3%, RB protein by 14.7%, increased phosphorylation level of protein kinase FAK by 19.8%, АKТ1 at serine-473 by 65.6%, and RB by 13.7%. In the cells, there was a decrease in p53 of 15.7%, SMAD2 of 16.9%, and protein kinase АKТ1 of 31.2%. Three hours after 1-GHz microwave irradiation, MNCs displayed a statistically significant increase in their content of the p53 protein of 20.0‰, RB of 9.35‰, β-catenin of 10.9‰, protein kinase FAK of 10.0‰, and CREB of 8.55‰. A day after a single irradiation of the cultures of whole blood cells, in irradiated cells compared to nonirradiated control, we observed a statistically significant increase in the content of p53 of 24.2‰, β-catenin of 15.1‰, SMAD2 of 20.4‰, RB of 9.8‰, as well as a reduction of the initially elevated levels of protein kinase AKT1 of 25.1‰, its phosphorylated form at serine-473 of 16.5‰, and a decrease in the phosphorylated form of the transcription factor CREB at serine-133 of 4.1‰. The research results indicate that a low-intensity microwave frequency of 1 GHz can be considered as a factor in molecular immune rehabilitation in conditions of community-acquired pneumonia.
Background: The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is based on the 5-element theory, which emphasizes the importance of the dynamic balance among the liver, heart, spleen, lung, and kidney. It is quite confusing that the 5 viscera in TCM share the same names with the organs in Western medicine. Spleen is the only viscus that differs most from the modern concept, while the remaining 4 viscera can all find similarities with the corresponding organs in Western medicine; however, the viscus in TCM is always a broader concept. Key Messages: The 5 major functions of the liver in TCM correspond to the nerve-endocrine-immune network in Western medicine, and all of the functions are associated with emotion.
Background/Aims: The studies on the effect of integrated yoga therapy have shown significant results in improving the overall health. However, the effect of integrated yoga therapy on arterial stiffness is not yet established. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of integrated yoga therapy on arterial stiffness measured at the radial artery. Methods: A total of 18 participants were included in the study. The participants were divided into three groups based on their age and body mass index. There were 5 participants in group 1 who were considered as nonobese, 7 younger adults with obesity were included in group 2, and 6 older adults with obesity were included in group 3. A 1-week integrated approach of yoga therapy (IAYT) was given as an intervention to the participants. The pulse data was acquired from participants using Nadi Tarangini at the beginning and end of the yoga program. The stiffness index (SI) and reflection index (RI) were computed from the pulse data. The data were analyzed using the paired-samples t test. Results: There was a significant reduction in SI (p < 0.05) after IAYT in young participants with obesity. There was a significant reduction in BMI after IAYT in older adults, but the SI was only significantly low in young adults. There were no significant changes in RI after IAYT. Conclusion: The pilot study has shown that arterial stiffness measured at the radial artery using Nadi Tarangini has decreased significantly after 1 week of IAYT in young adults with obesity compared to older adults.
Background: Neuropathic pain (NP) is a debilitating condition that may result from spinal cord injury (SCI). Nearly 75% of all SCIs result in NP affecting 17,000 new individuals in the United States every year, and an estimated 7-10% of people worldwide. It is caused by damaged or dysfunctional nerve fibers sending aberrant signals to pain centers in the central nervous system causing severe pain that affects daily life and routine. The mechanisms underlying NP are not fully understood, making treatment difficult. Identification of specific molecular pathways that are involved in pain syndromes and finding effective treatments has become a major priority in current SCI research. Yoga has therapeutic applications that may prove beneficial in treating subjects suffering chronically from SCI-induced NP, chronic back and associated pain if necessary experimental data are generated. Summary: This review aims to discuss the implications of various mechanistic approaches of yoga which can be tested by new study designs around various nociceptive molecules including matrix metalloproteinases, cation-dependent chloride transporter (NKCC1), etc. in SCI-induced NP patients. Key Messages: Yogic practices could be used in managing SCI-induced NP pain by regulating the action of various mechanisms and its associated molecules. Modern prescriptive treatment strategies combined with alternative approaches like yoga should be used in rehabilitation centers and clinics in order to ameliorate chronic NP. We recommend practical considerations of careful yoga practice as part of an integrative medicine approach for NP associated with SCI.
Aims: The aim of this study was to explore the efficacy of Jian-Pi Lian-Se Tang (JPLST), a formula of traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of salivation and frequent nighttime urination (FNU) in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Method: Forty-eight patients with ALS suffering from salivation and/or FNU who were outpatients or inpatients of Shuguang Hospital were included into the study and divided into 2 groups as follows: the JPLST group (n = 24) included patients who were additionally treated with JPLST, and the control group (n = 24) included patients who were treated by routine Western medicine (for 6 weeks). The changes in the quantity of salivation/sialorrhea (QS) (in mL) and in FNU as the primary result and the total scores of the Amyloid Lateral Sclerosis Function Rating Scale (ALSFRS) and of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) as the secondary result were used to evaluate the clinical efficacy for both groups. Results: No significant differences were found for the baseline of QS, FNU, and the scores of the ESS and of the ALSFRS before and after treatment for both groups. At the end of the 6th week, 2 patients in the JPLST group and 4 patients in the control group withdrew from the study. QS and FNU were much less severe in the JPLST group than before treatment, and the ESS scores were improved, too. The ALSFRS did not show any significant differences in both groups compared with before treatment at the end of week 6. No side effects were found for both groups by laboratory tests. Conclusion: The much improved parameters of QS, FNU, and ESS for the JPLST group indicate that JPLST may be a potential additional treatment for salivation and FNU in ALS patients. Large-scale multicenter double-blind randomized-control studies are needed to verify the effectiveness of JPLST in improving salivation and FNU in patients with ALS.
Background: p53 acts as a transcription factor to regulate the expression of genes that modulate various cellular activities. The proliferation of cancer cells has been inhibited under the exposure to low-intensity (18 peak-to-peak voltage) and intermediate-frequency (100 KHz) electric fields generated between 2 capacitive electrodes. Therefore, the aims of this study were to observe the molecular mechanism of cell death caused by noncontact electric field exposure and to determine whether p53 protein can serve as a biomarker for this exposure or not. Methods: Oral squamous cell carcinoma, HeLa, and bone marrow mesenchyme cells were exposed to noncontact electric fields of Electro-Capacitive Cancer Therapy (ECCT) for 24 h. To observe the mechanism of cell death caused by ECCT, immunocytochemistry of p53 was performed, and the p53 expression was evaluated using immunoreactive score (IRS) calculation. Results: Electric field exposure by ECCT increased the percentage of dead cells in oral cancer cells (18.39%), HeLa cells (6.60%), and bone marrow mesenchyme cells (34.05%) with statistical significance using the independent t test compared to each control group. The IRS of p53 in oral cancer, HeLa, and bone marrow mesenchyme cultures were 10.50, 11.25, and 4.94, respectively. Conclusion: The high IRS shown in the treated oral cancer and HeLa culture cells may suggest that p53 expression in these culture cells is associated with the cell death mechanism induced by the exposure to noncontact electric fields, and the increased cell death in these culture cells may correlate with the IRS.
This paper describes the development of a new team sport called “piterbasket,” which has been secured by a patent. The importance of this type of adaptive physical activity for the quality of life of the general population, including physically challenged people, is demonstrated. This study provides the most recent data on pedagogical synergy in sports on the basis of the chaos and self-organization theory. We established the importance of educational and training processes for the structural harmonious organization of natural systems and the cerebral cortex for scientific improvement; additionally we carried out a synergy analysis of physiological bases of visual and acoustic perceptions which organize themselves on the basis of the interface of the functions of human body and functional activities of the brain.
Background: India is fast becoming the diabetic capital in the world according to a recent report. Patients with diabetes are at increased risk of mortality due to diabetic complications, which has enormous implications for the health budget. Objectives: The main objective of this review is to provide an overview of the work carried out in the world, including modern and traditional approaches for the prevention and management of diabetes and reducing the chances of onset of further complications via cost-effective lifestyle interventions and integrative medicine. Material and Methods: We performed a literature search from various databases like PubMed, Scopus, Google scholar, etc., using the keywords diabetes, prediabetes, MCI and prediabetes, diabetes and yoga, diabetes. Results: Upon reviewing the published articles, it was noticed that one of the most neglected complications of diabetes, namely cognitive dysfunction, which is characterized by a pattern of vascular dementia and Alzheimer disease (AD), has been largely ignored, and there has been no large study investigating the role of yoga intervention in diabetes and/or associated cognitive impairment. Conclusion: The review article opens new paradigms for researchers to evaluate the connection between diabetes and AD through a yoga-based national campaign on diabetes. This paves the way towards the goal of integrative medicine.
The incubation of person-centered healthcare for integrated public health is the focus of this short communication. Here we look at creating an equipoise between culture, medicine, and translational research methods. We propose that these factors can be explored through participatory action research and on-site training of early-career medical professionals. This approach may be one way to build a bridge between trusted tradition and evidence-informed practice. The authors share twelve paths through which integration might occur. They challenge medical professionals to take their places alongside researchers, policy makers, and patients to construct a relevant and practical path that can embrace the rich cultural heritage of traditional Indian medicine with international standards for medical research and care.
Background/Aims: Oral tranexamic acid (TXA) has been reported to be effective for treating melasma. However, the effect of topical TXA on melasma remains controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of topical TXA cataplasm on melasma. Methods: Eighty-four patients with melasma were randomly assigned to a treatment group or a separate control group. They were instructed to apply 2 pieces of cataplasm with or without TXA. The melasma area severity index (MASI), skin color tone scale (SCTS), and area score were evaluated by dermatologists blinded to the treatment. Results: A significant decrease in the MASI and SCTS was observed on either or both sides of the face by the end of 8 weeks compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The area score was also significantly reduced on both tested sides compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Based on these results, we believe that localized cataplasm of TXA may be used as a potentially new, effective, and safe therapeutic modality for treating melasma.
Background/Aims: Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is often identified as being clinically underdiagnosed and undertreated, resulting in unnecessary costs and poorer patient outcomes. Method: Through a literature search, the information has been synthesized, supporting the creation of a POTS diagnostic screening tool that can be implemented within the psychiatric outpatient clinic. Results: POTS patients are often referred to psychiatry for the treatment of chronic fatigue and anxiety disorders. Psychiatric professionals are in a position to prescreen for POTS in patients with orthostatic intolerance. Conclusion: A diagnostic prescreening tool helps to identify patients with POTS so they can be referred for proper treatment, improving their functionality and quality of life, and decreasing the healthcare burden.
There is a general acknowledgement in almost all civilizations that the heart is the most important organ in the human body. Both Chinese medicine and Western traditional medicine have a long history of heart research, but they have developed different points of view based on the basic cognition. Traditional Chinese medicine is good at summarizing the correspondence and relationship between the heart and exterior things. The physiological functions of the heart are governing blood and vessels, controlling the mind, opening into the tongue, manifesting on the face, and so on, while modern Western medicine does well in exploring the anatomical structure, spacial connection, and micromechanical character of the organ. Chinese medicine and Western medicine have established the diagnosis and management system, respectively, from their own angles. Combining the knowledge of Chinese and Western medicine can take the advantages of either of the two, making it deeper and more comprehensive for studying and treating heart diseases.
Since the Japanese scientist Shinya Yamanaka used a viral vector to transfer the combination of 4 factors into differentiated somatic cells and reprogramed them to obtain similar embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), it provided one integrative method for studying many medical fields. Patient-derived iPSCs have provided an opportunity to study human diseases for which no suitable model systems are available. iPSC technology has since become a major breakthrough in the field of stem cell research. With the continuous development of iPSC technology and the continuous improvement of technical levels, excellent advances have become more and more common in the basic research and medical fields of life sciences. This article reviews the development history, clinical application, and problems and prospects of iPSC, and focuses on the application of iPSC in neurological diseases.
Liver damage caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections is diffuse. Live medical images and FibroScan images show that it is inhomogeneous. Modeling and interpreting such phenomena are both important for theoretical research and practical application. The cellular neural networks (CNNs) introduced by Chua and Yang can model widely observed patterns in both nonbiological and biological media. The sawtooth and rectangle (SR) CNN introduced by Chua and colleagues is able to generate SR-shaped patterns for any random-input grayscale patterns, which are also similar to some chronic HBV-infected patients' liver B-scan images. This paper will mathematically study the dynamic behaviors of the SR CNN, numerically simulate the output images of the SR CNN, and biologically interpret the relationships between the output images of the SR CNN and the patterns in HBV-infected patients' liver B-scan images. Our research results show that the SR CNN may be used as a candidate for modeling liver infections.
