Purpose: The Reiki Master Teacher group at a large academic, urban medical center studied the effects of Reiki on work-related stress in Registered Nurse Reiki I class participants. Research suggests that work-related stress is an influential factor in nursing burn out and retention. Reiki, an ancient form of Oriental "energy work" or healing, has been found to decrease stress. Methods: The Perceived Stress Scale tool was administered prior to the Reiki I class and after three weeks of practicing self-Reiki. Findings: Seventeen participants returned follow-up data. Results indicated that practicing Reiki more often resulted in reduced perceived stress levels. Conclusions: Data from this small pilot study supports educating nurses about Reiki practice to decrease work-related stress.

Cuneo CL, Cooper MR, Drew CS, Naoum-Heffernan C, Sherman T, Walz K, Weinberg J. J Holist Nurs. 2010 Aug 10.

In a study of the linguistic processes involved in hypnosis, 22 volunteer medical students performed semantic and phonologic fluency tasks and then associative priming tests with 2 delay-lengths in waking alert and hypnotic conditions as well. The participants performed better during semantic than phonological fluency tests in alert and also in hypnotic states, and this difference was significantly greater in hypnosis. The increased semantic performance in hypnosis was accompanied by a decrease of the rule-offending errors. Significant semantic priming effects were detected in both states of consciousness in direct and indirect relations as well as in the automatic, intralexical level, and also when the extralexical control processes were activated. Overall, the results appear to show that the hypnotically altered state of consciousness produces significantly better performance in semantic information processing than can be elicited in alert waking conditions.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2009 Oct;57(4):382-401. Szendi I, Kovács ZA, Szekeres G, Galsi G, Boda K, Boncz I, Janka Z. Department of Psychiatry, University of Szeged, 6725 Szeged, Hungary. szendi@nepsy.szote.u-szeged.hu

Full Title Introducing qigong meditation into residential addiction treatment: a pilot study where gender makes a difference.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to explore the feasibility and efficacy of adding integrative qigong meditation to residential treatment for substance abuse.

METHODS: Qigong meditation, which blends relaxation, breathing, guided imagery, inward attention, and mindfulness to elicit a tranquil state, was introduced into a short-term residential treatment program. At first clients chose to participate in qigong meditation on a voluntary basis during their evening break. Later they chose to participate in either meditation or Stress Management and Relaxation Training (SMART) twice a day as part of the scheduled treatment. Weekly questionnaires were completed by 248 participants for up to 4 weeks to assess their changes in treatment outcomes. Participants in the meditation group were also assessed for quality of meditation to evaluate the association between quality and treatment outcome.

RESULTS: Most clients were amenable to meditation as part of the treatment program, and two thirds chose to participate in daily meditation. While both groups reported significant improvement in treatment outcome, the meditation group reported a significantly higher treatment completion rate (92% versus 78%, p < 01) and more reduction in craving than did the SMART group. Participants whose meditation was of acceptable quality reported greater reductions in craving, anxiety, and withdrawal symptoms than did those whose meditation was of low quality. Female meditation participants reported significantly more reduction in anxiety and withdrawal symptoms than did any other group.

CONCLUSIONS: Qigong meditation appears to contribute positively to addiction treatment outcomes, with results at least as good as those of an established stress management program. Results for those who meditate adequately are especially encouraging. Meditative therapy may be more effective or acceptable for female drug abusers than for males. Further study is needed to assess ways to improve substance abusers' engagement and proficiency in meditation.

Chen KW, Comerford A, Shinnick P, Ziedonis DM. J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Aug;16(8):875-82. Center for Integrative Medicine and Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 520 Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. kchen@compmed.umm.edu

In this randomized, controlled multi-site study, the pacifier-activated-lullaby system (PAL) was used with 68 premature infants. Dependent variables were (a) total number of days prior to nipple feeding, (b) days of nipple feeding, (c) discharge weight, and (d) overall weight gain. Independent variables included contingent music reinforcement for non-nutritive sucking for PAL intervention at 32 vs. 34 vs. 36 weeks adjusted gestational age (AGA), with each age group subdivided into three trial conditions: control consisting of no PAL used vs. one 15-minute PAL trial vs. three 15-minute PAL trials. At 34 weeks, PAL trials significantly shortened gavage feeding length, and three trials were significantly better than one trial. At 32 weeks, PAL trials lengthened gavage feeding. Female infants learned to nipple feed significantly faster than male infants. It was noted that PAL babies went home sooner after beginning to nipple feed, a trend that was not statistically significant.

Standley JM, Cassidy J, Grant R, Cevasco A, Szuch C, Nguyen J, Walworth D, Procelli D, Jarred J, Adams K. Pediatr Nurs. 2010 May-Jun;36(3):138-45. Florida State University and Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, Tallahassee, FL, USA.

BACKGROUND: Complementary therapies such as yoga practice have become commonplace, yet the safety, physical, and psychological effects on patients with heart failure (HF) are unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine whether an 8-week yoga program was safe and would positively influence physical and psychological function in HF patients.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Stable HF patients were recruited (n = 15) and completed (n = 12) 8 weeks of yoga classes. Data collected were: safety (cardiac and orthopedic adverse events); physical function (strength, balance, endurance, flexibility); and psychological function (quality of life [QOL], depression scores, mindfulness) before and after 8 weeks of yoga classes.

RESULTS: Mean age was 52.4 + or - 11.6 with three-fourths (n = 9) being male and Caucasian. No participant had any adverse events. Endurance (P < .02) and strength (upper P = .04 and lower body P = .01) significantly improved. Balance improved by 13.6 seconds (26.9 + or - 19.7 to 40.0 + or - 18.5; P = .05). Symptom stability, a subscale of QOL, improved significantly (P = .02). Although no subject was depressed, overall mood was improved. Subjects subjectively reported improvements in overall well-being.

CONCLUSIONS: Yoga practice was safe, with participants experiencing improved physical function and symptom stability. Larger studies are warranted to provide more nonpharmacological options for improved outcomes in patients with HF.

Howie-Esquivel J, Lee J, Collier G, Mehling W, Fleischmann K. J Card Fail. 2010 Sep;16(9):742-9. Department of Physiological Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. jill.howie-esquivel@nursing.ucsf.edu

BACKGROUND: Managing children is a challenge that many dentists face. Many non-pharmacological techniques have been developed to manage anxiety and behavioural problems in children, such us: 'tell, show & do', positive reinforcement, modelling and hypnosis. The use of hypnosis is generally an overlooked area, hence the need for this review.

OBJECTIVES: This systematic review attempted to answer the question: What is the effectiveness of hypnosis (with or without sedation) for behaviour management of children who are receiving dental care in order to allow successful completion of treatment? Null hypothesis: Hypnosis has no effect on the outcome of dental treatment of children.

SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Oral Health Group's Trials Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE (OVID), EMBASE (OVID), and PsycINFO. Electronic and manual searches were performed using controlled vocabulary and free text terms with no language restrictions. Date of last search: 11th June 2010.

SELECTION CRITERIA: All children and adolescents aged up to 16 years of age. Children having any dental treatment, such as: simple restorative treatment with or without local anaesthetic, simple extractions or management of dental trauma.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Information regarding methods, participants, interventions, outcome measures and results were independently extracted, in duplicate, by two review authors. Authors of trials were contacted for details of randomisation and withdrawals and a quality assessment was carried out. The methodological quality of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) was assessed using the criteria described in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions 5.0.2.

MAIN RESULTS: Only three RCTs (with 69 participants) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Statistical analysis and meta-analysis were not possible due to insufficient number of studies.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Although there are a considerable number of anecdotal accounts indicating the benefits of using hypnosis in paediatric dentistry, on the basis of the three studies meeting the inclusion criteria for this review there is not yet enough evidence to suggest its beneficial effects.

Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010 Aug 4;8:CD007154. Al-Harasi S, Ashley PF, Moles DR, Parekh S, Walters V. Military Dental Centre, PO Box 454, PC 121, Seeb, Oman.

By Coach Cary Bayer

Let me start this column by saying that, as a business coach for massage therapists and a wide range of alternative healers, I'm going to provide an enlightened approach to your business card. But, contrary to your possible expectation, I'm not going to tell you what to put on it. I'll let designers who are far more capable of layout and graphics than I am do that for you. Instead, I'm going to tell you a way of using this little piece of ID, you're not yet familiar with.

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Cancer diseases demand diagnostic and therapeutic measures with proven quality, safety and efficacy. Bases for evaluation of new clinical and therapeutic measures are clinical studies representing level I (randomised controlled trials [RCTs]) or level II (epidemiological cohort studies), in accordance with recommendations of the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, University of Oxford, UK. Evidence-based treatment of cancer follows recommendations of international expert panels and includes indication-based surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone and antibody therapy. These therapies have all proven their potency to destroy cancer and their curative feasibility. This review provides an overview of some of the complementary therapies that are also recommended to support and optimise the standard evidence based cancer treatments.

Beuth J. Anticancer Res. 2010 May;30(5):1767-71. Institute of Naturopathy, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. hans.beuth@uk-koeln.de

Shirley McNeal, Ph.D., recipient of the 2003 Milton H. Erickson Award for Scientific Excellence by the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, is the author or co-author of over 20 scientific papers.

Although she works with a breadth of issues, Dr. McNeal's work deals mostly in helping people work with self-esteem and inner strength issues. Her work on increasing ego strength through hypnosis has wide applications in helping people with performance anxieties like public speaking and test taking.

Some of Dr. McNeal's published work include "Inner Strength and Ego Strengthening".

Full Title Chiropractic management of the kinetic chain for the treatment of hip osteoarthritis: an Australian case series.

OBJECTIVE: Osteoarthritis is the most common musculoskeletal disorder, estimated to affect 3 million Australians. Previous studies support structured exercise programs and manipulation for hip osteoarthritis; however, no trials have examined treatment of the lower limb kinetic chain. The purpose of this case series was to report hip range of motion and pain scale outcomes in 4 patients diagnosed with hip osteoarthritis who were treated with chiropractic management of the lower limb kinetic chain.

METHODS: Four subjects (mean age 59.5; SD +/- 6.7) were provided with 9 sessions of chiropractic treatment. This included long-axis traction pulls and pre/post adjustment stretching of the symptomatic hip, with additional manipulation and mobilization of the lumbar spine, sacroiliac, knee, and ankle joints. Outcome measures included range of motion as measured and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC).

RESULTS: All 4 subjects had improvements in WOMAC scores, with a mean group reduction of 382.5 (SD +/- 115.8) and overall improvement of 68.1%. As a group, there were improvements in internal rotation (51.7%, mean 7.3 degrees; SD +/- 6.2 degrees), adduction (26.7%, mean 5.3 degrees; SD +/- 5.0 degrees), abduction (21.1%, mean 6.8 degrees; SD +/- 5.4 degrees), flexion (15.3%, mean 15 degrees; SD +/- 4.8 degrees) and external rotation (8.5%, mean 8.5 degrees; SD +/- 6.0 degrees).

CONCLUSIONS: Four patients diagnosed with hip osteoarthritis had decreases in WOMAC scores and increases in hip range of motion after chiropractic management. Further research in the form of large scale randomized controlled trials is needed to investigate the effectiveness and clinical significance of chiropractic management for hip osteoarthritis.

de Luca K, Pollard H, Brantingham J, Globe G, Cassa T. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2010 Jul-Aug;33(6):474-9. Private Practice, 32 Elizabeth St, Parramatta NSW 2150, Australia. katie_hardy@hotmail.com

Full Title: Effects of therapeutic suggestion in children undergoing general anesthesia: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES AND AIM: The goal of this randomized controlled trial was to examine the effect of intraoperative positive therapeutic suggestion on postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in children undergoing general anesthesia and otolaryngological surgery.

BACKGROUND: Because of the high incidence of PONV following otolaryngological surgery and its negative impact on recovery, researchers have examined various nonpharmacological interventions to target this phenomenon. To date, the effectiveness of therapeutic suggestion has not been studied in children.

METHODS: Participants were 67 children undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy and their mothers. Children received a standardized anesthetic procedure and were randomly assigned to one of three interventions administered under general anesthesia: therapeutic suggestion, story (prosody control), or standard operating room noise. Children, parents, and healthcare personnel were blinded to group assignment. Nausea and vomiting were recorded in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) and for the first 3 days at home.

RESULTS: Results demonstrated a decrease in nausea severity across the first 3 days, F(2,49) = 10.37, P < 0.001, but no group differences in nausea severity in the PACU (F(2,49) = 0.87, P = 0.43) or at home (F(2,49) = 0.80, P = 0.46). There were also no group differences in vomiting episodes in the PACU (chi(2) (2) = 1.25, P > 0.05) or at home (F(2,49) = 1.59, P = 0.21).

CONCLUSIONS: In this blinded controlled trial, therapeutic suggestion delivered intraoperatively did not impact children's PONV. However, because this is the first study of this kind, replication may be needed.

Paediatr Anaesth. 2010 Jan;20(1):90-9. Fortier MA, Weinberg M, Vitulano LA, Chorney JM, Martin SR, Kain ZN. Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA. mfortier@choc.org

BACKGROUND: Reiki is used by a growing number of people but little is known about the scientific basis for its use.

PURPOSE: The Touchstone Process was developed as an ongoing process to systematically analyze published, peer-reviewed studies of Reiki, the results being made accessible to the public online.

METHOD: Thirteen scientifically qualified experts in the field of Reiki were assembled into 3 teams to retrieve, evaluate, and summarize articles using standardized, piloted evaluation forms.

RESULTS: Summaries of 26 Reiki articles, including strengths and weaknesses, were posted on a newly developed Web site ( www.centerforreikiresearch.org), together with an overall summary of the status of Reiki research and guidelines for future research: The Touchstone Process determined that only 12 articles were based on a robust experimental design and utilized well-established outcome parameters. Of these articles, 2 provided no support, 5 provided some support, and 5 demonstrated strong evidence for the use of Reiki as a healing modality.

CONCLUSION: There is a need for further high-quality studies in this area.

Baldwin AL, Vitale A, Brownell E, Scicinski J, Kearns M, Rand W. Holist Nurs Pract. 2010 Sep-Oct;24(5):260-76. Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA. abaldwin@u.arizona.edu

Medicinal plants are nature's gift to human beings to promote a disease free healthy life. Many medicinal plants are present in a group of herbal preparations of the Indian traditional health care system (Ayurveda) named Rasayana proposed for their interesting antioxidant activities. Phyllanthus emblica Linn. (syn. Emblica officinalis), commonly known as Indian gooseberry or amla, family Euphorbiaceae, is an important herbal drug used in unani (Graceo - arab) and ayurvedic systems of medicine. The plant is used both as a medicine and as a tonic to build up lost vitality and vigor. Phyllanthus emblica is highly nutritious and could be an important dietary source of vitamin C, amino acids, and minerals. The plant also contains phenolic compounds, tannins, phyllembelic acid, phyllembelin, rutin, curcum-inoids, and emblicol. All parts of the plant are used for medicinal purposes, especially the fruit, which has been used in Ayurveda as a potent rasayana and in traditional medicine for the treatment of diarrhea, jaundice, and inflammation. Various plant parts show antidiabetic, hypolipidemic, antibacterial, antioxidant, antiulcerogenic, hepatoprotective, gastroprotective, and chemopreventive properties. Here we discuss its historical, etymological, morphological and pharmacological aspects.

Krishnaveni M, Mirunalini S. J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol. 2010;21(1):93-105. Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Annamalai University, Annamalai nagar-608002, Tamilnadu, India.

Religious professionals completed an online survey of their use of health related practices currently known as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). They indicated how often they engaged in these practices and how often they had used these practices when helping other people. The majority of religious professionals used at least one of the practices when alone and when helping other people. The most frequently used practices were meditation and deep breathing exercises used both when alone and when helping others. Female respondents were more likely to use these practices on their own and when helping others than were males, and older respondents were more likely to use multiple CAM practices than their younger counterparts. Other Faith/Humanists used the most CAM practices when alone and Jewish respondents used the fewest. In general, religious professionals used fewer practices when helping others than they used for themselves. Limitations of this study and suggestions for future studies for examining CAM practices among religious professionals are discussed.

Jankowski KR, Silton NR, Galek K, Montonye MG. J Health Care Chaplain. 2010 Jul;16(3-4):172-82. College of Pastoral Care, Healthcare Chaplaincy, New York, New York 10022, USA. kjankowski@healthcarechaplaincy.org

Full Title: The mesmerists inquire about "Oriental mind powers": West meets East in the search for the universal trance.

Contemporary interest in Asian meditation raises questions about when Westerners began investigating these practices. A synopsis of Western-originating scientific meditation research is followed by a brief introduction to mesmerism. Next, the unappreciated ways the mesmerists explored Oriental mind powers is recounted. How the mesmerists' cultural positioning, philosophy, and interest in mind-body practices facilitated their inquiries of Oriental medicine and Hindu contemplative practices is explored, followed by a consideration of why these investigations were unique for the era. The way this work subverted Western cultural imperialism is examined. A consideration of the historical continuities and discontinuities between the mesmerists' inquiries and twentieth-century meditation research concludes the article.

J Hist Behav Sci. 2010 Winter;46(1):1-26. Schmit DT. St. Catherine's University, St. Paul, Minnesota 55105, USA. dtschmit@stkate.edu

Johansson BB. Current trends in stroke rehabilitation. A review with focus on brain plasticity. Acta Neurol Scand: DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.2010.01417.x. (c) 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Current understanding of brain plasticity has lead to new approaches in ischemic stroke rehabilitation. Stroke units that combine good medical and nursing care with task-oriented intense training in an environment that provides confidence, stimulation and motivation significantly improve outcome. Repetitive trans-cranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), and trans-cranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) are applied in rehabilitation of motor function. The long-term effect, optimal way of stimulation and possibly efficacy in cognitive rehabilitation need evaluation. Methods based on multisensory integration of motor, cognitive, and perceptual processes including action observation, mental training, and virtual reality are being tested. Different approaches of intensive aphasia training are described. Recent data on intensive melodic intonation therapy indicate that even patients with very severe non-fluent aphasia can regain speech through homotopic white matter tract plasticity. Music therapy is applied in motor and cognitive rehabilitation. To avoid the confounding effect of spontaneous improvement, most trials are preformed >/=3 months post stroke. Randomized controlled trials starting earlier after strokes are needed. More attention should be given to stroke heterogeneity, cognitive rehabilitation, and social adjustment and to genetic differences, including the role of BDNF polymorphism in brain plasticity.

Johansson BB. Acta Neurol Scand. 2010 Aug 19. Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.

Yes. Exercise reduces patient-perceived symptoms of depression when used as monotherapy (strength of recommendation [SOR]: B, meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials [RCTs] with significant heterogeneity). It relieves symptoms as effectively as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or pharmacologic anti-depressant therapy (SOR: B, meta-analysis) and more effectively than bright light therapy (SOR: B, meta-analysis). Resistance exercise and mixed exercise (resistance and aerobic) work better than aerobic exercise alone (SOR: B, meta-analysis). High-frequency exercise is more effective than low-frequency exercise (SOR: B, small RCT). "Mindful" exercise, which has a meditative focus, such as tai chi and yoga, also reduces symptoms of depression (SOR: B, systematic review of RCTs).

Gill A, Womack R, Safranek S. J Fam Pract. 2010 Sep;59(9):530-1. Tacoma Family Medicine Residency Program, University of Washington Department of Family Medicine, Tacoma, WA, USA.

Full Title: Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Proximal Intercessory Prayer (STEPP) on Auditory and Visual Impairments in Rural Mozambique.

BACKGROUND: Proximal intercessory prayer (PIP) is a common complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapy, but clinical effects are poorly understood, partly because studies have focused on distant intercessory prayer (DIP).

METHODS: This prospective study used an audiometer (Earscan(R) 3) and vision charts (40 cm, 6 m "Illiterate E") to evaluate 24 consecutive Mozambican subjects (19 males/5 females) reporting impaired hearing (14) and/or vision (11) who subsequently received PIP interventions.

RESULTS: We measured significant improvements in auditory (P <0.003) and visual (P <0.02) function across both tested populations.

CONCLUSIONS: Rural Mozambican subjects exhibited improved audition and/or visual acuity subsequent to PIP. The magnitude of measured effects exceeds that reported in previous suggestion and hypnosis studies. Future study seems warranted to assess whether PIP may be a useful adjunct to standard medical care for certain patients with auditory and/or visual impairments, especially in contexts where access to conventional treatment is limited.

South Med J. 2010 Aug 3. Brown CG, Mory SC, Williams R, McClymond MJ. From the Department of Religious Studies, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN; Nashville, TN; Johannesburg, South Africa; and Department of Theological Studies, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO.

by Joyce-Anne Locking

Every place we go, everything we do, there is always a certain atmosphere in the air. It may be tense, it may be friendly, or it may be any number of other descriptions. There are many different atmospheres in our daily lives. The highway may be crowded or clear. The house may be noisy or quiet. Our visitors may be vibrant or they may be worried about something that is bothering them. Every person we come into contact with creates an influencing atmosphere on our daily energy. If they compliment us, we feel one way. If they yell at us, we feel another way. Whatever the atmosphere, if we could paint it or draw it, what would it look like? Would the colours be vivid or pale? Would the lines be heavy or thin? Would images be large or small?

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Full Title 'Becoming accepted': The complementary and alternative medicine practitioners' response to the uptake and practice of traditional medicine therapies by the mainstream health sector.

This Australian study sought to understand how practitioners of the traditional systems of what is now termed complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) are responding to the adoption of their traditional medicine therapies by the mainstream health care system, and the practice of these therapies by mainstream health care practitioners. A grounded theory approach was used for this study. In-depth interviews were conducted with 19 participants who were non-mainstream practitioners from five traditional systems of medicine - Traditional Chinese Medicine,Ayurveda, Naturopathy, Homeopathy and Western Herbal Medicine. Four main conceptual categories were identified: Losing Control of the CAM Occupational Domain (the participants' main concern); Personal Positioning; Professional Positioning (the core category); and Legitimacy.These categories formed the elements of the substantive theory of 'becoming accepted' as a legitimate health care provider in the mainstream health system, which explained the basic social process that the study's participants were using to resolve their main concern.

Wiese M, Oster C. Health (London). 2010 Jul;14(4):415-33. Flinders University, Australia. marlenewiese@bigpond.com

Complete relaxation can be achieved by floating in a darkened, sound-proof relaxation tank filled with salinated water kept at body temperature. Under these conditions, meditation exercises up to self-hypnosis may lead to deep relaxation with physical and mental revitalization. A user manipulated his tank, presumably to completely cut off all optical and acoustic stimuli and accidentally also covered the ventilation hole. The man was found dead in his relaxation tank. The findings suggested lack of oxygen as the cause of death.

Arch Kriminol. 2009 Nov-Dec;224(5-6):177-83. Rupp W, Simon KH, Bohnert M. Institut für Rechtsmedizin des Universitätsklinikums Freiburg.

Dennis has always known that we seldom, if ever, tap into the full powers of our mind. Over the years his study of Karate, as well as spending two years in Asian countries created a curiosity and respect for Eastern religions. Having been raised conservative Roman Catholic, he also studies, and participates in, powerful Native American spiritual rituals.

To add even more diversity, he received a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Minnesota, and has done therapy in private and public agencies, and private practice. Every one of these beautiful and powerful systems has continuously taught Dennis more and more about the powers that we have available to us.

Dennis uses these systems and the powers of hypnosis in all the work he does in helping people make powerful and long lasting changes to their lives.

For More Information about Dennis Marthaler, please visit: http://www.dennismarthaler.com/

This study will define a normal range of values for the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the C5-C8 ventral rami in normal subjects and will assess the interexaminer reliability of the CSA measurements. We also describe the normal sonoanatomy of the C5-C8 ventral rami. Thirty-three normal subjects (20 female) were scanned bilaterally. The mean CSA and reference ranges for the C5, C6, C7 and C8 ventral rami were 7.1 +/- 4.1 mm(2), 10.6 +/- 4.3 mm(2), 12.1 +/- 4.1 mm(2) and 10.7 +/- 4.8 mm(2), respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) demonstrated good reliability with a coefficient of 0.76 overall, with individual level coefficients at C5, C6, C7 and C8 of 0.69, 0.71, 0.76 and 0.72, respectively. This is the first study to obtain normative CSA measurements of the C5-C8 ventral rami.

Haun DW, Cho JC, Kettner NW. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2010 Sep;36(9):1422-30. Department of Radiology, Logan College of Chiropractic, Chesterfield, MO, USA. daniel.haun@logan.edu

Background: Spiritual healing, probably the oldest documented paramedical intervention, is a neglected area of research. In order to conduct further research into the effects of healing, a valid and reliable outcome measure is needed that captures the experience of individuals receiving healing (healees) and is not burdensome to complete. We aimed to develop such a measure. Methods: A mixed methods design was used. Focus groups and cognitive interviews were used to generate and refine questionnaire items grounded in the experiences and language of healees (Study 1). The resulting questionnaire was tested and its formal psychometric properties were evaluated (Study 2). Participants were recruited from a spiritual healing sanctuary and via individual healers (including registered spiritual healers, Reiki practitioners, healers affiliated with churches). Results: In Study 1, 24 participants took part in 7 focus groups and 6 cognitive interviews. 29 common effects were identified and grouped into 7 discrete dimensions that appeared to characterize potentially sustainable effects reported by participants following their experiences of spiritual healing. In Study 2, 393 participants returned completed baseline questionnaires, 243 of whom completed the questionnaire again 1-6 weeks later. Exploratory factor analysis generated 5 subscales, based on 20 of the items: outlook, energy, health, relationships and emotional balance. These subscales demonstrated acceptable internal consistency, convergent validity and test-retest reliability. Three of the subscales and the whole questionnaire demonstrated good sensitivity to change. Conclusions: We have produced a psychometrically sound healing impact questionnaire that is acceptable to healees, healers and researchers for use in future evaluations of spiritual healing.

Bishop FL, Barlow F, Walker J, McDermott C, Lewith GT. Psychother Psychosom. 2010 Aug 20;79(6):350-362. University of Southampton School of Medicine, Aldermoor Health Centre, Southampton, UK.

Full Title Chiropractic in North America: toward a strategic plan for professional renewal--outcomes from the 2006 Chiropractic Strategic Planning Conference.

OBJECTIVE: This report describes the process, participation, and recommendations of a set of consensus conferences on strategy for professional growth that emphasized elements of public trust and alignment between the chiropractic profession and its stakeholders.

METHODS: In February and August 2006, an invitational group of leaders in the chiropractic profession convened an ad hoc Chiropractic Strategic Planning Conference. Public notice was given and support solicited through the Foundation of Chiropractic Education and Research. A series of international and interdisciplinary speakers gave presentations on the shifting of external social dynamics and medical culture, illuminating opportunities for the profession to extend its privilege and service. A systematic round-robin discussion was followed by group breakout sessions to develop recommendations on priorities for the profession to respond to challenges and opportunities. Recommendations were reviewed by the group as a whole and voted to consensus requiring more than 70% agreement.

RESULTS: Participants determined a series of recommendations within 5 key domains for improving health professions practice: education, research, regulation, workplace, and leadership.

CONCLUSION: The action steps proposed by the Strategic Planning Committee are first steps to provide better service to the public while making use of the inherent strengths of the profession.

Triano JJ, Goertz C, Weeks J, Murphy DR, Kranz KC, McClelland GC, Kopansky-Giles D, Morgan W, Nelson CF. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2010 Jun;33(5):395-405. Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, 6100 Leslie Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. jtriano@cmcc.ca

Patient stress and anxiety are common preoperatively and during dermatologic procedures and surgeries. Stress and anxiety can occasionally interfere with performance of procedures or surgery and can induce hemodynamic instability, such as elevated blood pressure or syncope, as well as producing considerable discomfort for some patients. Detection of excess stress and anxiety in patients can allow the opportunity for corrective or palliative measures. Slower breathing, biofeedback, progressive muscular relaxation, guided imagery, hypnosis, meditation and music can help calm and rebalance the patient's autonomic nervous system and immune functioning. Handheld miniaturized heart rate variability biofeedback devices are now available. The relaxation response can easily be taught. Guided imagery can be recorded or live. Live rapid induction hypnosis followed by deepening and then self-guided imagery requires no experience on the part of the patient but does require training and experience on the part of a provider. Recorded hypnosis inductions may also be used. Meditation generally requires more prior experience and training, but is useful when the patient already is skilled in it. Live, guided meditation or meditation recordings may be used. Relaxing recorded music from speakers or headphones or live performance music may also be employed to ease discomfort and improve the patient's attitude for dermatologic procedures and surgeries.

Shenefelt PD. J Drugs Dermatol. 2010 Jul;9(7):795-9. Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of South Florida, College of Medicine, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. pshenefe@health.usf.edu

Recent developments in our understanding of psychogenic movement disorders have not yet led to advances in treatment. A potentially beneficial treatment strategy is suggestion, the voluntary use by the physicians of techniques that introduce into the patient's mind a belief that he or she will be healed. Principalism, the dominant school of contemporary medical ethics, holds that the use of suggestion is not ethically justifiable because it undermines patient autonomy and degrades the doctor-patient relationship. However, evidence from a variety of sources (neuroimaging, anecdote, expert opinion, randomized controlled trials, and meta-analysis) supports the efficacy of suggestion as a treatment for psychogenic movement disorders. When issues of choice, consent, deceit, disclosure, and decision-making are analyzed from the perspective of an ethics of care, we see that suggestion may enhance patient autonomy and does not violate the trust between doctors and their patients. I conclude that suggestion is therefore an ethically justifiable treatment for patients with psychogenic movement disorders.

Mov Disord. 2010 Feb 15;25(3):260-4. Shamy MC. University of Toronto, Division of Neurology, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. michel.shamy@utoronto.ca

The authors analyzed results of using music in work therapy rehabilitation complex in able-bodied patients with spinal injury. Efficiency of the therapy was demonstrated. Findings are that the patients demonstrate positive change in views, interests, desires, attitude to the personal condition and surroundings, tendency to overcome the disease, to realize compensatory resources of the body, more motivation to work--that serves as a good basis for further work rehabilitation of the patients.

[No authors listed] Med Tr Prom Ekol. 2010;(6):46-8.

by Brian Green, CCHT

To continue, a female client in her late forties rapidly developed crippling arthritis in her hands. She saw an MD, and he took blood, and identified Sudden Onset Arthritis. I knew the huge feelings of helplessness she was dealing with regarding current events in her life. Subsequently processing them in trance, her arthritis diminished to insignificance. Informing her MD on her follow up visit, He frowned and looked confused, and said, "The lab results must be erroneous, you have the chemical markers for Arthritis in your blood." Later I said to her, "The blood test was probably correct, but I relieved the emotional stress that was producing the markers." Then I looked up the condition and found it was described as occurring following a prolonged period, or an acute episode, of stress! This female was also having severe Bronchial Asthmatic attacks. She was informed both conditions required lifetime medication. The attacks proved to be a secondary phobic cycle based on a fear response. Feeling helpless and powerless, she would become scared, and unconsciously depress her breathing. Consciously noticing this, she would become scared, (causing her to unconsciously hold her breath further while trying to force herself to breathe). Powerless to initiate a breath as her throat closed, she would panic, further increasing the intensity and rapidity of the cycle. Interestingly enough, this acted as an avoidance/deflection mechanism. The underlying issue feelings became displaced/projected onto the symptoms as an irresolvable loop, blocking awareness. A not uncommon defense in depressed and/or overloaded persons. Connection and resolution of the primary current issues in trance gives a partial healing. But usually the secondary cycle needs work too. In this case, teaching her in trance to visualize relaxing and breathing in when scared. Once the new sequence was initiated and established by repetition, this was followed by visualizing successful accomplishment in future, bringing up the fear feelings, and then using her new coping skills. Future Positive Rehearsal. No further difficulties, despite being a heavy smoker!

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Patient stress and anxiety are common preoperatively and during dermatologic procedures and surgeries. Stress and anxiety can occasionally interfere with performance of procedures or surgery and can induce hemodynamic instability, such as elevated blood pressure or syncope, as well as producing considerable discomfort for some patients. Detection of excess stress and anxiety in patients can allow the opportunity for corrective or palliative measures. Slower breathing, biofeedback, progressive muscular relaxation, guided imagery, hypnosis, meditation and music can help calm and rebalance the patient's autonomic nervous system and immune functioning. Handheld miniaturized heart rate variability biofeedback devices are now available. The relaxation response can easily be taught. Guided imagery can be recorded or live. Live rapid induction hypnosis followed by deepening and then self-guided imagery requires no experience on the part of the patient but does require training and experience on the part of a provider. Recorded hypnosis inductions may also be used. Meditation generally requires more prior experience and training, but is useful when the patient already is skilled in it. Live, guided meditation or meditation recordings may be used. Relaxing recorded music from speakers or headphones or live performance music may also be employed to ease discomfort and improve the patient's attitude for dermatologic procedures and surgeries.

J Drugs Dermatol. 2010 Jul;9(7):795-9. Shenefelt PD. Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of South Florida, College of Medicine, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. pshenefe@health.usf.edu

Extensive efforts have been directed at using genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to identify the genes responsible for common metabolic and degenerative diseases, cancer, and aging, but with limited success. While environmental factors have been evoked to explain this conundrum, the nature of these environmental factors remains unexplained. The availability of and demands for energy constitute one of the most important aspects of the environment. The flow of energy through the cell is primarily mediated by the mitochondrion, which oxidizes reducing equivalents from hydrocarbons via acetyl-CoA, NADH + H(+), and FADH(2) to generate ATP through oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). The mitochondrial genome encompasses hundreds of nuclear DNA (nDNA)-encoded genes plus 37 mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)-encoded genes. Although the mtDNA has a high mutation rate, only milder, potentially adaptive mutations are introduced into the population through female oocytes. In contrast, nDNA-encoded bioenergetic genes have a low mutation rate. However, their expression is modulated by histone phosphorylation and acetylation using mitochondrially-generated ATP and acetyl-CoA, which permits increased gene expression, growth, and reproduction when calories are abundant. Phosphorylation, acetylaton, and cellular redox state also regulate most signal transduction pathways and activities of multiple transcription factors. Thus, mtDNA mutations provide heritable and stable adaptation to regional differences while mitochondrially-mediated changes in the epigenome permit reversible modulation of gene expression in response to fluctuations in the energy environment. The most common genomic changes that interface with the environment and cause complex disease must, therefore, be mitochondrial and epigenomic in origin. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Dev Disabil Res Rev 2010;16:114-119.

Wallace DC. Dev Disabil Res Rev. 2010 Jun;16(2):114-9. The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Full Title Multifactorial lifestyle interventions in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus--a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

This systematic review aims to summarize the available randomized trials of multifactorial lifestyle interventions in the primary and secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Randomized trials investigating the effects of lifestyle interventions including the elements of diet, physical activity, and stress management in people at increased risk for or with manifest coronary heart disease or type 2 diabetes mellitus were searched for in five electronic database and by citation tracking. Quality was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool. Exploratory effect size calculations were performed for a variety of laboratory and clinical outcome measures. Twenty-five trials including a total of 7,703 participants met the inclusion criteria. Fifteen trials were in patients with coronary heart disease, seven in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and three on primary prevention. The interventions varied greatly regarding concept, intensity, and providers. Compared to participants in "usual care" control groups, there were no consistent effects on lipid levels and blood pressure and small effects on body mass index and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Composite cardiac event rates were significantly less in the intervention groups of the few trials reporting these outcomes. Mortality was also lower in the intervention groups, but the difference was not statistically significant, and confidence intervals were wide. The evidence base for multifactorial lifestyle interventions is weak. Effects on surrogate measures seem minor, but there may be clinically relevant effects on major clinical endpoints.

Angermayr L, Melchart D, Linde K. Ann Behav Med. 2010 Aug;40(1):49-64. Competence Centre of Complementary Medicine and Naturopathy, Technische Universität München, Kaiserstr 9, 80801, Munich, Germany. Lucia.Angermayr@mnet-online.de

In 2 studies, children ages 3 to 7 years were asked to recall a series of touches that occurred during a previous staged event. The recall interview took place 1 week after the event in Study 1 and immediately after the event in Study 2. Each recall interview had 2 sections: In 1 section, children were given human figure drawings (HFDs) and were asked to show where the touching took place; in the other section, the same questions were asked without the HFDs (verbal condition). Children were randomly assigned to 2 different conditions: HFD 1st/verbal 2nd or verbal 1st/HFD 2nd. There were 2 major findings. First, HFDs elicited more errors than the verbal condition when used to probe for information that the child had already been asked. Second, regardless of interview method, children had poor recall of the touches even when these occurred minutes before the interview. It is suggested that cognitive mechanisms involving memory and semantics underlie children's poor recall of touching in both verbal and HFD conditions.

J Exp Psychol Appl. 2009 Dec;15(4):361-74. Bruck M. Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. mbruck1@jhmi.edu

Mary Lee LaBay, M.S. is the author of five books on hypnotherapy, past life regression, self-hypnosis, and relationships. Her books Past Life Regression: A Guide for Practitioners and Hypnotherapy: A Client-Centered Approach are widely used as textbooks on those subjects, while her Through the Open Door: Secrets of Self-Hypnosis is a self-help guide for the general public (co-authored with Kevin Hogan, Ph.D.). Also co-authored with Dr. Hogan, were The Hypnotherapy Handbook and Irresistible Attraction: Secrets of Personal Magnetism which went to #2 on the Amazon bestseller list in 2002. Past Life Explorations: A Soul's Quest for Consciousness is in production and due for release November 2006.

Mary Lee received her master's degree in Integrative Health Sciences, and is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Certified Instructor of Hypnotherapy with a private practice in Bellevue, Washington. In addition to her work with individuals, she leads certification courses in hypnotherapy, neuro-linguistic programming, and transpersonal counseling.

An inspired presenter with a holistic approach to healing, Mary Lee has been a student, practitioner and instructor of spiritual growth for over 20 years. She leads workshops across the US, as well as in India, Europe and Great Britain. Mary Lee is frequently interviewed by the media and has published extensively in trade journals nationwide

She is the co-creator of Spirit Fest™. Owner of the Universe and Other Toys. Past and/or present member of: Mensa International, National Guild of Hypnotists (US), International Registry of Professional Hypnotherapists (UK), International Hypnosis Federation (US), Association for Professional Hypnosis and Psychotherapy (UK), The National Council of Hypnotherapy (UK) and American Board of Hypnotherapy (US).

For more information, go to Mary Lee LaBay's website at: http://www.maryleelabay.com/

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether neck manipulation is more effective for neck pain than mobilization.

DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial with blind assessment of outcome.

SETTING: Primary care physiotherapy, chiropractic, and osteopathy clinics in Sydney, Australia.

PARTICIPANTS: Patients (N=182) with nonspecific neck pain less than 3 months in duration and deemed suitable for treatment with manipulation by the treating practitioner.

INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomly assigned to receive treatment with neck manipulation (n=91) or mobilization (n=91). Patients in both groups received 4 treatments over 2 weeks.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The number of days taken to recover from the episode of neck pain.

RESULTS: The median number of days to recovery of pain was 47 in the manipulation group and 43 in the mobilization group. Participants treated with neck manipulation did not experience more rapid recovery than those treated with neck mobilization (hazard ratio=.98; 95% confidence interval, .66-1.46).

CONCLUSIONS: Neck manipulation is not appreciably more effective than mobilization. The use of neck manipulation therefore cannot be justified on the basis of superior effectiveness.

Leaver AM, Maher CG, Herbert RD, Latimer J, McAuley JH, Jull G, Refshauge KM. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2010 Sep;91(9):1313-8. University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. leaver@sydney.edu.au

Full Title Effects of complementary therapies on clinical outcomes in patients being treated with radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND.: This pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) examined the clinical effects of 2 complementary (CAM) therapies, relaxation response therapy (RRT) and Reiki therapy, in men being treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRx) for prostate cancer. METHODS.: Study participants were randomly assigned to weekly RRT, Reiki therapy twice weekly, or wait-list control. Well-validated instruments measured anxiety (STAI), depression (CES-D), and quality of life in cancer patients (FACT-G) at randomization and 3 subsequent time points. RESULTS.: Fifty-four men were randomized, and 16 of 18 (89%) of RRT and 15 of 18 (83%) of Reiki patients completed the intervention protocol. No statistically significant difference was found between the RRT, Reiki, and control groups on total scores for the STAI, CES-D, or FACT-G instruments at any time point. However, at the end of the intervention, significant improvement was found on the emotional well-being subscale of the FACT-G quality of life scale in the RRT group compared with the Reiki and control groups (P = .01). In participants who were classified as "anxious" at baseline, statistically significant improvement occurred in the RRT group (P = .02), and a positive trend was found in the Reiki group (P = .10). CONCLUSIONS.: This pilot study documented the feasibility of conducting a RCT of CAM therapies in men undergoing EBRx for prostate cancer. Relaxation response therapy improved emotional well being and eased anxiety in participants. Reiki therapy also had a positive effect in anxious patients. A larger study to verify and better define the benefits of these therapies in men with prostate cancer is warranted. Cancer 2010. (c) 2010 American Cancer Society.

Beard C, Stason WB, Wang Q, Manola J, Dean-Clower E, Dusek JA, Decristofaro S, Webster A, Rosenthal DS, Benson H. Cancer. 2010 Aug 27. Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts.