Neurofeedback Intervention in Fibromyalgia Syndrome; a Randomized,Controlled, Rater Blind Clinical Trial

We designed a randomized, rater blind study to assess the efficacy of EEG Biofeedback (Neurofeedback-NFB) in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Eighteen patients received twenty sessions of NFB-sensory motor rhythm (SMR) treatment (NFB group) during 4 weeks, and eighteen patients were given 10 mg per day escitalopram treatment (control group) for 8 weeks. Visual Analog Scales for pain and fatigue, Hamilton and Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventory Scales, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire and Short Form 36 were used as outcome measures which were applied at baseline and 2nd, 4th, 8th, 16th, 24th weeks. Mean amplitudes of EEG rhythms (delta, theta, alpha, SMR, beta1 and beta2) and theta/SMR ratio were also measured in NFB group. All post-treatment measurements showed significant improvements in both of the groups (for all parameters p < 0.05). NFB group displayed greater benefits than controls (for all parameters p < 0.05). Therapeutic efficacy of NFB was found to begin at 2nd week and reached to a maximum effect at 4th week. On the other hand, the improvements in SSRI treatment were also detected to begin at 2nd week but reached to a maximum effect at 8th week. No statistically significant changes were noted regarding mean amplitudes of EEG rhythms (p > 0.05 for all). However, theta/SMR ratio showed a significant decrease at 4th week compared to baseline in the NFB group (p < 0.05). These data support the efficacy of NFB as a treatment for pain, psychological symptoms and impaired quality of life associated with fibromyalgia.     

Ontogeny of auditory saccular sensitivity in the plainfin midshipman fish, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Porichthys notatus</Emphasis>

The auditory system of the plainfin midshipman fish, Porichthys notatus, is an important sensory receiver system used to encode intraspecific social communication signals in adults, but the response properties and function of this receiver system in pre-adult stages are less known. In this study we examined the response properties of auditory-evoked potentials from the midshipman saccule, the main organ of hearing in this species, to determine whether the frequency response and auditory threshold of saccular hair cells to behaviorally relevant single tone stimuli change during ontogeny. Saccular potentials were recorded from three relative sizes of midshipman fish: small juveniles [1.9–3.1 cm standard length (SL), large juveniles (6.8–8.0 cm SL) and non-reproductive adults (9.0–22.6 cm SL)]. The auditory evoked potentials were recorded from the rostral, middle and caudal regions of the saccule while single tone stimuli (75–1,025 Hz) were presented via an underwater speaker. We show that the frequency response and auditory threshold of the midshipman saccule is established early in development and retained throughout ontogeny. We also show that saccular sensitivity to frequencies greater than 385 Hz increases with age/size and that the midshipman saccule of small and large juveniles, like that of non-reproductive adults, is best suited to detect low frequency sounds (<105 Hz) in their natural acoustic environment.     

Subgroups of older adults with osteoarthritis based upon differing comorbid symptom presentations and potential underlying pain mechanisms

Introduction  

Although people with knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA) seek treatment because of pain, many of these individuals have commonly co-occurring symptoms (for example, fatigue, sleep problems, mood disorders). The purpose of this study was to characterize adults with OA by identifying subgroups with the above comorbid symptoms along with illness burden (a composite measure of somatic symptoms) to begin to examine whether subsets may have differing underlying pain mechanisms.     

Mortality and cancer incidence in women with extra X chromosomes: a cohort study in Britain

About one woman in 1,000 has an extra X chromosome, but such women have no recognised characteristic somatic features and little is known about their long-term health and cancer risks. We conducted a cohort study of mortality and cancer incidence in 542 women diagnosed with X polysomy at 25 cytogenetic centres in Britain since 1959. Fifty-nine deaths occurred during follow-up to mid-2004. Mortality was significantly raised (standardised mortality ratio (SMR) = 2.5 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.9–3.2)), with excess deaths due particularly to cardiovascular disease (SMR = 2.5 (95% CI 1.5–3.8)) and respiratory disease (SMR = 4.0 (95% CI 1.7–7.9)). Risks of cancer incidence and cancer mortality overall were not raised, but there was significantly raised mortality from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) (SMR = 10.4 (95% CI 1.3–37.6); based on 2 cases). The data indicate that mortality in women diagnosed with X polysomy is considerably raised. The raised risk of NHL is seen also in males with more than one X chromosome, and hence although unexpected and based on small numbers, it might indicate the action of a gene on the X chromosome, possibly in the pseudoautosomal region, that escapes X-inactivation.On behalf of the UK clinical cytogenetics group     

Bats and frogs and animals in between: evidence for a common central timing mechanism to extract periodicity pitch

Widely divergent vertebrates share a common central temporal mechanism for representing periodicities of acoustic waveform events. In the auditory nerve, periodicities corresponding to frequencies or rates from about 10 Hz to over 1,000 Hz are extracted from pure tones, from low-frequency complex sounds (e.g., 1st harmonic in bullfrog calls), from mid-frequency sounds with low-frequency modulations (e.g., amplitude modulation rates in cat vocalizations), and from time intervals between high-frequency transients (e.g., pulse-echo delay in bat sonar). Time locking of neuronal responses to periodicities from about 50 ms down to 4 ms or less (about 20–300 Hz) is preserved in the auditory midbrain, where responses are dispersed across many neurons with different onset latencies from 4–5 to 20–50 ms. Midbrain latency distributions are wide enough to encompass two or more repetitions of successive acoustic events, so that responses to multiple, successive periods are ongoing simultaneously in different midbrain neurons. These latencies have a previously unnoticed periodic temporal pattern that determines the specific times for the dispersed on-responses.     

Traveling EEG slow oscillation along the dorsal attention network initiates spontaneous perceptual switching

An ambiguous figure such as the Necker cube causes spontaneous perceptual switching (SPS). The mechanism of SPS in multistable perception has not yet been determined. Although early psychological studies suggested that SPS may be caused by fatigue or satiation of orientation, the neural mechanism of SPS is still unknown. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has shown that the dorsal attention network (DAN), which mainly controls voluntary attention, is involved in bistable perception of the Necker cube. To determine whether neural dynamics along the DAN cause SPS, we performed simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG) and fMRI during an SPS task with the Necker cube, with every SPS reported by pressing a button. This EEG–fMRI integrated analysis showed that (a) 3–4 Hz spectral EEG power modulation at fronto-central, parietal, and centro-parietal electrode sites sequentially appeared from 750 to 350 ms prior to the button press; and (b) activations correlating with the EEG modulation traveled along the DAN from the frontal to the parietal regions. These findings suggest that slow oscillation initiates SPS through global dynamics along the attentional system such as the DAN.     

Cancer mortality among German aircrew: second follow-up

Aircrew members are exposed to cosmic radiation and other specific occupational factors. In a previous analysis of a large cohort of German aircrew, no increase in cancer mortality or dose-related effects was observed. In the present study, the follow-up of this cohort of 6,017 cockpit and 20,757 cabin crew members was extended by 6 years to 2003. Among male cockpit crew, the resulting all-cancer standardized mortality ratio (SMR) (n = 127) is 0.6 (95% CI 0.5–0.8), while for brain tumors it is 2.1 (95% CI 1.0–3.9). The cancer risk is significantly raised (RR = 2.2, 95% CI 1.2–4.1) among cockpit crew members employed 30 years or more compared to those employed less than 10 years. Among both female and male cabin crew, the all-cancer SMR and that for most individual cancers are close to 1. The SMR for breast cancer among female crew is 1.2 (95% CI 0.8–1.8). Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma among male cabin crew is increased (SMR 4.2; 95% CI 1.3–10.8). However, cancers associated with radiation exposure are not raised in the cohort. It is concluded that among cockpit crew cancer mortality is low, particularly for lung cancer. The positive trend of all cancer with duration of employment persists. The increased brain cancer SMR among cockpit crew requires replication in other cohorts. For cabin crew, cancer mortality is generally close to population rates. Cosmic radiation dose estimates will allow more detailed assessments, as will a pooling of updated aircrew studies currently in planning.     

Functional magnetic stimulation of expiratory muscles: a noninvasive and new method for restoring cough

Thepurpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of functionalmagnetic stimulation (FMS) for producing expiratory function in normalhuman subjects. Twelve able-bodied normal subjects were recruited forthis study. FMS of the expiratory muscles was performed by using amagnetic stimulator and placing the magnetic coil along the lowerthoracic spine. Results showed that peak expired pressure, volume, andflow rate generated by FMS at the end of normal inspiration (102.5 ± 13.62 cmH₂O, 1.6 ± 0.16 liters, and 4.8 ± 0.35 l/s, respectively) were comparable to theirvoluntary maximal levels (P > 0.1).The optimal coil placement was between T7 and T11, and the optimalstimulation parameters were a frequency of 25 Hz and 70-80% ofmaximal intensity. We conclude that1) FMS of the lower thoracic nervesin normal subjects resulted in a significant expiratory functioncomparable to their voluntary maximum;2) FMS was noninvasive and was welltolerated by all subjects; and 3)FMS may be useful to produce cough in patients in critical care orperioperative settings, or in patients with neurological disorders.

     

Auditory role of lateral trunk channels in cobitid fishes

In cobitid fishes the anterior part of the swimbladder is encapsulated by bone to varying extent. This might diminish the auditory sensitivity of these otophysine fishes by reducing the vibrations of the swimbladder wall in the sound field. However, according to prior studies the auditory thresholds of the cobitid Botia modesta is similar to that of other otophysine fishes. According to anatomical investigation B. modesta has a cranial encapsulation of the anterior part of the swimbladder (camera aerea Weberiana) as expected and in addition special channels stretching laterally from the swimbladder to the outer body wall. These lateral trunk channels are filled with fat and lymph. They form a muscle-free acoustic window beneath the skin, which could be demonstrated by measuring the auditory brainstem response at 400 Hz, 800 Hz, 1500 Hz, and 3000 Hz. Filling the lateral trunk channels with wettex (cotton/rayon staple) resulted in an increase of the auditory thresholds by 13.6–17.6 dB, indicating mechanical damping of the swimbladder. Our experiments demonstrate that the intact lateral trunk channels enhance the hearing sensitivity of cobitid fishes. Accepted: 15 December 1999     

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Can Diminish Fibromyalgia Syndrome – Prospective Clinical Trial

BackgroundFibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is a persistent and debilitating disorder estimated to impair the quality of life of 2–4% of the population, with 9:1 female-to-male incidence ratio. FMS is an important representative example of central nervous system sensitization and is associated with abnormal brain activity. Key symptoms include chronic widespread pain, allodynia and diffuse tenderness, along with fatigue and sleep disturbance. The syndrome is still elusive and refractory. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on symptoms and brain activity in FMS.ConclusionsThe study provides evidence that HBOT can improve the symptoms and life quality of FMS patients. Moreover, it shows that HBOT can induce neuroplasticity and significantly rectify abnormal brain activity in pain related areas of FMS patients.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT01827683","term_id":"NCT01827683"}}NCT01827683     

Effects of lifestyle physical activity on perceived symptoms and physical function in adults with fibromyalgia: results of a randomized trial

Introduction  

Although exercise is therapeutic for adults with fibromyalgia (FM), its symptoms often create obstacles that discourage exercise. We evaluated the effects of accumulating at least 30 minutes of self-selected lifestyle physical activity (LPA) on perceived physical function, pain, fatigue, body mass index, depression, tenderness, and the six-minute walk test in adults with FM.     

Somatic embryogenesis and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium</Emphasis>-mediated transformation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bixa orellana</Emphasis> L.

Establishment, maintenance, regeneration, and transformation of somatic embryos by both direct and indirect means (callus-mediated) was achieved for Bixa orellana, a tropical plant whose seeds produce commercially edible ‘annatto pigment,’ which mainly constitutes an apocarotenoid called bixin. Callus-mediated methodology was found to be efficient in producing a greater number of embryos in a short time. The maximum of 28 somatic embryos were produced in 16–18 weeks when immature zygotic embryonic stalks were inoculated onto Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing B5 vitamins supplemented with 0.44 μM benzyladenine (BA), 0.054 μM α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 2.89 μM gibberellic acid (GA₃), 0.02 μM triiodobenzoic acid (TIBA), and 0.011 μM triacontanol (TRIA). Callus initiation from hypocotyl explants was obtained on MS medium supplemented with 1.07–2.14 μM NAA and 10.2 μM BA. In 3 months, somatic embryos were produced when callus was inoculated onto MS medium supplemented with 4.44 μM BA, 40 μM AgNO₃, and 0.011 μM TRIA. Somatic embryos were efficiently regenerated on MS basal solid and liquid media supplemented with 0.44–4.4 μM BA, 0.54–2.69 μM NAA, 4.92 μM 2iP, 2.1 μM calcium d-pantothenate, 0.21 μM biotin, 227.7 μM cysteine HCl monohydrate, and 108.6 μM adenine sulfate. Agrobacterium tumefaciens GV 3101 harboring pCAMBIA 1305.2 binary vector-mediated stable transformation of somatic embryos exhibited a transformation frequency of 2.56%. As somatic embryogenesis in any perennial system is useful in terms of both commercial and scientific nature, this somatic embryo-based transformation protocol for the commercially important dye-yielding tropical plant B. orellana is useful for its improvement through genetic engineering.     

Predicting Successful Learning of SMR Neurofeedback in Healthy Participants: Methodological Considerations

Neurofeedback (NF) is a tool that has proven helpful in the treatment of various disorders such as epilepsy or attention deficit disorder (ADHD). Depending on the respective application, a high number of training sessions might be necessary before participants can voluntarily modulate the electroencephalographic (EEG) rhythms as instructed. In addition, many individuals never learn to do so despite numerous training sessions. Thus, we are interested in determining whether or not performance during the early training sessions can be used to predict if a participant will learn to regulate the EEG rhythms. Here, we propose an easy to use, but accurate method for predicting the performance of individual participants. We used a sample set of sensorimotor rhythm (SMR 12–15 Hz) NF training sessions (experiment 1) to predict the performance of the participants of another study (experiment 2). We then used the data obtained in experiment 2 to predict the performance of participants in experiment 1. We correctly predicted the performance of 12 out of 13 participants in the first group and all 14 participants in the second group; however, we were not able to make these predictions before the end of the eleventh training session.     

A Meta-Analysis of Chinese Herbal Medicine in Treatment of Managed Withdrawal from Heroin

Chinese herbal medicine has shown promise for heroin detoxification. This review extends a prior meta-analysis of Chinese herbal medicine for heroin detoxification, with particular attention to the time course of symptoms. Both English and Chinese databases were searched for randomized trials comparing Chinese herbal medicine to either α2-adrenergic agonists or opioid agonists for heroin detoxification. The methodological quality of each study was assessed with Jadad’s scale (1–2 = low; 3–5 = high). Meta-analysis was performed with fixed- or random-effect models in RevMan software; outcome measures assessed were withdrawal-symptoms score, anxiety, and adverse effects of treatment. Twenty-one studies (2,949 participants) were included. For withdrawal-symptoms score relieving during the 10-day observation, Chinese herbal medicine was superior to α2-adrenergic agonists in relieving opioid-withdrawal symptoms during 4–10 days (except D8) and no difference was found within the first 3 days. Compared with opioid agonists, Chinese herbal medicine was inferior during the first 3 days, but the difference became non-significant during days 4–9. Chinese herbal medicine has better effect on anxiety relieving at late stage of intervention than α2-adrenergic agonists, and no difference with opioid agonists. The incidence of some adverse effects (fatigue, dizziness) was significantly lower for Chinese herbal medicine than for α2-adrenergic agonists (sufficient data for comparison with opioid agonists were not available). Findings were robust to file-drawer effects. Our meta-analysis suggests that Chinese herbal medicine is an effective and safety treatment for heroin detoxification. And more work is needed to determine the specific effects of specific forms of Chinese herbal medicine.     

A nonlinear dynamics model for simulating long range correlations of cognitive bistability

Simulation results of bistable perception due to ambiguous visual stimuli are presented which are obtained with a behavioral nonlinear dynamics model using perception–attention–memory coupling. This model provides an explanation of recent experimental results of Gao et al. (Cogn Process 7:105–112, 2006a) and it supports their speculation that the fractal character of perceptual dominance time series may be understood in terms of nonlinear and reentrant dynamics of brain processing. Percept reversals are induced by attention fatigue and noise, with an attention bias which balances the relative percept duration. Dynamical coupling of the attention bias to the perception state introduces memory effects leading to significant long range correlations of perceptual duration times as quantified by the Hurst parameter H > 0.5 (Mandelbrot, The fractal geometry of nature, 1991), in agreement with Gao et al. (Cogn Process 7:105–112, 2006a).     

Endoreduplication in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phalaenopsis</Emphasis> is affected by light quality from light-emitting diodes during somatic embryogenesis

Endoreduplication is a developmental process that is unique to plants and occurs in all plants. The present study aimed to assess endoreduplication in various explant tissues and regenerated somatic embryos of Doritaenopsis. We further investigated the effects of light quality on endoreduplication and somatic embryo proliferation. To this end, we studied endoreduplication in leaves and root tips from regenerated plantlets and somatic embryos and in developing somatic embryos under 4 types of lighting conditions: red light, red + far-red light, red + blue light, and white light. We found that the degree of endoreduplication varied in different explants, and that the choice of explants used also influenced the ploidy levels of the newly regenerated somatic embryos. The DNA content of the leaf (2C–8C) was less than that of the root tip (2C–16C) and somatic embryo (2C–64C). In terms of light quality, the combination of red and far-red light produced the highest number of somatic embryos, while maintaining a low degree of endoreduplication. The data obtained indicate that this light combination stimulates somatic embryogenesis in Doritaenopsis and may exert some control on endoreduplication during cell division. These findings can be applied to achieve a reduction in somaclonal variations for the purpose of mass proliferation and genetic improvement.     

Improved organogenic capacity of shoot cultures from mature pedunculate oak trees through somatic embryogenesis as rejuvenation technique

Theoretically, complete rejuvenation of mature trees should occur through somatic embryogenesis, however, this has not been extensively studied. The main objective of the present study was to increase the efficiency of in vitro clonal propagation for mature Quercus robur (100–300 years old), by induction of somatic embryogenesis as rejuvenation step prior to establishment of shoot culture through micropropagation of somatic embryo-derived plantlets. Shoot culture lines of “mature” origin were established from epicormic shoots of two centenarian oak genotypes (Sainza and CR-0) and maintained by axillary shoot proliferation. Embryogenic lines were also initiated from epicormic leaf explants of the same genotypes and maintained by secondary somatic embryogenesis. Although the frequency of somatic embryo conversion into plantlets was low in pedunculate oak, shoot culture lines could be established and maintained by axillary branching from several germinated somatic embryos. For each genotype and shoot culture line of the two origins (mature tree and somatic plantlets), shoot multiplication rate and elongation as well as rooting ability parameters were compared. Compared with “mature-origin” shoot cultures and after more than one year propagation in vitro, shoot lines established from somatic plantlets produced a significantly higher proportion of elongated, rootable shoots (from 26.0–31.6 to 36.8–40.5%) with increased rooting ability (from 3.3–45.6% to 23.2–89.8%). In the case of 300-year-old Sainza genotype such a high organogenic capacity was similar to shoot cultures initiated from basal sprouts. Basal sprouts are considered as “mature” material that retains juvenile characteristics compared with epicormic shoots forced from crown branches. Somatic embryogenesis only slightly improved plant regeneration of shoot cultures from basal sprouts, thus validating their use as “juvenile control”. The present results provide evidence that some rejuvenation occurred during the process of somatic embryogenesis and resulted in improved shoot growth and rooting of somatic embryo-derived culture compared with “mature” shoot culture. The results reported in this study might be useful in embryogenic systems with low plant conversion rates. The proposed experimental model might also be useful in finding molecular markers of plant ontogeny.     

Rapid and repetitive plant regeneration of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aralia elata</Emphasis> Seem. via somatic embryogenesis

In this work, we established a rapid and repetitive plant regeneration system for Aralia elata Seem. via primary and secondary somatic embryogenesis. Primary somatic embryogenesis was induced using leaf disks, petiole, and root segments, individually cultured for 5 weeks on Schenk and Hildebrandt (SH) (1972) medium with 0–5.0 mg/l indolebutyric acid (IBA). Our investigation demonstrated that optimal IBA concentrations of 3.0, 2.0, and 0.3 mg/l resulted in 100% somatic embryogenesis rates and averages of 11.3, 10.0, and 8.6 somatic embryos per explant for leaf disks, petiole, and root segments, respectively. The primary somatic embryos were used to conduct secondary somatic embryogenesis and the following treatments, in a gradient series, were examined: 0.3–4.0 mg/l IBA, 10–70 g/l sucrose and 0.2–3.0 mg/l abscisic acid (ABA). The results indicated that IBA was more effective than sucrose and ABA, and 3.0 mg/l IBA was the most suitable concentration for secondary somatic embryogenesis. Histological preparations indicated a multi-cellular origin of secondary somatic embryos and different morphological developmental stages during secondary somatic embryogenesis. Primary and secondary somatic embryos germinated readily and developed into normal plantlets after 2 weeks in woody plant medium (WPM, Lloyd and McCown 1980) with 20 g/l sucrose. At 4–5 cm in length, plantlets were transferred to soil (1:1 v/v of peat moss and sand) and the survival rate was 89% after 4 weeks under greenhouse conditions. This system provides a viable contribution to A. elata gene transformation, breeding and regeneration.     

Shoot organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis from leaf and shoot explants of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ochna integerrima</Emphasis> (Lour)

Ochna integerrima is a medicinal and ornamental plant in Southeastern Asia. It has been listed as a rare and endangered species in China. Here we studied the effects of plant growth regulators and their concentrations on the induction of somatic embryogenesis and shoot organogenesis from leaf and shoot explants of O. integerrima for the first time. Cytokinins played a crucial role in somatic embryogenesis and shoot organogenesis. Among them, a higher concentration of thidiazuron (10.0–15.0 μM TDZ) could induce both somatic embryogenesis and adventitious shoot formation whereas low concentrations of TDZ (5.0 μM) could only induce adventitious shoots. However, 6-benzyladenine (BA at 5–15 μM) could only induce adventitious shoots. Shoot explants induced more adventitious shoots and somatic embryos than leaf explants when cultured on medium with the same concentration (5–15 μM) of TDZ or 15 μM BA. Medium containing 0.5 μM α-naphthaleneacetic acid and 8 μM indole-3-butyric acid and 0.1% activated charcoal could induce adventitious roots within 1 month. An efficient mass propagation and regeneration system has been established.