Scientific guidelines for preclinical research on potentised preparations manufactured according to current pharmacopoeias-the PrePoP guidelines.

OBJECTIVE Pharmacopoeias regulate the manufacture of potentised pharmaceutical preparations used in different branches of complementary and integrative medicine. The physicochemical properties and biological activity of these preparations are often investigated in preclinical research, yet no guidelines for experimental research currently exist in this area. The present PrePoP guidelines aim to provide recommendations to promote high-quality, statistically sound, and reproducible preclinical research on potentised preparations. METHODS Input was gathered from researchers nominated by the relevant scientific societies using a simplified Delphi consensus approach covering the most relevant aspects of basic research methodology in the field including appropriate controls, sample preparation and handling, and statistics. After three rounds of feedback, a consensus was finally reached on the most important aspects and considerations for conducting high-quality research on potentised preparations. RESULTS We present a series of recommendations on a range of topics including experimental controls, system stability, blinding and randomisation, environmental influences, and procedures for the preparation of potentised samples and controls, and we address some specific challenges of this research field. CONCLUSION This expert consensus process resulted in a robust set of methodological guidelines for research on potentised preparations and provides a valuable framework that will inform and improve the quality of subsequent research in this emerging field. PLEASE CITE THIS ARTICLE AS Tournier AL, Bonamin LV, Buchheim-Schmidt S, Cartwright S, Dombrowsky C, Doesburg P, Holandino C, Kokornaczyk MO, van de Kraats EB, López-Carvallo JA, Nandy P, Mazón-Suástegui JM, Mirzajani F, Poitevin B, Scherr C, Thieves K, Würtenberger S, Baumgartner S. Scientific guidelines for preclinical research on potentised preparations manufactured according to current pharmacopoeias-the PrePoP guidelines. J Integr Med. 2024; Epub ahead of print

Seasonal Variation of the Effect of Extremely Diluted Agitated Gibberellic Acid (10e-30) on Wheat Stalk Growth: A Multiresearcher Study

The influence of a homeopathic high dilution of gibberellic acid on wheat growth was studied at different seasons of the year. Seedlings were allowed to develop under standardized conditions for 7 days; plants were harvested and stalk lengths were measured. The data obtained confirm previous findings, that ultrahigh diluted potentized gibberellic acid affects stalk growth. Furthermore, the outcome of the study suggests that experiments utilizing the bioassay presented should best be performed in autumn season. In winter and spring, respectively, no reliable effects were found

Motor, cognitive and mobility deficits in 1000 geriatric patients : protocol of a quantitative observational study before and after routine clinical geriatric treatment – the ComOn-study

© The Author(s). 2020 Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.Background: Motor and cognitive deficits and consequently mobility problems are common in geriatric patients. The currently available methods for diagnosis and for the evaluation of treatment in this vulnerable cohort are limited. The aims of the ComOn (COgnitive and Motor interactions in the Older populatioN) study are (i) to define quantitative markers with clinical relevance for motor and cognitive deficits, (ii) to investigate the interaction between both motor and cognitive deficits and (iii) to assess health status as well as treatment outcome of 1000 geriatric inpatients in hospitals of Kiel (Germany), Brescia (Italy), Porto (Portugal), Curitiba (Brazil) and Bochum (Germany). Methods: This is a prospective, explorative observational multi-center study. In addition to the comprehensive geriatric assessment, quantitative measures of reduced mobility and motor and cognitive deficits are performed before and after a two week's inpatient stay. Components of the assessment are mobile technology-based assessments of gait, balance and transfer performance, neuropsychological tests, frailty, sarcopenia, autonomic dysfunction and sensation, and questionnaires to assess behavioral deficits, activities of daily living, quality of life, fear of falling and dysphagia. Structural MRI and an unsupervised 24/7 home assessment of mobility are performed in a subgroup of participants. The study will also investigate the minimal clinically relevant change of the investigated parameters. Discussion: This study will help form a better understanding of symptoms and their complex interactions and treatment effects in a large geriatric cohort.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Identifying the real and perceived needs of ESL adult learners with limited or no literacy in their L1

In North America, research on the issues surrounding first language (L1) literacy, English literacy, and computer literacy has tended to focus on the learning needs of either adult literacy learners whose L1 is English or ESL learners who are literate in their L1. ESL Literacy adults, who have limited or no L1 or English (L2) literacy, have fallen in the gap created by language policy and the resulting language programs and services provided at the federal, state/provincial, and local levels. This study explores what ESL Literacy adults believe their needs are in relation to L1, English, and computer literacy. The context is the existing ESL programs at two schools in the metro area of a large U.S. city in Massachusetts. Participants across the two schools included 19 females and 2 males with limited or no literacy in their first language and in English: five students were enrolled at a school that offered computer literacy as part of its curriculum. In a mixed methods research design, participants were administered a pre-class questionnaire and then a post-class questionnaire to determine if their attitudes and opinions regarding their L1, English (L2), and computer literacy needs had changed after 12 weeks of ESL instruction. The results were triangulated with interview and observation data and revealed that ESL Literacy adults at both schools considered computer literacy to be a basic tool for survival in today's digital society. The intent is that the results may be used as guidelines by ESL educators and program administrators in the modification of existing curricula or in the development of new ESL Literacy curricula that incorporate reading and writing through the use of computers and the internet in an authentic way.En Amérique du Nord, la recherche touchant la littératie en première langue (L1), la littératie en anglais et la littératie informatique ont tendance à porter principalement sur les besoins des apprenants en littératie adultes dont la L1 est l'anglais ou des apprenants en ALS (anglais langue seconde) dont le niveau de littératie en L1 est adéquat. Les apprenants adultes en littératie en ALS, dont le niveau de littératie en L1 ou en anglais est limité ou inexistant, sont tombés par la brèche créée par les politiques linguistiques et les programmes et services en découlant fournis au niveau national, état/provincial et local. Cette étude explore ce que les apprenants adultes de littératie en ALS perçoivent comme étant leurs besoins en matière de littératie en L1, en anglais et en informatique. Elle s'est déroulée dans le contexte de deux écoles de la région métropolitaine d'une grande ville du Massachusetts offrant des programmes d'ALS. Pour ces deux écoles, 19 femmes et 2 hommes ont participé, dont le degré de littératie pour leur première langue et en anglais était limité ou inexistant : cinq étudiants étaient inscrits à une école qui offrait des cours de littératie informatique dans le cadre de leur curriculum. Dans un modèle de méthodes de recherches mixte, les participants ont reçu un questionnaire avant le début des cours et un questionnaire à la fin des cours afin de déterminer si leurs attitudes et leurs opinions au sujet de la littératie en L1, la littératie en anglais et la littératie informatique avaient changé après 12 semaines d'apprentissage en ALS. Les résultats ont été triangulés avec les données obtenues lors d'interviews et d'observations et ont révélé que les adultes de littératie en ALS aux deux écoles considéraient la littératie informatique comme étant un outil de base pour la survie dans la société numérique d'aujourd'hui. Le but est de permettre aux enseignants et aux administrateurs de programmes d'ALS d'utiliser ces résultats comme lignes directrices pour la modification de curriculums existants ou pour le développement de nouveaux curriculums de littératie en ALS qui intègrent la lecture et l'écriture grâce à l'utilisation authentique d'ordinateurs et de l'Internet

First evidence of Beauvais’ hypothesis in a plant model

Introduction: Beauvais presented the application of a so-called ‘quantum-like model of homeopathy’ by introducing the idea of a type of randomization/unblinding which he called ‘in situ’. He predicted that randomized studies based on this type of randomization/unblinding lead to more pronounced effects in placebo controlled randomized homeopathic trials. We designed an experiment regarding wheat germination and stalk length to investigate Beauvais’ idea of ‘in situ randomization/unblinding’ using a homeopathic dilution of sulphur (LM VI) as compared to placebo as well as to water. Aim and method: The primary aim of this double-blind randomized controlled experiment was to investigate whether there are differences of ‘in situ randomization/unblinding’ vs ‘central randomization/unblinding’ with respect to the effect of a homeopathic substance compared to placebo. The secondary aim of our study was to examine possible differences between the sulphur and the placebo group in the ‘in situ’ arm regarding germination and/or stalk growth of wheat seedlings measured after a seven days exposure. Wheat was treated either with sulphur LM VI, placebo, or water. The wheat grains were placed on glass lids and treatment was performed following the ‘in situ randomization/unblinding’ as well as ‘central randomization/unblinding’ method. Germination was measured and classified into three categories. Results: Under ‘in situ’ randomization/unblinding the odds of a seed not to germinate is 40% lower if treated with sulphur compared to placebo (p = 0.004). In contrast, these odds are practically equal in the ‘central’ meta-group (OR = 1.01, p = 0.954). Under ‘in situ’ randomization/unblinding the odds of a seed to germinate with a length ≥1 mm is practically equal if treated with sulphur or with placebo (OR = 0.96, p = 0.717). In contrast, these odds are 21% higher under sulphur compared to placebo in the ‘central’ meta-group (OR = 1.21, p = 0.062). In summary, we found a sulphur effect that is significantly different between ‘in situ’ and ‘central’ randomization/unblinding relating to all three stages of germination.</jats:p

Constitution of the Schaghticoke society for apprehending horse thieves and robbers ... [1866].

On verso: 150