Breath-based meditation: A mechanism to restore the physiological and cognitive reserves for optimal human performance

Stress can be associated with many physiologicalchanges resulting in significant decrements in human performance.Due to growing interests in alternative and complementary medicine by Westerners,many of the traditions and holistic yogic breathing practices today are being utilized as a measure for healthier lifestyles.These state-of-the-art practices can have a significant impact on common mental health conditions such as depression and generalized anxiety disorder.However,the potential of yogic breathing on optimizing human performance and overall well-being is not well known.Breathing techniques such as alternate nostril,Sudarshan Kriya and bhastrika utilizes rhythmic breathing to guide practitioners into a deep meditative state of relaxation and promote self-awareness.Furthermore,yogic breathing is physiologically stimulating and can be described as a natural"technological"solution to optimize human performance which can be categorized into:(1)cognitive function(i.e.,mind,vigilance);and(2)physical performance(i.e.,cardiorespiratory,metabolism,exercise,whole body).Based on previous studies,we postulate that daily practice of breathing meditation techniques play a significant role in preserving the compensatory mechanisms available to sustain physiological function.This preservation of physiological function may help to offset the time associated with reaching a threshold for clinical expression of chronic state(i.e.,hypertension,depression,dementia)or acute state(i.e.,massive hemorrhage,panic attic)of medical conditions.However,additional rigorous biomedical research is needed to evaluate the physiological mechanisms of various forms of meditation(i.e.,breath-based,mantra,mindfulness)on human performance.These efforts will help to define how compensatory reserve mechanisms of cardiovascular and immune systems are modulated by breath-based meditation.While it has been suggested that breath-based meditation is easier for beginning practitioners when compared to other forms of meditation more research is needed to elucidate these observations.A breath-based meditation sequence suchas Sudarshan Kriya has the potential to help develop an individual’s self-awareness and support better integration of the brain(i.e.,mind)with other organ systems(i.e.,body)for enhanced human performance.

Carbonic anhydrase enzymes Ⅱ, Ⅶ, Ⅸ and Ⅻ in colorectal carcinomas

AIM To investigate expression of four alpha-carbonic anhydrases(CAs) in colorectal carcinomas(CRC) and compare the results with patients' survival.METHODS Colorectal carcinoma samples from 539 CRC patients and control tissues were arranged as tissue microarrays and analyzed with antibodies against CA Ⅱ, CA Ⅶ, CA Ⅸ, and CA Ⅻ. Intensity and extent of staining were both scored from 0 to 3 in each sample. These enzyme expression levels were then correlated to patients' survival and clinicopathological parameters, which were tumor differentiation grade and stage, site of tumor, patients' age, and gender. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression hazard ratio model were used to analyze survival data. RESULTS CA Ⅱ and CA Ⅻ staining intensities correlated with patients' survival in that higher expression indicated poorer prognosis. In Cox regression analysis one unit increase in the CA Ⅱ intensity increased the hazard ratio to 1.19 fold(CI: 1.04-1.37, P = 0.009). A significant correlation was also found when comparing CA Ⅻ staining intensity with survival of CRC patients(HR = 1.18, 95%CI: 1.01-1.38, P = 0.036). The extent of CA Ⅻ immunostaining did not correlate to the patients' survival(P = 0.242, Kaplan-Meier analysis). A significant interaction between age group and extent of the CA Ⅱ staining was found. Increased extent of CA Ⅱ had a significant hazard ratio among patients 65 years and older(1.42, 95%CI: 1.16-1.73, P = 0.0006). No correlations were found between CA Ⅶ(intensity P = 0.566, extent P = 0.495, Kaplan-Meier analysis), or CA Ⅸ(intensity P = 0.879, extent P = 0.315, KaplanMeier analysis) immunostaining results and survival, or the other parameters. CONCLUSION The present findings indicate that CA Ⅱ and CA Ⅻ could be useful in predicting survival in CRC.

Implementation of the Active TB Case Finding in Nigeria;Processes, Lessons Learnt and Recommendations

Introduction: Tuberculosis remains a major public health issue in Nigeria with the country ranking seventh among the 30 high TB burden countries. Nigeria is among the three countries that account for half of the 4.3 million “missing” TB cases globally. One untreated TB case is able to infect about 10 - 20 people annually. Hence, it is pertinent that TB is controlled effectively through the use of active case finding strategies to find the missing TB cases. Objective: This article highlights the best practices and key lessons learnt during the implementation of the active house to house TB case finding strategy in Nigeria. Lessons Learnt and Recommendations: Strategic community engagement, massive awareness creation using mass media and local means of communication, mapping of locations where registered TB cases live, to inform home visits for contact tracing and strengthening of laboratory systems, are viable mechanisms to improve TB case finding. Conclusion: Active TB case finding interventions should be implemented in the context of a strengthened diagnostics system, strategic community engagement and media involvement.

Changing Rainfall and its Impact on Landslides in Sri Lanka

During the recent past the rainfall pattern in Sri Lanka has shown a noticeable change. This paper describes the effect of this change on the occurrence of landslides and their impacts to eco systems. This study shows that most of the landslides occurring in Sri Lanka during northeast monsoons, southwest monsoons and second inter-monsoon were located in three distinctively separated areas. Analysis of rainfall time series shows a trend of increased lengths of dry periods along with an increasing trend of rainfall intensity, especially after the late seventies. A strong relation is obtained between the location of landslides and the spatial distribution of areas where rainfall intensity is increased.

Antibody Production for a Rapid Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay of Estrone

Estrone has been identified as a potential endocrine-disrupting chemical （EDC）[1]. Estrone is usually quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC-MS）, GC-MS/MS, high performance liquid chromatography （HPLC）, HPLC- MS, and HPLC-MS/MS, etc.[2-3]. Meanwhile, several immunoassays based on radioimmunoassay, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） or chemiluminescence immunoassay （CLIA） for determination of estrone in real samples have been developed[2＇4]. Although these methods are sensitive, they need multistage separation and are thus time-consuming and laborious. A very promising way for the simplification of immunoassays for routine applications is a shift from heterogeneous methods （with separation） to homogeneous assays （without separation）[5]. Fluorescence polarization immunoassay （FPIA） is one of the homogeneous techniques that meets the requirements of a simple, reliable, fast, and cost-effective analysis[6]. Therefore, the present study is focused on the development of FPIA in order to analyze estrone based on antibody production.

Lophozonia tree cavities used for nesting by Slender-billed Parakeets(Enicognathus leptorhynchus)in the central valley of southern Chile:a potentially vanishing keystone resource

Background: The Slender-billed Parakeet(Enicognathus leptorhynchus) is a psittacine endemic to southern Chile and an obligate secondary cavity-nester. In the central valley of southern Chile, most(94%) of the known Slender-billed Parakeet nests have occurred in large, mature southern beech(Lophozonia obliqua) trees(locally known as "pellines"). As relicts of the original old-growth forests of southern Chile, most pellines have been lost due to extensive landclearing throughout the region, potentially threatening long-term persistence of the Slender-billed Parakeet.Methods: We conducted our study in the central valley of southern Chile, near the city of Osorno during three consecutive nesting seasons(November–January, 2008–2011). Nest trees used by Slender-billed Parakeets were located by direct observation of parakeet activities and through interviews with local residents, some of whom were former parrot nest poachers. Nest cavities were accessed, inspected and measured using single-rope climbing techniques. We report means, standard errors, 95% confidence intervals and ranges for 11 cavity-related variables. We also report clutch sizes encountered in active nests, and age estimates of nest trees based on known growth rates of Lophozonia trees in southern Chile. Linear regressions were used to evaluate potential relationships between cavity-related variables and clutch size.Results: We located and measured 38 Lophozonia tree cavities used for nesting by Slender-billed Parakeets. Compared to those used by other psittacines, nest trees were relatively large, averaging 30.4 breast height of 134.5 ter ± 1.1 m in height with a mean diameter at ± 4.7 cm. Based on estimated annual diameincrement, ages of nest trees ranged from approximately 209–485 years. Nest cavities entrances averaged 12.5 ± 0.9 m in height above ground level. Cavity entrance widths averaged 51.0 ± 13.3 cm(vertical) by 11.5 ± 0.7 cm(horizontal). Cavity entrance orientations were apparently random, with no directional preferences detected. Nest cavities were also relatively large, with a mean internal diameter of 39.6 psittacines of this size(ca. 280± 2.4 cm and mean depth of 90.3 –300 g) and broods of up to seven± 24.2 cm. Clutch sizes(2–9) were unusually large for well-developed nestlings were observed.Conclusions: We found that the deep and spacious cavities provided by pellines facilitate successful rearing of large broods, thereby maximizing productivity and fitness. The existence of pellines has apparently allowed Slender-billed Parakeets to adapt successfully to a wholesale loss of ancestral habitat to anthropogenic modifications. Immediate and strategic conservation measures, such as protection of existing pellines and the regeneration and recruitment of additional ones, are recommended for ensuring the survival of Slender-billed Parakeet populations throughout the central valley of southern Chile.

Dengue: what it is and why there is more

In 2014, China experienced the worst outbreak of dengue fever in the last decade with over 40,000 dengue cases including six deaths by the end of October. As one of the ＂neglected＂ tropical diseases, dengue is affecting substantially increasing number of people and proportion of global population due to factors including globalization, human settlement, and possibly climate change. Here, the authors summarized the most recent data about dengue outbreaks in China and reviewed the global trend of dengue epidemiology. Future directions for dengue surveillance, control and prevention are also introduced.

Bites from the same dog,different outcomes for two patients:a case report

Background:Rabies is a serious reemerging zoonosis in China.At present human rabies cases are primarily diagnosed based on clinical presentation.Case presentation:In August 2012,a woman and her son were attacked by a stray dog in Henan,China.The son received rabies postexposure prophylaxis(wound treatment followed by vaccine,no immunoglobulin),however,the mother did not.Rabies infection was subsequently laboratory confirmed in the mother and she died in December;her son is alive and healthy after 2 years of follow-up.Conclusion:This report documents that the timely utilization of postexposure prophylaxis is a required measure in preventing rabies after exposure to an animal bite.