Placebo Effect

Der Wirkungsmechanismus der Homöopathie beruht auf der Basis einer biophysikalische Transformation nach dem Prinzip der Informationstheorie : Empfänger, Informationskanal -Code- Sender -Empfänger, Medium, Nervenzelle.

Die Wirksubstanz der homöopathischen Therapie  wird mittels einer Information in Form eines Codes durch einen Informationskanal an den Empfänger übermittelt und biophysikalisch in der Nervenzelle des Mediums decodiert und noch unbekannt gespeichert.

Im  Gegensatz zu den pharmakologischen Medikamenten. Diese, in der bereits weitgehend erforschten  Rezeptorenlehre anerkannt, wirken auf biochemischer Basis in der Empfängerzelle.

What is the Consciousness “placebo” healing ❤️‍🩹 that happens in the “present”?

If you see Consciousness (AKA ”life”) happening instantly in the “relativistic” mass/matter spacetime you will have to conclude that also the placebo effect has to do with this “istantaneousMindly” although “ever present” life consciousness phenomenon:

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Therefore, to heal from any pathological condition it is necessary to be aware of the “present”, thus activating and contrasting this “entropic” and ultimately inevitable condition … neoteny is the most common proof of the ever-present healing capacity ❤️‍🩹 of consciousness in the evolutionary mass/matter. It is as if the instantaneous consciousness in a selfie 🤳 were to detach itself from space-time. This “stop image” effect - prolonged in “time” (which thus becomes a “physical place”) produces the “cumulative” and anti-entropic result of healing ❤️‍🩹 and - similarly - of neoteny.

Cos'è la guarigione "placebo" della Coscienza ❤️‍🩹 che avviene nel "presente"?

Se vedi la Coscienza (AKA "vita") accadere ”istantaneaMente” nello spaziotempo "relativistico" di massa/materia, dovrai concludere che anche l'effetto placebo ha a che fare con questa coscienza di vita istantanea sebbene "sempre presente" fenomeno:



Pertanto per guarire da qualsiasi condizione patologica è necessario essere consapevoli del “presente”, attivando e contrastando così questa condizione “entropica” e in ultima analisi inevitabile … la neotenia è la prova più comune della capacità di guarigione sempre presente ❤️‍🩹 della coscienza nella massa/materia evolutiva. E come se la coscienza istantanea in un selfie 🤳 si sganciasse dallo spaziotempo. Quest'effetto “stop immagine” - protratto nel “tempo” (che così diventa un “luogo fisico”) produce il risultato “cumulativo” e anti entropico della guarigione ❤️‍🩹 e -  analogaMente - della neotenia.

Context. Dyspnea is one of the most distressing symptoms in patients with cancer, and often worsens with breakthrough episodes on exertion. We hypothesized that fentanyl given prophylactically may alleviate breakthrough dyspnea. Objectives. To determine the feasibility of conducting a randomized trial of subcutaneous fentanyl in patients with cancer, and examine the effects of fentanyl on dyspnea, walk distance, vital signs, and adverse events. Methods. In this double-blind, randomized, controlled trial, we asked ambulatory patients with breakthrough dyspnea to perform a baseline six minute walk test (6MWT), and then assigned them to either subcutaneous fentanyl or placebo 15 minutes before a second 6MWT. We documented the change in dyspnea Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) score, walk distance, vital signs, and adverse events between the first and second 6MWT. Results. A total of 20 patients were enrolled (1:1 ratio) without attrition. Comparison between baseline and second walk showed that fentanyl was associated with significant improvements in dyspnea NRS score at the end of the 6MWT (mean [95% CI] À1.8 [À3.2, À0.4]), dyspnea NRS score at rest of 15 minutes after drug administration (À0.9 [À1.8, À0.04]), Borg Scale fatigue score at the end of the 6MWT (À1.3 [À2.4, À0.2]), 6MWT distance (þ37.2 m [5.8, 68.6]), and respiratory rate (À2.4 [À4.5, À0.3]). Nonstatistically significant improvements also were observed in the placebo arm, with no difference between the two study arms. No significant adverse effects were observed. Conclusion. Prophylactic fentanyl was safe and improved dyspnea, fatigue, walk distance, and respiratory rate. We also observed a large placebo effect.

Objective There is evidence that placebo effects may influence hormone secretion. However, few studies have examined placebo effects in the endocrine system, including oxytocin placebo effects. We studied whether it is possible to trigger oxytocin placebo effects using a classical conditioning paradigm. Methods Ninety-nine women were assigned to a conditioned, control, or drug control group. In the two-phase conditioning paradigm, participants in the conditioned and drug control groups received an oxytocin nasal spray combined with a distinctive smell (conditioned stimulus [CS]) for three acquisition days, whereas the control group received placebo spray. Subsequently, the conditioned and control groups received placebo spray with the CS and the drug control group received oxytocin spray for three evocation days. Salivary oxytocin was measured several times during each day. Pain sensitivity and facial evaluation tests previously used in oxytocin research were also administered. Resu...

Context: Expectations play a central role in the mechanism of the placebo effect. In Parkinson disease (PD), the placebo effect is associated with release of endogenous dopamine in both nigrostriatal and mesoaccumbens projections, yet the factors that control this dopamine release are undetermined. Objective: To determine how the strength of expectation of clinical improvement influences the degree of striatal dopamine release in response to placebo in patients with moderate PD. Design: Randomized, repeated-measures study with perceived expectation as the independent betweensubjects variable.

Homeopathy and its relationship with the placebo effect have a long history, starting with Samuel Hahnemann in the 19th century and later contributions by Edward Bach. Their has been ongoing controversy surrounding homeopathy, particularly the argument that homeopathic remedies, due to their high dilution, contain no active ingredients and thus act as placebos. A recent motion to ban homeopathy from reimbursable healthcare system in Germany has started an intense discussion about the value of homeopoathy itself.
In a case study involving the author's dog, Susi was treated with a homeopathic remedy for epilepsy and is the basis to argue that homeopathy can have real effects, even in animals, which cannot be attributed to the placebo effect. the direct concluding hypothesis is that homeopathy works through a biophysical process involving the transmission of information, rather than a biochemical reaction, and calls for further research into this area.

We motivate the possibility of using notions and methods derived from quantum physics, and more specifically from the research field known as 'quantum cognition', to optimally model different situations in the field of medicine, its decision-making processes and ensuing practices, particularly in relation to chronic and rare diseases. This also as a way to devise alternative approaches to the generally adopted double-blind gold standard.

Objective: To assess the effects of low-dose oral and transdermal estrogen therapy on the lipid profile and lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels in healthy, postmenopausal women and to study the additional influence of gestodene administration. Design: In a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 152 healthy, hysterectomized, postmenopausal women received daily either placebo (n = 49), 50 µg transdermal 17␤-estradiol (tE 2 , n = 33), 1 mg oral 17␤-estradiol (oE 2 , n = 37), or 1 mg oE 2 combined with 25 µg gestodene (oE 2 + G, n = 33) for 13 cycles of 28 days, followed by 4 cycles of placebo in each group. Fasting serum concentrations of total, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, and Lp(a) were measured at baseline and in cycles 4, 13, and 17. Results: In cycle 13, a significant mean percentage decrease from baseline was found in all treatment groups compared with placebo in total cholesterol (tE 2 , −4.7%; oE 2 , −6.9%; oE 2 + G, −10.5%) and LDL cholesterol (tE 2 , −5.8%; oE 2 , −12.6%; oE 2 + G, −13.6%). For both oral groups, the reductions were already significant in cycle 4. None of the treatment groups showed a significant change in HDL cholesterol or triglycerides. In cycle 13, Lp(a) was decreased compared with placebo in the oE 2 group (−6.6%) and the oE 2 + G group (−8.2%). After washout, all observed changes had returned to baseline level, except for the decreases in total and LDL cholesterol in the oE 2 + G group. Conclusions: Oral E 2 and E 2 + G, and to a lesser extent transdermal E 2 , decreased total and LDL cholesterol. Lp(a) was lowered only by the oral treatments.

Background: Migraine is a chronic neurologic disease that can severely affect the patient's quality of life. Although in recent years many randomised studies have been carried out to investigate the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for migraine, it remains a controversial issue. Our aim is to determine whether acupuncture, applied under real conditions of clinical practice in the area of primary healthcare, is more effective than conventional treatment. Methods/Design: The design consists of a pragmatic multi-centre, three-armed randomised controlled trial, complemented with an economic evaluation of the results achieved, comparing the effectiveness of verum acupuncture with sham acupuncture, and with a control group receiving normal care only. Patients eligible for inclusion will be those presenting in general practice with migraine and for whom their General Practitioner (GP) is considering referral for acupuncture. Sampling will be by consecutive selection, and by randomised allocation to the three branches of the study, in a centralised way following a 1:1:1 distribution (verum acupuncture; sham acupuncture; conventional treatment). Secondly, one patient in three will be randomly selected from each of the acupuncture (verum or sham) groups for a brain perfusion study (by single photon emission tomography). The treatment with verum acupuncture will consist of 8 treatment sessions, once a week, at points selected individually by the acupuncturist. The sham acupuncture group will receive 8 sessions, one per week, with treatment being applied at non-acupuncture points in the dorsal and lumbar regions,

Background: Duloxetine is effective in the management of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women but has been poorly evaluated in the treatment of SUI following radical prostatectomy (RP). Objective: To establish the superiority of duloxetine over placebo in SUI after RP. Design, setting, and participants: We conducted a prospective, randomised, placebocontrolled, double-blind, monocentric superiority trial. After a placebo run-in period of 2 wk, patients with SUI after RP were randomised to receive either 80 mg of duloxetine daily or matching placebo for 3 mo. Measurements: The primary outcome measure was the relative variation in incontinence episodes frequency (IEF) at the end of study compared to baseline. Secondary outcomes included quality of life (QoL) measures (Incontinence Impact Questionnaire Short Form [IIQ-SF], Urogenital Distress Inventory Short Form [UDI-SF], Incontinence Quality of Life [I-QoL]), symptom scores (Urinary Symptom Profile [USP] questionnaire, International Consultation on Incontinence/World Health Organisation Short Form questionnaire [ICIQ-SF], the Beck Depression Inventory [BDI-II] questionnaire), 1-h pad test, and assessment of adverse events. Results and limitations: Thirty-one patients were randomised to either the treatment (n = 16) or control group (n = 15). Reduction in IEF was significant with duloxetine compared to placebo (mean AE standard deviation [SD] variation: À52.2% AE 38.6 [range: À100 to +46] vs +19.0% AE 43.5 [range: À53 to +104]; mean difference: 71.2%; 95% confidence interval [CI] for the difference: 41.0-101.4; p < 0.0001). IIQ-SF total score, UDI-SF total score, SUI subscore of the USP questionnaire, and question 3 of the ICIQ-SF questionnaire showed improvement in the duloxetine group (p = 0.006, p = 0.02, p = 0.0004, and p = 0.003, respectively). Both treatments were well tolerated throughout the study period. Conclusions: Duloxetine is effective in the treatment of incontinence symptoms and improves QoL in patients with SUI after RP.

Hallucinations in Alzheimer's disease (AD) may indicate greater cortical cholinergic deficits. Rivastigmine has shown larger treatment benefits versus placebo in dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease dementia patients with hallucinations. In this retrospective, hypothesis-generating analysis, we investigated whether hallucinations in AD were associated with greater treatment benefits with rivastigmine. Data were pooled from two randomized, double-blind, 6-month, mild-tomoderate AD trials comparing rivastigmine with placebo. Co-primary efficacy parameters were the Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog) and Clinician's Interview-Based Impression of Change plus Caregiver Input (CIBIC-plus). Efficacy data were analyzed for two sub-populations: those with and those without hallucinations at baseline. Of 927 patients, 194 (21%) reported hallucinations at baseline. Hallucinators tended to have greater decline on placebo on all outcome measures. On the ADAS-cog, mean rivastigmine-placebo differences of 3.7 points in hallucinators and 2.2 points in non-hallucinators were reported at 6 months (both p < 0.001). In hallucinators, a significant rivastigmine-placebo difference of −1.0 points (a beneficial effect) was seen on the CIBIC-plus at 6 months (p < 0.001). Non-hallucinators showed a smaller significant treatment difference of −0.3 points (p < 0.05). Interaction testing suggested that differences in treatment effects were significant between hallucinators and non-hallucinators. Hallucinations predicted greater treatment responses to oral rivastigmine.

Background: Placebo, defined as "false treatment," is a common gold-standard method to assess the validity of a therapy both in pharmacological trials and manual medicine research where placebo is also referred to as "sham therapy." In the medical literature, guidelines have been proposed on how to conduct robust placebo-controlled trials, but mainly in a drug-based scenario. In contrast, there are not precise guidelines on how to conduct a placebo-controlled in manual medicine trials (particularly osteopathy). The aim of the present systematic review was to report how and what type of sham methods, dosage, operator characteristics, and patient types were used in osteopathic clinical trials and, eventually, assess sham clinical effectiveness. Methods: A systematic Cochrane-based review was conducted by analyzing the osteopathic trials that used both manual and nonmanual placebo control. Searches were conducted on 8 databases from journal inception to December 2015 using a pragmatic literature search approach. Two independent reviewers conducted the study selection and data extraction for each study. The risk of bias was evaluated according to the Cochrane methods. Results: A total of 64 studies were eligible for analysis collecting a total of 5024 participants. More than half (43 studies) used a manual placebo; 9 studies used a nonmanual placebo; and 12 studies used both manual and nonmanual placebo. Data showed lack of reporting sham therapy information across studies. Risk of bias analysis demonstrated a high risk of bias for allocation, blinding of personnel and participants, selective, and other bias. To explore the clinical effects of sham therapies used, a quantitative analysis was planned. However, due to the high heterogeneity of sham approaches used no further analyses were performed. Conclusion: High heterogeneity regarding placebo used between studies, lack of reporting information on placebo methods and within-study variability between sham and real treatment procedures suggest prudence in reading and interpreting study findings in manual osteopathic randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Efforts must be made to promote guidelines to design the most reliable placebo for manual RCTs as a means of increasing the internal validity and improve external validity of findings. Abbreviations: OMT = osteopathic manipulative treatment, OR = odds ratio, RCT = randomized controlled trials.

The function of a placebo control in a randomised trial is to permit blinding and reduce risk of bias. Adopting Grűnbaum's definitional scheme of a placebo, all treatments must be viewed as packages consisting of characteristic and incidental features. An adequate placebo for an experimental treatment contains none of the characteristic features, all of the incidental features, and nothing more. For drug treatments, characteristic features can be readily identified, isolated, and separated. By contrast, physical therapy treatments often involve features such as patient-therapist contact and sensory feedback that make this separation difficult both conceptually and practically. It is therefore unsurprising that attempts to construct placebos for physical therapy treatments have in the past led to biased estimates of treatment effects. In this perspective piece, we describe the problem with constructing placebos for physical therapy trials drawing upon Grűnbaum's definition and using paradigmatic examples from existing literature. We conclude by submitting that in the many cases where an adequate placebo cannot be achieved, alternative trial designs, e.g. dose-response or comparative-effectiveness trials, carry a lower risk of bias and should be favoured.

Analysis 7.1. Comparison 7 Midwife-led outpatient care vs routine care, Outcome 1 PUQE. . . . . . . . . . Analysis 7.2. Comparison 7 Midwife-led outpatient care vs routine care, Outcome 2 Hours of hospital admission. . Analysis 7.3. Comparison 7 Midwife-led outpatient care vs routine care, Outcome 3 Decision to terminate the pregnancy.

Rising serum levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) after radical prostatectomy are indicative of recurrent prostate cancer. This double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II study evaluated the anti-tumour activity of the anti-epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) antibody adecatumumab in delaying biochemical disease progression. Prostate cancer patients with increasing serum PSA levels following radical prostatectomy were randomized to low- (2 mg/kg) or high-dose adecatumumab (6 mg/kg) or placebo. The primary efficacy endpoint was the mean change from baseline in total serum PSA at week 24. Secondary endpoints included PSA response rate, prolongation of serum PSA doubling time and time to biochemical disease progression. The primary and secondary endpoints of the study were not met in the predefined analyses. In a retrospective analysis of patients with baseline PSA ≤ 1 ng/ml and a high EpCAM expression, both the mean increase in PSA from baseline to week 24 and the PSA doubli...

impacts brain structure and function. Building on foundational concepts from both Buddhist philosophy and modern psychological perspectives, the study reviews empirical evidence linking mindfulness with neuroplastic changes, particularly in brain regions associated with attention, emotional regulation, and self-awareness. Methodologies discussed include neuroimaging and behavioral assessments, highlighting techniques like fMRI, which show changes in gray matter and functional connectivity. The findings support the role of mindfulness interventions, such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), in enhancing mental health, with applications extending to educational and workplace settings. Additionally, the paper addresses cultural and ethical considerations in mindfulness research, underscoring the need for culturally sensitive adaptations and rigorous ethical standards. The article concludes by discussing future research directions, including longitudinal studies to examine the sustainability of mindfulness effects and the integration of mindfulness into mainstream medical practice.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most prevalent endocrine disorders affecting women of reproductive age, and it signicantly inuences both physical and psychological health. This study investigates the relationship between the cardinal symptoms of PCOS-irregular menstrual cycles, hirsutism, acne, and alopecia-and psychological conditions such as depression and anxiety. Using a cross-sectional study design and a self-administered questionnaire, data were collected from women diagnosed with PCOS. The results highlight the severe psychological distress caused by PCOS, particularly related to body image and self-esteem issues. Furthermore, the study exposes the inadequate mental health support available for women with PCOS. The ndings emphasize the need for integrated healthcare approaches that address both the physical and psychological aspects of PCOS.

Using the ability of [ 11 C]raclopride to compete with dopamine for D 2 /D 3 receptors, we investigated by positron emission tomography the effect of placebo (saline) injection on dopamine release in the ventral striatum of patients with Parkinson's disease. We found evidence for placebo-induced dopamine release of similar magnitude to that reported in healthy volunteers after amphetamine administration. However, in contrast to the dorsal striatum, there were no differences in [ 11 C]raclopride binding potential changes between patients who experienced the reward (those who reported placebo-induced clinical benefit) and those who did not. We conclude that the release of dopamine in the ventral striatum (nucleus accumbens) is related to the expectation of reward and not to the reward itself. These observations have potential implications for the treatment of drug addiction.

This thesis is about the relationship between human bodies and instrumental technologies that can be use to measure them. It adopts the position that instruments are technological structures that evoke and manifest particular phenomena of embodied Ufe. However, through their history of association and use in the sciences and scientific medicine, instruments tend to be attached to a particular ontology, that of mechanical objectivity. Embarking from research into the artistic uses of physiological sensor technology in creative practices such as performance and installation art, this thesis asks whether it is possible to use instruments in a way that departs from their association with scientific objectivity. Drawing on philosophers who have developed an understanding of the relationship of instrumental technologies and human bodies as co-constructive, it explores how this model of conconstruction might be understood to offer an alternative ontology for understanding the use of instruments in practices outside of science and scientific medicine. The project is therefore suggestive of degrees of freedom and flexibility that are open to exploitation by creative practices in the realm of instrumentation as an alternative to orthodox rationalisations of the value of scientific equipment as authentic, revealing and objective. The major contribution of the thesis is that transfers and synthesises arguments and evidence from the history and philosophy of sciences that serve to demonstrate how the instrumental measurement of human bodies can be considered to be a form of creative practice. It assembles a position based on the work of thinkers from a number of disciplines, particularly philosophy of science, technology, and the medical humanities. These offer examples of ontological frameworks within which the difference between the realm of the instrumental, material, biological, and the objective, and the phenomenal, meaningful and subjective, might be collapsed. Doing this, the thesis sheds light on how physical devices might enter into the interplay of making, mattering and objectifying the immaterial, a realm that it might be considered the role of artists to manifest. Drawing on contemporary, and secondary, accounts of the development of empirical testing in the medical sciences, the thesis agues for the recovery of a romantic account of human physiology, in which the imagination and meaning are active and embodied. It therefore offers to link the bodily and the instrumental through an extended-materialist account in which the physiological, rather than the psychological, is central. Developing a response to constructionist models of the body and instrumentation, the thesis concludes that a model of the poetic may be adopted as a method for understanding the opportunities and imperatives inherent in the avoidance of deterministic approaches to biosignaUing technologies. In doing this, the thesis contributes particularly to the creative arts and technology research practices concerned with the use of body sensor technologies in humanistic applications. It complements the existing works by artists in this area that make use of instruments by assembling a number of theoretical readings and interpretations of how instruments work-among them the thermometer, lie detector, and automatograph-which illustrate the argument that that is possible to operate from a theoretical position within which instruments are both material, performative and symbolic. Contents Acknowledgements Author's declaration and word count Preface At no time during registration for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy has the author been registered for any other University award without prior agreement of the Graduate Committee.

BackgroundAdministration of a complex tyrosine-free amino acid drink acutely decreases manic symptoms. Although a nutrient-based approach to illness management is attractive, complex amino acid drinks are too unpalatable for repeated administration.AimsTo assess whether a simple, branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) drink diminishes manic symptoms acutely and following repeated administration.MethodTwenty-five patients with mania were randomly and blindly allocated to treatment with BCAA (60 g) or placebo daily for 7 days.ResultsRelative to placebo, the BCAA drink lowered mania ratings acutely over the first 6 h of treatment. In protocol completers there was a persistent advantage to the BCAA group 1 week after the end of treatment.ConclusionsA nutritional intervention that decreases tyrosine availability to the brain acutely ameliorates manic symptoms. Further studies are required to assess whether this approach has longer-term efficacy.

Placebos were historically defined as inert substances (e.g., sugar or bread pills) that cause symptom improvement but are now characterized more broadly to include contextual aspects of both active and inactive treatments that contribute to symptom improvement in therapeutic settings. These contexts may be associated with the environment, including the size and color of a pill, a doctor's demeanor, or the invasiveness and cost of a treatment. The context may also be generated by the patient's prior experience or expectations about the efficacy of a treatment. Placebo effects are cognitive, behavioral, or biological responses to

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of medium-level laser therapy in chronic tinnitus treatment. In a prospective double-blind placebo-controlled trial, either active laser (450 mW, 830 nm combined Ga-Al-As diode laser) or placebo irradiation was applied through the external acoustic meatus of the affected ear towards the cochlea. Fourty-eight patients with chronic tinnitus were studied. The main outcome was measured using the Goebel tinnitus questionnaire, visual analogue scales measuring the perceived loudness of tinnitus, the annoyance associated with tinnitus, and the degree of attention paid to tinnitus as well as psycho-acoustical matches of tinnitus pitch and loudness. The results did show only very moderate temporary improvement of tinnitus. Moreover, no statistically relevant differences between laser and placebo group could be found. We conclude that medium-level laser therapy cannot be regarded as an effective treatment of chronic tinnitus in our therapy ...

Language often plays an indispensable role in ritual healing practices, where it is characterized by distinctive prosodic, grammatical and discursive resources. Questions of how language marks and contributes to the therapeutic efficacy of ritual healing practices have invited numerous claims over the decades, from symbolist, semiotic, performative and phenomenological perspectives. This chapter explores those features of ritual language that are commonly employed in ritual healing, with special attention to the relative importance of semantic content or structural form as they relate to these claims concerning therapeutic efficacy. Case studies from around the world are examined, with special emphasis on those from the indigenous Americas.

Patients&#39; previous experience with performance-based cognitive tests in clinical trials for cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia can create practice-related improvements. Placebo-controlled trials for cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia are at risk for these practice effects, which can be difficult to distinguish from placebo effects. To conduct a systematic evaluation of the magnitude of practice effects on the Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) in cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia and to examine which demographic, clinical, and cognitive characteristics were associated with improvement in placebo conditions. A blinded review was conducted of data from 813 patients with schizophrenia who were treated with placebo in 12 randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials conducted mostly in outpatient clinics in North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America from Febr...

The convergence of a series of complex factors shapes consumers' purchasing decisions. Some of these factors reside within individuals' subconscious. Therefore, understanding consumer behavior requires examining the features of products and services and the assessments that take place within the consumer's mind. In this context, the placebo effect merits consideration. Commonly recognized in medicine, the placebo effect is now being explored beyond its traditional boundaries, finding application in marketing and tourism marketing to enhance understanding of consumer behavior. This study addresses how the placebo effect can be interpreted in relevant research and discusses its impacts on consumers' perceptions and behaviors. A literature review conducted within this scope has revealed that many studies contain conceptual issues and there is a misunderstanding about the placebo effect. Therefore, we first defined placebo and nocebo-terms from medical pharmacologybefore offering a definitive interpretation of the placebo effect. Following the critical paradigm, this study has revealed the conceptual issues and logical flaws in the relevant literature, provided a significant perspective on the field of consumer behavior, and contributed to future research investigating the placebo effect in tourism.

Introduction: Obesity is one of the most important link factors to coronary artery disease development mainly due to the pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic states favoring atherosclerosis progression. The LLLT acts in the cellular metabolism and it is highly effective to improve inflammation. The same occur in response to different kinds of exercise. However, we have not known the associate effects using LLLT therapies with aerobic plus resistance training as strategy specifically with target at human obesity control and its comorbidities. Objective: Investigate the effects of the LLLT associated with aerobic plus resistance training on cardiometabolic risk factors in obese women. Methodology: Women aged 20-40 years (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2), were divided into 2 groups: Phototherapy (PHOTO) and Placebo. They were trained aerobic plus resistance exercises (in a concurrent mode), 1 h, 3 times/week during 16 weeks. Phototherapy was applied after each exercise session for 16 min, with infrared laser, wavelength 808 nm, continuous output, power 100 mW, and energy delivery 50 J. The body composition was measured with bioimpedance. Inflammatory mark concentrations were measured using a commercially available multiplex. Results: LLLT associated with aerobic plus resistance training was effective in decrease neck (P = 0.0003) and waist circumferences (P = 0.02); percentual of fat (P = 0.04); visceral fat area (P = 0.02); HOMA-IR (P = 0.0009); Leptin (P = 0.03) and ICAM (P = 0.03). Also, the reduction in leptin (P = 0.008) and ICAM-1 (0, 05) was much more expressive in the phototherapy group in comparison to placebo group when analyzed by delta values. Conclusion: LLLT associated with concurrent exercise (aerobic plus resistance training) potentiates the exercise effects of decreasing the cardiometabolic risk factors in obese woman. These results suggest the LLLT associated with exercises as a new therapeutic tool in the control of obesity and its comorbidities for obese people, targeting to optimize the strategies to control the cardiometabolic risk factors in these populations.

Background: The aim of the present study was to determine whether the administration of Diamel, marketed as a food supplement by Catalysis Laboratories (Madrid, Spain) could improve any of the components of metabolic syndrome (MS), as well as insulin resistance and sensitivity. Methods: In all, 100 patients with MS (19-70 years of age) who satisfied the World Health Organization criteria for MS were included in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either oral Diamel or a placebo (while maintaining a diet appropriate to their weight and physical activity) at a dose of two capsules before each of the three main meals each day for 1 year. Anthropometric indices, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile, insulin, creatinine, and uric acid (UA) were determined. Insulin resistance (IR) was assessed and three indirect indices were used to calculate insulin sensitivity (IS). Results: Compared with placebo, Diamel improved fasting insulin concentrations, IS, and IR and reduced UA concentrations from 6 months until the end of treatment (P < 0.05 for all). In addition, after 12 months treatment with Diamel, significant changes from baseline were seen for mean fasting insulin (P < 0.05), UA (P < 0.05), IR (P < 0.001), and IS (P < 0.001), whereas no such changes were seen in the placebo-treated group. Improvements were noted in body mass index, IR, and IS in both groups. Conclusions: Long-term Diamel treatment, combined with lifestyle changes, was beneficial for IR and IS, and reduced serum UA levels in patients with MS.

This article presents a novel, integrative model to explain mind-body interaction from a materialist and emergentist perspective. Based on current findings from various scientific disciplines, including psychoneuroimmunology, fractal physiology, chronobiology and epigenetics, a framework is developed that takes into account both bottom-up and top-down processes. The model conceptualizes the organism as a complex, hierarchically organized information system in which mental states are understood as emergent properties of neuronal activity patterns that can have far-reaching physiological effects. By integrating concepts such as information fields, cross-scale coherence and resonance phenomena, the model offers new explanatory approaches for psychosomatic phenomena and the placebo effect. The article discusses the ontological implications of this approach and identifies challenges for future research. We use mind and body as synonyms for different forms of organization of an organism and are aware that the linguistic use occurs from two different perspectives, namely psychology (mind) and (body) physiology, but both describe the same thing.

Placebos are often used by clinicians, usually deceptively and with little rationale or evidence of benefit, making their use ethically problematic. In contrast with their typical current use, a provocative line of research suggests that placebos can be intentionally exploited to extend analgesic therapeutic effects. Is it possible to extend the effects of drug treatments by interspersing placebos? We reviewed a database of placebo studies, searching for studies that indicate that placebos given after repeated administration of active treatments acquire medication-like effects. We found a total of 22 studies in both animals and humans hinting of evidence that placebos may work as a sort of dose extender of active painkillers. Wherever effective in relieving clinical pain, such placebo use would offer several advantages. First, extending the effects of a painkiller through the use of placebos may reduce total drug intake and side effects. Second, dose-extending placebos may decrease patient dependence. Third, using placebos along with active medication, for part of the course of treatment, should limit dose escalation and lower costs. Provided that nondisclosure is preauthorized in the informed consent process and that robust evidence indicates therapeutic benefit comparable to that of standard full-dose therapeutic regimens, introducing dose-extending placebos into the clinical arsenal should be considered. This novel prospect of placebo use has the potential to change our general thinking about painkiller treatments, the typical regimens of painkiller applications, and the ways in which treatments are evaluated.

The Dex-CSDH trial is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of dexamethasone for patients with a symptomatic chronic subdural haematoma. The trial commenced with an internal pilot, whose primary objective was to assess the feasibility of multi-centre recruitment. Primary outcome data collection and safety were also assessed, whilst maintaining blinding. We aimed to recruit 100 patients from United Kingdom Neurosurgical Units within 12 months. Trial participants were randomised to a 2-week course of dexamethasone or placebo in addition to receiving standard care (which could include surgery). The primary outcome measure of the trial is the modified Rankin Scale at 6 months. This pilot recruited ahead of target; 100 patients were recruited within nine months of commencement. 47% of screened patients consented to recruitment. The primary outcome measure was collected in 98% of patients. No safety concerns were raised by the independent data monitoring and ethics committe...

The sequential parallel comparison design (SPCD) has been proposed to increase the likelihood of success of clinical trials in therapeutic areas where high‐placebo response is a concern. The trial is run in two stages, and subjects are randomized into three groups: (i) placebo in both stages; (ii) placebo in the first stage and drug in the second stage; and (iii) drug in both stages. We consider the case of binary response data (response/no response). In the SPCD, all first‐stage and second‐stage data from placebo subjects who failed to respond in the first stage of the trial are utilized in the efficacy analysis. We develop 1 and 2 degree of freedom score tests for treatment effect in the SPCD. We give formulae for asymptotic power and for sample size computations and evaluate their accuracy via simulation studies. We compute the optimal allocation ratio between drug and placebo in stage 1 for the SPCD to determine from a theoretical viewpoint whether a single‐stage design, a two‐s...

In June 2017 a group of experts in anthropology, biology, kinesiology, neuroscience, physiology, and psychology convened in Canterbury, UK, to address questions relating to the placebo effect in sport and exercise. The event was supported exclusively by Quality Related (QR) funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). The funder did not influence the content or conclusions of the group. No competing interests were declared by any delegate. During the meeting and in follow-up correspondence, all delegates agreed the need to communicate the outcomes of the meeting via a brief consensus statement. The two specific aims of this statement are to encourage researchers in sport and exercise science to 1. Where possible, adopt research methods that more effectively elucidate the role of the brain in mediating the effects of treatments and interventions. 2. Where possible, adopt methods that factor for and/or quantify placebo effects that could explain a percentage ...

The tolerability of stevioside (2.75 mg/kg/day) obtained from leaves of Stevia rebaudiana (Bert) Bertoni (Compositae) was investigated in hyperlipidemic patients. For this purpose a placebo controlled double blind study was performed. The patients were randomized in two groups: the first group received capsules containing placebo and the second group received capsules containing stevioside (50 mg) during 90 days. All capsules were ingested twice daily, i.e., 2 capsules before lunch and 2 capsules before dinner. After the selection of the patients and each 30 days body mass index and laboratory tests (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein, very low density lipoprotein, triglycerides and glucose) were performed. Stevioside did not show any clinical relevant modification in all parameters investigated. Moreover the patients did not report severe adverse effect. Thus, we can c...

Glitazones induce peripheral edema through an unknown mechanism in up to 20% of cases. This study examines the effects of pioglitazone (PIO) on renal sodium handling and renal hemodynamics in healthy male volunteers (HV) exposed to a high (HS) and low (LS) sodium diet. The influence of PIO on plasma renin activity (PRA), aldosterone and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) was examined. Nine HV aged 22-28 y were enrolled. BMI, blood pressure and glucose tolerance were normal. The study had a double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled, twofold cross-over design. Each subject received either PIO 45 mg qd or placebo qd, for 6 weeks, with 2 weeks wash-out. From weeks 1-4, subjects were on their usual diet. During weeks 5 and 6, subjects were either on a LS or a HS diet for a week which was followed by ambulatory blood pressure measurements, hormonal measurements and renal function studies. The differences between PIO and placebo effects were examined (median, range among all subjects). No subject developed edema. Insulin sensitivity, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow or filtration fraction did not change significantly with PIO. Weight increased with PIO in 7/9 subjects while on a LS diet (0.7kg;-1-2.9) and in 6/9 while on a HS diet (1.1kg;-1.5-3.4). Median sodium (Na) excretion with placebo was of 21.2mmol/24h and 239.7mmol/24h respectively while on a LS and HS diet. Urinary Na excretion decreased with PIO in 6/9 subjects on a LS diet (-12.2mmol/24h;-21-8.7, pϭ0.05), and in 5/9 subjects on a HS diet (-30mmol/24h;-344-69). Na clearance decreased in 6/9 subjects on a LS diet (-0.05 ml/min;-0.11-0.05) and in 6/9 subjects on a HS diet (-0.15 mmol/ml;-2.7-0.4). Na clearance at the proximal level decreased with PIO in 8/9 subjects on a LS diet (-4.9 ml/min;-14.4-1.5, pϭ0.01) and in 5/9 subjects on a HS diet (-2 ml/min;-43-8.5). PRA increased with PIO in 8/9 subjects on a LS diet (0.16 ng/ml/h;-0.07-0.8, pϭ0.02) and on a HS diet (0.09 ng/ml/h;-0.1-0.21, pϭ0.03). Aldosterone increased in 5/9 subjects on a LS diet (6 pg/ml;-19-144) and in 6/9 subjects on a HS diet (5 pg/ml;-20-74). ANP levels did not change. In conclusion, pioglitazone increases PRA, independently from Na intake and favors Na retention in healthy volunteers. This mechanism could contribute to the development of edema in subjects treated with glitazones.

Background: The benefit of Ginkgo biloba has been discussed controversially. The aim of this review was to assess the effects of Ginkgo biloba in Alzheimer's disease as well as vascular and mixed dementia covering a variety of outcome domains. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane databases, CINAHL and PsycINFO for controlled trials of ginkgo for Alzheimer's, vascular or mixed dementia. Studies had to be of a minimum of 12 weeks duration with at least ten participants per group. Clinical characteristics and outcomes were extracted. Meta-analysis results were expressed as risk ratios or standardized mean differences (SMD) in scores. Results: Nine trials using the standardized extract EGb761® met our inclusion criteria. Trials were of 12 to 52 weeks duration and included 2372 patients in total. In the meta-analysis, the SMDs in change scores for cognition were in favor of ginkgo compared to placebo (-0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI]-1.14;-0.01, p = 0.04), but did not show a statistically significant difference from placebo for activities in daily living (ADLs) (SMD =-0.32, 95% CI-0.66; 0.03, p = 0.08). Heterogeneity among studies was high. For the Alzheimer subgroup, the SMDs for ADLs and cognition outcomes were larger than for the whole group of dementias with statistical superiority for ginkgo also for ADL outcomes (SMD =-0.44, 95% CI-0.77;-0.12, p = 0.008). Drop-out rates and side effects did not differ between ginkgo and placebo. No consistent results were available for quality of life and neuropsychiatric symptoms, possibly due to the heterogeneity of the study populations. Conclusions: Ginkgo biloba appears more effective than placebo. Effect sizes were moderate, while clinical relevance is, similar to other dementia drugs, difficult to determine.

Background: The benefit of Ginkgo biloba has been discussed controversially. The aim of this review was to assess the effects of Ginkgo biloba in Alzheimer's disease as well as vascular and mixed dementia covering a variety of outcome domains. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane databases, CINAHL and PsycINFO for controlled trials of ginkgo for Alzheimer's, vascular or mixed dementia. Studies had to be of a minimum of 12 weeks duration with at least ten participants per group. Clinical characteristics and outcomes were extracted. Meta-analysis results were expressed as risk ratios or standardized mean differences (SMD) in scores. Results: Nine trials using the standardized extract EGb761® met our inclusion criteria. Trials were of 12 to 52 weeks duration and included 2372 patients in total. In the meta-analysis, the SMDs in change scores for cognition were in favor of ginkgo compared to placebo (-0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI]-1.14;-0.01, p = 0.04), but did not show a statistically significant difference from placebo for activities in daily living (ADLs) (SMD =-0.32, 95% CI-0.66; 0.03, p = 0.08). Heterogeneity among studies was high. For the Alzheimer subgroup, the SMDs for ADLs and cognition outcomes were larger than for the whole group of dementias with statistical superiority for ginkgo also for ADL outcomes (SMD =-0.44, 95% CI-0.77;-0.12, p = 0.008). Drop-out rates and side effects did not differ between ginkgo and placebo. No consistent results were available for quality of life and neuropsychiatric symptoms, possibly due to the heterogeneity of the study populations. Conclusions: Ginkgo biloba appears more effective than placebo. Effect sizes were moderate, while clinical relevance is, similar to other dementia drugs, difficult to determine.

This paper describes a possible new scheme for a user with mental health problems to identify his/her own mental state and control it. For that purpose, we propose an indirect biofeedback system which represents physiological information with color and shape, and enables the user to grasp his/her inner state and to proactively change and control it through methods of breathing. Those methods facilitate the user to self-control the autonomic nervous system. Here, we discuss indirect representation and placebo effect.

Objetivo: el objetivo principal de este trabajo es estudiar la posibilidad de que sean empleados como sistema de liberación controlada de fármacos, discos de Hidroxiapatita (HA) cubana, fabricados por prensado y sinterizado en hornos eléctrico, sin el empleo de agentes formadores de poros, con porosidades aparentes de 12, 20 y 40%, que fueron dopados por sobre presión con una solución acuosa de alginato de sodio al 5 % y 55 ppm de ceftazidima. Métodos: se estudió la relación entre la penetración del polímero y la porosidad aparente con la liberación del fármaco. Resultados: se demostró que estos discos infiltrados con el polímero que encapsula el fármaco pueden ser utilizados como sistema de liberación controlada. Se demuestra que la porosidad aparente y el tamaño de los poros son influyentes en la penetración del polímero y la masa de fármaco liberado. Conclusiones: En las curvas de liberación obtenidas se observa que los discos pueden ser un potencial material para soportar medica...

Acknowledgements development of the Hypercritical Separation Technology. A special acknowledgment to the inventor of the Hypercritical Separation Technology, Engineer Umberto MANOLA. (both animal and human) and renewable energy. The process carries out the physical disaggregation of the plant tissues followed by multiple requires only a small amount of electric energy, i.e. about 20 kWh/t. When applied to the animal production sector, the HYST processing of corn