ALBERT

Description: The sense of coherence (according Aaron Antonovsky, 1923—1994, when a persons sense that his/her own life and the world are sufficiently comprehensible, manageable, and meaningful) of Austrian psychotherapists was assessed and compared with a standard sample, as well as with the sense of coherence (SOC) of members of other professions. In addition, the question as to whether psychotherapists who had completed more extensive individual training therapy/self-awareness sessions had a higher SOC than do those with fewer, was addressed. Forty psychotherapists who worked in private practices and various psychosocial health care institutions in Styria, Austria took part in the study. The investigation was conducted in the form of a questionnaire assessment. The evaluation showed that the overall SOC value of the professional group in question was significantly higher than that of the standard sample (162.3 vs. 145.7), as well as other samples (physicians: SOC = 153.8; teachers: SOC = 156.1; physiotherapists SOC = 158.1). Concerning whether psychotherapists who had completed more individual training therapy/self-awareness sessions had higher SOC values than did those with fewer, we found no difference in regard to the overall SOC score or SOC scores for individual components. The SOC of psychotherapists did not seem to depend on the number of additional training therapy/self-awareness sessions.

Description: Since a therapy's full positive effect and possible adverse effects are individual and not predictable for every single patient, scientists have been searching for methods to predict optimal effects of a therapy. This pilot study investigated the applicability of the “kinesiology muscle test” as a prognostic tool regarding effectiveness in a defined therapeutic procedure. Each of 11 test persons with elevated total cholesterol values received a naturopathic drug supposed to lower cholesterol level on a daily basis for eight consecutive weeks. Prior to treatment the “kinesiology muscle test” was performed, where the patient's ability to maintain a flexed position in a selected joint was evaluated. The resistance created by the patient against the tester's pressure was monitored. Being in touch with healthful or unhealthful chemical substances may, according to the kinesiology literature, increase or decrease this resistance. For testing purposes, the drug was placed onto the patients' skin. The ability of the brachioradial muscle to resist the tester's pressure was determined on a subjective scale (0-100%). The Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient between four variables (total cholesterol value before therapy, total cholesterol value after therapy, difference of total cholesterol values before and after therapy, prior to treatment kinesiology testing) was chosen. A significant correlation between the difference of total cholesterol values before-after and the prior to treatment test was found, as well as a significant correlation between the total cholesterol values after therapy and the prior to treatment kinesiology test.

Description: Artificial sweeteners, such as saccharin or cyclamic acid are synthetically manufactured sweetenings. Known for their low energetic value they serve especially diabetic and adipose patients as sugar substitutes. It has been hypothesized that the substitution of sugar with artificial sweeteners may induce a decrease of the blood glucose. The aim of this study was to determine the reliability of this hypothesis by comparing the influence of regular table sugar and artificial sweeteners on the blood glucose concentration. In this pilot-study 16 patients were included suffering from adiposity, pre-diabetes and hypertension. In the sense of a cross-over design, three test trials were performed at intervals of several weeks. Each trial was followed by a test free interval. Within one test trial each patient consumed 150 ml test solution (water) that contained either 6 g of table sugar (“Kandisin”) with sweetener free serving as control group. Tests were performed within 1 hr after lunch to ensure conditions comparable to patients having a desert. Every participant had to determine their blood glucose concentration immediately before and 5, 15, 30 and 60 minutes after the intake of the test solution. For statistics an analysis of variance was performed. The data showed no significant changes in the blood glucose concentration. Neither the application of sugar (F4;60= 1.645; p = .175) nor the consumption of an artificial sweetener (F2.068;31.023= 1.551; p 〉 .05) caused significant fluctuations in the blood sugar levels. Over a time frame of 60 minutes in the control group a significant decrease of the blood sugar concentration was found (F2.457;36.849= 4.005; p = .020) as a physiological reaction during lunch digestion.

Description: The influence of a highly diluted agitated, i.e. homeopathically prepared thyroxin solution (10-30, final concentration in the basin water 10-35parts by weight after the first application) on metamorphosis in lowland Rana temporaria from the spawn stage on was studied. The treatment with homeopathically prepared thyroxin solution (10-30) starts at the frogspawn stage. It represents a tool to learn more about the previously standardized amphibian model, where the thyroxin solution was applied from the two- legged stage on only. Lowland frogs were pretreated by immersing spawn in an aqueous molecular thyroxin dilution (10-8parts by weight). In later stages of development (2 to 4 legged), this has been found to speed up metamorphosis by around 15%. In accordance with the homeopathic idea of detoxication or cure, hyperstimulated animals (spawn or, in subsequence, larvae) were treated either with thyroxin that had been highly diluted and agitated in successive steps, i.e. homeopathically prepared (10-30), or analogously prepared blank solution (water). Development was monitored by documenting the number of animals that had entered the four-legged stage. It has been found that animals treated with the test solution metamorphosed more slowly than the control animals, i.e. the effect of the homeopathically prepared thyroxin was opposed to the usual effect of molecular thyroxin. The number of test animals that reached the 4- legged stage at defined points in time was slightly smaller in the group treated with homeopathically prepared thyroxin at some, but not at all points in time, compared to control. The results in this study sustain the previous multi researcher findings that highly diluted homeopathically prepared thyroxin is able to slow down metamorphosis ofRana temporaria.

Description: The influence of moderately diluted, agitated, i.e., homeopathically prepared, thyroxin solutions (10-11–10-12, final concentration in the basin water 0.6 × 10-15− 0.6 × 10-25parts by weight after the first application) on metamorphosis in highlandRana temporariafrom the two-legged stage was studied. In accordance with the homeopathic idea of effects of specially prepared dilutions being inverse to those of their mother substances, animals were treated either with thyroxin 10-11–10-21or analogously prepared blank solution (water). Development was monitored by documenting the number of animals that had entered the four-legged stage. It has been found that animals treated with the thyroxin solutions metamorphosed more slowly than the control animals, i.e., the effect of the homeopathically prepared thyroxin was opposed to the usual effect of molecular thyroxin. The number of test animals that reached the four-legged stage at defined points in time was smaller (2–13.5%) in the group treated with homeopathically prepared thyroxin at the points in time, compared to control. The results in this study sustain the previous multiresearcher findings that show that diluted homeopathically prepared thyroxin is able to slow down metamorphosis ofR. temporaria.

Description: According to Antonovsky's (Aaron Antonovsky, 1923–1994) sense of coherence (SOC) model, persons with a high SOC have the ability to benefit from their general defense mechanisms in order to overcome stressful situations. In a health-disease continuum, this leads to the development towards health. However, Antonovsky's global hypothesis that the strength of the SOC may influence the physical health status of a person could not be proven.Flensborg-Madsen et al. from Copenhagen were able to provide a new access regarding SOC and health. They investigated the mixture of emotional aspects and mental constructions as a possible cause for fairly low correlation between SOC and physical health. Thus, in an empirical way, they described “emotional coherence” in relation to physical health, while “mental coherence” was linked topsychologicalhealth. These authors introduced the idea of applying a shortened version of the original 29-item SOC questionnaire, but have not yet developed or tested the shortened questionnaire. Backed by their important findings, it appears to be promising to consider the use of the SOC questionnaire as standardized by Antonovsky, but cleared of the items regarding “predictability”, i.e., Flensborg-Madsen et al. suggested that the items on “predictability” be excluded from the SOC scale when a correlation to physical health is to be investigated. Further investigations in this area of research will be of high impact, not only for health sciences, but also for medical practice.

Description: The ABO blood group system was discovered by Karl Landsteiner in 1901. Since then, scientists have speculated on an association between different pathologies and the ABO blood group system. The aim of this pilot study was to determine the significance between different blood types of the ABO blood group system and certain pathologies. We included 237 patients with known diagnosis, blood group, sex, and age in the study. As a statistical method, the Chi-square test was chosen. In some cases, a significant association between the blood groups and defined diseases could be determined. Carriers of blood group O suffered from ulcus ventriculi and gastritis (X21 = 78.629, p

Description: 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.