Marcelo Saad

Distant Healing by the Supposed Vital Energy – Scientific Bases

Today in conventional medicine, electromagnetic energy is vastly used for diagnostic and curative purposes. For example, transcranial magnetic stimulation (the magnetic energy pulses through the skull), promotes modulation of neuronal activity in the limbic system for the treatment of depression. But some therapeutic practices encompass the manipulation of a supposed vital energy (SVE). This is a putative form of energy, hypothetic, yet to be detected, that is believed to be present in all living beings. According to these practices, living beings are infused with a subtle form of energy and the health would be modulated by the balance of this energy in the organism, achieved by natural exchange with the environment and harmonious distribution through the body. It is suggested that these energies may be accessed in various ways for therapeutic interventions

Avaliação da postura e dos movimentos articulares dos membros superiores de pacientes pós-mastectomia e linfadenectomia

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate alterations in posture and range of motion of the upper limbs in women after mastectomy and lymphadenectomy, submitted to radiotherapy as adjuvant treatment. Methods: Two groups were evaluated: 16 post-mastectomy women with lymphedema of the upper limb and 14 post-mastectomy women without lymphedema. Patients were submitted to analysis made by software, one for posture and the other to measure ranges of movement of the shoulder, elbow, and wrists. The results obtained were compared between the right and left sides, and operated and non-operated sides, and then were submitted to statistical tests. Results: Both groups presented with anteriorization of the trunk. The women with lymphedema had head rotation to the right, protrusion of the left shoulder, and trunk inclination angle smaller on the operated side, besides bilateral elevation of the scapula when compared to the group with no lymphedema. Changes in range of motion were also smaller on the operated side in terms of flexion, abduction, and external rotation of the shoulder for all women, and for those with lymphedema, elbow extension and wrist flexion had a smaller range of motion. Conclusion: Women submitted to mastectomy presented with asymmetries and modifications in posture, and lymphedema seemed to worsen this condition. Additionally, they had deficits in range of motion in the shoulders on the operated side. Women with lymphedema also showed deficits in the elbows and wrist.

Spiritual-Religious Coping – Health Services Empowering Patients’ Resources

It is known that health is determined by physical, mental, social, and spiritual factors. During the last decades there has been a considerable increase in the number of studies showing positive associations between spirituality-religiosity and health. The most important works in that area began it be deeds in the 1980 decade and are increasing worldwide. Scientific literature have recorded that spiritual well-being is associated with better physical and mental health, according to psycho-neuro-immune models of health. Spirituality and religion can help patients, their families and caregivers dealing with illness and other stressful life events.

Complementary Therapies – Considerations Before Recommend, Tolerate or Proscribe Them

© 2012 de Medeiros and Saad, licensee InTech. This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Complementary Therapies – Considerations Before Recommend, Tolerate or Proscribe Them

Acupuncture for Inpatients in General Hospitals – Special Features of this Service

Acupuncture and related techniques have increasingly been offered in conventional medical settings in Western societies. The number of patients seeking acupuncture therapy has increase [Chernyak et al 2005]. Acupuncture has become a thriving and notable part of ordinary healthcare systems. The contact of Acupuncture with the Western culture created the concept of Western acupuncture that is an adaptation of Chinese acupuncture using knowledge of anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, and pathology. Acupuncture in hospital became an integrated complementary therapy. Its efficacy is scientifically based, its a medical specialty and, recently, is considered for coverage by insurance companies of health. Acupuncture as treatment for inpatients has potential to support recovery, to abreviate the period of hospitalization and avoid unnecessary surgeries [SantaAna 2001]. However, few general hospitals offer this service and the scientific literature that describes this activity is practically nonexistent.

The continuum of mind-body interplay from small daily wonders to great rare miracles

T study aimed to analyze and compare the stability of two dental posts cemented with four different luting agents by examining their shear stress transfer through the FEM. 83-dimensional finite element models of a maxillary central incisor restored with glass fiber and Ni-Cr alloy caste dental posts. Each dental post was luted with zinc phosphate, panavia resin, super bond C&B resin and glass ionomer materials. Finite element models were constructed and oblique loading of 100N was applied. The distribution of shear stress was investigated at posts and cement/dentine interfaces using ABAQUS/CAE software. The peak shear stress for glass fiber post models minimized approximately three to four times of those for Ni-Cr alloy cast post models. There was negligible difference in peak of shear stress when various cements were compared irrespective of post materials. The shear stress had same trend for all cement materials. This study found that the glass fiber dental post reduced the shear stress concentration at interfacial of post and cement/dentine compared to Ni-Cr alloy cast dental post.