Roeland Van Wijk

An Introduction to Human Biophoton Emission

Background: Biophoton emission is the spontaneous emission of ultraweak light emanating from all living systems, including man. The emission is linked to the endogenous production of excited states within the living system. The detection and characterisation of human biophoton emission has led to suggestions that it has potential future applications in medicine. Objectives: An overview is presented of studies on ultraweak photon emission (UPE, biophotons) from the human whole body. Methods: Electronic searches of Medline, PsychLit, PubMed and references lists of relevant review articles and books were used to establish the literature database. Articles were then analysed for their main experimental setup and results. Results: The, mostly, single case studies have resulted in a collection of observations. The collection presents information on the following fields of research: (1) influence of biological rhythms, age, and gender on emission, (2) the intensity of emission and its left-right symmetry in health and disease, (3) emission from the perspective of Traditional Chinese and Korean Medicine, (4) emission in different consciousness studies, (5) procedures for analysis of the photon signal from hands, (6) detection of peroxidative processes in the skin. Of each article the main findings are presented in a qualitative manner, quantitative data are presented where useful, and the technological or methodological limitations are discussed. Conclusion: Photon emission recording techniques have reached a stage that allows resolution of the signal in time and space. The published material is presented and includes aspects like spatial resolution of intensity, its relation to health and disease, the aspect of colour, and methods for analysis of the photon signal. The limited number of studies only allows first conclusions about the implications and significance of biophotons in relation to health and disease, or to mental states, or acupuncture. However, with the present data we consider that further research in the field is justified.

FACTORS CONTROLLING THE RHYTHMIC CONTRACTION OF COLLAGEN GELS BY NEONATAL HEART CELLS

SummaryA floating collagen matrix culture of neonatal rat heart myocardial cells shows rhythmic contractions which are dependent on localization of cells, cell density, and collagen concentration. The rhythmic contractions of the collagen matrix can be registered by a device scanning the optical density at the edge of the gel and have been observed over a temperature range from 9° to 40° C. The results of the present study underline the usefulness of myocardial cell populated collagen matrixes for studies on coherent contractions of heart cell cultures.

Effect of sodium butyrate on the hepatoma cell cycle: Possible use for cell synchronization

SummaryExposure of HTC cells to sodium butyrate caused inhibition of growth. The site of growth inhibition was studied by time-lapse cinematography and [3H]thymidine incorporation studies. Evidence is presented that sodiunm butyrate affected the cell cycle at a specific point immediately after mitosis. Inasmuch as it does not modify the interphase duration after its removal, butyrate may be used for HTC synchronization.

Light-Induced photon emission by rat hepatocytes and hepatoma cells

We have investigated spontaneous and light-induced photon emission of suspensions of rat hepatocytes and of HTC hepatoma cells. Rat hepatocytes exhibit spontaneous biophoton emission, but from hepatoma cells this was not detectable. In contrast, after irradiation with white light, the reemission intensity was found to be lower for hepatocytes than for the tumor cell line.Induced photon emission was neither influenced by anaerobiosis nor by the intactness of the cells. Cell-fractionation studies demonstrate that the induced photon emission was caused by the nuclear fraction and by isolated chromatin. Phenol-extracted DNA, however, has lost this capacity. Our data suggest that differences in the chromatin structure may explain the cell-specific induced photon emission.

Thermotolerance induced by heat and ethanol.

The effect of ethanol and heat on the thermosensitivity of 3-day-old larvae of the fresh water snail Lymnaea stagnalis is investigated, especially with regard to the kinetics of thermotolerance, the effect on protein synthesis and the pattern of proteins synthesized. Both stress factors, in a mild dose, induce a state of thermotolerance with the following characteristics: (i) it is not accompanied by an enhanced synthesis of HSPs, (ii) it needs only 10-30 min to develop maximally, and (iii) it decays within 60-90 min after it has been triggered. At a higher dose both factors induce an enhanced synthesis of the HSP 65, HSP 70, and HSP 87, and also a more stable state of thermotolerance beside the thermotolerant state present shortly after the trigger. It appears that the synthesis of HSPs is enhanced only when the overall protein synthesis is depressed. The data are discussed in relation to the putative functions of heat shock proteins. It is suggested that the constitutive levels of the HSPs provide the rapid protection against heat. An induced level of HSPs is necessary for the extension of the thermotolerant state.

Spontaneous ultra-weak photon emission from human hands varies diurnally

The present paper recorded spontaneous ultra weak photon emission of five subjects at palm and dorsal sides of both left and right hands in a 24 h period. Data demonstrate that intensity as well as left-right symmetry varies diurnally. Emission intensity is low during the day, rises during the evening and is high during the night. Time patterns for left and right hand are different. The left-right symmetry shifts in the evening. Data are explained within the concept of a regulatory role of the photon field in human physiology. However, other explanations cannot be excluded.

Increase of epidermal growth factor-stimulated cell-cycle progression and induction of thermotolerance by heat shock: Temperature and time relationship

When quiescent confluent cultures were incubated at increased temperature and then incubated at 37 degrees C prior to a second increase of temperature (46 degrees C) it appeared that heat-induced morphological alteration and ability to proliferate could be influenced by the previous thermal history of the cells. Incubations for 20 min in a temperature range of 41-46 degrees C caused cells to develop thermo-tolerance within 3 h of incubation at 37 degrees C. Confluent quiescent Swiss mouse 3T3 cells were incubated at 41.8, 43.7 or 45.6 degrees C and then reincubated at 37 degrees C to determine the effects of heat shock on the mitogenic effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF). Preincubation at 43.7 degrees C or 45.6 degrees C enhanced stimulation of G1-S progression by EGF. Preincubation at 43.7 degrees C markedly increased the rate at which cells enter the S phase without changing the length of the lag phase. A comparison of the duration of incubation at 43.7 degrees C for potentiation of EGF-induced DNA synthesis and that for induction of thermotolerance showed that a similar time interval for induction of effect could be implied.

Review of the use of high potencies in basic research on homeopathy

The HomBRex database includes details of about 1500 basic research experiments in homeopathy. A general overview on the experiments listed in the HomBRex database is presented, focusing on high dilutions and the different settings in which those were used. Though often criticised, many experiments with remedies diluted beyond Avogadros number demonstrate specific effects. A total of 830 experiments employing high potencies was found; in 745 experiments of these (90%), at least one positive result was reported. Animals represent the most often used model system (n=371), followed by plants (n=201), human material (n=92), bacteria and viruses (n=37) and fungi (n=32). Arsenicum album (Ars.) is the substance most often applied (n=101), followed by Sulphur (Sulph.) and Thuja (Thuj.) (n=65 and 48, respectively). Proving, prophylactic and therapeutic study designs have all been used and appear appropriate for homeopathy basic research using high dilutions. The basic research data set to support specific effects unique to high dilutions and opposite to those observed with low dilutions is, to date, insufficient.

Arsenite induced sensitization and self-tolerance of Reuber H35 hepatoma cells

Our data show that a short incubation with arsenite (30–300 μM) induces a biphasic change in ceSlular sensitivity towards a second exposure to arsenite. A transient sensitization was followed by the development of self-tolerance. Sensitization was measured using the step-down protocol; i.e., application of a high dose of arsenite pretreatment (100 or 300 μM) followed immediately by incubation in a low dose of arsenite (1–30 μM), with extensive rinsing in between. Whereas no effect of 1 and 3 μM on cellular survival is observed without pretreatment, a large decrease in cell survival can be established when these low doses of arsenite are applied immediately after a 1 hr pretreatment with 100 or 300 arsenite.According to the step-down protocol, a high dose of toxic compounds is applied and is followed by prolonged incubation in a lower concentration of the initial toxic compound. This might be a more accurate model for studying the effects of toxic insults on cells and organisms in the manner in which they occur in their natural environment. The level of tolerance was determined by a 1 hr test treatment with 300 pM arsenite applied at different times after pretreatment. Using this fractionated treatment protocol, it was established that tolerance increases with the increasing time intervals between the sodium arsenite treatments, during the 6 hr studied.These observations suggest that sensitization gradually decreases, whereas tolerance develops. Furthermore, our data indicate that the condition of pretreatment determines the extent to which the early sensitivity increases, as well as the development of tolerance later on. A relatively high arsenite concentration leads to more sensitized cells, which are transformed into more tolerant cells in comparison with the effect of a lower arsenite concentration.

Thermotolerance induced by 2,4-dinitrophenol

The capacity of 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) to induce thermotolerance in 3-day-old larvae of Lymnaea has been investigated. Induction of thermotolerance is dependent on the DNP concentration, the duration of treatment, and on the pH of the medium. Optimal conditions for the induction of thermotolerance are 10 min, 2.5 mM DNP at pH 4.7. Thermotolerance has been expressed in percentages of survival. Thermotolerance is maximal at 15 min after DNP treatment and decreases subsequently. DNP suppresses protein synthesis. Recovery starts 20 min after treatment, when thermotolerance is decreasing already. DNP does not induce the synthesis of the typical heat shock proteins (HSPs). It is concluded that DNP induces a state of thermotolerance of short duration, which is not accompanied by HSP synthesis.