Qigong improves quality of life for breast cancer patients, study suggests

Jan. 25, 2013 ? Researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have found qigong, an ancient mind-body practice, reduces depressive symptoms and improves quality of life in women undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer.

The study, published in the journal Cancer, is the first to examine qigong in patients actively receiving radiation therapy and include a follow-up period to assess benefits over time. Even though individual mind-body practices such as meditation and guided imagery appear to reduce aspects of distress and improve quality of life, questions remain about their effectiveness when conducted in conjunction with radiation therapy.

"We were also particularly interested to see if qigong would benefit patients experiencing depressive symptoms at the start of treatment," said Lorenzo Cohen, Ph.D., professor in MD Anderson's Departments of General Oncology and Behavioral Science and director of the Integrative Medicine Program. "It is important for cancer patients to manage stress because it can have a profoundly negative effect on biological systems and inflammatory profiles."

For the trial, Cohen, the corresponding author, and his colleagues enrolled 96 women with stage 1-3 breast cancer from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center in Shanghai, China. Forty-nine patients were randomized to a qigong group consisting of five 40-minute classes each week during their five-to-six week course of radiation therapy, while 47 women comprised a waitlist control group receiving the standard of care.

The program incorporated a modified version of Chinese medical qigong consisting of synchronizing one's breath with various exercises. As a practice, qigong dates back more than 4,000 years when it was used across Asia to support spiritual health and prevent disease.

Participants in both groups completed assessments at the beginning, middle and end of radiation therapy and then one and three months later. Different aspects of quality of life were measured including depressive symptoms, fatigue, sleep disturbances and overall quality of life.

Results show benefits emerged over time

Patients in the qigong group reported a steady decline in depressive symptom scores beginning at the end of radiation therapy with a mean score of 12.3, through the three month post-radiation follow-up with a score of 9.5. No changes were noted in the control group over time.

The study also found qigong was especially helpful for women reporting high baseline depressive symptoms, Cohen said.

"We examined women's depressive symptoms at the start of the study to see if women with higher levels would benefit more," Cohen said. "In fact, women with low levels of depressive symptoms at the start of radiotherapy had good quality of life throughout treatment and three months later regardless of whether they were in the qigong or control group. However, women with high depressive symptoms in the control group reported the worst levels of depressive symptoms, fatigue, and overall quality of life that were significantly improved for the women in the qigong group."

As the benefits of qigong were largely observed after treatment concluded, researchers suggest qigong may prevent a delayed symptom burden, or expedite the recovery process especially for women with elevated depressive symptoms at the start of radiotherapy.

Cohen notes the delayed effect could be explained by the cumulative nature of these modalities, as the benefits often take time to be realized.

Future research needed

The authors note several limitations to the study, including the absence of an active control group making it difficult to rule out whether or not the effects of qigong were influenced by a patient's expectations or simply being a light exercise. Additionally, the homogeneity of the group, Chinese women at a single site, limits the ability of applying the results to other populations.

According to the authors, the findings support other previously reported trials examining qigong benefits, but are too preliminary to offer clinical recommendations. Additional work is needed to understand the possible biological mechanisms involved and further explore the use of qigong in ethnically diverse populations with different forms of disease.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/Yoq1cPikIfA/130125142244.htm

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Two plots of Itasca County land to be preserved, studied, DNR says ...

Two plots of land in northern Itasca County officially have been classified as state Scientific and Natural Areas, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced Thursday.

The 58-acre "Little Too Much Lake SNA" contains two types of hardwood forest -- aspen-birch-red maple and sugar maple-basswood. The land also holds red and white pine, including trees more than 250 years old. The site also protects about 2,600 feet of natural lakeshore on north side of Little Too Much Lake.

The 84-acre "Potato Lake SNA" harbors old red pine and white pine uplands as well.

Both plots were donated to the state SNA program by Illinois resident Jerry Martin. They've become the newest of 158 SNAs across the state, most of them in northern Minnesota and many holding unique, rare and threatened species of trees, plants, animals and ecosystems.

The new SNAs are open to the public for hiking and other minimally intrusive activities, including fishing, skiing, hunting and bird watching. They are off-limits to camping, fires, ATVs, development or timber harvest and are intended to be areas for researchers to study as well as preserve valuable ecological assets.

"The landowner's commitment to land protection goes above and beyond anything I saw in my career," Steve Wilson, a retired DNR SNA specialist who helped establish the new SNAs, said. "Because of his discerning eye in purchasing undisturbed (waterfront) plant communities, and decades-long protection of them,

each tract is an ecological gem in its own right."

Wilson noted Martin has plans to donate five more parcels in the Itasca County area and already has donated two parcels to Wisconsin's land preservation efforts.

Source: http://www.twincities.com/minnesota/ci_22444493/two-plots-itasca-county-land-be-preserved-studied

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Worms: A Zimbabwe snack, from tree to dinner table

In this photo taken Sunday Jan. 16, 2013, Mpokuhle Ncube finds a mopane worm in a tree in Gwanda, Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe as well as most parts of southern Africa, mopane worms are a staple part of the diet in rural areas and are considered a delicacy in the cities. They can be eaten dry, as crunchy as potato chips, or cooked and drenched in sauce. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

In this photo taken Sunday Jan. 16, 2013, Mpokuhle Ncube finds a mopane worm in a tree in Gwanda, Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe as well as most parts of southern Africa, mopane worms are a staple part of the diet in rural areas and are considered a delicacy in the cities. They can be eaten dry, as crunchy as potato chips, or cooked and drenched in sauce. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

In this photo taken Monday Jan. 7, 2013, members of the Nkomo family eat a meal of mopane worms and cooked maize meal outside their home in Gwanda, Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe as well as most parts of southern Africa, mopane worms are a staple part of the diet in rural areas and are considered a delicacy in the cities. They can be eaten dry, as crunchy as potato chips, or cooked and drenched in sauce. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

In this photo taken Sunday Jan. 16, 2013, Amalinda Ndlovu shows her catch while harvesting mopane worms in Gwanda, Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe as well as most parts of southern Africa, mopane worms are a staple part of the diet in rural areas and are considered a delicacy in the cities. They can be eaten dry, as crunchy as potato chips, or cooked and drenched in sauce. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

In this photo taken Sunday Jan. 16, 2013, Mpokuhle Ncube hangs from a Mopane tree in search of mopane worms for harvesting in Gwanda, Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe as well as most parts of southern Africa, mopane worms are a staple part of the diet in rural areas and are considered a delicacy in the cities. They can be eaten dry, as crunchy as potato chips, or cooked and drenched in sauce. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

In this photo taken Monday Jan. 7, 2013, Mpokuhle Moyo with her baby on her back, carries a bucket full of mopane worms to her home in Gwanda, Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe as well as most parts of southern Africa, mopane worms are a staple part of the diet in rural areas and are considered a delicacy in the cities. They can be eaten dry, as crunchy as potato chips, or cooked and drenched in sauce. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

GWANDA, Zimbabwe (AP) ? In Zimbabwe as well as most parts of southern Africa, mopane worms are a staple part of the diet in rural areas and are considered a delicacy in the cities. They can be eaten dry, as crunchy as potato chips, or cooked and drenched in sauce. I decided to document the harvesting, preparation, sale and consumption of the worms, and found the preparation somewhat stomach-turning. But the worms can be mighty tasty and they're very nutritious. Here's everything you always wanted to know about mopane worms but were afraid to ask.

THE MOPANE WORM

The worm is the large caterpillar of the Gonimbrasia belina species, commonly called the emperor moth. It is known as a mopane worm because it is found chomping the leaves of mopane trees after it hatches in summer. It has also burrowed its way into literature, finding its way, for example, into the pages of Alexander McCall Smith's series about The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, set in neighboring Botswana. At least one of the characters munches on dried mopane worms.

THE HARVEST

After six weeks of rain, the mopane worms can be seen clinging to, and feeding on, the leaves of the mopane trees in rural Gwanda, an arid cattle-ranching area in southern Zimbabwe. Amanda Ncube normally fetches firewood to sell and looks after the family cattle, but when it's worm-harvesting season she joins other women and a few men in collecting the worms, which are as long as the width of two hands and as thick as a cigar. She slowly plucks them from the lower branches before climbing partway up the tree to shake off the higher ones. The more stubborn ones that cling to the leaves and branches are pried loose with a long stick. The worms excrete a brown liquid once they make contact with a human hand, leaving the pickers' hands wet and slippery. As they harvest the worms, the women and men move from one tree to another until their buckets are full. A thick slimy green fluid comes out as Ncube carefully squeezes out the entrails from a mopane worm she has just plucked from a tree. While some worms are prepared on site, other harvesters wait until they are back home where they squeeze out the entrails of the worms before leaving them to dry for a few days in the hot African sun. During harvest season, the porches of mud-walled homes are covered with thousands of worms, laid out to dry.

THE MARKET

At the local market, mopane worms are quite popular with residents who buy a cup or two of them and eat them immediately. The market is abuzz with activity, with most stalls strategically displaying the delicacy so people cannot miss them. Vendors offer free samples. The mopani worms are graded according to size and the area where they were harvested. Picky buyers ask about their provenance before buying, favoring worms from one district over another because, to the connoisseurs, worms from one area taste different from those from another.

HIGH PROTEIN

The mopane worm is a healthful and cheap source of nutrition.

A Zimbabwean nutritionist, Marlon Chidemo, says the worms are high in healthy nutrients and contain three times the amount of protein as beef. He says eating worms is less taxing on the environment than consuming beef because it takes far fewer leaves to produce worms than it does feed to produce the same amount of beef.

WORMY BUSINESS

Dried mopane worms have become a multimillion-dollar industry, even exported to countries like South Africa and Botswana. They can be found in African restaurants in Paris.

PREPARATION

Once they've been dried out, they can be eaten straight away. They can also be cooked in a spicy or peanut butter sauce and served with pap, a maize porridge.

Having grown up eating the mopane worms, I have never had the opportunity to see how they harvest and prepare them until now. While the process is rather disgusting, the worm can be a pleasure to eat as a starter or a side dish. The taste is reminiscent of salty potato chips. Malawi's first President Hastings Kamuzu Banda preferred his just like that, simply dried and then eaten as a snack like chips. Banda was known for carrying around pocketsful of worms that he would also offer to children.

A RECIPE

Here is a Congolese recipe that AP's special Africa correspondent Michelle Faul describes as "one of the tastiest" for mopane worms.

Mopani Worms for four people.

Ingredients: 500 grams dried mopane worms; three tomatoes, diced or 1 can of tomatoes; two onions, diced; 1/2 teaspoon turmeric; three fresh green chilies, finely chopped; three cloves of garlic, finely chopped; tablespoon of fresh ginger, finely chopped. Soak dried worms in water for 3-4 hours to reconstitute. Fry onions in groundnut oil on medium heat until translucent. Add turmeric, chilies, garlic and ginger. Fry for about five minutes. Add tomatoes and cook on low for about 20 minutes until spices are well blended. Add drained worms and cook until they have softened a bit but still are a little crunchy. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with pap, called sadza in Zimbabwe. Enjoy.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2013-01-24-Zimbabwe-Worms!/id-f219fa1d410648b7b34214c3db250775

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Wayward dolphin makes splash in polluted NYC canal

A dolphin surfaces in the Gowanus Canal in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. The New York City Police Dept. said animal experts were waiting to see if the dolphin would leave on its own during the evening's high tide. If not, they plan to lend a hand on Saturday morning. According to authorities at the scene, the dolphin appeared to be adventurous, rather than stranded.(AP Photo/Richard Drew)

A dolphin surfaces in the Gowanus Canal in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. The New York City Police Dept. said animal experts were waiting to see if the dolphin would leave on its own during the evening's high tide. If not, they plan to lend a hand on Saturday morning. According to authorities at the scene, the dolphin appeared to be adventurous, rather than stranded.(AP Photo/Richard Drew)

A dolphin surfaces in the Gowanus Canal in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. The New York City Police Dept. said animal experts were waiting to see if the dolphin would leave on its own during the evening's high tide. If not, they plan to lend a hand on Saturday morning. According to authorities at the scene, the dolphin appeared to be adventurous, rather than stranded. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

A dolphin surfaces in the Gowanus Canal with debris on its nose, in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. The New York City Police Dept. said animal experts were waiting to see if the dolphin would leave on its own during the evening's high tide. If not, they plan to lend a hand on Saturday morning. According to authorities at the scene, the dolphin appeared to be adventurous, rather than stranded.(AP Photo/Richard Drew)

A dolphin surfaces in the Gowanus Canal in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. The New York City Police Dept. said animal experts were waiting to see if the dolphin would leave on its own during the evening's high tide. If not, they plan to lend a hand on Saturday morning. According to authorities at the scene, the dolphin appeared to be adventurous, rather than stranded.(AP Photo/Richard Drew)

A dolphin surfaces in the Gowanus Canal in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. The New York City Police Dept. said animal experts were waiting to see if the dolphin would leave on its own during the evening's high tide. If not, they plan to lend a hand on Saturday morning. According to authorities at the scene, the dolphin appeared to be adventurous, rather than stranded.(AP Photo/Richard Drew)

NEW YORK (AP) ? A wayward dolphin has been making a splash in a polluted New York City canal.

Friday's deep-freeze weather didn't seem to faze the dolphin as it swam around in the Gowanus (guh-WAH'-nuhs) Canal, which runs 1.5 miles through a narrow industrial zone near some of Brooklyn's wealthiest neighborhoods.

Bundled-up onlookers took cellphone photos. A news helicopter hovered overhead.

The dolphin appears to be about 7 feet long. It has surfaced periodically and shaken black gunk from its snout in the polluted water.

The New York Police Department says animal experts are waiting to see if the dolphin leaves the canal on its own during the evening's high tide. If not, they plan to lend a hand Saturday.

The filthy canal was named a Superfund site in 2010, meaning the government can force polluters to pay for its restoration.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-01-25-Dolphin%20in%20Canal/id-e7d7db74977144df8b53758bef3efee6

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Watch: Toddler Survives After Pencil Pierces Her Skull

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In New Hampshire a baby girl is on the road to recovery just two weeks after a freak accident nearly killed -- Twenty month old Olivia Smith was on -- -- coloring with her new pencils. When she fell a bright orange pencil pierced her skull penetrating four inches into her brain. I didn't say anything but I remember my three year old saying the pencils and her head Hugo and had a forty -- -- on the corner of the side. It was it was there's about two and a half -- recruit coming out I'm sticking out. Olivia suffered a stroke in the hospital but is now recovering surgeons say the pencil picked up perfect -- -- -- -- -- -- Just missing the optic nerve and all major. Arteries.

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/pencil-pierces-skull-of-new-hampshire-toddler-18302085

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Dems, GOP may be near end of filibuster dispute

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Senators may be nearing an end to their partisan dispute over curbing unlimited delays called filibusters.

Whatever the resolution, it probably won't require filibustering senators to debate on the Senate floor until exhaustion, like the actor Jimmy Stewart did in the movie "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

Senate aides say lawmakers could compromise as soon as Thursday on modest limits on filibusters, which a party in the minority uses to kill legislation. If no deal is reached, Democrats may push a package of changes that would place mild restraints on the practice.

Some newer Democratic senators want to require filibustering lawmakers to talk continuously as Stewart did in the 1939 film. But No. 2 Senate Democratic leader Dick Durbin says Democrats lack the votes for that aggressive change.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-01-23-US-Senate-Filibuster-Fight/id-90480788b7714d60afcf650ea3ec8ed3

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Academic publisher Versita launches Open Access Book Series with inaugural title by Oleg Tarnopolsky

Public release date: 23-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Maria Hrynkiewicz
maria@versita.com
48-660-476-421
Versita

Understanding that books continue to play a vital role as educational materials for students and practitioners, Versita is committed to bringing back the academic monograph alongside more equitable distribution of knowledge

Academic publisher Versita launches its Open Access Book Series with inaugural title by Oleg Tarnopolsky: "Constructivist Blended Learning Approach to Teaching English for Specific Purposes". This recently published monograph analyzes an innovative approach to teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in tertiary education. Dubbed as "constructivist blended learning approach" the method is based on students "constructing" for themselves their own knowledge and professional communication skills in English by making extensive use of Internet sites in English, combining traditional in-class learning with in- and out-of-class learning through the Internet (blended learning). Dr. Tarnopolsky offers a thorough analysis of the principal forms of learning activities in English for this approach.

Oleg Tarnopolsky (Doctor of Pedagogy, Fulbright Awards, 1994 and 2005) is Full Professor at Alfred Nobel University, Dnepropetrovsk (Ukraine) where he heads the Department of Applied Linguistics and Methods in Foreign Language Teaching. His research and publications focus on different aspects of language teaching. He is the author of more than 250 works (books, articles, textbooks) on teaching English as a foreign language published in his home country and across Europe, in Canada and in China.

The new title has already been acclaimed by fellow researchers, Prof. Jamie Schissel from the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, at Temple University, PA, among them, who recommends the book as " an excellent guide between theory and practice for ESP pedagogies". Schiessel points out at the well-organized structure of the book as well as "thorough reviews of literature and examples of classroom activities" that make the content "accessible for instructors of ESP, students preparing to teach ESP, curriculum designers, and university policymakers interested in integrating ESP into their programs". Schissel further observes that "the organization of each of the chapters allows readers to first be exposed to theories framing the chapter's theme before delving into systematically organized examples. Alternative, a reader could use the text as a reference by first selecting a sample lesson and then return to a previous part of the chapter to discover how that activity is situated in relation to learning theories or teaching methods".

The above mentioned approach is also enthusiastically received by Bridget Goodman from Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania, who notes in her review of the book, that: "Tarnopolsky synthesizes theories developed over decades in the TESOL and psychology field, and shows how they apply both to the constructivist blended learning approach and to the teaching of English for Specific Purposes at the university level". Goodman, herself an avid advocate of ESP, writes: "I am familiar with ESP literature which recommends that foreign language teachers consult with specialists in their department to develop teaching materials, but Tarnopolsky is the only author I've seen who has developed full surveys of individuals in the field. He is also the first to suggest simultaneously developing students' language skills and their professional identity through a "big picture" approach to ESP curriculum development." Concluding on her review Goodman praises the author's "inimitable and readable" writing style that makes this book a truly enjoyable read.

Commenting on the Open Access Books initiative, Dr. Agata Morka, Product Manager, Books at Versita, says: "I believe that this form of publishing might change the status quo of the academic monograph, revive it and make it flourish again. Ultimately, books are written to be read and open access publishing gives authors an opportunity to reach an audience wider than the usual hermetic group of researchers. Rather than gathering dust on library shelves, Dr. Tarnopolsky's book has a chance to gather a diverse group of readers from all over the world, no matter what their economic or geographical circumstances might be."

###

The book is available to download and read on: www.versita.com/cblaeng

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 23-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Maria Hrynkiewicz
maria@versita.com
48-660-476-421
Versita

Understanding that books continue to play a vital role as educational materials for students and practitioners, Versita is committed to bringing back the academic monograph alongside more equitable distribution of knowledge

Academic publisher Versita launches its Open Access Book Series with inaugural title by Oleg Tarnopolsky: "Constructivist Blended Learning Approach to Teaching English for Specific Purposes". This recently published monograph analyzes an innovative approach to teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in tertiary education. Dubbed as "constructivist blended learning approach" the method is based on students "constructing" for themselves their own knowledge and professional communication skills in English by making extensive use of Internet sites in English, combining traditional in-class learning with in- and out-of-class learning through the Internet (blended learning). Dr. Tarnopolsky offers a thorough analysis of the principal forms of learning activities in English for this approach.

Oleg Tarnopolsky (Doctor of Pedagogy, Fulbright Awards, 1994 and 2005) is Full Professor at Alfred Nobel University, Dnepropetrovsk (Ukraine) where he heads the Department of Applied Linguistics and Methods in Foreign Language Teaching. His research and publications focus on different aspects of language teaching. He is the author of more than 250 works (books, articles, textbooks) on teaching English as a foreign language published in his home country and across Europe, in Canada and in China.

The new title has already been acclaimed by fellow researchers, Prof. Jamie Schissel from the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, at Temple University, PA, among them, who recommends the book as " an excellent guide between theory and practice for ESP pedagogies". Schiessel points out at the well-organized structure of the book as well as "thorough reviews of literature and examples of classroom activities" that make the content "accessible for instructors of ESP, students preparing to teach ESP, curriculum designers, and university policymakers interested in integrating ESP into their programs". Schissel further observes that "the organization of each of the chapters allows readers to first be exposed to theories framing the chapter's theme before delving into systematically organized examples. Alternative, a reader could use the text as a reference by first selecting a sample lesson and then return to a previous part of the chapter to discover how that activity is situated in relation to learning theories or teaching methods".

The above mentioned approach is also enthusiastically received by Bridget Goodman from Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania, who notes in her review of the book, that: "Tarnopolsky synthesizes theories developed over decades in the TESOL and psychology field, and shows how they apply both to the constructivist blended learning approach and to the teaching of English for Specific Purposes at the university level". Goodman, herself an avid advocate of ESP, writes: "I am familiar with ESP literature which recommends that foreign language teachers consult with specialists in their department to develop teaching materials, but Tarnopolsky is the only author I've seen who has developed full surveys of individuals in the field. He is also the first to suggest simultaneously developing students' language skills and their professional identity through a "big picture" approach to ESP curriculum development." Concluding on her review Goodman praises the author's "inimitable and readable" writing style that makes this book a truly enjoyable read.

Commenting on the Open Access Books initiative, Dr. Agata Morka, Product Manager, Books at Versita, says: "I believe that this form of publishing might change the status quo of the academic monograph, revive it and make it flourish again. Ultimately, books are written to be read and open access publishing gives authors an opportunity to reach an audience wider than the usual hermetic group of researchers. Rather than gathering dust on library shelves, Dr. Tarnopolsky's book has a chance to gather a diverse group of readers from all over the world, no matter what their economic or geographical circumstances might be."

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The book is available to download and read on: www.versita.com/cblaeng

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Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-01/v-apv012313.php

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