Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine
Volume 8, Issue 2, April 2018, Pages 289-295
A technology developed from concept of acupuncture and meridian system, the clinical effect of BIOCERAMIC resonance on psychological related sleep disturbance with findings on questionnaire, EEG and fMRI
Lei Zhang (a), Paul Chan (b), Zhong Min Liu (c), Yi Li Tseng (d), C. WillChen (e), Ming Tse Lin (e), Wing P. Chan (f),Ting-Kai Leung (g,h)
a. Department of Radiology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
b. Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
c. Department of Cardiac Surgery, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
d. Department of Electrical Engineering, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan
e. Department of Bioengineering, Tatung University, No. 40, Sec. 3, Zhongshan N. Road, Taipei, 104, Taiwan
f. Department of Radiology, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
g. Department of Radiology, Taoyuan General Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, No. 1492, Zhongshan Rd., Taoyuan Dist., Taoyuan, 330, Taiwan
h. Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, College of Medical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
Abstract
Under the concept of meridian channels that belongs to traditional Chinese medicine, BIOCERAMIC Resonance (BR) has already been applied to many clinical medical research projects with functions mimicking of traditional acupuncture. Forty-five patients were recruited with chronic sleep disorders; 36 patients were given, applied to the device with BIOCERAMIC material and sound rhythm on chest skin surface; 9 patients were included as controls. All study participants completed a sleep pattern and quality of life questionnaire (assessment on psychological and physical causes of sleep disturbances), which was repeated before, during and after treatment. Electroencephalograph (EEG) recordings were analyzed before, during and after treatment. Functional MRI (fMRI) was also used for demonstration of BR effect for another 8 candidates. During the first 3 days of treatment, sleep quality improved in all 36 patients especially to psychological reasons; in 91.7% (33/36) treatment was associated with an elevation in the beta spectrum of the EEG (at 15–27 Hz). The result of fMRI found corresponding cerebral and cerebellar areas of activation and deactivation. BIOCERAMIC Resonance can improve sleep disorder due to psychological causes, with transient alter brain wave activity and functional activation on specific locations of brain.
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https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2225411017300445Excerpts:
“The rationale to conduct this research is due to our clinical observation and impression of beneficial effect on sleep quality, when our candidates were received BIOCERAMIC treatment. Thus, we were decided to perform a study to assess the possible improvement of sleep disorder by BIOCERAMIC Resonance.”
“Although usually associated with the use of needles, acupuncture techniques can also include the use of magnets, low-power lasers, heat, ultrasound, manual pressure and electrical stimulation (electro-acupuncture). The application of BIOCERAMIC material includes an unexplained phenomenon of biological effect can be transmitted by sound wave and light propagation.7 In the past, we had conducted preclinical and clinical studies on the properties and applications of LED emitted light to pass through BIOCERAMIC material, including change of skin's electricity conductance properties, when applied to traditional acupuncture points.13, 14, 15 We have previously undertaken preclinical and clinical studies which have shown that the application of BIOCERAMIC materials promotes the microcirculation in patients13 and upregulates calcium-dependent nitric oxide and calmodulin in cell lines in vitro16 through calcium-dependent nitric oxide synthase.16, 17 In a series of recent clinical studies, we found the application of BIOCERAMIC materials reduced neck muscle stiffness, relieved musculoskeletal disorders, and improved the recovery of resting cardiac and respiratory rates following exercise.18, 19 The application of BIOCERAMIC materials has been shown to increase parasympathetic activity.20, 21
“About BIOCERAMIC material, it is produce a weak energy field with no ionized radiation, which is enhanced and propagated through sound wave. BICOERAMIC material was proven to have weakening effects on hydrogen bonds and can alter the characteristics of liquid water.22, 23, 24 Furthermore, significant findings of the effects of BIOCERAMIC in different cell experiments, animal experiments and human trials, particularly in the promotion of microcirculation, were also found and reproduced.16 Based on Wang's deduction, the energy of a twelfth frequency is the sum of the energies of the eleven harmonic frequencies.21, 25 According to series of publications by Wang et al, the harmonic rhythmic sound frequencies of the heartbeat are the main frequency components of the propagated pressure wave and correspond to the twelve meridian channels of TCM. Acupuncture points and meridian channels are thought to be closely related to microcirculation.16, 21 BIOCERAMIC Resonance is the technology of combining sound waves using specific frequency beats in conjunction with our proprietary BIOCERAMIC material which offers a new kind of clinical application on traditional Chinese medicine.21 Described in our previous publication, candidates received BIOCERAMIC Resonance with rhythmic sound set at different tempo output that designed for resonance with aforementioned harmonic rhythmic sound frequencies of the heartbeat that corresponding to three dimension standing waves that what we believed as twelve meridian channels of TCM.14, 15, 21, 26 During the rhythmic sound tempo being resonance with the specific standing wave arise from harmonic rhythmic sound frequency of heartbeat, it intensify the energy propagation of energy field of BIOCERAMIC. Under operation BIOCERAMIC Resonance, candidates may experience 'Propagated Sensation along Meridians' (PSM), our results seem to suggest that BIOCERAMIC Resonance stimulates the twelve main meridian channels according to TCM.14, 15, 21, 26
“Our previous publication has already proven that the BIOCERAMIC Resonance device can facilitate microcirculation and elicited ‘propagated sensation along meridians’ (PSM), under the concept of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Beside, candidates with insomnia, migraine, anxiety, benign facial tremor, low back pain, muscular paralysis, lower leg edema and poor wound healing of lower extremity, were clinical improved.14, 15, 21, 26 The purpose of this study is to find the possibility of clinical benefit of BIOCERAMIC Resonance on sleep disturbance, assess by questionnaire, EEG and fMRI.”
“The BIOCERAMIC powder used in this study...was composed of microscopic particles produced from several types of elemental oxides. BIOCERAMIC powder13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 was used as 10% of a mixture with silicone rubber (Bioenergy Development Ltd, Taoyuan, Taiwan)to produce a membrane with a sponge-like density, capable of sound transmission. To choose the suitable frequency for our experiment, we reviewed previous articles and studies on the effects of different frequencies. A study by G. Rasmussen found that sound rhythm from 1 to 20 Bps are the most effective.27 We selected 10 Bps (mean value of 1–20 Bps) as the first sound rhythmic setting to prove our BIOCERAMIC Resonance device for this study to investigate the effects on patients with poor sleep quality.
“BIOCERAMIC Resonance is the device sound rhythm generator producing 10 Bps with 10% BIOCERAMIC material mixed with silicone rubber and was capable of producing BIOCERAMIC Resonance effect. The rhythmic vibration source was at about 30 cm above the skin surface of the chest and the average sound level was 50 dB.21"
“We decide the ratio of 'experimental group to control group' as '4 to 1'; thus, 36 patients underwent BIOCERAMIC with 10 Bps and 9 control subjects received sound rhythm (SR) at 10 Bps without BIOCERAMIC.”
“As far as we know, this is the first clinical study with preliminary data that proving a BIOCERAMIC Resonance can objectively improving sleep disorder due to psychological causes, but not significant effective to sleep disorders due to physical causes. Beside, BIOCERAMIC Resonance can transient alter brain wave activity, conducted by questionnaire for sleep-quality assessment correlating with EEG and fMRI monitoring. BIOCERAMIC Resonance has a high potential to act as an adjuvant treatment to chemical drug on chronic sleep disturbance.”
