Liver

The liver plays a major role in metabolism and has a number of functions in the body including detoxification, glycogen storage and plasma protein synthesis. It also produces bile which is important for digestion. It´s main function may be in accommodation of our organism to our surroundings. Therefore also the feelings are so important to the liver. In traditional chinese medicine the liver is our temper, or our heat.

Medical terms related to the liver often start in hepato- or hepatic from the Greek word hepar. The adult human liver normally weighs between 1.0 - 2.5 kilograms. It is unique and the only human organ capable of natural regeneration of lost tissue. The liver thus has a very big flexibility. But this regeneration is not complete, thus the need for transplantings sometimes. When the liver has lost about 70% of its functional capacity this can be seen in liver lab tests, and its renewal is also then disturbed. When liver cells are sclerified they no longer can renew themself, because sclerosis means scar tissue. Earlier stages can be renewed, but the process may be long. Often some kind of lifequality change is required first.

Living donor liver transplantation is a technique in which a portion of a living person's liver is removed and used to replace the entire liver of the recipient. This was first performed in 1989 for pediatric liver transplantation. Only 20% of an adult's liver (Couinaud segments 2 and 3) is needed to serve as a liver allograft for an infant or small child. More recently, adult-to-adult liver transplantation has been done using the donor's right hepatic lobe which amounts to 60% of the liver. Due to the ability of the liver to regenerate, both the donor and recipient end up with normal liver function if all goes well. But there have been at least two donor deaths out of the first several hundred cases.

Surface anatomy
Apart from a patch where it connects to the diaphragm, the liver is covered entirely by visceral peritoneum, a thin, double-layered membrane that reduces friction against other organs. The peritoneum folds back on itself to form the falciform ligament and the right and left triangular ligaments. The falciform ligament is visible on the front (anterior side) of the liver. This divides the liver into a left anatomical lobe, and a right anatomical lobe.

If the liver is flipped over, to look at it from behind (the visceral surface), there are two additional lobes between the right and left. These are the caudate lobe (the more superior), and below this the quadrate lobe.

From behind, the lobes are divided up by the ligamentum venosum and ligamentum teres (anything left of these is the left lobe), the transverse fissure (or porta hepatis) divides the caudate from the quadrate lobe, and the right sagittal fossa, which the inferior vena cava runs over, separates these two lobes from the right lobe.

Functional anatomy
It is crucial to understand the organization of liver based on blood supply and biliary drainage, and its fysical support. In the widely used Couinaud or "French" system, the functional lobes are further divided into a total of eight segments based on secondary and tertiary branching of the blood supply.In the growing fetus, a major source of blood to the liver is the umbilical vein which supplies nutrients to the growing fetus. After birth, the umbilical vein and ductus venosus are completely obliterated two to five days postpartum; the former becomes the ligamentum teres and the latter becomes the ligamentum venosum . In the disease state of cirrhosis and portal hypertension, the umbilical vein can open up again.

Physiology
The liver has about 200 different "tasks", and is therefore a very busy organ. It gives warmth to the body. In traditional chinese medicine it gives us the heat, together with the hormonal metabolism.

* The liver produces and excretes bile required for food digestion. Some of the bile drains directly into the duodenum, and some is stored in the gallbladder.
* The liver performs several roles in carbohydrate metabolism:
o Gluconeogenesis (the formation of glucose from certain amino acids, lactate or glycerol)
o Glycogenolysis (the formation of glucose from glycogen)
o Glycogenesis (the formation of glycogen from glucose)
o The breakdown of insulin and other hormones
* The liver also performs several roles in lipid metabolism:
o Cholesterol synthesis
o The production of triglycerides (fats).
* The liver produces coagulation factors I (fibrinogen), II (prothrombin), V, VII, IX, and XI, as well as protein C, protein S and antithrombin.
* The liver neutralizes toxins, most medicinal products, and hemoglobin.
* The liver converts ammonia to urea.
* The liver stores of a multitude of substances, including glucose in the form of glycogen, vitamin B12, iron, and copper.
* In the first trimester fetus, the liver is the main site of red blood cell production. By the 42nd week of gestation, the bone marrow has almost completely taken over that task.

Diseases of the liver
Many diseases of the liver are accompanied by jaundice caused by increased levels of bilirubin in the system. The bilirubin results from the breakup of the hemoglobin of dead red blood cells; normally, the liver removes bilirubin from the blood and excretes it through bile.

* Hepatitis, inflammation of the liver, caused mainly by various viruses but also by some poisons, autoimmunity or hereditary conditions.
* Cirrhosis is the formation of fibrous tissue in the liver, replacing dead liver cells. The death of the liver cells can for example be caused by alcoholism or other toxins, or hepatitis
* Hemochromatosis, a hereditary disease causing the accumulation of iron in the body, eventually leading to liver damage
* Cancer of the liver (primary hepatocellular carcinoma or cholangiocarcinoma and metastatic cancers, usually from other parts of the gastrointestinal tract)
* Wilson's disease, a hereditary disease which causes the body to retain copper
* Primary sclerosing cholangitis, an inflammatory disease of the bile duct, autoimmune in nature.
* Primary biliary cirrhosis, autoimmune disease of small bile ducts
* Budd-Chiari syndrome, obstruction of the hepatic vein.
* Steatosis, fatty liver syndrome.

Most liver diseases cause only mild symptoms initially, while it is vital that these diseases are detected early. Hepatic involvement in some diseases can be of crucial importance.

Liver function tests (LFTs or LFs), are groups of clinical biochemistry laboratory blood assays to test the proper function of the liver. These are enzymes that are most abundant in liver tissue, metabolites or products.

Regular liver panel
*Total Protein (TP). The liver produces most of the plasma proteins in the body. So it makes sense to measure the amount of protein in the blood. Reference range (60-80 g/L).
*Albumin (Alb). Albumin is a protein made specifically by the liver. It is the main constituent of total protein; the remaining fraction is called globulin (including e.g. the immunoglobulins). Albumin levels are decreased in chronic liver disease, such as cirrhosis. It is also decreased in nephrotic syndrome, where it is lost through the urine. Poor nutrition or states of protein catabolism may also lead to hypoalbuminaemia. The half-life of albumin is approximately 20 days. Albumin is not considered to be an especially useful marker of liver synthetic function, coagulation factors (see below) are much more sensitive. The reference range is 30-50 g/L.
*Alanine transaminase (ALT), also called Serum Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase (SGPT) or Alanine aminotransferrase (ALAT) is an enzyme present in hepatocytes (liver cells). When a cell is damaged, it leaks this enzyme into the blood, where it is measured. ALT rises dramatically in acute liver damage, such as viral hepatitis or paracetamol overdose. Elevations are often measured in multiples of the upper limit of normal (ULN). The reference range is 15-45 U/L in most laboratories. When liver cell death increases, ALT levels rise above the normal range. The spillover of this enzyme into blood is routinely measured as a marker of abnormal liver-cell damage. For example, alcoholic or viral hepatitis will increase ALT levels, as will severe congestive heart failure. An elevated ALT in the presence of normal levels of plasma alkaline phosphatase helps distinguish liver disease caused by liver-cell damage from diseases caused by problems in biliary ducts.
*Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), is an enzyme in the cells lining the biliary ducts of the liver. If there is an obstruction in the bile duct, e.g. gallstones, ALP levels in plasma will rise. ALP is also present in bone and placental tissue, so it is higher in growing children (as their bones are being remodelled). The reference range is usually 30-120 U/L.
*Total bilirubin (TBIL). Bilirubin is a breakdown product of heme (a part of hemoglobin in red blood cells). The liver is responsible for clearing this, excreting it out through bile into the instestine. Problems with the liver or blockage of the drainage of bile will cause increased levels of bilirubin, as will increased haemolysis of red cells.
Direct bilirubin, or unconjugated bilirubin is often measured in tandem, especially if the total bilirubin level is elevated. Bilirubin is unconjugated before the liver modifies it for excretion. It is dangerous in babies, as it can pass the blood-brain barrier causing kernicterus.

Other tests commonly requested alongside LFTs:
*Aspartate transaminase (AST), also called Serum Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminase (SGOT) or aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) is similar to ALT in that it is another enzyme associated with liver parenchymal cells. It is raised in acute liver damage. It is also present in red cells and cardiac muscle.
*Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT). Although reasonably specific to the liver and a more sensitive marker for cholestatic damage than ALP, Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) may be elevated with even minor, sub-clinical levels of liver dysfunction. It can also be helpful in identifying the cause of an isolated elevation in ALP. GGT is raised in alcohol toxicity (acute and chronic).
*Coagulation tests (e.g. INR). The liver is responsible for the production of coagulation factors. The international normalized ratio (INR) measures the speed of a particular pathway of coagulation, comparing it to normal. If the INR is increased, it means it is taking longer than usual for blood to clot. The INR will only be increased if the liver is so damaged that synthesis of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors has been impaired: it is not a sensitive measure of liver function.
*Hyaluronic Acid Test. Hyaluronic Acid (HA), also called hyaluronate or hyaluronan, is a mucopolysaccharide widely distributed throughout the body. HA is produced mainly by fibroblasts and other specialized connective tissue cells. As a free molecule, HA can be found in the plasma and synovial fluid. HA is quickly removed from circulation by specific receptors present in sinusoidal cells (SEC) of the liver; the estimated half-life in plasma is 5-6 minutes. Increased plasma HA levels may result from one or more of the following:

* Decreased removal of HA from plasma, as a result of liver damage
* Increased production of HA by synovial cells or fibroblasts
Serum HA is elevated in patients with alcoholic liver disease and can be used to detect the progression from alcoholic fatty liver to cirrhosis. Until now, the diagnosis of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis has been established mainly by histologic examination of liver biopsy samples. However, since the fibrotic changes are often distributed unevenly throughout the liver, liver biopsy has been associated with a sampling error of up to 24%. The risk of complications including bleeding and infection, the discomfort to patients and the high cost of hospitalization associated with this invasive procedure limit the use of liver biopsy as a routine screening procedure for cirrhosis. Serum HA levels have been correlated with the degree of fibrosis and cirrhosis in chronic liver disease and may be a non-invasive, less costly method to assess disease status in these patients. Unlike conventional liver function tests, HA levels reflect the function of sinusoidal endothelial cells (SEC) and may be an early marker of toxic liver damage.

Liver failure.
Liver failure can be considered more of a functional syndrome than an anatomical one. Treatment of liver failure includes two components – treating the cause of liver failure and prevention of the development of neurological damage. The second component is more important. Some of the signs of liver failure are:

*General failure of health like weakness, loss of appetite, wasting etc.
*Jaundice
*Bluish discoloration of the nails
*Fever
*Fetor hepaticus – It is a sweetish slightly fecal smell of breath
*Ascites – collection of fluid in the abdominal cavity
*Changes in the protein metabolism
*Skin changes like spider nevi, redness of the palms, white nails etc
*Endocrine changes – In the male, the changes are towards feminization. The changes include small, soft testes, loss of secondary sexual hair, enlargement of breast, diminished sexual desire and potency. In the females, the changes are less and towards gonadal atrophy
*Defective blood clotting

Steatosis.
As the liver becomes more fatty, liver enzymes start to increase and the liver can become inflamed. This inflammation can result in scarring and cirrhosis, or hardening of the liver. Liver function can become compromised. It's estimated that about 10-20 percent of the population of the United States is afflicted with fatty liver syndrome. While fatty liver DOES affect liver function, it's believed that someone who has fatty liver syndrome is not likely to suffer permanent liver damage.
Fatty liver or steatosis hepatis is a reversible condition seen in chronic alcoholism and many other conditions, where large vacuoles of lipid accumulate in hepatocytes (the cells of the liver). The lipid within the vacuoles is a particular type of lipid known as triglyceride. Many chemicals, such as alcohol and drugs can cause fatty liver. Also hormones as thyroxine. TSH is warranted, as hypothyroidism is more prevalent in steatose/NASH patients.
Fatty liver can occur in diabetes mellitus and in pregnancy. It can also be seen in starvation and obesity. In addition, it is also a minor symptom of hepatitis. The treatment of fatty liver depends on what is causing it, and generally, treating the underlying cause will remove the problem.

A fatty liver symptom isn't typically easy to diagnose, because fatty liver disease usually doesn't present many symptoms in the early stages. As a result, many people with fatty liver don't realize they're developing a liver problem. When a fatty liver symptom does appear, it might be

* Abdominal swelling
* Fever
* Jaundice, or yellowing of the skin
* Overall itchiness
* Right-side abdominal pain
* Small yellow skin nodules

Any of these should be considered a possible fatty liver symptom. If any of these symptoms should appear, the patient is advised to have liver function tests done. If fatty liver is present, the test results will show an enlarged liver or minor elevation of liver enzymes.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)is fatty inflammation of the liver when this is not due to excessive alcohol use. It is a major cause of cryptogenic cirrhosis of the liver. In NASH, fat builds up in the liver and eventually causes scar tissue. This type of hepatitis appears to be associated with diabetes, protein malnutrition, obesity, coronary artery disease, and treatment with corticosteroid medications.
It differs from the simple accumulation of fat in the liver (fatty liver, or hepatic steatosis) in that the inflammation of NASH causes damage to the liver cells. Sometimes dull right upper quadrant pain is felt, occasionally radiating to the right shoulder. Mild icterus (jaundice) can sometimes be noticed.

NASH is associated with metabolic syndrome X, diabetes mellitus (type II) and insulin resistance. Disturbed liver enzymes are common. The main cause is insulin resistance, which explains co-occurrence of NASH and syndrome X. NASH was described in 1980 (the Mayo Clinic).

NASH can also be caused by the following medications:

* Amiodarone, a class III antiarrhythmic agent used in the treatment of ventricular arrhythmias and the suppression of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias.
* Antiviral drugs (nucleoside analogues ), Most of the antivirals now available are designed to help deal with HIV; herpesvirus, which are best known for causing cold sores but actually cover a wide range of diseases; and the hepatitis B and C viruses, which can cause liver cancer.
* Aspirin / NSAIDS. Aspirin was the first discovered member of the class of drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), not all of which are salicylates, though they all have similar effects and a similar action mechanism. Aspirin suppresses the production of prostaglandins and thromboxanes. This happens because cyclooxygenase (COX-1), an enzyme which participates in the production of prostaglandins and thromboxanes, is irreversibly inhibited when aspirin acetylates it. Prostaglandins are local hormones (paracrine) produced in the body and have diverse effects in the body, including but not limited to transmission of pain information to the brain, modulation of the hypothalamic thermostat and inflammation. Thromboxanes are responsible for the aggregation of platelets that form blood clots. Heart attacks are primarily caused by blood clots, and their reduction with the introduction of small amounts of aspirin has been seen to be an effective medical intervention. The side effect of this is that the ability of the blood in general to clot is reduced, and excessive bleeding may result from the use of aspirin. More recent work has shown that there are at least two different types of cyclooxygenase: COX-1 and COX-2. Aspirin inhibits both of them.

Newer NSAID drugs called COX-2 selective inhibitors have been developed that only inhibit COX-2, with the hope that this would reduce the gastrointestinal side effects.

However, several of the new COX-2 selective inhibitors have been recently withdrawn, after evidence emerged that COX-2 inhibitors increase the risk of heart attack. It is proposed that endothelial cells lining the arteries in the body express COX-2, and by selectively inhibiting COX-2, prostaglandins (specifically PGF2) are downregulated with respect to thromboxane levels, as COX-1 in platelets is unaffected. Thus, the protective anti-coagulative effect of PGF2 is decreased, increasing the risk of thrombus and associated heart attacks and other circulatory problems.
* Corticosteroids. are produced in the adrenal cortex. Corticosteroids are involved in a wide range of physiologic systems such as stress response, immune response and regulation of inflammation, carbohydrate metabolism, protein catabolism, blood electrolyte levels, and behavior. They work through the same eikosanoid-circles as above.
* Glucocorticoids such as cortisol control carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism and are anti-inflammatory by preventing phospholipid release, decreasing eosinophil action and a number of other mechanisms.
* Mineralocorticoids such as aldosterone control electrolyte and water levels, mainly by promoting sodium retention in the kidney.
* Methotrexate, to treat many kinds of cancers.
* Nifedipine, is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker. Its main uses are in angina pectoris and hypertension, although a large number of other uses have recently been found for this agent, such as Raynaud's phenomenon, and esophagus-spasms.
* Perhexiline maleate
* Tamoxifen, is an oral selective estrogen receptor modulator which is used in breast cancer.
* Tetracycline is an antibiotic produced by the streptomyces bacterium.
* Valproic acid is a sodium salt of valproic acid. is a anticonvulsant and mood-stabilizing drug used primarily in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder; but also used to treat migraine headaches and schizophrenia. In epileptics, valproic acid is used to control absence seizures, tonic-clonic seizures (grand mal ), complex partial seizures , and the seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome .

Valproate is believed to affect the function of the neurotransmitter GABA (as a GABA transaminase inhibitor) in the human brain.

Cirrhosis.
Cirrhosis is a chronic disease of the liver in which liver tissue is replaced by connective tissue, resulting in the loss of liver function. Cirrhosis is caused by damage from toxins (including alcohol), metabolic problems, chronic viral hepatitis or other causes. Cirrhosis is sometimes referred to by its obsolete eponym Laennec's cirrhosis after René Laënnec. Cirrhosis is irreversible but treatment of the causative disease will slow or even halt the damage.

Cirrhosis has many possible causes; sometimes more than one cause are present in the same patient. Alcohol seems to injure the liver by blocking the normal metabolism of protein, fats, and carbohydrates. The hepatitis B virus is probably the most common cause of cirrhosis worldwide, especially South-East Asia. Inherited diseases. These interfere with the way the liver produces, processes, and stores enzymes, proteins, metals, and other substances the body needs to function properly.

* Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency
* Hemochromatosis (iron accumulation)
* Wilson's disease (copper accumulation)
* Galactosemia
* Glycogen storage diseases
* Cystic fibrosis

Early symptoms include red palms , spider angioma (red spots on the upper body), hypertrophy of the parotid glands, and fibrosis of tendons in the hands. Clubbing may develop.

Many people with cirrhosis have no symptoms in the early stages of the disease. However, as scar tissue replaces healthy cells, liver function starts to fail and a person may experience the following symptoms:

* exhaustion
* fatigue
* loss of appetite
* nausea
* weakness
* weight loss
* abdominal pain

As the disease progresses, complications may develop. In some people, these may be the first signs of the disease.

* Bruising and bleeding due to decreased production of coagulation factors.
* Jaundice due to decreased processing of bilirubin.
* Itching due to bile products deposited in the skin.
* Hepatic encephalopathy - the liver does not clear ammonia and related nitrogenous substances from the blood, which affect cerebral functioning: neglect of personal appearance, unresponsiveness, forgetfulness, trouble concentrating, or changes in sleep habits.
* Sensitivity to medication due to decreased metabolism of the active compounds.
* Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
* Hepatocellular carcinoma is primary liver cancer, commonly caused by cirrhosis. It has a high mortality rate.
* Portal hypertension - blood normally carried from the intestines and spleen through the portal vein flows more slowly and the pressure increases; this leads to the following complications:
o Ascites - fluid leaks through the vasculature into the abdominal cavity.
o Esophageal varices - collateral portal blood flow through vessels in the stomach and esophagus. These blood vessels may become enlarged and are more likely to burst.
* Problems in other organs. Cirrhosis can cause immune system dysfunction, leading to infection. Fluid in the abdomen (ascites) may become infected with bacteria normally present in the intestines (spontaneous bacterial peritonitis). Cirrhosis can also lead to impotence, kidney dysfunction and renal failure (hepatorenal syndrome ) and osteoporosis.
# Drugs or toxins.
# Repeated bouts of heart failure with liver congestion.
# Certain parasitic infections (like schistosomiasis).

Vitamins and nutrient supplies.
Doctors often claim that excess vitamins and nutrients may be dangerous. And of course it may be so. But I have tried to look for such natural remedy issues without success. I have found simply nothing.

The main reason for such interferens is
* excess fat-soluble vitamins as vit A.
* excess betacaroten as an antioxidant. Observe that antioxidants in a way neutralize the workings of free radicals, that our body itself manufacture, and which is needed by our immune system. Excess of antioxidants means eventually that cancercells avoid destruction.
* webshop remedies are not always safe. In the best they can continue absolutely no essential essence, but at worst they can continue heavily toxins or parasites. Remedies bought from webshops abroad is done at own risk.
* Individual differences, partly heredical. For example differences in detoxification system due to cytocrom differences. Also deseaces may change the tolerance to high doses of vitamins/nutrients. In the same way some sick people or older people may have an increased demand for vitamins/nutrient supply.

Used in the way terapeuts or doctors ordinate vitamins are usually safe to use.

References:
Ludwig J, Viggiano TR, McGill DB, Oh BJ. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: Mayo Clinic experiences with a hitherto unnamed disease. Mayo Clin Proc. 1980;55:434-438. PMID 7382552.

http://www.biologydaily.com/biology/Liver

WikiLiver: A Wiki dedicated to the liver

http://www.healthinfoarticles.com/liver.html

The fractal brain

Is the brain self-similar, or fractal?
The complexity of human brain geometry suggests a description based on fractality, a mathematical construction to describe self-similarity in various objects in dead and living matter. This would mean that properties or patterns of small cortex structures would be equal to larger ones. Topology is another character. That is the possibility to recognize different forms in smaller, as well as in larger areas, thou somewhat tortoised. This picture refers to average picture of function and structure in brain, not detailed anatomy or fysiology.


Fractal brain, fractal art. It looks like the brain is made of energy, and that energy is shooting outwards from the brain.

During 1990-decade several authors found fractal geometry of brain highly probable. Surface-to volume ratio, external cortex surface, 3-D analysis of fixed brains, interface between grey and white matter, etc. From these it seems that white matter has indeed a fractal geometry, but perhaps not including all the brain. In neuroscience, researchers have examined the structure of axonal networks connecting individual neurons and whole-brain networks of interregional pathways.
Verification is needed.

The geometry of human cortical grey matter was the subject for Kiselev 2008. Analysis including all spatial scales from size of the brain to the ultimate image resolution showed fractality down to scale size 2,5 mm, corresponding to the cortex thickness. Also the folding of the brain shows fractality for the largest spatial scales. Note that two individuals are never identical, nor has cortex the same thickness everywhere. The foldings can be described as dilations, showing different characteristics for inner and outer surfaces of cortex. Averages may show errors. As a whole fractality exists in both area and volume of the brain.

There is also a possibility for correlations with brain deseases.

Brain function.
Brain function depends on adaptive self-organization of large-scale neural assemblies, but little is known about quantitative network parameters governing these processes in humans. Here, the topology and synchronizability of frequency-specific brain functional networks.
Brain functional networks were characterized by small-world properties at all six wavelet scales considered, corresponding approximately to classical δ (low and high), θ, α, β, and γ frequency bands. Global topological parameters (path length, clustering) were conserved across scales, most consistently in the frequency range 2–37 Hz, implying a scale-invariant or fractal small-world organization. Dynamical analysis showed that networks were located close to the threshold of order/disorder transition in all frequency bands. The highest-frequency γ network had greater synchronizability, greater clustering of connections, and shorter path length than networks in the scaling regime of (lower) frequencies. Behavioral state did not strongly influence global topology or synchronizability; however, motor task performance was associated with emergence of long-range connections in both β and γ networks. Long-range connectivity, e.g., between frontal and parietal cortex, at high frequencies during a motor task may facilitate sensorimotor binding.

Human brain functional networks demonstrate a fractal small-world architecture that supports critical dynamics and task-related spatial reconfiguration while preserving global topological parameters.

The small-world topology of brain functional networks is largely preserved across multiple frequency bands and behavioral tasks. The canonical small-world network is one in which the majority of edges are recruited to form small, densely connected clusters, whereas the remainder are involved in maintaining connections between these clusters.

Patterns of functional connectivity across a large number of recording sites were obtained for each of six distinct temporal scales ranging over all classical EEG frequency bands, from low (1.1–2.2 Hz) to gamma (37.5–75 Hz). These correlations between signals in wavelet space express a statistical association between recording sites, a signature of dynamical interactions between brain regions. The authors then transform the continuous symmetric matrix of wavelet correlations obtained for each frequency band to a binary symmetric matrix by applying a threshold

Small-world attributes reflect the need of the network to satisfy simultaneously the opposing demands of local and global processing and that they may reflect an organization that tends to minimize the number of processing steps. Given the spatial complexity of neural dynamics, it seems likely that functionally relevant communication would have to occur across multiple frequency bands. Correlations to EEG - EMG - EXG ??? If the small-world functional architecture revealed by Bassett et al. indeed promotes efficient interregional communication, then it should be found across multiple temporal scales.

It appears that brain networks preserve global topological characteristics (continually maintaining the balance of efficient local and global processing) while flexibly adapting the specifics of the topology to satisfy changing task demands. Interestingly, it appears that higher-frequency bands (beta and gamma) exhibit more extensive changes in connection patterns across tasks, specifically in the form of new long-range functional relationships between sensory and motor regions during the execution of a motor task.

The idea that perception and cognition depend critically on patterns of synchronization and desynchronization, fits perfectly in this picture. The dynamic coupling and uncoupling of distant neural sites reflect changes in sensory inputs, task demands, thinking or attention. The fact that these synchronization patterns occur at multiple frequencies might mean that brain functional networks contain multiple ‘‘frequency channels’’ along which information is transmitted. What happens when the global topology of human brain functional networks changes across all frequency bands or within a specific range of frequencies. Empirical evidence suggests that such changes in global network topology occur between sleep and waking.

Is form a reason for function?
Can function be revealed by structure? This is an old question, not yet answered. In brain we have Broadmanns areas that certainly suggest functions. A small-world network has been suggested to be an efficient solution for achieving both modular and global processing—a property highly desirable for brain computations.

Functional connectivity has previously been shown to correlate with structural (anatomical) connectivity patterns at an aggregate level.
1. strong functional connections commonly exist between regions with no direct structural connection, rendering the inference of structural connectivity from functional connectivity impractical;
2. indirect connections and interregional distance accounted for some of the variance in functional connectivity that was unexplained by direct structural connectivity;
3. resting-state functional connectivity exhibits variability within and across both scanning sessions and model runs.

These empirical and modeling results demonstrate that although resting state functional connectivity is variable and is frequently present between regions without direct structural linkage, its strength, persistence, and spatial statistics are nevertheless constrained by the large-scale anatomical structure of the human cerebral cortex.

Self-organization is a inherent principle in brain and in whole universe? This question links to the traditional chinese medicine (Yin and Yang) and the entropy model of body/mind/brain.

References:
Bassett DS, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Achard S, Duke
T, Bullmore E. 2006: Adaptive reconfiguration of fractal small-world human brain functional networks. PNAS 2006, vol. 103 no. 51:19518-19523 http://www.pnas.org/content/103/51/19518.abstract
Comment PNAS 2006 vol. 103 no. 51:19219–19220, Olaf Sporns and Christopher J. Honey.
Small worlds inside big brains.

Luke Gardiner by deviantART. http://rustkill.deviantart.com/art/Fractal-Brain-7070062 Fractal brain, fractal art
It looks like the brain is made of energy, and that energy is shooting outwards from the brain.

Honey, C. J., O. Sporns, L. Cammoun, X. Gigandet, J. P. Thiran, R. Meuli, and P. Hagmann (2009): Predicting human resting-state functional connectivity from structural connectivity. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2009 106:2035-2040 http://www.pnas.org/content/106/6/2035.abstract

Kiselev, V. G.; Hahn, Klaus und Auer, Dorothee P. (2002): Is the Brain Cortex a Fractal? Sonderforschungsbereich 386, Discussion Paper 297. 18. November 2008 http://epub.ub.uni-muenchen.de/1675/

Massimini M, Ferrarelli F, Huber R, Esser SK, Singh H, Tononi G (2005) Science 309:2228–2232.

Kasvohalvaus

c.Sörensensistem
Kasvovyöhyketerapia auttaa tehokkaasti kun on kyse erilaisista sairauksista, fysiologisista, psyykkisistä sekä funktionaalisista vyöhykkeistä. Tavallisesti kehon eri alueet liitetään yhteen vyöhykkeiden avulla.
Esittelemme täällä kasvohalvauksen saaneen naisen, millaista terapia on sekä tulokset jotka on saavutettu kasvovyöhyke menetelmällä

Potilas, 41 v nainen, leikattiin päästä jotta saataisiin kasvain kuulohermosta (acoustic neurinom, hyvänlaatuinen kasvain pikkuaivon, pons ja aivorungon välissä) poistettua. Leikkaus tapahtui helmikuussa 2007, joka johti kasvohalvaukseen. Lääkäri sanoi ettei hermo vahingoittunut leikkauksessa, mutta hermo oli puudutettu ja sen pitäisi herätä uudelleen. Hänen oikeanpuolinen korvansa kuuroutui myös, koska kuulohermo, 8. kraniaalihermo, oli poistettu kokonaan.

Fysioterapia sekä kasvojen lihaksien kuntoutus aloitettiin heti kahdeksan viikon ajaksi, mutta tuloksetta. Parannus tapahtui hyvin hitaasti. Kesäkuun puolivaiheessa potilas lähti Hannek Van Baal's klinikalle Hollantiin, joka suorittaa Lone Sorensenin terapiaa. Silloin hänellä oli ollut oireita kasvohalvauksesta jo neljän kuukauden ajan. Hän ei pystynyt sulkemaan tai liikuttamaan silmäluomeansa, joten hänen corneansa kuivui ja hänen oli pakko suojella silmäänsä koko ajan muovilla. Hänen suupieli oli laskenut ja suu työntyi sivulle. Erityisesti hänen ollessa väsynyt teetti hänellä vaikeuksia puhua.
Hän ei ollut vielä silloin palannut takaisin työhönsä sairaanhoitajana.

Parannus puolen vuoden sisällä.
Terapeutti aloitti potilaan hoidon Lone Sorensen ohjauksien mukaisesti kasvovyöhyketerapiaa käyttäen. Jokainen vyöhyke kasvoissa analysoitiin perusteellisesti, jotta isoin häiriö eli deposiitti löydettäisiin. Se on myös vanhin toiminnallinen este ja siten ongelman syy. Sitä hoidettaessa vaikutus heijastuu myös kaikkiin muihin ongelmiin. Tällä kerta syy löydettiin hormonisysteemistä; tasapaino rauhasten, kudoksien, lihaksien ja tunteiden kesken oli häiriintynyt. Terapeutti antoi erikoishoidon tälle alueelle jotta tasapaino saataisiin palautettua, sekä akupisteille jotka säätävät ja stimuloivat energiavirran kasvoille ja keholle. Myös kaikki aivohermojen vyöhykkeet saivat erikoishoitoa. Lisäksi hän käytti tiettyjä hermopisteitä suulle ja silmille, seuraten menetelmää jonka Toht. Quoc Chau otti esille Vietnamissa juuri kasvojen hermopisteiden hoitoa varten.

Erittäin tärkeää on myös kasvojen lihaksien hieronta. Nyt käytettiin karttaa jonka Toht. Castillo Morales, Argentiina, on ottanut esille. Hän on tehnyt erittäin tärkeän työn, jossa hän on liittänyt aivojen toiminnat ja kasvojen lihaksien jännitystilat yhteen. Kartan avulla hän pystyy laukaisemaan lihaksien jännitystilan. Kaikki nämä ideat Lone Sorensen käytti kasvovyöhyketerapiassa josta syntyi siten kokonaisvaltainen terapiamuoto. Hän voi tarpeen mukaan käyttää jopa neljäätoista eri terapiamuotoa. Tässäkin tapauksessa käytettiin sarja akupisteitä erityisesti halvauksen hoitoa varten.

Hoito purkaa ylimääräisen jännitystilan samalla kun se antaa uskoa ja toivoa että edistystä on mahdollista saada aikaan, kun potilaat huomaavat eron. Tämäkin seikka on erittäin tärkeää hyvinvoinnin kannalta.

Hoito.
Jo ensimmäisen hoidon aikana hän tunsi eron kasvoissaan. Myös pieni lihas nenän alla liikkui. Hän oli hyvin väsynyt hoidon jälkeen, mutta samalla myös hyvin innoissaan.
Kahden seuraavan hoitokerran jälkeen hän kykeni liikuttamaan silmäkaareansa ja nostamaan nenänsä hiukan.
Neljännen hoidon jälkeen hän näki selkeämmin ja tunsi itsensä vahvemmaksi. Yksi syvällisempi lihas alkoi toimia jälleen.
Viidennen hoidon jälkeen hän sai enemmän energiaa, ja lihas silmän alla alkoi toimia. Nyt hän yritti tehdä työtä muutamia tuntia päivässä, jotta hän tuntisi rajansa. Hän kävi terapeuttinsa luona jonka piti purkaa kasvojen lihaksien jännitystila leikkauksen jälkeen, mutta tämä ei silloin voinut auttaa. Hän näki suuren eron sekä fyysisesti että mentaalisesti.
Kuudennen hoidon jälkeen hän osasi jakaa energiansa paremmin ja jo seitsemännen hoidon jälkeen hän tunsi itsensä hyvin rennoksi, ja hän kykeni melkein pistämään silmänsä kiinni. Hän näytti myös hyvin rennolta ja hän pystyi liikuttamaan kasvolihaksiaan koko ajan.

Seuraavien viikkojen aikana hän kävi työssään useammin ja tunsi itsensä vahvemmaksi. Jokaisen hoidon jälkeen hän tunsi eron: pistely ja "perhos-tuntuma" oikealla puolella kasvoissa silmän ja korvan ympäri. Hän pystyi myös kyynelehtimään jälleen.

Joulukuuhun 2007 saakka hän kävi joka viikko terapeutin luona, ja jokaisella kerralla hän toipui vähän. Hän pystyi saamaan kehon ilmeitä aikaan, jonka lisäksi leuka-alue sekä kasvojen alaosa oli kiinteämpi. Otsan alue oli kokonaan liikkumaton ennen tätä, mutta nyt hän pystyi tuntemaan lihasliikkeitä myös otsassaan.

Hän sai jälleen normaalin elämän. Tämä oli joulukuussa, yhdeksännentoista hoitokerran jälkeen.

2008 aikana hän työskenteli yhä enemmän, yhtä lailla kuin hänen työtoverinsakin. Hän jatkoi hoitoaan, mutta nyt joka toinen viikko. Parannusta jatkui edelleen, mutta hitaammin.

Maaliskuussa hän kävi neurologinsa luona joka oli erittäin yllättynyt kun näki potilaansa edistykset, vielä melkein vuoden kuluttua leikkauksesta.

Lähteet:
http://www.castillomoralesvereinigung.de/Castillodata/English/Konzept.html
11th. Newsletter of GLOBAL FACIAL NETWORK
Sep 2008
How to treat Facial Paralyse
Case of Facial Paralyse

Microsystems as Fractals of the Human Body

Today there exists many forms of therapies that point out the fractal characteristics of the human body. Every part of the body can be seen as holographic system of its own. So the hand and the foot, the leg, the arm, the ear, the face, the head etc. are small copies of the body reflected to the skin. Also inner parts as the tongue, the teeth, the large intestine are microsystems, but because they are inner parts they are seldom used.


Location of auricular organ projection areas related to gallbladder (1), appendix (2), stomach (3), uterus (4), heart (5), and lungs (6)

The idea is based on the principle of the fractalisation of living and non-living nature and on the acupuncture channels systems wave essence. This theory allows from physics point of view explain such categories of traditional chines medicine as meridian, point, microacupuncture system, Qi-energy, pathogen factors. Possible amount of projection microsystems on skin surface and mucous membranes is unlimited.

The necessity of scientific elaboration of physiologic mechanisms of treatment effects are badly needed. The problems with skin electrical potentials are enlighted in an article here. Three lines of scientific evidence suggest that impedance at APs is electrically distinct from non-AP sites and that changes in skin impedance at APs may be of substantial diagnostic, therapeutic and research significance.

The medicine has long known such mechanisms as referred pain (reflexes of pain to the skin), trigger points (reflexes to muscles and tendons), dermatomes (reflexes from the nerves to the skin), and sclerotomes (from bones to skin), reflexes from the heart and intestine, the tendons, the muscles etc. Reflexes are very important as a whole for the body. They are used as messengers for feed-back and feed-forward mechanisms, or in short as stress responses, and the aim for these responses are to adapt the body to its surroundings. The stress can be outer stress from the surroundings, but more often it is inner stress, built up by the individual. In chinese traditional medicine they also say, that illness can never come from outside, if the body is in balance.

Reflexes from skin to the organs
These same reflexes can also be used the other way; from the skin we can see our inner body. We can diagnose imbalances in different organs, as seen from South-Africa, where Szopinski among others found that all our inner organs had reflexes to the skin. This is called organ electrodermal diagnostics (OED)and has a a thorough scientific background, including two Ph.D. theses, a master's degree dissertation and several research articles published in international medical journals (can be requested from Diagnotronics). This has been investigated academically for 20 years.
OED is the first method of this kind that has undergone double-blind clinical trials with positive results.

Rectification ratios obtained at Organ Projection Areas, OPAs, related to diseased organs before premedication were approximately 3 times higher than readings from control points. Premedication, general anesthesia, and skin incision did not influence the results. However, direct surgical manipulation of the diseased organs resulted in a rapid and statistically significant (P<.001) increase in the rectification ratios observed in the related skin areas. In addition, rectification ratios were significant (P<.001) for all conditions vs control.

Various specific relationships between the skin and internal organs are known. Pain sensitivity (e.g., as assessed by means of Head's dermatomes), skin temperature, hydration, and color, as well as electrical parameters, may be changed by internal organ pathology. Correlations between skin electrical resistance and psychological status (psychogalvanic reaction) are used in polygraph tests. The impact of endocrine function and autonomic innervation of particular dermatomes on the skin's electrical resistance is also well known. The electrical current perception threshold is influenced by many diseases.

Many authors have investigated the effect of particular organ pathology on the electrical parameters of the corresponding skin areas. Diagnostic methods based on measurements of electrical potential, resistance, and impedance of these zones have been proposed. However, their diagnostic accuracy has not been proven and reproducibility has not been consistent. Some of these methods use specific bioelectrical properties of acupuncture points.

A breakthrough effect
A wide variety of measurement techniques and current parameters are used in the above-mentioned methods. The results obtained often depend on perspiration, which is influenced by the patient's muscular tension, emotional condition, skin hydration, procedure duration, environmental temperature, and humidity, as well as the pressure of the measuring electrode. Therefore, these methods did not find widespread application in contemporary medicine, and the authors' ideas did not create a unified and systematic scientific basis for the use of bioelectrical skin properties for organ diagnostics.

The nervous system is the primary computing system of the human body. The sensory nervous system detects any damage done to the body from both outside and inside and sends the information, at the earliest stage of pathology, to the central nervous system, which controls potent self-defense mechanisms. The CNS cannot simultaneously process all available information, originating internally and externally, due to limited capacity. The necessity to eliminate information which is less important at the time, created the specific converging structure of the sensory nervous system.

Due to the specific structure of the nervous system, this information also reaches certain skin areas (Convergence Modulation Theory), causing changes in the skin's bioelectrical properties. This phenomenon opened new and logical opportunities for medical diagnostics. OED is the first clinically proven method of this kind which accesses the body's own information system, the 'first hand' source of diagnostic information.

The CNS gives higher priority to signals resulting from external stimuli (skin) than to messages coming from internal organs: information coming from sensory organs is generally more important for the organism's self-defense and survival. This is why signals generated by internal organs can be blocked by even mild stimulation of the relevant skin areas. 'Convergence modulation theory' is introduced, which proposes that acupuncture and other reflexive therapies function by controlling the flow of information in the nervous system and thereby reprogramming the powerful self-defense systems according to actual needs.

The OED device utilizes the electrical “breakthrough effect” of the skin to estimate the extent of the diode phenomenon in skin areas corresponding to particular internal organs. In this way OED identifies diseased internal organs and estimates the intensity of pathological processes within these organs.

Reflexological research
The American Academy of Reflexology conducted the first reflexology research study to ever be published in scientific medical literature, when the study appeared in the prestigious journal, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vol. 82, #6, December 1993.
In China was an clinical trial (16 patients) made on this subject too in 1993 (Qi)to Testify the Relationship Between Large Intestine and Its Foot Reflex Zone. This study revealed that foot reflexology of the large bowel and rectum have an obvious relationship with disorders of corresponding anatomic structures.
Since then many other Reflexology Research Studies have been reported around the world.

Microsystems
Acupuncture as a science are nowadays going through an enormous developement. Different microsystems are detected from different parts of the body. From the first look even the brief review astonishes by their variety. Auriculotherapy (Nogier), Su Jock-therapy (Park Jae Woo), ECIWO-therapy (Zhang Ying Qing), oral acupuncture (J. Gleditch), iridodiagnostics, nasal therapy, different modifications of scalptherapy (including Yamamoto New Scalp Acupuncture-YNSA), facial reflexology (Sörensen) vaginal acupuncture (H. Buchheit), clavicle needle injection – that is a far not full list.

All the varieties of these systems are united by their general property – each of them is a projection of all body parts and internal organs on the limited section of the skin, mucous membrane and periosteum. The organs are extrapolated not only morphologically, but also functionally. It’s evidently impossible to explain such kind of reflection on so various and removed surfaces by the only means of neurohormonal connections. Nevertheless the clinical efficiency of influence on the microsystems points is out of doubt. One of modern theories of the acupuncture influence is the fractal-field model of organism structure. It exactly opens the way for the microacupuncture systems appearance, structure and activity understanding.

Benua Mandelbrot, working in the field of nonlinear equations and complex numbers is the father of fractal geometry. Their peculiarity is that the primary (mother’s) figure gives rise to the absolutely similar in form and contents but smaller in size figures. This similarity is mathematically endless in principle, but the real size of the smallest figure must be restricted by atom size. Apart from the self-organization principle here is demonstrated the dialectical unity of structure and chaos during the same process: the central symmetrical figure at the beginning of the process is gradually turning to the chaotic “fractal dust” on the periphery.

Recently the fractalisation (similarity) principle has been recognized as the basic principle of nature self-organization. A lot of similar to fractal structures were also discovered in the organism. The organisms are said to be geometrical, topological, and fractal in its forms. Furthermore besides structural there are functional fractals as well. For example, according to the ECG Holter monitoring data, the curve depicting the alteration of heart’s contractions frequency for 24 hours, is identical to the R-R interval (electrocardiogram) one minute’s exchange diagram.

There were many attempts to explain the nature of acupuncture meridians. Now you can count about twenty theories, that confirms that the problem has not been solved yet. One of modern views is the fractal-field model of the organism structure, which describes the meridian as a wave’s extreme cycle in the organism coherent field with projection on the body surface at the acupuncture points zone. According to the positions, the main function of the meridians is an informational exchange between the organism (microspace) and the environment (macrospace). The goal of this exchange is the adaptation of on organism for the environment’s changeable conditions.

Negentropy maximization principle.
One concept that is often used is entropy. When the differentation increases the entropy becomes smaller. The negative entropy of a living system is the entropy that it exports to keep its own entropy low; it lies at the intersection of entropy and life. Negentropy is used as a measure of distance to normality. Negentropy is the force that seeks to achieve effective organizational behavior and lead to a steady predictable state. Planck thermodynamic potential, known also as free entropy, has been shown to play a great role in the so-called entropic formulation of statistical mechanics, applied among the others in molecular biology. The term was introduced by Erwin Schrödinger in his 1943 popular-science book What is life. Matti Bergström uses this in his dipole brain theory. Also different low energy lasers are used in this way. The "healthy" frequence is 632 nm, used by Anu Mäkelä among others. Its "healtiness" depends on its harmonious characteristics.

Quantum biology.
In quantum physics the different elementar particles also behaves according to the same principles, and how could it be otherwise. The life, and all the world, is built from these particles. They have also a supersymmetry of bosons and fermions. That is matter and not matter, perhaps dark matter. From this simple equation is then the whole universe built. Soon, perhaps, we have the answers, when the so called Higgs particle´s secret is revieled.

One fundamental aspect in understanding of fractalization principle is Planck constant. Matti Pitkänen has developed a fascinating theory, TGD, that will unite the quantum world with our classical world ontology. And there is the Planck constant hierarchy very central, indeed. The thought that the hierarchy of Planck constants could label levels of fractal hierarchy is quite new, and hitherto controversial. But it looks very good.

The evolution goes up the ladder of Planck constants. The different Planck constants grows bigger as evolution goes on, and the materia condensates at magnetic flux tubes containing dark matter forming a fractal hierarchy.

As above, so below, is the ancient saying, that in this way can be said to be true. I will come back to this fascinating question later.

It is a very fruitful combination to unite biology with physics. The physic tries to get the simple picture, so often lost in science. Said with Matti Bergströms words on the observer-problem - "There then appears to be a paradox: a "sleeping physicist" would be the best, ideal, observer, since the imaginary, subconscious dimension would not affect the cortical/sensory functions and the results of our observation in physical experiments. There would be no iterations in the observing Self. And no local "dance", nor uncertainty, in the observed object."

Here links also the very complicated question of EEG, EMG, EXG, seen as fractals. Also other electromagnetic frequencies may be involved. The Yin and Yang of our world?

Conclusions
- Microacupuncture systems are one of the manifestations of fractalisation, the universal principle of self-organization in nature.
- The number of possible microsystems is unlimited.
- Resolution of a microsystem and its influence on the organism depend on the size of its projection on the surface of skin, mucous membrane and periosteum. This influence is the most effective in the points of the classical acupuncture meridians.
-The fractal-field theory of the microacupuncture systems needs the elaboration of the physiological mechanism for the medical effect realization.


Literature:
Bergström Matti 2006: Imaginary Time, Real Time and Complex Time
- a brain based analysis of the time concept to be used in physical science. http://www.matti-bergstrom.fi/complextime.html

Bouevitch, Vadim M.Ac. Microacupuncture Systems as Fractals of the Human Body.
http://www.fractal.org/Life-Science-Technology/Publications/Microacupuncture-Systems-as-Fractals.htm

http://www.reflexologyresearch.net/CatReflexologyMaps.shtml
http://www.reflexologyresearch.net/ResearchCatList.shtml

Colbert A. P. et. al.: Skin Impedance Measurements for Acupuncture Research: Development of a Continuous Recording System. eCAM Advance Access published online on June 15, 2007, http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/nem060v1?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=1&andorexacttitle=and&titleabstract=Skin+Impedance+Measurements+for+Acupuncture+Research&andorexacttitleabs=and&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&fdate=//&resourcetype=HWCIT

Nebrat V. The physical model of the low energy electromagnetic field influence on the human body through acupuncture points. Saint-Petersburg. 2-nd European Congress “Acupuncture White Nights-97”. Poster.

Paitgen H.-O., Richter P.H. The beauty of Fractals. Images of complex dynamical systems. Heidelberg. Springer-Verlag, 1986 p.175

Pitkänen Matti, 2006: Does TGD Predict the Spectrum of Planck Constants? http://tgd.wippiespace.com/public_html/tgdquant/tgdquant.html#Planck and
- 2008: TGD Inspired Quantum Model of Living Matter. http://tgd.wippiespace.com/public_html/articles/quantumbio.pdf

Qi, H., "Clinical Trial to Testify the Relationship Between Large Intestine and Its Foot Reflex Zone." 1993 China Reflexology Symposium Report, Beijing : China Reflexology Association, pages 60-61.

http://diagnotronics.com/index_files/Page538.htm
Szopinski J.Z., Pantanowitz D., Lochner G.P. Estimation of the diagnostic accuracy of organ electrodermal diagnostics. South African Medical Journal 2004, Vol. 94, No. 7, pp 547-551.
Szopinski J.Z., Sierak T., Lochner G.P. Neurophysiological foundations of organ electrodermal diagnostics, acupuncture, TENS and other reflexive therapies. South African Journal of Anaesthesia and Analgesia 2004, Vol. 10, No. 3, pp 21-27.

JZ Szopinski & D Pantanowitz: Estimation of the diagnostic accuracy of organ electrodermal diagnostics. South African Medical Journal > Vol. 94, No. 7 (2004).
http://www.ajol.info/viewarticle.php?id=14403
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15285457?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&log$=freejr

Ansiktsförlamning

Ansiktszonterapi fungerar effektivt vid olika patologier, i fysiska, psykiska och funktionella zoner, som generellt kombinerar olika områden i kroppen.
Här presenterar vi en fallstudie av en patient med ansiktsförlamning, med behandlingar och resultat som uppnåtts med ansiktszonterapi. c. sörensensistem.

Patienten är en 41 årig kvinna som opererades i huvudet för att få bort ett neurinom på hörselnerven (acoustic neurinom är en tumör mellan cerebellum, pons och hjärnstammen). Efter operationen i februari 2007 fick hon ansiktsförlamning. Neurologen sade att det inte skett någon skada, men att nerven var domnad och måste vakna upp igen. Dessutom blev hon döv på högra örat eftersom den 8de kranial nerven helt hade tagits bort.
Fysioterapi och rehabilitering av ansiktsmuskulaturen gjord under åtta veckor hade ingen effekt. Återhämtningen gick mycket sakta. I mitten av juni for patienten till Hannek Van Baal's klinik i Holland, instruktör för Lone Sorensen, för en behandling. Hon hade vid den tiden i fyra månader haft symptom på ansiktsförlamning; högra ögat blinkade ejoch gick inte att slutas. Därför torkade hennes hornhinna ut och hon var tvungen att skydda sitt öga med plast konstant. Hennes mun hängde sned och speciellt då hon var trött hade hon svårt att tala.
Hon hade ännu inte återgått till sitt arbete som sjuksköterska.

Metoden
Under ledning av Lone Sörensen började terapeuten arbeta med patienten med en behandling baserad på ansiktszonterapi. Alla zoner i hennes ansikte djupanalyserades för att diagnosticera den största deponeringen/hårdheten, vilken är den äldsta blockaden och därför orsaken till besvären. Då deponeringen behandlas har det effekt på alla problem, eftersom de alla är beroende av den äldsta blockeringen. Patientens största deponering låg i hormonsystemet; balansen mellan körtlarna, vävnaderna, musklerna och känslorna var störd. Terapeuten gav denna zon extra uppmärksamhet för att få den i balans med de andra områdena, samt till akupunkterna som reglerar och stimulerar energiflödet till ansiktet och till kroppen. Också zonerna till alla kranialnerver behandlades.
Vidare stimulerade hon specifika nervpunkter för munnen och ögonen, enligt en metod av dr. Quoc Chau, Vietnam.
Också massage av alla ansiktsmuskler är mycket viktig. Här användes en karta av dr. Castillo Morales, Argentina, som gjorde ett monumentalt arbete med länka ihop spänningar i ansiktsmuskulaturen med hjärnfunktion. Att använda denna karta hjälper till att avspänna musklerna. Alla dessa influenser har Lone Sörensen omvandlat till ansiktszonterapi, som är en holistisk behandling. Hennes metod kombinerar upp till fjorton olika metoder i ansiktszonterapi, och de används olika beroende på patologi. I detta fall inkluderades en kombination av akupunkter för att specifikt behandla förlamningen.
Behandlingen ger en avslappning till patienten och samtidigt hopp om att det är möjligt att få en ändring. Detta har en stor betydelse för hennes/hans välbefinnande.

Återställd inom ett halvt år
Redan under första behandlingen hade hon en känsla av förändring i ansiktet. Och faktiskt rörde sig en muskel vid näsan. Hon var mycket trött efter behandlingen, men också mycket entusiastisk.
Efter följande två behandlingar kunde hon röra en muskel till ögonbrynet och hon kunde rynka på näsan en aning.
Efter fjärde behandlingen kunde hon se klarare och hon kände sig mera fylld av energi. En djupare belägen muskel arbetade igen.
Efter femte behandlingen fick hon mera energi och en muskel strax under ögat började arbeta. Hon prövade på att arbeta några timmar per dag, för att se hur mycket hon orkade. Hon besökte också sin terapeut för rehablitering av ansiktsmuskulaturen, och hon såg en stor skillnad både fysiskt och mentalt.
Efter sjätte behandlingen kunde hon bättre fördela sin energi, och igen efter sjunde behandlingen kände hon sig mycket avslappnad och hon kunde nästan sluta sitt öga. Hon såg mera avspänd ut och kunde röra sina ansiktsmuskler hela tiden.
Under de följande veckorna fick hon allt mera kraft. Hon kunde känna effekterna efter varje behandling; pickningar och "fjärilskänsla" i hennes högra ansiktshalva runt ögon och öron. Och hon kunde bilda tårar igen.
Fram till december 2007 kom hon varje vecka och alla gånger skedde förändringar. Hon blev fastare i ansiktsmusklerna och tom. några muskler i pannan rörde sig. De hade inte alls gått att röra innan behandlingarna. Hon fick ett normalt liv igen.

Efter nitton behandlingar.
2008 arbetade hon allt mera, precis som sina kolleger. Hon fortsatte sina behandlingar, men nu varannan vecka. Ännu skedde förändringar, men inte så snabbt. I mars besökte hon sin neurolog, som blev mycket förvånad över hennes framsteg ännu ett år efter operationen.

Litteratur:
11th. Newsletter of GLOBAL FACIAL NETWORK
Sep 2008
How to treat Facial Paralyse
Case of Facial Paralyse

Hänvisning till länkar och bilder fån den engelska versionen nedan.

Facial paralysis

c. Sörensensistem
Facial Reflexology works effectively in different pathologies, in physical, psychological and functional zones, generally combining different areas.
We will present here the case of a patient with Facial Paralysis, including the treatment and results obtained with Facial Reflexology.

The patient is 41 years old and got a chirurgical operation in the head to get out the acoustic neurinom (a benevolent tumor in the head between the cerebellum, pons and brain stem). After the operation in February 2007 she got a facial paralysis. The neurologist says that there was no damage done, but the nerve was numb and had to wake up again. She also got deaf on the right ear because of the 8th cranial nerve was totally removed.

Treatments of physiotherapy and facial muscular rehabilitation performed along eight weeks did not have any effect. The total recovery was a very slow process. In the midst of June the patient went to Hannek Van Baal's clinic in Holand, instructor of Lone Sorensen in Netherlands, for a treatment. She had at that moment four months symptoms of a facial paralysis: her right eye did not blink and could not close. Because of that, her cornea dried out, and she had to protect her eye with a plaster constantly. Her mouth pulled to one side and, especially when she was tired, she had difficulties to talk.
She had not returned to her job as a nurse yet.

Recovery within a half year
Supervised by Lone Sorensen, from Barcelona, the therapist started treating the patient with a treatment based in Facial Reflexology. All the zones in her face were deeply analyzed in order to diagnose the biggest deposits. The biggest deposit is the eldest blockade and thus the cause. When treating the deposit it has an effect on all the problems. The patient's biggest deposit was in the hormonal system; the balance between the glands, the tissue, the muscles and emotions was disturbed. The therapist gave special attention to this zone so as to balance it with the other areas, and to the acupoints that regulate and stimulate the energy flow to the face and body. She also treated the zone of all cranial nerves.

Furthermore, she treated specific nerve points for the mouth and the eye, according to the method of Dr. Quoc Chau, a methodology studied in Vietnam for treating nerve points in the face.
Aside from this, the massage of all the facial muscles is very important. Here she used a map of Dr. Castillo Morales, an Argentinean doctor who did a tremendous job working with the connection of the tension in the face muscles and the brain function. Using this map helps to relax the muscles. All these influences converted Lone Sorensen's model of Facial Reflexology into a holistic treatment.

Lone Sorensen's methodology combines up to fourteen different methodologies in Facial Reflexology, used depending on the pathology. In this case, a combination of acupoints was included to specifically treat the paralysis.

The treatment gives a relaxing effect to the patient and simultaneously the hope that a progress is possible. This has a great influence on her/his well being.

Already during the first treatment she had the feeling that there was a change in her face. And indeed there was a movement in the muscle on the nose bridge. She was very tired after the treatment, but very enthusiastic.
After the two next treatments she was able to move an eyebrow muscle and she could lift her nose a little bit.
After the fourth treatment, she could see more clearly and she felt more energetic. A deeper muscle was working again.
After the fifth meeting, she got more energy and a muscle just beneath the eye was working. She tried to work a few hours per day, experiencing her limits. She visited her therapist of facial muscular rehabilitation, who saw a big difference both physically and mentally.
After the sixth treatment she was able to divide her energy better. And again after the seventh treatment she felt very relaxed, and she could almost close her eye. She looked more relaxed and was able to move her face muscles all the time.

The following weeks she began to work more and she felt more energy. After every treatment she could feel the effects; pricks and butterfly feelings in the right side of her face in the area around her eye and ear. She could produce tears again.

Until December 2007 she came every week for a treatment and there were changes every time: she was able to frown and her cheek and under part of her face were more solid. She could also feel some muscles on her forehead; an area that was not moving at all before.
She got better dividing her energy and got a normal life again. It was December, after nineteen treatments.
In 2008 she worked more and more, just like her colleagues. Her treatments went on but just once every two weeks. Changes were still taking place, but not so quickly.

In March she visited her neurologist and he is very surprised to see her progress almost a year after the operation.

Literature:
11th. Newsletter of GLOBAL FACIAL NETWORK
Sep 2008
How to treat Facial Paralyse
Case of Facial Paralyse

Kasvot kehon karttana

Selkäkipujenkin syyn voi selvitä kasvovyöhyketerapiassa.

Vyöhyketerapia on monelle tuttu hoitomuoto mutta harva on tutustunut sen nuorempaan sisarushoitoon, kasvovyöhyketerapiaan. Muutama vuosi sitten Suomeen rantautunut menetelmä on tanskalaisen vyöhyketerapeutti Lone Sörensen Lopezin vuosikymmeniä kestäneen kehittelyn tulos.

- Tanskassa kasvovyöhyketerapia tuli tämän vuoden alussa Kelan korvauspiiriin. Vyöhyketerapia on Tanskassa suosituin vaihtoehtolääketieteen muoto ja Kela on korvannut klassisen vyöhyketerapian jo vuodesta 2007, kertoo dipl.kasvovyöhyketerapeutti Ulla Mattfolk.

Kauneuskeskus Wilhelmiinassa kasvovyöhyketerapiahoitoja tekevä Mattfolk on ensimmäisiä Sörensen Lopezin menetelmän mukaan Suomessa koulutettuja terapeutteja. Kasvovyöhyketerapiasta voi olla apua monenlaisiin vaivoihin, vaikka hoidetaan kasvoja. Kyse on koko kehoon kohdistuvasta hoitomuodosta.

Kasvot ovat mikrosysteemi jotka käsittää koko kehon, aivan kuten korvatkin ovat kehon mikrosysteemi. Kasvovyöhyketerapia täydentää perinteistä vyöhyketerapiaa, mutta näitä hoitoja ei voida tehdä samalla kertaa, koska ne neutralisoivat toistensa vaikutukset.

Kasvovyöhyketerapiaa on yhdistelmä itämaista lääketiedettä, eteläamerikkalaisten intiaani-heimojen vyöhyketerapiateknikkaa sekä modernia neurologista tutkimusta.

- Kasvojen alueelta löytyy kaksikymmentä meridiaanien päätöspisteitä joiden avulla voidaan hoitaa kehoa. Hoitoa aloitetaan noin sanotulla vikaetsintämenetelmällä. Silittelyn kaltaisella hieronnalla etsitään kasvoista kipein ja turvonnein kohta. Hoitoa ei tehdä pääasiallisesti oireiden vaan syyn perusteella. Jos esim. selkä on kipeä todellisen syyn voi löytyä maksasta.

- On muistettava että jos puhutaan esim. viasta maksasta kyseessä on joku yleensä vaaraton toiminnallinen epätasapaino joka vaikuttaa kehoon. Vakavat sairaudet ovat aivan eri asia ja silloin ohjaan hakeutumaan lääkäriin.

Vaikka vyöhyketerapia on ennen kaikkea sairauksien ennaltaehkäisyyn tähtäävä hoitomuoto, sillä on saatu hyviä tuloksia myöskin erilaisien sairauksien hoidossa. Hoito kestää tunnin ja puolet ajasta kuluu hermohoitoon. Kasvoista löytyy yli 560 hermopistettä ja valittuja pisteitä kosketaan tietyn ajan. Hermopisteitä hoitamalla on saatu todella ihmeellisiä tuloksia esim. alaraajahalvauksen tai aivoverenvuodon kokeneilla potilailla, Mattfolk vakuuttaa. Aamuset 21.01.09.Hannele Sivonen

Hon erbjuder zonterapi for ansiktet

Ulla Mattfolk har hämtat dansk behandlingsmetod
till Åbo.

Ulla Mattfolk har bott bara en månad i Åbo, men hon är
i full färd med att marknadsföra en ny komplementär
behandlingsmetod. Hon är nämligen först i
hela södra Finland med att erbjuda ansiktszonterapi,
som kommit hit via Sverige och Österbotten.

Vad går behandlingen ut på?
- Det är zonterapi som man gör i ansiktet. Dels
behandlar man meridianer och zoner, precis som i vanlig
zonterapi, men man behandlar också nervsystemet och
hormonerna.
- Det är en danska, Lone Sörensen Lopez, som har
utvecklat metoden. Zonterapi är den mest använda alternativa
behandlingsformen i Danmark, och har redan gått
om klassisk massage. Man kan få ansiktszonterapi på
sjukhus där från 2009.

När kan man må bra av terapin?
- Vid symptom i huvudet,nacken, axlar, stress eller
neurologiska besvär. Ansiktszonterapins grundare
har också fått goda resultat med barn med rörelsebesvär
och neurologiska besvär.

Vad lockade dig till Åbo?
- Jag har en idé om att doktorera på kroppens själv-
läkningsförmåga. Jag är filosofie magister i biologi, och
jag har själv fått hjälp av zonterapi mot dålig rygg.
Men det gäller att hitta någon handledare som vet
någonting om ämnet. Jag söker tills jag hittar en.
Mattfolk ger också vanlig helkroppszonterapi och indisk
huvudmassage - på svenska, finska och engelska. Hon tar
emot på Kuntoutustiimi på Universitetsgatan och på
Wilhelmiina på Slottsgatan.
-HH Åbo Underrättelser dec.08

Frågor om informationsbehandling.

Informationsbehandling är en av kroppens viktigaste uppgifter. Informationen består av både en yttre del, omvärlden, samt en inre del, kroppens reaktioner. Dessutom finns det ett kvalitetsproblem inbyggt, det sk. qualia-problemet (hur något är), eller mind-problemet. Den inre delen består av både kropp och ”själ”. Body and mind. Består den yttre delen också av två delar? Information om miljön, samt information om (det kollektiva?) medvetandet. Kan känslor finnas också utanför kroppen? Vad är medvetande? Kan det finnas utanför kroppen? Vad är den religiösa anden? Vad är aura, eller karisma? Hur kommuniceras dessa ev. yttre känslor? Hur synkroniseras de, ex. i ett fiskstim? Var går gränsen för individen?

Ett annat problem som numera diskuteras allt mera är observerarens inverkan på det han observerar eller mäter. Detta är kvantvärlden, där förhållanden samtidigt kan befinna sig i olika tillstånd. Det är först i mätögonblicket som tillståndet realiseras i vår materiella värld. Omvänt betyder ju det också att den ”andliga” världen Kan påverka vår materiella värld? Tanken påverkar materien. Kvantbiologi och kvantkemi, vad är det?
Och vad skiljer egentligen en nervcell från en vanlig cell? Formen är en sak, men finns det också annat? Varför har nervcellerna flera olika sätt att kommunicera? Till vad behövs en synapsklyfta i nervsystemet? Hur hänger nervsystemet ihop med det endokrina systemet och cell – cell - kommunikationen? Hur fungerar meridiansystemet? Chakrasystemet? Fraktaliteten och topologin?

För att kunna besvara frågorna skall vi först titta på cellmembranens funktion.

Cellmembranen
är en högst levande och dynamisk del av cellen. Den måste kunna nästan fördubbla sin massa (lipider) för att kunna bilda två nya, likadana celler. Den kan brista utan att det gör nämnvärd skada. Den innehåller mycket kolesterol. Den är inte enhetlig, utan bildar ”kuddar” med omväxlande tjockare och mera lättflytande konsistens, sk. fasövergångar mellan fasta, stelnade lipider och flytande ”vätska”. Dessa fasövergångar är otroligt viktiga för membranens funktion. Och den innehåller proteiner och peptider, både som ”signalflaggor” och som ”hål” i cellmembranen. Samt möjligen som ”bromsklossar” för impulsen? Proteinerna och peptiderna är viktiga för informationsöverföringen i systemet/systemen. Funktionen belyses av ex. bedövningsmedlens inverkan på membranen.

En annan konstighet med cellmembranen är att den inte är den barriär mot omvärlden som man länge trott. Den förnyas ständigt, en del vandrar in i cellen, en del vandrar ut som informationsmolekyler. En del går in i olika fettsyrekaskader, bl.a. arakidonsyrakaskaden och styr därigenom immunsystemet, eikosanoiderna, information och avgiftning mm. En del deltar i sfingolipidernas och chaperonernas reglerande verkan. En del förbränns av Krebs cykel och ger energi genom fosforylering. En del bildar fria radikaler. Cellmembranen är central för dessa alla, och är mera ett fettlager i form av en elektriskt "neutral" hinna (hydrofoba delen). Den skiljer ett vattenlager från ett annat? Eller vattnet är också i en gel-fas inne i cellen, ungefär som i ett ägg, dvs. membranen är det ställe där faserna skiftar? Lipider ingår i många av kroppens signalsystem, men där ingår också proteiner, kanske främst i form av enzym. Kolhydrater används kanske minst till signaler, men mest till energiomvandlingar (fosforylering). En av de mest centrala delarna för funktionen är fosforyleringen.

I evolutionsforskningen finns det också en teori om att först kom cellmembranen, sedan cellen. Virusets membran/skal bildas ibland helt automatiskt. I vätska kommer lipiderna att arrangeras i strängar, också helt automatiskt. Tom. nervimpulsen går genom membranen helt automatiskt, dvs. utan energikrav, enligt den nya soliton-modellen. Vad är det då som gör membranen så levande? Och vad bestämmer vart lipiderna förs eller i vilken reaktion de deltar?

Nanotuber

är också helt kemiska strukturer. Kol är känd för att kunna bilda fullerener, små klot som också kan fungera magnetiskt, samt rörkonstruktioner, nanotuber. Rören kan också böjas i en torus, och blir då ännu mera magnetiska. Det stora paramagnetiska momentet beror på samspelet mellan den böjda geometrin och den ballistiska rörelsen av π elektronerna i den metalliska nanotuben. Det är en mekanism som skapar kurvor. Dessa är mycket starka, styva och samtidigt elastiska och bygger på van der Waalskrafter och kovalenta sp² band mellan kolatomerna. De kan omfatta flera miljoner atomer.

En nanoknopp. Obs likheten med synapsen. Nanotuber och fullerener kombineras. Nanotuber kan vara utmärkta ledare (transistorer) och logiska portar (för komputationer). Diameter från 1 – 50 nm. Nanotuber kan kanske också anta en spiralform, sk. kirala rör.

C60-fullerener orsakar oxidativ stress i hjärnan vid en koncentration av 0,5. ppm (Oberdörster, 2004)

Också Ca kan bilda fullerener (metallofullerener). Påverkar osteoblasterna. Nanopartiklar kan utgöra en stor hälsofara och också ”laddas” med olika molekyler, så att de fungerar som bärarmolekyler.

Eccles 1994: How the self controls its brain. The binding problem. Synapsen, axonen. Eccles tillämpade kvantbiologiska förklaringar. Han funderade på vad self bestod av och grundade sig på en dualistisk världsbild.

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1963 John Carew Eccles FAA shared with Alan Lloyd Hodgkin and Andrew Fielding Huxley 'for their discoveries concerning the ionic mechanisms involved in excitation and inhibition in the peripheral and central portions of the nerve cell membrane'.

Standardmodellen för nervimpuls-överföringen kallas H-H-modellen (Hodgkin & Huxley).

Lipider

En sak som är speciell med lipider är deras låga elektriska ledningsförmåga. Vad använder cellen denna egenskap till? Och varför består den mest elektriskt ledande vävnaden av alla, nervcellerna, av lipider i så fall? Som dessutom ofta har en ytterligare fetthinna i form av myelin runt sig som isolering? Verkar inte riktigt genomtänkt? Har vi missat något väsentligt här?

I vilken del av nervcellen fortskrider impulsen och hur kodas den? Hur kan nervcellen hålla reda på alla de olika informationerna som de otaliga synapserna (ex. med flera synapser på samma utskott) överför i både tid och rum? Hur fungerar minnet? Vi minns ju både det förflutna och nuet, samt ofta också framtiden (planering) på en och samma gång. Minnet kan då inte ligga kemiskt eller strukturellt i synapserna? Synapsernas antal förändras visserligen, men oftast minskar de. Bara under perioder med stark inlärning ökar de. Under terapier kan vi plötsligt minnas sådant som vi inte aktivt tänkt på en enda gång på flera tiotals år. Synapsen borde då vara ”död” sedan länge. Kan vi tänka på flera olika sätt? Var finns våra representationer? Och hur fungerar tidsfaktorn? Spiralvridna nerver ger ett magnetfält? Vilken är magnetismens roll?

Enligt den nya solitonmodellen skall impulsen fortskrida med hög-temp. (kväve-baserad?) supraledning (okänd mekanism), dvs. utan magnetisk påverkan (magnetiska fält repelleras). Strömtätheten ger upphov till ett magnetiskt fält, vars styrka inte får överstiga den kritiska fältstyrkans värde. Därför kallas supraledare ofta perfekta diamagneter, och supraledningsförmågan försvinner om det yttre magnetiska fältet blir för stort. Kan fria radikaler (paramagnetiska/ diamagnetiska?) ha en funktion här? Varför har neuronen/axonen så många mitokondrier? Fosforyleringens betydelse här?

Källor:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16620797?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=5&log$=relatedreviews&logdbfrom=pubmed
style="font-family:arial;">http://www.princeton.edu/~msammalk/publications/cpc146_02.pdf

http://prola.aps.org/abstract/PRL/v88/i21/e217206
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_nanotube
www.naturvardsverket.se/Documents/publikationer/978-91-620-5908-8.pdf
http://books.google.fi/books?id=3rwmnnDrpnwC&pg=PA494&lpg=PA494&dq=Calcium+fullerener&source=bl&ots=jTmf8ByUVG&sig=0LHZxeFPZ-fm1N9bH6N6JsQOUxk&hl=sv&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result#PPA490,M1
http://es.epa.gov/ncer/publications/workshop/8-18-04/pdf/epa_grantee_meeting_talk_08-19-04-yongsheng.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_the_Self_Controls_Its_Brain
http://www.enformy.com/$dual.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hodgkin-Huxley_model
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17047952?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=1&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed
http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/physicists-challenge-notion-of-electric-nerve-impulses-say-sound-more-likely-12738.html
http://beam.acclab.helsinki.fi/~knordlun/ftf/ftf16.pdf

Nanotuber

Det händer saker inom biologin just nu. En stor omvärdering av fakta sker. Ett av de stora genombrotten är nanotuber. Ett annat är den nya teorin om nervimpulsen som en soliton. Det kan hända att dessa båda är länkade till varandra.

Nanotuber (och de mindre thether) är små membrankantade rör mellan cellerna, innehållande aktin-myosin-komplex. De är en nyupptäckt variant av cellkommunikation, ett fysiskt rörnätverk av sammanhängande cellinnehåll mellan cellerna. Tidigare har man känt till neuronala synapser och gap junctions. I de neuronala synapserna har gliacellerna också kommit aktivt med ex. som glutamat-tillverkare (reglerar aktivitetsnivån) och som tillverkare av ribosomer (reglerar tillverkning av signalämnen). Nervsystemet är inte på långa vägar så enkelt som man har trott. Det finns annat än nervceller och sinnesorgan som styr nervsystemet.

Som namnet säger är de små rör som förekommer i ett nätverk mellan celler, dock inte mellan alla celler. Rören är kortvariga, kanske de finns där några dagar. Just tidbegreppet är också indelat i olika nivåer i cellkommunikationen. Kortvarigast är apokrin, sedan parakrin, neuronal och endokrin kommunikation är långvarigast. Nu har då tillkommit nanotuber som den kanske långvarigaste kommunikationen. Man vet ännu rätt litet om dem. Jag skall här kort summera vad man vet:

1. funktion för cellkommunikation, provtagning av miljön och proteintransport. Man har också sett transport av organeller, ex. delar av mitokondrier, ribosomer men mest endosomer. Bl.a. som informationskanal för immunsystemet är de viktiga. Homeostasens reglering och cellorganisering tros vara viktiga funktioner, möjligen organutveckling. Reglering av proteinsyntes och genaktivitet genom transport av mikroRNA (fungerar epigenetiskt), transport av argosomer, melanosomer, membranbitar, endosomer och lysosomer. Synkroniserar vävnaderna.

2. storlek 50 -200 nm, med en ansenlig variation i storleken och längden. Som jämförelse kan nämnas att gap junctions är 0,5 - 2 nm, eller 100 gånger mindre. Är det en slump? Också gap junctions bildar ett nätverk av förbindelser mellan celler. De sköter mest transport av små joner och molekyler, samt om de livsviktiga kalciumvågorna, som är ett informationsmedium och utlöser olika aktiviteter i cellerna. Också tunnlarna ger kalciumvågor. Tunnlarna är alltid kortast möjliga (sträckta genom aktin-myosin komplexet?).

3. hastighet mycket snabb. Signalen går fram inom sek till celler flera hundra mikroner borta. Riktad och envägskommunikation. Även tvåvägskommunikation rapporterad. Orsak: membranerna mellan cellerna fusioneras; inget gap alls. Signalstyrkan påverkas mycket litet av avståndet jämfört med användandet av lösliga ämnen som skall förmedla signalen.

4. varaktighet kort från några minuter till som längst i dagar. Därför tror man nu att ex. ultraljudsundersökningar av foster ännu är ofarliga. Skadan av förstörda tunnlar repareras snabbt?

5. när finns tunnlar? Man har sett att trauman har ökat antalet tunnlar. Vid inflammation, i njurar, pancreas mm. I prostatacancerceller, kanske tumören bildar ett eget informationsnät för spridning av läkemedelsresistens (läkemedlet pumpas ut ur tumören?), prioner sprids via tunnlarna, ev. HIV (sprids 100 - 1000 gånger effektivare via tunnlar) och andra virus. Inuti cellen är virus i säkerhet för immunsystemet, endast apoptos kan döda dem. Tunnlarna som först byggdes för att immuncellerna skulle lätt kunna låta budet gå (kalciumvågorna) vid invadering, kapas av viruset.

6. vad reagerar de för? De är uttalat känsliga för långvarigt ljus, vibrationer, och mekaniskt drag och stress. Många kemiska ämnen skadar dem också. Från tidigare vet man att vibrationer skadar kalktransporten. Deras känslighet gjorde att de blev oupptäckta så länge, de sågs bara genom en miss i proceduren. Nackdelen i dag är att man inte kan skada tunnlarna utan att skada cellerna.

7. olika för olika celltyper. I dag känner man över 200 olika celltyper. Tunnlar finns överallt, både vid sjukdom och vid god hälsa. Olika celltyper kan också förenas ex. nerv- och immunceller. Vissa sjukdomar som tumörer kanske kan bekämpas ex. med ljus (laser?), vibrationer och ljud (Novafon?) etc..

8. två olika typer av nanotuber. Tunna membran, typ 1 nanotuber innehåller endast F-actin, medan tjockare nanotuber, typ 2, dvs > 0.7 µm i diameter, innehåller både F-actin och microtubuli (cytokeratinfilament). Lysosomer och mitokondrier kunde ses i de tjocka tunnlarna bara. Olika struktur ger olika funktion hos tunnlarna. Typ 1 bildas då cellerna utforskar sin omgivning för att få kontakt med andra celler.. typ 2 bildas då två redan förenade celler börjar röra sig från varann.

Om sambandet mellan nervimpuls och nanotuber återkommer jag till.

Flytten och studierna

Efter stor tvekan har jag nu äntligen tagit steget ut. Jag har flyttat till Åbo. Familjen stannar här i Närpes.

Varför då, kanske ni undrar? Är det skilsmässa på gång?

Det finns väl inget annat skäl till att flytta eller? I mitt fall blir det fråga om långpendling. Har hyrt en lägenhet i Åbo, där jag kommer att bo i veckorna. Och veckosluten tillbringas i Närpes hos familjen. Jobbigt blir det säkert. Men det ger också många möjligheter.

Orsaken är arbetssituationen här hemma. Blev utan lärarjobb i höst och terapijobbet räckte inte till. Nu fortsätter terapijobbet här hemma och dessutom i Åbo. Så förhoppningsvis man klarar sig. I Åbo hittas jag hos Wilhelmina och vid Kuntoutustiimi.

En annan och betydligt mera spännande orsak är mina planer på att doktorera. Det är någonting som länge legat mig varmt om hjärtat, och nu då barnen är stora och inget fast jobb hindrar har jag chansen. Så mina 50+ år till trots så tog jag det stora hoppet ut i det okända. Visst kändes det hisnande, men nu har jag landat, och det känns faktiskt härligt.

Vad skall jag doktorera på? Meridianerna, eller kroppens självläkande förmåga. Ända sedan jag själv blev botad, av reflexologin, från mina långvariga ryggsmärtor, som tidvis invalidiserade mig, har jag ihärdigt forskat i självläkningsförmågan. Meridianer, akupunkter och reflexologiska system kommer att vara huvudämnet. Kroppen indelas i fraktala, topologiska mikrosystem, vars effekter skall bevisas. Det har aldrig förr gjorts. Det är en mycket spännande utmaning.

Att finna någon som vill fungera som handledare för ett så banbrytande projekt har däremot visat sig vara ytterst svårt. Många, många av akademikerna vet inte ens vad en meridian är, än mindre något om mikrosystem eller självläkning. Finns det någon som känner till en professor eller liknande som kan hjälpa så hör av er till mig.

I dagens läge har jag flera namn som lovat hjälpa till. Den mest utbildade av dem är Anu Mäkelä, läkare, och doktor i många ämnen, f.n. professor i biokemi vid Helsingfors Universitet. Laser är hennes specialitet.

En annan kunnig man är Matti Pitkänen, fil.dr i teoretisk fysik, fri forskare. Hans idéer om topologisk geometrodynamik är ytterst intressanta och användbara för mina studier. Eftersom hans teori omfattar många olika ämnen är den också kontroversiell. Alla teorier som omfattar många ämnen är det, men för helhetsforskning krävs många ämnen. Därför spelar det ingen roll i mitt fall. Det finns ingen "etablerad" teori på området. Han är den som kanske kommit längst på det kvantbiologiska området.

Hjärnforskaren, fil.dr., emeritus prof. Matti Bergström har också lovat hjälpa till. Just nu skall vi titta på hans tvåpolshjärna. Ledig tid just nu går till studier av Eccles böcker. En hjärnmodell och enkel modell över nervsystemets funktion måste arbetas fram. Modellen skall sedan användas vid testning av nervsystem och meridianer. Kvantbiologi är en del.

Fast just nu blir det mest städning, marknadsföring, jakt på "troféer" i möbelväg mm. mera praktiska saker.

Framtiden blir spännande som ett äventyr.