Reporting experiments in homeopathic basic research (REHBaR)--a detailed guideline for authors.

BACKGROUND: Reporting experiments in basic research in homeopathy is an important issue as comprehensive description of what exactly was done is required. So far, there is no guideline for authors available, unlike criteria catalogues common in clinical research. METHODS: A Delphi Process was conducted, including a total of five rounds, three rounds of adjusting and phrasing plus two consensus conferences. European researchers who published experimental work within the last five years were involved. RESULTS: A checklist of 23 items was obtained and supplemented with detailed examples emphasizing what each item implies. Background, objectives and possible hypotheses should be given in the part 'introduction'. Special emphasis is put on the 'materials and methods' section, where a detailed description of chosen controls, object of investigation, experimental setup, replication, parameters, intervention, allocation, blinding, and statistical methods is required. The section 'results' should present sufficient details on analysed data, descriptive as well as inferential. Authors should discuss their results and give an interpretation in the context of current evidence. CONCLUSION: A guideline for Reporting Experiments in Homeopathic Basic Research (REHBaR) was compiled to be applied by authors when preparing their manuscripts, and to be used by scientific journals in the reviewing process. Furthermore the guideline is a commitment to a certain minimum quality level needed in basic research, e.g. blinding and randomisation. Feedback is encouraged on applicability, strength and limitations of the list to enable future revisions.

[Burnout in general practitioners]. / Burnout bei niedergelassenen Arztinnen und Arzten für Allgemeinmedizin.

BACKGROUND: The term "burnout" refers to emotional and physical exhaustion, indifference, cynicism, a reduced sense of work satisfaction, and social withdrawal, which - apart from internal factors - are contingent upon work overload, a lack of "control" options, i.e., possibilities in self-determination, inadequate financial compensation, breakdown of social networks, absence of fairness, and conflicting basic values. The boundaries between the notions of burnout and depression are porous. METHODS: General practitioners in Tirol were the subject of a survey using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and supplementary items in a questionnaire; the return rate was 41.3 %. RESULTS: Over a third of participants (35.8 %) reported that they were "in danger of burnout"; 27.2 % indicated high burnout values for the categories of emotional exhaustion, 3.2 % for depersonalization, and 10.0 % for cynicism. The mean values were outside of the range which might warrant therapeutic intervention. The study did not reveal any noteworthy correlations based upon either age or gender (p > 0.05). Medical professionals licensed under the national health insurance plan tended to show greater burnout than professionals practicing outside the public plans. GPs who took part in supervisory services reported significantly less burnout. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggests that the topic of burnout in the medical profession in Austria continues to merit study and discussion and that the provision of supervision might be a relevant option.

[The sense of coherence among general practitioners]. / Kohärenzempfinden (Sense of Coherence) bei niedergelassenen Arztinnen und Arzten für Allgemeinmedizin.

The term "sense of coherence" (SOC) refers to a life perspective which spans affective states centering around notions of comprehensibility, manageability, meaningfulness of work or personal contribution, and self-confidence, in a context where demands are perceived as challenges. SOC is positively correlated with psychological well-being, stress management and negatively with anxiety, depression, and neuroticism. General practitioners licensed by the regional health insurance fund in Styria were the subject of a 29-item survey on Sense of Coherence as described by Antonovsky; the return rate was 78.3%. The SOC of GPs replying to the survey was categorized as "marginal" in 29.9% of cases, "significant" in 59.9%, and "rigid" (in the sense of a so-called "inauthentic" self-image) in 10.2% of cases. Overall, the value found was 5.30 +/- 0.56 (Likert scale = absolute 153.8 +/- 16.2; significant), which falls within the range of values for other comparable services or professions, and comes slightly on top over figures for a normative sample. No significant correlations were found for either age or gender (p > 0.05). Reported values for comprehensibility gained in proportion to the age of the general practice of the informant (p < 0.05).

The effect of homeopathically prepared thyroxine on highland frogs: influence of electromagnetic fields.

BACKGROUND: Previous experiments show that amphibian larvae are responsive to homeopathically prepared thyroxine. METHODS: We studied the effect of a highly diluted and agitated thyroxine solution exposed to various electromagnetic fields on metamorphosis in highland Rana temporaria. The devices tested were: microwave oven, mobile phone, airport X-ray, and a red light barcode scanner. Animals were treated either with homeopathically prepared thyroxine (10(-30) parts by weight, 10(-35) in the water in which the animals were kept), or analogously prepared blank solution, or analogously prepared thyroxine exposed to the electromagnetic field of one of the devices tested. Solutions were administered at 48h intervals according to a standardized protocol. RESULTS: Animals treated with the standard test solution thyroxine 10(-30) metamorphosed more slowly than the control animals, ie the effect of the homeopathically prepared thyroxine was opposed to the usual physiological effect of molecular thyroxine. The cumulative number of test animals that had reached the four-legged stage at defined points in time was smaller in the group treated with homeopathically prepared thyroxine at most of the points in time. This was found independently by all three research teams involved. In contrast, this effect did not occur when the thyroxine solution had been exposed to the field of the early model microwave oven, or mobile phone. There was no difference between aqueous or alcoholic solutions were used, and there was, if any, only a small protective effect from aluminum foil. Airport X-ray and red light barcode scanning did not diminish the effect of the homeopathic solution.

Pretreatment with thyroxine (10-(8) parts by weight) enhances a 'curative' effect of homeopathically prepared thyroxine (10-(13)) on lowland frogs.

We studied the influence of a moderate homeopathically prepared thyroxine dilution (final concentration in the basin water 10-(13) parts by weight) on the metamorphosis of lowland Rana temporaria which had been hyperstimulated with thyroxine. Two groups of animals were pretreated by immersing them in a molecular thyroxine dilution (10-(8) parts by weight). This pretreatment speeds up development, as is well known. In accordance with the homeopathic/isopathic idea of detoxication or cure, the same hormone was then diluted and agitated in successive steps for further treatment. This homeopathically prepared dilution was administered at 24-hour intervals to one of the groups. An analogously prepared blank solution was used for the control group. Our hypothesis, which was derived from earlier studies, was that animals treated with the test solution would metamorphose more slowly than the control animals, i.e. that the homeopathically prepared thyroxine would have a 'curative' effect. In this new series of experiments this hypothesis was examined by 3 independent researchers. In the experiments carried out by 2 of the 3 researchers the number of animals that reached the four-legged stage at defined points in time was smaller in the group treated with homeopathically prepared thyroxine. In the third laboratory no difference was found between the groups. However, the overall inhibiting effect was statistically significant and more pronounced than in earlier, less promising studies and in parallel experiments in which nonprestimulated animals had been used. Other studies carried out by the 3 researchers involved animals from highland biotopes, where the natural environment probably induces a greater sensitivity towards thyroxine or higher thyroxine levels. These animals reacted to the homeopathically prepared thyroxine with a slowing down of metamorphosis, even when they had not been prestimulated with a molecular dose of the hormone. This effect was observed in all 3 laboratories and is consistent with the results of previous studies.

The effect of highly diluted agitated thyroxine on the climbing activity of frogs.

We studied the influence of specially prepared highly diluted thyroxine on the spontaneous tendency of juvenile frogs, which were at the end of thyroxine-controlled metamorphosis, to leave the water and climb onto land. The test dilution with a thyroxine concentration beyond Avogadro's value (dilution thyroxine D30) and the reference (dilution water D30) were prepared according to directions from the literature on homeopathy. A few drops of these solutions were added to tap water of basins containing the frogs. The frogs' climbing activities were monitored immediately after adding the solutions. The hypothesis derived from a preliminary study was that there is less climbing activity in frogs treated with dilution thyroxine D30 than in a reference group. This hypothesis was proven. Climbing activity diminished under the influence of dilution thyroxine D30, with statistical significance both in comparison to the effect of the analogously prepared solvent (dilution water D30) as well as in comparison to control observations before the start of treatment. When in a later step of observation the dilution water D30-control group was treated with dilution thyroxine D30, the diminishing effect on activity also occurred.