UNA NUEVA EXPLICACIÓN DE LA HOMEOPATÍA / A NEW EXPLANATION OF HOMEOPATHY

Este artículo cubre los conceptos básicos de un nuevo modelo de homeopatía que se basa en la termodinámica química. La equivalencia entre el compuesto que causa la enfermedad en una persona saludable y el compuesto que causa la enfermedad en una persona enferma, lo que llevó a esta interpretación del nuevo modelo de homeopatía, está bien considerado. Se han considerado el mecanismo de curación, la Ley de los Similares y la Ley de los Infinitesimales. Este artículo también analiza los conceptos básicos del mecanismo de dilución y su influencia en la concentración final de moléculas de remedio en soluciones homeopáticas. El número máximo de pasos sucesivos que impliquen una molienda vigorosa y se consideró la dilución donde todavía es posible la existencia de una concentración terapéutica.

Tis article covers the basics of a new model of homeopathy that is grounded in chemical thermodynamics. Te equivalence between the disease-causing compound in a heathy person and the disease-causing compound in an ill person, which led to this interpretation of the new model of homeopathy, is well considered. Te mechanism of curing, the Law of Similars, and the Law of Infinitesimals were considered. Tis article also discusses the basics of the dilution mechanism and its influence on the final concentration of remedy molecules in homeopathic solutions. Te maximum number of succession steps involving vigorous grinding and dilution where the existence of a therapeutic concentration is still possible was considered

‘Paradoxical pharmacology’: therapeutic strategy used by the ‘homeopathic pharmacology’ for more than two centuries

Using the empirical or phenomenological research method by observing the effects of drugs in the human physiology, Samuel Hahnemann proposed the homeopathic treatment. He synthesized modern pharmacodynamic in the ‘primary action’ of the drugs and in the consequent and opposite ‘secondary action’ or ‘vital reaction’ of the organism. Noting that drugs with ‘contrary’ primary action to the symptoms of the diseases caused worsening of the symptoms after its withdrawal, as a result of secondary action of the organism, Hahnemann proposed using this vital reaction (secondary action) in a curative way, administering to sick individuals the drugs that caused‘similar’ symptoms in healthy individuals (therapeutic use of the similitude principle). According to the clinical and experimental pharmacology, this secondary action (vital reaction) of the organism is observed in the ‘rebound effect’ or ‘paradoxical reaction’ of several classes of drugs, which is the scientific basis of the ‘homeopathic pharmacology’. In the last decade, exponents of modern pharmacology have suggested the therapeutic use of the paradoxical reaction(‘paradoxical pharmacology’), proposing the use of drugs that cause an exacerbation of the disease in the short term to treat these same diseases in the long-term. In this review, we compare the various aspects between the ‘homeopathic pharmacology’ and the ‘paradoxical pharmacology’, reinforcing the validity of homeopathic assumptions and expanding the knowledge to optimize both proposals.(AU)

On methods of access to the structure of social representations: the example of Europe

The aim of this study is to identify the logic behind a range of statistical methods used to reveal the structure of social representations. Subjects (N= 317) were asked to answer the following question: «For each category of European person, please indicate which other European he would most like to have contact with». The results of the similarity analysis lead us to the conclusion that there is an ethnocentric bias, and reveal the central factor of the representation. The representation obtained by factorial correspondence analysis seems closer to current reality and enables us to understand the divisions that have structured Europe and remained embedded in the subjects. Thus, the choice of analytical method is not merely anecdotal, given that representations obtained from the same data can vary immensely (AU)

El objetivo de este estudio es identificar la lógica detrás de una serie de métodos estadísticos utilizados para revelar la estructura de las representaciones sociales. Se solicitó a un número de sujetos (n = 317) responder a la pregunta siguiente: «Para cada categoría de europeo, por favor indique con qué otros europeos le gustaría tener contacto». Los resultados de los análisis de similitud nos llevan a la conclusión de que existe un sesgo etnocéntrico, y revelan el factor central de la representación. La representación obtenida por el análisis factorial de correspondencias se parece más a la realidad actual y nos permite entender las divisiones que han estructurado Europa y permanecen incorporadas en los sujetos. Por lo tanto, la elección del método analítico no es meramente anecdótica, puesto que las representaciones obtenidas a partir de los mismos datos pueden variar enormemente (AU)