More than one-third of justice-involved individuals meet the criteria for substance use disorder (SUD). Many studies show that treatment expectancy predicts longitudinal SUD outcomes; however, results are inconsistent, and the role of treatment expectancy on SUD outcomes for individuals mandated to a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) is unknown. Mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) has shown efficacy with justice-involved populations; however, enrollment in MBRP is typically voluntary. The current study assessed whether pretreatment expectancy predicted SUD- and affect-related outcomes in a sample of women ( = 54) mandated to MBRP as part of their residential SUD programming. The authors employed a quasiexperimental design and administered measures at pre-, mid-, and postcourse. Following mandatory participation in MBRP, significant reductions in craving and substance use were observed. However, contrary to hypotheses, higher pretreatment expectancy predicted greater substance dependence at postcourse. Positive treatment expectancy within the context of an MBI was not related to favorable posttreatment outcomes; in fact, it was related to higher postcourse substance dependence. This suggests that MBIs may be suitable for mandated individuals who may not have voluntarily chosen to participate in such an intervention, and thus may have lower expectancy for the treatment. This finding needs to be replicated in a larger sample to warrant a firmer conclusion.

Complementary medicine (CM) is often used by patients and offered by physicians. The attitude of medical students toward CM in Germany has been given little research attention. The aim was to assess the attitude of medical students toward CM in general and their opinion about the importance of CM university research and teaching. An exploratory cross-sectional study among medical students at the Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin was performed at the beginning of the summer term 2019 using an online survey. The attitude toward CM was assessed by the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Health Belief Questionnaire (CHBQ, range 10-70, neutral at 40; a higher score indicates a more positive attitude toward CM). Furthermore, students rated their own CM use and the perceived importance of CM university research and teaching (range 1-7; a higher score indicates more agreement). The study was approved by the Charité Ethics Committee (institutional review board). Out of 1256 contacted students, 349 (27.8%) students (mean age 23.7 ± 4.3 years, 69.0% female) participated. The attitude toward CM based on the CHBQ was rather neutral (mean 44.2 ± 10.7) and more positive among females than males (mean 46.1 ± 10.7 vs. 40.6 ± 9.5,  < 0.001). Medical students favored CM university research (mean 5.4 ± 1.5) and mostly did not agree that CM is currently taught sufficiently at the university (mean 3.4 ± 1.7). The lifetime prevalence of student's own CM use was 48.4% of respondents (79.1% females). Although medical students, in this sample with a high percentage of females, reported a rather neutral attitude toward CM, the authors' findings indicate that medical students promoted research and teaching in CM. Further multicenter cross-sectional studies in German and European medical universities should be undertaken to explore students' attitudes and wishes regarding the integration of CM in university teaching, research, and patient care.

The integrity and function of the gastrointestinal system is important in disease prevention and management. This study aims to describe the management methods used by Australian adults with suspected increased intestinal permeability (IP) and the association with subjective wellbeing (SWB) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Cross-sectional survey of Australian adults diagnosed with IP or have suspected (undiagnosed) IP. Questionnaire items investigating demographic characteristics, self-reported outcome of IP and treatment methods used to manage IP. Participants' HRQoL and SWB according to the 20-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-20) and Personal Wellbeing Index-Adult (PWI-A) scale, respectively. Participants ( = 589) frequently used dietary products (87.9%), dietary supplements (72.9%) and lifestyle therapies (54.6%) for managing IP. Participants had lower (i.e., worse) mean SWB scores for all domains compared to the Australian population ( < 0.001). The number of days IP reported to affect daily living was negatively correlated with SWB and HRQoL ( < 0.001). Participants that reported an improvement in their IP in the previous 12 months were more likely to be treated by a healthcare practitioner (OR = 2.04,  = 0.015), use dietary supplements (OR = 2.66,  = 0.003), participate in vigorous exercise (OR = 2.99,  < 0.001) and employ vagus nerve stimulation (OR = 3.10,  = 0.010). Conversely, they were less likely to consume gluten (OR = 0.35,  < 0.001) or use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (OR = 0.35,  = 0.022). Self-reported improvement of IP (β = 10.70,  < 0.001) and use of dietary products (β = 12.12,  = 0.008) were predictors of a higher level of SWB. Altered IP may pose a greater health burden than previously thought, with poor SWB and HRQoL reported in Australian adults with self-reported IP. Our results highlight the potential clinical relevance and consequence of altered IP, providing the first indication of a possible relationship between altered IP and both SWB and HRQoL.

To investigate the effects of 12 weeks practice of a structured yoga module on heart rate variability (HRV) and cardiometabolic risks in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) receiving similar kind of oral antidiabetic drugs (OAD) with yoga therapy and without yoga therapy, matched for all the known confounders. Parallel design interventional (randomized control trial) study. Eighty treatment-naive males with T2D were randomized into control group ( = 40) and study group ( = 40). Study group participants received a structured yoga therapy that included asana and pranayama practice for 12 weeks in addition to OAD, whereas control group participants received OAD alone. Before and after intervention, BP parameters, rate pressure product (RPP) as the marker of myocardial stress, total power (TP) of HRV, low-frequency to high-frequency (LF-HF) ratio of HRV, homeostatic model of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), lipid profile and lipid risk factors, malondialdehyde (MDA), and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were measured. TP of HRV was defined as the primary outcome. Association of TP (the marker of HRV) and LF-HF ratio (the marker of sympathovagal balance) with cardiometabolic parameters was assessed by correlation and regression analyses. After 12 weeks yoga therapy, there was significant reduction in cardiometabolic risks (TP of HRV, RPP, lipid risks factors, levels of MDA, and hsCRP) in study group subjects compared with control subjects that did not receive yoga therapy. All cardiometabolic risk factors were significantly correlated with TP in study group, having maximum significance with homeostatic model of insulin secretion ( = 0.502,  ≤ 0.001). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated the independent contribution of decrease in RPP, HOMA-IR, hsCRP, and MDA to increased TP and decreased LF-HF ratio in T2D patients after yoga therapy. From the results of this study, the authors conclude that 12 weeks practice of a structured yoga module improves TP of HRV, sympathovagal balance, and metabolic functions, and reduce cardiovascular (CV) risks in patients with diabetes who received routine antidiabetic medicines along with yoga therapy, compared with the patients with diabetes who received antidiabetic medicines alone. The reduction in cardiometabolic risks in these patients is linked to the improvement in TP of HRV. Future studies should also include a control group with rapid walking or a similar exercise program of equal time to the yoga intervention group to discern whether it is in fact yoga that is leading to these results and not simply increased CV activity. Clinical Trial Registry of India (No. CTRI/2021/06/034074).

There is some evidence in favor of the efficacy of herbal medicine in the treatment of radiodermatitis as a frequent complication among cancer patients. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of herbal medicines on the treatment of radiodermatitis in cancer patients. Systematic review performed in accordance with the PRISMA guideline. We searched the electronic databases, Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Google Scholar, and ISI Web of Science, through July 2020 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared herbal compounds against a standard medication or placebo for treatment or prevention of radiodermatitis. A total of 16 RCTs involving 1886 patients with breast, head and neck, or unspecified cancer were included. Risk of bias generally was high. Of those, three RCTs with 562 cancer patients (mainly breast cancer) who used to treat radiodermatitis were included in the meta-analysis. There was a significant level of heterogeneity between the studies ( = 95.8). One RCT found positive effects of in reducing the severity of radiodermatitis (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 3.37), whereas another revealed an inverse effect (SMD = -4). At present, there are no herbal compositions that are effective in treating radiodermatitis, with failing to show sufficient efficacy in the meta-analysis.

Acupuncture has demonstrated effectiveness for symptom management among breast cancer survivors. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effect of acupuncture on treatment-related symptoms among breast cancer survivors. The authors searched PubMed, CINAHL, and EMBASE for relevant randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for managing treatment-related symptoms published in English through June 2021. They appraised the quality of each article using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Criteria. The primary outcomes were pain, hot flashes, sleep disturbance, fatigue, depression, lymphedema, and neuropathy as individual symptoms. They also evaluated adverse events reported in acupuncture studies. Of 26 selected trials (2055 patients), 20 (1709 patients) were included in the meta-analysis. Acupuncture was more effective than control groups in improving pain intensity [standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.60, 95% confidence intervals (CI) -1.06 to -0.15], fatigue [SMD = -0.62, 95% CI -1.03 to -0.20], and hot flash severity [SMD = -0.52, 95% CI -0.82 to -0.22]. The subgroup analysis indicated that acupuncture showed trends but not significant effects on all the treatment-related symptoms compared with the sham acupuncture groups. Compared with waitlist control and usual care groups, the acupuncture groups showed significant reductions in pain intensity, fatigue, depression, hot flash severity, and neuropathy. No serious adverse events were reported related to acupuncture intervention. Mild adverse events (i.e., bruising, pain, swelling, skin infection, hematoma, headache, menstrual bleeding) were reported in 11 studies. This systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that acupuncture significantly reduces multiple treatment-related symptoms compared with the usual care or waitlist control group among breast cancer survivors. The safety of acupuncture was inadequately reported in the included studies. Based on the available data, acupuncture seems to be generally a safe treatment with some mild adverse events. These findings provide evidence-based recommendations for incorporating acupuncture into clinical breast cancer symptom management. Due to the high risk of bias and blinding issues in some RCTs, more rigorous trials are needed to confirm the efficacy of acupuncture in reducing multiple treatment-related symptoms among breast cancer survivors.

Antibiotic overuse is a significant driver of bacterial resistance. Urinary tract infections (UTIs, cystitis) are the most common condition for which antibiotics are prescribed in the ambulatory setting. Many complementary and integrative approaches to cystitis have been proposed, including probiotics, D-mannose, and several herbal therapies. Trials comparing such therapies with placebo or antibiotics showed mixed, but promising, results. Naturopathy is a system of medicine that has potential to avoid antibiotic use for UTI because of its affinity for nonpharmacologic therapies and its theory that infection is a result of both the immune system's vulnerability and the pathogen's virulence. The authors conducted a retrospective chart review of cases treated at four naturopathic clinics in the Portland, OR, metro area, where naturopathic doctors (NDs) have a scope of practice consistent with their license as primary care providers. The primary aim was to characterize how NDs treat UTIs in a real-world setting. Secondary aims were to gather preliminary evidence on the types of patient cases receiving such treatments, outcomes of treatments, and associations between presentation and treatment prescriptions. The authors found 82 distinct treatment regimens among 103 individual patients diagnosed with UTI. Most patients received a combination of herbal medicine and behavioral modification (e.g., increase fluid intake), whereas the most common monotherapeutic regimen was antibiotics. Of the 43 patients who were followed up, 15 had no success with nonpharmacologic therapies and required antibiotics. The sample was comparable with national data regarding composition of public versus private insurance, acute versus recurrent/chronic UTI, and percent of cases related to uropathogenic . NDs practicing in a primary care context frequently prescribe antibiotic and nonantibiotic multimodal therapy for uncomplicated UTI. These results may guide future studies testing complementary and integrative therapies for uncomplicated UTI.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use has been increasingly prevalent among Americans, whereas its relationship with medical nonadherence is unknown. Using the National Health Interview Survey, we evaluated the use of CAM modalities and their association with cost-related nonadherence to medical care (CRN) among older Americans by gender strata. Men and women were, in general, in the same pattern of higher likelihood of reporting CRN if they utilized herbal supplements, meditation, and chiropractic or osteopathic manipulations ( < 0.05, respectively). Both men and women are more likely to report financial distress while using various CAM modalities.

This article examines the feedback of health care providers within the implementation of an integrative care project in a clinic for pediatric oncology in São Paulo, Brazil. Since 2017, the project has implemented external anthroposophic therapies in the activities of daily nursing. The objective is to evaluate how the project evolved and what impact it had on the daily operation of the hospital. A special focus emphasizes the perspective of study nurses. Twelve qualitative semistructured interviews were conducted. Audio files were transcribed, translated to German, and underwent a MAXQDA software-assisted analysis. Using a thematic approach, coherent cross-case topics were defined. Three main topics emerged from analysis of the data. (1) The implementation and its effects on daily patient care demonstrated positive outcomes in patients and were well accepted with minimal changes in daily activities. (2) The perspective of study nurses showed a large motivation due to beneficial and stress-relieving effects of the application and a growing patient-health care provider relationship. (3) Problems and aspirations for improvement were the lack of time and the urge to make the project grow in the future. Not only patients but also health care providers seem to benefit from integrative methods. They have the potential to improve the working atmosphere and to strengthen relations between patients, caregivers, and family members. General feedback was positive and acceptance in the team arose over time when beneficial effects became visible.

This study is a secondary analysis of data collected in an earlier clinical trial of mindfulness-based resilience training (MBRT) (ClinicalTrials.gov registration number 02521454), where the MBRT condition demonstrated a significant reduction in self-reported burnout and trend-level reductions in alcohol use in law enforcement officers (LEOs). Given that MBRT is not designed to be a substance use intervention and does not contain explicit substance-related content, this study sought to clarify these findings by exploring whether improved burnout mediates reduced alcohol use. Participants ( = 61) were sworn LEOs (89% male, 85% White, 8% Hispanic/Latinx) recruited from departments in a large urban metro area of the northwestern United States, and were randomized to either MBRT ( = 31) or no intervention control group ( = 30) during the trial. MBRT group assignment predicted reduced burnout ( = 0.43, standard error [SE] = 0.14,  = 0.004), which subsequently predicted reduced alcohol use ( = 1.69, SE = 0.81,  = 0.045). Results suggest that reduced alcohol use was indirectly related to a reduction in burnout post-MBRT. Given that MBRT does not explicitly address substance use, these findings were interpreted to suggest that officers in the training acquired a new set of coping skills to deal with the operational and organizational stressors of police work.

Dietary supplements promoted for brain health and enhanced cognitive performance are widely available. Claims made for these products are directed not only to the elderly wishing to prevent or mitigate cognitive decline, but also young healthy populations looking to boost their cognitive performance. It is unclear whether these claims made on product bottles and through advertising match the science. To explore the evidence on the efficacy and safety of single dietary supplement ingredients frequently marketed with claims of enhanced cognitive performance among healthy adults. A systematic review. Nine of 54 dietary supplement ingredients identified through a scoping review met the eligibility criteria with at least 3 published studies identified per ingredient, yielding 69 unique publications. Ingredients evaluated included , choline, creatine, omega-3 fatty acids, , ginseng, , tyrosine, and valerian root, all in supplement form and compared with a placebo, at various serving sizes and durations of use. The low level of certainty in the state of the science, coupled with not always knowing what is in a dietary supplement product, make weighing risks and benefits difficult; these data hinder the ability to develop recommendations about using such ingredients for consumers interested in boosting their cognitive performance. Whereas certain trends regarding promising serving sizes or duration for use, are pointed to in this synthesis, when combined, studies are inconsistent and imprecise, and many are methodologically flawed. Potential solutions to address research gaps are offered, for future research next steps, which is needed to strengthen the evidence and inform decisions.

Soy and hop extracts have been investigated as alternatives for hormone replacement therapy. However, their combined efficacy is not known. We investigated the efficacy and safety of a combined soy and hop extract on postmenopausal symptoms. Double-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Gynecological outpatient clinic of tertiary hospital. Seventy-eight women with moderate or severe menopausal symptoms assessed as modified Kupperman Menopoausal Index (KMI) scores >20. They received either a combined soy and hop extract ( = 38) or placebo ( = 40). Menopausal symptoms were evaluated through self-reporting of modified Kupperman Menopausal Index (KMI) scores at baseline and after 6 and 12 weeks. We assessed serum levels of bone metabolism biomarkers, ultrasonographic parameters, hormone profiles, compliance, and safety. After 12 weeks of the treatment, treatment group scores decreased by 20.61 points compared with 14.80 points in the placebo group ( < 0.05). Fatigue, paresthesia, arthralgia, and myalgia, palpitation and vaginal dryness significantly improved more in the treatment group compared with the placebo group after 12 weeks ( < 0.05). Urine N-telopeptide in participants ≥50 years in the treatment group showed a reduced increase. Endometrial thickness and hormonal profiles did not show significant changes in either group. No serious adverse events were reported. The results suggest that 190 mg of combined soy and hop extract is safe and effective for improvement of menopausal symptoms. CRIS No.: KCT0006019.