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The influence of complementary healing treatment on paraspinal electromagnetic activity at specific neuromuscular sites was examined in an exploratory pilot study that used a multisite surface electromyographic (sEMG) assessment procedure. The study was a replication and extension of previous research that indicated that complementary healing had a significant effect in normalizing the activity of the "end organ" for the central nervous system (CNS). Multisite sEMG electrodes were placed on the frontalis, cervical (C4), thoracic (T6), and lumbosacral (L3) paraspinals of 44 subjects who were divided into three groups: (1) students/patients of a Qigong practitioner (n = 16); (2) students/patients of a therapeutic touch (TT) practitioner (n = 14); and (3) nonbelievers in complementary healing (n = 14). A traditional ABAC experimental design was used with each subject evaluated for one 20-minute session that included four 5-minute segments. The purpose of this study was to measure the variable energizing effect of Qigong therapy along with the anecdotally and experimentally established relaxation effect of TT therapy relative to patient belief and expectancy. Treatment sessions consisted of Qigong and a modified form of TT intervention for all three groups. Due to the double-blind nature of the study, however, group 1 subjects were aware of only the Qigong intervention; group 2 subjects were aware of only the TT intervention, and group 3 subjects were informed that the study was designed to assess the neuromuscular activity of individuals in a seated position. The results indicated a statistically significant rise in electromagnetic activity for group 1 during the Qigong intervention segment (p < .024). Group 2 demonstrated a modest although overall nonsignificant decrease in multisite sEMG levels for both treatment protocols, whereas group 3 exhibited relatively consistent neuromuscular activity for both control and treatment segments. The results of this study are considered preliminary in nature, however, due to the potential influence of several confounds including psychophysiological factors, established behavior patterns, and the possibility for information transfer due to sensory cues. INTRODUCTIONseveral distinct methods of healing that are capable of producing unique physiological effects Scientific research and anecdotal case reports within the patients treated (Benor, 1992; conducted within the field of complemen-Dossey, 1993; Wirth, 1993; Wirth, 1995a). Altary medicine have indicated that there exist though current research has not yet established

Aerodynamic size analysis and electron microscope studies of the carbon-fiber aerosol particles generated in cutting and grinding virgin carbon fibers and their laminates showed the presence of a significant quantity of respirable, fiberlike particulates, presumably caused by fiber splitting. The mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) of the fiber particles, sampled from a point 10 cm above the workpiece, was 4.0 pm, which was considerably smaller than the geometric diameter (7-8 pm) of the original individual fibers. The microscopic analysis showed that small quantities of fiber fragments had sharp edges, possibly resulting from splitting of the fibers during the machining process. The resin binders when exposed to temperatures of above 400°C vaporized and generated condensation aerosol particles in the accumulation mode with an MMAD of 0.77 pm. The carbon fibers when exposed to temperatures of above 850°C began to oxidize, which resulted in diminished diameters and significant changes in their structural properties. The change in structure was first apparent after 30 min and became substantial after 4% hr, when the data were taken. Debris generated in this process from carbon fibers consists primarily of amorphous carbon particles rather than fiberlike particles.

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