Table 4. Descriptive data for clinical trials that have no intervention.
| Citation | Objective of the Study | Condition Group | Control | Results for outcome related to UPE | Author's Main Conclusion for Outcome of Interest | SIGN 50 Criteria 1.1 |
| Whole Body/Skin | ||||||
| Van Wijk et al. 2006 | To systematically quantify the UPE emission of the anterior torso, head and neck plus the hands of long-term transcendental meditators (TM). | 10 (of 20) male experienced practitioners of TM (mean age 50.4±4.3 yrs) who practiced no other meditations. | U | UPE intensity was lower in experienced TM practitioners; p = 0.03. TM practitioners had higher contributions of hand emissions and lower contributions of throat emissions to total emission compared to controls.* | Data support the hypothesis that free radical reactions, and thus UPE, can be influenced by TM. | A |
| Van Wijk et al. 2008 | To record spontaneous UPE at 12 anatomic locations on subjects with long-term experience in transcendental meditation (TM), compared this with group that practiced other meditation techniques (OMT) and subjects with no meditation experience. | 20 (of 60) experienced male TM practitioners (mean age of 51.3+/− 6.7 years) and 20 experienced male practitioners of OMT (mean age of 46.3+/−10.7 years). | U | Average overall UPE was lower by 27% in TM and 17% in OTM group, compared to controls. This was true overall and at each recorded anatomic location, indicating systematic differences between meditators and non-meditators; p = 0.0002. TM practitioners demonstrated lower emissions than OMT practitioners in 11 of 12 anatomical locations, indicating systematic group differences; p = 0.0032. * | Current data using noninvasive photon emission recordings suggest that, in addition to intensity and wavelength, the UPE of subjects may eventually be used to understand and delineate the state of mind-body integration (i.e. health) and the role of meditation programs in chronic disease. | W |
| Van Wijk 2008 | To systematically quantify photon count distributions in subjects with or without long-term meditation experience at 12 different anatomic locations including upper frontal torso, head, neck, and hands. | 60 healthy male subjects: 20 experienced TM practitioners (51.3+-6.7yrs), 20 experienced OMT practitioners (46.3+-10.7), and 20 control subjects with no meditation experience (43.4+-15.5). | U | Average overall UPE was lower by 30% in TM and 20% in OMT group, compared to controls. Signals emitted from forehead and both sides of left hand showed a greater decrease. * | A procedure was developed to analyze fluctuations of UPE by measuring the probability of emission and correcting for background noise. The values indicate that the quantum state of photons emitted by the subject could be a coherent state in those being investigated. | A |
| Tissue | ||||||
| Grasso et al. 1992 | To measure radiation emitted by samples of tumorous and normal human tissues coming from surgical operations. | 16 (of 25) samples were tumorous human tissue taken from surgeries. | U | UPE was higher in tumor samples (average 300±90 photons/cm2 min) compared to normal samples (average 22 +/−6 photons/cm2 min). * | Results demonstrated that tumor samples have a greater UPE than normal tissue, allowing them to be clearly differentiated. More data is needed, but it is possible that UPE could represent a simple, non-invasive analytical tool for tumor diagnosis. | A |
| Keshavarzian et al. 1992 | To determine whether excessive reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs) are generated by inflamed colonic mucosa and to identify possible sources and types of ROMs. Mucosal ROMs were measured in rats and humans using a chemiluminesence probe. | 7 (of 11) with documented ulcerative colitis (mean age of 35 years; 5 male and 2 female). All UC subjects had marked inflammation with crypt abscesses in their mucosal biopsy specimens. | U | UPE was significantly higher in colonic mucosal biopsy specimens from patients with acute ulcerative colitis (∼8000counts/min/mg) than normal mucosa (1000counts/min/mg); p<0.05. Adding catalase to the tissue suspension decreased UPE by the inflamed mucosa (∼5500counts/min/mg). ** | Data indicates that excessive ROMs, and thus UPEs, are produced by inflamed colonic mucosa in both humans and rats, and may contribute to tissue injury. | A |
| Blood Cells | ||||||
| Alexeyev et al. 1994 | To study spontaneous and Bacillus anthracis induced luminol-dependent UPE of neutrophils in anthrax. | 6 (of 11) subjects with suspected anthrax (5 males and 1 female). All exhibited high fever, fatigue, and multiple cutaneous painless ulcers located on their upper extremities. | U | UPE was lower in anthrax neutrophils than in healthy blood donors; p<0.05. B. anthracis did not induce chemiluminescence in anthrax neutrophils. However, B. anthracis did stimulate ∼4-fold increase in UPE in controls; p<0.01.** | This study demonstrated that spontaneous and B. anthracis induced chemiluminescence is impaired in anthrax, whereas the functional capacity of antibodies seems to be unaffected. | A |
| Hammann et al. 1987 | To study the possible changes in the T-cell population during increased UPE. The chemiluminescence activity (CL-A) and the percentage of OKT3, OKT4 and OKT8 positive peripheral blood cells were serially examined. | 8 (out of 12) Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients (mean age 30 +/− 11.2 years; 7 females and 1 male). | U | When the OKT values were obtained from MS patients in phases of increased CL-A (clinical remission) the percentage of OKT3-positive cells was reduced (p = 0.014), OKT4-positive cells increased (p = 0.014), and there were no significant changes in OKT8-positive cells (p = 0.171) compared to controls. ** | When MS patients start to improve clinically, the spontaneous CL-A of their peripheral blood monocytes significantly increases. Thus, there are changes in the number of OKT3- and OKT4- positive cells which occur together with an increased CL-A. | A |
| Ho 2000 | To investigate the relation between ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and the oxidative metabolism of phagocytes in whole blood. | 24 (of 45) male patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) (mean age 35.6, range 19–54 years). All patients were HLA-B27 positive and had not taken NSAIDs in the past 2 weeks. | U | Compared with healthy subjects, AS subjects had a higher intensity of lucigenin enhanced UPE, with or without fMLP or PMA stimulation. The rate of superoxide anion radical production (counts/10s/105 phagocytes) in patients with AS was significantly higher than in healthy subjects both when their blood was in the resting or stimulated by fMLP or PMA, with average increases of 8.8, 4.1, and 4.5 times, respectively (p<0.01). *** | Superoxide anion radical production and lucigen enhanced UPE in the blood of patients with AS is increased in both resting and stimulated states. Primed phagocytes may be one of the causative factors in the pathogenesis of AS, but further research is required. | A |
| Koval'chuk et al. 1998 | To study the effect of naturally occurring cytokines on UPE of neutrophils from bronchoalveolar lavage and peripheral blood in chronic bronchitis patients. | 20 subjects with chronic bronchitis (aged 23–65; 8 male and 12 female). 8 males had obtrusive bronchitis, 4 had lingering pneumonia and 2 had broncoectasia. | U | Unstimulated UPE was higher in the bronchoalveolar than in peripheral blood neutrophils: 11.2+/−1.21 vs. 4.16+/− 1.04 mV (p<0.05). The maximum amplitude of cytokine induced luminol-dependent UPE was much lower (up to 10-fold) than that of peripheral blood neutrophils: 61+/−12.7 and 170.9+/−24.7 mV, respectively (p<0.05). Thus, the index of luminol-dependent UPE stimulation was much lower in bronchoalveolar neutrophils in comparison with that in peripheral blood neutrophils. ** | It can be concluded 1) that in chronic nonspecific lung diseases the generation of the active oxygen radicals by bronchoalveolar neutrophils is changed compared to peripheral blood neutrophils and 2) naturally occurring cytokines stimulate the production of active oxygen forms by peripheral blood neutrophils in patients with chronic nonspecific pulmonary diseases. | A |
| Safronova et al. 2003 | To study the generation of active oxygen forms by blood granulocytes in subjects with a history of habitual abortions. | 23 (of 35) nonpregnant women with a history of abortions (2–3 spontaneous during I trimester and undeveloped pregnancies) (age 21–35 years) | U | Comparison of blood UPE parameters showed that in women with a history of spontaneous abortions, the basal UPE level and the maximum amplitude of response to opsonized zymosan were notably higher, and the activation index significantly lower (p<0.001). Basal level of isolated granulocyte spontaneous UPE was significantly higher in patients with a history of miscarriages, while the maximum amplitude of responses to chemotactic peptide was lower in this group than in controls (p<0.01). ** | Results show oxidative stress and poor cytotoxic functions of granulocytes in women with a histsory of spontaneous abortions, which can be due to specific features of regulation of oxidase activity by tyrosine protein kinases and protein phosphatases and by p38 MAPK. These data give us grounds to consider that signaling from the chemotactic peptide receptor to NADPH oxidase, responsible for AOF generation, is changed in granulocytes from women who have had abortions, and can lead to changes in the inflammatory process. | A |
| Zimmermann et al. 1999 | To determine whether neutrophil function is impaired in patients with severe pneumonia, the 2 main partial functions: exocytosis and oxidative response (ROS production) was studied. | 21 (of 31) patients with severe pneumonia (mean age 62; 13 males and 8 females). 11 were mechanically ventilated and 10 breathed spontaneously. 14 were hospital-acquired and 7 had community-acquired pneumonia. | U | UPE was higher in pneumonia patients (13.6×105 cpm) than in controls (5.5×105 cpm). Both basal and PMA-stimulated ROS production were increased in patients compared to controls.** | Patients with severe pneumonia had significantly impaired exocytosis of blood neutrophils and increased oxidative response. | A |
| Other Cells | ||||||
| Clark et al. 1988 | To study the pulmonary cellular response (alveolar macrophages) of fire survivors with cutaneous burns, smoke inhalation, or combined injury. | 42 (of 60) fire victims with acute lung injury after burns and smoke inhalation. Of the fire victims: 10 had clinical and biochemical evidence of smoke inhalation but no cutaneous burns, 15 had cutaneous burns only, and 17 suffered both smoke inhalation and cutaneous burns. | U | Spontaneous UPE and stimulated UPE, were similar in cells from patients with cutaneous burns and controls. Cells from patients with only smoke inhalation showed similar UPE compared to controls, but with a significant increased response to stimulation (p<0.05). Patients with combined injuries had a significant increase in spontaneous and stimulated UPE compared to controls (p<0.05). Stimulated response in the combined injuries group was significantly less than the smoke inhalation group (p<0.05). * | The size of the alveolar cellular response to smoke and cutaneous burns suggests that lung damage follows from excess release of inflammatory mediators, exhaustion of the reserve of mature phagocytes and consequent reduced ability to fight bacteria, or both. | A |
| Blood Plasma | ||||||
| Calabrese et al. 1998 | To study the content of sulfhydryl groups and products of lipid peroxidation, including UPE and liposoluble fluorescence in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma of Multiple Sclerosis patients. | 15 (of 30) adults with primary diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). (Age and gender not reported) | U | Plasma and CSF levels of UPE (luminescence units/ml) were higher in MS patients (plasma 0.18+/−0.02; CSF 0.16+/−0.01) than in controls (plasma 0.11+/−0.009; CSF 0.09+/−0.009); p<0.05. Plasma and CSF levels of stress-induced UPE were not significantly different in MS patients compared to controls. Post-stress/spontaneous UPE ratio, indicative for susceptibility of oxidative stress, for CSF and plasma was lower in MS patients than in control group, p<0.05. * | There was a decrease in sulfhydryl groups and increased content of products of lipid peroxidation, such as UPE and liposoluble fluoreschece, which were found to be higher in the CSF and plasma of MS patients, pointing out the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of MS. | A |
| Yoda et al 1985 | To study the effect of smoking on UPE by looking at blood plasma in subjects. | 27 (of 56) male smokers (mean age 47.2+/−7.1). | U | Plasma samples from smokers produced higher levels of UPE (125.2+/−36.9 counts/10 sec), approximately twice those of nonsmokers (55.7+/−12.6 exsmokers and 53.5+/−14.2 neversmokers); p<0.001. * | Effects of smoking on UPE are significant, but appear to be short term. Further study is needed to determine if the assumption that plasma UPE of smokers' blood might be related to carcinogenic action of cigarette smoke and to cigarette smoking-associated disorders through the generations of free radicals and active oxygens. | W |
| Agatsuma 1992 | To study the potential relationship of a UPE substance (with a peak at 430 nm) and the blue fluorescent compounds observed on the HPLC-gel chromatography of the plasma of hemodialysis patients. Absorption, fluorescence, and elution patterns were studied. | Hemodialysis patients (Age and gender not reported) | U | The only difference between subjects was a small emission peak at 430 nm in hemodialysis patients, upon introduction of H2O2. The same amount of H2O2 added to plasma in the presence of iron sulfate resulted in the hemodialysis plasma showing a clear emission peak at 430 nm, with a second small peak near 680 nm. Normal subjects, in contrast, displayed a broad emission peak at 680 nm. (1104 +/−261 counts/s for healthy subjects; 8398+/−7011 counts/s for hemodialysis patients). **** | UPE intensity at 430 nm induced by the attack of hydroxyl radicals is specific for the plasma of hemodialysis patients, the characteristic UPE factor being isolated specifically in the low-molecular-mass fractions of the hemodialysis patient’s plasma upon HPLC-gel chromatography. | A |
| Urine | ||||||
| Barbieri et al. 1999 | To study the antioxidant defenses of varicocele patients both at the local (seminal plasma) and systemic (blood plasma) levels. | 50 (of 61) semen samples from male untreated varicocele patients (17–39 years). The 50 subjects were further divided into 35 Normozoospermic, 7 Asthenozoospermic, and 8 Ligoasthenospermic. | U | Compared to healthy subjects (1800+/−800), urinary UPE (counts per minute/milligram of creatinine) was higher in the 3 study groups: Normozoospermic (5430+/−4700); Asthenozoospermic (5400+/−2000); Oligoasthenospermic (3600+/−1400); p<0.0001.* | Varicocele-associated oxidative stress was seen both at the local and systemic levels. Data show that varicocele patients, even those with normal spermiograms, present considerably higher urinary UPE than controls. Also, it is interesting to note that the range of values in patients is considerably wider, which could indicate a particularly strong oxidative stress. In such cases antioxidant therapies may be beneficial. | A |
| Gisler et al. 1982 | To study variables that might affect urinary UPE, and try to standardize these procedures. | 9 (of 18) cancer patients, all nonsmokers | U | Urinary UPE (counts/6 sec x 10−3) was higher in smokers than in non-smokers and very low in cancer patients. Temperature increase showed increased UPE, which decreased as the urine cooled. At basic pH = 10, UPE was higher than at acidic pH = 1 and at native pH = 5.2. Ingestion of ascorbic acid decreased UPE. Smokers consistently had higher UPE than the nonsmokers. Cancer subjects (4.46+/−2.18 counts/6 sec x 10−3) had lower UPE than normal subjects (11.39+/−5.25 counts/6 sec x 10−3) at pH = 1 and 16C. At native pH and 16C, normal subjects = 13.61+/−8.17, cancer = 5.99+/−4.98. At pH = 10 and 16C, normal = 364.6+/−132.3, cancer = 221.3+/−44.5. The respective results are also given for 58C in table 5. * | The different protein pattern as well as UPE after filtration and from total urine, indicate that urinary UPE may have a potential for cancer detection in the initial stages. Spontaneous UPE in the urine could serve as a cancer marker. | A |
SIGN50: How well does the study address an appropriate and clearly focused question? U = Untreated control; P = Placebo; C = Crossover; UPE = Ultraweak photon emission; cps = counts per second; CL = chemiluminescence; A = Adequately covered; W = Well covered; P = Poorly addressed; * No substance was used to amplify the ROS to photon reaction; ** Luminol was used to amplify the ROS to photon reaction; *** Lucigenin was used to amplify the ROS to photon reaction; **** Hydrogen peroxide in presence/absence of iron sulfate was used to amplify the ROS to photon reaction; ***** UVA was used to amplify the ROS to photon reaction