Instead of using live maggots, the scientists developed a new wound dressing impregnated with purified excretions and secretions from live greenbottle blowfly larvae.

In addition to avoiding the "yuck" factor, using these dressings instead of live maggots helps assure a more controlled, predictable release of the larvae chemicals. The dressings are expected to have longer shelf lives than the maggots and prove easier to ship and less fragile.

The researchers tested their prototype dressings against layers of human and mouse cells grown on lab dishes, which were scratched to simulate wounding. They found the dressing markedly accelerated closure of the wounds.

Britland and his colleagues, including researchers from Bradford-based biotechnology company AGT Sciences, are ready to start clinical trials of their therapies. They report their findings in the Oct. 6 issue of the journal Biotechnology Progress.

During these two procedures, the volunteers underwent brain scans to see what, if any, effect there was in the brain.

The team, including leading scientists from University College London, Southampton University and the University of York, found the superficial needling resulted in activation of the motor areas of the cortex, a normal reaction to pain.

But with deep needling, the limbic system, part of the pain matrix, is deactivated.

The finding was surprising because experts had always assumed acupuncture activates the brain in someway.

Meditation alters brain patterns in ways that are likely permanent, scientists have known. But a new study shows key parts of the brain actually get thicker through the practice.

Brain imaging of regular working folks who meditate regularly revealed increased thickness in cortical regions related to sensory, auditory and visual perception, as well as internal perception — the automatic monitoring of heart rate or breathing, for example.

The study also indicates that regular meditation may slow age-related thinning of the frontal cortex.