Introduction

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
L. Nandi Theunissen

The aim of this book is to develop a positive account of the value of human beings. This involves thinking about the nature of value itself. Following Judith Jarvis Thomson, when we say of something that it is “of value” we mean that it has some property that makes it reason-giving. Theunissen takes the humanist position that the relevant property is being such as to contribute to the quality of the life of human beings (or individuals more generally), and she explores the implications for the value of human beings themselves. The author situates her proposal between absolutist and eliminativist positions—between views that see human beings as absolutely valuable, and views that deny that there is a meaningful sense in which human beings are bearers of value at all.

2000 ◽  
Vol 42 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 115-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Shoji ◽  
A. Sakoda ◽  
Y. Sakai ◽  
M. Suzuki

The quality of environmental waters such as rivers is often deteriorated by various kinds of trace and unidentified chemicals despite the recent development of sewage systems and wastewater treatment technologies. In addition to contamination by particular toxicants, complex toxicity due to multi-component chemicals could be much more serious. The environmental situation in bodies of water in Japan led us to apply bioassays for monitoring the water quality of environmental waters in order to express the direct and potential toxicity to human beings and ecosystems rather than determinating concentrations of particular chemicals. However, problems arose from the fact that bioassays for pharmaceutical purposes generally required complicated, time-consuming, expert procedures. Also, a methodology for feedback of the resultant toxicity data to water environment management has not been established yet. To this end, we developed a novel bioassay based on the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) uptake activity of human hepatoblastoma cells. The assay enabled us to directly detect the toxicity of environmental waters within 4 hours of exposure. This is a significantly quick and easy procedure as compared to that of conventional bioassays. The toxicity data for 255 selected chemicals and environmental waters obtained by this method were organized by a mathematical equation in order to make those data much more effectively and practically useful to the management of environmental waters. Our methodology represents a promising example of applying bioassays to monitor environmental water quality and generating potential solutions to the toxicity problems encountered.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-63
Author(s):  
Rabindra Acharya ◽  
Gopal P. Mahapatra ◽  
Kadamibini Acharya

Human beings have always strived towards excellence and progress since time immemorial. Industrialisation, automation and technological disruptions have led to increased comfort and quality of living of human beings and enhanced output, productivity and efficiency. Consequently, of late, health and wellness are receiving increased attention globally. Stress and stress-related diseases and workplace-related ailments have significantly increased over the last few decades and gained attention from society and industrial organisations. In the recent past, in the coronavirus pandemic context, wellness has been focused upon in many countries, communities and organisations worldwide. Yoga has been part of the Indian ethos for centuries. In this article, the authors discuss the General Yoga Programme (GYP), its broad coverage, and the impact it has had on the participants in terms of their wellness. With the help of a survey of the participants and linking it to relevant literature and research in the field, the authors highlight how GYP is a useful tool for enhancing various wellness dimensions. They recommend that GYP in its simplified form can be extended to the workplace; and also, HR professionals can play a facilitative role in the process.


2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 150-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caterina Scaramelli

This paper takes water quality as an ethnographic subject. It looks at how water quality monitors in Boston make sense of the quality of water through mundane engagement with three non-human beings who they encounter during their monitoring activities: herring, bacteria and water lily. Each of these organisms suggests a different understanding of water quality for the monitors and poses a dilemma. Water quality monitors who contribute to the production of water quality data come to know water quality as through direct interactions with these beings, mediated by both sensorial experience and laboratory data. These experiences, at the same time, confuse and redraw relationships between science, water flows, non-human vitality, including that of invasive species, and people.


Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 743
Author(s):  
Marco Fidaleo ◽  
Stefano Tacconi ◽  
Carolina Sbarigia ◽  
Daniele Passeri ◽  
Marco Rossi ◽  
...  

Vitamin B12 (VitB12) is a naturally occurring compound produced by microorganisms and an essential nutrient for humans. Several papers highlight the role of VitB12 deficiency in bone and heart health, depression, memory performance, fertility, embryo development, and cancer, while VitB12 treatment is crucial for survival in inborn errors of VitB12 metabolism. VitB12 is administrated through intramuscular injection, thus impacting the patients’ lifestyle, although it is known that oral administration may meet the specific requirement even in the case of malabsorption. Furthermore, the high-dose injection of VitB12 does not ensure a constant dosage, while the oral route allows only 1.2% of the vitamin to be absorbed in human beings. Nanocarriers are promising nanotechnology that can enable therapies to be improved, reducing side effects. Today, nanocarrier strategies applied at VitB12 delivery are at the initial phase and aim to simplify administration, reduce costs, improve pharmacokinetics, and ameliorate the quality of patients’ lives. The safety of nanotechnologies is still under investigation and few treatments involving nanocarriers have been approved, so far. Here, we highlight the role of VitB12 in human metabolism and diseases, and the issues linked to its molecule properties, and discuss how nanocarriers can improve the therapy and supplementation of the vitamin and reduce possible side effects and limits.


2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (Special Issue) ◽  
pp. 177-177
Author(s):  
Wim Van Der Molen ◽  
◽  
Els Maeckelberghe ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  

"concepts and processes by means of a digitable. It is a tool for familiarizing users with complicated and complex issues, learning content, and addressing the more methodical aspects didactically. In this project, we have adapted the DTM for reflecting on research ethics, i.c. research with human beings and its ethical requirements and the review by the medical ethical review committee (MREC). A MREC reviews research proposals based on various (ethical) requirements and requires researchers to understand the ethical consequences and societal impact of their research. Before writing their own proposals, it is important for students to know and understand these ethical requirements and the process through which research proposals are reviewed. In order to train this, we prepared the digitable to simulate the review of a research protocol by an MREC and adapted it into an existing assignment on research ethics for master students. The students were informed of our aim and the use of DTM as an educational tool, and asked for consent. We invited them to critically assess the activity and we ensured participation would not influence their grade. The students reported a better understanding of the medical ethical review and felt it would improve their own work. From the educator’s perspective, the quality of argumentation of the review was much improved compared to previous years. The DTM as an educational tool is now a standard element in different master courses on scientific integrity. "


2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 136-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yumiko Aruga ◽  
Ayako Saito ◽  
Yuji Aoki

Some patients with severe dysphagia need to undergo percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (gastrostomy feeding), which improves nutrition but leads them to feel they are not living like human beings. The KT (Kuchi-kara Taberu, or ingesting orally in Japanese) index was developed in order to comprehensively assess and intervene in problems with eating and swallowing. We present three cases where the KT index improved quality of life after gastrostomy feeding. Through continued nursing care using the KT index, the patient in Case 1 was able to eat orally again; the patient in Case 2 could eat a piece of jelly and communicate a little; and the patient in Case 3 was able to ingest a small amount of food orally, with support from her husband. Thus, the feeding support provided by the KT index radar chart improves quality of life, even after the implementation of gastrostomy feeding. Further studies are needed to investigate how the KT index best helps elderly patients with severe dysphagia live like human beings while taking into account the perspectives of patients and their family members.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merel Visse ◽  
Tineke Abma ◽  
Hetty Van den Oever ◽  
Yvonne Prins ◽  
Vincent Gulmans

Aims and objectives: This paper is a report of a study of experiences of people with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) with their hospital admission. It evaluates how they perceive their treatment and care and the impact on their social life (school or work). Background: In The Netherlands, people with CF are hospitalized in seven CF centers. In general, hospitalization may raise several challenges concerning the patient’s psychosocial well-being, before, during and after the admission. The admission of people with CF is complicated, because of segregated treatment and care that aims to prevent hospital-based cross-infection. Design: This article reports on a qualitative study. Methods: Data were collected during 2009 and 2010. Nineteen people with CF admitted for more than 5 days in one of the seven Dutch CF-centres participated. Results and conclusions: The findings are organized into five contexts with subthemes: Before admission & Arrival (1); Treatment & Care (2); Room & Stay (3); Discharge (4); Social & Societal context (5). The findings show that patients express a need for enhancing the quality of some treatments, like intravenous injections and patients express normative expectations of professionals that directly relate to their psychosocial well-being, e.g. they want to be ‘seen’ and treated as human beings and not solely as patients. They desire segregation policies to be consistent, whilst simultaneously they prefer flexible segregation guidelines. In general, respondents are satisfied with hospital facilities. The study reports on challenges concerning continuation of school and work during the admission. The paper is relevant to every hospital where people are being nursed in isolation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
Farid Rusman

The development of children is very important to get serious attention, not only by their parents but also by society and state, because society and state are very concerned about the quality of children in its development until adulthood, to become human beings adult useful for society and for the country. In the context of the development of children into adulthood, children need certain treatment especially from those who are closest to them, that is their parents for their development always in healthy condition both physical, psychological and social. Thus interpersonal communication by parents with their children is important to be observed, to study, especially studies undertaken in order to understand and control the development of their children.                                                                                                                                                                  From their understanding of the various communication strategies they perform, through this study, the researcher derived conclusions about which strategies are more suited to the need to gain an understanding of the development of the child's condition, and which strategies are appropriate to control the development of the children’s condition. Of the 10 cases studied, 5 subjects (cases) developed a swung carrot strategy, 3 cases using a hanging sword strategy, and only 2 cases that developed a catalyst strategy. 


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 184
Author(s):  
Ni Kadek Yeni Nurmawati ◽  
I Wayan Madra

The era of globalization has an impact on the emergence of intense competition in various sectors such as; in the field of science and technology, economics and others. Competition in maintaining or competing for various sectors requires the existence of competent human beings in order to continue to exist in the midst of socio-cultural changes and the rapid development of science and technology. Speaking of the quality of education, the education component is certainly a central point which will affect the quality of education produced. One component of education in question is the existence of teachers or educators.<br />Principals play an important role in increasing teacher motivation and competence in schools. The failure of school principals to create effective and efficient learning conditions will have an impact on the future of students, often educators are also used as "scapegoats", whereas other aspects such as problems in budget constraints, low attention to teachers, supervision of the curriculum, education regulations contribute low quality of education.


The complexity of human olfaction is very high and the importance of being able to measure it directly, objectively and qualitatively has led experts to search for mechanisms that can be applied. Human beings use this sense, which is one of the oldest, to recognize danger and distinguish between pleasant and unpleasant odors. Smells are mixtures of molecules that, at different concentrations in the inhaled air, stimulate the olfactory area and are recognized at the brain level. Therefore, there is a coding and decoding system. Human olfactometer techniques use equipment designed to be able to measure its intensity and quality of volatile substances. If we are able to measure this sense, we will be able to know its variations and be able to make clinical diagnoses in normal and pathological conditions and diagnose the losses that occur in certain infectious, degenerative diseases, traumatic processes and other variants. For many years, systems have been developed that can measure subjective olfaction in humans, as well as objective forms, but it is also true that there is no equipment available that is fast, simple handling and that can be applied in daily clinical services. Aim of the Study Present the recent achievements in olfactometer technology; Elaborate the scientific articles about olfactometry published mainly in the last 10 years; To gather the information published in the last years in relation to the usefulness, existence in the market and purposes of equipment that can measure the odors, what we will call the Smell-o-meter or olfactometer for human use. Material and Methods: In the first part of this research we will gather most of the information existing so far in international bibliography, as well as the achievements and utilities obtained to date. Following, we will analyze all the new concepts related to smell-o-meters devices that exist on the market and assess the possibility, based on what has been done so far, to seek new practical systems for application in the medical field.


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