Nurturing and Pampering Paradigm for Office Ergonomics

1997 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 519-523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajendra D Paul
Keyword(s):  
Blood Circulation ◽  
Occupational Injuries ◽  
Mood States ◽  
The Body ◽  
The Other ◽  
Mental Performance ◽  
Training And Education ◽  
Work Settings ◽  
And Performance

This paper proposes that current ergonomic practices for design of sedentary jobs, focusing on comfort and support, are inadequate to create healthy and productive workplaces. In fact, they may be counter-productive over the long term. The key results from several research investigations supporting this proposition are: 1) Comfortable workstations adjusted to the user, along with training and education, were inadequate to relieve potentially harmful spinal stress and circulatory impedance caused by sedentary jobs (Paul, 1995; Paul and Helander, 1995). 2) Sedentary jobs induced cognitive mood states like drowsiness and lack of alertness that degrade cognitive function and performance (Paul, 1995b). 3) Activity and movement, for example, between sitting and standing, significantly reduced spinal stress and improved blood circulation (Paul, 1995a; Paul and Helander, 1996a). They also improved mood states linked with superior mental performance (Paul, 1995b; Paul, Morrow and Helander, 1996) 4) Excessively comfortable sedentary work settings induce mood states that could be detrimental to cognitive performance (Paul, Morrow and Helander, 1996). 5) Comfort and discomfort are not two ends of an evaluative spectrum, but rather two orthogonal constructs with two sets of casual factors (Zhang and Helander, 1992). These results collectively provided foundation for the nurturing and pampering paradigm. In this paradigm, nurturing is the strategy to reduce discomfort and pampering is the strategy to apply comfort. Nurturing promotes active, dynamic use of the body during workday to maintain health and prevent injuries. It is discussed using phrases like ‘the best posture is the next posture’ or ‘use it or lose it.’ Pampering with aesthetic and plush environments that induce comfortable perceptions, on the other hand, is a motivational tool with an inverted-U relationship to performance. Utility of this paradigm to create healthy and productive work settings and reduce occupational injuries is supported with several studies from diverse fields. Finally, its implications for workplace design and limitations are discussed.

Training for Sustained Performance: Moving Toward Long-Term Musician Development

2013 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 159-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry Clark ◽  
Tânia Lisboa
Keyword(s):  
Performing Arts ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Body ◽  
Young Student ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Sustained Performance ◽  
Mental Demands ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Effective Use

Success in the performing arts, like sports, is dependent upon the acquisition and consistent use of a diverse range of skills. In sports, an understanding of safe and effective use of the body is required to facilitate long-term involvement in that activity. In order to assist athletes to attain their performance goals, and ensure healthy and sustained involvement, long-term athlete development (LTAD) models have been devised and adapted by professional sporting bodies throughout the world. LTAD models emphasize the intellectual, emotional, and social development of the athlete, encourage long-term participation in physical activities, and enable participants to improve their overall health and well-being and increase their life-long participation in physical activity. At present there is no such long-term development model for musicians. Yet musicians must cope with a multitude of career-related physical and mental demands, and performance-related injuries and career burnout are rife within the profession. Despite this, musicians’ training rarely addresses such issues and musicians are left largely to learn about them through either chance or accrued experience. This paper discusses key concepts and recommendations in LTAD models, together with music-specific research highlighting the need for the development of a comprehensive long-term approach to musicians’ training. The results of a survey of existing music training programs are compared to recommendations and the different development stages in LTAD models. Finally, implementation science is introduced as a methodological option for identifying how best to communicate the body of evidence-based knowledge concerning healthy and effective music-making to young student musicians.

scholarly journals Effects of long-term in vivo micro-CT imaging on hallmarks of osteopenia and frailty in aging mice

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariane C. Scheuren ◽  
Gisela A. Kuhn ◽  
Ralph Müller
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Aging Process ◽  
Frailty Index ◽  
Ct Imaging ◽  
Morphometric Parameters ◽  
The Body ◽  
The Other ◽  
Micro Ct

AbstractIn vivo micro-CT has already been used to monitor microstructural changes of bone in mice of different ages and in models of age-related diseases such as osteoporosis. However, as aging is accompanied by frailty and subsequent increased sensitivity to external stimuli such as handling and anesthesia, the extent to which longitudinal imaging can be applied in aging studies remains unclear. Consequently, the potential of monitoring individual mice during the entire aging process – from healthy to frail status – has not yet been exploited. In this study, we assessed the effects of long-term in vivo micro-CT imaging - consisting of 11 imaging sessions over 20 weeks - on hallmarks of aging both on a local (i.e., static and dynamic bone morphometry) and systemic (i.e., frailty index (FI) and body weight) level at various stages of the aging process. Furthermore, using a premature aging model (PolgA(D257A/D257A)), we assessed whether these effects differ between genotypes.The 6th caudal vertebrae of 4 groups of mice (PolgA(D257A/D257A) and PolgA(+/+)) were monitored by in vivo micro-CT every 2 weeks. One group was subjected to 11 scans between weeks 20 and 40 of age, whereas the other groups were subjected to 5 scans between weeks 26-34, 32-40 and 40-46, respectively. The long-term monitoring approach showed small but significant changes in the static bone morphometric parameters compared to the other groups. However, no interaction effect between groups and genotype was found, suggesting that PolgA mutation does not render bone more or less susceptible to long-term micro-CT imaging. The differences between groups observed in the static morphometric parameters were less pronounced in the dynamic morphometric parameters. Moreover, the body weight and FI were not affected by more frequent imaging sessions. Finally, we observed that longitudinal designs including baseline measurements at young adult age are more powerful at detecting effects of in vivo micro-CT imaging on hallmarks of aging than cross-sectional comparisons between multiple groups of aged mice subjected to fewer imaging sessions.

scholarly journals Theoretical and practical considerations regarding the study of cranial circulation by measuring blood pressure at the two ends of the carotid artery

2020 ◽  
Vol VI (2) ◽  
pp. 95-119
Author(s):  
F. N. Telyatnik
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Carotid Artery ◽  
Peripheral Nerve ◽  
Lower Limb ◽  
Blood Circulation ◽  
The State ◽  
The Body ◽  
The Other ◽  
Small Arteries ◽  
The One

Of all the methods of studying cranial blood circulation, which I will not list here, the best is the one in which the state of cranial blood circulation is judged by the blood pressure in the two ends of the carotid artery. Hrthle was the first to observe this method, and therefore the method itself is often called the Hrthle method. However, as Hrthle himself says, the idea of ​​a method existed before. So, A. Dastre and J. Morat, for the purpose of proving the existence of vasomotor fibers for the lower limb in n. ischiadicus, determined the blood pressure in the central end of one a. cruralis and in the peripheral end the other; on the side last n. ischiadicus overcame. With irritation of a peripheral nerve cut, the pressure increased in the peripheral end of the а. cruralis, remaining unchanged in the central cut. This increase in pressure in the operated limb, which coincides with the unchanged pressure in the rest of the body, proves that (with the indicated irritation) there is a reduction in small arteries.

ADRENALINE IN THE HUMAN PANCREAS

1976 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 753-757 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. J. Christensen ◽  
B. Neubauer
Keyword(s):  
Human Subjects ◽  
Postmortem Examination ◽  
The Body ◽  
The Other ◽  
Diabetic Patients ◽  
Human Pancreas ◽  
Noradrenaline Concentration ◽  
Tissue Specimens ◽  
Noradrenaline And Adrenaline

ABSTRACT The present study describes the results of examinations of the noradrenaline and adrenaline concentrations in the human pancreas as well as in a number of other organs. Tissue specimens were obtained at postmortem examination. Adrenaline was present in small amounts in the cardiovascular system, the liver and the spleen in comparison with the noradrenaline concentration. The pancreas, especially the body of the pancreas, contained, however, considerable amounts of adrenaline. The average adrenaline concentration was approximately 20 times higher in the pancreas than in the other organs examined. The greatest concentration of adrenaline was found in the posterior and superior parts of the body of the pancreas. There was no relationship between the cause of death in the human subjects and the adrenaline concentration in the pancreas and large amounts of adrenaline were also found in tissue specimens of pancreas obtained from long-term diabetic patients. Adrenaline was present in the pancreas of the rat, dog and rabbit but in small amounts in comparison with the noradrenaline concentration.

scholarly journals Long term effects of formaldehyde preservation on subsequent bone maceration procedures: a comparative study between cold and hot water maceration

1970 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 1000-1008
Author(s):  
Ayodeji S.O. Odukoya ◽  
Oluwaseun Ajani ◽  
Taiye S. Adelodun
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Study ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
The Body ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
The Other ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Small Bones

This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of cold and hot water maceration techniques for the development of bone specimens from cadavers. Three already dissected bodies of both sexes (two males and a female) obtained from the Department of Anatomy, Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria were used. The male bodies were labelled as A and B and the female as C. Before maceration, the heights of the bodies were taken to be 165 cm, 170 cm and 160 cm for A, B and C respectively. The bodies were preserved in formalin for 4 years before being used. Hot water maceration involves cooking bones in water. Bodies A and C were used in this method. While cold water maceration is simply by soaking the body in water until all the remaining flesh was removed. Hot water maceration showed changes in color of the bones, shrinkage of the bones, oily substances were seen on the surface of the chloroform during degreasing and the bones were very soft after bleaching but got harder after drying with sunlight. Cold water maceration on the other hand kept the bones white and maintained their integrity though it required a lot of time. Small bones had their flesh removed quickly in few weeks, while larger and longer bones took months. We conclude that cold water maceration done properly, results in cleaner bones and better morphological outcomes than hot water method though it requires much time.KEYWORDS: Maceration, Formaldehyde, Comparative, Bones, Hot water, Cold water

Effect of length of the period of supplementation with concentrates on pasture intake and performance of grazing dairy cows

1999 ◽  
Vol 39 (7) ◽  
pp. 803 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. Stockdale
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
The Body ◽  
The Other ◽  
Continuous Treatment ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Grazing Dairy Cows ◽  
Marginal Returns

Summary. The hypothesis tested in the experiment reported here was that levels of substitution would be lower and marginal responses to supplementation higher in grazing dairy cows that were subjected to long, compared with short, treatment periods. Forty cows were fed irrigated perennial pasture which contained ryegrass (Lolium perenne), white clover (Trifolium repens), paspalum (Paspalum dilatatum) and weeds at a herbage allowance of about 40 kg dry matter (DM)/cow.day. Of the 40 cows, 20 were under continuous treatment for 6 months (2 October 1995 to 24 March 1996, inclusive) (long term), while treatments were applied to the remaining 20 cows every second month (short term). The second group of cows, therefore, commenced 4 weeks of treatment on 3 occasions, 31 October, 1 January and 26 February. The cows in the short-term treatments were re-randomised for each of their 3 periods in the experiment. There were 2 long-term treatments, one where pasture was fed alone and the other where the same amount of pasture was supplemented with 5 kg DM/cow.day of a 75% barley –25% wheat grain pellet. There were 2 replicates of each treatment and 5 cows per group. The second set of 20 cows was allocated to the same treatments on a short-term basis. When not under treatment, all cows in this second group were offered about 40 kg DM of pasture/cow.day plus 5 kg DM of barley–wheat. Cows ate less pasture when concentrates were fed although total DM intake increased (P<0.05). The level of substitution averaged 0.4 kg DM reduction in pasture intake for each kg DM of concentrates consumed, and this was not affected (P>0.05) by the length of time for which the cows were supplemented. Milk yield declined from November to March and concentrates increased production, but the interaction between period of the year and use of supplements was not significant (P>0.05). However, the milk responses associated with length of time under supplementation appeared to be different in March relative to the other periods. Although the marginal returns to concentrates in March were 0.9 and 1.3 kg milk/kg DM for short- and long-term supplementation, the marginal returns to feeding concentrates for short or long periods during November and January were the same (0.9 kg/kg DM). However, in terms of total DM intake, the average marginal response was lower (1.4 v. 1.9 kg milk/kg of additional total DM) for the short-term treatments. The trends in body condition for the long-term treatments through the experiment indicated that divergence between unsupplemented and supplemented cows occurred consistently throughout, resulting in 0.8 units difference in body condition score after the 6 months of treatment. It is suggested that it was the differences in body condition that were responsible for the variation in milk response towards the end of the experiment. It was concluded that, while the length of time under supplementation had no effect on intake variables or substitution, marginal responses to the long term use of concentrates eventually diverged from those obtained from their use for short periods, principally due to changes in the body condition of animals in the long-term treatments.

Effect of Comfort on Mood States Affecting Performance

1996 ◽  
Vol 40 (9) ◽  
pp. 483-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajendra Paul ◽  
Jane Morrow ◽  
Martin Helander
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Word Processing ◽  
Knowledge Workers ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mood States ◽  
Mental Performance ◽  
Processing Task ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Physical Comfort ◽  
Office Furniture

This study investigated the hypothesis that excessive physical comfort adversely affects mood states generally associated with superior mental performance. This hypothesis was explored in an experiment on office chairs. Eleven subjects evaluated three chair designs varying in comfort for eight hours on three separate days. The subjects performed a word processing task from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Comfort and discomfort were evaluated using the Shackel Scale and the Corlett Scale. Mood states were evaluated using a mood profile survey. The results suggested that the most comfortable chair induced mental mood states such as boredom, tiredness, sluggishness, (lack of) alertness and (less) energetic feeling which are generally associated with lower mental performance. It is suggested that for knowledge workers, comfort and performance may follow an inverted-U relationship. Too little or too much comfort may be detrimental to both physical and mental performance. This moderation on the view of comfort has considerable implications for the design of the modern workplace, particularly for office furniture. Its relevance to the sedentary work-styles prevalent in the United States is also discussed.

Young people and substance misuse

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 601-607
Author(s):  
Irene Hernandez Sanchez
Keyword(s):  
Substance Misuse ◽  
Warning Signs ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Drug Misuse ◽  
Mental Performance ◽  
Illegal Drug Use ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Drunk Alcohol

In the UK in 2017, 9% of pupils aged 11–15 reported having drunk alcohol in the previous week, which is the lowest rate since the 1980s. Illegal drug use in the previous year reported by 15-year olds halved between 2001 and 2014. Despite these promising figures, adolescence is deemed to be decisive for future biopsychosocial development and performance. Initiation during adolescence may therefore have long-term implications, affecting mental performance and educational outcomes. This article focuses on patterns of drug misuse in teenagers. The warning signs of drug misuse and useful assessment tools are also introduced. For the purposes of this article, alcohol will be defined as a drug.

scholarly journals Sports-Science Roundtable: Does Sports-Science Research Influence Practice?

2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Bishop ◽  
Angus Burnett ◽  
Damian Farrow ◽  
Tim Gabbett ◽  
Robert Newton
Keyword(s):  
Significant Contribution ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
The Body ◽  
Sports Science ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Australian Association ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
And Performance

As sports scientists, we claim to make a significant contribution to the body of knowledge that influences athletic practice and performance. Is this the reality? At the inaugural congress of the Australian Association for Exercise and Sports Science, a panel of well-credentialed academic experts with experience in the applied environment debated the question, Does sports-science research influence practice? The first task was to define “sports-science research,” and it was generally agreed that it is concerned with providing evidence that improves sports performance. When practices are equally effective, sports scientists also have a role in identifying practices that are safer, more time efficient, and more enjoyable. There were varying views on the need for sports-science research to be immediately relevant to coaches or athletes. Most agreed on the importance of communicating the results of sports-science research, not only to the academic community but also to coaches and athletes, and the need to encourage both short- and long-term research. The panelists then listed examples of sports-science research that they believe have influenced practice, as well as strategies to ensure that sports-science research better influences practice.

The Influence of Manufacturing Methods on the Function and Performance of a Synthetic Leaflet Heart Valve

1995 ◽  
Vol 209 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
M E Leat ◽  
J Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Heart Valve ◽  
Heart Valves ◽  
The Body ◽  
Ventricular Assist Devices ◽  
Ventricular Assist ◽  
Thermal Forming ◽  
Manufacturing Methods ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Hydrodynamic Function

There is considerable interest in polyurethane synthetic leaflet heart valves for both ventricular assist devices and direct implantation in the body. Two different manufacturing methods, thermal forming, and dip casting, of the leaflets have been investigated. There were only small differences in the hydrodynamic function of the valves made by the two methods. However, the durability of dip cast valves was far superior to the thermally formed film fabricated leaflets, with all of the dip cast valves reaching 160 million cycles without failure. This study indicates that a correctly designed and manufactured polyurethane synthetic leaflet heart valve has the potential for long-term implantation in the body.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document