Placebo Effects: A New Theory

2021 ◽  
pp. 216770262110097
Author(s):  
Tao Liu
Keyword(s):  
Public Interest ◽  
Pivotal Role ◽  
Placebo Effects ◽  
Placebo Administration ◽  
New Model ◽  
Treatment Beliefs ◽  
Positive Treatment ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Therapeutic Responses

Placebo effects have increasingly aroused scientific and public interest for their clinical and research values. However, underlying mechanisms of this mind–body phenomenon are not yet fully understood. In this article, I propose a new model according to which context-based placebo effects source from positive treatment beliefs but are directly caused by benefit expectations. By virtue of mediating belief-expectation transformation, placebo administration triggers, and thus has a pivotal role in, subsequent therapeutic responses.

scholarly journals Perceiving the Classical Cadence

2012 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 397-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Sears ◽  
William E. Caplin ◽  
Stephen McAdams
Keyword(s):  
Music Theory ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Pivotal Role ◽  
Formal Context ◽  
Experimental Setting ◽  
Tonal Music ◽  
Classical Style ◽  
Keyboard Sonatas ◽  
Rhetorical Features ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

This study explores the underlying mechanisms responsible for the perception of cadential closure in Mozart’s keyboard sonatas. Previous investigations into the experience of closure have typically relied upon the use of abstract harmonic formulæ as stimuli. However, these formulæ often misrepresent the ways in which composers articulate phrase endings in tonal music. This study, on the contrary, examines a wide variety of cadential types typically found in the classical style, including evaded cadences, which have yet to be examined in an experimental setting. The present findings reveal that cadential categories play a pivotal role in the perception of closure, and for musicians especially, ratings of the cadential categories provide empirical support for a model of cadential strength proposed in music theory. A number of rhetorical features also affect participants' ratings of closure, such as formal context, the presence of a melodic dissonance at the cadential arrival, and the use of a trill within the penultimate dominant. Finally, the results indicate that expertise modulates attention, with musicians privileging bass-line motion and nonmusicians attending primarily to the soprano voice.

scholarly journals ¿Es posible lograr LaLiga más emocionante?

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-15
Author(s):  
M. Pic ◽  
PR García-Díaz
Keyword(s):  
Public Interest ◽  
Ranking System ◽  
New Model ◽  
Internal Logic ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Alternative Ranking ◽  
The One ◽  
Different Levels

El objetivo principal de este estudio es estimular el interés público por el campeonato LaLiga. Para ello, se propone un sistema de clasificación alternativo que utiliza variables derivadas de la lógica interna del fútbol y la calidad de los distintos equipos. Aplicando el índice de concordancia de Kendall, las dos clasificaciones se compararon partido a partido, demostrando la viabilidad del nuevo modelo con distintos niveles de competitividad. Las propiedades y limitaciones del modelo fueron comparadas con el modelo empleado actualmente en LaLiga. Proporcionar un proceso que tenga en cuenta la amplia gama de calidad de los equipos que juegan en LaLiga es una alternativa destinada a fomentar la competitividad del campeonato. The ranking of LaLiga championship for the 2008/09 season was one of the poorest ever in terms of uncertainty. The main aim of this study is to stimulate public interest in the Spanish League championship. To achieve this, an alternative ranking system is proposed using variables derived from soccer’s internal logic and the quality of the various teams. Applying Kendall’s index of concordance, the two rankings were compared play by play demonstrating the viability of the new model, with different levels of competitiveness. The properties and limitations of the model were compared with the one currently used by LaLiga. Providing a process which makes allowances for the wide range of quality of the teams playing in LaLiga is an alternative intended to foment the competitiveness of the championship.

Amyloid-Based Therapeutics: Findings Translated into Novel Treatments

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (S16) ◽  
pp. 36-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul S. Aisen
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin E ◽  
Memory Impairment ◽  
Cholinesterase Inhibitors ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Nmda Receptor Antagonist ◽  
Novel Treatments ◽  
Therapeutic Class ◽  
Positive Treatment ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
With Memory

For decades following the 1906 identification of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), it was believed that the disorder was untreatable. Only in the late 1970s, with the introduction of the cholinergic hypothesis of the underlying mechanisms of AD, were treatment options considered possible. The first positive treatment study was conducted in 1985. In 1993, tacrine, a cholinesterase inhibitor, was approved for the treatment of AD; three similar drugs soon followed. Memantine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, was approved in 2003, representing a second therapeutic class for AD.Cholinesterase inhibitors were the first therapeutic options successfully employed, and there is strong evidence these agents confer benefits. The addition of memantine to the standard course of therapy can be beneficial as well, particularly at the moderate stages of the disorder (Mini-Mental State Exam score of ≤14). For patients without cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or statin use, 1,000 IU vitamin E BID is a consideration to mitigate the effects of AD. However, there is presently concern over the risks involved in vitamin E therapy. Unfortunately, there are no established treatments for mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Vitamin E is ineffective in treating MCI, and cholinesterase inhibitors, while possibly risky, are only minimally effective. The need for effective treatment remains expansive. The benefits of the available agents are modest, and there are currently no treatments for individuals with memory impairment who do not yet meet the diagnostic criteria for AD.

Increasing Education's Return Rate for Public Interest Professionals

2021 ◽  
pp. 573-587
Author(s):  
Robert Leslie Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Public Interest ◽  
Debt Crisis ◽  
Student Loan ◽  
Student Loan Debt ◽  
New Model ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
The Social ◽  
Finance Model ◽  
Non Traditional Students

The author argues that the student loan debt crisis is, in fact, a shortage of public interest professionals. Solving this problem requires replacing the Becker Human Capital Model with a new post-secondary finance model, based on a suggestion of Carolyn Hoxby. The new model says that if the social benefits exceed the upfront costs, get the education. This is in contrast to the previous model that says if the lifetime income exceeds the upfront costs, get the education. The new model suggests counseling to help students be efficient in their college careers and back end debt forgiveness for people recruiting to public interest professions. Pell Grants tied to particular career paths would be used to attract non-traditional students to prepare for public interest careers.

scholarly journals Hypnosis and brain injury: four cases and three predictions

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonas Kristoffer Lindeløv
Keyword(s):  
Brain Injury ◽  
General Framework ◽  
Treatment Effects ◽  
Acquired Brain Injury ◽  
Substantial Part ◽  
Autobiographical Memories ◽  
Hypnotic Suggestion ◽  
Brain Recovery ◽  
Positive Treatment ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

Recent studies have found large effects of hypnotic suggestion on cognitive impairment following acquired brain injury. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms. A general framework is presented in which (1) a substantial part of cognitive brain-injury sequelae can be attributed to negative self-expectancies, and (2) hypnosis is a powerful way to manipulate negative self-expectancies. Four cases exemplify and add to this framework. First, mental imagery of brain recovery can be effective even if it does not correspond to the ”real” physical brain injury. Second, some patients do not subjectively experience large objective. Third, ongoing litigation can selectively inhibit positive treatment effects in contexts where this is incentivized. Fourth, pre-injury autobiographical memories may be an important precondition for positive treatment effects. I conclude with three testable predictions, which can further optimize hypnosis for acquired brain injury.

scholarly journals Expectancy effects in the Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e5229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniella K. Cash ◽  
Laura L. Heisick ◽  
Megan H. Papesh
Keyword(s):  
Stress Management ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Placebo Effects ◽  
Expectancy Effects ◽  
Initial Exposure ◽  
Media Attention ◽  
Somatosensory Responses ◽  
Management Techniques ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Home Stress

The Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a tingling, almost euphoric, sensation often elicited following certain visual or auditory stimulations (Barratt & Davis, 2015). Despite considerable media attention, little empirical work has investigated the underlying mechanisms. In the present study, ASMR enthusiasts and naïve observers listened to audio clips with and without ASMR-eliciting characteristics. We also manipulated participants’ expectations of ASMR, providing a measure of “placebo effects.” Although naïve participants were susceptible to suggestive instructions, experienced users were not, suggesting that initial exposure to ASMR media may evoke somatosensory responses consistent with one’s expectations. Implications for at-home stress management techniques are discussed.

scholarly journals Investigating mindfulness influences on cognitive function: On the promise and potential of converging research strategies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanli Lin ◽  
Rongxiang Tang ◽  
Todd Samuel Braver
Keyword(s):  
Public Interest ◽  
Systematic Approach ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Strategies ◽  
The Past ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Taxonomic Framework ◽  
Mechanisms Of Mindfulness ◽  
Organizing Principles

Research investigating the effects and underlying mechanisms of mindfulness on cognitive functioning has accelerated exponentially over the past two decades. Despite the rapid growth of the literature and its influential role in garnering public interest in mindfulness, inconsistent methods in defining and measuring mindfulness have yielded variable findings, which contribute to the overall dearth of clear generalizable conclusions. The focus of this article is to address the lack of cohesion in the collective methodologies used in this domain, by providing a new perspective grounded in classic cognitive and experimental psychology principles. We leverage the concept of converging operations to demonstrate how seemingly disparate research strategies can be integrated towards a more unified and systematic approach. An organizing taxonomic framework is described to provide useful structure in how mindfulness can be operationalized, measured, and investigated. We illustrate the rationale and core organizing principles of the framework through a selective review of studies on mindfulness and cognitive control. We then demonstrate the utility of the approach by showing how it can be applied to synthesize extant methodologies and guide the development of future research. Specific suggestions and examples pertaining to experimental design and statistical analysis are provided.

Izumi, Kyōka (1873–1939)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Wetmore
Keyword(s):  
Short Story ◽  
Public Interest ◽  
Young Men ◽  
Popular Literature ◽  
Dramatic Literature ◽  
Transitional Form ◽  
New Model ◽  
Stage Adaptations ◽  
Popular Novel

Izumi Kyōka was a novelist and shinpa playwright whose plays provided the heart of the shinpa repertory and demonstrated a new model for dramatic literature. Izumi’s work tended toward anti-Naturalism, with supernatural elements, Romanticism, and a yearning for the premodern past. His plays represent a transitional form from traditional to modern Japanese theater. Izumi emerged in the 1890s as a novelist and short story author. Other writers adapted Izumi’s novels for the shinpa stage, evoking the Tokugawa era while also embracing the mood and modes of Meiji and Taisho Japan. Most notably, Kawakami Otojiro adapted Izumi’s 1894 novel Giketsu kyōketsu [Loyal Blood, Valiant Blood] as Taki no shiraito, the first full-fledged shinpa adaptation of a popular novel. It remains shinpa and Izumi’s most successful drama. The floodgates opened on a series of stage adaptations of popular literature. A dozen plays adapted from Izumi’s fiction, including Tatsumi kōdan [A Tale of the Southwest Quarter] (1900), Tsuya monogatari [The Virgin’s Tale] (1906), Shirasagi [The White Heron] (1910) and Keiko ōgi [The Practice Fan] (1912). Izumi’s novels tended toward stories of young men in tragic relationships with female entertainers. Strong maternal figures in these stories can be traced back to his mother dying when he was ten years old. Izumi received no royalties from these adaptations, but they brought him fame and public interest, which revived his career.

Valproic Acid and the Liver Injury in Patients with Epilepsy: An Update

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong-Li Guo ◽  
Xia Jing ◽  
Jie-Yu Sun ◽  
Ya-hui Hu ◽  
Ze-Jun Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Valproic Acid ◽  
Liver Injury ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Therapeutic Drug ◽  
Alcoholic Fatty Liver ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Positive Treatment ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Patients With Epilepsy ◽  
Genotype Screening

Background: Valproic acid (VPA) as a widely used primary medication in the treatment of epilepsy is associated with reversible or irreversible hepatotoxicity. Long-term VPA therapy is also related to increased risk for the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In this review, metabolic elimination pathways of VPA in the liver and underlying mechanisms of VPA-induced hepatotoxicity are discussed. Methods: We searched in PubMed for manuscripts published in English, combining terms such as “Valproic acid”, “hepatotoxicity”, “liver injury”, and “mechanisms”. The data of screened papers were analyzed and summarized. Results: The formation of VPA reactive metabolites, inhibition of fatty acid β-oxidation, excessive oxidative stress and genetic variants of some enzymes, such as CPS1, POLG, GSTs, SOD2, UGTs and CYPs genes, have been reported to be associated with VPA hepatotoxicity. Furthermore, carnitine supplementation and antioxidants administration proved to be positive treatment strategies for VPA-induced hepatotoxicity. Conclusion: Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and routine liver biochemistry monitoring during VPA-therapy, as well as genotype screening for certain patients before VPA administration, could improve the safety profile of this antiepileptic drug.

scholarly journals Thrombin-induced platelet activation via PAR4: pivotal role for exosite II

2014 ◽  
Vol 112 (09) ◽  
pp. 558-565 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niklas Boknäs ◽  
Lars Faxälv ◽  
Daniel Sanchez Centellas ◽  
Maria Wallstedt ◽  
Sofia Ramström ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Platelet Activation ◽  
Active Site ◽  
Pivotal Role ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

SummaryThrombin-induced platelet activation via PAR1 and PAR4 is an important event in haemostasis. Although the underlying mechanisms responsible for ensuring efficient PAR1 activation by thrombin have been extensively studied, the potential involvement of recognitions sites outside the active site of the protease in thrombin-induced PAR4 activation is largely unknown. In this study, we developed a new assay to assess the importance of exosite I and II for PAR4 activation with α- and γ-thrombin. Surprisingly, we found that exosite II is critical for activation of PAR4. We also show that this dependency on exosite II likely represents a new mechanism, as it is unaffected by blockage of the previously known interaction between thrombin and glycoprotein Ibα.

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