scholarly journals Health efficacy of electrically operated automated massage on muscle properties, peripheral circulation, and physio-psychological variables: a narrative review

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayan Paul ◽  
Juliana Usman ◽  
Mohd Yazed Ahmad ◽  
Mohafez Hamidreza ◽  
Hadizadeh Maryam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Peripheral Circulation ◽  
The Other ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Conceptual Approach ◽  
Muscle Properties ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Whole Body Vibrations

AbstractManual massage, commonly used by healthy individuals for well-being, is an ancient practice requiring the intervention of a trained and experienced physiotherapist. On the other hand, automated massage is carried out by machines or modalities without or with minimal control of a human operator. In the present review, we provide a literature analysis to gather the effects of automated massage on muscle properties, peripheral circulation and psychophysiological variables as reported through psychometric and neurophysiological evaluations of each modality ranging from massage beds and whole-body vibrations to robotic massage. A computerized search was performed in Google Scholar, PubMed, and ResearchGate using selected key search terms, and the relevant data were extracted. The findings of this review indicate that for vibration massage, whole-body vibration exposure with relatively lower frequency and magnitude can be safely and effectively used to induce improvements in peripheral circulation. As for massage chair and mechanical bed massage, while most studies report on positive changes, the lack of strong clinical evidence renders these findings largely inconclusive. As for robotic massage, we discuss whether technological advances and collaborative robots might reconcile active and passive modes of action control during a massage and offer new massage perspectives through a stochastic sensorimotor user experience. This transition faculty, from one mode of control to the other, might definitely represent an innovative conceptual approach in terms of human–machine interactions.

Psychometric Properties of the Spontaneous and Deliberate Mind Wandering Scales

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 878-890 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Marcusson-Clavertz ◽  
Oscar N. E. Kjell
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Social Desirability ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Experience Sampling ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mind Wandering ◽  
Generalized Anxiety ◽  
Psychological Variables

Abstract. Thinking about task-unrelated matters (mind wandering) is related to cognition and well-being. However, the relations between mind wandering and other psychological variables may depend on whether the former commence spontaneously or deliberately. The current two studies investigated the psychometric properties of the Spontaneous and Deliberate Mind Wandering Scales (SDMWS; Carriere, Seli, & Smilek, 2013 ). Study 1 evaluated the stability of the scales over 2 weeks ( N = 284 at Time 1), whereas Study 2 ( N = 323) evaluated their relations to Generalized anxiety disorder symptoms, Openness, Social desirability, and experience-sampling reports of intentional and unintentional mind wandering during an online cognitive task. The results indicated that the SDMWS were better fitted with a two-factor than a one-factor solution, although the fit was improved with the exclusion of one item. The scales exhibited strong measurement invariance across gender and time, and moderately high test-retest reliability. Spontaneous mind wandering predicted Generalized anxiety disorder and experience-sampling reports of unintentional mind wandering, whereas Deliberate mind wandering predicted Openness and experience-sampling reports of intentional mind wandering. Furthermore, Spontaneous mind wandering showed a negative association with social desirability of weak-to-medium strength. In sum, the scales generally showed favorable psychometric properties.

Emotional Impact Feedback Changes How We Remember Negative Autobiographical Experiences

2010 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 354-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie K. T. Takarangi ◽  
Deryn Strange
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
The Other ◽  
Personal Perspective ◽  
Emotional Impact ◽  
Potential Mechanism ◽  
Negative Experiences ◽  
Negative Memory ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Negative Memories ◽  
Over Time

When people are told that their negative memories are worse than other people’s, do they later remember those events differently? We asked participants to recall a recent negative memory then, 24 h later, we gave some participants feedback about the emotional impact of their event – stating it was more or less negative compared to other people’s experiences. One week later, participants recalled the event again. We predicted that if feedback affected how participants remembered their negative experiences, their ratings of the memory’s characteristics should change over time. That is, when participants are told that their negative event is extremely negative, their memories should be more vivid, recollected strongly, and remembered from a personal perspective, compared to participants in the other conditions. Our results provide support for this hypothesis. We suggest that external feedback might be a potential mechanism in the relationship between negative memories and psychological well-being.

Radioimmunszintigraphie mit SPECT: Methodik, Probleme und klinische Erfahrungen

1987 ◽  
Vol 26 (05) ◽  
pp. 202-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Fass ◽  
S. Truong ◽  
U. Büll ◽  
V. Schumpelick ◽  
R. Bares
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
The Other ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Blood Clearance ◽  
Planar Scintigraphy ◽  
Gastrointestinal Carcinomas ◽  
Body Regions ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Body Retention ◽  
Klinische Erfahrungen

Radioimmunoscintigraphy (RIS) with 111ln- and 131 I-labelled monoclonal anti bodies (MAbs) against CEA and/or CA 19-9 was performed in 83 patients with various gastrointestinal carcinomas. A total of 276 body regions could be examined. The results of planar scintigraphy and SPECT were compared intraindividually. Using 111 In-labelled MAbs the sensitivity of RIS was significantly improved by SPECT (88.9 vs. 52.4% with planar scintigraphy, p <0.01). For131 l-labelled MAbs the effect was smaller (83.9 vs. 65.6% with planar scintigraphy, n.s.). This finding can be explained by different kinetics and biodistribution of the used MAb preparations.111 In-labelled MAbs with long whole-body retention and rapid blood clearance reveal ideal qualities for SPECT; on the other hand, the short whole-body retention of131 l-labelled MAbs leads to small count rates and therefore long counting times that make delayed SPECT unsuitable in clinical practice

The Price of Truth: Reciprocity, Giving, and Generosity in the Philosophy of René Descartes

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 147-170
Keyword(s):  
Moral Philosophy ◽  
Rene Descartes ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Other ◽  
Economic Science ◽  
Homo Oeconomicus ◽  
Intellectual Activity ◽  
René Descartes ◽  
Economic Thinking ◽  
Selfish Interest

The article provides a comparison of the concept of homo œconomicus with the core theses of René Descartes’ moral philosophy. The first section draws on the work of the contemporary Western philosopher Anselm Jappe in which Descartes’ philosophy is held to be the cornerstone of the established view and current scientific definitions of homo œconomicus as the fundamental and indispensable agent of capitalistic relations. As opposed to this “common sense” position in the modern social sciences, the second section of the article builds upon Pierre Bourdieu’s Anthropologie économique (2017) to demystify the notion of homo œconomicus. The article then examines some aspects of modern philosophical anthropology that show odd traces of Descartes’ thinking and that are regularly applied in economic science as well as in the critique of economic thinking as such. These are the concepts of mutuality, giving, exchange and generosity, and they are regarded as central to the philosopher’s moral doctrine.The author concludes that the philosophical doctrine of generosity has very little in common with the bourgeois ideology of utility which implies an instrumental relationship between subjects: in Caretesian moral philosophy the Other is neither an object of influence nor a means to achieve someone’s personal goals nor a windowless monad. Generosity certainly has its economic aspects, but these do not include accumulating wealth in the bourgeois sense. It is more in the realm of the aristocratic practice of making dispensations. All throughout his life Decartes may be viewed as exhibiting a peculiar kind of nobility in which the desire to give, endow and sacrifice outweighs any selfish interest. The vigorous pursuit of well-being gives way to a quest for the leisure required to pursue intellectual activity, and care for oneself does not preclude attending to and loving the Other, whatever form it may take.

scholarly journals Private retirement resorts in South Africa: Guidelines for wellness and sustainability in the long term.

2013 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andries C. Hauptfleisch
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Knowledge Base ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Other ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
Optimal Profile

Unsubsidised private retirement resorts in South Africa developed during the last three decades present residents with many challenges. There is no existing generally accepted knowledge base or guidelines to serve this sensitive market. The research objective was to establish which elements are experienced by residents of retirement resorts as satisfactory and which as problematic. A literature study was also undertaken. Quantitative as well as qualitative data were obtained by means of structured questionnaires, interviews and a seminar. The results reported pertain to eight resorts in the east of Pretoria, four in Bloemfontein and two in Knysna. The study is currently being extended to other centres. The quantitative data is arranged in order of the priorities set by the biggest group (Pretoria), with the other groups in comparison. So the research was based on the sourcing of quantitative and qualitative data, as well as on descriptive evaluations. The results offer insightful knowledge and guidelines towards establishing an optimal profile for the development of long-term sustainable private retirement resorts. The implications and value of this study are that both developers of retirement resorts and prospective residents are provided with guidelines to better equip them to evaluate a specific retirement resort with regard to the sustainable well- being of residents long-term.

scholarly journals Teaching during the Pandemic: A Comparison in Psychological Wellbeing among Smart Working Professions

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 4850
Author(s):  
Emanuela Mari ◽  
Giulia Lausi ◽  
Angelo Fraschetti ◽  
Alessandra Pizzo ◽  
Michela Baldi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Italian Population ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Group Methods ◽  
Random Probability ◽  
Smart Working ◽  
Restrictive Measures

Background: As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, since March 2020, the Italian population was forced into lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus. The restrictive measures imposed forced many organizations and workers to work through online platforms and no longer in-person. Smart working, enjoyed by some workers for its flexibility, affected several professional categories. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there are differences in the psychological variables related to four groups of professional categories (practitioners, managers, executive employees, teachers), particularly the teachers group. Methods: A total sample of 628 individuals was recruited through a random probability sample across Italy. Due to the lockdown, an online questionnaire was developed; several validated scales were chosen, and some ad hoc constructed items related to the smart working experience were included. Results: The results showed statistically significant differences between the four groups of examined smart workers. Conclusions: All workers have had to readjust to this new way of working, but our results show that teachers were the most affected, both in the perception of their psychological well-being and in the management of the smart working mode.

scholarly journals Quality of Life of Brazilian Vegetarians Measured by the WHOQOL-BREF: Influence of Type of Diet, Motivation and Sociodemographic Data

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 2648
Author(s):  
Shila Minari Hargreaves ◽  
Eduardo Yoshio Nakano ◽  
Heesup Han ◽  
António Raposo ◽  
Antonio Ariza-Montes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Vegetarian Diet ◽  
The Other ◽  
Average Score ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Domain 3 ◽  
Domain 4

This study aimed to evaluate the general quality of life (QoL) of Brazilian vegetarians. A cross-sectional study was conducted with Brazilian vegetarian adults (18 years old and above). Individuals were recruited to participate in a nationwide online survey that comprised the WHOQOL-BREF as well as sociodemographic and characterization questions related to vegetarianism. The WHOQOL-BREF is composed of 24 items which are divided into four domains (domain 1: physical health; domain 2: psychological well-being; domain 3: social relationships; and domain 4: environment), plus two general items which were analyzed separately, totaling 26 items. The answers from the questionnaire were converted into scores with a 0–100 scale range, with separate analyses for each domain. Results were compared among groups based on the different characteristics of the vegetarian population. A total of 4375 individuals completed the survey. General average score results were 74.67 (domain 1), 66.71 (domain 2), 63.66 (domain 3) and 65.76 (domain 4). Vegans showed better scores when compared to the other vegetarians, except in domain four, where the statistical difference was observed only for semi-vegetarians (lower score). Individuals adopting a vegetarian diet for longer (>1 year) showed better results for domains one and two, with no difference for the other domains. Having close people also adopting a vegetarian diet positively influenced the results for all domains. On the other hand, it was not possible to distinguish any clear influence of the motivation for adopting a vegetarian diet on the scores’ results. Adopting a vegetarian diet does not have detrimental effects on one’s QoL. In fact, the more plant-based the diet, and the longer it was adopted, the better the results were.

scholarly journals The need to study human milk as a biological system

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parul Christian ◽  
Emily R Smith ◽  
Sun Eun Lee ◽  
Ashley J Vargas ◽  
Andrew A Bremer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Milk ◽  
Biological System ◽  
System Development ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
Postnatal Period ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Optimal Timing ◽  
Conceptual Approach ◽  
Technological Advances

ABSTRACT Critical advancement is needed in the study of human milk as a biological system that intersects and interacts with myriad internal (maternal biology) and external (diet, environment, infections) factors and its plethora of influences on the developing infant. Human-milk composition and its resulting biological function is more than the sum of its parts. Our failure to fully understand this biology in a large part contributes to why the duration of exclusive breastfeeding remains an unsettled science (if not policy). Our current understanding of human-milk composition and its individual components and their functions fails to fully recognize the importance of the chronobiology and systems biology of human milk in the context of milk synthesis, optimal timing and duration of feeding, and period of lactation. The overly simplistic, but common, approach to analyzing single, mostly nutritive components of human milk is insufficient to understand the contribution of either individual components or the matrix within which they exist to both maternal and child health. There is a need for a shift in the conceptual approach to studying human milk to improve strategies and interventions to support better lactation, breastfeeding, and the full range of infant feeding practices, particularly for women and infants living in undernourished and infectious environments. Recent technological advances have led to a rising movement towards advancing the science of human-milk biology. Herein, we describe the rationale and critical need for unveiling the multifunctionality of the various nutritional, nonnutritional, immune, and biological signaling pathways of the components in human milk that drive system development and maturation, growth, and development in the very early postnatal period of life. We provide a vision and conceptual framework for a research strategy and agenda to change the field of human-milk biology with implications for global policy, innovation, and interventions.

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