Geistlose Hirne und hirnlose Geister

2018 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 228-242
Author(s):  
Andreas Heinz

Abstract Mental disorders have been suggested to differ from somatic diseases because they lack an organic correlate. We show that this argument is both empirically wrong and theoretically irrelevant, because diseases are defined by functional impairments and not biological variation. Due to human diversity, a multitude of functions can be defined, and any selection of medically relevant functional impairments is necessarily value-based. We suggest that such values include individual survival and living in a shared world with others, and that their definition requires public debate and a critical reflection by Philosophical Anthropology. However, the presence of functional impairments that are generally relevant for human life and survival only fulfils the so-called disease criterion, which is necessary but not sufficient to diagnose a clinically relevant malady. This would only be justified if such functional impairments cause individual harm, either because they are accompanied by suffering (the illness criterion) or because they interfere with basic activities of daily living such as personal hygiene and food intake (the sickness criterion of a clinically relevant malady). We apply this theory to mental disorders, conclude that only a fraction of such “disorders” currently listed in international classifications of diseases are clinically relevant mental maladies, suggest focusing on the needs of persons with such maladies and recommend avoiding “pathologization” of human diversity.

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno da Silva Lourenço ◽  
Maria Angélica de Almeida Peres ◽  
Isaura Setenta Porto ◽  
Rosane Mara Pontes de Oliveira ◽  
Virginia Faria Damásio Dutra

Abstract This study is an integrative review with the aim to identify and describe the scientific evidence of the practical effect of physical activity in people with mental disorders. For the selection of articles, the databases CINAHL, MEDLINE, LILACS, SciELO, Cochrane and Scopus were used. The sample of this review consisted of eight articles. Their analysis resulted in the categories: obesity and metabolic syndrome, specialized nursing, sedentary and healthy lifestyles, support and social network, incentive to the practice of physical activity, and anxiety and physical activity. The benefits to physical health were partially elucidated by the sample. The implications for nursing care arise from the therapeutic efficacy of physical activity by people with mental disorders, adding individual and collective benefits that provide socialization and promotion of well-being.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 752
Author(s):  
Andreas N. Angelakis ◽  
Heikki S. Vuorinen ◽  
Christos Nikolaidis ◽  
Petri S. Juuti ◽  
Tapio S. Katko ◽  
...  

Since ancient times, the need for healthy water has resulted in the development of various kinds of water supply systems. From early history, civilizations have developed water purification devices and treatment methods. The necessity for fresh water has influenced individual lives as well as communities and societies. During the last two hundred years, intensive and effective efforts have been made internationally for sufficient water quantity and quality. At the same time, human life expectancy has increased all over the globe at unprecedented rates. The present work represents an effort to sketch out how water purity and life expectancy have entangled, thus influencing one another. Water properties and characteristics have directly affected life quality and longevity. The dramatic increase in life expectancy has been, indisputably, affected by the improvement in water quality, but also in other concomitant factors, varying temporally and spatially in different parts of the world throughout the centuries. Water technologies and engineering have an unequivocal role on life expectancy. In some cases, they appear to have taken place earlier than the progress of modern medicine. Among these, improved sanitation, personal hygiene, progress in medicine, and better standards of economic living have played the greatest roles.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 2084
Author(s):  
Raman Kumar ◽  
Rohit Dubey ◽  
Sehijpal Singh ◽  
Sunpreet Singh ◽  
Chander Prakash ◽  
...  

Total knee replacement (TKR) is a remarkable achievement in biomedical science that enhances human life. However, human beings still suffer from knee-joint-related problems such as aseptic loosening caused by excessive wear between articular surfaces, stress-shielding of the bone by prosthesis, and soft tissue development in the interface of bone and implant due to inappropriate selection of TKR material. The choice of most suitable materials for the femoral component of TKR is a critical decision; therefore, in this research paper, a hybrid multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) tactic is applied using the degree of membership (DoM) technique with a varied system, using the weighted sum method (WSM), the weighted product method (WPM), the weighted aggregated sum product assessment method (WASPAS), an evaluation based on distance from average solution (EDAS), and a technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). The weights of importance are assigned to different criteria by the equal weights method (EWM). Furthermore, sensitivity analysis is conducted to check the solidity of the projected tactic. The weights of importance are varied using the entropy weights technique (EWT) and the standard deviation method (SDM). The projected hybrid MCDM methodology is simple, reliable and valuable for a conflicting decision-making environment.


Author(s):  
Kristoffer N T Månsson ◽  
Ulrike Lueken ◽  
Andreas Frick

Abstract Although cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an established and efficient treatment for a variety of common mental disorders, a considerable number of patients do not respond to treatment or relapse after successful CBT. Recent findings and approaches from neuroscience could pave the way for clinical developments to enhance the outcome of CBT. Herein, we will present how neuroscience can offer novel perspectives to better understand (a) the biological underpinnings of CBT, (b) how we can enrich CBT with neuroscience-informed techniques (augmentation of CBT), and (c) why some patients may respond better to CBT than others (predictors of therapy outcomes), thus paving the way for more personalized and effective treatments. We will introduce some key topics and describe a selection of findings from CBT-related research using tools from neuroscience, with the hope that this will provide clinicians and clinical researchers with a brief and comprehensible overview of the field.


2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-130
Author(s):  
Danelina E. Vacheva ◽  
Verjinia K. Simeonova ◽  
Boyko St. Stamenov

Summary Bulgaria ranks first in the world in incidence, morbidity and death associated with cerebrovascular disease. The aim of the study was to investigate, follow-up and register recovery of activities of daily living (using the toilet and maintaining personal hygiene) in patients with sequelae from cerebrovascular disease in a subacute stage, who underwent physiotherapy and rehabilitation. Sixty-one patients were included and followed up. They were given tailored physiotherapy and rehabilitation. This included kinesitherapy, occupational therapy and electrotherapy. All the patients filled in self-assessment questionnaires before and after the rehabilitation course. Major parameters were assessed, irrespective of the limb affected -dominant or non-dominant. Results were analyzed using the Wilcoxon rank test. At the end of the rehabilitation course, the Wilcoxon curves were driven to the right, confirming improvement concerning independence, irrespective of involvement of dominant or non-dominant limb.


PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7806
Author(s):  
Alba Roda-Sales ◽  
Margarita Vergara ◽  
Joaquín L. Sancho-Bru ◽  
Verónica Gracia-Ibáñez ◽  
Néstor J. Jarque-Bou

Assistive devices (ADs) are products intended to overcome the difficulties produced by the reduction in mobility and grip strength entailed by ageing and different pathologies. Nevertheless, there is little information about the effect that the use of these devices produces on hand kinematics. Thus, the aim of this work is to quantify this effect through the comparison of kinematic parameters (mean posture, ROM, median velocity and peak velocity) while performing activities of daily living (ADL) using normal products and ADs. Twelve healthy right-handed subjects performed 11 ADL with normal products and with 17 ADs wearing an instrumented glove on their right hand, 16 joint angles being recorded. ADs significantly affected hand kinematics, although the joints affected differed according to the AD. Furthermore, some pattern effects were identified depending on the characteristics of the handle of the ADs, namely, handle thickening, addition of a handle to products that initially did not have one, extension of existing handles or addition of handles to apply higher torques. An overview of the effects of these design characteristics on hand kinematics is presented as a basis for the selection of the most suitable AD depending on the patient’s impairments.


2021 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 11-25
Author(s):  
Jolanta Brzykcy

The article is an analysis of the poetry of Gisella Lachman (1895–1969), poet of the “first wave” of Russian emigration, from the perspective of the poetics of space. The poet expressed her emigration experience (multiple changes of residence: Russia, Germany, Switzerland, USA) in her poems in spatial relations. They appear on different levels of the works’ morphology: in the construction of the lyrical “I”, in the organisation of the presented world, in the repertoire of motifs and the selection of poetic lexis and genre forms. Space plays a literal role in Lachman’s poetry; it is a representation of extra-literary reality, seen subjectively. It is also subject to metaphorisation, becoming a tool for expressing philosophical content. The poet creates not only a spatial model of the world, but also a spatial model of human life, which she perceives as a transit on the road to eternity.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Lars Holmberg

Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) impact many aspects of human life, from recommending a significant other to assist the search for extraterrestrial life. The area develops rapidly and exiting unexplored design spaces are constantly laid bare. The focus in this work is one of these areas; ML systems where decisions concerning ML model training, usage and selection of target domain lay in the hands of domain experts. This work is then on ML systems that function as a tool that augments and/or enhance human capabilities. The approach presented is denoted Human In Command ML (HIC-ML) systems. To enquire into this research domain design experiments of varying fidelity were used. Two of these experiments focus on augmenting human capabilities and targets the domains commuting and sorting batteries. One experiment focuses on enhancing human capabilities by identifying similar hand-painted plates. The experiments are used as illustrative examples to explore settings where domain experts potentially can: independently train an ML model and in an iterative fashion, interact with it and interpret and understand its decisions. HIC-ML should be seen as a governance principle that focuses on adding value and meaning to users. In this work, concrete application areas are presented and discussed. To open up for designing ML-based products for the area an abstract model for HIC-ML is constructed and design guidelines are proposed. In addition, terminology and abstractions useful when designing for explicability are presented by imposing structure and rigidity derived from scientific explanations. Together, this opens up for a contextual shift in ML and makes new application areas probable, areas that naturally couples the usage of AI technology to human virtues and potentially, as a consequence, can result in a democratisation of the usage and knowledge concerning this powerful technology.


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