Health and Disease

Author(s):  
George J. Armelagos ◽  
Dennis P. Van Gerven

In this chapter, we will present our research on the patterns of physiological stress and disease among the infants and children in our three Nubian communities. The discussion will begin with the methods employed in the estimation of demographic variables, such as sex, age at death, and life expectancy. These variables will provide the context for our subsequent investigations of stress and mortality as a result of the nutritional and infectious disease challenges faced by infants and children at both Wadi Halfa and Kulubnarti. Conditions such as cribra orbitalia, enamel hypoplasia, and enamel microdefects will be the focus of the analyses. Comparisons of the conditions within and between these populations has provided us with important insight into the impact of gender, social status, and economic opportunity on the health and wellbeing of communities at large.

Author(s):  
Naama Rotem-Kohavi ◽  
Susanne Brummelte ◽  
Kenneth D. Craig ◽  
Tim F. Oberlander

Biomarkers are commonly used in clinical care and research as indicators of diseases and physiological states. Preferably, a biomarker should be readily accessible, low in cost, easy to interpret, highly specific, and sensitive to health and disease. Owing to the complexity of the pain system, no unidimensional reliable biomarker for pain has been identified that meets all of these criteria to date. In children, neurologically dependent developmental changes, maturation of physiological stress reactivity systems, and life experience add additional layers of complexity to the use of biomarkers of pain. Nevertheless, readily available and reliable biomarkers reflecting function of the pain system would greatly enhance timely and appropriate understanding and treatment of pain, especially in infants and children with communication, cognitive, and motor disabilities. This chapter examines currently available pain-related biomarkers, their use, and limitations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. e0009131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Ochola ◽  
Diana M. S. Karanja ◽  
Susan J. Elliott

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) remain endemic to many regions of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) left behind by socioeconomic progress. As such, these diseases are markers of extreme poverty and inequity that are propagated by the political, economic, social, and cultural systems that affect health and wellbeing. As countries embrace and work towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the needs of such vulnerable populations need to be addressed in local and global arenas. The research uses primary qualitative data collected from five NTD endemic counties of Kenya: interviews key informants (n = 21) involved in NTD implementation programs and focus groups (n = 5) of affected individuals. Informed by theories of political ecology of health, the research focuses on post-devolution Kenya and identifies the political, economic, social, and cultural factors that propagate NTDs and their effects on health and wellbeing. Our findings indicate that structural factors such as competing political interests, health worker strikes, inadequate budgetary allocations, economic opportunity, marginalization, illiteracy, entrenched cultural norms and practices, poor access to water, sanitation and housing, all serve to propagate NTD transmission and subsequently affect the health and wellbeing of populations. As such, we recommend that post-devolution Kenya ensures local political, economic and socio-cultural structures are equitable, sensitive and responsive to the needs of all people. We also propose poverty alleviation through capacity building and empowerment as a means of tackling NTDs for sustained economic opportunity and productivity at the local and national level.


Author(s):  
Ainslie Johnstone ◽  
James J. Bonaiuto ◽  
Sven Bestmann

Computational neurostimulation is the use of biologically grounded computational models to investigate the mechanism of action of brain stimulation and predict the impact of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on behavior in health and disease. Computational models are now widespread, and their success is incontrovertible, yet they have left a rather small footprint on the field of TMS. We highlight and discuss recent advances in models of primary motor cortex TMS, the brain region for which most models have been developed. These models provide insight into the putative, but unobservable, mechanisms through which TMS influences physiology, and help predicting the effects of different TMS applications. We discuss how these advances in computational neurostimulation provide opportunities for mechanistically understanding and predicting the impact of TMS on behavior.


Author(s):  
Mehrdad Behforouzi ◽  
Imad Mubarak Said AlBreiki ◽  
Kambiz Mokhtari

Bullying is rampant and has severe effects on the health and wellbeing of the employees. Additionally, it also undermines job satisfaction and performance, thus affecting productivity. Bullying among seafarers is widespread, and their isolation from the rest of the people while at sea can enhance aggressive behaviour. Bullying is widespread among seafarers and severely affects them in core areas of their life. There is a significant effect of bullying on mental health. However, the Omani seafarers are loyal to their jobs and claim to be happy at sea despite the challenges and hardships. While there are different forms of bullying in the workplace, verbal abuse is the most rampant. The study seeks to highlight the impact of bullying on seafarers' happiness and job satisfaction who work in a shipping company. A questionnaire with nine questions was prepared based on the authors' experience and sent by mobile phone to fifty officers and crew members working onboard. More insight into workplace bullying among seafarers is essential in formulating adequate law, thus improving seafarers' health and safety.


Author(s):  
Jo Buckberry

The skeletal remains of infants and children are a poignant reminder of the perilous nature of childhood in the past, yet they offer valuable insight into the life histories of individuals and into the health of populations. Many osteoarchaeological and bioarchaeological analyses are dependent on two vital pieces of information: the age-at-death and sex of the individual(s) under study. This chapter will outline how age-at-death and sex can be estimated from the skeletal remains and dental development of non-adults, and how these are easier or more difficult to determine than for adults, and will discuss the complexities and controversies surrounding different methods.


Author(s):  
Sarah A. Luse

In the mid-nineteenth century Virchow revolutionized pathology by introduction of the concept of “cellular pathology”. Today, a century later, this term has increasing significance in health and disease. We now are in the beginning of a new era in pathology, one which might well be termed “organelle pathology” or “subcellular pathology”. The impact of lysosomal diseases on clinical medicine exemplifies this role of pathology of organelles in elucidation of disease today.Another aspect of cell organelles of prime importance is their pathologic alteration by drugs, toxins, hormones and malnutrition. The sensitivity of cell organelles to minute alterations in their environment offers an accurate evaluation of the site of action of drugs in the study of both function and toxicity. Examples of mitochondrial lesions include the effect of DDD on the adrenal cortex, riboflavin deficiency on liver cells, elevated blood ammonia on the neuron and some 8-aminoquinolines on myocardium.


2011 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 112-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Erickson-Levendoski ◽  
Mahalakshmi Sivasankar

The epithelium plays a critical role in the maintenance of laryngeal health. This is evident in that laryngeal disease may result when the integrity of the epithelium is compromised by insults such as laryngopharyngeal reflux. In this article, we will review the structure and function of the laryngeal epithelium and summarize the impact of laryngopharyngeal reflux on the epithelium. Research investigating the ramifications of reflux on the epithelium has improved our understanding of laryngeal disease associated with laryngopharyngeal reflux. It further highlights the need for continued research on the laryngeal epithelium in health and disease.


2008 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 112-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Bongard ◽  
Volker Hodapp ◽  
Sonja Rohrmann

Abstract. Our unit investigates the relationship of emotional processes (experience, expression, and coping), their physiological correlates and possible health outcomes. We study domain specific anger expression behavior and associated cardio-vascular loads and found e.g. that particularly an open anger expression at work is associated with greater blood pressure. Furthermore, we demonstrated that women may be predisposed for the development of certain mental disorders because of their higher disgust sensitivity. We also pointed out that the suppression of negative emotions leads to increased physiological stress responses which results in a higher risk for cardiovascular diseases. We could show that relaxation as well as music activity like singing in a choir causes increases in the local immune parameter immunoglobuline A. Finally, we are investigating connections between migrants’ strategy of acculturation and health and found e.g. elevated cardiovascular stress responses in migrants when they where highly adapted to the German culture.


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