Biofield physiology: A Framework for an emerging discipline

Biofield physiology is proposed as an overarching descriptor for the electromagnetic, biophotonic, and other types of spatially-distributed fields that living systems generate and respond to as integral aspects of cellular, tissue, and whole organism self-regulation and organization. Medical physiology, cell biology, and biophysics provide the framework within which evidence for biofields, their proposed receptors, and functions is presented. As such, biofields can be viewed as affecting physiological regulatory systems in a manner that complements the more familiar molecular-based mechanisms. Examples of clinically relevant biofields are the electrical and magnetic fields generated by arrays of heart cells and neurons that are detected, respectively, as electrocardiograms (ECGs) or magnetocardiograms (MCGs) and electroencephalograms (EEGs) or magnetoencephalograms (MEGs). At a basic physiology level, electromagnetic activity of neural assemblies appears to modulate neuronal synchronization and circadian rhythmicity. Numerous nonneural electrical fields have been detected and analyzed, including those arising from patterns of resting membrane potentials that guide development and regeneration, and from slowly-varying transepithelial direct current fields that initiate cellular responses to tissue damage. Another biofield phenomenon is the coherent, ultraweak photon emissions (UPE), detected from cell cultures and from the body surface. A physiological role for biophotons is consistent with observations that fluctuations in UPE correlate with cerebral blood flow, cerebral energy metabolism, and EEG activity. Biofield receptors are reviewed in 3 categories: molecular-level receptors, charge flux sites, and endogenously generated electric or electromagnetic fields. In summary, sufficient evidence has accrued to consider biofield physiology as a viable scientific discipline. Directions for future research are proposed.

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Biodegradable materials for bone defect repair

Military Medical Research ◽

10.1186/s40779-020-00280-6 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Shuai Wei ◽

Jian-Xiong Ma ◽

Lai Xu ◽

Xiao-Song Gu ◽

Xin-Long Ma

Keyword(s):

Bone Tissue ◽

Bone Defect ◽

Rapid Development ◽

Modern Science ◽

Physiological Role ◽

Bone Defects ◽

The Body ◽

Future Research ◽

Biodegradable Materials ◽

Degradable Materials

Abstract Compared with non-degradable materials, biodegradable biomaterials play an increasingly important role in the repairing of severe bone defects, and have attracted extensive attention from researchers. In the treatment of bone defects, scaffolds made of biodegradable materials can provide a crawling bridge for new bone tissue in the gap and a platform for cells and growth factors to play a physiological role, which will eventually be degraded and absorbed in the body and be replaced by the new bone tissue. Traditional biodegradable materials include polymers, ceramics and metals, which have been used in bone defect repairing for many years. Although these materials have more or fewer shortcomings, they are still the cornerstone of our development of a new generation of degradable materials. With the rapid development of modern science and technology, in the twenty-first century, more and more kinds of new biodegradable materials emerge in endlessly, such as new intelligent micro-nano materials and cell-based products. At the same time, there are many new fabrication technologies of improving biodegradable materials, such as modular fabrication, 3D and 4D printing, interface reinforcement and nanotechnology. This review will introduce various kinds of biodegradable materials commonly used in bone defect repairing, especially the newly emerging materials and their fabrication technology in recent years, and look forward to the future research direction, hoping to provide researchers in the field with some inspiration and reference.

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Fundamentals of the modern theory of the phenomenon of “pain” in terms of a systematic approach to issues its psychological component. Terminology of the systemic approach and a brief representation of the human body as a system

Pain medicine ◽

10.31636/pmjua.v3i2.97 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 6-23 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

V. I. Poberezhnyi ◽

O. V. Marchuk ◽

O. S. Shvidyuk ◽

I. Y. Petrik

Keyword(s):

Human Body ◽

Functional Organization ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Systemic Reaction ◽

Functional System ◽

Cellular Tissue ◽

Point Of View ◽

The Body ◽

Modern Theory ◽

Functional Systems

“Pain” is psychophysiological phenomenon, that is actualized in the mind of a person as a result of a systemic reaction to a certain externaland internal stimuli. The pain is caused by morphological and functional disorders in the body and is accompanied by changes in person’s psychic stateand behavior. Three components are distinguished in the phenomenon of “pain”: nocigenic (somatogenic), neurogenic (neuropathic) and psychogenic.The psychical and physiological components are distinguished only within emotions and sensations among all mental processes. The formationof connections and relationships between their components occurs on the basis of neurophysiological processes. Emotions and feelingsof a person are inseparably linked with the corresponding physiological processes of the body, which, in turn, are a reflection of a certainform of the systemic structural and functional organization.From the point of view of the functional system approach, the human body is an exposed, nonlinear, self-organizing, self-regulating,self-learning, permanently evolving, dynamic system that exists in inseparable connection and constant interaction with the environment.Elements of its systemic structural and functional organization are certain functional systems of the corresponding hierarchical levels.Regulatory centers are one of the main elements of the human organism’s functional systems, their activities realize the processes of theirself-organization and self-regulation. In functional systems at the cellular, tissue, organ and organism levels of its systemic organization,the regulatory centers are the neuronal-synaptic organizations of the structural formations of the peripheral and central nervous system.Nervous system of the person integrates and coordinates the processes of sensitivity, activity of its effector structure formations andmotion activity, accordingly to the conditions of its internal and external environment. Realization of its functions as a whole and infull is possible only in inseparable interrelation and mutual relation, coordinated interaction and interconsistency with endocrine andimmune-competent systems. The ways and means of intercellular communication are the basis for the processes of integration and coordinationof the activity of effector and structural formations of the human body.

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Music, Politics, and History: An Introduction

Journal of British Studies ◽

10.1017/jbr.2020.245 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 60 (2) ◽

pp. 362-374

Author(s):

David Kennerley

Keyword(s):

Sound Studies ◽

The Body ◽

Future Research ◽

Short Article ◽

Distinctive Features ◽

Music And Politics ◽

Introductory Article ◽

History Of ◽

Eighteenth And Nineteenth Centuries ◽

The Relationship

AbstractMusic has been steadily rising up the historical agenda, a product of the emergence of sound studies, the history of the senses, and a mood of interdisciplinary curiosity. This introductory article offers a critical review of how the relationship between music and politics has featured in extant historical writing, from classic works of political history to the most recent scholarship. It begins by evaluating different approaches that historians have taken to music, summarizes the important shifts in method that have recently taken place, and advocates for a performance-centered, contextualized framework that is attentive to the distinctive features of music as a medium. The second half examines avenues for future research into the historical connections between music and politics, focusing on four thematic areas—the body, emotions, space, and memory—and closes with some overarching reflections on music's use as a tool of power, as well as a challenge to it. Although for reasons of cohesion, this short article focuses primarily on scholarship on Britain and Ireland in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, its discussion of theory and methods is intended to be applicable to the study of music and political culture across a broad range of periods and geographies.

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Involvement of Probiotics and Postbiotics in the Immune System Modulation

Biologics ◽

10.3390/biologics1020006 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 89-110

Author(s):

Neslihan Yeşilyurt ◽

Birsen Yılmaz ◽

Duygu Ağagündüz ◽

Raffaele Capasso

Keyword(s):

Immune System ◽

Pharmaceutical Industry ◽

Intestinal Microbiota ◽

Health Benefits ◽

The Body ◽

Future Research ◽

Immune Systems ◽

Advantages And Disadvantages ◽

Immune System Modulation ◽

Molecular Patterns

Intestinal microbiota interacts with other systems, especially the immune system, which is responsible for protecting the body by recognizing “stranger” (pathogen associated molecular patterns-PAMPs) and “danger” (damage-associated molecular patterns-DAMPs) molecular motifs. In this manner, it plays an important role in the pathogenesis of various diseases and health. Despite the use of probiotics that modulate the intestinal microbiota in providing health benefits and in the treatment of diseases, there are some possible concerns about the possibility of developing adverse effects, especially in people with suppressed immune systems. Since probiotics provide health benefits with bioactive compounds, studies are carried out on the use of products containing non-living probiotic microorganisms (paraprobiotics) and/or their metabolites (postbiotics) instead of probiotic products. It is even reported that these microbial compounds have more immunomodulatory activities than living microorganisms via some possible mechanism and eliminates some disadvantages of probiotics. Considering the increasing use of functional foods in health and disease, further studies are needed with respect to the benefits and advantages of parabiotic and/or postbiotic use in the food and pharmaceutical industry as well as immune system modulation. Although probiotics have been extensive studied for a long time, it seems that postbiotics are promising tools for future research and applications according to the recent literature. This review aimed to evaluate the interaction of probiotics and postbiotics with the immune systems and also their advantages and disadvantages in the area of food-pharmaceutical industry and immune system modulation.

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A PRISMA Review of Research on Music Practice

Musicae Scientiae ◽

10.1177/10298649211005531 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 102986492110055

Author(s):

Ee Ran How ◽

Leonard Tan ◽

Peter Miksza

Keyword(s):

Self Regulation ◽

Deliberate Practice ◽

Geographical Location ◽

Final Analysis ◽

The United States ◽

Research Literature ◽

Mental Practice ◽

Future Research ◽

Complex Activity ◽

Music Practice

We employed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) method to systematically review research on music practice from 1928 until June 2020 and identified a total of 3,102 records using our inclusion criteria, of which a total of 296 were eventually selected for the final analysis. We tabulated percentages and frequencies of (a) publications in ten-year periods, (b) type of publications, (c) sampling by geographical location, (d) methodologies used, (e) the top tenth percentile of the most highly cited research, and (f) topics covered. Our analyses reveal that particularly strong growth occurred in the literature between 2000 and 2020. In the literature we retrieved, the most commonly sampled research participants were those in the United States, followed by the United Kingdom and Australia. Quantitative research designs were most prevalent, accounting for two-thirds of all studies reviewed (66.2%), with questionnaires and recordings being the most common methods of data collection. Non-empirical papers (17.5%) as well as studies incorporating qualitative (13.5%) and mixed-methods designs (3.1%) were much less prevalent. Ericsson et al.’s (1993) seminal study of deliberate practice, Driskell et al.’s (1994) review of the research literature on mental practice, and Sloboda et al.’s (1996) study of young musicians were by far the most often cited. Overall, the most common topics addressed were deliberate practice, practice strategies, mental practice, the benefits of practice, metacognition, self-regulation, and self-efficacy, suggesting that music practice is a rich, multifaceted, and complex activity. In light of the findings, recommendations for practice and implications for future research are provided.

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Update on Giardia: Highlights from the seventh International Giardia and Cryptosporidium Conference

Parasite ◽

10.1051/parasite/2020047 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 27 ◽

pp. 49 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

André G. Buret ◽

Simone M. Cacciò ◽

Loïc Favennec ◽

Staffan Svärd

Keyword(s):

Cell Biology ◽

Health Management ◽

Giardia Duodenalis ◽

Basic Research ◽

Basic Knowledge ◽

Future Research ◽

World Knowledge ◽

Main Research ◽

Research Perspectives ◽

New Findings

Although Giardia duodenalis is recognized as one of the leading causes of parasitic human diarrhea in the world, knowledge of the mechanisms of infection is limited, as the pathophysiological consequences of infection remain incompletely elucidated. Similarly, the reason for and consequences of the very specific genome-organization in this parasite with 2 active nuclei is only partially known. Consistent with its tradition, the 7th International Giardia and Cryptosporidium Conference (IGCC 2019) was held from June 23 to 26, 2019, at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of the University of Rouen-Normandie, France, to discuss current research perspectives in the field. This renowned event brought together an international delegation of researchers to present and debate recent advances and identify the main research themes and knowledge gaps. The program for this interdisciplinary conference included all aspects of host-parasite relationships, from basic research to applications in human and veterinary medicine, as well as the environmental issues raised by water-borne parasites and their epidemiological consequences. With regard to Giardia and giardiasis, the main areas of research for which new findings and the most impressive communications were presented and discussed included: parasite ecology and epidemiology of giardiasis, Giardia-host interactions, and cell biology of Giardia, genomes and genomic evolution. The high-quality presentations discussed at the Conference noted breakthroughs and identified new opportunities that will inspire researchers and funding agencies to stimulate future research in a “one health” approach to improve basic knowledge and clinical and public health management of zoonotic giardiasis.

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The Role of Mental Effort in Fostering Self-Regulated Learning with Problem-Solving Tasks

Educational Psychology Review ◽

10.1007/s10648-020-09544-y ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 32 (4) ◽

pp. 1055-1072 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Tamara van Gog ◽

Vincent Hoogerheide ◽

Milou van Harsel

Keyword(s):

Problem Solving ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Mental Effort ◽

Future Research ◽

Task Sequence ◽

Self Monitoring ◽

Self Regulated Learning ◽

Regulated Learning ◽

And Mathematics

Abstract Problem-solving tasks form the backbone of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) curricula. Yet, how to improve self-monitoring and self-regulation when learning to solve problems has received relatively little attention in the self-regulated learning literature (as compared with, for instance, learning lists of items or learning from expository texts). Here, we review research on fostering self-regulated learning of problem-solving tasks, in which mental effort plays an important role. First, we review research showing that having students engage in effortful, generative learning activities while learning to solve problems can provide them with cues that help them improve self-monitoring and self-regulation at an item level (i.e., determining whether or not a certain type of problem needs further study/practice). Second, we turn to self-monitoring and self-regulation at the task sequence level (i.e., determining what an appropriate next problem-solving task would be given the current level of understanding/performance). We review research showing that teaching students to regulate their learning process by taking into account not only their performance but also their invested mental effort on a prior task when selecting a new task improves self-regulated learning outcomes (i.e., performance on a knowledge test in the domain of the study). Important directions for future research on the role of mental effort in (improving) self-monitoring and self-regulation at the item and task selection levels are discussed after the respective sections.

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Climate Change Trends and Impacts on California Agriculture: A Detailed Review

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy8030025 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 25 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

Tapan Pathak ◽

Mahesh Maskey ◽

Jeffery Dahlberg ◽

Faith Kearns ◽

Khaled Bali ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Agricultural Sector ◽

Climate Adaptation ◽

Crop Yields ◽

Heat Waves ◽

Sufficient Evidence ◽

Future Climate Change ◽

Future Research ◽

Detailed Review ◽

California Agriculture

California is a global leader in the agricultural sector and produces more than 400 types of commodities. The state produces over a third of the country’s vegetables and two-thirds of its fruits and nuts. Despite being highly productive, current and future climate change poses many challenges to the agricultural sector. This paper provides a summary of the current state of knowledge on historical and future trends in climate and their impacts on California agriculture. We present a synthesis of climate change impacts on California agriculture in the context of: (1) historic trends and projected changes in temperature, precipitation, snowpack, heat waves, drought, and flood events; and (2) consequent impacts on crop yields, chill hours, pests and diseases, and agricultural vulnerability to climate risks. Finally, we highlight important findings and directions for future research and implementation. The detailed review presented in this paper provides sufficient evidence that the climate in California has changed significantly and is expected to continue changing in the future, and justifies the urgency and importance of enhancing the adaptive capacity of agriculture and reducing vulnerability to climate change. Since agriculture in California is very diverse and each crop responds to climate differently, climate adaptation research should be locally focused along with effective stakeholder engagement and systematic outreach efforts for effective adoption and implementation. The expected readership of this paper includes local stakeholders, researchers, state and national agencies, and international communities interested in learning about climate change and California’s agriculture.

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Event innovation induced corporate branding

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management ◽

10.1108/ijchm-09-2015-0512 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 29 (3) ◽

pp. 862-882 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Fiona X. Yang ◽

Sherry Xiuchang Tan

Keyword(s):

Corporate Branding ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Corporate Image ◽

The Body ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Future Research ◽

Event Management ◽

Content Type ◽

Body Of Knowledge ◽

Corporate Loyalty

Purpose This paper aims to empirically investigate how event innovation may induce desirable corporate branding. Design/methodology/approach A survey yielded 280 complete responses from tourists who had attended an event in Macau. Structural equation modeling was used to test the innovation-corporate loyalty framework through perceived event value and corporate image, with a multi-group comparison to examine differences between first-time and repeat customers. Findings The results indicate that innovation is not only the key to value enhancement of the event but also an efficacious instrument of branding the parent company and building corporate loyalty; only product-related innovation has a significant impact on event value; both functional and emotional values induce a more favorable corporate image; and event-induced corporate branding is more effective in securing repeat business than attracting new clientele. Practical implications The findings help hospitality operators and event planners to leverage innovative events for corporate branding and cater to different customer segments by providing distinct marketing strategies. Originality/value The study contributes to the body of knowledge regarding event management and corporate branding and sheds light on future research to explore the initiative and benefit of pushing forward event innovation.

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The putative effects of green tea on body fat: an evaluation of the evidence and a review of the potential mechanisms

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114511003849 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 106 (9) ◽

pp. 1297-1309 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Navamayooran Thavanesan

Keyword(s):

Weight Loss ◽

Green Tea ◽

Body Fat ◽

Fatty Acid Synthase ◽

The Body ◽

Alternative Methods ◽

Future Research ◽

Prevalence Of Obesity ◽

Simultaneous Inhibition

The increase in the prevalence of obesity in recent years has prompted research into alternative methods of modulating body weight and body fat. The last decade has reflected this with a surge in studies investigating the potential of green tea as a natural agent of weight loss, with a view to confirming and elucidating the mechanisms underlying its effect on the body. Currently, it is widely believed that the polyphenolic components present in green tea have an anti-obesogenic effect on fat homeostasis, by increasing thermogenesis or reducing fat absorption among other ways. The data published to date, however, are inconsistent, with numerous putative modes of action suggested therein. While several unimodal mechanisms have been postulated, a more plausible explanation of the observed results might involve a multimodal approach. Such a mechanism is suggested here, involving simultaneous inhibition of the enzymes catechol-O-methyltransferase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase and impeding absorption of fat via the gut. An evaluation of the available evidence supports a role of green tea in weight loss; however the extent of the effects obtained is still subject to debate, and requires more objective quantification in future research.

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