Materializing

The present article explores how cycles are brought into being through the practices and affordances involved in period-tracking with apps. Based on thirteen in-depth semi-structured interviews with period-tracking app users living in the Netherlands, it expands on literature discussing the relationship between embodiment, apps, and quantification. The contributions of this article are two-fold. Theoretically, it argues for the use of Karen Barad’s notion of apparatus to understand how bodies are (re)configured in relation to self-tracking technologies (1998). Empirically, it exposes how bodies emerge in localized period-tracking practices, within material-semiotic arrangements that both resist and reproduce cultural ideals about menstruating bodies. Period-tracking with apps, this study finds, brings the body’s interior processes into being in a “systematic” way, (re)configuring the cycle as either a series of phases or an interval with a certain (normative) duration. In all cases, periodtracking with apps becomes a means for users to access their internal body and to materialize the invisible processes of the cycle in ways that can be acted upon.

The Link Between External and Internal Body-Image Shame and Binge Eating in Men and Women: The Mediating Role of Self-criticism

Background: Binge eating is a public health problem associated with reduced physical health (ie, being overweight and obese) and mental health. Binge eating symptoms are so prevalent that many people who struggle with the symptoms have never been diagnosed with the binge eating disorder (BED). Examining the underlying emotional mechanisms of this behavior and the gender differences in these mechanisms remains largely unexplored. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the association between internal and external body-image shame and binge eating symptoms in men and women mediated by self-criticism. Methods: This correlation study was based on structural equation modeling. The statistical population of the study included all students of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Finally, using multi-stage cluster random sampling, a total of 313 participants were included in the study. Instruments including Body-Image Shame Scale (BISS), Forms of Self-criticizing/Self-reassuring Scale (FSCRS), and Binge Eating Scale (BES) were used in the study. Results: According to the results, the severity of binge eating symptoms had a positive and significant relationship with external and internal body-image shame, hated-self, and inadequate-self, while it had a negative and significant relationship with reassured-self. The results also indicated that in men, inadequate-self, and reassured-self, and in women, hated-self, inadequate-self, and reassured-self mediated the association between internal and external body-image shame and the severity of binge eating symptoms. Conclusions: Our results indicated that forms of self-criticism could differently mediate the relationship between external and internal body-image shame and the severity of binge eating symptoms in Iranian men and women. This gender difference in the mediation model can be considered in clinical practice, and appropriate treatment methods can be used accordingly.

Leech Infestation in the Vulvar Region: Causes of Vaginal Bleeding in a Six years old Child

Background: Leeches are hermaphroditic rare blood-sucking human endoparasitesof phylum Annelida and class Hirudinea. Leech infestation is a zoonotic disease acquired by drinking contaminated water, swimming in ponds and streams .1Epidemiology of leech bites in literature is limited and the majority of existing data are case reports from the tropics or subtropics.2–4 Leech bites can occur on various orifices of the body including internal body cavities and orifices, such as the uterus, rectum, urinary bladder, vulva, nasal cavity, peritoneal cavity, nasopharynx, oropharynx, oesophagus, trachea, bronchi and the vagina.5 Different chemicals for leech removal have been utilized and include anesthetics drugs like lidocaine and topical anesthetic spray. Salt, saline, vinegar, alcohol, and heat are also viable options. Of these, saltwater has been shown to be effective in causing the leech to relax and release.Vaginal bleeding resulting from leech bite is rare, but when it occurs, it may be of severe morbidity.2–4 In the present case report that happened at Kabaya district hospital, a six year old child with vaginal bleeding that turned out to be caused by vaginal leech infestation is presented. Kabaya district hospital is a rural hospital with 144-bed capacity and serves 188,902 inhabitants and is geographically difficult to access due to the lack of reliable roads and bridges, especially in the rainy season.

Physiological responses of freshwater insects to salinity: molecular-, cellular- and organ-level studies

ABSTRACT Salinization of freshwater is occurring throughout the world, affecting freshwater biota that inhabit rivers, streams, ponds, marshes and lakes. There are many freshwater insects, and these animals are important for ecosystem health. These insects have evolved physiological mechanisms to maintain their internal salt and water balance based on a freshwater environment that has comparatively little salt. In these habitats, insects must counter the loss of salts and dilution of their internal body fluids by sequestering salts and excreting water. Most of these insects can tolerate salinization of their habitats to a certain level; however, when exposed to salinization they often exhibit markers of stress and impaired development. An understanding of the physiological mechanisms for controlling salt and water balance in freshwater insects, and how these are affected by salinization, is needed to predict the consequences of salinization for freshwater ecosystems. Recent research in this area has addressed the whole-organism response, but the purpose of this Review is to summarize the effects of salinization on the osmoregulatory physiology of freshwater insects at the molecular to organ level. Research of this type is limited, and pursuing such lines of inquiry will improve our understanding of the effects of salinization on freshwater insects and the ecosystems they inhabit.

Watching Your Neck: The Influence of Real-Time Visual Feedback on Cervical Joint Position Sense in Chronic Neck Pain

Patients with neck pain demonstrate a variety of sensorimotor impairments, such as decreased cervical joint position sense (CJPS) acuity, which might also be associated with an impaired internal body representation. The present study evaluated the effect of real-time visual feedback of the individual’s own neck on CJPS compared to observing a book. Twenty-three patients with neck pain participated in the experiment and received the interventions in randomized order on separate days in a within-subject pretest–posttest design. Before and immediately after each intervention, CJPS was measured by a therapist blinded to the intervention. The results demonstrate a significantly different development of CJPS (p = .04), with increased CJPS acuity after observing one’s own neck and decreased acuity after observing a book. Real-time visual feedback of the neck improved CJPS acuity in patients with neck pain without active movements of the neck, indicating the importance of central nervous system processing for CJPS acuity.

Study of the persuasive managerial influence of the head of the internal affairs bodies on subordinates

The relevance of scientific research of the pedagogical model of persuasive managerial influence of the leader lies in the need to make qualitative changes in this process. At the same time, the main task of making changes is to systematize and improve the model, the form of direct managerial influence from the head directly on his subordinate. The object of the research is the persuasive managerial influence of the head on the subordinate. The subject of the research is the features of the persuasive managerial influence of the head of a subdivision of an internal body on subordinates. The purpose of the article is to identify ways, means and methods of persuasive influence of the leader to improve the quality of personnel management. The methods of studying persuasive influence were the analysis and systematization of scientific literature on the research topic; interview. The respondents were 100 people - heads of departments and services of the Russian Federation, studying at the Academy of Management of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. Based on the results of the study, we can say that the head of the internal affairs body is able to achieve the set goal by persuading influence, only having such personal qualities as: justice, decisiveness, originality, hard work, attentiveness, restraint, sincerity, wit, accuracy, calmness, communication culture, etc.

Circadian Rhythms, Disease and Chronotherapy

Circadian clocks are biological timing mechanisms that generate 24-h rhythms of physiology and behavior, exemplified by cycles of sleep/wake, hormone release, and metabolism. The adaptive value of clocks is evident when internal body clocks and daily environmental cycles are mismatched, such as in the case of shift work and jet lag or even mistimed eating, all of which are associated with physiological disruption and disease. Studies with animal and human models have also unraveled an important role of functional circadian clocks in modulating cellular and organismal responses to physiological cues (ex., food intake, exercise), pathological insults (e.g. virus and parasite infections), and medical interventions (e.g. medication). With growing knowledge of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying circadian physiology and pathophysiology, it is becoming possible to target circadian rhythms for disease prevention and treatment. In this review, we discuss recent advances in circadian research and the potential for therapeutic applications that take patient circadian rhythms into account in treating disease.

Lipid engineered nanoparticle therapy for burn wound treatment

Introduction: Skin is the largest organ of the human body protecting the underlying organs and tissues from any foreign attack. Any damage caused in the skin may sometimes result in serious consequences within the internal body tissues. Burn is one such issue that damage the layers of skin and thereby makingthe skin vulnerableand pronefor any foreign matter to enter and cause serious diseases. Methods: An online literature assessment was steered for the lipid nanoparticles, burn wound treatments, and different types of nanoformulation. Appropriate information was taken from different electronic scientific databases such as Web of Science, Elsevier, Science Direct, Springer, PubMed, Google Scholar etc.,Additional data was summarized from textbooks, local prints and scripts. Results: Recent innovations and developments in nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems has shown promising results in minimizing the drawbacks associated with conventional therapies. Lipid based nanoparticles possess capabilities to deliver active agents to their target site without the possibility of degradation. Conventional therapy of burn wound is costly and the treatment is long lasting, making the patient uncomfortable. Moreover, italso doesn’t yield satisfactory results or narrow effects.Encapsulation of bioactives inside the lipid core protects the active entity from pH and enzymatic degradations. Conclusion: This review highlights the drawbacks associated with the conventional dosage forms. A lot of consideration is focused on the advancement of nanomaterials using innovative methods in wound care for treating burn wounds with the faster healing effect.This review article highlights recent developments in lipid based nanoformulations for treatment of burn wound injury.