The Effect of an Online Live Group Program with Greek Traditional Dances on State Anxiety and Self-Esteem

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of an online live group program with Greek traditional dances on the self-esteem and anxiety of the participants. The research involved 147 people, 43 men and 104 women, aged 49,73±8,141 years old, members of Cultural Clubs. The participants were randomly divided into the experimental group (N=75) and the control group (N=72). The experimental group participated in online live group lessons of Greek traditional dances, through the online platform ZOOM, twice a week. Each lesson had a 45-minute duration and the program lasted 12 weeks, during the quarantine imposed due to COVID-19. During the same period of 12 weeks, the control group continued its daily life in quarantine. The participants in both groups completed the Heatherton and Polivy (1991) State Self-Esteem Scale to measure performance self-esteem, social self-esteem and appearance self-esteem, as well as the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-FORM X-1 by Spielberger et al. (1970) for the measurement of state anxiety, before and after the 12-week period. The processing of the data showed that after participating in the online live group program of Greek traditional dances, the participants in the experimental group significantly increased their performance self-esteem (t=-7,75, p<0,001), social self-esteem (t=-5,23, p<0,001), and appearance self-esteem (t=-5,67, p<0,001), but they significantly reduced their state anxiety (t=7,33, p<0,001). Regarding the participants in the control group, after the 12-week period, the studied variables moved in the undesirable direction, as evidenced by the reduction in self-esteem factors and the increase in state anxiety. The results show that participating in Greek traditional dance group programs, which are conducted live online, affects positively the self-esteem and state anxiety of the participants. Consequently, during these difficult health times that the whole world is experiencing, participating in online live group programs of Greek traditional dance may improve the participants’ psychological state, offering at the same time the solution on the one hand to distance oneself from other people and on the other hand to come in contact with people.

Transcriptome Analysis of Rat Lungs Exposed to Moxa Smoke after Acute Toxicity Testing

The increasing use of moxibustion has led to a debate concerning the safety of this treatment in human patients. Inhalation of cigarette smoke induces lung inflammation and granulomas, the proliferation of alveolar epithelial cells, and other toxic effects; therefore, it is important to assess the influence of inhaled moxa smoke on the lungs. In the present study, a novel poisoning cabinet was designed and used to assess the acute toxicity of moxa smoke in rats. We evaluated pathological changes in rat lung tissue and analyzed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using RNA-seq and transcriptomic analyses. Our results show that the maximum tolerable dose of moxa smoke was 290.036 g/m³ and LC50 was 537.65 g/m³. Compared with that of the control group, the degree of inflammatory cell infiltration in the lung tissues of group A rats (all dead group) was increased, while that in group E rats (all live group) remained unchanged. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that the DEGs implicated in cell components, binding, and cancer were significantly enriched in the experimental groups compared with the profile of the control group. The expressions of MAFF, HSPA1B, HSPA1A, AOC1, and MX2 determined using quantitative real-time PCR were similar to those determined using RNA-seq, confirming the reliability of RNA-seq data. Overall, our results provide a basis for future evaluations of moxibustion safety and the development of moxibustion-based technology.

Adaptive strategies to conduct participant-centric structured virtual group discussions for postgraduate students in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic

Snapshot: COVID-19 caused an inevitable shift of live group discussion to virtual format for postgraduate students in physiology. An innovative yet feasible approach of structured virtual group discussion was adopted to inculcate active interactions using prior priming sessions by incorporating forming, storming, norming, and performing stages of group dynamics into the virtual format. Synchronous and asynchronous academic interactions within and between the groups assisted in meeting the learning objectives of the group discussion effectively.

Sodium brain trauma Prognostic value of the sodium alterations during the first seven days in adults patients with severe brain trauma of the autonomous institute university hospital of Los Andes Merida between June 2017 - June 2018

Objectives To establish the prognostic role of serum sodium alterations during the first seven days in patients diagnosed with severe brain trauma admitted to the adult emergency area of ​​the autonomous university hospital of the Mérida Andes, from June 2017 to June 2018 Materials and Methods: Prospective, field and longitudinal sectional study. Patients older than 18 years with a diagnosis of head brain injury were selected, diabetes insipidus, inappropriate antidiuretic secretion and salt loser brain were evaluated in each patient of the sample. Results: 103 patients, 90.6% men and 9.4% women, the mean age was 25.8 years, the largest age group corresponded to those under 30 years, 79 (76.9%), accidents of Transients were the main cause of brain trauma 79 (76%), brain edema was the main tomographic finding, all tomographic findings showed statistical significance. The 3 types of neuroendocrine disorders related to sodium were presented, being diabetes insipidus the most frequent. total mortality was 22 (22.63%) patients of 103. Neurosurgical interventions were performed in 10 patients with a mortality of 8 (80%), (p <0.001). The Glasgow score in the live group was 9.7 compared to 6.3 points in the deceased subgroup (p <0.001). Conclusions: There is a higher mortality associated with sodium alterations, the greatest association corresponded to diabetes insipidus (p0,026), so it is vital to adequately manage these alterations.

Laboratory-based Intermountain Validated Exacerbation (LIVE) Score stability in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BackgroundThe Laboratory-based Intermountain Validated Exacerbation (LIVE) Score is associated with mortality and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation risk across multiple health systems. However, whether the LIVE Score and its associated risk is a stable patient characteristic is unknown.MethodsWe validated the LIVE Score in a fourth health system. Then we determined the LIVE Score stability in a retrospective cohort of 98 766 patients with COPD in four health systems where it was previously validated. We assessed whether LIVE Scores changed or remained the same over time. Stability was defined as a majority of surviving patients having the same LIVE Score 4 years later.ResultsThe LIVE Score separated patients into three LIVE Score risk groups of low, medium, and high mortality and LIVE Score stability. Mortality ranged from 6.2% for low-risk LIVE to 45.8% for high-risk LIVE (p<0.001). We found that low-risk LIVE groups were stable and high-risk LIVE groups were unstable. Low-risk LIVE group patients remained low risk, but few high-risk LIVE group patients remained high risk (79.0% high vs 48.1% medium vs 8.8% low, p<0.001 for all pairwise comparisons).ConclusionThe LIVE Score identifies three major clinically actionable cohorts: a stable low-risk LIVE group, an unstable high-risk LIVE group with high mortality rates, and a medium-risk LIVE group. These observations further our understanding of how existing data used to calculate the LIVE Score may target interventions across risk cohorts of patients with COPD in a health system.

A cold call on work-based learning: a “live” group project for the strategic selling classroom

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe a case study used in a strategic sales class that employs the use of work-based learning pedagogy to expose students to real-life cold calling experiences. This real-life cold calling experience involves students within the course building a target list of prospective students for a small liberal arts college. The students must then construct pre-call strategies, build rapport with prospective students and finally “close the deal” by having the prospective student visit campus. Design/methodology/approach This paper begins by describing work-based learning as a unique pedagogical method and the importance of cold-calling skills in the context of workplace skills in demand. Theoretical foundations in Lichtenstein and Lyon’s (1996) entrepreneurial skillset is analyzed, as is the application of “live” group projects. The case is then described in detail and focuses on the project itself, the personal and group incentives used in the course of the project, and finally, a review of the learning outcomes and desired skillset outcomes for the class. Findings The case shows that students can learn and implement the behaviors, attitudes and practices that make professional cold-callers successful. The impact on the university can also be seen since real contributions were made to the recruiting efforts of the college vis-à-vis higher matriculation numbers. The entrepreneurial skillsets and “live” group project literature is contextualized in light of the findings of the project. This research found that students engaged in varying levels of progress in their managerial, entrepreneurial, technical skillsets as well as levels of personal maturity. Finally, the authors provide guidance for future research to expound the findings of this project by testing the variables using quantitative methodologies. Originality/value The paper showcases an innovative pedagogic approach to exposing students to the best practices of cold-calling and allows them to exercise these tools real time as they make actual cold calls and work toward sales incentives. The focus on recruiting new students as customers of the college serves is not only active classroom learning, but it also serves mission-based outcomes to help the college achieve desired recruiting goals. This case study will provide a tool for small, liberal arts colleges to use which mobilizes faculty and students in the effort to recruit new students, in an environment where enrollment numbers are falling for this market sector in higher education.

Nature Streaming: Contrasting the Effectiveness of Perceived Live and Recorded Videos of Nature for Restoration

This study investigated whether a video of a natural landscape would be more effective for restoration, including attention restoration and recovery from stress, when perceived as live rather than recorded. In total, 60 participants undertook attention-expending and stress inducing tasks, before being randomly assigned to one of three conditions (perceived live video, recorded video, and control). Attention recovery was assessed using Digit Span Backwards (DSB) and the Necker Cube Pattern Control (NCPC) pre- and post-condition, while stress was measured via skin conductivity, heart rate, and heart rate variability. We found that only participants in the live group significantly improved on the NCPC, whereas stress recovery was similar for both perceived live and recorded groups. Our findings suggest that a perceived live stream of nature may allow for greater cognitive inhibition, an important aspect of learning, whereas both perceived live and recorded videos effectively reduced sympathetic stress responses.

Online Clinic, a New Method of Delivering Psychotherapy

IntroductionPsychotherapy is one of the most widely investigated and practiced forms of treatment used in the treatment of different mental health problems. However, there are some barriers in delivering this treatment, including long waiting lists, therapist shortage and lack of access to therapists in remote areas. Therefore, using alternative methods to overcome these barriers seems necessary.MethodThe division of psychiatry at Queen's university provides different psychotherapy groups for individuals suffering from different kinds of mental health problem. We gave the participants the opportunity to choose online psychotherapy through an online clinic or the live group sessions. All the patients were assessed by different questionnaires for evaluation of the efficacy of the treatment. The online clinic was designed to facilitate the communication between patients and clinicians and the material was delivered in PowerPoint format through the online platform. All user activities were logged for security purposes.ResultsStatistical analysis showed that this method of delivering psychotherapy significantly reduced patients’ symptoms and also decreased the number of people on the waiting list and increased the amount of compliance in patient's taking part in psychotherapy and number of people who were able to receive psychotherapy.ConclusionDespite the proven short and long-term efficacy of psychotherapy, there are some barriers in delivering this treatment. It is an unequivocal public health needs to overcome these barriers through alternative methods of therapy. With Internet use ever rising, developing an online clinic could be a new way in delivering different kinds of psychotherapy.

Learning Historical Thinking With Oral History Interviews: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Intervention Study of Oral History Interviews in History Lessons

The present study examined the effectiveness of the oral history approach with respect to students’ historical competence. A total of 35 ninth-grade classes ( N = 900) in Germany were randomly assigned to one of four conditions—live, video, text, or a (nontreated) control group—in a pretest, posttest, and follow-up design. Comparing the three intervention groups with the control group, the intervention groups scored better on four of the five achievement tests. Comparing the live group with the video and text groups, students in the live condition were more convinced of their learning progress at both measurement points. However, they scored lower than the video/text group on two achievement measures and higher on one at the posttest.