By relying on various theoretical paradigms, extant research has developed several measurement tools for the assessment of individual environmental identity. One of the most important such tools is the Inclusion of Nature in Self measure (INS; Schultz, 2001). In comparison to other measures, the INS is very concise and easy to administer. However, because of its single-item nature, its psychometric properties and applicability domains are limited in scope. The present research proposes a four-item development of the INS – the Extended Inclusion of Nature in Self (EINS) scale. In Study 1, we explore the relevance of spatial metaphors in the assessment of self-nature connection. Based on the insights from this study, we develop an extended version of the INS and investigate its dimensionality, reliability, and validity across 5 studies. Our studies converge in suggesting that the proposed EINS is psychometrically stronger than the original INS, compares well in criterion-related validity to extant verbal scales, and has broader research applicability.
BACKGROUND: Our previous studies on Asterothamnus centrali-asiaticus Novopokr. (ACN) and Arenaria kansuensis Maxim. (AKM) had led to the isolation of some phytochemical constituents and evaluation of anticonvulsant effect based on their extracts. ACN and AKM have been widely used in traditional Tibetan herbs for neuropsychiatric diseases and cardiopulmonary disorders.PURPOSE: The purpose is to investigate structure-activity relationships of flavonoids isolated from ACN and AKM, for binding to the benzodiazepine site (BZ-S) of γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor complex, and to search for anticonvulsant compounds without undesirable effects such as myorelaxation and sedation.
STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The affinities of these flavonoids for the BZ-S of GABAA receptors were determined by [3H]flunitrazepam binding to mouse cerebellum membranes in vitro. And the anticonvulsant, myorelaxant and sedative effects were determined by pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced seizure and electrogenic seizure protection, rotarod test and locomotor activity test, respectively.
RESULTS: Fifteen and thirteen flavonoids were isolated from ACN and AKM, respectively. Structure-activity relationships analysis indicated that 6-and/or 8-OMe flavones exhibited the most potent binding affinity to GABAA receptors. Furthermore, 2',4',5,7-tetrahydroxy-5',6-dimethoxyflavone (DMF, IC50 value of 0.10 μM), a flavone isolated from ACN, presented high anticonvulsant activity against chemical-induced seizures and electrogenic seizures, without myorelaxation and sedation.
CONCLUSION: This study suggested that these flavones, especially DMF, are new BZ receptor ligands and prospective therapeutic candidates for seizures.
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Interactions between social cognition and symptoms of schizophrenia have been investigated, but mostly component by component. Here we tested the assumption that two categories of deficits exist depending on clinical profiles, one corresponding to a defect in social cognition – “under-social cognition” – and one corresponding to excessive attributions leading to social cognitive impairments – “over-social cognition”. To conduct the investigation, we performed a Hierarchical Clustering Analysis using positive and negative symptoms in seventy patients with schizophrenia and we compared the clusters obtained to a group of healthy controls on social cognitive measures. We distinguished two social cognitive profiles based on prevailing symptoms for emotion processes and Theory of Mind. Actually, patients with negative symptoms showed lower performances in emotion recognition task than both those with positive symptoms and controls. Concerning Theory of Mind, patients with positive symptoms had a significant tendency to make over interpretative errors than both patients with negative symptoms and controls. For other processes assessed, further explorations are needed. Actually, concerning social perception and knowledge both patients' groups presented significant impairments compared to controls. Assessment of attribution bias showed that patients in the positive group presented a significant hostility bias and a higher intentionality score compared to healthy controls. These results favor the existence of different categories of impairments depending more on the clinical characteristics of patients than on nosographical categories, but further investigations are now necessary to specify these profiles. It nevertheless showed the importance of assessing symptoms in relationship with cognitive functioning.
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The production of Tibetan pharmaceuticals underwent a far-reaching transformation over the past decade. The introduction of good manufacturing practices (GMP) marked the beginning of rapid industrialization: new factories were built, and the companies re-oriented themselves to the requirements of the market. While officially regarded a great success, many doctors and pharmacists see GMP as fundamentally incompatible with traditional production methods and notions of quality. In this article, I address this incompatibility and examine where and how it affects the actual practice of producing medicines. While the problem exists, I argue that it does not stem from conflicting epistemologies but rather from the side effects of a quick and forced implementation, which often contradicts the spirit and letter of the regulations themselves. The case sheds new light on the way in which ideas about quality and safety, forged in the global arena, are locally recontextualized.
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BACKGROUND: Studies using yoga have demonstrated initial efficacy for treating symptoms across anxiety disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder. OBJECTIVE: Understanding how interventions influence participants' physical activity and what determinants affect continued physical activity behavior change is important because maintenance of the behavior may be critical to continued mental health gains and symptom reduction. METHODS: This study investigated change in physical activity and possible psychological mechanisms of physical activity behavior change, including self-efficacy and regulatory motivation, in a randomized controlled trial of yoga for women with post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms (n=38). RESULTS: Growth curve modeling results showed no significant changes in physical activity or self-efficacy for either group, whereas external motivation decreased significantly in the yoga group but not in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Investigators of future yoga interventions may want to focus on increasing self-efficacy and internal regulatory motivation, so that physical activity and resultant symptom relief can be maintained.
BACKGROUND: Studies using yoga have demonstrated initial efficacy for treating symptoms across anxiety disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder. OBJECTIVE: Understanding how interventions influence participants' physical activity and what determinants affect continued physical activity behavior change is important because maintenance of the behavior may be critical to continued mental health gains and symptom reduction. METHODS: This study investigated change in physical activity and possible psychological mechanisms of physical activity behavior change, including self-efficacy and regulatory motivation, in a randomized controlled trial of yoga for women with post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms (n=38). RESULTS: Growth curve modeling results showed no significant changes in physical activity or self-efficacy for either group, whereas external motivation decreased significantly in the yoga group but not in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Investigators of future yoga interventions may want to focus on increasing self-efficacy and internal regulatory motivation, so that physical activity and resultant symptom relief can be maintained.
BACKGROUND: Studies using yoga have demonstrated initial efficacy for treating symptoms across anxiety disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder. OBJECTIVE: Understanding how interventions influence participants' physical activity and what determinants affect continued physical activity behavior change is important because maintenance of the behavior may be critical to continued mental health gains and symptom reduction. METHODS: This study investigated change in physical activity and possible psychological mechanisms of physical activity behavior change, including self-efficacy and regulatory motivation, in a randomized controlled trial of yoga for women with post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms (n=38). RESULTS: Growth curve modeling results showed no significant changes in physical activity or self-efficacy for either group, whereas external motivation decreased significantly in the yoga group but not in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Investigators of future yoga interventions may want to focus on increasing self-efficacy and internal regulatory motivation, so that physical activity and resultant symptom relief can be maintained.
PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of a six-week Vinyasa yoga (VY) intervention on caregivers' overall quality of life (QOL) and psychological distress.DESIGN: A single-group, pre- and post-test pilot study.
SETTING: University public recreational facility.
SAMPLE: 12 informal caregivers for patients with cancer.
METHODS: Caregivers participated in a six-week VY intervention and completed measures of QOL and psychological distress pre- and postintervention. Program satisfaction was measured with open-ended survey questions.
MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: QOL, psychological distress, and program satisfaction.
FINDINGS: Significant improvements were found in the mental component score of overall QOL and in overall psychological distress. Several subdomains of QOL and psychological distress were also improved significantly. Open-ended survey question responses revealed participants perceived physical and mental benefit from the intervention, highlighting improvements in flexibility, core and upper-body strength, balance, breathing, and energy.
CONCLUSIONS: Informal caregivers may benefit mentally and physically from participating in VY.
IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Caregivers of patients with cancer characterize a group worthy of attention, research, and interventions focusing on their healthcare needs.
Mindfulness is everywhere these days. While the contemplative practice has its roots in several of the world's major belief systems, subscribing to any particular religion or philosophy is not required to experience mindfulness. We live in a time where we can be present for so many moments we once could not, yet, what about the moments unfolding right in front of us? Have you ever been somewhere, while not really being there? Have you ever been doing something, while not really doing it? If the answer is yes, you are not alone. Being mindful and living mindfully takes practice and training-it is not magical-it is just mental training; exercise for the mind. If you are the kind of person whose immediate reaction to mindfulness is an insistence that you cannot slow down or your mind works too quickly, you are precisely the kind of person who may benefit from mind-body techniques. Though being mindful in the real world is not always easy, even just getting a little better at it can benefit us in crucial ways. Several mindfulness techniques exist to help us get centered and be more present. In this article, you will learn about mindfulness and the three most popular mindfulness-based techniques: yoga, tai chi, and meditation.
Mindfulness meditators practice the non-judgmental observation of the ongoing stream of internal experiences as they arise. Using voxel-based morphometry, this study investigated MRI brain images of 20 mindfulness (Vipassana) meditators (mean practice 8.6 years; 2 h daily) and compared the regional gray matter concentration to that of non-meditators matched for sex, age, education and handedness. Meditators were predicted to show greater gray matter concentration in regions that are typically activated during meditation. Results confirmed greater gray matter concentration for meditators in the right anterior insula, which is involved in interoceptive awareness. This group difference presumably reflects the training of bodily awareness during mindfulness meditation. Furthermore, meditators had greater gray matter concentration in the left inferior temporal gyrus and right hippocampus. Both regions have previously been found to be involved in meditation. The mean value of gray matter concentration in the left inferior temporal gyrus was predictable by the amount of meditation training, corroborating the assumption of a causal impact of meditation training on gray matter concentration in this region. Results suggest that meditation practice is associated with structural differences in regions that are typically activated during meditation and in regions that are relevant for the task of meditation.
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<p>The article looks at the papün (<em>pha spun</em>) of Ladakh folk religion. "Papün" means "brothers of the same father," and refers to a type of familial decision-making organization within the communities. (Mark Premo-Hopkins 2004-04-09)</p>
<p>A scholarly academic journal employing a blind peer review evaluation process, and is innovative in adopting a totally electronic mode of publication. In all respects, it functions as a traditional scholarly journal.</p>
"Reveals the dramatic story of a family of Tibetan physicians from Buryatia (Siberia). The Badmayevs brought Tibetan medicine to the West: to St. Petersburg, Poland, Switzerland and the USA. They were border-dwellers who ventured to translate an Eastern Science into occidental thought and culture. Their story reveals a remarkable perspective of Tibetan medicine: namely, not as an ancient healing practice, but as a dynamic body of knowledge. As the Badmayevs made their way to the West, they encountered mystical inclined aristocrats, revolutionary lamas, party members with health problems, two Polish presidents and Swiss authorities. An odyssey which entailed four generations on a journey through the turmoil of the 20th century."--Publisher's website.
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