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<p>The oft-repeated claim that Earth’s biota is entering a sixth “mass extinction” depends on clearly demonstrating that current extinction rates are far above the “background” rates prevailing between the five previous mass extinctions. Earlier estimates of extinction rates have been criticized for using assumptions that might overestimate the severity of the extinction crisis. We assess, using extremely conservative assumptions, whether human activities are causing a mass extinction. First, we use a recent estimate of a background rate of 2 mammal extinctions per 10,000 species per 100 years (that is, 2 E/MSY), which is twice as high as widely used previous estimates. We then compare this rate with the current rate of mammal and vertebrate extinctions. The latter is conservatively low because listing a species as extinct requires meeting stringent criteria. Even under our assumptions, which would tend to minimize evidence of an incipient mass extinction, the average rate of vertebrate species loss over the last century is up to 100 times higher than the background rate. Under the 2 E/MSY background rate, the number of species that have gone extinct in the last century would have taken, depending on the vertebrate taxon, between 800 and 10,000 years to disappear. These estimates reveal an exceptionally rapid loss of biodiversity over the last few centuries, indicating that a sixth mass extinction is already under way. Averting a dramatic decay of biodiversity and the subsequent loss of ecosystem services is still possible through intensified conservation efforts, but that window of opportunity is rapidly closing.Humans are causing a massive animal extinction without precedent in 65 million years. Humans are causing a massive animal extinction without precedent in 65 million years.</p>
Happiness, sadness, compassion, resentment, despair: just some of the feelings and moods that characterize the lives of each one of us. They are part and parcel of our everyday lives and they affect everything we do, like a kind of mental climate that surrounds and permeates our activities and thoughts.
Teacher burnout is recognized as a serious problem. In research it has been related to many person-specific variables; one of these, the variable of existential fulfilment, has received very little attention thus far. The present study focuses on the relationship between existential fulfilment and burnout among secondary school teachers in the Netherlands (N = 504). Existential fulfilment was made operational by means of the Existential Fulfilment Scale, which distinguishes between three dimensions: self-acceptance, self-actualization, and self-transcendence. A confirmatory factor analysis revealed a three-dimensional construct with interdependent dimensions. Burnout was measured by the Dutch version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory for teachers. Negative relationships between the existential fulfilment dimensions on the one hand and the burnout dimensions exhaustion and cynicism on the other were hypothesized, as well as positive relationships between the existential fulfilment dimensions and the burnout dimension professional efficacy. The hypotheses were confirmed, except for the relationships between self-transcendence and exhaustion and self-transcendence and cynicism, which appeared not to be significant. The inquiry demonstrated the importance of existential fulfilment for the prevalence and prevention of burnout among teachers. The study concludes with a discussion of the implications for future research.
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Amidst the doom and gloom that dominates the headlines, a different kind of story about an alternative future is unfolding. The players are activists, visionaries and cultural innovators, the backdrop is the tipping point of our global and environmental challenges, and the narrative is the molding of a new paradigm to shape our collective future.
The Lhasa Project aims at documenting the contemporary neighborhoods of Lhasa, including their histories, using mapping, visual documentation, textual research and oral histories. The initiative consists of many distinct projects with separate administration. Some of the major projects include the Sera project, the Lingkor project, the Meru Monastery project, and others.
This semi-experimental study examines how Mindfulness facilitates a distress reduction in a group of health professionals. The sample comprises 29 professionals seeking stress reduction who undertook an 8 weeks psico-educative intervention, involving 28 hours of class, based on a program called Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction or MBSR. Results show a 35% reduction of distress, from percentile 75 to 45, combined with a 30% reduction in rumination and a 20% decrease in negative affect. These benefits lasted during the 3 months of the follow up period. The correlation analysis indicates that the decrease in distress is significantly related to the other two variables. These results confirm the effectiveness of MBSR to decrease distress and its applicability in training programs for health professionals.
BACKGROUND:Mindfulness-based therapy (MBT) has become a popular form of intervention. However, the existing reviews report inconsistent findings.
OBJECTIVE:
To clarify these inconsistencies in the literature, we conducted a comprehensive effect-size analysis to evaluate the efficacy of MBT.
DATA SOURCES:
A systematic review of studies published in journals or in dissertations in PubMED or PsycINFO from the first available date until May 10, 2013.
REVIEW METHODS:
A total of 209 studies (n=12,145) were included.
RESULTS:
Effect-size estimates suggested that MBT is moderately effective in pre-post comparisons (n=72; Hedge's g=.55), in comparisons with waitlist controls (n=67; Hedge's g=.53), and when compared with other active treatments (n=68; Hedge's g=.33), including other psychological treatments (n=35; Hedge's g=.22). MBT did not differ from traditional CBT or behavioral therapies (n=9; Hedge's g=-.07) or pharmacological treatments (n=3; Hedge's g=.13).
CONCLUSION:
MBT is an effective treatment for a variety of psychological problems, and is especially effective for reducing anxiety, depression, and stress.
BACKGROUND:Mindfulness-based therapy (MBT) has become a popular form of intervention. However, the existing reviews report inconsistent findings.
OBJECTIVE:
To clarify these inconsistencies in the literature, we conducted a comprehensive effect-size analysis to evaluate the efficacy of MBT.
DATA SOURCES:
A systematic review of studies published in journals or in dissertations in PubMED or PsycINFO from the first available date until May 10, 2013.
REVIEW METHODS:
A total of 209 studies (n=12,145) were included.
RESULTS:
Effect-size estimates suggested that MBT is moderately effective in pre-post comparisons (n=72; Hedge's g=.55), in comparisons with waitlist controls (n=67; Hedge's g=.53), and when compared with other active treatments (n=68; Hedge's g=.33), including other psychological treatments (n=35; Hedge's g=.22). MBT did not differ from traditional CBT or behavioral therapies (n=9; Hedge's g=-.07) or pharmacological treatments (n=3; Hedge's g=.13).
CONCLUSION:
MBT is an effective treatment for a variety of psychological problems, and is especially effective for reducing anxiety, depression, and stress.
Interoception refers to the conscious perception of body signals. Mindfulness is a meditation practice that encourages individuals to focus on their internal experiences such as bodily sensations, thoughts, and emotions. In this study, we selected a behavioral measure of interoceptive sensitivity (heartbeat detection task, HBD) to compare the effect of meditation practice on interoceptive sensitivity among long term practitioners (LTP), short term meditators (STM, subjects that completed a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program) and controls (non-meditators). All participants were examined with a battery of different tasks including mood state, executive function and social cognition tests (emotion recognition, empathy and theory of mind).
Stress reduction, insomnia prevention, emotion control, improved attention—certain breathing techniques can make life better. But where do you start?
<p>Contains a Kham-French-Lhasa dialect vocabulary. Also contains a Tibetan-French-Kham (5 dialects) word list. (Michael Walter and Manfred Taube 2006-05-15, revised by Bill McGrath 2008-01-03)</p>
Stroke is a severe clinical manifestation of sickle cell anemia (SCA). Despite the prognostic relevance of transcranial Doppler (TCD), more accurate tools to assess stroke risk in children with SCA are required. Here, we describe the effect of clinical, laboratory, and molecular features on the risk of stroke and high-risk TCD in children from the newborn cohort of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Outcomes studied were acute cerebral ischemia and high-risk TCD. Clinical and hematological data were retrieved from children’s records. Genetic markers, which were known for their association with stroke risk, were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequencing. The cumulative incidence of acute cerebral ischemia by the age of 8 years was 7.4 % and that of high-risk TCD by the age of 11.5 years was 14.2 %. The final multivariate model for acute cerebral ischemia risk included high white blood cell count and reticulocyte count, acute chest syndrome rate, and the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) TEK rs489347 and TNF-α rs1800629. The model for high-risk TCD included high reticulocyte count and the SNPs TEK rs489347 and TGFBR3 rs284875. Children with risk factors should be considered for intensive risk monitoring and for intervention therapy.
In this graceful, incisive book, writer-philosopher André Comte-Sponville reexamines the classical virtues to help us understand "what we should do, who we should be, and how we should live." In the process, he gives us an entirely new perspective on the value, relevance, and charm of the Western ethical tradition. Drawing on thinkers from Aristotle to Simone Weil, by way of Aquinas, Kant, Rilke, Nietzsche, Spinoza, and Rawls, among others, Comte-Sponville elaborates on the qualities that constitute the essence and excellence of humankind. Starting with politeness-almost a virtue-and ending with love-which transcends all morality-A Small Treatise takes us on a tour of the eighteen essential virtues: fidelity, prudence, temperance, courage, justice, generosity, compassion, mercy, gratitude, humility, simplicity, tolerance, purity, gentleness, good faith, and even, surprisingly, humor.Sophisticated, lucid, and full of wit, this modestly titled yet immensely important work provides an indispensable guide to finding what is right and good in everyday life.
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<p>From The Tibet Heritage Fund's Conservation Inventory</p>
<p>THF is a non-governmental international organization dedicated to the preservation of Tibetan cultural heritage. In particular, it has been focused on historic Himalayan building and traditional construction skills. THF's web site at present has extensive materials on Lhasa buildings and neighborhoods, including intertactive maps, images and building databases.</p>