Background: Women are thought to be more susceptible to stress than men in a stressful society, and reducing stress is crucial for women to maintain their health. Static stretching (SST) is applied in various fields t...Background: Women are thought to be more susceptible to stress than men in a stressful society, and reducing stress is crucial for women to maintain their health. Static stretching (SST) is applied in various fields to not only increase muscle flexibility but also reduce stress. Additionally, conscious slower breathing (CSB) predominates parasympathetic activity, causing a relaxing effect. These results indicate that combining SST and CSB may be more useful in reducing stress. However, to the best of our knowledge, the effect of this combination remains unclear. Objective: This study aimed to elucidate the effects of the combination of SST and CSB on autonomic activity and stress in adult women. Methods: Eleven healthy Japanese adult female participants performed SST with nonconscious natural breathing for 20 min. The same participants performed SST in combination with CSB (2 s inspiratory and 4 s expiratory) for 20 min on another day. Salivary cortisol and chromogranin A levels were measured before and after stretching as stress markers of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and sympathetic nervous system. The coefficient of variation of the R-R interval (CVR-R) and high-frequency component (HF), which reflect parasympathetic nerve activity, and heart rate and low-frequency component (LF)/HF ratio, which reflect sympathetic nerve activity, were measured before, during, and after stretching. Results: SST decreased cortisol levels but with no significant changes in chromogranin A, heart rate, CVR-R, HF, or LF/HF ratio. The combination of SST and CSB increased CVR-R and HF levels in addition to decreasing cortisol levels but with no significant changes in chromogranin A, heart rate, or LF/HF levels. Conclusion: These results indicate that the combination of SST and CSB may increase parasympathetic activity and reduce stress. However, future randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes should support this conclusion.展开更多
Elucidation of critical brain areas or structures that are responsible for recovery of impaired consciousness in patients with disorders of consciousness is important because it can provide information that is useful ...Elucidation of critical brain areas or structures that are responsible for recovery of impaired consciousness in patients with disorders of consciousness is important because it can provide information that is useful when developing therapeutic strategies for neurorehabilitation or neurointervention in patients with disorders of consciousness.In this review,studies that have demonstrated brain changes during recovery of impaired consciousness were reviewed.These studies used positron emission tomography,electroencephalography/transcranial magnetic stimulation,diffusion tensor tractography,and diffusion tensor tractography/electroencephalography.The majority of these studies reported on the importance of supratentorial areas or structures in the recovery of impaired consciousness.The important brain areas or structures that were identified were the prefrontal cortex,basal forebrain,anterior cingulate cortex,and parietal cortex.These results have a clinically important implication that these brain areas or structures can be target areas for neurorehabilitation or neurointervention in patients with disorders of consciousness.However,most of studies were case reports;therefore,further original studies involving larger numbers of patients with disorders of consciousness are warranted.In addition,more detailed information on the brain areas or structures that are relevant to the recovery of impaired consciousness is needed.展开更多
A 34-year-old male patient underwent conservative management for traumatic hemorrhage in the right frontal lobe（Figure 1A）.The patient lost consciousness for approximately 4 weeks and experienced post-traumatic amne...A 34-year-old male patient underwent conservative management for traumatic hemorrhage in the right frontal lobe（Figure 1A）.The patient lost consciousness for approximately 4 weeks and experienced post-traumatic amnesia continuously from the time of the accident.The patient’s Glasgow Coma Scale score（Teasdale et al.,1974）was 6展开更多
Disorder of consciousness （DOC） is one of the most serious sequelae of brain injury, and is challenging for neurologists and rehabilitation special- ists to manage because of its refractory nature （Whyte et al., 2...Disorder of consciousness （DOC） is one of the most serious sequelae of brain injury, and is challenging for neurologists and rehabilitation special- ists to manage because of its refractory nature （Whyte et al., 2013）. Acu- puncture is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that is often used to help improve the level of consciousness in patients with DOC. However, the responses to stimulation of acupoints in patients with DOC are not fully understood.展开更多
Human Consciousness is one of most elusive issues in the scientific history. Its nature created major historical debate started thousands of years ago and still ongoing. Despite the explosive developments in the last ...Human Consciousness is one of most elusive issues in the scientific history. Its nature created major historical debate started thousands of years ago and still ongoing. Despite the explosive developments in the last century to explore its nature, the knowledge about it is still deficient. The important advances in the twentieth and 21st centuries in understanding cerebral cortex dynamics fortified by the dominant materialistic approach of the era dictated its impact on consciousness science, which is perceived as sole human brain function. This original review is a call for holistic perception of human consciousness incorporating the ancient wisdom of the human civilizations with the massive current era advances in different disciplines of applied sciences. The description of René Descartes in the 17th century of the Cartesian dualism is timely to revisit with new holistic perspective, in view of the major advances of our understanding of heart brain communications, astrophysical resonances with human heart ascending afferents to central nervous system, and signaling between humans and the space. Universal vibrations, frequencies and resonances as perceived by Nikola Tesla constitute the core of our new conceptual and experimental perspective on human consciousness. Neural and psychological correlates of human consciousness which dominate the consciousness research nowadays should undergo revolutionary conceptual understanding to perceive consciousness as a massive universal event expanding from human genes to galaxies. In the next discussion, we are going to navigate in the nature and fate of human consciousness with new innovative universal perspective based on heart rate variability of human heart and its cosmic resonances as represented by Schumann Resonances, Solar Wind Indices and Galactic Cosmic Rays. The interpretation of our existential secrets and biology without the space around us is a major gap in our scientific perception of life. The delicate orchestration between human heart and the space frequencies create the great whisper which in our perspective, encodes the secrets of human consciousness.展开更多
Current literature has shown support to the combination of Consciousness-raising activity and teacher fronted teaching pedagogy.However,certain contextual analyze was absent in identify the problem in target classroom...Current literature has shown support to the combination of Consciousness-raising activity and teacher fronted teaching pedagogy.However,certain contextual analyze was absent in identify the problem in target classroom.In current L2 writing class,there is prevailing problem among Chinese students in acquiring'critical learning'.In this article,the writer tries to find the cause of this problem from students' language input in traditional ESL grammar class,and to identify the cause to problematic critical writing among the target group.The analyze of the problem and the cause of lacking critical consciousness lead to possible solution of applying consciousness raising tasks in traditional writing class in China.展开更多
文摘Background: Women are thought to be more susceptible to stress than men in a stressful society, and reducing stress is crucial for women to maintain their health. Static stretching (SST) is applied in various fields to not only increase muscle flexibility but also reduce stress. Additionally, conscious slower breathing (CSB) predominates parasympathetic activity, causing a relaxing effect. These results indicate that combining SST and CSB may be more useful in reducing stress. However, to the best of our knowledge, the effect of this combination remains unclear. Objective: This study aimed to elucidate the effects of the combination of SST and CSB on autonomic activity and stress in adult women. Methods: Eleven healthy Japanese adult female participants performed SST with nonconscious natural breathing for 20 min. The same participants performed SST in combination with CSB (2 s inspiratory and 4 s expiratory) for 20 min on another day. Salivary cortisol and chromogranin A levels were measured before and after stretching as stress markers of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and sympathetic nervous system. The coefficient of variation of the R-R interval (CVR-R) and high-frequency component (HF), which reflect parasympathetic nerve activity, and heart rate and low-frequency component (LF)/HF ratio, which reflect sympathetic nerve activity, were measured before, during, and after stretching. Results: SST decreased cortisol levels but with no significant changes in chromogranin A, heart rate, CVR-R, HF, or LF/HF ratio. The combination of SST and CSB increased CVR-R and HF levels in addition to decreasing cortisol levels but with no significant changes in chromogranin A, heart rate, or LF/HF levels. Conclusion: These results indicate that the combination of SST and CSB may increase parasympathetic activity and reduce stress. However, future randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes should support this conclusion.
基金supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF)grant funded by the Korean Government(MSIP)(No.2018R1A2B6000996to SHJ)
文摘Elucidation of critical brain areas or structures that are responsible for recovery of impaired consciousness in patients with disorders of consciousness is important because it can provide information that is useful when developing therapeutic strategies for neurorehabilitation or neurointervention in patients with disorders of consciousness.In this review,studies that have demonstrated brain changes during recovery of impaired consciousness were reviewed.These studies used positron emission tomography,electroencephalography/transcranial magnetic stimulation,diffusion tensor tractography,and diffusion tensor tractography/electroencephalography.The majority of these studies reported on the importance of supratentorial areas or structures in the recovery of impaired consciousness.The important brain areas or structures that were identified were the prefrontal cortex,basal forebrain,anterior cingulate cortex,and parietal cortex.These results have a clinically important implication that these brain areas or structures can be target areas for neurorehabilitation or neurointervention in patients with disorders of consciousness.However,most of studies were case reports;therefore,further original studies involving larger numbers of patients with disorders of consciousness are warranted.In addition,more detailed information on the brain areas or structures that are relevant to the recovery of impaired consciousness is needed.
基金supported by the National Research Foundation(NRF)of Korea Grant funded by the Korean Government(MSIP),No.2015R1A2A2A01004073
文摘A 34-year-old male patient underwent conservative management for traumatic hemorrhage in the right frontal lobe（Figure 1A）.The patient lost consciousness for approximately 4 weeks and experienced post-traumatic amnesia continuously from the time of the accident.The patient’s Glasgow Coma Scale score（Teasdale et al.,1974）was 6
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81171852
文摘Disorder of consciousness （DOC） is one of the most serious sequelae of brain injury, and is challenging for neurologists and rehabilitation special- ists to manage because of its refractory nature （Whyte et al., 2013）. Acu- puncture is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that is often used to help improve the level of consciousness in patients with DOC. However, the responses to stimulation of acupoints in patients with DOC are not fully understood.
文摘Human Consciousness is one of most elusive issues in the scientific history. Its nature created major historical debate started thousands of years ago and still ongoing. Despite the explosive developments in the last century to explore its nature, the knowledge about it is still deficient. The important advances in the twentieth and 21st centuries in understanding cerebral cortex dynamics fortified by the dominant materialistic approach of the era dictated its impact on consciousness science, which is perceived as sole human brain function. This original review is a call for holistic perception of human consciousness incorporating the ancient wisdom of the human civilizations with the massive current era advances in different disciplines of applied sciences. The description of René Descartes in the 17th century of the Cartesian dualism is timely to revisit with new holistic perspective, in view of the major advances of our understanding of heart brain communications, astrophysical resonances with human heart ascending afferents to central nervous system, and signaling between humans and the space. Universal vibrations, frequencies and resonances as perceived by Nikola Tesla constitute the core of our new conceptual and experimental perspective on human consciousness. Neural and psychological correlates of human consciousness which dominate the consciousness research nowadays should undergo revolutionary conceptual understanding to perceive consciousness as a massive universal event expanding from human genes to galaxies. In the next discussion, we are going to navigate in the nature and fate of human consciousness with new innovative universal perspective based on heart rate variability of human heart and its cosmic resonances as represented by Schumann Resonances, Solar Wind Indices and Galactic Cosmic Rays. The interpretation of our existential secrets and biology without the space around us is a major gap in our scientific perception of life. The delicate orchestration between human heart and the space frequencies create the great whisper which in our perspective, encodes the secrets of human consciousness.
文摘Current literature has shown support to the combination of Consciousness-raising activity and teacher fronted teaching pedagogy.However,certain contextual analyze was absent in identify the problem in target classroom.In current L2 writing class,there is prevailing problem among Chinese students in acquiring'critical learning'.In this article,the writer tries to find the cause of this problem from students' language input in traditional ESL grammar class,and to identify the cause to problematic critical writing among the target group.The analyze of the problem and the cause of lacking critical consciousness lead to possible solution of applying consciousness raising tasks in traditional writing class in China.
