Do Your Thoughts Matter? Because They Are Made Of Matter? An Exploration On The Mind Body Problem Through The Lenses Of Philosophy, Neuropsychology, and Quantum Physics

In the late 21th century, the concept of Quantum Consciousness arose, joining theories and concepts from the disciplines of Philosophy, Neuropsychology, and Quantum Physics. The Preface of Mind, Matter, and Quantum Mechanics (Henry P. Stapp. 1993) states, “Nature appears to be composed of two completely different kinds of things; rock-like things and idea-like things. The first is epitomized by an enduring rock, the second by a fleeting thought. A rock can be experienced by many of us together, while a thought seems to be long to one of us alone” (Stapp, 1993 p. vii). Stapp refers to the mind-body problem, not as a problem, but as a connection; the mind-body connection. Descartes believed the mind and body could be separate and act separately. Stapp embellishes Descartes philosophy of “I think, therefore I am” through Quantum Physics by connecting the mind to the body; calling it the mind-body connection. Stapp states that nature is composed of two different things, rock-like things and idea-like things. I believe that rock-like things and idea-like things do not differ, but are one and the same. This paper explores the philosophies of Descartes, the contents of a thought and the ways in which neuropsychology and Quantum Physics help illuminate the question: do thoughts contain matter

Ongoing β-Cell Turnover in Adult Nonhuman Primates Is Not Adaptively Increased in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes

OBJECTIVE: \u3b2-Cell turnover and its potential to permit \u3b2-cell regeneration in adult primates are unknown. Our aims were 1) to measure \u3b2-cell turnover in adult nonhuman primates; 2) to establish the relative contribution of \u3b2-cell replication and formation of new \u3b2-cells from other precursors (defined thus as \u3b2-cell neogenesis); and 3) to establish whether there is an adaptive increase in \u3b2-cell formation (attempted regeneration) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in adult nonhuman primates. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Adult (aged 7 years) vervet monkeys were administered STZ (45-55 mg/kg, n = 7) or saline (n = 9). Pancreas was obtained from each animal twice, first by open surgical biopsy and then by euthanasia. \u3b2-Cell turnover was evaluated by applying a mathematic model to measured replication and apoptosis rates. RESULTS: \u3b2-Cell turnover is present in adult nonhuman primates (3.3 \ub1 0.9 mg/month), mostly (~80%) derived from \u3b2-cell neogenesis. \u3b2-Cell formation was minimal in STZ-induced diabetes. Despite marked hyperglycemia, \u3b2-cell apoptosis was not increased in monkeys administered STZ. CONCLUSIONS: There is ongoing \u3b2-cell turnover in adult nonhuman primates that cannot be accounted for by \u3b2-cell replication. There is no evidence of \u3b2-cell regeneration in monkeys administered STZ. Hyperglycemia does not induce \u3b2-cell apoptosis in nonhuman primates in vivo

Study of Correlation Between Divorce and Interpersonal Trust Level

The stigma attached to divorce and family separation has changed dramatically within the United States. For many years, divorce was considered socially unacceptable. In recent years however, the social normality of divorce has become more tolerable. This acceptance led to overwhelming statistics regarding the effects of divorce throughout a family, an individual, and society as a whole. With the ever-growing normalization of divorce, one thing remains constant in psychology: the importance of trust (Covey, 2006). Divorce can be an experience that impedes or hinders an individual’s ability to find a healthy level of interpersonal trust. Therefore, this study will compare the extent to which parental divorce negatively affects an individual’s level of interpersonal trust. The General Trust Scale will be administered to adults ages 18 to 30 and grouped into those who have experienced parental divorce and those who have not. Results will allow insights for social workers in clinical practice and prevention programming

Lactation intensity and fasting plasma lipids, lipoproteins, non-esterified free fatty acids, leptin and adiponectin in postpartum women with recent gestational diabetes mellitus: The SWIFT cohort

OBJECTIVES: Lactation may influence future progression to type 2 diabetes after gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). However, biomarkers associated with progression to glucose intolerance have not been examined in relation to lactation intensity among postpartum women with previous GDM. This study investigates whether higher lactation intensity is related to more favorable blood lipids, lipoproteins and adipokines after GDM pregnancy independent of obesity, socio-demographics and insulin resistance. METHODS: The Study of Women, Infant Feeding, and Type 2 Diabetes (SWIFT) is a prospective cohort study that recruited 1,035 women diagnosed with GDM by the 3-hour 100 g oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) after delivery of a live birth in 2008–2011. Research staff conducted 2-hour 75 gram OGTTs, and assessed lactation intensity, anthropometry, lifestyle behaviors and socio-demographics at 6–9 weeks postpartum (baseline). We assayed fasting plasma lipids, lipoproteins, non-esterified free fatty acids, leptin and adiponectin from stored samples obtained at 6–9 weeks postpartum for in 1,007 of the SWIFT participants who were free of diabetes at baseline. Mean biomarker concentrations were compared among lactation intensity groups using multivariable linear regression models. RESULTS: Increasing lactation intensity showed graded monotonic associations with fully adjusted mean biomarkers: 5–8% higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol), 20–28% lower fasting triglycerides, 15–21% lower leptin (all trend P-values<0.01), and with 6% lower adiponectin, but only after adjustment for insulin resistance (trend P-value=0.04). CONCLUSION: Higher lactation intensity was associated with more favorable biomarkers for type 2 diabetes, except for lower plasma adiponectin, after GDM delivery. Long-term follow-up studies are needed to assess whether these effects of lactation persist to predict progression to glucose intolerance

The Qualitative Transparency Deliberations: Insights and Implications

In recent years, a variety of efforts have been made in political science to enable, encourage, or require scholars to be more open and explicit about the bases of their empirical claims and, in turn, make those claims more readily evaluable by others. While qualitative scholars have long taken an interest in making their research open, reflexive, and systematic, the recent push for overarching transparency norms and requirements has provoked serious concern within qualitative research communities and raised fundamental questions about the meaning, value, costs, and intellectual relevance of transparency for qualitative inquiry. In this Perspectives Reflection, we crystallize the central findings of a three-year deliberative process - the Qualitative Transparency Deliberations (QTD) - involving hundreds of political scientists in a broad discussion of these issues. Following an overview of the process and the key insights that emerged, we present summaries of the QTD Working Groups' final reports. Drawing on a series of public, online conversations that unfolded at www.qualtd.net, the reports unpack transparency's promise, practicalities, risks, and limitations in relation to different qualitative methodologies, forms of evidence, and research contexts. Taken as a whole, these reports - the full versions of which can be found in the Supplementary Materials - offer practical guidance to scholars designing and implementing qualitative research, and to editors, reviewers, and funders seeking to develop criteria of evaluation that are appropriate - as understood by relevant research communities - to the forms of inquiry being assessed. We dedicate this Reflection to the memory of our coauthor and QTD working group leader Kendra Koivu

The Qualitative Transparency Deliberations: Insights and Implications

In recent years, a variety of efforts have been made in political science to enable, encourage, or require scholars to be more open and explicit about the bases of their empirical claims and, in turn, make those claims more readily evaluable by others. While qualitative scholars have long taken an interest in making their research open, reflexive, and systematic, the recent push for overarching transparency norms and requirements has provoked serious concern within qualitative research communities and raised fundamental questions about the meaning, value, costs, and intellectual relevance of transparency for qualitative inquiry. In this Perspectives Reflection, we crystallize the central findings of a three-year deliberative process - the Qualitative Transparency Deliberations (QTD) - involving hundreds of political scientists in a broad discussion of these issues. Following an overview of the process and the key insights that emerged, we present summaries of the QTD Working Groups' final reports. Drawing on a series of public, online conversations that unfolded at www.qualtd.net, the reports unpack transparency's promise, practicalities, risks, and limitations in relation to different qualitative methodologies, forms of evidence, and research contexts. Taken as a whole, these reports - the full versions of which can be found in the Supplementary Materials - offer practical guidance to scholars designing and implementing qualitative research, and to editors, reviewers, and funders seeking to develop criteria of evaluation that are appropriate - as understood by relevant research communities - to the forms of inquiry being assessed. We dedicate this Reflection to the memory of our coauthor and QTD working group leader Kendra Koivu