Deep Tissue Swedish Massage Therapy as a Weight Loss Aid in Overweight and Obese Adult Clients

Massage therapy has been claimed by doctors, spas, and estheticians as a powerful and effective weight-loss tool; however, many of these claims appear anecdotal. There has been evidence of the biological effects that massage therapy has on the human body (Tunay, Akbayrak, Bakar, Kayihan & Ergun, 2009). This study will evaluate the effects and outcomes that these biological effects have relating to the participants’ weight by utilizing the massage therapy treatment plan. Existing clients of the Kenton Family Wellness Center will be invited to participate. Each person will fill out a health history form to determine selection to participate, as well as each participant’s baseline prior to treatment. Data will be obtained from interviews, physical assessments, and circumference measurements taken once a month for one year followed by one 60-minute massage therapy session once a week for one year. Data collected throughout the study will be analyzed for circumference and overall weight loss when compared to the control group, which will be receiving only physical assessments. This study will be a way to enhance the knowledge of the benefits of massage therapy specific to using massage as a weight loss aid

Genesis and pathogenesis of the 1918 pandemic H1N1 influenza A virus

The source, timing, and geographical origin of the 1918–1920 pandemic influenza A virus have remained tenaciously obscure for nearly a century, as have the reasons for its unusual severity among young adults. Here, we reconstruct the origins of the pandemic virus and the classic swine influenza and (postpandemic) seasonal H1N1 lineages using a host-specific molecular clock approach that is demonstrably more accurate than previous methods. Our results suggest that the 1918 pandemic virus originated shortly before 1918 when a human H1 virus, which we infer emerged before ∼1907, acquired avian N1 neuraminidase and internal protein genes. We find that the resulting pandemic virus jumped directly to swine but was likely displaced in humans by ∼1922 by a reassortant with an antigenically distinct H1 HA. Hence, although the swine lineage was a direct descendent of the pandemic virus, the post-1918 seasonal H1N1 lineage evidently was not, at least for HA. These findings help resolve several seemingly disparate observations from 20th century influenza epidemiology, seroarcheology, and immunology. The phylogenetic results, combined with these other lines of evidence, suggest that the highmortality in 1918 among adults aged ∼20 to ∼40 y may have been due primarily to their childhood exposure to a doubly heterosubtypic putative H3N8 virus, which we estimate circulated from ∼1889–1900. All other age groups (except immunologically naive infants) were likely partially protected by childhood exposure to N1 and/or H1-related antigens. Similar processes may underlie age-specific mortality differences between seasonal H1N1 vs. H3N2 and human H5N1 vs. H7N9 infections

Diagnostic technologies in practice: gay men's narratives of acute or recent HIV infection diagnosis.

Diagnosing HIV-positive gay men through enhanced testing technologies that detect acute HIV infection (AHI) or recent HIV infection provides opportunities for individual and population health benefits. We recruited 25 men in British Columbia who received an acute (n = 13) or recent (n = 12) HIV diagnosis to engage in a longitudinal multiple-methods study over one year or longer. Our thematic analysis of baseline qualitative interviews revealed insights within men's accounts of technologically mediated processes of HIV discovery and diagnosis. Our analysis illuminated the dialectic of new HIV technologies in practice by considering the relationship between advances in diagnostics (e.g., nucleic acid amplification tests) and the users of these medical technologies in clinical settings (e.g., clients and practitioners). Technological innovations and testing protocols have shifted experiences of learning of one's HIV-positive status; these innovations have created new diagnostic categories that require successful interpretation and translation to be rendered meaningful, to alleviate uncertainty, and to support public health objectives

'It is like a tomato stall where someone can pick what he likes': structure and practices of female sex work in Kampala, Uganda.

BACKGROUND: Effective interventions among female sex workers require a thorough knowledge of the context of local sex industries. We explore the organisation of female sex work in a low socio-economic setting in Kampala, Uganda. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study with 101 participants selected from an epidemiological cohort of 1027 women at high risk of HIV in Kampala. Repeat in-depth life history and work practice interviews were conducted from March 2010 to June 2011. Context specific factors of female sex workers' day-to-day lives were captured. Reported themes were identified and categorised inductively. RESULTS: Of the 101 women, 58 were active self-identified sex workers operating in different locations within the area of study and nine had quit sex work. This paper focuses on these 67 women who gave information about their involvement in sex work. The majority had not gone beyond primary level of education and all had at least one child. Thirty one voluntarily disclosed that they were HIV-positive. Common sex work locations were streets/roadsides, bars and night clubs. Typically sex occurred in lodges near bars/night clubs, dark alleyways or car parking lots. Overall, women experienced sex work-related challenges at their work locations but these were more apparent in outdoor settings. These settings exposed women to violence, visibility to police, a stigmatising public as well as competition for clients, while bars provided some protection from these challenges. Older sex workers tended to prefer bars while the younger ones were mostly based on the streets. Alcohol consumption was a feature in all locations and women said it gave them courage and helped them to withstand the night chill. Condom use was determined by clients' willingness, a woman's level of sobriety or price offered. CONCLUSIONS: Sex work operates across a variety of locations in the study area in Kampala, with each presenting different strategies and challenges for those operating there. Risky practices are present in all locations although they are higher on the streets compared to other locations. Location specific interventions are required to address the complex challenges in sex work environments

"One country, two systems": Sociopolitical implications for female migrant sex workers in Hong Kong

Background. Under the "two countries, one system" policy implemented by China to manage the return of Hong Kong's sovereignty, Hong Kong has maintained a comparatively prosperous economy within the Asian region. This has resulted in an environment which fosters migration from the mainland to Hong Kong, due largely to proximity, higher earning potential, common language, and a relaxing of border control measures. However not all mainland China citizens are equally able to access these new migration schemes and indeed a number of women such as sex workers are either migrating and/or working illegally and without occupational, legal and health protection within Hong Kong. Discussion. Female migrant sex workers are exposed to a number of significant threats to their health, however their illegal status contributes to even greater vulnerability. The prevailing discourses which view these women as either "trafficked women" or as "illegal immigrants" do not adequately account for the complex situations which result in such women's employment in Hong Kong's sex industry. Rather, their position can best be understood within the broader frameworks provided by migration literature and the concept of "structural violence". This allows for a greater understanding of the socio-political issues which are systematically denying migrant sex workers adequate access to health care and other opportunities for social advancement. When these issues are taken into account, it becomes clear that the current relevant legislation regarding both immigration and sex work is perpetuating the marginalised and vulnerable status of migrant sex workers. Unless changes are made, structural barriers will remain in place which impede the ability of migrant sex workers to manage their own health needs and status. Conclusion. Female migrant sex workers in Hong Kong are extremely vulnerable to a number of occupational health and safety hazards which have significantly detrimental effects on their health. These risks can best be understood within a broad framework of socio-political factors contributing to their vulnerability. Ensuring that migrant sex workers have adequate support for their health and legal rights requires require structural interventions such as decriminalisation and providing open and inclusive access to health service to counteract such factors. © 2008 Wong et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.published_or_final_versio

Evaluation of Foreign Accent Using Synthetic Speech (Perception).

A meaningful sentence loaded with appropriate phonemic and syllabic forms was synthesized as a standard stimulus, and 60 accented versions of the sentence were made to stimulate varying degrees of a moderate and a strong Spanish accent by manipulating the following Spanish cues singly and in combination: (1) fundamental frequency, (2) voice onset time for syllable-initial voiceless stops, (3) Duration of medial stressed vowels, (4) F1, F2 and F3 for full vowels, and (5) F1, F2, and F3 for reduced vowels. Two tapes for each level of accent were prepared on which 30 accented stimulus sentences were each paired with the standard sentence in four randomized sequences. Forty-two English speakers rated how different each accented sentence was from the standard sentence on a 10-point scale; they also gave a confidence rating on a 5-point scale for each item. It was demonstrated that synthesized sentences can be reliably rated for cue modifications indicative of a moderate Spanish accent in English. Statistical analysis revealed that an increase in the number of cues (from 1 to 2, to 3, to 4, to 5) resulted in the perception of increased accentedness in both the moderate- and strong-accent condition. In addition, subjects\u27 confidence in their judgments increased along with an increase in number of cues. A factor analysis showed that the suprasegmental cue, fundamental frequency (intonation), was the most perceptually prominent cue signalling a moderate Spanish accent in English. The segmental cue, stressed vowel quality, was the next prominent cue. The presence of these cues also resulted in an increase in the subjects\u27 confidence in their ratings of stimuli. The two strongest accent-bearing cues signalling the strong accent were both segmental, stressed vowel quality and VOT, but the strong-accent data was determined to be generally unreliable, possibly because of errors in its generation

Investigating the Associations between Core Strength, Postural Control and Fine Motor Performance in Children

Study design: Quantitative design including statistical analysis. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine if there is an association between core strength, postural control, fine motor precision and integration, specifically in typical children in the first and third grades, ages 6-10. The secondary purpose of this study was to determine if there was an association between BMI and fine and gross motor ability in this same population. Background: The relationship between core strength, postural control and fine motor skills in children is not well understood. The assumption that trunk stability and control are necessary for the maturation of manual dexterity has influenced the development of therapeutic treatment methods. This is based on the idea that postural control and balance are the ability of the body to maintain its position in space for the purpose of stability. Methods and measures: 113 children were tested using the strength, balance, precision, and integration subtests of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, second edition (BOT-2). Age, height, weight, percent body fat, and activity information were obtained. Results: An association was found between the subscales of strength and integration, integration and precision, and precision and balance. Significant associations were also found between BMI and the gross motor subtests. Conclusion: This study was among the first to examine the association between core strength, postural control, and fine motor skills. Further research is needed to determine if fine and gross motor skill attainment is correlated when a specific intervention is administered

Reproductive health services for populations at high risk of HIV: Performance of a night clinic in Tete province, Mozambique

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Different models exist to provide HIV/STI services for most-at-risk populations (MARP). Along the Tete traffic corridor in Mozambique, linking Malawi and Zimbabwe, a night clinic opening between 4 and 10 PM was established targeting female sex workers (FSW) and long-distance truck drivers (LDD). The clinic offers free individual education and counselling, condoms, STI care, HIV testing, contraceptive services and outreach peer education. To evaluate this clinic model, we assessed relevance, service utilisation, efficiency and sustainability.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In 2007-2009, mapping and enumeration of FSW and LDD was conducted; 28 key informants were interviewed; 6 focus group discussions (FGD) were held with FSW from Mozambique and Zimbabwe, and LDD from Mozambique and Malawi. Clinic outputs and costs were analysed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>An estimated 4,415 FSW work in the area, or 9% of women aged 15-49, and on average 66 trucks stay overnight near the clinic. Currently on average, 475 clients/month visit the clinic (43% for contraception, 24% for counselling and testing and 23% for STI care). The average clinic running cost is US$ 1408/month, mostly for human resources. All informants endorsed this clinic concept and the need to expand the services. FGD participants reported high satisfaction with the services and mentioned good reception by the health staff, short waiting times, proximity and free services as most important. Participants were in favour of expanding the range of services, the geographical coverage and the opening times.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Size of the target population, satisfaction of clients and endorsement by health policy makers justify maintaining a separate clinic for MARP. Cost-effectiveness may be enhanced by broadening the range of SRHR-HIV/AIDS services, adapting opening times, expanding geographical coverage and targeting additional MARP. Long-term sustainability remains challenging and requires private-public partnerships or continued project-based funding.</p