Life Difficulties Research Articles

Humanistic Buddhism: Amṛtyupasthāna, Ānāpānasmṛti and Holistic Health Management

Humanistic Buddhism provides a profound and unique perspective on exploring the path of holistic health. Smṛtyupasthāna (Four Mindfulnesses) is a basic meditation method in Buddhism, which involves continuous awareness and observation of four different aspects: (1) Kāyānupassanā (Body Mindfulness), (2) Vedanānupassanā (Mindfulness of Feelings), (3) Cittānupassanā (Mindfulness of Mind) and (4) Dhammānupassanā (Mindfulness of Dharma). Mindfulness is an effective way to manage worries, allowing us to be free from worries, stay away from upside-down dreams, and achieve a state of freedom. This article proposes a model of humanistic Buddhism and holistic health: (1) Kāyānupassanā and Physical Well-being, (2) Vedanānupassanā and Spiritual Well-being, (3) Cittānupassanā and Mental Well-being, and (4) Dhammānupassanā and Social Well-being. The Four Mindfulness Practices of Humanistic Buddhism provide us with valuable tools and ways to improve the holistic health and cope with the challenges and difficulties in life. Through spiritual practice and practice, we can achieve holistic health at the individual, physical, spiritual and social levels.

Influence of multidisciplinary team care with abundant nurse staffing on patient-reported outcomes among patients with inflammatory bowel disease in clinical remission

BackgroundPatients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) experience difficulties in daily life and demanding self-care needs. The goal of our support for patients is to ease their difficulties and improve their belief in their capacity to self-manage their disease (self-efficacy), by increasing their ability for self-care. The nurse’s contribution is vital in empowering patients and supporting them to better manage their disease. There is evidence that higher nurse staffing levels are associated with better patient outcomes in acute care settings, but little is known about the outpatient setting. The objective of this study was to explore the impact of multidisciplinary team care with abundant nurse staffing levels on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) among patients with IBD, encompassing Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), in clinical remission.MethodsPatients with IBD in clinical remission were included because disease activity influences the patient’s subjective evaluation. A total of 499 valid responses from two different sources were analyzed: 318 from a specialized IBD clinic with abundant nurse staffing and a multidisciplinary care team (UC: 83, CD: 235) and 181 from an online survey panel (UC: 109, CD: 72). The IBD Self-Efficacy Scale (IBD-SES) and the difficulty of life scale (DLS) were used as disease-specific PROMs.ResultsIn two multiple regression models adjusted by background characteristics (age, sex, diagnosis [UC/CD], employment status, use of biologics, and disease duration) using the IBD-SES or DLS as a dependent variable, the responses from clinic patients showed a more favorable score (higher self-efficacy or lower difficulty) than the online responses.ConclusionsMultidisciplinary team care with abundant nurse staffing may improve self-efficacy and ease difficulties of life among patients with IBD in clinical remission. These results could help bring attention to nurse staffing in an outpatient setting, which has previously been overlooked, and be the first to provide evidence of its importance in encouraging enhanced staffing levels.

Literary Criticism of Cross-Class Marriage in the Novel Heart of the Night Dialectical Perspective of George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

This study aims to analyze cross-class marriage in the novel "Heart of the Night" by Naguib Mahfouz using Hegel's dialectical perspective. The research method used is a qualitative analysis of the content of the novel and the application of Hegel's dialectical theory to understand the conflict and synthesis in the marriage relationship between the main characters, Jafar Sayyed Ar-rawi, and Marwana.The purpose of this research is to explore the complexity of interclass marriage in the novel and identify the social, cultural, and economic conflicts that arise as a result of this relationship. In addition, this study aims to understand how Hegel's dialectical perspective can help in interpreting the dynamics of cross-class marriage in the context of a broader society. The results of the study show that the novel "Heart of the Night" depicts cross-class marriage as a reflection of social imbalances and disparities in society. The conflict between tradition and modernity, as well as economic and social inequalities, became obstacles to the marriage relationship of the main characters. However, Jafar Sayyed Ar-rawi showed perseverance and enthusiasm in maintaining his belief in bringing social justice to his people. Using Hegel's dialectical perspective, this study finds that the conflicts that arise from this cross-class marriage are forms of thesis and antithesis that contradict each other. However, through this struggle and conflict resolution, a synthesis was created that included understanding and unity between these figures. This synthesis reflects the importance of respecting social and cultural differences in a marriage as well as the possibility of searching for deeper meaning in life in the midst of a life full of challenges. This research illustrates that the novel "Heart of the Night" not only focuses on interclass marriage, but also highlights fortitude and enthusiasm in facing life's difficulties as well as the importance of conflict resolution and social understanding in society. With Hegel's dialectical approach, this study provides in-depth insights into the dynamics of social relations and marriage in the context of class differences in society.

Homeschooling among Urban Chinese Protestants: A Descriptive Study

Abstract As individualized education increases in popularity, homeschooling likewise garners more attention from Chinese middle-class families. Over the past decade, the number of families choosing homeschooling has increased annually. However, most homeschooling Chinese Protestants wish to focus on the cultivation of beliefs, character, and values in the education of their children. In their eyes, homeschooling provides the best way to transmit cultural heritage. Homeschooling brings with it many challenges and difficulties in the daily lives of Chinese Protestants: cross-pressure from traditional Chinese culture systems, opposition from parents and other family members, conflicts with mainstream educational institutions, and power struggles with Chinese secular authorities. Moreover, educational resources, guides, and materials for Chinese homeschooling families are scarce, thus leaving homeschooling families to grope in the dark. The biggest deterrent to them is the disqualification of their children from taking college entrance examinations because homeschooled children lack the requisite status to enroll as official students. Thus, the role conflicts among Chinese, Christian, pariah, and legal deviant statuses pose considerable tensions for parents and children. This paper offers insight into these issues through qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with 50 respondents from urban Chinese Protestant families that had previously been screened through a brief survey instrument.

Structure and factorial invariance of an irrational beliefs scale in adolescents from Peru and Turkey

Irrational beliefs (IB) are irrational thinking patterns that limit the interpretation of situations and generate difficulties in daily life. Although there are several instruments to evaluate irrational beliefs, attention to their evaluation in adolescents has been insufficient, and possible gender and cultural differences have been overlooked. This study aims to analyze the psychometric properties of the Irrational Beliefs Scale-Adolescent Form (IBS-AF) in adolescents from Peru and Turkey aged 13 to 18 years (M = 15.1, SD = 1.17), where 52.7% were females. Two models were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis, where the second unidimensional model of 15 items with adequate fit indices (χ2/df = 4.79, CFI = .959, TLI = .952, SRMR = .065, RMSEA [95% CI] = .078 [.72, .84]) and adequate reliability was confirmed. Factorial invariance (configural, metric, scalar, residual) was also evaluated based on country and gender, as well as differences between these categorical variables. In conclusion, IBS-AF is a consistent and reliable tool for evaluating irrational beliefs in adolescents and is equivalent in both cultural contexts and based on gender. Furthermore, significant differences favor women and Turkish adolescents in IB scores. This scale will be useful in addressing IB in adolescents and improving their psychological well-being.

Фізична культура та спорт як фактор формування здорового способу життя населення

The purpose of this work. To conduct research and analysis of indicators of physical development and physical fitness of two groups of higher education students, as well as the functional state of their cardiovascular, muscular, and respiratory systems, in order to substantiate the importance and necessity of systematic physical education and sports. Materials and methods of research. In accordance with the purpose of the study, the following methods were used: theoretical (analysis and generalization of scientific literature), empirical (survey), testing to determine the physical fitness of students, physiometric and instrumental methods of studying the functional state of students' body systems. Results. Research and analysis of indicators of physical development, physical fitness, and functional state of body systems (cardiovascular, muscular, and respiratory) of higher education students at Cherkasy State Technological University were conducted. The analysis of the research results showed the importance of the role and place of physical culture and sports in preventive medicine and public health. Conclusions. The analyzed indicators of physical development, physical fitness of the studied groups of students, and the functional state of their cardiovascular, muscular, and respiratory systems showed how much physical education and sports allow young people to improve their physical fitness, maintain their health at an appropriate level to overcome life's difficulties, realize their abilities, and be useful to society. The results of our research to some extent coincide with the results of the research of many authors among different age categories of the population.

Neurocognitive Impairment among HIV-Infected Participants on Methadone for IV-Heroin use in Yunnan, China Relates to AIDS Status and Depression Severity, not Patterns of Substance use

We used a comprehensive and culturally normed battery of Neurocognitive (NC) tests to evaluate NC impairment (NCI) in 406 adults with prior IV heroin use who were in a government-supervised methadone maintenance program in Yunnan province, China. Participants included 202 without HIV infection, 57 with AIDS, and 147 HIV+ without AIDS (“nonAIDS group”). The AIDS group had higher proportions of individuals with global NCI (38.6%) relative to nonAIDS (15.7%) and HIV- participants (17.3%; ps < 0.01). The AIDS group performed worse than the non AIDS group globally (< 0.001), and in the domains of executive functioning (ps = 0.001), learning (ps = 0.035), and speeded information processing (ps = 0.0002). Despite the lack of difference in prevalence of NCI between non AIDS and HIV- groups, the non AIDS group showed impairment in memory and complex motor domains relative to the HIV- group (p = 0.03). In People With HIV (PWH), NCI was associated with more severe depression symptoms and HIV disease characteristics (duration of illness, CD4 nadir, AIDS status). Nearly all participants were HCV infected. Alcohol use disorder diagnoses, non-invasive indications of liver fibrosis, and characteristics of prior heroin use were not associated with NCI. PWH with NCI had worse daily functioning, as indexed by unemployment (ps = 0.016) and reported increased cognitive difficulties in daily life (ps = 0.016). These results highlight the importance of early HIV diagnosis and treatment to avoid HIV disease progression, particularly among IV drug users, with the goal of protecting NC abilities, everyday functioning, and life quality in infected individuals.

The connection of life satisfaction with the image of the future in overcoming a difficult life situation

The article presents the results of a study of the relationship between life satisfaction and the image of the future for people living in a difficult life situation. A qualitative analysis of the respondents' answers to open-ended questions allowed us to identify three groups depending on the experience of encountering a difficult life situation. In addition, the following questionnaires were used: Satisfaction With Life Scale of E. Diener in the adaptation of E.N. Osin and D.A. Leontiev; the Life Orientation Test of C. Carver and M. Scheier in the adaptation of T.O. Gordeeva, O.A. Sychev, E.N. Osin; the questionnaire «Professional time perspective of the future» H. Zacher and M. Frese in the adaptation of T.Y. Bazarov, A.V. Paramuzov; the questionnaire «Aspirations Index» by E.L. Deci and R.M. Ryan in the adaptation by T.D. Vasilenko, Y.A. Kotelnikova, A.V. Selina. It was revealed that respondents who are in a difficult life situation have significantly lower life satisfaction rates and a more pessimistic vision of the future. But regression analysis showed that for these participants, various aspects of the image of the future, namely generalized positive expectations of the future, focusing on opportunities in a professional environment, orientation towards building close relationships, act as resources of life satisfaction. In the group where respondents had overcome life difficulties in the recent past and in the group in which participants reported no recent experience of encountering difficult situations, the characteristics of the image of the future turned out to be unrelated to life satisfaction. The scientific novelty of the study lies in obtaining more detailed data on the contribution of the image of the future to life satisfaction in overcoming a difficult life situation.

Investigation of the Relationship between the Patience Levels and Personality Traits of Faculty of Health Sciences Students

Aim: This study was conducted descriptively to examine the correlation between the patience levels and personality characteristics of Faculty of Health Sciences students. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out with 420 nursing students in the 2019 - 2020 academic year. The study data was collected using the ‘Socio - demographic Data Collection Form’, ‘Patience Scale’ and ‘Adjective - Based Personality Test’. In evaluation of the data; descriptive statistics, Shapiro - Wilk test, Kruskal Wallis test and Spearman’s Correlation coefficient analysis were used. Results: The students’ Patience Scale score average was 35.24 ± 6.11. In the comparison of the Patience Scale subscales and total score according to grades, no statistically significant difference was found (p > 0.05). There was a significant difference between the Patience Scale and Adjective - Based Personality Test score averages. It was determined that students with personality characteristics such as extroversion, openness to experience, tender - mindedness and responsibility would have higher interpersonal patience, patience in life difficulties and general patience, whereas students with neurotic personality characteristics would have lower patience in daily life, interpersonal patience, patience in life difficulties and general patience. Conclusion: As a consequence; it was seen that there was a significant differentiation between the Patience Scale and Adjective - Based Personality Test score averages.

The Importance of Interdisciplinary Collaboration in the Field of Special Education in Greece

The issue of the cooperation of all experts in the field of education is a very important element that significantly affects the effectiveness of the educational project. Although for many it is taken for granted, it is not at all easy to realize. The purpose of this paper is to highlight how teachers, including social workers, who work in special education structures in Greece perceive this issue. To elicit the discourse of specialized professionals, ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers, social workers, and psychologists in the context of qualitative research and thematic content analysis. The results highlight useful information related to what is happening today in the field of education. They focus on the experiences of the professionals themselves on the one hand with each other, on the other with the parents, and the supportive environment of the students. The results yield very valuable information about how professionals try to achieve what is called integrated intervention. Uniquely, the difficulties of professional everyday life are captured and at the same time, an attempt is made to highlight ways of effective management of cooperation problems.

Empowering caregivers of children with bronchiolitis obliterans: The effectiveness of an internet-based follow-up platform

ObjectiveLimited evidence on home care and need for long-term individualized follow-up highlight the importance of developing an Internet-based follow-up platform to support caregivers of children with Bronchiolitis Obliterans (BO). This Study aims to explore and test the potential benefits of this platform by comparing family management, medication compliance and clinical systems. Study design and methodsA two-arm, single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted on 168 children with BO and their families from January 2022 to October 2022. Families were randomly divided into Internet-based follow-up group and conventional follow-up group with a ratio of 1:1. Scores of family management measures (FaMM), 8-item of Morisky Medication Adherence (8-MMAS) and BO clinical symptoms of both groups were collected at three points of time: the day of discharge (T1), 3 months after discharge (T2), and 6 months after discharge (T3). The changes of each group due to intervention were compared by repeated-measures ANOVA. Results90 families completed the trial, including 48 in the Internet-based follow-up group and 42 in the conventional follow-up group. The results showed a significant difference in the group-by-time interaction on the scores of Child's Daily Life, Condition Management Ability and Parental Mutuality (p < 0.05). No group-by-time effect was found on the scores of View of Condition Impact and Family Life Difficulty. Scores of BO clinical symptoms and MMAS-8 showed intra-group, inter-group, and group-by-time effects. ConclusionsThe Internet-based follow-up platform can empower caregivers in enhancing effective family management, improving medication compliance in children with BO, and relieving patients’ clinical symptoms. Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trials Registry of ChiCTR2200065121 (04/28/2022).

Мой юридический факультет

In the article, the author recalls his studies at the Faculty of Law of Lomonosov Moscow University, about the outstanding teachers of the faculty, about the difficulties of student life, choosing a scientific path and studying in graduate school.

Parenting Emerging Adults with Multiple Sclerosis: A Qualitative Analysis of the Parents’ Perspective

Parents of emerging adults are requested to adjust their level of support and control according to their child’s developmental age and to foster their autonomy. This developmental task may be more difficult when emerging adults are suffering from a chronic illness. Parenting emerging adults with a chronic illness is an under-investigated topic, especially with reference to multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic neurological disease usually diagnosed in emerging adulthood. The study aims to qualitatively explore the characteristics of the relationship that parents report having with their emerging adult children (18–29 years) with MS. Specifically, we investigated how the dimensions of support and control emerge from the parents’ perspective, whether overparenting (characterized by both oversupport and overcontrol) emerges, and its characteristics. Eleven semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents of emerging adults with MS, and a qualitative content analysis was performed through Atlas.ti 6.0 software, combining a deductive and an inductive approach in relation to the study aims. A system of 13 codes was defined and a total of 141 quotations were codified. Overparenting appears to be the most frequent relational mode among the parents interviewed. Most quotations referred to oversupport (in particular, parents report anticipatory anxiety about child’s well-being and show excessive indulgence and permissiveness) and overcontrol (in particular, parents report a vicarious management of daily life and medical therapies). The study gives indications for psychological interventions helping parents to adequately support their children while encouraging their autonomous management of daily life and illness-related difficulties.

Health-related quality of life with sacituzumab govitecan in HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer in the phase III TROPiCS-02 trial.

The TROPiCS-02 study (NCT03901339) demonstrated that sacituzumab govitecan (SG) has superior clinical outcomes over treatment of physician's choice (TPC) chemotherapy in patients with hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor 2 receptor-negative (HR+/HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (mBC). Here, we present health-related quality of life (HRQoL) patient-reported outcome (PRO) findings from this study. Eligible adults with HR+/HER2- mBC who previously received a taxane, endocrine-based therapy, a CDK4/6 inhibitor, and 2-4 lines of chemotherapy were randomized 1:1 to receive SG or TPC until progression or unacceptable toxicity. PROs were assessed at baseline and on day 1 of each cycle, using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30), EQ-5D-5L, and PRO Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE). Compared to TPC, overall least square mean change from baseline was significantly better for SG for physical functioning and dyspnea, but worse for diarrhea. Time to first clinically meaningful worsening or death was significantly longer for SG in global health status/quality of life, physical functioning, fatigue, emotional functioning, dyspnea, insomnia, and financial difficulties of the EORTC QLQ-C30 and the EQ-VAS, but longer for TPC in diarrhea. Few patients in both arms reported experiencing any worsening to level 3 or 4 treatment-related symptomatic events during treatment, as assessed by 16 PRO-CTCAE items, except for diarrhea frequency and amount of hair loss, which favored TPC. SG was associated with an HRQoL benefit in most symptoms and functioning, compared with TPC. This supports the favorable profile of SG as a treatment option for patients with pretreated HR+/HER2- mBC.

Pain and daily interference among reproductive-age women with myofascial pelvic pain: Serial mediation roles of kinesiophobia, self-efficacy and pain catastrophizing.

Myofascial pelvic pain (MFPP), which is identified by tender points in the pelvic floor musculature, is a prevalent source of chronic pelvic pain in women. It may lead to physical and mental exhaustion, reproductive concerns, and coping difficulties in daily life and work than the disease itself. Pain-related cognitive processes can affect pain relief and quality of life. Kinesiophobia, self-efficacy and pain catastrophizing are frequently treated as mediators between pain and its related consequences. Greater kinesiophobia and pain catastrophizing have been shown to be associated with adverse functional outcomes, while higher self-efficacy has been related with improved quality of life. Regarding MFPP in females of childbearing age, it remains unclear whether the effects of kinesiophobia, self-efficacy and pain catastrophizing on daily interference are direct or indirect; the influence on each variable is, therefore, not entirely evident. The present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between pain and daily interference in reproductive-age women with MFPP through kinesiophobia, self-efficacy and pain catastrophizing, as well as to identify areas for future investigation and intervention based on the data collected from this population. This is a multi-center cross-sectional study. The study was conducted from November 15, 2022 to November 10, 2023, 202 reproductive-age women with MFPP were recruited from 14 hospitals in ten provinces of China. The demographic variables, Brief Pain Inventory, Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia, Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, and Pain Catastrophizing Scale were used to measure the participants' related information. The data was described and analyzed using Descriptive analyses, Pearson correlation analysis, and Serial mediation modeling. Pain not only had a direct positive impact (B = 0.575; SE = 0.081; 95%CI: LL = 0.415, UL = 0.735) on daily interference, but also had an indirect impact on daily interference through the independent mediating role of pain catastrophizing (B = 0.088; SE = 0.028; 95%CI: LL = 0.038, UL = 0.148), the chain mediating of kinesiophobia and catastrophizing (B = 0.057; SE = 0.019; 95%CI: LL = 0.024, UL = 0.098), and the four-stage serial mediating of kinesiophobia, self-efficacy and catastrophizing (B = 0.013; SE = 0.006; 95%CI: LL = 0.003, UL = 0.027). The proposed serial mediation model showed a good fit with the collected data. The findings illustrate the significance of addressing pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia (especially catastrophizing), and increasing self-efficacy in pain therapy, and suggest that functional recovery be integrated into pain therapy for reproductive-age women suffering from MFPP.

Analysis of the Fate of Literati in Qing Dynasty Who did not Meet the Imperial Examination: Life Dilemma and Spiritual Pursuit

The Qing Dynasty was the last period of Chinese feudal society, during which the imperial examination system played an important role. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the fate of literati who failed to pass the imperial examination in Qing Dynasty, focusing on the analysis of their life difficulties and the spiritual realm they pursued. Firstly, it introduces the historical background and structure of the imperial examination system in Qing Dynasty, and its influence on social mobility and literati status. It then discusses the economic challenges, career opportunities limitations and psychological difficulties faced by literati who failed to pass the exam. At the same time, it analyzes how these literati seek spiritual satisfaction and contribution by cultivating personal interest, engaging in literary and artistic creation, and participating in knowledge exchange and cultural activities. Through case studies of well-known literati who failed the exam, their life paths, dilemmas, and achievements are explored, as well as their philosophical and spiritual legacies. Finally, compare with the literati who passed the examination, reflect on the diversity of literati life in Qing Dynasty. The purpose of this study is to provide a new perspective for understanding the fate of literati in Qing Dynasty, and to provide inspiration and suggestions for future research.

AI- POWERED BASED BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED SYSTEM FOR SMART GLASS

Visual impairment causes serious problems in daily life and mobility for millions of people worldwide. Against this background, smart assistive technology is gaining momentum to improve the independence and quality of life of the blind and visually impaired. They have difficulty in daily life because they cannot detect the problems around them, and one of their biggest problems is identifying people. Besides automation, there are many unexplored uses of search engines. This project includes an app that uses search to help blind people see things in front of them safely, and a facial recognition system with visual feedback that can help visually impaired people see familiar and unfamiliar people. The speaker will provide them with sound support. In this work, we use deep learning-based Regional Convolutional Neural Network (Faster R-CNN) to detect and identify people and objects in the environment. Faster local convolutional neural network technology processes and distributes images captured by cameras. The operator takes the image as input. Therefore, this model helps visually impaired people in a simpler way than a white cane. Keywords—Visuallmpairment,Objectdetection,Faster Region Convolutional Neural Network.

Толерантность к неопределенности и суеверность как личностные ресурсы решения социальных проблем учащейся молодежью

&lt;p&gt;The phenomena of tolerance/intolerance to uncertainty and belief in the paranormal as personal resources for solving social problems by students were examined. The relevance of the topic is due to an attempt to identify the necessary personal determinants that help to effectively cope with life difficulties in the face of the uncertainty and multitasking in the modern world. Hypotheses about the inverse correlation between tolerance to uncertainty and superstition, as well as the direct correlation between tolerance and a rational style and positive orientation, belief in the paranormal with a negative orientation, an avoidant and impulsive style of solving social problems have been put forward. The results of an empirical study conducted among university students studying at the social science, humanities and medical faculties are presented (N=252), aged 18 to 21 years. A set of diagnostic techniques was used: the questionnaire for solving social problems by M.M. Danina et al., the "Paranormal Belief Scale" by J. Tobacyk (adaptation by D.S. Grigoriev), the modified questionnaire of tolerance to uncertainty by S. Badner (adaptation by T.V. Kornilova, M.A. Chumakova). According to the results of the study, it was found that students have a low tendency towards superstition and more often use a rational style when solving social problems. They are also characterized by a predominantly positive problem orientation. The direct correlations of tolerance to uncertainty with a rational style and positive problem orientation, as well as negative connections with avoidant and impulsive styles, a negative problem orientation were found.&lt;/p&gt;

Aesthetics and symbolic meaning of ancient Chinese snowy landscapes from the IV to the XX century.

The article examines the aesthetic and symbolic aspects of ancient Chinese snowy landscapes, covering the period from the IV to the XX century. The focus of the research is Guohua painting, representing classic snowy landscapes, compositions with birds and flowers, as well as snow portraits. An in-depth analysis of the symbolism and meaning of elements such as "four seasons", "snow", "snowy mountains", "three friends of cold time" and "cold beasts" was carried out, as well as the narrative characteristics of snowy landscapes were studied. It was revealed that snow scenes reflect the vitality and stability of a person, causing reflections on life difficulties. The work highlights how snowy landscapes have become a means of expressing emotions, reflecting sadness, but also demonstrating strength, well-being, morality and the sublimity of cultural values. The study uses the methodology of symbolism and iconology analysis to study the aesthetics of ancient Chinese snowy landscapes. A comparative approach is applied to various eras and techniques, including ink painting and engraving, to assess the cultural and emotional meanings of snow in Chinese art. The research touches on a rarely covered topic in the history of art — the aesthetic and symbolic depth of ancient Chinese snowy landscapes, from the IV to the XX century. Introducing into scientific discourse a deep analysis of changes in the perception and image of snow, the work presents a comprehensive study using iconology and semiotics to uncover hidden meanings in Chinese Guohua painting. She reveals how artists have reflected the emotional and philosophical aspects of life through snowy landscapes, demonstrating their influence on cultural representations of nature, man and society. The innovation of the study lies in the fact that it connects the aesthetic elements of snow with cultural and historical changes in China, showing their importance for understanding Chinese identity and aesthetic perception. This study not only enriches the academic understanding of Chinese painting, but also highlights the layering of symbols and metaphors in traditional art, reflecting a unique combination of natural phenomena and cultural meanings.

Beauty Therapy to Support Psychosocial Recovery from Oncological Care: A Qualitative Research on the Lived Experience of Women with Breast Cancer Treated with Chemotherapy.

During the oncological care path, breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy suffer from a number of psycho-physical changes, and appearance-related side effects are among the primary determinants of psychosocial impairment. Appropriate interventions are needed due to the fact that treatment-induced transformations have been associated with a decline in overall quality of life, interpersonal and sexual difficulties, and adverse effects on therapeutic adherence. In the framework of integrative oncology, beauty therapy is an affordable and straightforward intervention that could be used in the clinical management of breast cancer side effects. This study aims to comprehend the emotional and lived experiences of women undergoing chemotherapy after a brief beauty therapy intervention with licensed beauticians. The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used as a methodological guideline. Sixteen women were purposefully recruited in a day hospital of a cancer unit, where the beauty therapy was implemented. At the end of the intervention, data were gathered using a semi-structured interview with open-ended questions. A thematic analysis was performed on verbatim transcriptions. Findings support the proposal of beauty therapy for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Assuming a relational viewpoint, beauty therapy could improve patients' feelings about themselves and the way they feel about others, even if they do not declare a specific interest in their outward appearance.