Physical Body Research Articles

Mastering Angika Abhinaya: somatic actor training with Seraikella Chhau

Various Asian somatic practices, such as Kalarippayattu, Thangta, Kathakali, Koodiyattam, Noh, Butoh, Taijiquan, and Yoga, have been utilised for pre-expressive actor training. The article contends that Chhau movement training, commonly practised in many Indian actor training institutes, can enhance Angika Abhinaya (externalising internal emotions and thoughts through the body) and produce similar outcomes to the pre-expressive actor training that Philip Zarrilli and Eugenio Barba describe. The Chhau movement training has the potential to be explored further as a means of somatic actor training. The article examines the Chhau movement training approaches employed by two veteran Seraikella Chhau trainers. The effectiveness of the training is evaluated through case studies, and primary data is gathered from participant observations, group discussions, and personal interviews. The results indicate that the training is highly effective in enhancing physical conditioning, body language, and expression of inner reality, improving Angika Abhinaya. The Chhau training enhances the participants’ ability to express emotions effectively through movement, enriching their performances.

A Cabinet of Curiosities: The Apostles Cabinet in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre

The Apostles cabinet 1 is one of the most recognisable objects that Charlotte Brontë encountered in life and subsequently represented in fiction. Two years before the publication of Jane Eyre (1847), Brontë had visited Hathersage in Derbyshire and had seen the Apostles cabinet in situ; the object clearly remained embedded in her memory. Although the Brontë Parsonage Museum purchased the Apostles cabinet in 1935, no one has yet identified the individual apostles depicted on it, or deeply considered the cabinet’s imaginative recreation in Brontë’s novel. This article will present previously unknown information about the Apostles cabinet, including the fact that eleven of the cabinet’s twelve portraits are modelled on engravings by Cornelis van Caukercken produced circa 1650–1660, which in turn were based on a series of paintings by Anthony Van Dyck created circa 1615–1620. Understanding the cabinet as a material object will enable an investigation of several curious aspects of Brontë’s imaginative transformation of it. I will argue that the fictional cabinet in Jane Eyre serves multiple literary purposes: to enhance the Gothic setting; to contribute to Brontë’s subtle characterisation of Mr Rochester as Catholic; and to evoke the themes of redemption, healing, sin, and betrayal that pervade the novel. 2

Pola Hidup Sederhana dalam Perspektif Hadis di Era Konsumtif

Lifestyle is currently one of the main highlights, many people adopt a consumptive or excessive lifestyle. This research aims to discuss a simple lifestyle based on hadith. This research uses a type of qualitative research, namely the hadith thematic method. The formal object of this research is the understanding and urgency of a simple lifestyle which is grouped based on hadith themes. Meanwhile, the material objects in this research are a simple lifestyle and consumer behavior. The discussion in this research explains that a good life is a life that applies simplicity. The conclusion of this research is that a simple lifestyle is highly recommended by the Prophet and Allah does not like people who behave consumptive or wasteful. By behaving simply, you will get many benefits.

Cardiovascular disease risk: it is complicated, but race and ethnicity are key, a Bayesian network analysis.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Despite the complexity of cardiovascular disease etiology, we do not fully comprehend the interactions between non-modifiable factors (e.g., age, sex, and race) and modifiable risk factors (e.g., health behaviors and occupational exposures). We examined proximal and distal drivers of cardiovascular disease and elucidated the interactions between modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. We used a machine learning approach on four cohorts (2005-2012) of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data to examine the effects of risk factors on cardiovascular risk quantified by the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) and the Pooled Cohort Equations (PCE). We estimated a network of risk factors, computed their strength centrality, closeness, and betweenness centrality, and computed a Bayesian network embodied in a directed acyclic graph. In addition to traditional factors such as body mass index and physical activity, race and ethnicity and exposure to heavy metals are the most adjacent drivers of PCE. In addition to the factors directly affecting PCE, sleep complaints had an immediate adverse effect on FRS. Exposure to heavy metals is the link between race and ethnicity and FRS. Heavy metal exposures and race/ethnicity have similar proximal effects on cardiovascular disease risk as traditional clinical and lifestyle risk factors, such as physical activity and body mass. Our findings support the inclusion of diverse racial and ethnic groups in all cardiovascular research and the consideration of the social environment in clinical decision-making.

Restitution of material objects and indigenous ontology: towards coloniality of dispossession/theft in Africa

ABSTRACT Indigenous African people had mastery and ownership of material objects and land more broadly before colonialism and enslavement. Without indigenous people mastery and ownership over their material objects, indigenous progress, liberation, development, and emancipation would be elusive. This paper contends that decolonization/decoloniality is a function of abating dispossession/theft of indigenous material objects by imperialists through restitution and repossession. In fact, to forestall claims for restitution and reparations require mastery and ownership of their material objects to enable those that are colonized to assume sovereignty and autonomy. This paper theorizes coloniality as theft/dispossession as its critical framework. The underlying argument here is that theorizing coloniality as theft/dispossession makes it possible to conceive of the limitations of theories that define coloniality simplistically in terms of hierarchies, binaries, and dominance. Based on this assemblage, I frame the coloniality of theft/dispossession along the Asante (the people of Ghana) dispossessed material objects in the eras of colonialism and enslavement. The paper concludes that decolonizing ontologies by way of restitution is a necessary component of the process of reversing colonial/imperial theft/dispossession of objects for which they should be compensated as part of the process of decolonization rather than erroneous conceptualization of decolonization in terms of hierarchy, oppression, and binaries.

Predictive approach of health indicators from the physical activity habits of active youth

The aim of this study is to analyse the relationship between sport modalities practiced, physical fitness, body composition, and healthy habits in an active young population, using a statistical model for prediction. A total of 2255 (1528 boys and 727 girls) children and adolescents aged 6–17 years old who were involved in extracurricular sports from rural areas of Spain participated. Physical fitness was assessed through validated field test and, body composition was determinated using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed by KIDMED questionnaire. The general sport variable was significant in VO2max when comparing the invasion and combat modalities to the reference level (court/net). The sex and age variables revealed significant differences in all physical fitness and body composition parameters. Health parameters, such as hours of additional practice, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and previous experience, showed significant differences. The study concludes that the sport modality variables of training, sex, age, and maturational period have an impact on body composition and fitness parameters in this population. Therefore, by focusing on factors associated with lower values in health indicators, we can prevent health problems during adulthood, such as cardiorespiratory deficits.

Acute Vigorous Exercise Decreases Subsequent Nonexercise Physical Activity and Body Temperature Linked to Weight Gain.

Exercise benefits the body and mind, but its weight loss effect is less than generally expected. Although this phenomenon is likely due to an exercise intensity-dependent decrease in non-exercise physical activity (NEPA), resulting in a decrease in non-exercise activity thermogenesis, the underlying mechanisms and effects of exercise intensity remain unknown. Here we show that acute vigorous exercise decreases subsequent NEPA and body temperature (BT) in association with body weight gain. Adult male C57BL/6J mice were categorized into three groups: sedentary, moderate exercise, and vigorous exercise, with exercise groups undergoing a 30-min treadmill session. Using an intraperitoneally implanted activity monitor, NEPA and BT were monitored for 2 d before and 3 d after exercise. The daily synchrony between NEPA and BT was evaluated using a cross-correlation function. Plasma corticosterone was also detected 6 and 24 h after exercise. Notably, only the vigorous exercise group exhibited a decline in both NEPA and BT, resulting in body weight gain the following day, despite no observed changes in food intake. Furthermore, vigorous exercise induces a distinct delay in the daily dynamics of NEPA compared with BT. A positive correlation was observed between plasma corticosterone levels and changes in NEPA levels before and after exercise across all exercise groups. Our findings provide evidence for vigorous exercise-specific reduction in subsequent NEPA, BT, and their synchrony linked to weight gain, likely due to the disturbed circadian rhythm of corticosterone. This is an initial investigation redefining the significance of exercise intensity in beneficial effects beyond the energy expenditure of the exercise itself.

Social Life of Zines and Other DIY Micro-Media Constituting American DIY Communities and Scenes

The primary function of zines is often considered to be creative and expressive, and the function of other types of DIY (“do-it-yourself”) micro-media as utilitarian (e.g., flyers as promotion), but all of these media also perform important social roles. DIY micro-media (e.g., zines, flyers, Internet pages, graffiti, wall signs, and “thank you” notes) are in this way embroiled in social lives of their makers and help them constitute themselves culturally and socially. DIY micro-media in this way also acquire their own social lives. Inspired by my ethnographic observations of the social lives of DIY micro-media within particular American DIY houses and music scenes, I examine in this article not only the content of DIY zines and micro-media (i.e., to study them as texts), but primarily the social role of zines and other DIY micro-media in the material, social, and affective constitution of DIY and music communities and scenes (i.e., to study them as social agents). Therefore, I show how these micro-media operate as material and media objects that are simultaneously shaped by and shaping human and social relations. By combining zine and micro-media studies with anthropology and material culture studies, I offer in this article a nuanced micro perspective, both ethnographic and emic, of the social processes implicated in the social and economic mutual constitution between media objects and music/art communities and scenes.

Early Implementation of Exercise to Facilitate Recovery After Breast Cancer Surgery

Recovery of shoulder function following breast cancer surgery is crucial for physical functioning and quality of life. While early implementation of shoulder rehabilitation exercises may enhance recovery, the optimal timing and exercise program remain unclear. To investigate whether an early exercise intervention, initiated 1 day postsurgery and continued for 1 month through subsequent visits, could improve shoulder range of motion (ROM) and strength in patients with breast cancer. A parallel-group, 2-arm randomized clinical trial was conducted between June 2020 and October 2021 at the Breast Cancer Center in Seoul, South Korea. Fifty-six patients (of 119 screened) with early-stage breast cancer who were scheduled for partial or total mastectomy were randomized into a tailored resistance exercise group (n = 28) or a usual care group (n = 28). Data were analyzed from November 2021 to June 2022. The exercise intervention commenced 1 day postsurgery and consisted of 4 supervised exercise education sessions corresponding with surgeon visits and daily home-based exercises for the first postoperative month. Tailored programs, including stretching and strength exercises, were adjusted based on individual shoulder function recovery status. Primary end points were shoulder ROM and strength at 1 and 6 months postsurgery. Physical activity, body composition, and quality of life were assessed at 6 months. Of 56 patients randomized (mean [SD] age, 50.3 [6.6] years), 54 completed the trial (96%), with 100% and 97% compliance to supervised and home-based exercise sessions, respectively. At 1 month postsurgery, 19 (67.9%) in the exercise group had fully recovered shoulder strength compared to 1 (3.6%) in the usual care group (P < .001). At 6 months, 22 (78.6%) in the exercise group had fully recovered shoulder ROM and 24 (85.7%) had fully recovered strength compared to 6 (21.4%) and 5 (17.9%), respectively, in the usual care group (P < .001). The exercise group exhibited less loss in muscle mass and improved physical activity and quality of life compared to the usual care group. In this trial, 1-month tailored exercise program, initiated immediately after breast cancer surgery and supplemented with supervised sessions coinciding with surgeon visits, significantly improved shoulder function in patients with breast cancer. WHO International Clinical Trials Registry identifier: KCT0006997.

Physical activity and body composition risk for metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is one of the main risk factors for various diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The effect of physical activity has been widely studied regarding its benefits in reducing the development of metabolic syndrome. However, there are still underlying shortcomings in the results of previous research. Objective: to assess the influence of physical activity and metabolic syndrome components on the risk of metabolic syndrome in workers. Cross-sectional research was conducted on employees of PT. PLN. Variables assessed include waist circumference, arm circumference, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, blood glucose and total cholesterol. Physical activity assessment was carried out using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). A total of 40 employees were included in this study. A total of 18 respondents (45%) were at risk of metabolic syndrome. The majority of metabolic syndrome components in employees are overweight (50%), excessive arm and waist circumference (85% and 65%, respectively). The majority of respondents had moderate physical activity (57.5%) and high activity (27.5%). Excessive arm and waist circumference had a significant relationship with the risk of metabolic syndrome in respondents (p &lt; 0.05), however, physical activity did not affect the risk of metabolic syndrome. It is hoped that further research in broader populations will be needed to assess risk factors for metabolic syndrome in workers.

Does so-called “healthy” content on instagram display balanced recipes? A pilot study in relation to the risk of unhealthy eating patterns in social network users

Objectivesocial networks (SN) including Instagram have increased in popularity. However, SN-mediated content may influence eating behaviors in a negative way. This study analyzed whether Instagram content claimed as “healthy” complies with nutritional guidelines. Methodsrecipes posted in French on Instagram with the caption #healthy or similar ones were analyzed, once from February to May 2023 and again in April 2024. Health authorities’ guidelines and food pyramid inclusion criteria were used for the quantitative and qualitative analysis, respectively. Recipes were then classified as balanced, partially unbalanced or unbalanced, with the two subgroups “restrictive” and “excessive”, and according to the main protein source. Resultswe coded a total of 114 courses (2 datasets of 57 courses each). Among these, 3 were classified as balanced main courses, 45 as partially unbalanced main courses and 66 as unbalanced main courses (21 were deemed as restrictive, 21 as excessive and 24 were otherwise inadequate), with a majority of hypocaloric courses. Approximately half of the recipes were vegetarian or vegan. Discussionthese results suggest that food recipes published on Instagram as #healthy may, at times, be far from nutritional guidelines and could rather promote unbalanced eating patterns. This suggest that food-related content on SN might be insufficiently moderated and that recipes referenced as #healthy should perhaps be accompanied by warnings and preventive measures. This observation, in addition to other detrimental behaviors displayed on SN (e.g. extreme physical activity or body image pressure) may contribute to the increased incidence of eating disorders (ED) associated with problematic SN use. Alerts on this risk and accessible tools for the prevention and early detection of ED risk in SN users are urgently needed.

Evaluating rural homestay accommodations in China using the hospitality index: An online review–based approach

Hospitality’s central role in the tourism experience is well documented. However, traditional methods of hospitality measurement fail to capture tourists’ multi-dimensional experiences and the varying impacts of hospitality dimensions on individuals’ behavior. This study employed a big data–based mixed method approach, integrating grounded theory, natural language processing, and multiple linear regression. 68,421 online reviews of rural homestays were analyzed to investigate guests’ hospitality experiences. Findings showed that rural homestay hospitality comprises four dimensions: material objects, services, information, and emotions. The devised rural homestay hospitality index significantly influenced property ratings, with different hospitality dimensions having unique effects. The outcomes of this study hold implications for product creation, guest satisfaction, and the development of evaluation systems for rural homestays.

Image-to-Image Translation-Based Deep Learning Application for Object Identification in Industrial Robot Systems

Industry 4.0 has become one of the most dominant research areas in industrial science today. Many industrial machinery units do not have modern standards that allow for the use of image analysis techniques in their commissioning. Intelligent material handling, sorting, and object recognition are not possible with the machinery we have. We therefore propose a novel deep learning approach for existing robotic devices that can be applied to future robots without modification. In the implementation, 3D CAD models of the PCB relay modules to be recognized are also designed for the implantation machine. Alternatively, we developed and manufactured parts for the assembly of aluminum profiles using FDM 3D printing technology, specifically for sorting purposes. We also apply deep learning algorithms based on the 3D CAD models to generate a dataset of objects for categorization using CGI rendering. We generate two datasets and apply image-to-image translation techniques to train deep learning algorithms. The synthesis achieved sufficient information content and quality in the synthesized images to train deep learning algorithms efficiently with them. As a result, we propose a dataset translation method that is suitable for situations in which regenerating the original dataset can be challenging. The results obtained are analyzed and evaluated for the dataset.

Relationship between Physical Activity and Body Image in Adolescents

Practicing physical activity correctly and regularly by adolescents can have positive effects on body image. In addition, it promotes the development of a positive relationship with your own body and improves your emotional well-being. In this sense, the objectives of this study were to carry out a systematic review of research that implemented interventions to evaluate the effects of physical activity on body image in adolescents, as well as to describe and analyze them. In order to achieve these purposes, a systematic review was conducted that examined research related to physical activity and body image in adolescents. To carry out this review, the PRISMA Statement was used. The results obtained demonstrate that the incorporation of regular physical activity in adolescents provides significant improvements in the perception of body image and physical self-perception. Furthermore, an improvement in the enjoyment of physical activity is highlighted, which is relevant to promote adherence to it. In this way, the review of the articles reflects a general agreement on the positive benefits on body image of including physical exercise in adolescents. However, the need to carry out future research that provides more current and established results, specifically aimed at the young population, is highlighted.

Sense and Expression in Arabic Literary Criticism from Sayyid Qutb’s Perspective

Entering the modern era, as a result of the influence with the Western world, Arabic literary criticism began to develop with many critics writing rules or methods in literary criticism. This article tries to look at Sayyid Qutb's efforts to respond to this situation by analyzing the basic principles of Arabic literary criticism from Sayyid Qutb's perspective by focusing on two main elements, sense element (al-syu’ur) and expression element (al-ta'bir) as well as the application of these two elements in assessing a literature work. The material objects are Sayyid Qutb's book entitled al-Naqd al-Adabī Uṣūluhu wa Manāhijuhu and Kutub wa Syakhṣiyyāt. This research is a qualitative descriptive study with a content analysis approach using reading and note-taking techniques. As a result, it can be seen that the concept of literary works emphasized by Sayyid Qutb is in sense value (al-qiyam al-syu'ūriyyah) and expression value (al-qiyam al-ta'bīriyyah) and at the same time these two things are the starting point for critical analysis of literary works. In the sense element, three points that need to be considered are the specificity of emotions, the depth of the feeling of connection with nature, and the authenticity of emotions. As for the expression element, the aspects that need to be looked at are the words (alfaẓ), phrase ('ibārah), and the topic approach. In the application of theory, Sayyid Qutb places greater emphasis on assessing the elements of sense and expression in general, rather than focusing on points derived from these two elements.

Animating memories: revealing the organisation of remembering in interaction at museum exhibits

In this article we will explore how people’s memories of past experiences and events are evoked through their interaction with, and around museum objects. By examining naturally-occurring interactions which emerge at exhibits, we investigate how people draw upon material objects within the museum- texts and exhibits, when vocalising their rememberings of past experiences and events, and address the role of the body in animating these occasioned memories. Thus, we can observe how memories are brought to life at exhibits- these past encounters supplying a means through which to engage in the present, and address how people’s aesthetic encounters are shaped by these vocal and bodily animated rememberings. We also examine a case in which a participant’s remembering is questioned, exploring how participants resolve the contested status of memory to arrive at a concerted way of remembering and experiencing an exhibit. The analysis contributes to discussions within the sociology of memory and memory studies, as well as to museology and related areas of research. It is based on field observations and video-recordings of interaction in museums and other exhibitions in Great Britain and Europe, adopting ethnomethodology and conversation analysis as its analytic attitude.

Revisiting literary magazines through typographic aesthetics: The case of Planodion (1986–2012)

This article is concerned with the twofold identity of the literary magazine: as a material object, endowed with specific visual and tactile characteristics, and as a textual medium, active in the intellectual sphere. Moving beyond the traditional dichotomy between form and content and following a phenomenological approach, I examine the literary magazine as a multi-layered structure whose visual features (illustration, binding, vignettes and margins) work along its seemingly invisible aspects (form and content of text). I focus on Planodion magazine (1986–2012) and employing the work of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, I attempt to conceive the literary magazine as a living body, an expressive space capable of accommodating divergent experiences and meanings. Inquiring into the typographic aesthetics of the literary magazine, I also probe the boundaries separating discourse and image, and query their supposed autonomy.

Anthropomorphic and Physical Fitness Characteristics of United States Air Force Basic Military Training: Special Warfare Versus Nonspecial Warfare Recruits, Fiscal Year 2019-2023.

Each year, thousands of individuals enlist in the Department of the Air Force (DAF), with some seeking to become DAF Special Warfare (SW) candidates. This study aimed to compare the anthropomorphic and physical fitness characteristics between these groups during fiscal years (FYs) 2019-2023. The sample includes male candidates below the age of 30 who attended the DAF basic military training (BMT) from FY2019 to 2023 (N = 119,415). Initial physical fitness testing was conducted during week 1 of BMT. Physical fitness results, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) were compared between the two cohorts. A two-way analysis of variance was performed to analyze the effects of group (SWand non-SW) and FY on mean anthropomorphic and physical fitness test variables. Dependent variables were evaluated for homogeneity of variance using Levene's test and for normality using the Shapiro-Wilktest. The Tukey-Kramer test was employed for post hoc analyses with a threshold for statistical significance of α < 0.05. The cohort of SW recruits displayed superior physical fitness results across all FYs (p < 0.001) with the exception of FY2021. They were significantly taller and heavier, and had a higher BMI when compared to non-SW DAF BMT recruits (p < 0.001). Mean values for maximum push-ups and sit-ups for SW recruits were significantly lower in FY2021 (p < 0.001) and not significantly different from non-SW recruits. Additionally, run times for both SW- and non-SW-bound recruits during FY2022 and FY2023 were significantly slower than previous years. These findings can be used to establish a baseline for anthropometric and physical fitness profiles of incoming SW and non-SW DAF BMT recruits that may inform clinicians, human performance professionals, and military training leaders with information necessary to guide future research and physical fitness policy.

The Correlation between Body Composition and Physical Fitness Parameters in High Theological School Students

Previous research findings support the claim that physical activity (PA) and maturation result in changes in physical fitness (PF) and body composition (BC) parameters. Fitness assessment tests are especially important for monitoring the health of adolescents. The purpose of this study was to find the correlation between BC and PF parameters in studnts enrolled in High Theological School in Niš. Thirty-seven male students living in boarding schools were included in the participant sample. The average age of the participants was 17.48±1.48 years. The body composition analyser Omron BF 511 (Omron, Tokyo, Japan), was used to measure the BC values. A modified Eufitmos testing protocol was determined to evaluate PF parameters such as: Progressive aerobic cardiovascular endurance run (Pacer), 1-Mile run (1MR), Push-ups (PU), Handgrip (HG), Standing broad jump (SBJ), 20-Meter run (20mR), Back-saver sit and reach (BSR), and Body mass index (BMI). The results showed that the weight status parameters were highly correlated with each other. Regarding PF parameters, they correlated moderately with each other. The correlation analysis between BC and PF parameters showed that BMI, Fat%, and Muscle% achieved moderate correlations with PACER, VO2max, PU, SBJ, and 20mR, while BW had a significant correlation only with HG and PU. Also, BH had a moderate correlation with VO2max, PACER, SBJ, and HG. The findings indicate a correlation between body composition and physical fitness parameters among theology students. However, a suggestion for further research is to conduct multiple regression analysis, which would reveal the relationship between the overall body composition composite and the fitness of the students, rather than just individually determined parameters.

US Navy Sailors Modify Their Eating Behaviors to Pass Cyclic Physical Readiness Tests

ObjectiveInvestigate the influence of physical readiness tests (PRTs) on eating behaviors among US Navy Sailors. DesignFocused ethnography using interviews and military policies. SettingThree US Naval installations. ParticipantsActive-duty enlisted Sailors (n = 32). Phenomenon of InterestEating behaviors. AnalysisAuthors analyzed data iteratively with data collection using domain, taxonomy, and thematic analysis to identify culturally relevant codes, domains, and themes. ResultsFive themes corresponded with PRT timing and Sailors’ perceived ability to meet standards: (1) maintain usual eating habits, (2) get ready and switch it up, (3) make weight—damage control, (4) return to baseline—PRT is over, and (5) eat whatever—PRT is canceled. In contrast to the PRT policy's goal for Sailors to maintain standards and a healthy lifestyle, many Sailors modified their usual eating behaviors to pass the test. Conclusion and ImplicationsChanges in eating behaviors during PRT cycles highlight a culture of getting ready vs staying ready, suggesting many Sailors do not eat a nutrient-dense diet to maintain the minimum physical fitness and body composition standards. There is a need for nutrition education for healthy weight maintenance, weight gain prevention, and healthy weight loss among military personnel.