Non-mainstream Approaches Research Articles

Integrative Health An Overview for Nursing Practice.

Conventional Western medicine is considered a mainstream approach to healthcare, whereas non-mainstream approaches have included complementary and alternative medicine, referred to as CAM. Today, integrative medicine combines complementary and conventional approaches to care. This article describes terminology and features of complementary, alternative, and integrative methods, and the newer field of integrative nursing. A brief biblical perspective on integrative medicine is offered.

Complementary and alternative medicine and multiple sclerosis

Complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) are non-mainstream approaches that are used alongside or instead of conventional medicines. As people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are one of the biggest user groups of CAMs, Ali Whittam from the MS Trust, provides a brief overview into what CAMs are and what people with MS, or another neurological condition for that matter, need to consider when sourcing and contemplating the use of CAMs.

Practical Applications of Thriving Amid the Ravages of Creative Destruction in the Investment Management Industry

In <b><i>Thriving Amid the Ravages of Creative Destruction in the Investment Management Industry</i></b>, from the June 2022 30th anniversary special issue of <b><i>The Journal of Investing</i></b>, author <b>Donald Peters</b> (of <b>T. Rowe Price</b>) shares insights from his 35-year career in the field. He emphasizes the competitive value of embracing non-mainstream approaches, such as working with a longer time horizon while most investment managers are focused on the short term. Other examples include reading academic investment literature (to keep up with the latest thinking), reading proxy statements (to learn about CEOs’ financial stake in their companies), focusing on <i>after-tax</i> returns, and dissuading retail investors from engaging in speculation. Peters asserts that investment management is a highly rewarding career that is all about adding value and helping clients reach their financial goals. Initial success comes to those who are intelligent, adapt to changing markets, and work well with a team. They must have intellectual curiosity, a passion for investing, and outside friends and interests that give them different perspectives. They must think like detectives when analyzing stocks, while being savvy enough to sort out facts from sometimes biased company communications. Managers also can help their communities and themselves by joining the boards of nonprofits, where they gain valuable knowledge about institutional investing and consulting.

Shackle’s Enquiry Into Choice

Despite the several attempts to rework on his ideas, using non-mainstream approaches, George L. Shackle has remained an outsider in the economic discipline. Shackle, however, if we take seriously what he thought of economics, as a discipline concerned with a subject that is not self-contained but open-ended and impermanent, is not a man alone. Starting from an assessment of Shackle’s understanding of choice as originative and creative, the paper argues that Shackle should be rescued from the role of a nihilist where he is often relegated. In this perspective, a fundamental key to assessing the originality and anticipatory character of Shackle’s contribution can be found in the recent developments of several “friendly” disciplines such as the psychology of motivations and of self-rewarding actions, narrative as the “science” of the possible and the role of calendar time in choice theory. In fact, all these novel rethinkings can contribute to the understanding of Shackle’s main point, that human (and therefore economic) agents are active, creative enterprisers, who cut the deterministic thread by injecting the new in history to come, in making a difference in the future courses of action.

Gravitational Intelligent Decision-Making Model at the Fuzzy Front End with Extrinsic Idea Integration by the K-Means Algorithm

If the dynamic fuzziness of the Front End (FE) part of New Product Development (NPD) cannot be treated in a timely manner, fuzziness accumulates over other parts of NPD hence NPD can result in costly mistakes. The authors tried to remedy this strategically critical problem by implementing mainstream theoretical/methodological approaches, but they found inherent weaknesses of each. The purpose of this study is to bring an objective and intelligent decision-making model to FE so as to lessen fuzziness of it. Model quantizes ideas based on pillars, and re-clusters them with every new idea addition thanks to combining non-mainstream approaches like K-means, distance-based algorithm with gravitational theory inspiration, an accumulation of idea and an exponential function. Study showed that fuzziness of FE can be lessened by quantizing, and objectively managing. The founded core reasons of fuzziness can guide practitioners and authors for better understanding and coping with fuzziness of FE; moreover, the model can be used by companies. Introducing an objective and intelligent decision-making model working like a human brain to FE is a unique idea that has not been tried ever before.

Feeding fads: risk and responsibility.

As interest in alternative diets for pets continues to grow, Andy Wales will use his BVA Live session to explore some of the risks associated with non-mainstream approaches to feeding dogs and cats, and vets' responsibility to make clients aware of them.

New Approaches for Ecological and Social Sustainability in a Post-Pandemic World

Two vital challenges facing the world are global inequality and global climate change. Solutions to both these problems are urgently needed, but, given current policies, they can potentially conflict with each other. The United Nations has set 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be met by 2030. Even in 2019, the world was not on track for many SDGs, but the 2020 coronavirus pandemic has made their timely attainment even less likely. Similarly, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations have continued to rise, even in the first half of 2020. Clearly, present approaches to solving both problems are not working. This paper suggests several non-mainstream approaches that have the potential to address both challenges. A prerequisite is deep reductions in fossil fuel energy. Possible policies to achieve this include major cuts in air and car travel, shifts to a vegetarian diet, a global carbon tax and transitioning to some form of universal basic income.

A New and Integral Approach to the Etiopathogenesis and Treatment of Breast Cancer Based upon Its Hydrogen Ion Dynamics.

Despite all efforts, the treatment of breast cancer (BC) cannot be considered to be a success story. The advances in surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy have not been sufficient at all. Indeed, the accumulated experience clearly indicates that new perspectives and non-main stream approaches are needed to better characterize the etiopathogenesis and treatment of this disease. This contribution deals with how the new pH-centric anticancer paradigm plays a fundamental role in reaching a more integral understanding of the etiology, pathogenesis, and treatment of this multifactorial disease. For the first time, the armamentarium available for the treatment of the different types and phases of BC is approached here from a Unitarian perspective-based upon the hydrogen ion dynamics of cancer. The wide-ranged pH-related molecular, biochemical and metabolic model is able to embrace most of the fields and subfields of breast cancer etiopathogenesis and treatment. This single and integrated approach allows advancing towards a unidirectional, concerted and synergistic program of treatment. Further efforts in this line are likely to first improve the therapeutics of each subtype of this tumor and every individual patient in every phase of the disease.

Critical and nonmainstream approaches to legitimacy, issues, and crisis

Critical and nonmainstream approaches to legitimacy, issues, and crisis

Nach der Kultur. Anthropologische Potentiale für eine rekursive Geschichtsschreibung

The article starts from the observation that while the field of Historical Anthropology as represented in the journal „Historische Anthropologie“ has defined itself predominantly in terms of its kulturwissenschaftlicher approach, the reception of social and cultural anthropology has somewhat thinned out. Harking back to the founding moment of the journal, the author makes a case for recuperating the critical impulse that animated the project when it assembled then non-mainstream approaches – like microhistory, Alltagsgeschichte, or history from below – under the common denominator of „Historical Anthropology“, while raising the question of whether the focus on „culture“ still provides the critical leverage it exerted at the time. She then reviews recent anthropological debates on the so-called „ontological turn“ that unearthed the limitations of epistemological or representational approaches to alterity. In particular, the author draws attention to a sample of approaches developed in anthropology – especially by Philippe Descola, Eduardo Viveiros de Castro and Marilyn Strathern –, which provide heuristic tools that might support a renewal of the initial impulse towards radical historicization in Historical Anthropology.

On the causes of the changes in income shares: Some reflections in the light the United States experience

ABSTRACTThe last 30 years have witnessed a dramatic change in the distribution of income, with the wage share falling in all major industrialized countries. Main-stream analyses, including New Keynesian ones, which retain the notion of factor substitution leading to a “factor intensity” inversely related to its rate of return, have encountered some difficulties in the interpretation of this change. Nonmainstream approaches present an advantage in the explanation of the phenomenon, consisting in the fact that they entail no a priori connections between the changes in distribution and the changes factor proportions. Hence if a change in institutions or in the bargaining strength of the parties affects distribution, income shares may vary significantly (i.e., changes in wages need not be accompanied by changes in labor to output ratio in the opposite direction as in mainstream analyses). Yet empirical observation may question also some of the analyses that have been advanced outside the mainstream. The article will explore the ways in which nonmainstream approaches have interpreted the described changes in distribution, and assess them from an analytical viewpoint and with reference to U.S. data. The purpose is that of pointing at some open questions and problems.

The experiences of persons living with HIV who participate in mind-body and energy therapies: a systematic review protocol of qualitative evidence

The purpose of this systematic review is to explore the experiences and perceptions of persons living with HIV who participate in mind-body and energy therapies. The review will focus on the use of mind-body medicine and energy therapies that include meditation, prayer, mental healing, Tai Chi, yoga, art therapy, music therapy, dance therapy, Qigong, reiki, therapeutic touch, healing touch and electromagnetic therapy. These mind-body and energy therapies are selected categories because they do not involve options that might be contraindicated to an individual's current treatment regime. More specifically, the review questions are: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a popular adjunct to conventional medicine across global populations. Complementary generally refers to a non-mainstream approach together with conventional medicine whereas alternative refers to a non-mainstream approach in place of conventional medicine. Most people use non-mainstream approaches along with conventional treatments. The World Health Organization [WHO] defines CAM as distinct health-care practices that have not been assimilated into a country's mainstream health care system.The USA's National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), formerly National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), organizes CAM into five medical system categories: whole medical systems, mind-body medicine, biologically based practices, manipulative and body-based practices, and energy therapies. Whole medical systems include homeopathy, naturopathy, traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda. Mind-body medicine includes meditation, prayer, mental healing, Tai Chi, yoga, art therapy, music therapy and dance therapy. Biologically based practices include dietary supplements, herbal supplements and a few scientifically unproven therapies. Manipulative and body-based practices include massage and spinal manipulation such as chiropractic and osteopathic. Energy therapies include Qigong, reiki, therapeutic touch, healing touch and electromagnetic therapy.The NCCAM, the Alternative Medicine's Strategic Plan for 2011-2015 and the Healthy People 2020 envision a society in which all people have the opportunity to live long, healthy lives. In most countries, life expectancy has increased, but unfortunately, the incidence of chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, hypertension, diabetes and depression continues to increase. Research findings indicate that the use of CAM is often greater among people living with a chronic or life threatening illness compared with the general population,Until the development of highly active antiretroviral medications (ARVs) in 1996, a diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was considered to be a death sentence. The human immunodeficiency virus attacks the immune system and weakens a person's ability to combat infections and some types of cancer. Currently, there is no cure for HIV but because of lifesaving medications, the mortality rate has declined significantly. The disease is now considered a chronic illness and highly manageable. Effective treatment has resulted in approximately 35 million people worldwide still living with HIV at the end of 2012.Because HIV is no longer a death sentence but a chronic illness, there is a need to evaluate the experiences and perceptions of people using CAM, considering the prevalence of CAM use within this population. In the United States and Canada, the rate of CAM use among HIV positive persons is approximately 50% to 70%, whereas in Africa, rates of CAM use range from 36% to 68%. Popular forms of CAM among persons living with HIV include herbal or nutritional supplements, mind and body practices, and spiritual or religious healing. Worldwide, only a small percentage of persons who have access to ARVs refuse to take them and utilize CAM exclusively to treat their HIV infection.People living with HIV often report using CAM because they believe that these therapies will improve their overall health and well-being and provides them an opportunity to take some responsibility in managing their personal health, which includes medication side effects. However, the effect of CAM on an individual's physical health often cannot be measured physiologically, but may be felt or experienced.Understanding CAM use is essential so that health professionals will have the most accurate information about which integrative therapies may or may not be helpful for people living with HIV. As recommended by the Institute of Medicine report entitled, 'Integrative Medicine and Patient Centered Care', health professionals have a moral commitment to find innovative ways of obtaining evidence and expanding knowledge about diverse interpretations of health and healing. Research aimed at exploring patients' experiences and perceptions of mind-body and energy therapies is imperative so asto offer comprehensive care and promote shared decision making regarding complementary therapeutic options.

What is Bioethics?

Belkin, G.: 2014, Death Before Dying: History, Medicine, and Brain Death. USA: Oxford University Press, 288 pages, ISBN-13: 978-0199898176, price: 57 USD. Ferber, S.: 2013, Bioethics in Historical Perspective: Medicine and Social Morality. UK: Palgrave Macmillan, 248 pages, ISBN-13: 978-1403987242, price: 27 USD. Wilson, D.: 2014, The Making of British Bioethics. Manchester, UK. Manchester University Press, 288 pages, ISBN-13: 978-0719096198, price: 50 USD. As Powers (2005, p. 306) points out, what bioethics might be, and the methods with which it is pursued, remain relatively undefined and highly diverse. We might also think similarly about ‘ethics’; what it might be and how it ought to be done is subject to a wide degree of interpretation. Certainly, there are a number of (related) dominant approaches—formal ethics, philosophical, practical or applied ethics—there are also a number of other, relatively mainstream, approaches common to the field of bioethics— casuistry, principlism, reflective equilibrium—and a number of ‘alternative’ or otherwise non-mainstream approaches, some of which are entangled or closely related to particular bioethical issues—feminist ethics, disability ethics, and various forms of theological analysis. For example, we might note that ethics is not simply a disciplined academic activity but something pursued in a wide range of everyday, professional and policy-making contexts. Indeed one might consider morality—or a moral order—to be a necessary part of human societies. If so, then the fact that some concerns are currently addressed as bioethical is a contingent facet of the contemporary moral order. Bioethics is not, then, constituted by normative disciplines (law and philosophical/theological ethics) alone. It is not, simply, the ethical or ethico-legal analysis of the life sciences, bio-technologies and medical practice. If bioethics is to be properly understood then it must be seen as part of the moral order and studied as such. The field must therefore include historical, sociological and anthropological forms of analysis. However, a difficulty remains. What, we might ask, is distinctive about bioethics? How do we know that we are studying it, and not something else? It is difficult to think that what is specific to the advent of bioethics is anything other than the emergence of applied ethics, first as a mode of philosophical thought (Collin 2000) and, subsequently, as something that has become more widespread phenomena. Nevertheless, as Wilson (2012, p. 218) cautions, we should not equate bioethics with applied ethics; even if they are strongly associated, bioethics is much more beside. Of course, historical epistemology is such that committing to any definition of ‘Bioethics’ prior to the analysis is out of the question, as is the idea that a definition of bioethics is the aim or result of such enquiries. Yet the conduct of historical enquiry is such that some initial characterisation is unavoidable and the substantive analysis will provide further detail. This review essay sets out to engage with this aspect of the books being considered. Aiming ‘‘to provide insight into both the history of bioethics as a social practice, and into the wider history of medicine in its social context’’ (2013, p. 2) Ferber views bioethics as something that straddles medical culture and its socio-political environments. Somewhat amorphously it is considered to be ‘‘the socially interpretative dimension of medicine’’ and to encompass ‘‘a wide range of social conversations’’ (Ferber 2013, p. 3). Whilst Ferber suggests the term bioethics was coined to ‘‘denote a form of applied N. Emmerich (&) School of Politics, International Studies and Philosophy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UK e-mail: n.emmerich@qub.ac.uk

Barriers to the Entry of Biofield Healing Into "Mainstream" Healthcare.

In this article, we describe barriers to the entry of biofield healing into mainstream contemporary science and clinical practice. We focus on obstacles that arise from the social nature of the scientific enterprise, an aspect of science highlighted by the influential work of Thomas Kuhn (1922-1996), one of the most important— and controversial—philosophers of science in the 20th century. Kuhn analyzed science and its revolutionary changes in terms of the dynamics within scientific communities. Kuhn's approach helps us understand unconventional medical theories and practices such as biofield healing. For many years, these were called “complementary and alternative medicine” (CAM). However, because most people use nonmainstream approaches in conjunction with conventional treatments, the National Institutes of Health and many practitioners now prefer “Complementary and Integrative Medicine” (CIM) where integrative implies “bringing conventional and complementary approaches together in a coordinated way.”1 Biofield healing fits the integrative model well, provides a novel approach to therapeutic intervention, and is developing in a manner that can integrate with current medical science in simple ways. Yet, it still remains outside the conventional framework because of its conceptual bases, which contrast sharply with conventional assumptions regarding the nature of reality.

Economic Alternatives and Complements in Education of Future Economists

This paper aims to point out a lack of information in university education about other than mainstream of economics such as complementary currencies, Time Banks or alternative economical approaches. This study describes economic subjects taught at universities in the Czech Republic and compares them with similar subjects taught at European institutions of higher education. Other research and sources are mentioned. In conclusion it is pointed out that for complete education and social progress it would be desirable that future economists would possess the whole picture of economic theory, including non-mainstream approaches to be able to choose the best variant for the society they work and live in.

Immunomodulatory activity of complementary and alternative medicines.

Around the world, the majority of people tend to adopt different health care approaches outside of the mainstream Western medicine for diseases or general well-being. These nonmainstream health care approaches are commonly referred to as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Although people use the words “complementary and alternative” interchangeably, they refer to two different concepts. “Complementary” confers the intention to add to conventional medicines by the use of phytomedicines, which are nonmainstream medicines. While “alternative” refers to a purely nonmainstream approach using phytomedicines, instead of a combinational medicinal treatment. The main drawback, raised by the Western medical community, is the lack of scientific evidence for the ascribed healing power of CAM, as well as the failure of large placebo controlled clinical trials to show the therapeutic efficacy of certain CAM. Nevertheless, in certain instances, the research relying on herbal products has led to the discovery of potent anticancer lead molecules such as taxol and camptothecin, and today many other candidate plant molecules are under investigation as anticancer agents. Similarly, plant activity for cardiovascular disease and other inflammatory diseases is relevant. Evidence continues to build up in support of the effects of these therapies on immunomodulation and maintenance of the physiological balance between anti- and proinflammatory mechanisms. In vitro and in vivo animal studies have shown the plausible mechanisms of CAM in preventing or curing disease to be linked to antioxidant effects, alterations in proinflammatory cell signaling, production of cytokines, and other proinflammatory mediators. To better understand and adopt these nonmainstream health approaches to complement the current standard (Western) healthcare, scientific evidence is required which is obtained via properly controlled experimentation. In this special issue we have some research papers which hold evidence of efficacy in various disease conditions. Three papers of this special issue show the effect of either hydrogen dissolved purified water or herbal natural products on atopic dermatitis (AD) like skin inflammation. The authors of one of the articles compared the effect of drinking hydrogen water (HW) or purified water (PW) on AD and showed therapeutic effect by HW over PW by effectively modulating Th1 and Th2 response. In another article, the authors induced AD like inflammation in Balb/c mice by 2, 4-dinitrofluorobenzene and studied the effect of Qingpeng ointment (QP) on alleviation of lesion severity. The authors correlated the effect of QP on AD with the inhibition of infiltration of CD4+T cells and mast cells, suppression of production of IgE and IL-4, and increase in the levels of IFN-γ. One of the papers also deals with a natural remedy for AD. The authors used a nona natural product mixture (NPM-9), which effectively suppressed Th2-mediated allergic inflammation on skin of the mouse model. Another paper attempted to study the effect Korean red ginseng (KRG) on vif gene in HIV. Patients receiving KRG and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) exhibited high frequency of premature stop codons (PSC) for vif compared to patients on KRG alone or the placebo group. On the other hand, KRG induced more in-frame deletions compared to the placebo group. This study therefore suggests a therapeutic strategy for a better outcome in HIV patients by combining KRG along with HAART. Another paper demonstrates the effect of a Chinese medicine granule, Shu-Feng-Xuan-Fei (SFXF), on the gross change in the gene expression profile in T-cell-mediated immunity, during influenza virus infection. The authors studied different doses of SFXF and compared the efficacy with the control group as well as with mice which received oseltamivir. The authors concluded that SFXF restored the immune function and helped the rapid clearance of viral particles by regulating the T-cell gene expression patterns. We believe the above selected research papers, taken from those appearing in this special issue, will improve our knowledge and understanding of the immunomodulatory functions of complementary and alternative medicines.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Why hasn’t the Science Kept Up with the Demand?

From 1999 to 2010, the National Institute of Health Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) had an increase in their budget allocation for research; however, the allocation in 2010 ($128.8 million) declined over the past 3 years; fiscal year (FY) 2011 budget was $127.7 million, FY 2012 budget was $128.0 million and FY 2013 budget was $120.7 million (http://nccam.nih.gov/about/ budget/appropriations.htm). This is odd and unfortunate because the prevalence of people using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has increased over these years. Complementary medicine, as defined by NCCAM, generally refers to a non-mainstream approach given together with conventional medicine while alternative medicine is a non-mainstream approach used in place of conventional medicine [1]. Conventional (western or allopathic) is medicine using modalities commonly learned in conventional training, by holders of a medical degree, doctor of osteopathic medical degree, and by allied health professionals such as physical therapists, psychologists and registered nurses [1]. Most people use non-mainstream approaches with conventional medicine and so NCCAM currently uses the term “complementary health approaches” to describe these practices and products, which fall into two subgroups: natural products (e.g., herbs, botanicals, vitamins, minerals, some dietary supplements, probiotics) and mind and body practices (e.g., meditation, yoga, acupuncture, deep-breathing exercises, guided imagery, hypnotherapy, progressive relaxation, qi gong, tai chi, movement therapy, manipulation and massage therapy) [1]. Mind-body medicine is practiced to direct the mind to affect the physical functioning of the body; this occurs by the interactions of the brain, mind, body and behavior through techniques that promote calmness and relaxation, breathing, open attitudes toward distractions and often specific physical postures. Manipulative and body-based practices focus primarily on the bones and joints, soft tissues and the circulatory and lymphatic system whereas movement therapies like the Feldenkrais method, Alexander technique, Pilates, Rolfing structural integration, and Trager psychophysical integration use movement-based approaches to promote physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. Traditional healers use methods of healing that have been handed down over many generations and which incorporate whole medical systems and complete systems of theory and practice. Included in this category are Ayurvedic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy, naturopathy, and energy practices (e.g., magnet therapy, light therapy, qi gong, Reiki, and healingtouch).

Nutraceuticals and Headache: The Biological Basis

Nutrition must affect the structure and functioning of the brain. Since the brain has very high metabolic activity, what we consume throughout the day is likely to dramatically influence both its structure and moment to moment function. It follows that nutritional approaches to all neurological disorders are being researched and entering medical practice, while nutraceutical use is a mainstay of public habits. This review discusses the biological basis for non-conventional or non-mainstream approaches to the treatment of migraine. This requires at least limited discussion of current migraine pathophysiologic theory. How nutrients and other chemicals and approaches are mechanistically involved within migraine pathways is the focus of this article. The nutraceuticals reviewed in detail are: magnesium, riboflavin, coenzyme Q10, petasites, and feverfew with additional comments on marijuana and oxygen/hyperbaric oxygen. This article reviews the science when known related to the potential genetic susceptibility and sensitivity to these treatments. As we know, the basic science in this field is very preliminary, so whether to combine approaches and presumably mechanisms or use them alone or with or without conventional therapies is far from clear. Nonetheless, as more patients and providers participate in patient-centered approaches to care, knowledge of the science underpinning nutritional, nutraceutical, and complementary approaches to treatment for migraine will certainly benefit this interaction.

Special Forum on »Macroeconomic Theory and Macroeconomic Pedagogy«: The New Consensus in macroeconomics and non-mainstream approaches

First paragraphGiuseppe Fontana and Mark Setterfield have edited an interesting book on the relationship between recent developments in macroeconomics and the teaching of the discipline at the undergraduate and intermediate levels (Fontana/Setterfield 2009). The editors have chosen to focus the book on the ›New Consensus‹ in macroeconomics, on criticisms of such an approach and alternatives to it. The ›New Consensus‹ is presented in its simplest version as it is presented when teaching macroeconomics at the introductory and intermediate level. The ›New Consensus‹ is characterized by a three-equation model. In this model, the quantity of money is endogenously determined and the ›old Keynesian‹ LM curve is abandoned. The collection of essays presented by Fontana and Setterfield offers a presentation of the ›New Consensus‹ model and critical alternatives to it by scholars engaged both in the mainstream and in the heterodox (mainly post-Keynesian) camps.

Using programming language concepts to teach general thinking skills

Using programming language concepts to teach general thinking skills