How Do Nature-Based Activities Benefit Essential Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic? The Mediating Effect of Nature Connectedness.

Although many studies have suggested that nature-based activities have a healing effect on human beings, there is little research on the underlying mechanism. This study investigated the role of nature connectedness in the relationship between the perception of nature and individuals' physical and psychological health. We recruited essential workers who participated in disease prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic and their family members as the subjects for this study. The stress levels experienced by this group made them an ideal sample. The results of a survey-based study showed that nature-based activities had a positive effect on alleviating state anxiety levels. The results also showed that nature-based activities affected perceived restoration via the feeling of nature connectedness. This study examined the healing effect of nature-based activities that stimulate the five senses and nature connectedness and explored the potential of nature-based treatments for people experiencing high levels of stress.

Morphological Configuration of Sensory Biomedical Receptors Based on Structures Integrated by Electric Circuits and Utilizing Magnetic-Responsive Hybrid Fluid (HF).

Biomedical receptors such as cutaneous receptors or intelligent cells with tactile, auditory, gustatory, and olfactory sensations function in the five senses of the human body. Investigations focusing on the configuration of such receptors are useful in the fields of robotics and sensors in the food industry, among others, which involve artificial organs or sensory machines. In the present study, we aimed to produce the receptors for four senses (excepting vision) by morphologically mimicking virtual human ones. The mimicked receptors were categorized into eight types of configured structure. Our proposed magnetic-responsive hybrid fluid (HF) in elastic and soft rubber and proposed electrolytic polymerization technique gave the solidified HF rubber electric characteristics of piezoelectricity and piezo-capacity, among others. On the basis of these electric characteristics, the mimicked receptors were configured in various types of electric circuits. Through experimental estimation of mechanical force, vibration, thermal, auditory, gustatory, and olfactory responses of each receptor, the optimum function of each was specified by comparison with the actual sensations of the receptors. The effect of hairs fabricated in the receptors was also clarified to viably reproduce the distinctive functions of these sensations.

Application of multimodal guidance based on the concept of five senses and six senses on sleep phase of postoperative patients with intestinal tumor / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective@#To explore the effect of multimodal guidance based on the concept of five senses and six senses on the sleep phase of postoperative patients with intestinal tumor.@*Methods@#A total of 110 patients with intestinal tumor after surgery from January 2018 to July 2019 in Qilu Hospital of Shandong University (Qingdao) were randomly divided into two groups, 55 patients in each group. The control group received routine daily care. Instructed, the experimental group conducted multimodal guided training based on the five senses and six senses on the basis of daily care, and continued intervention for 3 weeks. Polysomnography (PSG) was used to compare the sleep phase differences before and after intervention.@*Results@#The ratio of NREM to total sleep time, the ratio of stage 1 sleep time to total sleep time, the ratio of stage 3 sleep time to total sleep time, the ratio of stage 4 sleep time to total sleep time, and the ratio of REM to total sleep time after intervention. The number of NREM micro-wakes (Z value was -5.178--2.157, all P<0.05), the difference was statistically significant. The proportion of NREM in total sleep time, the proportion of sleep time in total sleep time, the number of NREM micro-wakes, and the number of REM micro-wakes decreased compared with the pre-intervention period; the proportion of sleep time in total sleep time in stage 3, sleep in stage 4 The proportion of time to total sleep time and the proportion of REM to total sleep time were increased compared with those before intervention (Z value was -6.029--4.064, all P<0.05), and the difference was statistically significant. In the control group, the proportion of sleep time in total sleep time was increased compared with that before intervention. The number of NREM micro-wake and the number of REM micro-wakes were lower than those before intervention (Z value was -2.948, -5.632, -2.475, all P<0.05). The difference was statistically significant.@*Conclusion@#Multimodal guided training based on the concept of five senses and six senses can effectively improve the sleep structure of patients with intestinal tumors and improve their sleep quality.

The Gentleman Vanishes: Dementia, Caretaking and the Life of the Mind.

This essay recounts the author's journey with her father during his prolonged decline due to dementia. The experience pushed her to break out of the confines of conventional scholarly research in her academic field of architectural history to a multi-disciplinary consideration of nineteenth-century environmental, sensory and horticultural therapies for the mentally ill. During her father's illness, she discovered the tangible therapeutic benefits of momentary engagements with his environment through his five senses and through the emotional filter of poetry. This reorientation to sensory and poetic experience had a beneficial impact on the caretaker as well.

Using the Five Senses of Success framework to understand the experiences of midwifery students enroled in an undergraduate degree program.

BACKGROUND: developing a student's sense of capability, purpose, resourcefulness, identity and connectedness (five-senses of success) are key factors that may be important in predicting student satisfaction and progression within their university program. AIM: the study aimed to examine the expectations and experiences of second and third year midwifery students enroled in a Bachelor of Midwifery program and identify barriers and enablers to success. METHOD: a descriptive exploratory qualitative design was used. Fifty-six students enroled in either year 2 or 3 of the Bachelor of Midwifery program in SE Queensland participated in an anonymous survey using open-ended questions. In addition, 16 students participated in two year-level focus groups. Template analysis, using the Five Senses Framework, was used to analyse the data set. FINDINGS: early exposure to 'hands on' clinical midwifery practice as well as continuity of care experiences provided students with an opportunity to link theory to practice and increased their perception of capability as they transitioned through the program. Students' sense of identity, purpose, resourcefulness, and capability was strongly influenced by the programs embedded meta-values, including a 'woman centred' approach. In addition, a student's ability to form strong positive relationships with women, peers, lecturers and supportive clinicians was central to developing connections and ultimately a sense of success. A sense of connection not only fostered an ongoing belief that challenges could be overcome but that students themselves could initiate or influence change. CONCLUSIONS: the five senses framework provided a useful lens through which to analyse the student experience. Key factors to student satisfaction and retention within a Bachelor of Midwifery program include: a clearly articulated midwifery philosophy, strategies to promote student connectedness including the use of social media, and further development of clinicians' skills in preceptorship, clinical teaching and facilitation. Program delivery methods and student support systems should be designed to enable maximum flexibility to promote capability and resourcefulness and embed sense of purpose and identity early in the program.

Positive Healthy Physiological Effects of Shinrin-yoku in Human / 日本温泉気候物理医学会雑誌

  The positive healthy physiological effects of shinrin-yoku in elderly persons were studied. Shinrin-yoku or forest bathing is considered to promote physical relaxation and to have physical and mental health benefits. In this experiment the subjects were elderly 24 male (65.5±2.5years) and 24female (65.0±3.0years) persons who participated in three measurements of shinrin-yoku effects from 2008 to 2010. All the subjects were healthy and volunteered for the experiment. The subjects participated in the shinrin-yoku measurements three times of two hours each on Wednesday in the third week of August in each year. The weather at the time of the three measurements was clear, with temperature of 30°C-32°C, humidity of 58%-60% and wind velocities of 0m/sec-2m/sec. Non-shinrin-yoku measurements were also performed on a different day in an indoor resting environment with the same subjects under the same conditions. For both the shinrin-yoku and non-shinrin-yoku measurements, the subjects were divided into three groups of 8 male and 8 female subjects equally. One was for the visual isolation group in which subjects wore eye masks, another was for the smell isolation group in which subjects wore masks, and the other was the control group in which subjects wore non-isolation material. The concentration of phytoncides in the air was measured using gas chromatography mass spectroscopy. Heart rate (HRs), blood pressure (BP), fasting levels of plasma catecholamine (adrenaline, noradrenalin and dopamine), plasma cortisol and circulating natural killer (NK) cell activity were measured before and after shinrin-yoku. Three kinds of phytoncides derived from trees were detected at the forest-bathing measurement spot in this study. The mean HRs for male subjects under shinrin-yoku and non-shinrin-yoku were 89bpm and 85bpm respectively. The mean HRs for female subjects under shinrin-yoku and non-shinrin-yoku were 86bpm and 85bpm respectively. In the smell isolation group and the control group, systric blood pressure for male and female subjects decreased significantly after shinrin-yoku. In the smell isolation group and the control group, diastolic blood pressure for male subjects decreased significantly after shinrin-yoku. In the smell isolation group and the control group, adrenaline levels for male and female subjects decreased significantly after shinrin-yoku. Among the male under the control and the female under the smell isolation and the control, noradrenaline levels decreased significantly after shinrin-yoku. Similarly, under the smell isolation, and the control, the male and female subjects showed significant decreases in the cortisol level. The NK cell activity of male and female subjects and had no significant change after shinrin-yoku. The BP, catecholamine level, cortisol level, and NK cell activity of male and female subjects showed no significant change after non-shinrin-yoku. The authors believe that this issue, and the general topic of shinrin-yoku and other environments with natural health benefits merit further study. It has been pointed out that the phytoncides and green forest environment in shinrin-yoku have a relaxing effect on the human body. As physical effects of shinrin-yoku, this study of male and female elderly subjects suggested the possibility of physiological effects in which appear within a short time and consist of multiple elements related to the human five senses, including the effects of phytoncides.   Future issues include accumulation of study results on the linkage between physiological/psychological responses and quantitative/qualitative data on odor and the visual sense.

Positive Healthy Physiological Effects of <I>Shinrin-yoku </I>in Human / 日本温泉気候物理医学会雑誌

  The positive healthy physiological effects of <I>shinrin-yoku </I>in elderly persons were studied. <I>Shinrin-yoku </I>or forest bathing is considered to promote physical relaxation and to have physical and mental health benefits. In this experiment the subjects were elderly 24 male (65.5±2.5years) and 24female (65.0±3.0years) persons who participated in three measurements of <I>shinrin-yoku </I>effects from 2008 to 2010. All the subjects were healthy and volunteered for the experiment. The subjects participated in the <I>shinrin-yoku </I>measurements three times of two hours each on Wednesday in the third week of August in each year. The weather at the time of the three measurements was clear, with temperature of 30°C-32°C, humidity of 58%-60% and wind velocities of 0m/sec-2m/sec. Non-<I>shinrin-yoku </I>measurements were also performed on a different day in an indoor resting environment with the same subjects under the same conditions. For both the <I>shinrin-yoku </I>and non-<I>shinrin-yoku </I>measurements, the subjects were divided into three groups of 8 male and 8 female subjects equally. One was for the visual isolation group in which subjects wore eye masks, another was for the smell isolation group in which subjects wore masks, and the other was the control group in which subjects wore non-isolation material. The concentration of phytoncides in the air was measured using gas chromatography mass spectroscopy. Heart rate (HRs), blood pressure (BP), fasting levels of plasma catecholamine (adrenaline, noradrenalin and dopamine), plasma cortisol and circulating natural killer (NK) cell activity were measured before and after <I>shinrin-yoku</I>. Three kinds of phytoncides derived from trees were detected at the forest-bathing measurement spot in this study. The mean HRs for male subjects under <I>shinrin-yoku </I>and non-shinrin-yoku were 89bpm and 85bpm respectively. The mean HRs for female subjects under <I>shinrin-yoku </I>and non-shinrin-yoku were 86bpm and 85bpm respectively. In the smell isolation group and the control group, systric blood pressure for male and female subjects decreased significantly after <I>shinrin-yoku</I>. In the smell isolation group and the control group, diastolic blood pressure for male subjects decreased significantly after <I>shinrin-yoku</I>. In the smell isolation group and the control group, adrenaline levels for male and female subjects decreased significantly after <I>shinrin-yoku</I>. Among the male under the control and the female under the smell isolation and the control, noradrenaline levels decreased significantly after <I>shinrin-yoku</I>. Similarly, under the smell isolation, and the control, the male and female subjects showed significant decreases in the cortisol level. The NK cell activity of male and female subjects and had no significant change after <I>shinrin-yoku</I>. The BP, catecholamine level, cortisol level, and NK cell activity of male and female subjects showed no significant change after non-<I>shinrin-yoku</I>. The authors believe that this issue, and the general topic of <I>shinrin-yoku </I>and other environments with natural health benefits merit further study. It has been pointed out that the phytoncides and green forest environment in <I>shinrin-yoku </I>have a relaxing effect on the human body. As physical effects of shinrin-yoku, this study of male and female elderly subjects suggested the possibility of physiological effects in which appear within a short time and consist of multiple elements related to the human five senses, including the effects of phytoncides.<BR>  Future issues include accumulation of study results on the linkage between physiological/psychological responses and quantitative/qualitative data on odor and the visual sense.

The science of five senses PBL teaching practice and research / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Objectiove To explore the teaching effectiveness of PBL teaching methods in the science of five senses teaching. Methods Random clinical medical students admitted in 2006 in our college were divided into 2 groups,PBL teaching methods were used in experimental group, and traditional teaching methods in the control group. Results The excellent and failure rates of the final exam scores of the students in the experimental group were 78.51% and 0.83% respectively,while in the control group were 47.62% and 8.73% respectively. After statistical treatment,compared with the excellent and failure rates in the experimental group and in the control group,the difference is of high significance. Conclusion The teaching effectiveness of PBL teaching methods in the science of five senses is better,which is worthy of promotion.