Measuring the perceived wellbeing of hemodialysis patients: A Mind Genomics cartography.

Chronic Kidney Disease patients under hemodialysis have high morbidity rate, which tends to considerably affect their health-related quality of life. Multiple studies that have made use of different questionnaries report the poor life quality of this patient group. The research in hand implemented the Mind Genomics Approach as a method to asses the health-related quality of life of hemodialysis patients, while relying on conjoint measurements to group individuals with similar patterns of responses to a certain mindset. The study is conducted in 3 clinics with 219 patients. It uncovers three clusters or mindsets: Mindset 1- Feels guardedly optimistic but worried about money, Mindset 2-Feels strongly positive because the state guarantees and the family supports, Mindset 3-Feels positive only about money. Based on the analysis of the collected data, the findings of this study suggest that the quality of life in hemodialysis patients is highly correlated to their financial status. The current study is one of the few first attempts to apply Mind Genomics in medical settings and the first, to our knowledge, in hemodialysis centers. This technology might enable healthcare proffesionals to provide personalized psychological treatment and additional social support to patients, which in turn could improve their clinical outcomes. The study is an example of using technology as a service.

The 'Average Person' Thinking About Radicalization: A Mind Genomics Cartography.

A group of 227 respondents, about half Muslims, half non-Muslims, evaluated different sets of 24 vignettes about beliefs, intending to 'predict' whether the person described in each vignette would be or not radicalized. The respondent also selected the likely emotion to be felt. The results suggest a low basic belief in the radicalizability of the described person according to non-Muslim respondents and a firmer fundamental belief in radicalizability by the Muslim respondent. The non-Muslim respondent differentiated strongly among the different elements in terms of prospective radicalization indications and linked three emotions to the vignettes (belong, identify, master). The Muslim respondents did not differentiate among the different elements of perspective signals to radicalization and linked only one emotion to the vignettes (secure). Unlike the emergent mindsets from other Mind Genomics studies, there do not appear to be mindsets concerning radicalizability, only a degree of differentiation rather than pattern.

A randomized controlled trial concerning the implementation of the postural Mézières treatment in elite athletes with low back pain.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of adding the Mézières Method (MM) to the standard rehabilitation protocol for the elite athletes with low back pain (LBP) in reducing lumbar pain rather than only using the traditional rehabilitation protocol treatment. The disciplines considered in this study were soccer, rhythmic gymnastics, and basketball. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Training Camp. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and thirty-nine elite athletes with low back pain of whom 69 were assigned to the experimental group. INTERVENTION: The intervention consists of treatment with three lying postures in a 40-minute-long session twice a week. The session's goal was to focus on breathing exercises, spine mobility, and stretching of the back muscles, with particular attention to the diaphragmatic, paravertebral, and latissimus dorsi muscles. OUTCOME MEASURES: Assessments such as Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Sit and Reach flexibility test, Roland-Morris Questionnaire, and health status questionnaire (SF12) were used. RESULTS: The evaluation of all outcomes in four measurement periods of the study (baseline, 4, 12, and 24 weeks) showed a significant difference between the groups. Also, at the 6 months of the intervention, a significant difference in the means (SD) was observed in pain (VAS), back flexibility (Sit & Reach) and back disability (QRM) outcomes in favor of the experimental group with a medium-large effect size compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: The MM approach can also be applied to established conventional protocols to alleviate pain and functionality. The obtained results include improving the quality of life of the athletes and their physical and emotional states.

The Mézières Method as a Novel Treatment for Elite Spanish Second-Division Soccer League Players With Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of 24 weeks of treatment with Mézières method in a Spanish elite second-division soccer team with low back pain (LBP), analyzing their state of back health, flexibility, pain, and steps speed. DESIGN: Double-blind randomized controlled trial. METHODS: A total of 20 players with LBP from the second soccer division league were allocated equally to the experimental and control groups (n = 10) as per selection criteria and participated in 2 different rehabilitation programs. The postural Mézières method was implemented in the experimental group, whereas the standard European treatment protocol for LBP was implemented in the control group. Both treatments had a twice weekly session of 40 minutes duration for 24 weeks consecutively with a follow-up in the fourth, 12th, and 24th weeks. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis of covariance with the baseline assessment as a covariance showed a significant difference between groups at the 12th and 24th weeks of the treatment for pain and back functionality. A relevant difference between the experimental and control groups was shown only at the 24th week of the treatment (P < .05) for back flexibility. A significant difference between groups was reported for the quality of life scale and steps speed at the 24th week of the treatment (P > .05). CONCLUSION: The Mézières method showed a positive effect in the elite soccer athletes with nonspecific chronic LBP and can be used as an alternative treatment.