Stereotype Threat Reinterpreted as a Regulatory Mismatch

PubMed Central

Grimm, Lisa R.; Markman, Arthur B.; Maddox, W. Todd; Baldwin, Grant C.

2008-01-01

Research documents performance decrements resulting from the activation of a negative task-relevant stereotype. We combine a number of strands of work to identify causes of stereotype threat in a way that allows us to reverse the effects and improve the performance of individuals with negative task-relevant stereotypes. We draw on prior work suggesting that negative stereotypes induce a prevention focus, and other research suggesting that people exhibit greater flexibility when their regulatory focus matches the reward structure of the task. This work suggests that stereotype threat effects emerge from a prevention focus combined with tasks that have an explicit or implicit gains reward structure. We find flexible performance can be induced in individuals who have a negative task-relevant stereotype by using a losses reward structure. We demonstrate the interaction of stereotypes and the reward structure of the task using chronic stereotypes and GRE math problems (Experiment 1), and primed stereotypes and a category learning task (Experiments 2a and 2b). We discuss implications of this research for other work on stereotype threat. PMID:19159133

Foraging on Individual Leaves by an Intracellular Feeding Insect Is Not Associated with Leaf Biomechanical Properties or Leaf Orientation

PubMed Central

Fiene, Justin; Kalns, Lauren; Nansen, Christian; Bernal, Julio; Harris, Marvin; Sword, Gregory A.

2013-01-01

Nearly all herbivorous arthropods make foraging-decisions on individual leaves, yet systematic investigations of the adaptive significance and ecological factors structuring these decisions are rare with most attention given to chewing herbivores. This study investigated why an intracellular feeding herbivore, Western flower thrips (WFT) Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande, generally avoids feeding on the adaxial leaf surface of cotton cotyledons. WFT showed a significant aversion to adaxial-feeding even when excised-cotyledons were turned up-side (abaxial-side ‘up’), suggesting that negative-phototaxis was not a primary cause of thrips foraging patterns. No-choice bioassays in which individual WFT females were confined to either the abaxial or adaxial leaf surface showed that 35% fewer offspring were produced when only adaxial feeding was allowed, which coincided with 32% less plant feeding on that surface. To test the hypothesis that leaf biomechanical properties inhibited thrips feeding on the adaxial surface, we used a penetrometer to measure two variables related to the ‘toughness’ of each leaf surface. Neither variable negatively co-varied with feeding. Thus, while avoiding the upper leaf surface was an adaptive foraging strategy, the proximate cause remains to be elucidated, but is likely due, in part, to certain leaf properties that inhibit feeding. PMID:24260510

What's in a name: mortality and the power of symbols.

PubMed

Christenfeld, N; Phillips, D P; Glynn, L M

1999-09-01

One's attitude about oneself, and the treatment one receives from others, might be affected, in some small but measurable way, by stigmatic or salutary labeling due to one's name. If names affect attitudes and attitudes affect longevity, then individuals with "positive" initials (e.g., A.C.E., V.I.P.) might live longer than those with "negative" initials (e.g., P.I.G., D.I.E.). Using California death certificates, 1969-1995, we isolated 2287 male decedents with "negative" initials and 1200 with "positive" initials. Males with positive initials live 4.48 years longer (p<0.0001), whereas males with negative initials die 2.80 years younger (p<0.0001) than matched controls. The longevity effects are smaller for females, with an increase of 3.36 years for the positive group (p<0.0001) and no decrease for the negative. Positive initials are associated with shifts away from causes of death with obvious psychological components (such as suicides and accidents), whereas negative initials are associated with shifts toward these causes. However, nearly all disease categories display an increase in longevity for the positive group and a decrease for the negative group. These findings cannot be explained by the effects of death cohort artifacts, gender, race, year of death, socioeconomic status, or parental neglect.

Verrucous Onychomycosis Caused by Curvularia in a Patient with Congenital Pterygium.

PubMed

Vineetha, Mary; Palakkal, Seena; Sobhanakumari, K; Celine, M I; Letha, V

2016-01-01

A 57 year healthy farmer with congenital nail pterygium presented with a verrucous growth on nail bed since 8 months. He was not diabetic and HIV rapid card test negative. Our clinical diagnosis was chromoblastomycosis but culture showed growth of curvularia species on two occasions and histopathology showed hyphal and yeast forms of the pigmented fungus. After excision biopsy patient was started on oral itraconazole. This case is reported due to rarity of verrucous cutaneous lesions caused by curvularia in immunocompetent individuals.

Ongoing Impact of HIV Infection on Mortality among Persons who Inject Drugs Despite Free Antiretroviral Therapy

PubMed Central

Lappalainen, Leslie; Hayashi, Kanna; Dong, Huiru; Milloy, M-J; Kerr, Thomas; Wood, Evan

2014-01-01

Aims To determine the impact of HIV infection on mortality over time among persons who inject drugs (PWID) in settings with free HIV/AIDS care. Design and Setting Prospective cohort study of PWID in Vancouver, Canada, recruited between May 1996 and December 2011. We ascertained morality rates and causes of death through a confidential linkage with the provincial vital statistics registry. Participants 2283 individuals were followed for a median of 60.9 months (Interquartile range: 34.4 – 113.1) among whom 622 (27.2%) individuals were HIV-positive at baseline, and 179 (7.8%) seroconverted during follow-up. Measurements The primary and secondary outcomes of interests were all-cause mortality and cause of death, respectively. The main independent variable of interest was HIV serostatus (positive vs. negative). We used Cox proportional hazards regression to determine factors associated with mortality, including socio-demographic variables, drug use behaviors and other risk behaviors. Findings Over the study period, 491 (21.5%) individuals died. In multivariate analyses, HIV infection remained independently associated with all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio = 3.15; 95% CI: 2.59 – 3.82). While all-cause mortality rates declined markedly during the study period (p < 0.001, the independent effect of HIV infection on mortality remained unchanged over time (p = 0.640). Among HIV-positive individuals, significant changes in causes of death from infectious and AIDS-related causes to non-AIDS-related etiologies were observed. Conclusions HIV infection continues to have a persistent impact on mortality rates among persons who inject drugs in settings with free HIV/AIDS care, though causes of death have shifted markedly from infectious and AIDS-related causes to non-AIDS-related etiologies. PMID:25203392

Negative wealth shock and short-term changes in depressive symptoms and medication adherence among late middle-aged adults.

PubMed

Pool, Lindsay R; Needham, Belinda L; Burgard, Sarah A; Elliott, Michael R; de Leon, Carlos F Mendes

2017-08-01

Experiencing a negative wealth shock in late middle age may cause high levels of stress and induce reductions in health-related consumption. We used data on late middle age individuals (51-64 years) from the longitudinal US-based Health and Retirement Study (N=19 281) to examine the relationship between negative wealth shock and short-term outcomes that serve as markers of the pathways from wealth shock to health: elevated depressive symptoms, as a marker of the stress pathway and cost-related medication non-adherence (CRN), as a marker of the consumption pathway. Negative wealth shock was considered to be a loss of total net worth of 75% or more. Using a nested cross-over approach-a within-person design among exposed individuals only that adjusts by design for all time-invariant individual characteristics-we found that negative wealth shock was significantly associated with increased odds of elevated depressive symptoms (OR=1.50, CI 1.10 to 2.05), but was not significantly associated with higher odds of CRN (OR=1.18, CI 0.76 to 1.82), even after further adjustment for time-varying sociodemographic and health covariates. Negative wealth shock during late middle age confers an increased risk of elevated depressive symptoms, but does not change levels of CRN. Personal and policy factors that may buffer the mental health risks of negative wealth shock, such as social support and social welfare policy, should be considered. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Depression and anxiety mediate the relationship between temperament and character and psychotic-like experiences in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Prochwicz, Katarzyna; Gawęda, Łukasz

2016-12-30

In this study we examined the hypothesis that depression and anxiety may mediate the relationship between personality traits and both positive and negative psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) in healthy adults. The Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE) scale, Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were administered to 492 healthy individuals. Multiple stepwise regression and mediation analyses were performed to examine whether depressive and anxiety symptoms influence the relationship between the TCI dimensions and positive and negative PLEs. Self-transcendence, persistence, novelty-seeking and self-directedness significantly predicted positive PLEs; self-directedness and harm avoidance were predictable for negative PLEs. Self-transcendence, self-directedness, persistence and harm avoidance also predicted the distress caused by positive PLEs, whereas self-directedness and harm avoidance predicted distress raised by negative PLEs. Depressive symptoms and the state of anxiety partially mediated the linkage between self-directedness and positive PLEs, and between self-directedness, harm avoidance and negative PLEs. Our findings confirm that the personality pattern influences both positive and negative PLEs as well as distress caused by experiencing positive and negative PLEs, and they indicate that certain personality traits may influence the development of PLEs via the emotional pathway of heightened depression and anxiety. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Constructing Stories of Self-Growth: How Individual Differences in Patterns of Autobiographical Reasoning Relate to Well-being in Midlife

PubMed Central

Lilgendahl, Jennifer Pals; McAdams, Dan P.

2010-01-01

Although growth has been a central focus in narrative research, few studies have examined growth comprehensively, as a story that emerges across the interpretation of many events. In this study, we examined how individual differences in autobiographical reasoning (AR) about self-growth relate to traits and well-being in midlife adults. Two patterns of growth-related AR were identified: 1) positive processing, defined as the average tendency to interpret events positively (vs. negatively), and 2) differentiated processing, defined as the extent to which past events are interpreted as causing a variety of forms of self-growth. Results showed that positive processing was negatively related to neuroticism and predicted well-being even after controlling for the average valence of past events. Additionally, differentiated processing of negative events but not positive events was positively related to openness and predictive of well-being. Finally, growth-related AR patterns independently predicted well-being beyond the effects of traits and demographic factors. PMID:21395593

In utero exposure to the Korean War and its long-term effects on socioeconomic and health outcomes.

PubMed

Lee, Chulhee

2014-01-01

Prenatal exposure to the disruptions caused by the Korean War (1950-1953) negatively affected the individual socioeconomic and health outcomes at older ages. The educational attainment, labor market performance, and other socioeconomic outcomes of the subjects of the 1951 birth cohort, who were in utero during the worst time of the war, were significantly lower in 1990 and in 2000. The results of difference-in-difference estimations suggest that the magnitude of the negative cohort effect is significantly larger for individuals who were more seriously traumatized by the war. Whereas the 1950 male birth cohort exhibited significantly higher disability and mortality rates at older age, the health outcomes of females are unaffected by the war. Different aspects of human capital (e.g., health and cognitive skills) were impaired by in utero exposure to the war, depending on the stage of pregnancy when the negative shocks were experienced. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antibacterial effects of afzelin isolated from Cornus macrophylla on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a leading cause of illness in immunocompromised individuals.

PubMed

Lee, Sang Yeol; So, Young-Jin; Shin, Moon Sam; Cho, Jae Youl; Lee, Jongsung

2014-03-17

The crude ethyl acetate extract of the leaves of Cornus macrophylla showed antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a leading cause of illness in immunocompromised individuals. Bioactivity-guided separation led to the isolation of kaempferol 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (afzelin). The structure was determined based on evaluation of its spectroscopic (UV, MS, and NMR) data. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of afzelin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was found to be 31 µg/mL. In addition, the results indicated that a hydroxyl group at C3 of the C-ring of the flavone skeleton and the rhamnose group may act as a negative factor and an enhancing factor, respectively, in the antibacterial activities of afzelin.

Within-individual correlations reveal link between a behavioral syndrome, condition and cortisol in free-ranging Belding's ground squirrels

PubMed Central

Brooks, Katherine C.; Mateo, Jill. M.

2014-01-01

Animals often exhibit consistent individual differences in behavior (i.e. animal personality) and correlations between behaviors (i.e. behavioral syndromes), yet the causes of those patterns of behavioral variation remain insufficiently understood. Many authors hypothesize that state-dependent behavior produces animal personality and behavioral syndromes. However, empirical studies assessing patterns of covariation among behavioral traits and state variables have produced mixed results. New statistical methods that partition correlations into between-individual and residual within-individual correlations offer an opportunity to more sufficiently quantify relationships among behaviors and state variables to assess hypotheses of animal personality and behavioral syndromes. In a population of wild Belding's ground squirrels (Urocitellus beldingi) we repeatedly measured activity, exploration, and response to restraint behaviors alongside glucocorticoids and nutritional condition. We used multivariate mixed models to determine whether between-individual or within-individual correlations drive phenotypic relationships among traits. Squirrels had consistent individual differences for all five traits. At the between-individual level, activity and exploration were positively correlated whereas both traits negatively correlated with response to restraint, demonstrating a behavioral syndrome. At the within-individual level, condition negatively correlated with cortisol, activity and exploration. Importantly, this indicates that although behavior is state-dependent, which may play a role in animal personality and behavioral syndromes, feedback mechanisms between condition and behavior appear not to produce consistent individual differences in behavior and correlations between them. PMID:25598565

[On efficiency of biomanagement with negative feedback from patient's EEG in correction of functional disorders, caused by stress].

PubMed

Fedotchev, A I

2010-01-01

The perspective approach to non-pharmacological correction of the stress induced functional disorders in humans, based on the double negative feedback from patient's EEG was validated and experimentally tested. The approach implies a simultaneous use of narrow frequency EEG-oscillators, characteristic for each patient and recorded in real time span, in two independent contours of negative feedback--traditional contour of adaptive biomanagement and additional contour of resonance stimulation. In the last the signals of negative feedback from individual narrow frequency EEG oscillators are not recognized by the subject, but serve for an automatic modulation of the parameters of the sensory impact. Was shown that due to combination of active (conscious perception) and passive (automatic modulation) use of signals of negative feedback from narrow frequency EEG components of the patient, opens a possibility of considerable increase of efficiency of the procedures of EEG biomanagement.

Helicobacter pylori-negative gastritis: prevalence and risk factors.

PubMed

Nordenstedt, Helena; Graham, David Y; Kramer, Jennifer R; Rugge, Massimo; Verstovsek, Gordana; Fitzgerald, Stephanie; Alsarraj, Abeer; Shaib, Yasser; Velez, Maria E; Abraham, Neena; Anand, Bhupinderjit; Cole, Rhonda; El-Serag, Hashem B

2013-01-01

Recent studies using histology alone in select patients have suggested that Helicobacter pylori-negative gastritis may be common. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of H. pylori among individuals with histologic gastritis. Subjects between 40 and 80 years underwent elective esophagogastroduodenoscopy at a VA Medical Center. Gastric biopsies were mapped from seven prespecified sites (two antrum, four corpus, and one cardia) and graded by two gastrointestinal pathologists, using the Updated Sydney System. H. pylori-negative required four criteria: negative triple staining at all seven gastric sites, negative H. pylori culture, negative IgG H. pylori serology, and no previous treatment for H. pylori. Data regarding tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use were obtained by questionnaire. Of the 491 individuals enrolled, 40.7% (200) had gastritis of at least grade 2 in at least one biopsy site or grade 1 in at least two sites. Forty-one (20.5%) had H. pylori-negative gastritis; most (30 or 73.2%) had chronic gastritis, five (12.2%) had active gastritis, and six (14.6%) had both. H. pylori-negative gastritis was approximately equally distributed in the antrum, corpus, and both antrum and corpus. Past and current PPI use was more frequent in H. pylori-negative vs. H. pylori-positive gastritis (68.2% and 53.8%; P=0.06). We used multiple methods to define non-H. pylori gastritis and found it in 21% of patients with histologic gastritis. While PPI use is a potential risk factor, the cause or implications of this entity are not known.

Helicobacter pylori-Negative Gastritis: Prevalence and Risk Factors

PubMed Central

Nordenstedt, Helena; Graham, David Y.; Kramer, Jennifer R.; Rugge, Massimo; Verstovsek, Gordana; Fitzgerald, Stephanie; Alsarraj, Abeer; Shaib, Yasser; Velez, Maria E.; Abraham, Neena; Anand, Bhupinderjit; Cole, Rhonda; El-Serag, Hashem B.

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVES Recent studies using histology alone in select patients have suggested that Helicobacter pylori-negative gastritis may be common. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of H. pylori among individuals with histologic gastritis. METHODS Subjects between 40 and 80 years underwent elective esophagogastroduodenoscopy at a VA Medical Center. Gastric biopsies were mapped from seven prespecified sites (two antrum, four corpus, and one cardia) and graded by two gastrointestinal pathologists, using the Updated Sydney System. H. pylori-negative required four criteria: negative triple staining at all seven gastric sites, negative H. pylori culture, negative IgG H. pylori serology, and no previous treatment for H. pylori. Data regarding tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use were obtained by questionnaire. RESULTS Of the 491 individuals enrolled, 40.7% (200) had gastritis of at least grade 2 in at least one biopsy site or grade 1 in at least two sites. Forty-one (20.5%) had H. pylori-negative gastritis; most (30 or 73.2%) had chronic gastritis, five (12.2%) had active gastritis, and six (14.6%) had both. H. pylori-negative gastritis was approximately equally distributed in the antrum, corpus, and both antrum and corpus. Past and current PPI use was more frequent in H. pylori-negative vs. H. pylori-positive gastritis (68.2% and 53.8%; P = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS We used multiple methods to define non-H. pylori gastritis and found it in 21% of patients with histologic gastritis. While PPI use is a potential risk factor, the cause or implications of this entity are not known. PMID:23147524

Attachment and the processing of social information across the life span: theory and evidence.

PubMed

Dykas, Matthew J; Cassidy, Jude

2011-01-01

Researchers have used J. Bowlby's (1969/1982, 1973, 1980, 1988) attachment theory frequently as a basis for examining whether experiences in close personal relationships relate to the processing of social information across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. We present an integrative life-span-encompassing theoretical model to explain the patterns of results that have emerged from these studies. The central proposition is that individuals who possess secure experience-based internal working models of attachment will process--in a relatively open manner--a broad range of positive and negative attachment-relevant social information. Moreover, secure individuals will draw on their positive attachment-related knowledge to process this information in a positively biased schematic way. In contrast, individuals who possess insecure internal working models of attachment will process attachment-relevant social information in one of two ways, depending on whether the information could cause the individual psychological pain. If processing the information is likely to lead to psychological pain, insecure individuals will defensively exclude this information from further processing. If, however, the information is unlikely to lead to psychological pain, then insecure individuals will process this information in a negatively biased schematic fashion that is congruent with their negative attachment-related experiences. In a comprehensive literature review, we describe studies that illustrate these patterns of attachment-related information processing from childhood to adulthood. This review focuses on studies that have examined specific components (e.g., attention and memory) and broader aspects (e.g., attributions) of social information processing. We also provide general conclusions and suggestions for future research.

Molecular and phenotypic aspects of CHD7 mutation in CHARGE syndrome

PubMed Central

Zentner, Gabriel E.; Layman, Wanda S.; Martin, Donna M.; Scacheri, Peter C.

2010-01-01

CHARGE syndrome (Coloboma of the eye, Heart defects, Atresia of the choanae, Retardation of growth and/or development, Genital and/or urinary abnormalities, and Ear abnormalities (including deafness) is a genetic disorder characterized by a specific and a recognizable pattern of anomalies. De novo mutations in the gene encoding chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 7 (CHD7) are the major cause of CHARGE syndrome. Here, we review the clinical features of 379 CHARGE patients who tested positive or negative for mutations in CHD7. We found that CHARGE individuals with CHD7 mutations more commonly have ocular colobomas, temporal bone anomalies (semicircular canal hypoplasia/dysplasia), and facial nerve paralysis compared with mutation negative individuals. We also highlight recent genetic and genomic studies that have provided functional insights into CHD7 and the pathogenesis of CHARGE syndrome. PMID:20186815

A Restricted Repertoire of De Novo Mutations in ITPR1 Cause Gillespie Syndrome with Evidence for Dominant-Negative Effect

PubMed Central

McEntagart, Meriel; Williamson, Kathleen A.; Rainger, Jacqueline K.; Wheeler, Ann; Seawright, Anne; De Baere, Elfride; Verdin, Hannah; Bergendahl, L. Therese; Quigley, Alan; Rainger, Joe; Dixit, Abhijit; Sarkar, Ajoy; López Laso, Eduardo; Sanchez-Carpintero, Rocio; Barrio, Jesus; Bitoun, Pierre; Prescott, Trine; Riise, Ruth; McKee, Shane; Cook, Jackie; McKie, Lisa; Ceulemans, Berten; Meire, Françoise; Temple, I. Karen; Prieur, Fabienne; Williams, Jonathan; Clouston, Penny; Németh, Andrea H.; Banka, Siddharth; Bengani, Hemant; Handley, Mark; Freyer, Elisabeth; Ross, Allyson; van Heyningen, Veronica; Marsh, Joseph A.; Elmslie, Frances; FitzPatrick, David R.

2016-01-01

Gillespie syndrome (GS) is characterized by bilateral iris hypoplasia, congenital hypotonia, non-progressive ataxia, and progressive cerebellar atrophy. Trio-based exome sequencing identified de novo mutations in ITPR1 in three unrelated individuals with GS recruited to the Deciphering Developmental Disorders study. Whole-exome or targeted sequence analysis identified plausible disease-causing ITPR1 mutations in 10/10 additional GS-affected individuals. These ultra-rare protein-altering variants affected only three residues in ITPR1: Glu2094 missense (one de novo, one co-segregating), Gly2539 missense (five de novo, one inheritance uncertain), and Lys2596 in-frame deletion (four de novo). No clinical or radiological differences were evident between individuals with different mutations. ITPR1 encodes an inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate-responsive calcium channel. The homo-tetrameric structure has been solved by cryoelectron microscopy. Using estimations of the degree of structural change induced by known recessive- and dominant-negative mutations in other disease-associated multimeric channels, we developed a generalizable computational approach to indicate the likely mutational mechanism. This analysis supports a dominant-negative mechanism for GS variants in ITPR1. In GS-derived lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs), the proportion of ITPR1-positive cells using immunofluorescence was significantly higher in mutant than control LCLs, consistent with an abnormality of nuclear calcium signaling feedback control. Super-resolution imaging supports the existence of an ITPR1-lined nucleoplasmic reticulum. Mice with Itpr1 heterozygous null mutations showed no major iris defects. Purkinje cells of the cerebellum appear to be the most sensitive to impaired ITPR1 function in humans. Iris hypoplasia is likely to result from either complete loss of ITPR1 activity or structure-specific disruption of multimeric interactions. PMID:27108798

Development of a Simple, Peripheral-Blood-Based Lateral-Flow Dipstick Assay for Accurate Detection of Patients with Enteric Fever

PubMed Central

Khan, Iqbal Hassan; Sayeed, M. Abu; Sultana, Nishat; Islam, Kamrul; Amin, Jakia; Faruk, M. Omar; Khan, Umama; Khanam, Farhana; Ryan, Edward T.

2016-01-01

Enteric fever is a systemic infection caused by typhoidal strains of Salmonella enterica and is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in many parts of the world, especially in resource-limited areas. Unfortunately, currently available diagnostic tests for enteric fever lack sensitivity and/or specificity. No true clinically practical gold standard for diagnosing patients with enteric fever exists. Unfortunately, microbiologic culturing of blood is only 30 to 70% sensitive although 100% specific. Here, we report the development of a lateral-flow immunochromatographic dipstick assay based on the detection of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-specific IgG in lymphocyte culture secretion. We tested the assay using samples from 142 clinically suspected enteric fever patients, 28 healthy individuals residing in a zone where enteric fever is endemic, and 35 patients with other febrile illnesses. In our analysis, the dipstick detected all blood culture-confirmed S. Typhi cases (48/48) and 5 of 6 Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi A blood cultured-confirmed cases. The test was negative in all 35 individuals febrile with other illnesses and all 28 healthy controls from the zone of endemicity. The test was positive in 19 of 88 individuals with suspected enteric fever but with negative blood cultures. Thus, the dipstick had a sensitivity of 98% compared to blood culture results and a specificity that ranged from 78 to 100% (95% confidence interval [CI], 70 to 100%), depending on the definition of a true negative. These results suggest that this dipstick assay can be very useful for the detection of enteric fever patients especially in regions of endemicity. PMID:26961857

Ataxia telangiectasia presenting as dopa-responsive cervical dystonia

PubMed Central

Mohire, Mahavir D.; Schneider, Susanne A.; Stamelou, Maria; Wood, Nicholas W.; Bhatia, Kailash P.

2013-01-01

Objective: To identify the cause of cervical dopa-responsive dystonia (DRD) in a Muslim Indian family inherited in an apparently autosomal recessive fashion, as previously described in this journal. Methods: Previous testing for mutations in the genes known to cause DRD (GCH1, TH, and SPR) had been negative. Whole exome sequencing was performed on all 3 affected individuals for whom DNA was available to identify potentially pathogenic shared variants. Genotyping data obtained for all 3 affected individuals using the OmniExpress single nucleotide polymorphism chip (Illumina, San Diego, CA) were used to perform linkage analysis, autozygosity mapping, and copy number variation analysis. Sanger sequencing was used to confirm all variants. Results: After filtering of the variants, exome sequencing revealed 2 genes harboring potentially pathogenic compound heterozygous variants (ATM and LRRC16A). Of these, the variants in ATM segregated perfectly with the cervical DRD. Both mutations detected in ATM have been shown to be pathogenic, and α-fetoprotein, a marker of ataxia telangiectasia, was increased in all affected individuals. Conclusion: Biallelic mutations in ATM can cause DRD, and mutations in this gene should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unexplained DRD, particularly if the dystonia is cervical and if there is a recessive family history. ATM has previously been reported to cause isolated cervical dystonia, but never, to our knowledge, DRD. Individuals with dystonia related to ataxia telangiectasia may benefit from a trial of levodopa. PMID:23946315

Attributional Style and Depression in Multiple Sclerosis

PubMed Central

Arnett, Peter A.

2013-01-01

Several etiologic theories have been proposed to explain depression in the general population. Studying these models and modifying them for use in the multiple sclerosis (MS) population may allow us to better understand depression in MS. According to the reformulated learned helplessness (LH) theory, individuals who attribute negative events to internal, stable, and global causes are more vulnerable to depression. This study differentiated attributional style that was or was not related to MS in 52 patients with MS to test the LH theory in this population and to determine possible differences between illness-related and non-illness-related attributions. Patients were administered measures of attributional style, daily stressors, disability, and depressive symptoms. Participants were more likely to list non-MS-related than MS-related causes of negative events on the Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ), and more-disabled participants listed significantly more MS-related causes than did less-disabled individuals. Non-MS-related attributional style correlated with stress and depressive symptoms, but MS-related attributional style did not correlate with disability or depressive symptoms. Stress mediated the effect of non-MS-related attributional style on depressive symptoms. These results suggest that, although attributional style appears to be an important construct in MS, it does not seem to be related directly to depressive symptoms; rather, it is related to more perceived stress, which in turn is related to increased depressive symptoms. PMID:24453767

Attributional style and depression in multiple sclerosis: the learned helplessness model.

PubMed

Vargas, Gray A; Arnett, Peter A

2013-01-01

Several etiologic theories have been proposed to explain depression in the general population. Studying these models and modifying them for use in the multiple sclerosis (MS) population may allow us to better understand depression in MS. According to the reformulated learned helplessness (LH) theory, individuals who attribute negative events to internal, stable, and global causes are more vulnerable to depression. This study differentiated attributional style that was or was not related to MS in 52 patients with MS to test the LH theory in this population and to determine possible differences between illness-related and non-illness-related attributions. Patients were administered measures of attributional style, daily stressors, disability, and depressive symptoms. Participants were more likely to list non-MS-related than MS-related causes of negative events on the Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ), and more-disabled participants listed significantly more MS-related causes than did less-disabled individuals. Non-MS-related attributional style correlated with stress and depressive symptoms, but MS-related attributional style did not correlate with disability or depressive symptoms. Stress mediated the effect of non-MS-related attributional style on depressive symptoms. These results suggest that, although attributional style appears to be an important construct in MS, it does not seem to be related directly to depressive symptoms; rather, it is related to more perceived stress, which in turn is related to increased depressive symptoms.

Testing a "content meets process" model of depression vulnerability and rumination: Exploring the moderating role of set-shifting deficits.

PubMed

Vergara-Lopez, Chrystal; Lopez-Vergara, Hector I; Roberts, John E

2016-03-01

MacCoon and Newman's (2006) "content meets process" model posits that deficits in cognitive control make it difficult to disengage from negative cognitions caused by a negative cognitive style (NCS). The present study examined if the interactive effect of cognitive set-shifting abilities and NCS predicts rumination and past history of depression. Participants were 90 previously depressed individuals and 95 never depressed individuals. We administered three laboratory tasks that assess set-shifting: the Wisconsin Card-Sorting Task, the Emotional Card-Sorting Task, and the Internal Switch Task, and self-report measures of NCS and rumination. Shifting ability in the context of emotional distractors moderated the association between NCS and depressive rumination. Although previously depressed individuals had more NCS and higher trait rumination relative to never depressed individuals, shifting ability did not moderate the association between NCS and depression history. The cross-sectional correlational design cannot address the causal direction of effects. It is also not clear whether findings will generalize beyond college students. NCS was elevated in previously depressed individuals consistent with its theoretical role as trait vulnerability to the disorder. Furthermore, NCS may be particularly likely to trigger rumination among individuals with poor capacity for cognitive control in the context of emotional distraction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tolerance of negative emotion moderates the amplification of mental contamination following an evoking task: A randomized experimental study.

PubMed

Fergus, Thomas A

2018-06-01

Contamination is a near universal feeling, with mental contamination representing a contamination feeling in the absence of direct physical contact with a source. Extant research indicates that tolerance of negative emotion is important for understanding emotional reactions to images, thoughts, and memories, all of which are common sources of mental contamination. Extending research linking distress tolerance to mental contamination, this study examined if individual differences in the tolerance of negative emotion moderates the amplification of mental contamination following an evoking task. Unselected participants completed a self-report measure of tolerance of negative emotion during an online session. They later attended an in-person session and were randomized to an experimental scenario group: betrayal (n = 49) or control (n = 49). Participants imagined themselves in a scenario, with the betrayal scenario designed to evoke mental contamination. Mental contamination was assessed by self-report before and after the scenario. The betrayal, but not control, scenario caused an increase in mental contamination. Tolerance for negative emotion moderated the effect of group on mental contamination. Group differences in mental contamination evidenced at low, but not high, distress tolerance. A novel experimental manipulation and an unselected sample were used. Future research could assess tolerance of negative emotion using a behavioral task. These results indicate that tolerance of negative emotion may be important for understanding when individuals experience mental contamination. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Positive and negative meanings are simultaneously ascribed to colorectal cancer: relationship to quality of life and psychosocial adjustment.

PubMed

Camacho, Aldo Aguirre; Garland, Sheila N; Martopullo, Celestina; Pelletier, Guy

2014-08-01

Experiencing cancer can give rise to existential concerns causing great distress, and consequently drive individuals to make sense of what cancer may mean to their lives. To date, meaning-based research in the context of cancer has largely focused on one possible outcome of this process, the emergence of positive meanings (e.g. post-traumatic growth). However, negative meanings may also be ascribed to cancer, simultaneously with positive meanings. This study focused on the nature of the co-existence of positive and negative meanings in a sample of individuals diagnosed with colorectal cancer to find out whether negative meaning had an impact on quality of life and psychosocial adjustment above and beyond positive meaning. Participants were given questionnaires measuring meaning-made, quality of life, and psychological distress. Semi structured interviews were conducted with a subgroup from the original sample. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that negative meaning-made (i.e. helplessness) was a significant predictor of poor quality of life and increased levels of depression/anxiety above and beyond positive meaning-made (i.e. life meaningfulness, acceptance, and perceived benefits). Correlational analyses and interview data revealed that negative meaning-made was mainly associated with physical and functional disability, while positive meaning-made was mostly related to emotional and psychological well-being. Meanings of varying valence may simultaneously be ascribed to cancer as it impacts different life dimensions, and they may independently influence quality of life and psychosocial adjustment. The presence of positive meaning was not enough to prevent the detrimental effects of negative meaning on psychosocial adjustment and quality of life among individuals taking part in this study. Future attention to negative meaning is warranted, as it may be at least as important as positive meaning in predicting psychosocial adjustment and quality of life following a cancer diagnosis.

Analysis Influence of Managerial Competence, Technical Competence, and Strategic Competence on Firm Performance in Electrical Engineering Company in Bandung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wijaya, E. R.; Irianto, D.

2018-03-01

The industry sectors that have an important role in the era of globalization is the electro engineering sector. The era of globalization led to intense competition. One of the negative effects of the intense competition is declining profits. Drop in profits caused many firms reduces their employees without seeking the root cause of declining profits in detail. Whereas, employee is the important resources to maintain competitive advantage. Competitive advantage can be measured by the performance of which is owned by the firm. The firm's performance can be formed of competencies that is unique, rare, irreplaceable, and difficult to imitate within the firm, one of them is the competence of the individual. According to a competency-based approach and the resource- based approach, individual competence that affect the performance of the firm is managerial competence, technical competence, and strategic competence. Questionnaire is built based on the dimensions of the firm's performance, managerial competence, technical competence, and strategic competence, are processed using partial least squares application. The results indicate that managerial competence negatively impact firm’s performance with weak ties. The technical competence and strategic competence positively affect firm’s performance with moderate ties.

Aetiology of sudden cardiac death in sport: a histopathologist's perspective.

PubMed

Sheppard, Mary N

2012-11-01

In the UK, when a young person dies suddenly, the coroner is responsible for establishing the cause of death. They will ask a consultant pathologist to carry out an autopsy in order to ascertain when, where and how that person died. Once the cause of death is established and is due to natural causes, the coroner can issue a death certificate. Importantly, the coroner is not particularly interested in the cause of death as long as it is due to natural causes, which avoids the need for an inquest (a public hearing about the death). However, if no identifiable cause is established at the initial autopsy, the coroner can refer the heart to a cardiac pathologist, since the cause of death is usually due to heart disease in most cases. Consultant histopathologists are responsible for the analysis of human tissue from both living individuals and the dead in order to make a diagnosis of disease. With recent advancements in the management protocols for routine autopsy practice and assessment following the sudden death of a young individual, this review describes the role of the consultant histopathologist in the event of a sudden death of a young athletic individual, together with the older middle-aged 'weekend warrior' athlete. It provides concise mechanisms for the main causes of sudden cardiac death (including coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, valve abnormalities, major vessel ruptures and electrical conduction abnormalities) based on detailed autopsy data from our specialised cardiac pathology laboratory. Finally, the review will discuss the role of the histopathologist in the event of a 'negative' autopsy.

'Health should not have to be a problem': talking health and accountability in an internet forum on veganism.

PubMed

Sneijder, Petra; te Molder, Hedwig F M

2004-07-01

This article draws upon insights from discursive psychology to examine how participants in an Internet forum on veganism orient to the relationship between food choice, health and accountability. First, we explore the ways in which participants ascribe responsibility for health problems like vitamin deficiency to individual recipients. By suggesting individual practices as a cause for problems, speakers undermine the notion that problems arise through veganism as a matter of principle. Second, we show how participants construct solutions to individual health problems as involving mundane and simple actions. Both discursive procedures enable speakers to resist negative assumptions about the potentially complicated nature of veganism in relation to health protection.

Knowing How and Showing How: Interdisciplinary Collaboration on Substance Abuse Skill OSCEs for Medical, Nursing and Social Work Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baez, Annecy; Eckert-Norton, Margaret; Morrison, Ann

2005-01-01

The problem use of alcohol causes over 100,000 deaths in the United States per year and has substantial negative impact on family structure, the economy and the criminal justice system. Screening and early treatment of individuals with problem use of alcohol by health professionals can significantly reduce mortality and morbidity. Students from…

Pale and dark morphs of tawny owls show different patterns of telomere dynamics in relation to disease status.

PubMed

Karell, Patrik; Bensch, Staffan; Ahola, Kari; Asghar, Muhammad

2017-07-26

Parasites are expected to exert long-term costs on host fecundity and longevity. Understanding the consequences of heritable polymorphic variation in disease defence in wild populations is essential in order to predict evolutionary responses to changes in disease risk. Telomeres have been found to shorten faster in malaria-diseased individuals compared with healthy ones with negative effects on longevity and thereby fitness. Here, we study the impact of haemosporidian blood parasites on telomere dynamics in tawny owls, which display a highly heritable plumage colour polymorphism. Previously, it has been shown that blood parasites have morph-specific impact on body mass maintenance. Here, we show that telomeres shortened faster in individuals with shorter breeding lifespan. Telomere length was negatively associated with the degree of pheomelanic brown coloration and shorter in infected than uninfected individuals. The rate of telomere shortening between breeding seasons was faster in darker pheomelanic individuals and suppression of parasite intensity between seasons was associated with faster telomere shortening in the paler individuals but not in darker ones. We propose that morph-specific physiological profiles cause differential telomere shortening and that this is likely to be a mechanism involved in previously documented environment-driven survival selection against the pheomelanic morph in this population. © 2017 The Author(s).

Social exclusion leads to attentional bias to emotional social information: Evidence from eye movement.

PubMed

Chen, Zhuohao; Du, Jinchen; Xiang, Min; Zhang, Yan; Zhang, Shuyue

2017-01-01

Social exclusion has many effects on individuals, including the increased need to belong and elevated sensitivity to social information. Using a self-reporting method, and an eye-tracking technique, this study explored people's need to belong and attentional bias towards the socio-emotional information (pictures of positive and negative facial expressions compared to those of emotionally-neutral expressions) after experiencing a brief episode of social exclusion. We found that: (1) socially-excluded individuals reported higher negative emotions, lower positive emotions, and stronger need to belong than those who were not socially excluded; (2) compared to a control condition, social exclusion caused a longer response time to probe dots after viewing positive or negative face images; (3) social exclusion resulted in a higher frequency ratio of first attentional fixation on both positive and negative emotional facial pictures (but not on the neutral pictures) than the control condition; (4) in the social exclusion condition, participants showed shorter first fixation latency and longer first fixation duration to positive pictures than neutral ones but this effect was not observed for negative pictures; (5) participants who experienced social exclusion also showed longer gazing duration on the positive pictures than those who did not; although group differences also existed for the negative pictures, the gaze duration bias from both groups showed no difference from chance. This study demonstrated the emotional response to social exclusion as well as characterising multiple eye-movement indicators of attentional bias after experiencing social exclusion.

Social exclusion leads to attentional bias to emotional social information: Evidence from eye movement

PubMed Central

Xiang, Min; Zhang, Yan; Zhang, Shuyue

2017-01-01

Social exclusion has many effects on individuals, including the increased need to belong and elevated sensitivity to social information. Using a self-reporting method, and an eye-tracking technique, this study explored people’s need to belong and attentional bias towards the socio-emotional information (pictures of positive and negative facial expressions compared to those of emotionally-neutral expressions) after experiencing a brief episode of social exclusion. We found that: (1) socially-excluded individuals reported higher negative emotions, lower positive emotions, and stronger need to belong than those who were not socially excluded; (2) compared to a control condition, social exclusion caused a longer response time to probe dots after viewing positive or negative face images; (3) social exclusion resulted in a higher frequency ratio of first attentional fixation on both positive and negative emotional facial pictures (but not on the neutral pictures) than the control condition; (4) in the social exclusion condition, participants showed shorter first fixation latency and longer first fixation duration to positive pictures than neutral ones but this effect was not observed for negative pictures; (5) participants who experienced social exclusion also showed longer gazing duration on the positive pictures than those who did not; although group differences also existed for the negative pictures, the gaze duration bias from both groups showed no difference from chance. This study demonstrated the emotional response to social exclusion as well as characterising multiple eye-movement indicators of attentional bias after experiencing social exclusion. PMID:29040279

A longitudinal twin study of the association between childhood autistic traits and psychotic experiences in adolescence.

PubMed

Taylor, Mark J; Robinson, Elise B; Happé, Francesca; Bolton, Patrick; Freeman, Daniel; Ronald, Angelica

2015-01-01

This twin study investigated whether autistic traits during childhood were associated with adolescent psychotic experiences. Data were collected from a community sample of approximately 5000 twin pairs, which included 32 individuals with diagnosed autism spectrum conditions (ASC). Parents rated autistic traits in the twins at four points between ages 8-16 years. Positive, negative, and cognitive psychotic experiences were assessed at age 16 years using self- and parent-report scales. Longitudinal twin analyses tested the associations between these measures. Autistic traits correlated weakly or nonsignificantly with positive psychotic experiences (paranoia, hallucinations, and grandiosity), and modestly with cognitive psychotic experiences (cognitive disorganisation). Higher correlations were observed for parent-rated negative symptoms and self-reported anhedonia, although the proportion of variance in both accounted for by autistic traits was low (10 and 31 %, respectively). The majority of the genetic influences on negative symptoms and anhedonia were independent of autistic traits. Additionally, individuals with ASC displayed significantly more negative symptoms, anhedonia, and cognitive disorganisation than controls. Autistic traits do not appear to be strongly associated with psychotic experiences in adolescence; associations were also largely restricted to negative symptoms. Of note, the degree to which the genetic and environmental causes of autistic traits influenced psychotic experiences was limited. These findings thus support a phenotypic and etiological distinction between autistic traits and psychotic experiences.

Confirming the structure of negative beliefs about psychosis and bipolar disorder: A confirmatory factor analysis study of the Personal Beliefs about Experience Questionnaire and Personal Beliefs about Illness Questionnaire.

PubMed

Taylor, Peter J; Pyle, Melissa; Schwannauer, Matthias; Hutton, Paul; Morrison, Anthony

2015-11-01

Negative beliefs about psychosis and other mental health difficulties may contribute to depression and distress in individuals with these experiences. The Personal Beliefs about Experience Questionnaire (PBEQ) and Personal Beliefs about Illness Questionnaire (PBIllQ) are two widely used measures of these beliefs. It is currently uncertain how the items on these measures map onto different underlying factors. This study therefore aimed to test the factor structure of these two measures. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test three alternative, pre-specified, factor structures for the PBIllQ and PBEQ in a sample of individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder (n = 202) and a sample of individuals with experien-ces of psychosis (n = 362). Associations with depressive symptoms were also examined. A three-factor structure was supported for both measures, which included Negative Expectations/Appraisals (NEA), Internal Shame/Defectiveness (ISD) and External Shame (ES) factors. The NEA and ISD subscales also had consistent independent associations with depressive symptoms. The results suggest that the PBIllQ and PBEQ may capture three distinct sets of negative beliefs in individuals with psychosis or bipolar disorder and that these beliefs may have important consequences for subsequent difficulties in these populations such as depression. Both measures may be helpful in supporting assessment and formulation in clinical practice and in evaluating belief change in intervention trials. However, when used in these settings, the three subscales identified in this study may be the most valid way of calculating scores on these measures. Negative personal beliefs about the causes, meaning and consequences of psychosis and bipolar disorder are associated with greater distress and depression. Two related measures, the PBIllQ and PBEQ, have been developed to assess these beliefs. Our analyses suggest that scores on these questionnaires are best broken down into three subscales which capture perceptions of internal shame or defectiveness, general negative appraisals and perceptions of external shame. These subscales may capture key underlying sets of negative beliefs within individuals with psychosis or bipolar disorder, which in turn impact upon well-being, such as being associated with greater depression. These subscales can be used to aid assessment and formulation within clinical practice but may also provide a valuable means of assessing changes in negative beliefs following interventions. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

Patch testing with a new fragrance mix - reactivity to the individual constituents and chemical detection in relevant cosmetic products.

PubMed

Frosch, Peter J; Rastogi, Suresh C; Pirker, Claudia; Brinkmeier, Thomas; Andersen, Klaus E; Bruze, Magnus; Svedman, Cecilia; Goossens, An; White, Ian R; Uter, Wolfgang; Arnau, Elena Giménez; Lepoittevin, Jean-Pierre; Johansen, Jeanne Duus; Menne, Torkil

2005-04-01

A new fragrance mix (FM II), with 6 frequently used chemicals not present in the currently used fragrance mix (FM I), was evaluated in 6 dermatological centres in Europe, as previously reported. In this publication, test results with the individual constituents and after repeated open application test (ROAT) of FM II are described. Furthermore, cosmetic products which had caused a contact dermatitis in patients were analysed for the presence of the individual constituents. In 1701 patients, the individual constituents of the medium (14%) and the highest (28%) concentration of FM II were simultaneously applied with the new mix at 3 concentrations (break-down testing for the lowest concentration of FM II (2.8%) was performed only if the mix was positive). ROAT was performed with the concentration of the FM II which had produced a positive or doubtful (+ or ?+) patch test reaction. Patients' products were analysed for the 6 target compounds by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). 50 patients (2.9%) showed a positive reaction to 14% FM II and 70 patients (4.1%) to 28% FM II. 24/50 (48%) produced a positive reaction to 1 or more of the individual constituents of 14% FM II and 38/70 (54.3%) to 28% FM II, respectively. If doubtful reactions to individual constituents are included, the break-down testing was positive in 74% and 70%, respectively. Patients with a positive reaction to 14% FM II showed a higher rate of reactions to the individual constituent of the 28% FM II: 36/50 (72%). Positive reactions to individual constituents in patients negative to FM II were exceedingly rare. If doubtful reactions are regarded as negative, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for the medium concentration of FM II towards at least 1 individual constituent was 92.3% (exact 95% confidence interval 74.9-99.1%), 98.4% (97.7-99.0%), 48% (33.7-62.6%) and 99.9% (99.6-"100.0%), respectively. For the high concentration, the figures were very similar. The frequency of positive reactions to the individual constituents in descending order was the same for both FM II concentrations: hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (Lyral) > citral > farnesol > citronellol > alpha-hexyl-cinnamic aldehyde (AHCA). No unequivocally positive reaction to coumarin was observed. Lyral) was the dominant individual constituent, with positive reactions in 36% of patients reacting to 14% FM II and 37.1% to 28% FM II. 5/11 patients developed a positive ROAT after a median of 7 days (range 2-10). The 5 patients with a doubtful or negative reaction to 28% FM II were all ROAT negative except 1. There were 7 patients with a certain fragrance history and a positive reaction to either 28% or 14% FM II but a negative reaction to FM I. Analysis with GC-MS in a total of 24 products obtained from 12 patients showed at least 1-5 individual constituents per product: Lyral (79.2%), citronellol (87.5%), AHCA (58.3%), citral (50%) and coumarin (50%). The patients were patch test positive to Lyral, citral and AHCA. In conclusion, patients with a certain fragrance history and a negative reaction to FM I can be identified by FM II. Testing with individual constituents is positive in about 50% of cases reacting to either 14% or 28% FM II.

How Self-Generated Thought Shapes Mood—The Relation between Mind-Wandering and Mood Depends on the Socio-Temporal Content of Thoughts

PubMed Central

Ruby, Florence J. M.; Smallwood, Jonathan; Engen, Haakon; Singer, Tania

2013-01-01

Recent work has highlighted that the generation of thoughts unrelated to the current environment may be both a cause and a consequence of unhappiness. The current study used lag analysis to examine whether the relationship between self-generated thought and negative affect depends on the content of the thoughts themselves. We found that the emotional content could strongly predict subsequent mood (e.g. negative thoughts were associated with subsequent negative mood). However, this direct relationship was modulated by the socio-temporal content of the thoughts: thoughts that were past- and other-related were associated with subsequent negative mood, even if current thought content was positive. By contrast, future- and self-related thoughts preceded improvements of mood, even when current thought content was negative. These results highlight the important link between self-generated thought and mood and suggest that the socio-temporal content plays an important role in determining whether an individual's future affective state will be happy or sad. PMID:24194889

Human blindsight is mediated by an intact geniculo-extrastriate pathway

PubMed Central

Ajina, Sara; Pestilli, Franco; Rokem, Ariel; Kennard, Christopher; Bridge, Holly

2015-01-01

Although damage to the primary visual cortex (V1) causes hemianopia, many patients retain some residual vision; known as blindsight. We show that blindsight may be facilitated by an intact white-matter pathway between the lateral geniculate nucleus and motion area hMT+. Visual psychophysics, diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and fibre tractography were applied in 17 patients with V1 damage acquired during adulthood and 9 age-matched controls. Individuals with V1 damage were subdivided into blindsight positive (preserved residual vision) and negative (no residual vision) according to psychophysical performance. All blindsight positive individuals showed intact geniculo-hMT+ pathways, while this pathway was significantly impaired or not measurable in blindsight negative individuals. Two white matter pathways previously implicated in blindsight: (i) superior colliculus to hMT+ and (ii) between hMT+ in each hemisphere were not consistently present in blindsight positive cases. Understanding the visual pathways crucial for residual vision may direct future rehabilitation strategies for hemianopia patients. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.08935.001 PMID:26485034

Paradoxical Pain Perception in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: The Unique Role of Anxiety and Dissociation.

PubMed

Defrin, Ruth; Schreiber, Shaul; Ginzburg, Karni

2015-10-01

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain often co-occur and exacerbate each other. Elucidating the mechanism of this co-occurrence therefore has clinical importance. Previously, patients with PTSD with chronic pain were found to demonstrate a unique paradoxical pain profile: hyperresponsiveness together with hyposensitivity to pain. Our aim was to examine whether 2 seemingly paradoxical facets of PTSD (anxiety and dissociation) underlie this paradoxical profile. Patients with PTSD (n = 32) and healthy control individuals (n = 43) underwent psychophysical testing and completed questionnaires. Patients with PTSD had higher pain thresholds and higher pain ratings to suprathreshold stimuli than control individuals. Pain thresholds were positively associated with dissociation levels and negatively associated with anxiety sensitivity levels. Experimental pain ratings were positively associated with anxiety sensitivity and negatively related to dissociation levels. Chronic pain intensity was associated with anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, and pain catastrophizing. It appears that reduced conscious attention toward incoming stimuli, resulting from dissociation, causes delayed response in pain threshold measurement, whereas biases toward threatening stimuli and decreased inhibition, possibly caused by increased anxiety, are responsible for the intensification of experimental and chronic pain. The paradoxical facets of PTSD and their particular influences over pain perception seem to reinforce the coexistence of PTSD and chronic pain, and should be considered when treating traumatized individuals. This article provides new information regarding the underlying mechanism of the coexistence of PTSD and chronic pain. This knowledge could help to provide better management of PTSD and chronic pain among individuals in the aftermath of trauma. Copyright © 2015 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Opportunistic and other intestinal parasitic infections in AIDS patients, HIV seropositive healthy carriers and HIV seronegative individuals in southwest Ethiopia.

PubMed

Mariam, Zelalem T; Abebe, Gemeda; Mulu, Andargachew

2008-12-01

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection leads to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and major causes of morbidity and mortality of such patients are opportunistic infections caused by viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic pathogens. To determine the magnitude of opportunistic and non-opportunistic intestinal parasitic infections among AIDS patients and HIV positive carrier individuals. Cross-sectional study was conducted among AIDS patients, HIV positive healthy carriers and HIV negative individuals in Jimma University Hospital, Mother Theresa Missionary Charity Centre, Medan Acts Projects and Mekdim HIV positive persons and AIDS orphans' national association from January to May, 2004. Convenient sampling technique was employed to identify the study subjects and hence a total of 160 subjects were included. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data of the patients. Stool samples were examined by direct saline, iodine wet mount, formol-ether sedimentation concentration, oocyst concentration and modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique. Out of 160 persons enrolled in this study 100 (62.5%) (i.e. 65 male and 35 female) were infected with one or more intestinal parasites. The highest rate 36 (69.2%) of intestinal parasites were observed among HIV/AIDS patients, followed by HIV positive healthy carriers 35 (61.4%) of and HIV negative individuals (29 (56.9%). Isospora belli 2 (3.9%), Cryptosporidum parvum 8 (15.4%), Strongyloides stercoralis 6 (11.5%) and Blastocystis 2 (3.9%) were found only in HIV/AIDS groups I. belli, C. parvum, S. stercoralis and Blastocystis are the major opportunistic intestinal parasites observed in HIV/AIDS patients. Therefore, early detection and treatment of these parasites are important to improve the quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients with diarrhoea.

Trends in standardized mortality among individuals with schizophrenia, 1993-2012: a population-based, repeated cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Gatov, Evgenia; Rosella, Laura; Chiu, Maria; Kurdyak, Paul A

2017-09-18

We examined mortality time trends and premature mortality among individuals with and without schizophrenia over a 20-year period. In this population-based, repeated cross-sectional study, we identified all individual deaths that occurred in Ontario between 1993 and 2012 in persons aged 15 and over. We plotted overall and cause-specific age- and sex-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs), stratified all-cause ASMR trends by sociodemographic characteristics, and analyzed premature mortality using years of potential life lost. Additionally, we calculated mortality rate ratios (MRRs) using negative binomial regression with adjustment for age, sex, income, rurality and year of death. We identified 31 349 deaths among persons with schizophrenia, and 1 589 902 deaths among those without schizophrenia. Mortality rates among people with schizophrenia were 3 times higher than among those without schizophrenia (adjusted MRR 3.12, 95% confidence interval 3.06-3.17). All-cause ASMRs in both groups declined in parallel over the study period, by about 35%, and were higher for men, for those with low income and for rural dwellers. The absolute ASMR difference also declined throughout the study period (from 16.15 to 10.49 deaths per 1000 persons). Cause-specific ASMRs were greater among those with schizophrenia, with circulatory conditions accounting for most deaths between 1993 and 2012, whereas neoplasms became the leading cause of death for those without schizophrenia after 2005. Individuals with schizophrenia also died, on average, 8 years younger than those without schizophrenia, losing more potential years of life. Although mortality rates among people with schizophrenia have declined over the past 2 decades, specialized approaches may be required to close the persistent 3-fold relative mortality gap with the general population. © 2017 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors.

Trends in standardized mortality among individuals with schizophrenia, 1993–2012: a population-based, repeated cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Gatov, Evgenia; Rosella, Laura; Chiu, Maria; Kurdyak, Paul A.

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: We examined mortality time trends and premature mortality among individuals with and without schizophrenia over a 20-year period. METHODS: In this population-based, repeated cross-sectional study, we identified all individual deaths that occurred in Ontario between 1993 and 2012 in persons aged 15 and over. We plotted overall and cause-specific age- and sex-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs), stratified all-cause ASMR trends by sociodemographic characteristics, and analyzed premature mortality using years of potential life lost. Additionally, we calculated mortality rate ratios (MRRs) using negative binomial regression with adjustment for age, sex, income, rurality and year of death. RESULTS: We identified 31 349 deaths among persons with schizophrenia, and 1 589 902 deaths among those without schizophrenia. Mortality rates among people with schizophrenia were 3 times higher than among those without schizophrenia (adjusted MRR 3.12, 95% confidence interval 3.06–3.17). All-cause ASMRs in both groups declined in parallel over the study period, by about 35%, and were higher for men, for those with low income and for rural dwellers. The absolute ASMR difference also declined throughout the study period (from 16.15 to 10.49 deaths per 1000 persons). Cause-specific ASMRs were greater among those with schizophrenia, with circulatory conditions accounting for most deaths between 1993 and 2012, whereas neoplasms became the leading cause of death for those without schizophrenia after 2005. Individuals with schizophrenia also died, on average, 8 years younger than those without schizophrenia, losing more potential years of life. INTERPRETATION: Although mortality rates among people with schizophrenia have declined over the past 2 decades, specialized approaches may be required to close the persistent 3-fold relative mortality gap with the general population. PMID:28923795

[Auditory event-related potentials in children with functional articulation disorders].

PubMed

Gao, Yan; Zheng, Xi-Fu; Hong, Qi; Luo, Xiao-Xing; Jiang, Tao-Tao

2013-08-01

To investigate the central auditory processing function in children with functional articulation disorders (FAD), and possible causes of FAD. Twenty-seven children with FAD were selected as the case group and 50 age-matched normal children were selected as the control group. The two groups were compared with respect to the following factors: percentage of individuals with a positive history of language development disorder, and the form, peak latency and peak amplitude of mismatch negativity (MMN) on auditory event-related potentials. Compared with the control group, the case group had a significantly higher percentage of individuals with a positive history of language development disorder (70% vs 8%; P<0.01), a significantly prolonged peak latency of MMN (209 ± 31 ms vs 175 ± 32 ms; P<0.01), and an insignificantly lower peak amplitude of MMN (P>0.05). Prolonged central auditory processing may be one of the causes of FAD in children.

[Effect of anemia on child development: long-term consequences].

PubMed

Zavaleta, Nelly; Astete-Robilliard, Laura

2017-01-01

Anemia in children younger than 3 years is a public health problem in Peru and worldwide. It is believed that one of the primary causes of anemia is iron deficiency. Numerous studies and reviews have reported that iron deficiency limited psychomotor development in children and that, despite the correction of anemia, children with iron deficiency experienced poorer long-term performance in cognitive, social, and emotional functioning. These outcomes were reported in observational studies, follow-up studies, and experimental studies with a control group. Anemia can decrease school performance, productivity in adult life, quality of life, and the general income of affected individuals. Here we describe possible mechanisms underlying the effect of iron deficiency, with or without anemia, on childhood development. The high rate of anemia in this age group is a cause for concern. Moreover, anemia should be prevented in the first year of life to avoid long-term negative effects on individual development.

The Link between Health Complaints and Wind Turbines: Support for the Nocebo Expectations Hypothesis

PubMed Central

Crichton, Fiona; Chapman, Simon; Cundy, Tim; Petrie, Keith J.

2014-01-01

The worldwide expansion of wind energy has met with opposition based on concerns that the infrasound generated by wind turbines causes health problems in nearby residents. In this paper, we argue that health complaints are more likely to be explained by the nocebo response, whereby adverse effects are generated by negative expectations. When individuals expect a feature of their environment or medical treatment to produce illness or symptoms, then this may start a process where the individual looks for symptoms or signs of illness to confirm these negative expectations. As physical symptoms are common in healthy people, there is considerable scope for people to match symptoms with their negative expectations. To support this hypothesis, we draw an evidence from experimental studies that show that, during exposure to wind farm sound, expectations about infrasound can influence symptoms and mood in both positive and negative directions, depending on how expectations are framed. We also consider epidemiological work showing that health complaints have primarily been located in areas that have received the most negative publicity about the harmful effects of turbines. The social aspect of symptom complaints in a community is also discussed as an important process in increasing symptom reports. Media stories, publicity, or social discourse about the reported health effects of wind turbines are likely to trigger reports of similar symptoms, regardless of exposure. Finally, we present evidence to show that the same pattern of health complaints following negative information about wind turbines has also been found in other types of environmental concerns and scares. PMID:25426482

The Link between Health Complaints and Wind Turbines: Support for the Nocebo Expectations Hypothesis.

PubMed

Crichton, Fiona; Chapman, Simon; Cundy, Tim; Petrie, Keith J

2014-01-01

The worldwide expansion of wind energy has met with opposition based on concerns that the infrasound generated by wind turbines causes health problems in nearby residents. In this paper, we argue that health complaints are more likely to be explained by the nocebo response, whereby adverse effects are generated by negative expectations. When individuals expect a feature of their environment or medical treatment to produce illness or symptoms, then this may start a process where the individual looks for symptoms or signs of illness to confirm these negative expectations. As physical symptoms are common in healthy people, there is considerable scope for people to match symptoms with their negative expectations. To support this hypothesis, we draw an evidence from experimental studies that show that, during exposure to wind farm sound, expectations about infrasound can influence symptoms and mood in both positive and negative directions, depending on how expectations are framed. We also consider epidemiological work showing that health complaints have primarily been located in areas that have received the most negative publicity about the harmful effects of turbines. The social aspect of symptom complaints in a community is also discussed as an important process in increasing symptom reports. Media stories, publicity, or social discourse about the reported health effects of wind turbines are likely to trigger reports of similar symptoms, regardless of exposure. Finally, we present evidence to show that the same pattern of health complaints following negative information about wind turbines has also been found in other types of environmental concerns and scares.

Is video gaming, or video game addiction, associated with depression, academic achievement, heavy episodic drinking, or conduct problems?

PubMed

Brunborg, Geir Scott; Mentzoni, Rune Aune; Frøyland, Lars Roar

2014-03-01

While the relationships between video game use and negative consequences are debated, the relationships between video game addiction and negative consequences are fairly well established. However, previous studies suffer from methodological weaknesses that may have caused biased results. There is need for further investigation that benefits from the use of methods that avoid omitted variable bias. Two wave panel data was used from two surveys of 1,928 Norwegian adolescents aged 13 to 17 years. The surveys included measures of video game use, video game addiction, depression, heavy episodic drinking, academic achievement, and conduct problems. The data was analyzed using first-differencing, a regression method that is unbiased by time invariant individual factors. Video game addiction was related to depression, lower academic achievement, and conduct problems, but time spent on video games was not related to any of the studied negative outcomes. The findings were in line with a growing number of studies that have failed to find relationships between time spent on video games and negative outcomes. The current study is also consistent with previous studies in that video game addiction was related to other negative outcomes, but it made the added contribution that the relationships are unbiased by time invariant individual effects. However, future research should aim at establishing the temporal order of the supposed causal effects. Spending time playing video games does not involve negative consequences, but adolescents who experience problems related to video games are likely to also experience problems in other facets of life.

Is video gaming, or video game addiction, associated with depression, academic achievement, heavy episodic drinking, or conduct problems?

PubMed Central

Brunborg, Geir Scott; Mentzoni, Rune Aune; Frøyland, Lars Roar

2014-01-01

Background and aims: While the relationships between video game use and negative consequences are debated, the relationships between video game addiction and negative consequences are fairly well established. However, previous studies suffer from methodological weaknesses that may have caused biased results. There is need for further investigation that benefits from the use of methods that avoid omitted variable bias. Methods: Two wave panel data was used from two surveys of 1,928 Norwegian adolescents aged 13 to 17 years. The surveys included measures of video game use, video game addiction, depression, heavy episodic drinking, academic achievement, and conduct problems. The data was analyzed using first-differencing, a regression method that is unbiased by time invariant individual factors. Results: Video game addiction was related to depression, lower academic achievement, and conduct problems, but time spent on video games was not related to any of the studied negative outcomes. Discussion: The findings were in line with a growing number of studies that have failed to find relationships between time spent on video games and negative outcomes. The current study is also consistent with previous studies in that video game addiction was related to other negative outcomes, but it made the added contribution that the relationships are unbiased by time invariant individual effects. However, future research should aim at establishing the temporal order of the supposed causal effects. Conclusions: Spending time playing video games does not involve negative consequences, but adolescents who experience problems related to video games are likely to also experience problems in other facets of life. PMID:25215212

Changes in mortality rates and causes of death in a population-based cohort of persons living with and without HIV from 1996 to 2012.

PubMed

Eyawo, Oghenowede; Franco-Villalobos, Conrado; Hull, Mark W; Nohpal, Adriana; Samji, Hasina; Sereda, Paul; Lima, Viviane D; Shoveller, Jeannie; Moore, David; Montaner, Julio S G; Hogg, Robert S

2017-02-27

Non-HIV/AIDS-related diseases are gaining prominence as important causes of morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV. The purpose of this study was to characterize and compare changes over time in mortality rates and causes of death among a population-based cohort of persons living with and without HIV in British Columbia (BC), Canada. We analysed data from the Comparative Outcomes And Service Utilization Trends (COAST) study; a retrospective population-based study created via linkage between the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and Population Data BC, and containing data for HIV-infected individuals and the general population of BC, respectively. Our analysis included all known HIV-infected adults (≥ 20 years) in BC and a random 10% sample of uninfected BC adults followed from 1996 to 2012. Deaths were identified through Population Data BC - which contains information on all registered deaths in BC (BC Vital Statistics Agency dataset) and classified into cause of death categories using International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 9/10 codes. Age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) and mortality rate ratios were calculated. Trend test were performed. 3401 (25%), and 47,647 (9%) individuals died during the 5,620,150 person-years of follow-up among 13,729 HIV-infected and 510,313 uninfected individuals, respectively. All-cause and cause-specific mortality rates were consistently higher among HIV-infected compared to HIV-negative individuals, except for neurological disorders. All-cause ASMR decreased from 126.75 (95% CI: 84.92-168.57) per 1000 population in 1996 to 21.29 (95% CI: 17.79-24.79) in 2011-2012 (83% decline; p < 0.001 for trend), compared to a change from 7.97 (95% CI: 7.61-8.33) to 6.87 (95% CI: 6.70-7.04) among uninfected individuals (14% decline; p < 0.001). Mortality rates from HIV/AIDS-related causes decreased by 94% from 103.85 per 1000 population in 1996 to 6.72 by the 2011-2012 era (p < 0.001). Significant ASMR reductions were also observed for hepatic/liver disease and drug abuse/overdose deaths. ASMRs for neurological disorders increased significantly over time. Non-AIDS-defining cancers are currently the leading non-HIV/AIDS-related cause of death in both HIV-infected and uninfected individuals. Despite the significant mortality rate reductions observed among HIV-infected individuals from 1996 to 2012, they still have excess mortality risk compared to uninfected individuals. Additional efforts are needed to promote effective risk factor management and appropriate screening measures among people living with HIV.

Social representations of premature birth from the perspective of individuals born preterm in the 1990s.

PubMed

Leavy, Pía; Violeta Prina, Martina; Martínez Cáceres, María José; Bauer, Gabriela

2015-01-01

Prematurity is a public health problem that calls to focus on its causes and consequences through a trans disciplinary approach. There are no studies analyzing premature birth from the perspective of individuals born preterm. To identify social representations associated with premature birth of individuals born preterm in the 1990s in Argentina. Twelve focus groups were conducted with individuals born preterm with a birth weight<1500 g assisted at tertiary care facilities between 1990 and 1995. Focus group contents were analyzed based on the social representation theory. Fifty-nine adolescents and youth participated; their median age was 18.5±2.3 years old. Based on the analysis of focus groups, six core themes were developed: life experience, parents' memories and experiences, overprotection body, education, relationship with the medical practice and knowledge. The methodology used allowed to create a space for mutual recognition and reflection for participants. Prematurity is a significant element, especially in those who suffered major sequelae. Adolescents and youth give a warning on the negative effects caused by overprotective parents and reveal the possibility of redefining the challenges associated with their history of premature birth.

Amotivation in Schizophrenia: Integrated Assessment With Behavioral, Clinical, and Imaging Measures

PubMed Central

Wolf, Daniel H.; Satterthwaite, Theodore D.; Kantrowitz, Jacob J.; Katchmar, Natalie; Vandekar, Lillie; Elliott, Mark A.; Ruparel, Kosha

2014-01-01

Motivational deficits play a central role in disability caused by schizophrenia and constitute a major unmet therapeutic need. Negative symptoms have previously been linked to hypofunction in ventral striatum (VS), a core component of brain motivation circuitry. However, it remains unclear to what extent this relationship holds for specific negative symptoms such as amotivation, and this question has not been addressed with integrated behavioral, clinical, and imaging measures. Here, 41 individuals with schizophrenia and 37 controls performed a brief, computerized progressive ratio task (PRT) that quantifies effort exerted in pursuit of monetary reward. Clinical amotivation was assessed using the recently validated Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS). VS function was probed during functional magnetic resonance imaging using a monetary guessing paradigm. We found that individuals with schizophrenia had diminished motivation as measured by the PRT, which significantly and selectively related to clinical amotivation as measured by the CAINS. Critically, lower PRT motivation in schizophrenia was also dimensionally related to VS hypofunction. Our results demonstrate robust dimensional associations between behavioral amotivation, clinical amotivation, and VS hypofunction in schizophrenia. Integrating behavioral measures such as the PRT will facilitate translational efforts to identify biomarkers of amotivation and to assess response to novel therapeutic interventions. PMID:24657876

The Effects of Alcohol on the Emotional Displays of Whites in Interracial Groups

PubMed Central

Fairbairn, Catharine E.; Sayette, Michael A.; Levine, John M.; Cohn, Jeffrey F.; Creswell, Kasey G.

2017-01-01

Discomfort during interracial interactions is common among Whites in the U.S. and is linked to avoidance of interracial encounters. While the negative consequences of interracial discomfort are well-documented, understanding of its causes is still incomplete. Alcohol consumption has been shown to decrease negative emotions caused by self-presentational concern but increase negative emotions associated with racial prejudice. Using novel behavioral-expressive measures of emotion, we examined the impact of alcohol on displays of discomfort among 92 White individuals interacting in all-White or interracial groups. We used the Facial Action Coding System and comprehensive content-free speech analyses to examine affective and behavioral dynamics during these 36-minute exchanges (7.9 million frames of video data). Among Whites consuming nonalcoholic beverages, those assigned to interracial groups evidenced more facial and speech displays of discomfort than those in all-White groups. In contrast, among intoxicated Whites there were no differences in displays of discomfort between interracial and all-White groups. Results highlight the central role of self-presentational concerns in interracial discomfort and offer new directions for applying theory and methods from emotion science to the examination of intergroup relations. PMID:23356562

The effects of alcohol on the emotional displays of Whites in interracial groups.

PubMed

Fairbairn, Catharine E; Sayette, Michael A; Levine, John M; Cohn, Jeffrey F; Creswell, Kasey G

2013-06-01

Discomfort during interracial interactions is common among Whites in the U.S. and is linked to avoidance of interracial encounters. While the negative consequences of interracial discomfort are well-documented, understanding of its causes is still incomplete. Alcohol consumption has been shown to decrease negative emotions caused by self-presentational concern but increase negative emotions associated with racial prejudice. Using novel behavioral-expressive measures of emotion, we examined the impact of alcohol on displays of discomfort among 92 White individuals interacting in all-White or interracial groups. We used the Facial Action Coding System and comprehensive content-free speech analyses to examine affective and behavioral dynamics during these 36-min exchanges (7.9 million frames of video data). Among Whites consuming nonalcoholic beverages, those assigned to interracial groups evidenced more facial and speech displays of discomfort than those in all-White groups. In contrast, among intoxicated Whites there were no differences in displays of discomfort between interracial and all-White groups. Results highlight the central role of self-presentational concerns in interracial discomfort and offer new directions for applying theory and methods from emotion science to the examination of intergroup relations.

No more business as usual: enticing companies to sharply lower the public health costs of the products they sell.

PubMed

Sugarman, S

2009-03-01

Cigarettes, alcohol, junk food and motor vehicles cause a staggeringly high level of death, injury and disease. Business leaders from the industries that make these products currently try to frame these negative outcomes as 'collateral damage' that is someone else's problem. That framing is not only morally objectionable, but also overlooks the possibility that, with proper prodding, industry could substantially mitigate these public health disasters. A promising regulatory tool called 'performance-based regulation' is a new approach to combating the problem. Simply put, performance-based regulation would impose a legal obligation on manufacturers to reduce their negative social costs. Rather than suing the firms for damages, or telling them how they should run their businesses differently (as typical 'command and control' regimes do), performance-based regulation allows the firms to determine how best to decrease today's negative public health consequences. Like other public health strategies, performance-based regulation shifts the focus away from individual consumers on to those who are far more likely to achieve real public health gains. Analogous to a tax on causing harm that exceeds a threshold level, performance-based regulation seeks to harness private initiative in pursuit of the public good.

Salivary pH and buffering capacity in early and late human immunodeficiency virus infection.

PubMed

Hegde, Mithra N; Malhotra, Amit; Hegde, Nidarsh D

2013-11-01

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes severe immunosuppression due to progressive decrease in the CD4 T lymphocyte cells during the course of the disease and this affects all the body systems including glandular secretions. A number of lesions affecting the salivary glands have been noted in HIV infection. The objective of this study was to evaluate the salivary pH and the buffering capacity in HIV positive individuals and comparing it with the HIV negative healthy individuals. The study was carried out on 200 HIV positive subjects aged 20-40 years, divided into two groups on the basis of CD4 count and 100 HIV negative healthy individuals as control group. Both unstimulated and stimulated saliva were collected and the pH and buffering capacity ascertained using the saliva check kit. (GC Asia Dental Pvt. Ltd., Singapore, 508724). All the three groups were compared using the ANOVA and it was found there was highly significant decrease in pH and buffering capacity with increase in immunosuppression. The intergroup comparison was carried out using the Tukey honestly significant difference (HSD) and the Chi square test. Group 1; CD4 count <200 and Group 2, CD4 count >200 showed a significant decrease in unstimulated salivary flow, stimulated salivary flow, and pH in comparison to HIV negative individuals; however, change in buffering capacity in Group 2 was not significant. There is a decrease in pH and buffering capacity in HIV infected patients. This decrease may be one of the factors responsible for increased caries in HIV infected population.

Characteristics of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of IgG antibodies specific to Сhlamydia trachomatis heat shock protein (HSP-60)

PubMed

Galkin, O Yu; Besarab, A B; Lutsenko, T N

2017-01-01

The goal of this work was to study sensitivity and specificity of the developed ELISA set for the identification of IgG antibodies against Chlamydia trachomatis HSP-60 (using biotinylated tyramine-based signal amplification system). The study was conducted using a panel of characterized sera, as well as two reference ELISA sets of similar purpose. According to the results of ELISA informative value parameters, the ELISA we have developed showed the highest specificity and sensitivity parameters (no false negative or false positive results were registered). In 4 out of 15 intralaboratory panel serum samples initially identified as negative, anti-HSP-60 IgG-antibodies test result in reference ELISA sets upon dilution changed from negative to positive. The nature of titration curves of false negative sera and commercial monoclonal antibodies А57-В9 against C. trachomatis HSP-60 after incubation for 24 h was indicative of the presence of anti-idiotypic antibodies in these samples. Upon sera dilution, idiotypic-anti-idiotypic complexes dissociated, which caused the change of test result. High informative value of the developed ELISA set for identification of IgG antibodies against C. trachomatis HSP-60 has been proven. Anti-idiotypic antibodies possessing C. trachomatis anti-HSP-60 activity and being one of the causes of false negative results of the relevant ELISA-based tests have been identified in blood sera of individuals infected with chlamydial genitourinary infection agents.

Microbiology and Epidemiology of Legionnaire's Disease.

PubMed

Burillo, Almudena; Pedro-Botet, María Luisa; Bouza, Emilio

2017-03-01

Legionnaire's disease (LD) is the pneumonic form of legionellosis caused by aerobic gram-negative bacilli of the genus Legionella. Individuals become infected when they inhale aerosolized water droplets contaminated with Legionella species. Forty years after the identification of Legionella pneumophila as the cause of the 1976 pneumonia outbreak in a hotel in Philadelphia, we have non-culture-based diagnostic tests, effective antibiotics, and preventive measures to handle LD. With a mortality rate still around 10%, underreporting, and sporadic outbreaks, there is still much work to be done. In this article, the authors review the microbiology, laboratory diagnosis, and epidemiology of LD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Changes in site productivity and the recovery of soil properties following wet- and dry-weather harvesting disturbances in the Atlantic Coastal Plain for a stand of age 10 years

Treesearch

Mark H. Eisenbies; James A. Burger; Aust W. Michael; Patterson Steven C.

2007-01-01

Wet-weather logging can cause severe soil physical disturbances and redistribute residues. Although some research indicates negative effects of such disturbances on individual tree growth, the long-tenn resilience and resistance of soils and the ameliorative effects of site preparation are not fully understood. Three 20 ha loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L....

Developmental Neurotoxicity of Traffic-Related Air Pollution: Focus on Autism.

PubMed

Costa, Lucio G; Chang, Yu-Chi; Cole, Toby B

2017-06-01

Epidemiological and animal studies suggest that air pollution may negatively affect the central nervous system (CNS) and contribute to CNS diseases. Traffic-related air pollution is a major contributor to global air pollution, and diesel exhaust (DE) is its most important component. Several studies suggest that young individuals may be particularly susceptible to air pollution-induced neurotoxicity and that perinatal exposure may cause or contribute to developmental disabilities and behavioral abnormalities. In particular, a number of recent studies have found associations between exposures to traffic-related air pollution and autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which are characterized by impairment in socialization and in communication and by the presence of repetitive and unusual behaviors. The cause(s) of ASD are unknown, and while it may have a hereditary component, environmental factors are increasingly suspected as playing a pivotal role in its etiology, particularly in genetically susceptible individuals. Autistic children present higher levels of neuroinflammation and systemic inflammation, which are also hallmarks of exposure to traffic-related air pollution. Gene-environment interactions may play a relevant role in determining individual susceptibility to air pollution developmental neurotoxicity. Given the worldwide presence of elevated air pollution, studies on its effects and mechanisms on the developing brain, genetic susceptibility, role in neurodevelopmental disorders, and possible therapeutic interventions are certainly warranted.

[Continuous quality improvement in anesthesia].

PubMed

Gaitini, L; Vaida, S; Madgar, S

1998-01-01

Slow continuous quality improvement (SCQI) in anesthesia is a process that allows identification of problems and their causes. Implementing measures to correct them and continuous monitoring to ensure that the problems have been eliminated are necessary. The basic assumption of CQI is that the employees of an organization are competent and working to the best of their abilities. If problems occur they are the consequences of inadequacies in the process rather that in the individual. The CQI program is a dynamic but gradual system that invokes a slower rate of response in comparison with other quality methods, like quality assurance. Spectacular results following a system change are not to be expected an the ideal is slow and continuous improvement. A SCQI program was adapted by our department in May 1994, according to the recommendations of the American Society of Anesthesiologists. Problem identification was based on 65 clinical indicators, reflecting negative events related to anesthesia. Data were collected using a specially designed computer database. 4 events were identified as crossing previously established thresholds (hypertension, hypotension, hypoxia and inadequate nerve block). Statistical process control was used to establish stability of the system and whether negative events were influenced only by the common causes. The causes responsible for these negative events were identified using specific SCQI tools, such as control-charts, cause-effect diagrams and Pareto diagrams. Hypertension and inadequate nerve block were successfully managed. The implementation of corrective measures for the other events that cross the threshold is still in evolution. This program requires considerable dedication on the part of the staff, and it is hoped that it will improve our clinical performance.

Pavlovian influences over food and drug intake.

PubMed

Woods, S C; Ramsay, D S

2000-06-01

Consuming food and taking drugs share several important characteristics. In particular, each causes changes in important physiological parameters that are constantly being monitored and regulated by the brain. As examples, blood glucose increases after meals; and body temperature decreases after ethanol is taken. Such changes elicit neurally-mediated homeostatic responses that serve to reduce the magnitude and duration of the perturbation. It is argued that when an individual can accurately anticipate pending meals or drugs, it can make appropriate responses to minimize or totally neutralize the meal/drug-elicited perturbations. This phenomenon, which is the basis for meal and drug tolerance, relies upon Pavlovian conditioning. Literature is reviewed which documents the role of conditioning processes in the development of tolerance. The argument is made that conditioned responses enable individuals to derive necessary or desirable aspects of food and drugs while minimizing some of their negative effects. In a final section, drug tolerance is discussed as a natural consequence of evolution-derived, meal-related learning processes, with associated negative consequences.

What is in a cause? Exploring the relationship between genetic cause and felt stigma

PubMed Central

Sankar, Pamela; Cho, Mildred K.; Wolpe, Paul Root; Schairer, Cynthia

2008-01-01

Purpose Concern over stigma as a consequence of genetic testing has grown in response to the recent increase in genetic research and testing resulting from the Human Genome Project. However, whether a genetic or hereditary basis necessarily confers a stigma to a condition remains unexamined. Methods We performed a qualitative interview study with 86 individuals with one of four conditions: deafness or hearing loss, breast cancer, sickle cell disease, and cystic fibrosis. The first two groups were divided approximately between people who ascribed their conditions to a genetic or hereditary cause and those who did not. Results Respondents interpreted genetic or hereditary causes and nongenetic causes in a variety of ways. Subjects with breast cancer reported the most consistently negative interpretation of genetic cause. This response concerned future ill health, not an enduring sense of stigma. Deaf and hard of hearing subjects provided the most consistently positive comments about a genetic or hereditary basis to their condition, casting familial hearing loss as a vital component of group and individual identity. Respondents with sickle cell disease and cystic fibrosis offered similar and positive interpretations of the genetic cause of their condition insofar as it meant their conditions were not contagious. Conclusions Although some subjects report feeling stigmatized as a result of their condition, this stigmatization is not uniformly associated with the condition’s cause, genetic or otherwise. Instead, stigma emerges from a variety of sources in the context of the lived experience of a particular condition. PMID:16418597

[Fever in pediatric office practice].

PubMed

Murahovschi, Jayme

2003-05-01

To determine how to select a child who requires in depth laboratory investigation, defining the most appropriate laboratory screening tests, and to detect the individual who requires immediate therapy, when fever is the main symptom presented by the child seen in an outpatient clinic, or at the physician's office. Additionally, this review aims at providing suggestions on how to deal with fever, and with the anxiety it causes. Bibliographic review using Medline database and previously selected manuscripts. Fever may cause both negative and positive outcomes, none of major consequence. Age group, fever magnitude and duration, shivering, appetite decrease or behavioral changes (toxemia), and other localizing symptoms should be investigated through the patient's medical history. Laboratory screening tests should include complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, urinalysis (white cells count and gram stain of the sediment), and in some cases, lumbar puncture and blood culture. The treatment should include antipyretic medications and, occasionally, physical methods (cool baths, sponging) in order to reduce discomfort caused by the fever. Children with fever request both scientific expertise, as well as empathy from the pediatrician, so that they can receive individualized therapy.

A dual-motive model of scapegoating: displacing blame to reduce guilt or increase control.

PubMed

Rothschild, Zachary K; Landau, Mark J; Sullivan, Daniel; Keefer, Lucas A

2012-06-01

The authors present a model that specifies 2 psychological motives underlying scapegoating, defined as attributing inordinate blame for a negative outcome to a target individual or group, (a) maintaining perceived personal moral value by minimizing feelings of guilt over one's responsibility for a negative outcome and (b) maintaining perceived personal control by obtaining a clear explanation for a negative outcome that otherwise seems inexplicable. Three studies supported hypotheses derived from this dual-motive model. Framing a negative outcome (environmental destruction or climate change) as caused by one's own harmful actions (value threat) or unknown sources (control threat) both increased scapegoating, and these effects occurred indirectly through feelings of guilt and perceived personal control, respectively (Study 1), and were differentially moderated by affirmations of moral value and personal control (Study 2). Also, scapegoating in response to value threat versus control threat produced divergent, theoretically specified effects on self-perceptions and behavioral intentions (Study 3). 2012 APA, all rights reserved

Boredom begs to differ: Differentiation from other negative emotions.

PubMed

van Tilburg, Wijnand A P; Igou, Eric R

2017-03-01

Boredom research is booming. Nonetheless, a comprehensive understanding of boredom in relation to other negative emotions is lacking. This ambiguity impedes accurate interpretation of boredom's causes and consequences. To gain more insights into boredom, we examined in detail how it differs from a range of other negative experiences, namely sadness, anger, frustration, fear, disgust, depression, guilt, shame, regret, and disappointment. Our research indicates that the appraisals associated with boredom distinguish it clearly from other negative emotions; conceptually (Study 1), in terms of state experiences (Study 2), and in terms of individual differences in these experiences (Study 3). Our findings suggest that boredom is mild in negative valence, low in arousal, is associated with low perceived challenge and low perceived meaningfulness, and has low relevance to moral judgment and behavior. Boredom also involves low attention given to situations and tasks, and the lack of perceived meaningfulness and attention associated with boredom emerged as particularly distinctive characteristics. The findings underscore the importance of carefully discriminating boredom from other emotions in experimental induction, psychometric assessment, and conceptual discussion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Perceived Parental Monitoring and Sexual Orientation Moderate Lifetime Acts of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury.

PubMed

Benau, Erik M; Jenkins, Abigail L; Conner, Bradley T

2017-01-01

Being non-heterosexual, particularly bisexual, is associated with high rates of engagement in NSSI amongst young adults. The goal of the present study was to determine if parenting practices, specifically parental monitoring, and sexual orientation moderate engagement with NSSI. Undergraduates (N = 1,353) completed a survey on sexual orientation, non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) acts, and multiple aspects of perceived parental monitoring during high school. Moderation analyses revealed that most facets of parental monitoring were similarly negatively correlated with NSSI for both individuals whose sexual orientation where nearly, or entirely, gay and heterosexual youth. Youth who were neither exclusively heterosexual nor exclusively gay (mixed sexual orientation) reported the most NSSI acts, and no facet of parental monitoring predicted reduced NSSI acts for this group. While previous literature shows that many aspects of parental monitoring may be protective against engagement in health risk behaviors, the present study adds to these findings that similar aspects are negatively associated with self-injurious behavior for some, but not all, individuals. More research is needed to better understand the causes of increased NSSI for individuals with a mixed sexual orientation.

Baseline glucose level is an individual trait that is negatively associated with lifespan and increases due to adverse environmental conditions during development and adulthood.

PubMed

Montoya, Bibiana; Briga, Michael; Jimeno, Blanca; Moonen, Sander; Verhulst, Simon

2018-05-01

High baseline glucose levels are associated with pathologies and shorter lifespan in humans, but little is known about causes and consequences of individual variation in glucose levels in other species. We tested to what extent baseline blood glucose level is a repeatable trait in adult zebra finches, and whether glucose levels were associated with age, manipulated environmental conditions during development (rearing brood size) and adulthood (foraging cost), and lifespan. We found that: (1) repeatability of glucose levels was 30%, both within and between years. (2) Having been reared in a large brood and living with higher foraging costs as adult were independently associated with higher glucose levels. Furthermore, the finding that baseline glucose was low when ambient temperature was high, and foraging costs were low, indicates that glucose is regulated at a lower level when energy turnover is low. (3) Survival probability decreased with increasing baseline glucose. We conclude that baseline glucose is an individual trait negatively associated with survival, and increases due to adverse environmental conditions during development (rearing brood size) and adulthood (foraging cost). Blood glucose may be, therefore, part of the physiological processes linking environmental conditions to lifespan.

Cultural and age differences in beliefs about depression: British Bangladeshis vs. British Whites

PubMed Central

McClelland, Alastair; Khanam, Shopnara; Furnham, Adrian

2013-01-01

This study examines beliefs about depression as a function of ethnic background (British Bangladeshis vs. British Whites) and age. A total of 364 participants completed a 65-item questionnaire, containing general questions regarding depression and anti-depressive behaviour; the causes of depression, and treatments for depression. The hypotheses were broadly supported; there were significant interactions between ethnicity and age, which generally revealed an increasingly negative attitude towards depression with increasing age amongst British Bangladeshis. Older British Bangladeshis believed depression was an illness that brought a sense of shame and loss of dignity to the individual and his or her family, and they also favoured a lay referral system for sufferers. They also had more superstitious beliefs about depression than both younger British Bangladeshis and British Whites. A pattern of increasing negativity with increasing age was not evident amongst the British Whites, but older individuals in both groups tended to believe that depression was not helped by psychological intervention. The attitudes towards depression in the young was similar (and generally positive) in both ethnic groups. These findings highlight the necessity to provide more culturally sensitive and accessible services for migrant communities – particularly amongst older individuals. PMID:25076835

Tobacco smoking: Health impact, prevalence, correlates and interventions.

PubMed

West, Robert

2017-08-01

Despite reductions in prevalence in recent years, tobacco smoking remains one of the main preventable causes of ill-health and premature death worldwide. This paper reviews the extent and nature of harms caused by smoking, the benefits of stopping, patterns of smoking, psychological, pharmacological and social factors that contribute to uptake and maintenance of smoking, the effectiveness of population and individual level interventions aimed at combatting tobacco smoking, and the effectiveness of methods used to reduce the harm caused by continued use of tobacco or nicotine in some form. Smoking behaviour is maintained primarily by the positive and negative reinforcing properties of nicotine delivered rapidly in a way that is affordable and palatable, with the negative health consequences mostly being sufficiently uncertain and distant in time not to create sufficient immediate concern to deter the behaviour. Raising immediate concerns about smoking by tax increases, social marketing and brief advice from health professionals can increase the rate at which smokers try to stop. Providing behavioural and pharmacological support can improve the rate at which those quit attempts succeed. Implementing national programmes containing these components are effective in reducing tobacco smoking prevalence and reducing smoking-related death and disease.

Performance-based regulation: enterprise responsibility for reducing death, injury, and disease caused by consumer products.

PubMed

Sugarman, Stephen D

2009-12-01

This article offers a bold new idea for confronting the staggering level of death, injury, and disease caused by five consumer products: cigarettes, alcohol, guns, junk food, and motor vehicles. Business leaders try to frame these negative outcomes as "collateral damage" that is someone else's problem. That framing not only is morally objectionable but also overlooks the possibility that, with proper prodding, industry could substantially lessen these public health disasters. I seek to reframe the public perception of who is responsible and propose to deploy a promising approach called "performance-based regulation" to combat the problem. Performance-based regulation would impose on manufacturers a legal obligation to reduce the negative social costs of their products. Rather than involving them in litigation or forcing them to operate differently (as "command-and-control" regimes do), performance-based regulation allows the firms to determine how best to decrease bad public health consequences. Like other public health strategies, performance-based regulation focuses on those who are far more likely than individual consumers to achieve real gains. Analogous to a tax on causing harm that exceeds a threshold level, performance-based regulation seeks to harness private initiative in pursuit of the public good.

Tobacco smoking: Health impact, prevalence, correlates and interventions

PubMed Central

West, Robert

2017-01-01

Background and objectives: Despite reductions in prevalence in recent years, tobacco smoking remains one of the main preventable causes of ill-health and premature death worldwide. This paper reviews the extent and nature of harms caused by smoking, the benefits of stopping, patterns of smoking, psychological, pharmacological and social factors that contribute to uptake and maintenance of smoking, the effectiveness of population and individual level interventions aimed at combatting tobacco smoking, and the effectiveness of methods used to reduce the harm caused by continued use of tobacco or nicotine in some form. Results and conclusions: Smoking behaviour is maintained primarily by the positive and negative reinforcing properties of nicotine delivered rapidly in a way that is affordable and palatable, with the negative health consequences mostly being sufficiently uncertain and distant in time not to create sufficient immediate concern to deter the behaviour. Raising immediate concerns about smoking by tax increases, social marketing and brief advice from health professionals can increase the rate at which smokers try to stop. Providing behavioural and pharmacological support can improve the rate at which those quit attempts succeed. Implementing national programmes containing these components are effective in reducing tobacco smoking prevalence and reducing smoking-related death and disease. PMID:28553727

Breast Cancer: subgroups specific blood-biomarkers for early / predictive diagnosis and personalized treatment — EDRN Public Portal

Cancer.gov

Breast-conserving lumpectomy followed by radiation therapy has been shown to be an alternative strategy, competitive to mastectomy, in preventing mortality caused by breast cancer. However, besides negative short-term effects (blood flow disturbances, painful erythema, etc.) breast irradiation causes severe long-term side-effects (leucopenia, anemia, breast edema, fibrosis, increase of angiosarcoma, leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes). Therefore, the identification of individual susceptibility to radiation and improved patient-specific radiotherapy planning are highly desirable for personalised treatment in breast cancer. Why early and predictive diagnosis is crucial for long-term outcomes of breast cancer? Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer death among women with an average incidence rate of 10-12 per 100 women. In 2005, breast cancer led to 502,000 deaths worldwide. Advanced stages of breast cancer lead to the development of metastasis predominantly in the lymph nodes, bone, lung, skin, brain, and liver. Although breast-MRI is currently the most sensitive diagnostic tool for breast imaging, its specificity is limited resulting in a negative impact for surgical management in approximately 9 % of cases. Early diagnosis has been demonstrated to be highly beneficial, enabling significantly enhanced therapy efficiency and possibly full recovery.

Host nutrition alters the variance in parasite transmission potential

PubMed Central

Vale, Pedro F.; Choisy, Marc; Little, Tom J.

2013-01-01

The environmental conditions experienced by hosts are known to affect their mean parasite transmission potential. How different conditions may affect the variance of transmission potential has received less attention, but is an important question for disease management, especially if specific ecological contexts are more likely to foster a few extremely infectious hosts. Using the obligate-killing bacterium Pasteuria ramosa and its crustacean host Daphnia magna, we analysed how host nutrition affected the variance of individual parasite loads, and, therefore, transmission potential. Under low food, individual parasite loads showed similar mean and variance, following a Poisson distribution. By contrast, among well-nourished hosts, parasite loads were right-skewed and overdispersed, following a negative binomial distribution. Abundant food may, therefore, yield individuals causing potentially more transmission than the population average. Measuring both the mean and variance of individual parasite loads in controlled experimental infections may offer a useful way of revealing risk factors for potential highly infectious hosts. PMID:23407498

Host nutrition alters the variance in parasite transmission potential.

PubMed

Vale, Pedro F; Choisy, Marc; Little, Tom J

2013-04-23

The environmental conditions experienced by hosts are known to affect their mean parasite transmission potential. How different conditions may affect the variance of transmission potential has received less attention, but is an important question for disease management, especially if specific ecological contexts are more likely to foster a few extremely infectious hosts. Using the obligate-killing bacterium Pasteuria ramosa and its crustacean host Daphnia magna, we analysed how host nutrition affected the variance of individual parasite loads, and, therefore, transmission potential. Under low food, individual parasite loads showed similar mean and variance, following a Poisson distribution. By contrast, among well-nourished hosts, parasite loads were right-skewed and overdispersed, following a negative binomial distribution. Abundant food may, therefore, yield individuals causing potentially more transmission than the population average. Measuring both the mean and variance of individual parasite loads in controlled experimental infections may offer a useful way of revealing risk factors for potential highly infectious hosts.

Person-centred positive emotions, object-centred negative emotions: 2-year-olds generalize negative but not positive emotions across individuals.

PubMed

Vaish, Amrisha; Grossmann, Tobias; Woodward, Amanda

2015-09-01

Prior work suggests that young children do not generalize others' preferences to new individuals. We hypothesized (following Vaish et al., 2008, Psychol. Bull., 134, 383-403) that this may only hold for positive emotions, which inform the child about the person's attitude towards the object but not about the positivity of the object itself. It may not hold for negative emotions, which additionally inform the child about the negativity of the object itself. Two-year-old children saw one individual (the emoter) emoting positively or negatively towards one and neutrally towards a second novel object. When a second individual then requested an object, children generalized the emoter's negative but not her positive emotion to the second individual. Children thus draw different inferences from others' positive versus negative emotions: Whereas they view others' positive emotions as person centred, they may view others' negative emotions as object centred and thus generalizable across people. The results are discussed with relation to the functions and implications of the negativity bias. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

The role of high expectations of self and social desirability in emotional processing in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Sibelli, Alice; Chalder, Trudie; Everitt, Hazel; Workman, Paul; Bishop, Felicity L; Moss-Morris, Rona

2017-11-01

Although high levels of distress are associated with the onset and severity of Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), it is unclear how this relates to emotional processing, particularly in relation to maintenance of symptoms and treatment outcome. This qualitative study embedded within a randomized controlled trial aimed to explore how individuals with refractory IBS experience, express, and manage their emotions after either therapist-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (TCBT) or Web-based CBT (WBCBT) compared to treatment as usual (TAU). Cross-sectional qualitative study. Fifty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted at post-treatment with 17 TCBT, 17 WBCBT, and 18 TAU participants. The transcripts were analysed using inductive thematic analysis with grounded theory elements. NVivo 11 was used to compare themes across groups. Across all groups, high expectations of self was a recurring reason for how participants experienced and expressed their emotions. Three themes with subthemes captured how high expectations related to specific aspects of emotional processing: perceived causes of emotions, strategies for coping with emotions (bottling up, avoiding emotions, and active coping strategies), and the perceived interplay between emotions and IBS symptoms. Patients recognized that their IBS symptoms both triggered and were triggered by negative emotions. However, there was a tendency to bottle up or avoid negative emotions for reasons of social desirability regardless of whether patients had CBT for IBS or not. Future psychological interventions in IBS may benefit from addressing negative beliefs about expressing emotions, promoting assertive emotional expression, and encouraging the experience of positive emotions. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? High levels of distress are consistently associated with both the onset and maintenance of IBS symptoms. Little is known about how this relates to the concept of emotional processing. Preliminary findings suggest a positive correlation between poor emotional processing and IBS. However, further studies need to confirm its role in relation to aetiology, maintenance of symptoms, and response to treatment. What does this study add? High expectations of self and social desirability seem to be important aspects shaping the way individuals with IBS experience, express, and manage their emotions. Emotional avoidance and bottling up were reported as key strategies to cope with negative emotions. The study revealed that bottling up is not perceived as an all-or-nothing strategy but can be applied selectively depending on the context. Psychological interventions in IBS may benefit from addressing not only illness-related causes of negative emotions but also personal and social triggers of distress. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Fundamental modeling the performance and degradation of HEV Lithium-ion battery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Weifang

Li-ion battery is now replacing nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) for hybrid electric vehicles (HEV). The advantages of Li-ion battery over NiMH are that it can provide longer life, higher cell voltage and higher energy density, etc. However, there are still some issues unsolved for Li-ion battery to fully satisfy the HEV requirement. At high temperature, thermal runaway may cause safety issues. At low temperature, however, its performance is dramatically reduced and also Li deposition may occur. Furthermore, degradation due to side reactions in the electrodes during cycling and storage results in capacity loss and impedance rise. An electrochemical-thermal coupled model is first used to predict performance of individual electrodes of Li-ion cells under HEV conditions that encompass a wide range of ambient temperatures. The model is validated against experimental data of not only the full cell but also individual electrodes and then used to study lithium deposition on the negative electrode during charging Li-ion battery at subzero temperature. The simulated property evolution, e.g. Li concentrations in electrode and electrolyte, shows that either low temperature or high charge rate may force Li insertion (into the negative carbon electrode) to occur in a narrow region near the separator. Therefore, Li deposition is mostly like to happen in this location. Modeling simulation shows that reduction of the negative electrode particle size can reduce Li deposition, which has same effect as improvement of the Li diffusion coefficient in the negative electrode. The model is also used to study charge protocols at subzero temperature. Model simulation shows that employing pulse current can improve cell temperature by the heat generated inside the cell, thus this designed charge protocol is able to reduce Li deposition and improve the charge efficiency as well. Individual aging mechanism is then implemented into each electrode to study Li-ion battery degradation during accelerated aging tests. The experimentally observed aging phenomena are interpreted using the degradation model. The simulated results show that the positive electrode active material loss is the main cause of capacity loss and impedance growth. And this is the key step for a model to well catch the experimentally observed aging phenomena in the two electrodes. In the future work, the degradation model will further help to prolong battery life through engineering and optimization in HEV applications.

Introduction to the Special Issue: Interventions to Reduce Challenging Behavior Among Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Davis, Tonya N; Rispoli, Mandy

2018-05-01

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is on the rise. In addition to the social communication skill deficits and restrictive repetitive behaviors and interests, many individuals with ASD engage in challenging behavior. Challenging behavior is associated with a multitude of negative outcomes. Challenging behavior may cause harm to the individual with ASD as well as limit opportunities for educational, vocational, and social participation and development. In addition, caregivers experience high stress and low quality of mental health. As a result, challenging behavior warrants intervention that is specifically tailored to the unique characteristics of individuals with ASD. The purpose of this Special Issue is to showcase recent research in the treatment of challenging behavior for individuals with ASD. This two-part Special Issue contains 12 studies that range from systematic and quality reviews of the intervention literature, to innovative treatment approaches, to studies that develop and evaluate treatments for restrictive and repetitive behaviors and interests.

The challenge of sleep management in military operations.

PubMed

Wesensten, Nancy J; Balkin, Thomas J

2013-01-01

It has long been known that short-term (days) insufficient sleep causes decrements in mental effectiveness that put individuals at increased risk of committing errors and causing accidents. More recently, it has been discovered that chronic poor sleep (over years) is associated with a variety of negative health outcomes (metabolic syndrome, obesity, degraded behavioral health). Implementing an effective sleep health program is, therefore, in the best interests of active duty personnel and their families both in the short- and long-term. Like managing physical activity or nutrition, effectively managing sleep health comes with its unique set of challenges arising from the fact that individuals who routinely do not obtain sufficient sleep are generally desensitized to feeling sleepy and are poor at judging their own performance capabilities--and individuals cannot be compelled to sleep. For these reasons, an optimally effective sleep health program requires 3 components: (1) a rigorous, evidence-based sleep education component to impart actionable knowledge about optimal sleep amounts, healthy sleep behaviors, the known benefits of sleep, the short- and long-term consequences of insufficient sleep, and to dispel myths about sleep; (2) a nonintrusive device that objectively and accurately measures sleep to empower the individual to track his/her own sleep/wake habits; and (3) a meaningful, actionable metric reflecting sleep/wake impact on daily effectiveness so that the individual sees the consequences of his/her sleep behavior and, therefore, can make informed sleep health choices.

Changing prevalence patterns in endoscopic and histological diagnosis of gastritis? Data from a cross-sectional Central European multicentre study.

PubMed

Wolf, Eva-Maria; Plieschnegger, Wolfgang; Geppert, Michael; Wigginghaus, Bernd; Höss, Gabriele M; Eherer, Andreas; Schneider, Nora I; Hauer, Almuthe; Rehak, Peter; Vieth, Michael; Langner, Cord

2014-05-01

Traditionally, Helicobacter infection is considered to be the most common cause of gastritis. In the cross-sectional Central European histoGERD trial, we assessed the prevalence of different types of gastritis, correlating histological and endoscopic diagnoses. A total of 1123 individuals participated in an observational multicentre study. Endoscopists classified individuals as positive or negative for gastritis and rendered the putative cause. Pathologists evaluated biopsy specimens based upon the Updated Sydney System. Histological diagnosis of gastritis was made in 639 (56.9%) participants. In all, 210 (18.7%) individuals were diagnosed with Helicobacter gastritis, 215 (19.1%) with post Helicobacter gastritis, 234 (20.8%) with reactive gastropathy, 26 (2.3%) with autoimmune gastritis, and 6 (0.5%) with focally enhanced gastritis related to Crohn's disease. In 46 out of 639 (7.2%) individuals diagnosed with gastritis, combinations of different histological subtypes were noted the most common being reactive gastropathy and post Helicobacter gastritis. Endoscopic diagnosis of gastritis was made in 534 (47.6%) individuals. Reactive gastropathy was more common than active Helicobacter gastritis, and the majority of cases attributable to Helicobacter infection were no longer ongoing, i.e. post Helicobacter gastritis. Agreement between histological and endoscopic diagnoses was better in reactive gastropathy than in Helicobacter gastritis. Copyright © 2014 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay: inter-individual variability and human disease

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Lam Son; Wilkinson, Miles; Gecz, Jozef

2013-01-01

Nonsense-Mediated mRNA Decay (NMD) is a regulatory pathway that functions to degrade transcripts containing premature termination codons (PTCs) and to maintain normal transcriptome homeostasis. Nonsense and frameshift mutations that generate PTCs cause approximately one-third of all known human genetic diseases and thus NMD has a potentially important role in human disease. In genetic disorders in which the affected genes carry PTC-generating mutations, NMD acts as a double-edge sword. While it can benefit the patient by degrading PTC-containing mRNAs that encode detrimental, dominant-negative truncated proteins, it can also make the disease worse when a PTC-containing mRNA is degraded that encodes a mutant but still functional protein. There is evidence that the magnitude of NMD varies between individuals, which, in turn, has been shown to correlate with both clinical presentations and the patients’ responses to drugs that promote read-through of PTCs. In this review, we examine the evidence supporting the existence of inter-individual variability in NMD efficiency and discuss the genetic factors that underlie this variability. We propose that inter-individual variability in NMD efficiency is a common phenomenon in human populations and that an individual’s NMD efficiency should be taken into consideration when testing, developing, and making therapeutic decisions for diseases caused by genes harboring PTCs. PMID:24239855

Robot flow, clogging and jamming in confined spaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monaenkova, Daria; Linevich, Vadim; Goodisman, Michael A. D.; Goldman, Daniel I.

We hypothesized that when a collection of robots operate in confined space, maximization of individual effort could negatively affect the collective performance by impeding the mobility of the individuals. To test our hypothesis, we built and programmed groups of 1-4 autonomous robotic diggers to construct a tunnel in a model cohesive soil. The robots' mobility, defined in terms of the residence time (T) required for a robot to move one body-length within the tunnel, was compared between groups of maximally active robots (mode 1), groups with different levels of activity between individuals (mode 2), and maximally active robots with a ``giving up'' behavior (mode 3), in which the robot ceased the attempt to excavate in a crowded tunnel. In small groups of two robots, T was ~3 sec and did not depend on the mode of operation. However, an increase in the number of robots caused an increase in T which depended upon mode. The residence time in groups of four robots in mode 1 (~9 sec) significantly exceeded the residence time in mode 2 and 3 (~4 sec), indicating that crowding was causing slower movement of individuals, particularly under maximum effort (mode 1). We will use our robophysical studies to discover principles of collective construction in subterranean social animals.

Cingulo-opercular network efficiency mediates the association between psychotic-like experiences and cognitive ability in the general population.

PubMed

Sheffield, Julia M; Kandala, Sridhar; Burgess, Gregory C; Harms, Michael P; Barch, Deanna M

2016-11-01

Psychosis is hypothesized to occur on a spectrum between psychotic disorders and healthy individuals. In the middle of the spectrum are individuals who endorse psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) that may not impact daily functioning or cause distress. Individuals with PLEs show alterations in both cognitive ability and functional connectivity of several brain networks, but the relationship between PLEs, cognition, and functional networks remains poorly understood. We analyzed resting-state fMRI data, a range of neuropsychological tasks, and questions from the Achenbach Adult Self Report (ASR) in 468 individuals from the Human Connectome Project. We aimed to determine whether global efficiency of specific functional brain networks supporting higher-order cognition (the fronto-parietal network (FPN), cingulo-opercular network (CON), and default mode network (DMN)) was associated with PLEs and cognitive ability in a non-psychiatric sample. 21.6% of individuals in our sample endorsed at least one PLE. PLEs were significantly negatively associated with higher-order cognitive ability, CON global efficiency, and DMN global efficiency, but not crystallized knowledge. Higher-order cognition was significantly positively associated with CON and DMN global efficiency. Interestingly, the association between PLEs and cognitive ability was partially mediated by CON global efficiency and, in a subset of individuals who tested negative for drugs (N=405), the participation coefficient of the right anterior insula (a hub within the CON). These findings suggest that CON integrity may represent a shared mechanism that confers risk for psychotic experiences and the cognitive deficits observed across the psychosis spectrum.

Dynamically tracking anxious individuals' affective response to valenced information.

PubMed

Fua, Karl C; Teachman, Bethany A

2017-09-01

Past research has shown that an individual's feelings at any given moment reflect currently experienced stimuli as well as internal representations of similar past experiences. However, anxious individuals' affective reactions to streams of interrelated valenced information (vs. reactions to static stimuli that are arguably less ecologically valid) are rarely tracked. The present study provided a first examination of the newly developed Tracking Affect Ratings Over Time (TAROT) task to continuously assess anxious individuals' affective reactions to streams of information that systematically change valence. Undergraduate participants (N = 141) completed the TAROT task in which they listened to narratives containing positive, negative, and neutral physically- or socially-relevant events, and indicated how positive or negative they felt about the information they heard as each narrative unfolded. The present study provided preliminary evidence for the validity and reliability of the task. Within scenarios, participants higher (vs. lower) in anxiety showed many expected negative biases, reporting more negative mean ratings and overall summary ratings, changing their pattern of responding more quickly to negative events, and responding more negatively to neutral events. Furthermore, individuals higher (vs. lower) in anxiety tended to report more negative minimums during and after positive events, and less positive maximums after negative events. Together, findings indicate that positive events were less impactful for anxious individuals, whereas negative experiences had a particularly lasting impact on future affective responses. The TAROT task is able to efficiently capture a number of different cognitive biases, and may help clarify the mechanisms that underlie anxious individuals' biased negative processing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Prevalence of Bacterial Vaginosis and Associated Risk Factors among Women Complaining of Genital Tract Infection.

PubMed

Bitew, Adane; Abebaw, Yeshiwork; Bekele, Delayehu; Mihret, Amete

2017-01-01

Bacterial vaginosis is a global concern due to the increased risk of acquisition of sexually transmitted infections. To determine the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis and bacteria causing aerobic vaginitis. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 210 patients between September 2015 and July 2016 at St. Paul's Hospital. Gram-stained vaginal swabs were examined microscopically and graded as per Nugent's procedure. Bacteria causing aerobic vaginitis were characterized, and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern was determined. The overall prevalence of bacterial vaginosis was 48.6%. Bacterial vaginosis was significantly associated with number of pants used per day ( p = 0.001) and frequency of vaginal bathing ( p = 0.045). Of 151 bacterial isolates, 69.5% were Gram-negative and 30.5% were Gram-positive bacteria. The overall drug resistance level of Gram-positive bacteria was high against penicillin, tetracycline, and erythromycin. Cefoxitin and tobramycin were the most active drugs against Gram-positive bacteria. The overall drug resistance level of Gram-negative bacteria was high against tetracycline, ampicillin, and amoxicillin. Amikacin and tobramycin were the most active drugs against Gram-negative bacteria. The prevalence of bacterial vaginosis was high and was affected by individual hygiene. Routine culture of vaginal samples should be performed on patients with vaginitis and the drug susceptibility pattern of each isolate should be determined.

Neural sensitivity to social deviance predicts attentive processing of peer-group judgment.

PubMed

Schnuerch, Robert; Trautmann-Lengsfeld, Sina Alexa; Bertram, Mario; Gibbons, Henning

2014-01-01

The detection of one's deviance from social norms is an essential mechanism of individual adjustment to group behavior and, thus, for the perpetuation of norms within groups. It has been suggested that error signals in mediofrontal cortex provide the neural basis of such deviance detection, which contributes to later adjustment to the norm. In the present study, we used event-related potentials (ERPs) to demonstrate that, across participants, the strength of mediofrontal brain correlates of the detection of deviance from a peer group's norms was negatively related to attentive processing of the same group's judgments in a later task. We propose that an individual's perception of social deviance might bias basic cognitive processing during further interaction with the group. Strongly perceiving disagreement with a group could cause an individual to avoid or inhibit this group's judgments.

Community Structure and Function of Amphibian Skin Microbes: An Experiment with Bullfrogs Exposed to a Chytrid Fungus.

PubMed

Walke, Jenifer B; Becker, Matthew H; Loftus, Stephen C; House, Leanna L; Teotonio, Thais L; Minbiole, Kevin P C; Belden, Lisa K

2015-01-01

The vertebrate microbiome contributes to disease resistance, but few experiments have examined the link between microbiome community structure and disease resistance functions. Chytridiomycosis, a major cause of amphibian population declines, is a skin disease caused by the fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). In a factorial experiment, bullfrog skin microbiota was reduced with antibiotics, augmented with an anti-Bd bacterial isolate (Janthinobacterium lividum), or unmanipulated, and individuals were then either exposed or not exposed to Bd. We found that the microbial community structure of individual frogs prior to Bd exposure influenced Bd infection intensity one week following exposure, which, in turn, was negatively correlated with proportional growth during the experiment. Microbial community structure and function differed among unmanipulated, antibiotic-treated, and augmented frogs only when frogs were exposed to Bd. Bd is a selective force on microbial community structure and function, and beneficial states of microbial community structure may serve to limit the impacts of infection.

Community Structure and Function of Amphibian Skin Microbes: An Experiment with Bullfrogs Exposed to a Chytrid Fungus

PubMed Central

Walke, Jenifer B.; Becker, Matthew H.; Loftus, Stephen C.; House, Leanna L.; Teotonio, Thais L.; Minbiole, Kevin P. C.; Belden, Lisa K.

2015-01-01

The vertebrate microbiome contributes to disease resistance, but few experiments have examined the link between microbiome community structure and disease resistance functions. Chytridiomycosis, a major cause of amphibian population declines, is a skin disease caused by the fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). In a factorial experiment, bullfrog skin microbiota was reduced with antibiotics, augmented with an anti-Bd bacterial isolate (Janthinobacterium lividum), or unmanipulated, and individuals were then either exposed or not exposed to Bd. We found that the microbial community structure of individual frogs prior to Bd exposure influenced Bd infection intensity one week following exposure, which, in turn, was negatively correlated with proportional growth during the experiment. Microbial community structure and function differed among unmanipulated, antibiotic-treated, and augmented frogs only when frogs were exposed to Bd. Bd is a selective force on microbial community structure and function, and beneficial states of microbial community structure may serve to limit the impacts of infection. PMID:26445500

Does individualism bring happiness? Negative effects of individualism on interpersonal relationships and happiness.

PubMed

Ogihara, Yuji; Uchida, Yukiko

2014-01-01

We examined the negative effects of individualism in an East Asian culture. Although individualistic systems decrease interpersonal relationships through competition, individualistic values have prevailed in European American cultures. One reason is because individuals could overcome negativity by actively constructing interpersonal relationships. In contrast, people in East Asian cultures do not have such strategies to overcome the negative impact of individualistic systems, leading to decreased well-being. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the relationship between individualistic values, number of close friends, and subjective well-being (SWB). Study 1 indicated that individualistic values were negatively related with the number of close friends and SWB for Japanese college students but not for American college students. Moreover, Study 2 showed that even in an individualistic workplace in Japan, individualistic values were negatively related with the number of close friends and SWB. We discuss how cultural change toward increasing individualism might affect interpersonal relationships and well-being.

Social identity, attribution, and emotion: comparisons of Americans, Korean Americans, and Koreans.

PubMed

Park, Hee Sun; Yun, Doshik; Choi, Hye Jeong; Lee, Hye Eun; Lee, Dong Wook; Ahn, Jiyoung

2013-01-01

The social identity of another person, in addition to the social identity of self, can be an important factor affecting the types of attribution judgments and emotions that individuals indicate for the other person. In April 2007, the perpetrator of the shooting incident on the Virginia Tech University campus was identified as a person who emigrated to the USA from Korea at a young age. The current study compared non-Korean Americans, Korean Americans, Koreans in the USA, and Koreans in Korea in terms of their attributions and emotions concerning the perpetrator and the shooting incident. Participants were asked to indicate (1) the extent to which they attributed the cause of the incident to either American society or the perpetrator, (2) their emotions (e.g., upset), and (3) the extent to which they categorized the perpetrator as an American, a Korean American, or a Korean. The results indicated that non-Korean Americans were most likely to attribute the cause of the incident to the perpetrator as opposed to American society. Non-Korean Americans, Korean Americans, and Koreans in the United States had more negative emotions (e.g., unhappy, sad, and upset) about the incident than Koreans in Korea did. The results also indicated that individuals differed in their attributions and emotions depending on how they categorized the perpetrator. For example, categorizing the perpetrator as being a Korean was positively related to Americans' tendency to hold the perpetrator responsible, while categorizing the perpetrator as being an American was negatively related to the tendency to hold the perpetrator responsible among Koreans in Korea. The findings may imply that social identity theory, intergroup emotion theory, and cultural orientations (e.g., individualism and collectivism) can provide insights into people's reactions to a tragic incident.

Developmental neurotoxicity of traffic-related air pollution: focus on autism

PubMed Central

Costa, Lucio G.; Chang, Yu-Chi; Cole, Toby B.

2018-01-01

Purpose of Review Epidemiological and animal studies suggest that air pollution may negatively affect the central nervous system (CNS) and contribute to CNS diseases. Traffic-related air pollution is a major contributor to global air pollution, and diesel exhaust (DE) is its most important component. Recent findings Several studies suggest that young individuals may be particularly susceptible to air pollution-induced neurotoxicity, and that perinatal exposure may cause or contribute to developmental disabilities and behavioral abnormalities. In particular, a number of recent studies have found associations between exposures to traffic-related air pollution and autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which are characterized by impairment in socialization and in communication, and by the presence of repetitive and unusual behaviors. The cause(s) of ASD are unknown, and while it may have a hereditary component, environmental factors are increasingly suspected as playing a pivotal role in its etiology, particularly in genetically susceptible individuals. Summary Autistic children present higher levels of neuroinflammation and systemic inflammation, which are also hallmarks of exposure to traffic-related air pollution. Gene-environment interactions may play a relevant role in determining individual susceptibility to air pollution developmental neurotoxicity. Given the worldwide presence of elevated air pollution, studies on its effects and mechanisms on the developing brain, genetic susceptibility, role in neurodevelopmental disorders, and possible therapeutic interventions, are certainly warranted. PMID:28417440

Health inequality in Slovenia.

PubMed

Artnik, B; Premik, M

2001-01-01

The aim of this study was to correlate some socio-economic factors (gender, income, education, social position) with some health indicators (life expectancy, death rate by selected causes of death, self-evaluation of one's own health, absence from work due to illness or injuries) with a purpose to define the ineqaulity in health across Slovenian municipalities. In our study two sources of data for the population of Slovenia in 1996 were used: from the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (aggregated data across Slovenian municipalities) and Public Opinion Research (individual data). Statistical analysis was performed by correlation and factor analysis. The correlation coefficient between education and life expectancy is 0.712. The correlation between income base and life expectancy is also significant (0.707). In the eastern part of the country (mostly rural population) women in average live 2 years and men 3 years less than their counterparts in the western part of the country. Five causes of death across Slovenian municipalities are significantly related to the population's education and incomes, of which only death due to neoplasm is positively correlated to income while all other causes are negatively correlated not only with income but also with education. Health (self-evaluation) is closely related to an individual's education and social position. The factor analysis of pressures at work showed groups of two factors as being the most significant: pressures related to leadership positions (positive correlation with health), and physical labour or work in inferior positions (negative correlation with health). We can conclude that the results of our study showed the crucial effect of investigated socio-economic factors on people's health across Slovenian municipalities. During the present socio-economic transition period we are trying to establish new sources of data and looking for possibilities to connect and refine them for further investigation.

Experienced consequences of being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult - a qualitative study.

PubMed

Hansson Halleröd, Sara Lina; Anckarsäter, Henrik; Råstam, Maria; Hansson Scherman, Marianne

2015-02-26

Despite increasing knowledge of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) across the life span, there is still little research on adults' own experiences of being diagnosed with ADHD. The aim of the present study was to explore and describe patients' experiences and perceptions of being diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood. The study can be seen as an attempt to validate the diagnosis from a patient perspective. Twenty-one adults diagnosed with ADHD were individually interviewed. The interviews were open-ended and exploratory, analysed with a qualitative phenomenographical approach, and the results were described in categories. Positive experiences were dominant, but there was a complex intra- and inter-individual variation of experiences. Descriptions focused on the diagnosis, on identity, and on life. The diagnosis was described as explaining a previously inexplicable life history, but was also questioned, both as a phenomenon and in relation to the individual (the diagnosis in focus). It was experienced as providing self-knowledge and increased value, but could also cause devaluation and concern about identity (identity in focus). It meant help to achieve a better life, but was also perceived to restrict possibilities and cause disappointment over lack of professional help. It could lead to a wish for an earlier diagnosis that could have spared suffering, as well as to a changed view of the participants' relatives (life in focus). All but one of the interviewees expressed important positive consequences of being diagnosed with ADHD. About half of them acknowledged negative aspects of being diagnosed, but none regretted going through the neuropsychiatric evaluation. From a patient perspective, there are major positive consequences of being diagnosed with ADHD, compared to the undiagnosed situation. Knowledge of the individual's combination of experiences is important for professionals, as these experiences can affect well-being and interfere with treatment. Negative experiences in particular might need to be addressed in the treatment work.

Misery Loves Company? A Meta-Regression Examining Aggregate Unemployment Rates and the Unemployment-Mortality Association

PubMed Central

Roelfs, David J.; Shor, Eran; Blank, Aharon; Schwartz, Joseph E.

2015-01-01

PURPOSE Individual-level unemployment has been consistently linked to poor health and higher mortality, but some scholars have suggested that the negative effect of job loss may be lower during times and in places where aggregate unemployment rates are high. We review three logics associated with this moderation hypothesis: health selection, social isolation, and unemployment stigma. We then test whether aggregate unemployment rates moderate the individual-level association between unemployment and all-cause mortality. METHODS We use 6 meta-regression models (each utilizing a different measure of the aggregate unemployment rate) based on 62 relative all-cause mortality risk estimates from 36 studies (from 15 nations). RESULTS We find that the magnitude of the individual-level unemployment-mortality association is approximately the same during periods of high and low aggregate-level unemployment. Model coefficients (exponentiated) were 1.01 for the crude unemployment rate (p = 0.27), 0.94 for the change in unemployment rate from the previous year (p = 0.46), 1.01 for the deviation of the unemployment rate from the 5-year running average (p = 0.87), 1.01 for the deviation of the unemployment rate from the 10-year running average (p = 0.73), 1.01 for the deviation of the unemployment rate from the overall average (measured as a continuous variable; p = 0.61), and showed no variation across unemployment levels when the deviation of the unemployment rate from the overall average was measured categorically. Heterogeneity between studies was significant (p < .001), supporting the use of the random effects model. CONCLUSIONS We found no strong evidence to suggest that unemployment experiences change when macro-economic conditions change. Efforts to ameliorate the negative social and economic consequences of unemployment should continue to focus on the individual and should be maintained regardless of periodic changes in macro-economic conditions. PMID:25795225

Misery loves company? A meta-regression examining aggregate unemployment rates and the unemployment-mortality association.

PubMed

Roelfs, David J; Shor, Eran; Blank, Aharon; Schwartz, Joseph E

2015-05-01

Individual-level unemployment has been consistently linked to poor health and higher mortality, but some scholars have suggested that the negative effect of job loss may be lower during times and in places where aggregate unemployment rates are high. We review three logics associated with this moderation hypothesis: health selection, social isolation, and unemployment stigma. We then test whether aggregate unemployment rates moderate the individual-level association between unemployment and all-cause mortality. We use six meta-regression models (each using a different measure of the aggregate unemployment rate) based on 62 relative all-cause mortality risk estimates from 36 studies (from 15 nations). We find that the magnitude of the individual-level unemployment-mortality association is approximately the same during periods of high and low aggregate-level unemployment. Model coefficients (exponentiated) were 1.01 for the crude unemployment rate (P = .27), 0.94 for the change in unemployment rate from the previous year (P = .46), 1.01 for the deviation of the unemployment rate from the 5-year running average (P = .87), 1.01 for the deviation of the unemployment rate from the 10-year running average (P = .73), 1.01 for the deviation of the unemployment rate from the overall average (measured as a continuous variable; P = .61), and showed no variation across unemployment levels when the deviation of the unemployment rate from the overall average was measured categorically. Heterogeneity between studies was significant (P < .001), supporting the use of the random effects model. We found no strong evidence to suggest that unemployment experiences change when macroeconomic conditions change. Efforts to ameliorate the negative social and economic consequences of unemployment should continue to focus on the individual and should be maintained regardless of periodic changes in macroeconomic conditions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using Emotion as Information in Future-Oriented Cognition: Individual Differences in the Context of State Negative Affect

PubMed Central

Marroquín, Brett; Boyle, Chloe C.; Nolen-Hoeksema, Susan; Stanton, Annette L.

2016-01-01

Predictions about the future are susceptible to mood-congruent influences of emotional state. However, recent work suggests individuals also differ in the degree to which they incorporate emotion into cognition. This study examined the role of such individual differences in the context of state negative emotion. We examined whether trait tendencies to use negative or positive emotion as information affect individuals' predictions of what will happen in the future (likelihood estimation) and how events will feel (affective forecasting), and whether trait influences depend on emotional state. Participants (N=119) reported on tendencies to use emotion as information (“following feelings”), underwent an emotion induction (negative versus neutral), and made likelihood estimates and affective forecasts for future events. Views of the future were predicted by both emotional state and individual differences in following feelings. Whereas following negative feelings affected most future-oriented cognition across emotional states, following positive feelings specifically buffered individuals' views of the future in the negative emotion condition, and specifically for positive future events, a category of future-event prediction especially important in psychological health. Individual differences may confer predisposition toward optimistic or pessimistic expectations of the future in the context of acute negative emotion, with implications for adaptive and maladaptive functioning. PMID:27041783

Effects of Body Mass Index on Mechanical Properties of the Plantar Fascia and Heel Pad in Asymptomatic Participants.

PubMed

Taş, Serkan; Bek, Nilgün; Ruhi Onur, Mehmet; Korkusuz, Feza

2017-07-01

Musculoskeletal foot disorders have a high incidence among overweight and obese individuals. One of the important factors causing this high incidence may be plantar fascia and heel pad (HP)-related mechanical changes occurring in these individuals. The aim of the present study was to investigate the plantar fascia and HP stiffness and thickness parameters in overweight and obese individuals and compare these values with those of normal-weight individuals. This study was carried out in 87 (52 female, 35 male) healthy sedentary individuals between the ages of 19 and 58 years (34 ± 11 years). Participants were subsequently categorized according to body mass index (BMI) as normal weight (18.5 kg/m 2 < BMI < 25 kg/m 2 ) or overweight and obese (BMI ≥25 kg/m 2 ). Plantar fascia and HP thickness and stiffness were measured with an ultrasonography device using a linear ultrasonography probe. Overweight and obese individuals had higher HP thickness ( P < .001), plantar fascia thickness ( P = .001), heel pad microchamber layer (MIC) stiffness ( P < .001), and heel pad macrochamber layer (MAC) stiffness ( P < .001), whereas they had lower plantar fascia stiffness ( P < .001) compared with the individuals with normal weight. BMI had a moderate correlation with HP thickness ( P < .001, r = 0.500), plantar fascia thickness ( P = .001, r = 0.536), MIC stiffness ( P < .001, r = 0.496), and MAC stiffness ( P < .001, r = 0.425). A negative and moderate correlation was found between BMI and plantar fascia stiffness ( P < .001, r = -0.439). Increased BMI causes a decrease in the stiffness of plantar fascia and an increase in the thickness of the plantar fascia as well as the thickness and stiffness of HP. Increased body mass could cause changes in the mechanical properties of HP and plantar fascia. Level 3, comparative study.

Promoting effects on reproduction increase population vulnerability of Daphnia magna.

PubMed

Agatz, Annika; Hammers-Wirtz, Monika; Gabsi, Faten; Ratte, Hans Toni; Brown, Colin D; Preuss, Thomas G

2012-07-01

Environmental risk assessment of chemicals is based on single species tests at the individual level with single compounds. However, the protection goal is the sustainability of a population, which faces several natural stressors and mixtures of chemicals in the environment. Therefore, experiments were undertaken to quantify the combined effects of chemicals with different modes of action on Daphnia magna populations. Populations continuously exposed to dispersogen A and at abundance equilibrium were treated with a 2-d pulse of p353-nonylphenol. In previous studies, dispersogen A was shown to act as a natural info-chemical, promoting the reproduction of daphnids (higher offspring quantity) coupled with reduced offspring fitness, whereas nonylphenol in pulsed-exposure caused size-selective mortality. Dispersogen A caused accelerated population growth to maximum abundance, shifted the population structure towards smaller individuals, and increased the population sensitivity to nonylphenol. The authors showed that a positive effect observed at the individual level can be transposed to a negative effect when monitored at the population level. So far, positive effects are not addressed in environmental risk assessment, and even in higher-tier testing, population structure is not quantified. Both factors indicate a potential mismatch between protection aim and risk assessment practice. Copyright © 2012 SETAC.

Light pollution disrupts sleep in free-living animals.

PubMed

Raap, Thomas; Pinxten, Rianne; Eens, Marcel

2015-09-04

Artificial lighting can alter individual behaviour, with often drastic and potentially negative effects on biological rhythms, daily activity and reproduction. Whether this is caused by a disruption of sleep, an important widespread behaviour enabling animals to recover from daily stress, is unclear. We tested the hypothesis that light pollution disrupts sleep by recording individual sleep behaviour of great tits, Parus major, that were roosting in dark nest-boxes and were exposed to light-emitting diode light the following night. Their behaviour was compared to that of control birds sleeping in dark nest-boxes on both nights. Artificial lighting caused experimental birds to wake up earlier, sleep less (-5%) and spent less time in the nest-box as they left their nest-box earlier in the morning. Experimental birds did not enter the nest-box or fall asleep later than controls. Although individuals in lit nest-boxes did not wake up more often nor decreased the length of their sleep bouts, females spent a greater proportion of the night awake. Our study provides the first direct proof that light pollution has a significant impact on sleep in free-living animals, in particular in the morning, and highlights a mechanism for potential effects of light pollution on fitness.

Coping with patients suffering from overactive bladder: experiences of family caregivers in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Siu, Judy Yuen-Man

2017-01-01

This article examines the experiences of family caregivers working with patients affected by overactive bladder (OAB) in Hong Kong. Chronic diseases create physical and emotional burdens not only for patients but also for family caregivers, who often experience physical and emotional burnout and social impairment. Extensive literature has pertained to caregiver experiences in western and non-western settings; however, few studies have addressed the livelihoods and experiences of family caregivers of patients with OAB in ethnic Chinese communities. Because of the increasing prevalence of OAB worldwide, this study investigated the experiences of such caregivers in Hong Kong, examining their emotional and social needs. A qualitative research design with individual semistructured interviews was adopted, and snowball sampling was used to recruit 35 family caregivers who were referred by patients with OAB. The participants were interviewed individually from May to August 2013. A phenomenological approach was adopted in the data analysis. The data revealed that all participants had unpleasant experiences in caring for family members with OAB. A sense of powerlessness, helplessness, confusion and guilt, as well as grievances and social withdrawal, was prevalent, causing great physical and emotional suffering and subsequent physical and emotional burnout. These negative experiences were often caused by confusion regarding caretaking duties. The negative emotions of the participants and their family members also caused a lack of communication and mutual understanding about the disease, causing care-giving to be even more confusing and difficult. Furthermore, because of traditional Chinese cultural values and gender expectations, male participants experienced the triple burden of employment, domestic duties and care-giving. More holistic social and healthcare support services should be provided for care-giving family members of patients with OAB patients, empowering such caregivers to attend to family members and care for their own emotional well-being. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Increased Rates of Respiratory and Diarrheal Illnesses in HIV-Negative Persons Living With HIV-Infected Individuals in a Densely Populated Urban Slum in Kenya.

PubMed

Wong, Joshua M; Cosmas, Leonard; Nyachieo, Dhillon; Williamson, John M; Olack, Beatrice; Okoth, George; Njuguna, Henry; Feikin, Daniel R; Burke, Heather; Montgomery, Joel M; Breiman, Robert F

2015-09-01

Prolonged pathogen shedding and increased duration of illness associated with infections in immunosuppressed individuals put close human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative contacts of HIV-infected persons at increased risk of exposure to infectious pathogens. We calculated incidence and longitudinal prevalence (number of days per year) of influenzalike illness (ILI), diarrhea, and nonspecific febrile illness during 2008 from a population-based surveillance program in the urban slum of Kibera (Kenya) that included 1830 HIV-negative household contacts of HIV-infected individuals and 13 677 individuals living in exclusively HIV-negative households. For individuals ≥5 years old, incidence was significantly increased for ILI (risk ratio [RR], 1.47; P < .05) and diarrhea (RR, 1.41; P < .05) in HIV-negative household contacts of HIV-infected individuals compared with exclusively HIV-negative households. The risk of illness among HIV-negative persons was directly proportional to the number of HIV-infected persons living in the home for ILI (RR, 1.39; P < .05) and diarrhea (RR, 1.36; P < .01). We found no increased rates of illness in children <5 years old who lived with HIV-infected individuals. Living with HIV-infected individuals is associated with modestly increased rates of respiratory and diarrheal infections in HIV-negative individuals >5 years old. Targeted interventions are needed, including ensuring that HIV-infected persons are receiving appropriate care and treatment. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2015. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Being born under adverse economic conditions leads to a higher cardiovascular mortality rate later in life: evidence based on individuals born at different stages of the business cycle.

PubMed

van den Berg, Gerard J; Doblhammer-Reiter, Gabriele; Christensen, Kaare

2011-05-01

We connect the recent medical and economic literatures on the long-run effects of early-life conditions by analyzing the effects of economic conditions on the individual cardiovascular (CV) mortality rate later in life, using individual data records from the Danish Twin Registry covering births since the 1870s and including the cause of death. To capture exogenous variation of conditions early in life, we use the state of the business cycle around birth. We find significant negative effects of economic conditions around birth on the individual CV mortality rate at higher ages. There is no effect on the cancer-specific mortality rate. From variation within and between monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs born under different conditions, we conclude that the fate of an individual is more strongly determined by genetic and household-environmental factors if early-life conditions are poor. Individual-specific qualities come more to fruition if the starting position in life is better.

Different behaviour-body length correlations in two populations of juvenile three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus).

PubMed

De Winter, Gunnar; Martins, Henrique Ramalho; Trovo, Rafael Arnoni; Chapman, Ben B

2016-01-01

Behavioural variation among individuals has received a lot of attention by behavioural ecologists in the past few years. Its causes and consequences are becoming vast areas of research. The origin and maintenance of individual variation in behaviour within and among populations is affected by many facets of the biotic and abiotic environment. Here, two populations of lab-reared juvenile three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) are tested for three behaviours (boldness, exploration, and sociability). Given the identical rearing conditions, the only difference between these populations is the parental habitat. In both populations, correlations between behaviour and body length are found. Interestingly, these differ between the populations. In one population body length was negatively correlated with exploratory behaviour, while in the other one body length correlated negatively with sociability. Considering the identical environment these juvenile fish were exposed to, these findings suggest a potential (epi)genetic foundation for these correlations and shows that, in three-spined sticklebacks, the proximate basis for correlations between body length and behaviour appears quite malleable. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The interactive effects of negative symptoms and social role functioning on suicide ideation in individuals with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Jahn, Danielle R; Bennett, Melanie E; Park, Stephanie G; Gur, Raquel E; Horan, William P; Kring, Ann M; Blanchard, Jack J

2016-02-01

Findings regarding the protective effect of social role functioning on suicide ideation in individuals with schizophrenia have been mixed. One reason for such inconsistencies in the literature may be that individuals with prominent negative symptoms of schizophrenia may not experience a desire for social closeness, and therefore social role functioning may not influence suicide risk in these individuals. The aim of this study was to examine the moderating effects of self-reported desire for social closeness and interviewer-rated negative symptoms on the relationship between social role functioning and suicide ideation. Our sample consisted of 162 individuals who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders; all participants completed self-report questionnaires and clinician-administered interviews, and moderation hypotheses were tested with a non-parametric procedure. The results indicated that motivation and pleasure-related negative symptoms moderated the relationship between social role functioning and suicide ideation; self-reported desire for social closeness and negative symptoms related to expression did not have such a moderating effect. Specifically, better social role functioning was associated with less suicide ideation only in those individuals who had low motivation and pleasure-related negative symptoms; no significant relationship was observed between social role functioning and suicide ideation among those with elevated motivation and pleasure-related negative symptoms. These findings suggest that assessing for negative symptoms and social role functioning may inform suicide risk assessments in individuals with schizophrenia, and improving social role functioning may reduce suicide ideation among those with few motivation and pleasure-related negative symptoms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Metabolic rate associates with, but does not generate covariation between, behaviours in western stutter-trilling crickets, Gryllus integer.

PubMed

Krams, Indrikis A; Niemelä, Petri T; Trakimas, Giedrius; Krams, Ronalds; Burghardt, Gordon M; Krama, Tatjana; Kuusik, Aare; Mänd, Marika; Rantala, Markus J; Mänd, Raivo; Kekäläinen, Jukka; Sirkka, Ilkka; Luoto, Severi; Kortet, Raine

2017-03-29

The causes and consequences of among-individual variation and covariation in behaviours are of substantial interest to behavioural ecology, but the proximate mechanisms underpinning this (co)variation are still unclear. Previous research suggests metabolic rate as a potential proximate mechanism to explain behavioural covariation. We measured the resting metabolic rate (RMR), boldness and exploration in western stutter-trilling crickets, Gryllus integer , selected differentially for short and fast development over two generations. After applying mixed-effects models to reveal the sign of the covariation, we applied structural equation models to an individual-level covariance matrix to examine whether the RMR generates covariation between the measured behaviours. All traits showed among-individual variation and covariation: RMR and boldness were positively correlated, RMR and exploration were negatively correlated, and boldness and exploration were negatively correlated. However, the RMR was not a causal factor generating covariation between boldness and exploration. Instead, the covariation between all three traits was explained by another, unmeasured mechanism. The selection lines differed from each other in all measured traits and significantly affected the covariance matrix structure between the traits, suggesting that there is a genetic component in the trait integration. Our results emphasize that interpretations made solely from the correlation matrix might be misleading. © 2017 The Author(s).

Metabolic rate associates with, but does not generate covariation between, behaviours in western stutter-trilling crickets, Gryllus integer

PubMed Central

Trakimas, Giedrius; Krams, Ronalds; Burghardt, Gordon M.; Krama, Tatjana; Kuusik, Aare; Mänd, Marika; Rantala, Markus J.; Mänd, Raivo; Sirkka, Ilkka; Luoto, Severi; Kortet, Raine

2017-01-01

The causes and consequences of among-individual variation and covariation in behaviours are of substantial interest to behavioural ecology, but the proximate mechanisms underpinning this (co)variation are still unclear. Previous research suggests metabolic rate as a potential proximate mechanism to explain behavioural covariation. We measured the resting metabolic rate (RMR), boldness and exploration in western stutter-trilling crickets, Gryllus integer, selected differentially for short and fast development over two generations. After applying mixed-effects models to reveal the sign of the covariation, we applied structural equation models to an individual-level covariance matrix to examine whether the RMR generates covariation between the measured behaviours. All traits showed among-individual variation and covariation: RMR and boldness were positively correlated, RMR and exploration were negatively correlated, and boldness and exploration were negatively correlated. However, the RMR was not a causal factor generating covariation between boldness and exploration. Instead, the covariation between all three traits was explained by another, unmeasured mechanism. The selection lines differed from each other in all measured traits and significantly affected the covariance matrix structure between the traits, suggesting that there is a genetic component in the trait integration. Our results emphasize that interpretations made solely from the correlation matrix might be misleading. PMID:28330918

Effects of geomagnetic activity variations on the physiological and psychological state of functionally healthy humans: Some results of Azerbaijani studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babayev, Elchin S.; Allahverdiyeva, Aysel A.

There are collaborative and cross-disciplinary space weather studies in the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences conducted with purposes of revealing possible effects of solar, geomagnetic and cosmic ray variability on certain technological, biological and ecological systems. This paper describes some results of the experimental studies of influence of the periodical and aperiodical changes of geomagnetic activity upon human brain, human health and psycho-emotional state. It also covers the conclusions of studies on influence of violent solar events and severe geomagnetic storms of the solar cycle 23 on the mentioned systems in middle-latitude location. It is experimentally established that weak and moderate geomagnetic storms do not cause significant changes in the brain's bioelectrical activity and exert only stimulating influence while severe disturbances of geomagnetic conditions cause negative influence, seriously disintegrate brain's functionality, activate braking processes and amplify the negative emotional background of an individual. It is concluded that geomagnetic disturbances affect mainly emotional and vegetative spheres of human beings while characteristics reflecting personality properties do not undergo significant changes.

Effect of hawthorn (Crataegus oxycantha) crude extract and chromatographic fractions on multiple activities in a cultured cardiomyocyte assay.

PubMed

Long, S R; Carey, R A; Crofoot, K M; Proteau, P J; Filtz, T M

2006-11-01

Extracts of hawthorn (Crataegus oxycantha) have become popular herbal supplements for their well-recognized cardiotonic effects. Many commercial preparations have been used successfully in the treatment of congestive heart failure, although the active principles within these extracts have yet to be conclusively identified. Several hawthorn preparations were studied and found to have negative chronotropic effects in a cultured neonatal murine cardiomyocyte assay using unpaced cells. As compared to conventional cardiac drugs (i.e., epinephrine, milrinone, ouabain, or propranolol), hawthorn extract has a unique activity profile. Hawthorn extract appears to be anti-arrhythmic and capable of inducing rhythmicity in quiescent cardiomyocytes. Hawthorn extract does not cause beta-adrenergic receptor blockade at concentrations which cause negative chronotropic effects. Commercial hawthorn preparations, extracts prepared from dried leaves and those made from dried berries have similar chronotropic activities. When crude extracts are separated using size-exclusion chromatography, several fractions retain multiple cardiac activities. Assays with chromatographic fractions reveal that multiple dissimilar cardioactive components may exist within the extract, making the identification of individual active constituents more challenging.

Size-dependent sex allocation in Aconitum gymnandrum (Ranunculaceae): physiological basis and effects of maternal family and environment.

PubMed

Zhao, Z-G; Meng, J-L; Fan, B-L; Du, G-Z

2008-11-01

Theory predicts size-dependent sex allocation (SDS): flowers on plants with a high-resource status should have larger investment in females than plants with a low-resource status. Through a pot experiment with Aconitum gymnandrum (Ranunculaceae) in the field, we examined the relationship between sex allocation of individual flowers and plant size for different maternal families under different environmental conditions. We also determined the physiological base of variations in plant size. Our results support the prediction of SDS, and show that female-biased allocation with plant size is consistent under different environmental conditions. Negative correlations within families showed a plastic response of sex allocation to plant size. Negative genetic correlations between sex allocation and plant size at the family level indicate a genetic cause of the SDS pattern, although genetic correlation was influenced by environmental factors. Hence, the size-dependency of sex allocation in this species had both plastic and genetic causes. Furthermore, genotypes that grew large also had higher assimilation ability, thus showing a physiological basis for SDS.

Extrapyramidal side effects of antipsychotic treatment: scope of problem and impact on outcome.

PubMed

Tandon, Rajiv; Jibson, Michael D

2002-06-01

Previously, clinicians worked with antipsychotic drugs (conventional or typical) that almost invariably caused extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) at clinically effective doses. This led to the false impression that all antipsychotics were the same, and that EPS were an unavoidable consequence of effective antipsychotic therapy. EPS adversely impact several aspects of antipsychotic efficacy and tolerability, thereby worsening outcome of afflicted individuals. EPS reduce beneficial effects of antipsychotic treatment on the negative, cognitive, and mood symptom domains, while increasing the risk of tardive dyskinesia and reducing compliance. By definition, the newer generation of "atypical" antipsychotic agents are significantly better than conventional agents with regard to EPS (i.e., they are clinically effective at doses at which they do not cause EPS). Pharmacologically, this difference is expressed in the greater degree of separation between respective dose response curves for antipsychotic and EPS effects observed for "atypical" in contrast to conventional agents. Clinically, this EPS advantage of atypical antipsychotics translates into several important benefits, including better negative symptom efficacy, less dysphoria, less impaired cognition, a lower risk of TD, and better overall outcome.

Negative hair-bundle stiffness betrays a mechanism for mechanical amplification by the hair cell.

PubMed

Martin, P; Mehta, A D; Hudspeth, A J

2000-10-24

Hearing and balance rely on the ability of hair cells in the inner ear to sense miniscule mechanical stimuli. In each cell, sound or acceleration deflects the mechanosensitive hair bundle, a tuft of rigid stereocilia protruding from the cell's apical surface. By altering the tension in gating springs linked to mechanically sensitive transduction channels, this deflection changes the channels' open probability and elicits an electrical response. To detect weak stimuli despite energy losses caused by viscous dissipation, a hair cell can use active hair-bundle movement to amplify its mechanical inputs. This amplificatory process also yields spontaneous bundle oscillations. Using a displacement-clamp system to measure the mechanical properties of individual hair bundles from the bullfrog's ear, we found that an oscillatory bundle displays negative slope stiffness at the heart of its region of mechanosensitivity. Offsetting the hair bundle's position activates an adaptation process that shifts the region of negative stiffness along the displacement axis. Modeling indicates that the interplay between negative bundle stiffness and the motor responsible for mechanical adaptation produces bundle oscillation similar to that observed. Just as the negative resistance of electrically excitable cells and of tunnel diodes can be embedded in a biasing circuit to amplify electrical signals, negative stiffness can be harnessed to amplify mechanical stimuli in the ear.

Loss of Function of KCNC1 is associated with intellectual disability without seizures

PubMed Central

Poirier, Karine; Viot, Géraldine; Lombardi, Laura; Jauny, Clémence; Billuart, Pierre; Bienvenu, Thierry

2017-01-01

p.(Arg320His) mutation in the KCNC1 gene in human 11p15.1 has recently been identified in patients with progressive myoclonus epilepsies, a group of rare inherited disorders manifesting with action myoclonus, myoclonic epilepsy, and ataxia. This KCNC1 variant causes a dominant-negative effect. Here we describe three patients from the same family with intellectual disability and dysmorphic features. The three affected individuals carry a c.1015C>T (p.(Arg339*)) nonsense variant in KCNC1 gene. As previously observed in the mutant mouse carrying a disrupted KCNC1 gene, these findings reveal that individuals with a KCNC1 loss-of-function variant can present intellectual disability without seizure and epilepsy. PMID:28145425

Negative public perceptions of juvenile diabetics: applying attribution theory to understand the public's stigmatizing views.

PubMed

Vishwanath, Arun

2014-01-01

Despite a rise in the incidence of juvenile diabetes globally, little research has focused on public perceptions regarding its patients. The need to evaluate whether the public holds stigmatizing views is pressing when one considers the relatively young age of the patients of the disease. The current study extends the attribution theoretic framework to evaluate public stigma regarding juvenile diabetes. The findings suggest that a large percentage of individuals misattribute the causes of the disease and believe it is relatively rare and that its patients are personally responsible for contracting it. Individuals often utilize pejorative terms describing juvenile diabetes as a disease afflicting children who are lazy, unhealthy, fat, obese, lacking exercise, and having eating disorders.

Environmental pollutants and breast cancer.

PubMed Central

Brody, Julia Green; Rudel, Ruthann A

2003-01-01

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and the leading cause of cancer death among women 35-54 years of age. Rising incidence, increased risk among migrants to higher risk regions, and poor prediction of individual risk have prompted a search for additional modifiable factors. Risk factors for breast cancer include reproductive characteristics associated with estrogen and other hormones, pharmaceutical hormones, and activities such as alcohol use and lack of exercise that affect hormone levels. As a result, investigation of hormonally active compounds in commercial products and pollution is a priority. Compounds that cause mammary tumors in animals are additional priorities. Animal models provide insight into possible mechanisms for effects of environmental pollutants on breast cancer and identify chemical exposures to target in epidemiologic studies. Although few epidemiologic studies have been conducted for chemical exposures, occupational studies show associations between breast cancer and exposure to certain organic solvents and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Population-based studies have been limited to a few organochlorine compounds and PAHs and have been mostly negative. A variety of challenges in studies of breast cancer and the environment may have contributed to negative findings. Lack of exposure assessment tools and few hypothesis-generating toxicologic studies limit the scope of epidemiologic studies. Issues of timing with respect to latency and periods of breast vulnerability, and individual differences in susceptibility pose other challenges. Substantial work is needed in exposure assessment, toxicology, and susceptibility before we can expect a pay-off from large epidemiologic studies of breast cancer and environment. PMID:12826474

Does individualism bring happiness? Negative effects of individualism on interpersonal relationships and happiness

PubMed Central

Ogihara, Yuji; Uchida, Yukiko

2014-01-01

We examined the negative effects of individualism in an East Asian culture. Although individualistic systems decrease interpersonal relationships through competition, individualistic values have prevailed in European American cultures. One reason is because individuals could overcome negativity by actively constructing interpersonal relationships. In contrast, people in East Asian cultures do not have such strategies to overcome the negative impact of individualistic systems, leading to decreased well-being. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the relationship between individualistic values, number of close friends, and subjective well-being (SWB). Study 1 indicated that individualistic values were negatively related with the number of close friends and SWB for Japanese college students but not for American college students. Moreover, Study 2 showed that even in an individualistic workplace in Japan, individualistic values were negatively related with the number of close friends and SWB. We discuss how cultural change toward increasing individualism might affect interpersonal relationships and well-being. PMID:24634663

[Climate change - physical and mental consequences].

PubMed

Bunz, Maxie; Mücke, Hans-Guido

2017-06-01

Climate change has already had a large influence on the human environmental system and directly or indirectly affects physical and mental health. Triggered by extreme meteorological conditions, for example, storms, floods, earth slides and heat periods, the direct consequences range from illnesses to serious accidents with injuries, or in extreme cases fatalities. Indirectly, a changed environment due to climate change affects, amongst other things, the cardiovascular system and respiratory tract, and can also cause allergies and infectious diseases. In addition, increasing confrontation with environmental impacts may cause negative psychological effects such as posttraumatic stress disorders and anxiety, but also aggression, distress and depressive symptoms. The extent and severity of the health consequences depend on individual pre-disposition, resilience, behaviour and adaptation.

Individual differences in heart rate variability are associated with the avoidance of negative emotional events.

PubMed

Katahira, Kentaro; Fujimura, Tomomi; Matsuda, Yoshi-Taka; Okanoya, Kazuo; Okada, Masato

2014-12-01

Although the emotional outcome of a choice generally affects subsequent decisions, humans can inhibit the influence of emotion. Heart rate variability (HRV) has emerged as an objective measure of individual differences in the capacity for inhibitory control. In the present study, we investigated how individual differences in HRV at rest are associated with the emotional effects of the outcome of a choice on subsequent decision making using a decision-making task in which emotional pictures appeared as decision outcomes. We used a reinforcement learning model to characterize the observed behaviors according to several parameters, namely, the learning rate and the motivational value of positive and negative pictures. Consequently, we found that individuals with a lower resting HRV exhibited a greater negative motivational value in response to negative pictures, suggesting that these individuals tend to avoid negative pictures compared with individuals with a higher resting HRV. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Negative symptom domain prevalence across diagnostic boundaries: The relevance of diagnostic shifts.

PubMed

Lyne, John; Renwick, Laoise; O'Donoghue, Brian; Kinsella, Anthony; Malone, Kevin; Turner, Niall; O'Callaghan, Eadbhard; Clarke, Mary

2015-08-30

Negative symptoms are included in diagnostic manuals as part of criteria for schizophrenia spectrum psychoses only, however some studies have found their presence in other diagnoses. This study sought to clarify negative symptom domain prevalence across diagnostic categories, while investigating whether negative symptoms predicted diagnostic shift over time. Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) data were collected at first presentation in 197 individuals presenting with first episode psychosis and again at one year follow-up assessment. Negative symptoms were highest among individuals with schizophrenia and among those whose diagnosis shifted from non-schizophrenia spectrum at baseline to schizophrenia spectrum at follow-up. In a non-schizophrenia spectrum group negative symptoms at baseline were not a significant predictor of diagnostic shift to schizophrenia spectrum diagnoses. The study suggests negative symptoms can present among individuals with non-schizophrenia spectrum diagnoses, although this is most relevant for individuals following diagnostic shift from non-schizophrenia spectrum to schizophrenia spectrum diagnoses. The findings support introduction of a negative symptom dimension when describing a range of psychotic illnesses, and indicate that further research investigating the evolution of negative symptoms in non-schizophrenia diagnoses is needed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of meal consumption on emotion among individuals with eating disorders.

PubMed

Anderson, Lisa M; Crow, Scott J; Peterson, Carol B

2014-01-01

This pilot study sought to determine how meal consumption impacts affective states for treatment-seeking individuals with eating disorders (ED). Participants with heterogeneous ED diagnoses completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and Profile of Mood States measures before and immediately after meal consumption. Meal consumption was associated with significant decreases in negative affect and total mood disturbance for individuals with binge eating disorder (BED). Decreases in negative affect across meal time for individuals with BED were significantly different from increases in negative affect for participants with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN). Findings indicate that individuals with BED have significantly different affective responses to eating non-binge meals than individuals with AN or BN. Data suggest changes in negative affect following meal consumption may be specific to certain ED diagnoses. Results provide preliminary evidence consistent with the idea that emotion states may function as maintenance mechanisms for psychopathology among ED diagnoses. Limitations and future directions pertaining to food-mood relationships for individuals with ED are discussed.

Brevundimonas spp: Emerging global opportunistic pathogens

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Non-fermenting Gram-negative bacteria are problematic in clinical locations, being one of the most prevalent causes of nosocomial infections. Many of these non-fermenting Gram-negative bacteria are opportunistic pathogens that affect patients that are suffering with underlying medical conditions and diseases. Brevundimonas spp., in particular Brevundimonas diminuta and Brevundimonas vesicularis, are a genus of non-fermenting Gram-negative bacteria considered of minor clinical importance. Forty-nine separate instances of infection relating to Brevundimonas spp were found in the scientific literature along with two pseudo-infections. The majority of these instances were infection with Brevundimonas vesicularis (thirty-five cases – 71%). The major condition associated with Brevundimonas spp infection was bacteraemia with seventeen individual cases/outbreaks (35%). This review identified forty-nine examples of Brevundimonas spp. infections have been discussed in the literature. These findings indicate that infection review programs should consider investigation of possible Brevundimonas spp outbreaks if these bacteria are clinically isolated in more than one patient. PMID:29484917

The contribution of CHEK2 to the TP53-negative Li-Fraumeni phenotype.

PubMed

Ruijs, Marielle W G; Broeks, Annegien; Menko, Fred H; Ausems, Margreet G E M; Wagner, Anja; Oldenburg, Rogier; Meijers-Heijboer, Hanne; van't Veer, Laura J; Verhoef, Senno

2009-02-17

CHEK2 has previously been excluded as a major cause of Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS). One particular CHEK2 germline mutation, c.1100delC, has been shown to be associated with elevated breast cancer risk. The prevalence of CHEK2*1100delC differs between populations and has been found to be relatively high in the Netherlands. The question remains nevertheless whether CHEK2 germline mutations contribute to the Li-Fraumeni phenotype. We have screened 65 Dutch TP53-negative LFS/LFL candidate patients for CHEK2 germline mutations to determine their contribution to the LFS/LFL phenotype. We identified six index patients with a CHEK2 sequence variant, four with the c.1100delC variant and two sequence variants of unknown significance, p.Phe328Ser and c.1096-?_1629+?del. Our data show that CHEK2 is not a major LFS susceptibility gene in the Dutch population. However, CHEK2 might be a factor contributing to individual tumour development in TP53-negative cancer-prone families.

The prospects of selection for social genetic effects to improve welfare and productivity in livestock

PubMed Central

Ellen, Esther D.; Rodenburg, T. Bas; Albers, Gerard A. A.; Bolhuis, J. Elizabeth; Camerlink, Irene; Duijvesteijn, Naomi; Knol, Egbert F.; Muir, William M.; Peeters, Katrijn; Reimert, Inonge; Sell-Kubiak, Ewa; van Arendonk, Johan A. M.; Visscher, Jeroen; Bijma, Piter

2014-01-01

Social interactions between individuals living in a group can have both positive and negative effects on welfare, productivity, and health of these individuals. Negative effects of social interactions in livestock are easier to observe than positive effects. For example, laying hens may develop feather pecking, which can cause mortality due to cannibalism, and pigs may develop tail biting or excessive aggression. Several studies have shown that social interactions affect the genetic variation in a trait. Genetic improvement of socially-affected traits, however, has proven to be difficult until relatively recently. The use of classical selection methods, like individual selection, may result in selection responses opposite to expected, because these methods neglect the effect of an individual on its group mates (social genetic effects). It has become clear that improvement of socially-affected traits requires selection methods that take into account not only the direct effect of an individual on its own phenotype but also the social genetic effects, also known as indirect genetic effects, of an individual on the phenotypes of its group mates. Here, we review the theoretical and empirical work on social genetic effects, with a focus on livestock. First, we present the theory of social genetic effects. Subsequently, we evaluate the evidence for social genetic effects in livestock and other species, by reviewing estimates of genetic parameters for direct and social genetic effects. Then we describe the results of different selection experiments. Finally, we discuss issues concerning the implementation of social genetic effects in livestock breeding programs. This review demonstrates that selection for socially-affected traits, using methods that target both the direct and social genetic effects, is a promising, but sometimes difficult to use in practice, tool to simultaneously improve production and welfare in livestock. PMID:25426136

The prospects of selection for social genetic effects to improve welfare and productivity in livestock.

PubMed

Ellen, Esther D; Rodenburg, T Bas; Albers, Gerard A A; Bolhuis, J Elizabeth; Camerlink, Irene; Duijvesteijn, Naomi; Knol, Egbert F; Muir, William M; Peeters, Katrijn; Reimert, Inonge; Sell-Kubiak, Ewa; van Arendonk, Johan A M; Visscher, Jeroen; Bijma, Piter

2014-01-01

Social interactions between individuals living in a group can have both positive and negative effects on welfare, productivity, and health of these individuals. Negative effects of social interactions in livestock are easier to observe than positive effects. For example, laying hens may develop feather pecking, which can cause mortality due to cannibalism, and pigs may develop tail biting or excessive aggression. Several studies have shown that social interactions affect the genetic variation in a trait. Genetic improvement of socially-affected traits, however, has proven to be difficult until relatively recently. The use of classical selection methods, like individual selection, may result in selection responses opposite to expected, because these methods neglect the effect of an individual on its group mates (social genetic effects). It has become clear that improvement of socially-affected traits requires selection methods that take into account not only the direct effect of an individual on its own phenotype but also the social genetic effects, also known as indirect genetic effects, of an individual on the phenotypes of its group mates. Here, we review the theoretical and empirical work on social genetic effects, with a focus on livestock. First, we present the theory of social genetic effects. Subsequently, we evaluate the evidence for social genetic effects in livestock and other species, by reviewing estimates of genetic parameters for direct and social genetic effects. Then we describe the results of different selection experiments. Finally, we discuss issues concerning the implementation of social genetic effects in livestock breeding programs. This review demonstrates that selection for socially-affected traits, using methods that target both the direct and social genetic effects, is a promising, but sometimes difficult to use in practice, tool to simultaneously improve production and welfare in livestock.

Changes in Self-Definition Impede Recovery From Rejection.

PubMed

Howe, Lauren C; Dweck, Carol S

2016-01-01

Previous research highlights how adept people are at emotional recovery after rejection, but less research has examined factors that can prevent full recovery. In five studies, we investigate how changing one's self-definition in response to rejection causes more lasting damage. We demonstrate that people who endorse an entity theory of personality (i.e., personality cannot be changed) report alterations in their self-definitions when reflecting on past rejections (Studies 1, 2, and 3) or imagining novel rejection experiences (Studies 4 and 5). Further, these changes in self-definition hinder post-rejection recovery, causing individuals to feel haunted by their past, that is, to fear the recurrence of rejection and to experience lingering negative affect from the rejection. Thus, beliefs that prompt people to tie experiences of rejection to self-definition cause rejection's impact to linger. © 2015 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Intoxication at Last Sexual Intercourse and Unprotected Sex among HIV Positive and Negative Individuals in Uganda: An Event-Level Analysis

PubMed Central

Tran, Phu; Hasin, Deborah S.

2015-01-01

This study examined, for the first time, the association between intoxication at last sexual intercourse and unprotected sex separately among HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals. Data were derived from a nationally-representative survey of Uganda in 2011. Multivariable logistic regression analyses of the intoxication-unprotected sex association included adjustment for sociodemographic and behavioral covariates that were also examined as moderators of the association. Among HIV-positive individuals, intoxication was associated with unprotected sex, whereas among HIV-negative individuals, the intoxication-unprotected sex association was moderated by knowledge that condoms prevent HIV transmission. The odds of unprotected sex was 2.67 times greater among HIV-negative individuals who were unaware that condoms prevent HIV, an association not observed among those who possessed such knowledge. The results suggest that the intoxication-unprotected sex link be incorporated within Ugandan National HIV Prevention Strategies among HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals. HIV-negative individuals who are unaware that condoms prevent HIV should be targeted for interventions focusing on increasing HIV transmission knowledge especially on the role of condoms in preventing the disease. The latter interventions should also identify those sociocultural and political beliefs about condom use that may serve as barriers to consistent condom use. PMID:25074735

45,X/47,XXX/47,XX, del(Y)(p?)/46,XX mosaicism causing true hermaphroditism.

PubMed

Nieto, Karem; Peña, Rocío; Palma, Icela; Dorantes, Luis M; Eraña, Luis; Alvarez, Rebeca; García-Cavazos, Ricardo; Kofman-Alfaro, Susana; Queipo, Gloria

2004-10-15

Sex differentiation in humans depends on the presence of the Y-linked gene SRY, which is activated in the pre-Sertoli cells of the developing gonadal primordium to trigger testicular differentiation. Occasionally testicular formation can take place in subjects lacking a Y chromosome resulting in a 46,XX sex reversal condition. True hermaphroditism (TH) is a rare form of intersexuality characterized by the presence of testicular and ovarian tissue in the same individual. Genetic heterogeneity has been proposed as a cause of dual gonadal development in some cases and recently, hidden mosaicism was reported to cause TH in some 46,XX SRY negative patients. Here we report a TH case in which hidden mosaicism for the Y and X chromosome was detected by PCR and FISH in peripheral blood and gonadal tissue, supporting the fact that mosaicism may cause TH and that molecular analysis of gonadal tissue should be performed in all 46,XX cases.

Causal Beliefs and Effects upon Mental Illness Identification Among Chinese Immigrant Relatives of Individuals with Psychosis.

PubMed

Yang, Lawrence H; Wonpat-Borja, Ahtoy J

2012-08-01

Identifying factors that facilitate treatment for psychotic disorders among Chinese-immigrants is crucial due to delayed treatment use. Identifying causal beliefs held by relatives that might predict identification of 'mental illness' as opposed to other 'indigenous labels' may promote more effective mental health service use. We examine what effects beliefs of 'physical causes' and other non-biomedical causal beliefs ('general social causes', and 'indigenous Chinese beliefs' or culture-specific epistemologies of illness) might have on mental illness identification. Forty-nine relatives of Chinese-immigrant consumers with psychosis were sampled. Higher endorsement of 'physical causes' was associated with mental illness labeling. However among the non-biomedical causal beliefs, 'general social causes' demonstrated no relationship with mental illness identification, while endorsement of 'indigenous Chinese beliefs' showed a negative relationship. Effective treatment- and community-based psychoeducation, in addition to emphasizing biomedical models, might integrate indigenous Chinese epistemologies of illness to facilitate rapid identification of psychotic disorders and promote treatment use.

15-PGDH inhibitors: the antiulcer effects of carbenoxolone, pioglitazone and verapamil in indomethacin induced peptic ulcer rats.

PubMed

Moustafa, Y M; El-Azab, M F; Fouda, A

2013-01-01

15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) is the enzyme responsible for prostaglandins (PGs) metabolism. PGs have an important role in the protection of stomach mucosa against destructive stimuli. The aim of the present study is to investigate the inhibitory effect of carbenoxolone, pioglitazone and verapamil on 15-PGDH enzyme. The experiments were carried out in the Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt from May 2011 to August 2011. Adult male albino rats were fasted for 18 hours before administration of high dose of indomethacin (30 mg/kg, p.o.), except for the negative control group which received saline only, followed by pyloric ligation to induce acute gastric ulcers. The rats were pretreated orally with saline, pioglitazone (20 mg/kg), verapamil (25 mg/kg), carbenoxolone (30 mg/kg) or their combinations 30 minutes before indomethacin. The rats were sacrificed after four hours of pyloric ligation. The effects of the previous treatments on the ulcer index (Ui), the microscopic appearance of gastric mucosa, the gastric acid output, the gastric barrier mucus content, and 15-PGDH enzyme activity were determined. Indomethacin resulted in severe ulceration and increased gastric acid output (p < 0.05) compared to negative control. The rats pretreated with carbenoxolone, pioglitazone, verapamil had reduced ulcer index, gastric acid output and 15-PGDH activity (p < 0.05) compared to either indomethacin group or the negative control group. Individual treatments with carbenoxolone, pioglitazone or verapamil increased gastric barrier mucus (p < 0.05) compared to either indomethacin group or the negative control group. The combinations of verapamil with either carbenoxolone or pioglitazone caused further reduction in ulcer index, gastric acid output and 15-PGDH activity (p < 0.05), while causing further increase in gastric barrier mucus (p < 0.05) compared to their respective individual treatment group. The antiulcer properties of pioglitazone and verapamil are, in part, consequences of their inhibitory effect on the enzyme 15-PGDH, responsible for PGs degradation, and the resultant prolongation of PGE2 biological activity in rat stomach mucosa.

Perception, experience, and response to genetic discrimination in Huntington's disease: the Australian results of The International RESPOND-HD study.

PubMed

Goh, Anita M Y; Chiu, Edmond; Yastrubetskaya, Olga; Erwin, Cheryl; Williams, Janet K; Juhl, Andrew R; Paulsen, Jane S

2013-02-01

This study examines elements of genetic discrimination among an at-risk, clinically undiagnosed Huntington's disease (HD) population. Sixty at-risk individuals, either positive or negative for the HD genetic mutation, completed a survey regarding their experiences of genetic discrimination, adverse and unfair treatment, and knowledge about existing laws and policies surrounding genetic discrimination. Sixty eight percent of participants reported feeling "Great benefit" from knowing their genetic test results. Reported benefits of knowledge included planning for the future, making decisions, and many individuals found meaning in active participation in the HD community and in advocating for themselves or families at risk for HD. Many individuals found personal meaning and a sense of community from knowledge of this information and from the ability to participate in research. Despite these positive feelings toward gene testing, results demonstrated that 33% of participants perceived experiences of genetic discrimination, which occurred repeatedly and caused great self-reported distress. Significantly, more gene-positive respondents reported experiencing incidents of genetic discrimination, compared to gene-negative respondents. At least 58 separate incidents of discrimination were reported, the number of incidents ranged from 1 to 10, with 45% of individuals (9/20 respondents) indicating more than one event. Of the most significant events of discrimination, 58% were related to insurance, 21% to employment, 16% to transactions of daily life, and 5% to relationships. Results contribute toward validation of empirical data regarding genetic discrimination.

Ability to Maintain Internal Arousal and Motivation Modulates Brain Responses to Emotions

PubMed Central

Sterpenich, Virginie; Schwartz, Sophie; Maquet, Pierre; Desseilles, Martin

2014-01-01

Persistence (PS) is defined as the ability to generate and maintain arousal and motivation internally in the absence of immediate external reward. Low PS individuals tend to become discouraged when expectations are not rapidly fulfilled. The goal of this study was to investigate whether individual differences in PS influence the recruitment of brain regions involved in emotional processing and regulation. In a functional MRI study, 35 subjects judged the emotional intensity of displayed pictures. When processing negative pictures, low PS (vs. high PS) subjects showed higher amygdala and right orbito-frontal cortex (OFC) activity but lower left OFC activity. This dissociation in OFC activity suggests greater prefrontal cortical asymmetry for approach/avoidance motivation, suggesting an avoidance response to aversive stimuli in low PS. For positive or neutral stimuli, low PS subjects showed lower activity in the amygdala, striatum, and hippocampus. These results suggest that low PS may involve an imbalance in processing distinct emotional inputs, with greater reactivity to aversive information in regions involved in avoidance behaviour (amygdala, OFC) and dampened response to positive and neutral stimuli across circuits subserving motivated behaviour (striatum, hippocampus, amygdala). Low PS affective style was associated with depression vulnerability. These findings in non-depressed subjects point to a neural mechanism whereby some individuals are more likely to show systematic negative emotional biases, as frequently observed in depression. The assessment of these individual differences, including those that may cause vulnerability to depressive disorders, would therefore constitute a promising approach to risk assessment for depression. PMID:25438046

Ability to maintain internal arousal and motivation modulates brain responses to emotions.

PubMed

Sterpenich, Virginie; Schwartz, Sophie; Maquet, Pierre; Desseilles, Martin

2014-01-01

Persistence (PS) is defined as the ability to generate and maintain arousal and motivation internally in the absence of immediate external reward. Low PS individuals tend to become discouraged when expectations are not rapidly fulfilled. The goal of this study was to investigate whether individual differences in PS influence the recruitment of brain regions involved in emotional processing and regulation. In a functional MRI study, 35 subjects judged the emotional intensity of displayed pictures. When processing negative pictures, low PS (vs. high PS) subjects showed higher amygdala and right orbito-frontal cortex (OFC) activity but lower left OFC activity. This dissociation in OFC activity suggests greater prefrontal cortical asymmetry for approach/avoidance motivation, suggesting an avoidance response to aversive stimuli in low PS. For positive or neutral stimuli, low PS subjects showed lower activity in the amygdala, striatum, and hippocampus. These results suggest that low PS may involve an imbalance in processing distinct emotional inputs, with greater reactivity to aversive information in regions involved in avoidance behaviour (amygdala, OFC) and dampened response to positive and neutral stimuli across circuits subserving motivated behaviour (striatum, hippocampus, amygdala). Low PS affective style was associated with depression vulnerability. These findings in non-depressed subjects point to a neural mechanism whereby some individuals are more likely to show systematic negative emotional biases, as frequently observed in depression. The assessment of these individual differences, including those that may cause vulnerability to depressive disorders, would therefore constitute a promising approach to risk assessment for depression.

Identity Change in Newly Married Couples: Effects of Positive and Negative Feedback

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cast, Alicia D.; Cantwell, Allison M.

2007-01-01

Previous research has examined individuals' relative preference for consistent and enhancing feedback by examining reactions to negative and positive feedback. Recent research shows that, in general, individuals prefer feedback that is consistent with self-views, even if feedback is negative. It is unclear, however, whether negative and positive…

Amotivation in schizophrenia: integrated assessment with behavioral, clinical, and imaging measures.

PubMed

Wolf, Daniel H; Satterthwaite, Theodore D; Kantrowitz, Jacob J; Katchmar, Natalie; Vandekar, Lillie; Elliott, Mark A; Ruparel, Kosha

2014-11-01

Motivational deficits play a central role in disability caused by schizophrenia and constitute a major unmet therapeutic need. Negative symptoms have previously been linked to hypofunction in ventral striatum (VS), a core component of brain motivation circuitry. However, it remains unclear to what extent this relationship holds for specific negative symptoms such as amotivation, and this question has not been addressed with integrated behavioral, clinical, and imaging measures. Here, 41 individuals with schizophrenia and 37 controls performed a brief, computerized progressive ratio task (PRT) that quantifies effort exerted in pursuit of monetary reward. Clinical amotivation was assessed using the recently validated Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS). VS function was probed during functional magnetic resonance imaging using a monetary guessing paradigm. We found that individuals with schizophrenia had diminished motivation as measured by the PRT, which significantly and selectively related to clinical amotivation as measured by the CAINS. Critically, lower PRT motivation in schizophrenia was also dimensionally related to VS hypofunction. Our results demonstrate robust dimensional associations between behavioral amotivation, clinical amotivation, and VS hypofunction in schizophrenia. Integrating behavioral measures such as the PRT will facilitate translational efforts to identify biomarkers of amotivation and to assess response to novel therapeutic interventions. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Molecular determination of glutaric aciduria type I in individuals from southwest Iran.

PubMed

Baradaran, Masumeh; Galehdari, Hamid; Aminzadeh, Majid; Azizi Malmiri, Reza; Tangestani, Raheleh; Karimi, Zahra

2014-09-01

Glutaric Aciduria type 1 (GA1) is a metabolic inborn error and is characterized by increasing excursion of glutaric acid and its derivates, presented in microcephaly and dystonia. The disease is resulted from mutational inactivation in the GCDH gene encoding the glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase. The defective enzyme causes the accumulation of an excessive level of intermediate breakdown products that leads to the brain damage. In spite of the clinical features, diagnosis of GAI has been often confusing, because of variability in the clinical manifestations of patients. Early diagnosis and treatment can though prevent irreversible disease progression and consequent brain damage; otherwise the affected individuals will die in their first decade of lives. The GCDH gene was also analyzed to (detect or identify) disease causing mutations using gene amplification and direct sequencing in 18 patients. Among 18 patients, 10 patients (55.5%) were homozygous or compounded heterozygous for the recurrent mutation E181Q, three patients (16.7%) were homozygous for the known mutation R402Q and one patient (5.6%) was compound heterozygous for S255L. All three detected missense mutations are pathogenic, which cause structural changes in the binding site and tetramerization or functional deficiency. Four other individuals (22.2%) with a preliminary diagnosis of GAI were negative for any pathogenic mutations. Most GA1 affected persons in southwest Iran are with Persian ethnicity and the most common mutation in Khuzestan Province is prominent in comparison to  previous reports from Iran.

Anxiety, Stress, and Trauma Symptoms in African Americans: Negative Affectivity Does Not Explain the Relationship between Microaggressions and Psychopathology.

PubMed

Williams, Monnica T; Kanter, Jonathan W; Ching, Terence H W

2017-11-02

Prior research has demonstrated a clear relationship between experiences of racial microaggressions and various indicators of psychological unwellness. One concern with these findings is that the role of negative affectivity, considered a marker of neuroticism, has not been considered. Negative affectivity has previously been correlated to experiences of racial discrimination and psychological unwellness and has been suggested as a cause of the observed relationship between microaggressions and psychopathology. We examined the relationships between self-reported frequency of experiences of microaggressions and several mental health outcomes (i.e., anxiety [Beck Anxiety Inventory], stress [General Ethnic and Discrimination Scale], and trauma symptoms [Trauma Symptoms of Discrimination Scale]) in 177 African American and European American college students, controlling for negative affectivity (the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) and gender. Results indicated that African Americans experience more racial discrimination than European Americans. Negative affectivity in African Americans appears to be significantly related to some but not all perceptions of the experience of discrimination. A strong relationship between racial mistreatment and symptoms of psychopathology was evident, even after controlling for negative affectivity. In summary, African Americans experience clinically measurable anxiety, stress, and trauma symptoms as a result of racial mistreatment, which cannot be wholly explained by individual differences in negative affectivity. Future work should examine additional factors in these relationships, and targeted interventions should be developed to help those suffering as a result of racial mistreatment and to reduce microaggressions.

The cost and management of different types of clinical mastitis in dairy cows estimated by dynamic programming.

PubMed

Cha, E; Bar, D; Hertl, J A; Tauer, L W; Bennett, G; González, R N; Schukken, Y H; Welcome, F L; Gröhn, Y T

2011-09-01

The objective of this study was to estimate the cost of 3 different types of clinical mastitis (CM) (caused by gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria, and other organisms) at the individual cow level and thereby identify the economically optimal management decision for each type of mastitis. We made modifications to an existing dynamic optimization and simulation model, studying the effects of various factors (incidence of CM, milk loss, pregnancy rate, and treatment cost) on the cost of different types of CM. The average costs per case (US$) of gram-positive, gram-negative, and other CM were $133.73, $211.03, and $95.31, respectively. This model provided a more informed decision-making process in CM management for optimal economic profitability and determined that 93.1% of gram-positive CM cases, 93.1% of gram-negative CM cases, and 94.6% of other CM cases should be treated. The main contributor to the total cost per case was treatment cost for gram-positive CM (51.5% of the total cost per case), milk loss for gram-negative CM (72.4%), and treatment cost for other CM (49.2%). The model affords versatility as it allows for parameters such as production costs, economic values, and disease frequencies to be altered. Therefore, cost estimates are the direct outcome of the farm-specific parameters entered into the model. Thus, this model can provide farmers economically optimal guidelines specific to their individual cows suffering from different types of CM. Copyright © 2011 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of bone mineral density in Iranian HIV/AIDS patients.

PubMed

Badie, Banafsheh Moradmand; Soori, Tahereh; Kheirandish, Parastoo; Izadyar, Saeed; SeyedAlinagh, SeyedAhmad; Foroughi, Maryam; Rostamian, Alireza; Mohraz, Minoo

2011-01-01

Bone disorders have emerged as a worrisome complication in HIV-infected patients in recent years. It is not clear that HIV infection itself or antiretroviral treatment or both are causes of bone loss. However, most studies have found a high prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis in HIV/AIDS patients. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis in HIV-infected patients either untreated or receiving Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy as compared with HIV negative persons. We also assessed the factors associated with these conditions. Bone Mineral Density was assessed by Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry scans at the hip and lumbar spine in 36 AIDS patients receiving antiretroviral therapy and 44 HIV infected patients not receiving antiretroviral therapy (naïve patients) and 40 HIV negative individuals as control. Factors that affect BMD were also determined. Prevalence of osteopenia or osteoporosis in different regions was significantly higher in HIV/AIDS patients compared with HIV negative subjects (77.3% in HIV positive naïve patients, 86.1% in HAART-treated patients and 60% in the control group, P=0.002). Mean serum alkaline phosphatase was higher in HIV/AIDS patients than the control group (P=0.003). Osteopenia and osteoporosis in HIV-infected patients were associated with duration of HIV infection (P<0.0001) and antiretroviral treatment (P=0.012). Prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis in HIV/AIDS patients was higher than HIV negative individuals. Osteopenia and osteoporosis in HIV/AIDS patients was associated with duration of HIV infection and antiretroviral treatment.

Prevalence of Bacterial Vaginosis and Associated Risk Factors among Women Complaining of Genital Tract Infection

PubMed Central

Abebaw, Yeshiwork; Bekele, Delayehu; Mihret, Amete

2017-01-01

Background Bacterial vaginosis is a global concern due to the increased risk of acquisition of sexually transmitted infections. Objectives To determine the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis and bacteria causing aerobic vaginitis. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 210 patients between September 2015 and July 2016 at St. Paul's Hospital. Gram-stained vaginal swabs were examined microscopically and graded as per Nugent's procedure. Bacteria causing aerobic vaginitis were characterized, and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern was determined. Results The overall prevalence of bacterial vaginosis was 48.6%. Bacterial vaginosis was significantly associated with number of pants used per day (p = 0.001) and frequency of vaginal bathing (p = 0.045). Of 151 bacterial isolates, 69.5% were Gram-negative and 30.5% were Gram-positive bacteria. The overall drug resistance level of Gram-positive bacteria was high against penicillin, tetracycline, and erythromycin. Cefoxitin and tobramycin were the most active drugs against Gram-positive bacteria. The overall drug resistance level of Gram-negative bacteria was high against tetracycline, ampicillin, and amoxicillin. Amikacin and tobramycin were the most active drugs against Gram-negative bacteria. Conclusions The prevalence of bacterial vaginosis was high and was affected by individual hygiene. Routine culture of vaginal samples should be performed on patients with vaginitis and the drug susceptibility pattern of each isolate should be determined. PMID:28831285

Effects of artificial light at night on human health: A literature review of observational and experimental studies applied to exposure assessment.

PubMed

Cho, YongMin; Ryu, Seung-Hun; Lee, Byeo Ri; Kim, Kyung Hee; Lee, Eunil; Choi, Jaewook

2015-01-01

It has frequently been reported that exposure to artificial light at night (ALAN) may cause negative health effects, such as breast cancer, circadian phase disruption and sleep disorders. Here, we reviewed the literature assessing the effects of human exposure to ALAN in order to list the health effects of various aspects of ALAN. Several electronic databases were searched for articles, published through August 2014, related to assessing the effects of exposure to ALAN on human health; these also included the details of experiments on such exposure. A total of 85 articles were included in the review. Several observational studies showed that outdoor ALAN levels are a risk factor for breast cancer and reported that indoor light intensity and individual lighting habits were relevant to this risk. Exposure to artificial bright light during the nighttime suppresses melatonin secretion, increases sleep onset latency (SOL) and increases alertness. Circadian misalignment caused by chronic ALAN exposure may have negative effects on the psychological, cardiovascular and/or metabolic functions. ALAN also causes circadian phase disruption, which increases with longer duration of exposure and with exposure later in the evening. It has also been reported that shorter wavelengths of light preferentially disturb melatonin secretion and cause circadian phase shifts, even if the light is not bright. This literature review may be helpful to understand the health effects of ALAN exposure and suggests that it is necessary to consider various characteristics of artificial light, beyond mere intensity.

Trait Affect, Emotion Regulation, and the Generation of Negative and Positive Interpersonal Events.

PubMed

Hamilton, Jessica L; Burke, Taylor A; Stange, Jonathan P; Kleiman, Evan M; Rubenstein, Liza M; Scopelliti, Kate A; Abramson, Lyn Y; Alloy, Lauren B

2017-07-01

Positive and negative trait affect and emotion regulatory strategies have received considerable attention in the literature as predictors of psychopathology. However, it remains unclear whether individuals' trait affect is associated with responses to state positive affect (positive rumination and dampening) or negative affect (ruminative brooding), or whether these affective experiences contribute to negative or positive interpersonal event generation. Among 304 late adolescents, path analyses indicated that individuals with higher trait negative affect utilized dampening and brooding rumination responses, whereas those with higher trait positive affect engaged in rumination on positive affect. Further, there were indirect relationships between trait negative affect and fewer positive and negative interpersonal events via dampening, and between trait positive affect and greater positive and negative interpersonal events via positive rumination. These findings suggest that individuals' trait negative and positive affect may be associated with increased utilization of emotion regulation strategies for managing these affects, which may contribute to the occurrence of positive and negative events in interpersonal relationships. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A study on negative and depressive symptom prevalence in individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis.

PubMed

Azar, Marleine; Pruessner, Marita; Baer, Lawrence H; Iyer, Srividya; Malla, Ashok K; Lepage, Martin

2016-09-21

Negative symptoms are known to be present in the prodromal stage of psychotic disorders, yet little is known about their prevalence. Studies examining the presence of negative symptoms in ultra-high risk (UHR) populations have shown some limitations, notably failing to control depression. The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of negative symptoms in the presence of significant levels of depression and in the absence of such symptoms (primary negative symptoms) over 1 year and to examine differences in negative symptoms in psychosis converters and non-converters. Participants were 123 individuals at UHR for the development of psychosis receiving follow-up for a period of 2 years. Negative symptoms and depression were measured using the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Scale at baseline, 6 and 12 months post-admission. At baseline, the prevalence of negative symptoms and primary negative symptoms was 76.4% and 32.7%, respectively. Whereas the prevalence of negative symptoms was significantly decreased at 6 months, the prevalence of primary negative symptoms was similar at all time points. Negative symptoms at baseline were not different between later converters and non-converters to psychosis. Our findings confirm the presence of secondary and primary negative symptoms in individuals at UHR, but suggest a differential trajectory of both measures over time. Future studies should include larger UHR groups and focus on the investigation of intra-individual changes in primary negative symptoms over time and further explore their potential role for psychosis conversion. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Positive criminology in practice.

PubMed

Ronel, Natti; Segev, Dana

2014-11-01

The discourse regarding offender rehabilitation has been criticized by various scholars who have claimed that reducing negative causes and managing risk will not automatically prompt positive human development and elements that are associated with desistance. Positive criminology is an innovative concept that challenges the common preoccupation with negative elements, by placing emphasis on human encounters and forces of inclusion that are experienced positively by target individuals and that can promote crime desistance. However, as the concept is relatively new, there are still no guiding principles for the practice of positive criminology that could direct research and the criminal justice system. This article attempts to fill that gap by providing principles that could be practiced by criminal justice personnel and examples of different interventions that reflect positive criminology. The article also provides ideological explanations for adopting the concept of positive criminology in practice. © The Author(s) 2013.

Sources of variation in emotional awareness: Age, gender, and socioeconomic status

PubMed Central

Mankus, Annette M.; Boden, Matthew Tyler; Thompson, Renee J.

2015-01-01

The present study examined associations between emotional awareness facets (type clarity, source clarity, negative emotion differentiation, voluntary attention, involuntary attention) and sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, and socioeconomic status (SES)) in a large US sample (N = 919). Path analyses—controlling for variance shared between sociodemographic variables and allowing emotional awareness facets to correlate—demonstrated that (a) age was positively associated with type clarity and source clarity, and inversely associated with involuntary attention; (b) gender was associated with all facets but type clarity, with higher source clarity, negative emotion differentiation, voluntary attention, and involuntary attention reported by women then men; and (c) SES was positively associated with type clarity with a very small effect. These findings extend our understanding of emotional awareness and identify future directions for research to elucidate the causes and consequences of individual differences in emotional awareness. PMID:26500384

Limited liability and the public's health.

PubMed

Rutkow, Lainie; Teret, Stephen P

2007-01-01

Corporations, through their products and behaviors, exert a strong effect on the well-being of populations. Industries including firearms, motor vehicles, tobacco, and alcohol produce and market products negatively impact public health. All of these industries are composed of corporations, which are legal fictions designed to provide limited exposure to liability, through a variety of mechanisms, for their investors and directors. This means that when actions are taken on behalf of a corporate entity, the individuals responsible generally will not face personal liability for the negative results of those actions. To illustrate this point, this article considers corporate products or practices that have caused harm in varied settings, and analyzes the role that limited liability played in these cases. In addition, the article identifies ways to modify or eliminate some of the principles and practices that accompany limited liability.

Attention Bias of Avoidant Individuals to Attachment Emotion Pictures.

PubMed

Liu, Ying; Ding, Yi; Lu, Luluzi; Chen, Xu

2017-01-27

How attachment style affects emotion processing is tightly connected with individuals' attention bias. This experiment explored avoidant individuals' attentional engagement and attentional disengagement using a cue-target paradigm in fMRI. The experimental group consisted of 17 avoidant participants, while the control group consisted of 16 secure participants; these were identified by the Experiences in Close Relationships inventory and the Relationship Questionnaire. Each reacted to pictures of positive parent-child attachment, negative parent-child attachment, positive romantic attachment, negative romantic attachment, and neutral non-attachment. Behaviorally, avoidant individuals were slower than secure individuals in responding to emotions and their attentional disengagement effect for negative parent-child emotions was stronger than positive ones. fMRI results showed that avoidant compared to secure individuals activated more strongly in the right superior temporal gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, and the left medial frontal gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, supplementary motor area, and cingulate gyrus. They also showed stronger activation in disengaging from positive than negative emotions in the bilateral fusiform and middle occipital gyri. In conclusion, avoidant individuals could detect emotions as effective as secure individuals in attentioal engaging stages. They can disengage from positive emotions with effective cognitive resources and were harder to get rid of negative emotions with insufficient resource.

Reduced cognitive capacity impairs the malleability of older adults' negative attitudes to stigmatized individuals.

PubMed

Krendl, Anne C

2018-05-21

Although engaging explicit regulatory strategies may reduce negative bias toward outgroup members, these strategies are cognitively demanding and thus may not be effective for older adults (OA) who have reduced cognitive resources. The current study therefore examines whether individual differences in cognitive capacity disrupt OA' ability to explicitly regulate their bias to stigmatized individuals. Young and OA were instructed to explicitly regulate their negative bias toward stigmatized individuals by using an explicit reappraisal strategy. Regulatory success was assessed as a function of age and individual differences in cognitive capacity (Experiment 1). In Experiment 2, the role of executive function in implementing cognitive reappraisal strategies was examined by using a divided attention manipulation. Results from Experiment 1 revealed that individual differences in OA' cognitive capacity disrupted their ability to regulate their negative emotional response to stigma. In Experiment 2, it was found that dividing attention in young adults (YA) significantly reduced their regulatory success as compared to YA' regulatory capacity in the full attention condition. As expected, dividing YA' attention made their performance similar to OA with relatively preserved cognitive capacity. Together, the results from this study demonstrated that individual differences in cognitive capacity predicted OA' ability to explicitly regulate their negative bias to a range of stigmatized individuals.

Predictors of self-reported negative mood following a depressive mood induction procedure across previously depressed, currently anxious, and control individuals.

PubMed

Scherrer, Martin C; Dobson, Keith S; Quigley, Leanne

2014-09-01

This study identified and examined a set of potential predictors of self-reported negative mood following a depressive mood induction procedure (MIP) in a sample of previously depressed, clinically anxious, and control participants. The examined predictor variables were selected on the basis of previous research and theories of depression, and included symptoms of depression and anxiety, negative and positive affect, negative and positive automatic thoughts, dysfunctional beliefs, rumination, self-concept, and occurrence and perceived unpleasantness of recent negative events. The sample consisted of 33 previously depressed, 22 currently anxious, and 26 non-clinical control participants, recruited from community sources. Participant group status was confirmed through structured diagnostic interviews. Participants completed the Velten negative self-statement MIP as well as self-report questionnaires of affective, cognitive, and psychosocial variables selected as potential predictors of mood change. Symptoms of anxiety were associated with increased self-reported negative mood shift following the MIP in previously depressed participants, but not clinically anxious or control participants. Increased occurrence of recent negative events was a marginally significant predictor of negative mood shift for the previously depressed participants only. None of the other examined variables was significant predictors of MIP response for any of the participant groups. These results identify factors that may increase susceptibility to negative mood states in previously depressed individuals, with implications for theory and prevention of relapse to depression. The findings also identify a number of affective, cognitive, and psychosocial variables that do not appear to influence mood change following a depressive MIP in previously depressed, currently anxious, and control individuals. Limitations of the study and directions for future research are discussed. Current anxiety symptomatology was a significant predictor and occurrence of recent negative events was a marginally significant predictor of greater negative mood shift following the depressive mood induction for previously depressed individuals. None of the examined variables predicted change in mood following the depressive mood induction for currently anxious or control individuals. These results suggest that anxiety symptoms and experience with negative events may increase risk for experiencing depressive mood states among individuals with a vulnerability to depression. The generalizability of the present results to individuals with comorbid depression and anxiety is limited. Future research employing appropriate statistical approaches for confirmatory research is needed to test and confirm the present results. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

Light pollution disrupts sleep in free-living animals

PubMed Central

Raap, Thomas; Pinxten, Rianne; Eens, Marcel

2015-01-01

Artificial lighting can alter individual behaviour, with often drastic and potentially negative effects on biological rhythms, daily activity and reproduction. Whether this is caused by a disruption of sleep, an important widespread behaviour enabling animals to recover from daily stress, is unclear. We tested the hypothesis that light pollution disrupts sleep by recording individual sleep behaviour of great tits, Parus major, that were roosting in dark nest-boxes and were exposed to light-emitting diode light the following night. Their behaviour was compared to that of control birds sleeping in dark nest-boxes on both nights. Artificial lighting caused experimental birds to wake up earlier, sleep less (–5%) and spent less time in the nest-box as they left their nest-box earlier in the morning. Experimental birds did not enter the nest-box or fall asleep later than controls. Although individuals in lit nest-boxes did not wake up more often nor decreased the length of their sleep bouts, females spent a greater proportion of the night awake. Our study provides the first direct proof that light pollution has a significant impact on sleep in free-living animals, in particular in the morning, and highlights a mechanism for potential effects of light pollution on fitness. PMID:26337732

No place called home: the causes and social consequences of the UK housing 'bubble'.

PubMed

Bone, John; O'Reilly, Karen

2010-06-01

This paper examines the key causes and social consequences of the much debated UK 'housing bubble' and its aftermath from a multidimensional sociological approach, as opposed to the economic perspective of many popular discussions. This is a phenomenon that has affected numerous economies in the first decade of the new millennium. The discussion is based on a comprehensive study that includes exhaustive analysis of secondary data, content and debate in the mass media and academia, primary data gathered from the monitoring of weblogs and forums debating housing issues, and case histories of individuals experiencing housing difficulties during this period. This paper is intended to provide a broad overview of the key findings and preliminary analysis of this ongoing study, and is informed by a perspective which considers secure and affordable housing to be an essential foundation of stable and cohesive societies, with its absence contributing to a range of social ills that negatively impact on both individual and collective well being. Overall, it is argued that we must return to viewing decent, affordable housing as an essential social resource, that provides the bedrock of stable individual, family and community life, while recognizing that its increasing treatment as a purely economic asset is a key contributor to our so-called 'broken society'.

Tolerating the “doubting Thomas”: how centrality of religious beliefs vs. practices influences prejudice against atheists

PubMed Central

Hughes, Jeffrey; Grossmann, Igor; Cohen, Adam B.

2015-01-01

Past research has found a robust effect of prejudice against atheists in largely Christian-dominated (belief-oriented) samples. We propose that religious centrality of beliefs vs. practices influences attitudes toward atheists, such that religious groups emphasizing beliefs perceive non-believers more negatively than believers, while groups emphasizing practices perceive non-practicing individuals more negatively than practicing individuals. Studies 1–2, in surveys of 41 countries, found that Muslims and Protestants (belief-oriented) had more negative attitudes toward atheists than did Jews and Hindus (practice-oriented). Study 3 experimentally manipulated a target individual's beliefs and practices. Protestants had more negative attitudes toward a non-believer (vs. a believer), whereas Jews had more negative attitudes toward a non-practicing individual (vs. a practicing individual, particularly when they had a Jewish background). This research has implications for the psychology of religion, anti-atheist prejudice, and cross-cultural attitudes regarding where dissent in beliefs or practices may be tolerated or censured within religious groups. PMID:26441728

Expectancy bias in anxious samples

PubMed Central

Cabeleira, Cindy M.; Steinman, Shari A.; Burgess, Melissa M.; Bucks, Romola S.; MacLeod, Colin; Melo, Wilson; Teachman, Bethany A.

2014-01-01

While it is well documented that anxious individuals have negative expectations about the future, it is unclear what cognitive processes give rise to this expectancy bias. Two studies are reported that use the Expectancy Task, which is designed to assess expectancy bias and illuminate its basis. This task presents individuals with valenced scenarios (Positive Valence, Negative Valence, or Conflicting Valence), and then evaluates their tendency to expect subsequent future positive relative to negative events. The Expectancy Task was used with low and high trait anxious (Study 1: N = 32) and anxiety sensitive (Study 2: N = 138) individuals. Results suggest that in the context of physical concerns, both high anxious samples display a less positive expectancy bias. In the context of social concerns, high trait anxious individuals display a negative expectancy bias only when negatively valenced information was previously presented. Overall, this suggests that anxious individuals display a less positive expectancy bias, and that the processes that give rise to this bias may vary by type of situation (e.g., social or physical) or anxiety difficulty. PMID:24798678

Tolerating the "doubting Thomas": how centrality of religious beliefs vs. practices influences prejudice against atheists.

PubMed

Hughes, Jeffrey; Grossmann, Igor; Cohen, Adam B

2015-01-01

Past research has found a robust effect of prejudice against atheists in largely Christian-dominated (belief-oriented) samples. We propose that religious centrality of beliefs vs. practices influences attitudes toward atheists, such that religious groups emphasizing beliefs perceive non-believers more negatively than believers, while groups emphasizing practices perceive non-practicing individuals more negatively than practicing individuals. Studies 1-2, in surveys of 41 countries, found that Muslims and Protestants (belief-oriented) had more negative attitudes toward atheists than did Jews and Hindus (practice-oriented). Study 3 experimentally manipulated a target individual's beliefs and practices. Protestants had more negative attitudes toward a non-believer (vs. a believer), whereas Jews had more negative attitudes toward a non-practicing individual (vs. a practicing individual, particularly when they had a Jewish background). This research has implications for the psychology of religion, anti-atheist prejudice, and cross-cultural attitudes regarding where dissent in beliefs or practices may be tolerated or censured within religious groups.

Workplace harassment from the victim's perspective: a theoretical model and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Bowling, Nathan A; Beehr, Terry A

2006-09-01

Although workplace harassment affects the lives of many employees, until recently it has been relatively ignored in the organizational psychology literature. First, the authors introduced an attribution- and reciprocity-based model that explains the link between harassment and its potential causes and consequences. The authors then conducted a meta-analysis to examine the potential antecedents and consequences of workplace harassment. As shown by the meta-analysis, both environmental and individual difference factors potentially contributed to harassment and harassment was negatively related to the well-being of both individual employees and their employing organizations. Furthermore, harassment contributed to the variance in many outcomes, even after controlling for 2 of the most commonly studied occupational stressors, role ambiguity and role conflict. (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved

Viral infections associated with oral cancers and diseases in the context of HIV: Workshop 3B

PubMed Central

Speicher, David J; Ramirez-Amador, Velia; Dittmer, Dirk P; Webster-Cyriaque, Jennifer; Goodman, Marc T; Moscicki, Anna-Barbara

2017-01-01

Human herpesviruses (HHVs) and Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are common in the general population and, in immunocompetent people, are mostly carried asymptomatically. However, once an individual becomes immunocompromised by age, illness, or HIV infection these dormant viruses can manifest themselves and produce disease. In HIV-positive patients there is an increased risk of disease caused by HHVs and HPV infections and cancers caused by the oncoviruses EBV, HHV-8, and HPV. This workshop examined four questions regarding the viruses associated with oral cancers disease in the HIV-positive and -negative populations, the immune response, and biomarkers useful for accurate diagnostics of these infections and their sequalae. Each presenter identified a number of key areas where further research is required. PMID:27109286

When Payment Undermines the Pitch.

PubMed

Barasch, Alixandra; Berman, Jonathan Z; Small, Deborah A

2016-10-01

Studies on crowding out document that incentives sometimes backfire-decreasing motivation in prosocial tasks. In the present research, we demonstrated an additional channel through which incentives can be harmful. Incentivized advocates for a cause are perceived as less sincere than nonincentivized advocates and are ultimately less effective in persuading other people to donate. Further, the negative effects of incentives hold only when the incentives imply a selfish motive; advocates who are offered a matching incentive (i.e., who are told that the donations they successfully solicit will be matched), which is not incompatible with altruism, perform just as well as those who are not incentivized. Thus, incentives may affect prosocial outcomes in ways not previously investigated: by crowding out individuals' sincerity of expression and thus their ability to gain support for a cause.

Removal of Negative Feedback Enhances WCST Performance for Individuals with ASD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broadbent, Jaclyn; Stokes, Mark A.

2013-01-01

Negative feedback was explored as a potential mechanism that may exacerbate perseverative behaviours in individuals with Asperger's syndrome (AS). The current study compared 50 individuals with AS and 50 typically developing (TD) individuals for their abilities to successfully complete the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST) in the presence or…

Atheists and Agnostics Are More Reflective than Religious Believers: Four Empirical Studies and a Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Pennycook, Gordon; Ross, Robert M; Koehler, Derek J; Fugelsang, Jonathan A

2016-01-01

Individual differences in the mere willingness to think analytically has been shown to predict religious disbelief. Recently, however, it has been argued that analytic thinkers are not actually less religious; rather, the putative association may be a result of religiosity typically being measured after analytic thinking (an order effect). In light of this possibility, we report four studies in which a negative correlation between religious belief and performance on analytic thinking measures is found when religious belief is measured in a separate session. We also performed a meta-analysis on all previously published studies on the topic along with our four new studies (N = 15,078, k = 31), focusing specifically on the association between performance on the Cognitive Reflection Test (the most widely used individual difference measure of analytic thinking) and religious belief. This meta-analysis revealed an overall negative correlation (r) of -.18, 95% CI [-.21, -.16]. Although this correlation is modest, self-identified atheists (N = 133) scored 18.7% higher than religiously affiliated individuals (N = 597) on a composite measure of analytic thinking administered across our four new studies (d = .72). Our results indicate that the association between analytic thinking and religious disbelief is not caused by a simple order effect. There is good evidence that atheists and agnostics are more reflective than religious believers.

Atheists and Agnostics Are More Reflective than Religious Believers: Four Empirical Studies and a Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Pennycook, Gordon; Ross, Robert M.; Koehler, Derek J.; Fugelsang, Jonathan A.

2016-01-01

Individual differences in the mere willingness to think analytically has been shown to predict religious disbelief. Recently, however, it has been argued that analytic thinkers are not actually less religious; rather, the putative association may be a result of religiosity typically being measured after analytic thinking (an order effect). In light of this possibility, we report four studies in which a negative correlation between religious belief and performance on analytic thinking measures is found when religious belief is measured in a separate session. We also performed a meta-analysis on all previously published studies on the topic along with our four new studies (N = 15,078, k = 31), focusing specifically on the association between performance on the Cognitive Reflection Test (the most widely used individual difference measure of analytic thinking) and religious belief. This meta-analysis revealed an overall negative correlation (r) of -.18, 95% CI [-.21, -.16]. Although this correlation is modest, self-identified atheists (N = 133) scored 18.7% higher than religiously affiliated individuals (N = 597) on a composite measure of analytic thinking administered across our four new studies (d = .72). Our results indicate that the association between analytic thinking and religious disbelief is not caused by a simple order effect. There is good evidence that atheists and agnostics are more reflective than religious believers. PMID:27054566

Functional Divergence of Platelet Protein Kinase C (PKC) Isoforms in Thrombus Formation on Collagen*

PubMed Central

Gilio, Karen; Harper, Matthew T.; Cosemans, Judith M. E. M.; Konopatskaya, Olga; Munnix, Imke C. A.; Prinzen, Lenneke; Leitges, Michael; Liu, Qinghang; Molkentin, Jeffery D.; Heemskerk, Johan W. M.; Poole, Alastair W.

2010-01-01

Arterial thrombosis, a major cause of myocardial infarction and stroke, is initiated by activation of blood platelets by subendothelial collagen. The protein kinase C (PKC) family centrally regulates platelet activation, and it is becoming clear that the individual PKC isoforms play distinct roles, some of which oppose each other. Here, for the first time, we address all four of the major platelet-expressed PKC isoforms, determining their comparative roles in regulating platelet adhesion to collagen and their subsequent activation under physiological flow conditions. Using mouse gene knock-out and pharmacological approaches in human platelets, we show that collagen-dependent α-granule secretion and thrombus formation are mediated by the conventional PKC isoforms, PKCα and PKCβ, whereas the novel isoform, PKCθ, negatively regulates these events. PKCδ also negatively regulates thrombus formation but not α-granule secretion. In addition, we demonstrate for the first time that individual PKC isoforms differentially regulate platelet calcium signaling and exposure of phosphatidylserine under flow. Although platelet deficient in PKCα or PKCβ showed reduced calcium signaling and phosphatidylserine exposure, these responses were enhanced in the absence of PKCθ. In summary therefore, this direct comparison between individual subtypes of PKC, by standardized methodology under flow conditions, reveals that the four major PKCs expressed in platelets play distinct non-redundant roles, where conventional PKCs promote and novel PKCs inhibit thrombus formation on collagen. PMID:20479008

Functional divergence of platelet protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms in thrombus formation on collagen.

PubMed

Gilio, Karen; Harper, Matthew T; Cosemans, Judith M E M; Konopatskaya, Olga; Munnix, Imke C A; Prinzen, Lenneke; Leitges, Michael; Liu, Qinghang; Molkentin, Jeffery D; Heemskerk, Johan W M; Poole, Alastair W

2010-07-23

Arterial thrombosis, a major cause of myocardial infarction and stroke, is initiated by activation of blood platelets by subendothelial collagen. The protein kinase C (PKC) family centrally regulates platelet activation, and it is becoming clear that the individual PKC isoforms play distinct roles, some of which oppose each other. Here, for the first time, we address all four of the major platelet-expressed PKC isoforms, determining their comparative roles in regulating platelet adhesion to collagen and their subsequent activation under physiological flow conditions. Using mouse gene knock-out and pharmacological approaches in human platelets, we show that collagen-dependent alpha-granule secretion and thrombus formation are mediated by the conventional PKC isoforms, PKCalpha and PKCbeta, whereas the novel isoform, PKC, negatively regulates these events. PKCdelta also negatively regulates thrombus formation but not alpha-granule secretion. In addition, we demonstrate for the first time that individual PKC isoforms differentially regulate platelet calcium signaling and exposure of phosphatidylserine under flow. Although platelet deficient in PKCalpha or PKCbeta showed reduced calcium signaling and phosphatidylserine exposure, these responses were enhanced in the absence of PKC. In summary therefore, this direct comparison between individual subtypes of PKC, by standardized methodology under flow conditions, reveals that the four major PKCs expressed in platelets play distinct non-redundant roles, where conventional PKCs promote and novel PKCs inhibit thrombus formation on collagen.

Affective functioning among early adolescents at high and low familial risk for depression and their mothers: A focus on individual and transactional processes across contexts

PubMed Central

McMakin, Dana L.; Burkhouse, Katie L.; Olino, Thomas M.; Siegle, Greg J.; Dahl, Ronald E.; Silk, Jennifer S.

2013-01-01

This study aimed to characterize affective functioning in families of youth at high familial risk for depression, with particular attention to features of affective functioning that appear to be critical to adaptive functioning but have been underrepresented in prior research including: positive and negative affect across multiple contexts, individual and transactional processes, and affective flexibility. Interactions among early adolescents (ages 9-14) and their mothers were coded for affective behaviors across both positive and negative contexts. Primary analyses compared never-depressed youth at high (n=44) and low (n=57) familial risk for depression. The high risk group showed a relatively consistent pattern for low positive affect across negative and positive contexts at both the individual and transactional level. In contrast to prior studies focusing on negative affect that did not support disruptions in negative affect, the data from this study suggest variability by context: (i.e. increased negativity in a positive, but not negative, context) and individual vs. transactional processes (e.g., negative escalation). Findings are discussed in concert with attention to affect flexibility, contextual and transactional factors. PMID:21744058

Behavioral and neuronal determinants of negative reciprocity in the ultimatum game

PubMed Central

Hildebrandt, Andrea; Wilhelm, Oliver; Sommer, Werner

2016-01-01

The rejection of unfair offers in the ultimatum game (UG) indicates negative reciprocity. The model of strong reciprocity claims that negative reciprocity reflects prosociality because the rejecting individual is sacrificing resources in order to punish unfair behavior. However, a recent study found that the rejection rate of unfair offers is linked to assertiveness (status defense model). To pursue the question what drives negative reciprocity, the present study investigated individual differences in the rejection of unfair offers along with their behavioral and neuronal determinants. We measured fairness preferences and event-related potentials (ERP) in 200 healthy participants playing a computerized version of the UG with pictures of unfair and fair proposers. Structural equation modeling (SEM) on the behavioral data corroborated both the strong reciprocity and the status defense models of human cooperation: Not only more prosocial but also more assertive individuals were more likely to show negative reciprocity by rejecting unfair offers. Experimental ERP results confirmed the feedback negativity (FN) as a neural signature of fairness processing. Multilevel SEM of brain–behavior relationships revealed that negative reciprocity was significantly associated with individual differences in FN amplitudes in response to proposers. Our results confirm stable individual differences in fairness processing at the behavioral and neuronal level. PMID:27261490

Ethnic Diversity, Inter-group Attitudes and Countervailing Pathways of Positive and Negative Inter-group Contact: An Analysis Across Workplaces and Neighbourhoods.

PubMed

Laurence, James; Schmid, Katharina; Hewstone, Miles

2018-01-01

This study advances the current literature investigating the relationship between contextual out-group exposure, inter-group attitudes and the role of inter-group contact. Firstly, it introduces the concept of contact-valence into this relationship; that is, whether contact is experienced positively or negatively. Secondly, it presents a comparative analysis of how processes of out-group exposure and frequency of (valenced) contact affect prejudice across both neighbourhoods and workplaces. Applying path analysis modelling to a nationally-representative sample of white British individuals in England, we demonstrate, across both contexts, that increasing out-group exposure is associated with higher rates of both positively- and negatively-valenced contact. This results in exposure exhibiting both positive and negative indirect associations with prejudice via more frequent inter-group mixing. These countervailing contact-pathways help explain how out-group exposure is associated with inter-group attitudes. In neighbourhoods, increasing numbers of individuals experiencing positive-contact suppress an otherwise negative effect of neighbourhood diversity (driven partly by increasing numbers of individuals reporting negative contact). Across workplaces the effect differs such that increasing numbers of individuals experiencing negative-contact suppress an otherwise positive effect of workplace diversity (driven largely by increasing numbers of individuals experiencing positive contact).

Saturation of auditory short-term memory causes a plateau in the sustained anterior negativity event-related potential.

PubMed

Alunni-Menichini, Kristelle; Guimond, Synthia; Bermudez, Patrick; Nolden, Sophie; Lefebvre, Christine; Jolicoeur, Pierre

2014-12-10

The maintenance of information in auditory short-term memory (ASTM) is accompanied by a sustained anterior negativity (SAN) in the event-related potential measured during the retention interval of simple auditory memory tasks. Previous work on ASTM showed that the amplitude of the SAN increased in negativity as the number of maintained items increases. The aim of the current study was to measure the SAN and observe its behavior beyond the point of saturation of auditory short-term memory. We used atonal pure tones in sequences of 2, 4, 6, or 8t. Our results showed that the amplitude of SAN increased in negativity from 2 to 4 items and then levelled off from 4 to 8 items. Behavioral results suggested that the average span in the task was slightly below 3, which was consistent with the observed plateau in the electrophysiological results. Furthermore, the amplitude of the SAN predicted individual differences in auditory memory capacity. The results support the hypothesis that the SAN is an electrophysiological index of brain activity specifically related to the maintenance of auditory information in ASTM. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Emotional intelligence, emotions, and feelings of support staff working with clients with intellectual disabilities and challenging behavior: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Zijlmans, Linda J M; Embregts, Petri J C M; Bosman, Anna M T

2013-11-01

Working with clients who show challenging behavior can be emotionally demanding and stressful for support staff, because this behavior may cause a range of negative emotional reactions and feelings. These reactions are of negative influence on staff wellbeing and behavior. Research has focused on negative emotions of staff. However, a distinction between emotions and feelings has never been made in the research field of intellectual disabilities. Negative emotions and feelings may be regulated by emotional intelligence, a psychological construct that takes into account personal style and individual differences. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between emotional intelligence on the one hand and emotions and feelings on the other. Participants were 207 support staff serving clients with moderate to borderline intellectual disabilities and challenging behavior. Emotional intelligence, emotions, and feelings were measured with questionnaires. The results show that emotional intelligence, emotions, and feelings are related. However, found relationships were weak. Most significant relations were found between feelings and stress management and adaptation elements of emotional intelligence. Because the explored variables can change over time they call for a longitudinal research approach. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Five-year change in morale is associated with negative life events in very old age.

PubMed

Näsman, Marina; Niklasson, Johan; Saarela, Jan; Nygård, Mikael; Olofsson, Birgitta; Conradsson, Mia; Lövheim, Hugo; Gustafson, Yngve; Nyqvist, Fredrica

2017-10-27

The objectives were to study changes in morale in individuals 85 years and older, and to assess the effect of negative life events on morale over a five-year follow-up period. The present study is based on longitudinal data from the Umeå85+/GERDA-study, including individuals 85 years and older at baseline (n = 204). Morale was measured with the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGCMS). Negative life events were assessed using an index including 13 negative life events occurring during the follow-up period. Linear regression was used for the multivariate analyses. The majority of the sample (69.1%) had no significant changes in morale during the five-year follow-up. However, the accumulation of negative life events was significantly associated with a greater decrease in PGCMS. A higher baseline PGCMS score did not attenuate the adverse effect negative life events had on morale. Morale seemed to be mainly stable in a five-year follow-up of very old people. It seems, nonetheless, that individuals are affected by negative life events, regardless of level of morale. Preventing negative life events and supporting individuals who experience multiple negative life events could have important implications for the care of very old people.

The blues broaden, but the nasty narrows: attentional consequences of negative affects low and high in motivational intensity.

PubMed

Gable, Philip; Harmon-Jones, Eddie

2010-02-01

Positive and negative affects high in motivational intensity cause a narrowing of attentional focus. In contrast, positive affects low in motivational intensity cause a broadening of attentional focus. The attentional consequences of negative affects low in motivational intensity have not been experimentally investigated. Experiment 1 compared the attentional consequences of negative affect low in motivational intensity (sadness) relative to a neutral affective state. Results indicated that low-motivation negative affect caused attentional broadening. Experiment 2 found that disgust, a high-motivation negative affect not previously investigated in attentional studies, narrowed attentional focus. These experiments support the conceptual model linking high-motivation affective states to narrowed attention and low-motivation affective states to broadened attention.

Effects of cytosine methylation on transcription factor binding sites

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background DNA methylation in promoters is closely linked to downstream gene repression. However, whether DNA methylation is a cause or a consequence of gene repression remains an open question. If it is a cause, then DNA methylation may affect the affinity of transcription factors (TFs) for their binding sites (TFBSs). If it is a consequence, then gene repression caused by chromatin modification may be stabilized by DNA methylation. Until now, these two possibilities have been supported only by non-systematic evidence and they have not been tested on a wide range of TFs. An average promoter methylation is usually used in studies, whereas recent results suggested that methylation of individual cytosines can also be important. Results We found that the methylation profiles of 16.6% of cytosines and the expression profiles of neighboring transcriptional start sites (TSSs) were significantly negatively correlated. We called the CpGs corresponding to such cytosines “traffic lights”. We observed a strong selection against CpG “traffic lights” within TFBSs. The negative selection was stronger for transcriptional repressors as compared with transcriptional activators or multifunctional TFs as well as for core TFBS positions as compared with flanking TFBS positions. Conclusions Our results indicate that direct and selective methylation of certain TFBS that prevents TF binding is restricted to special cases and cannot be considered as a general regulatory mechanism of transcription. PMID:24669864

Perfusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging detects recurrent isolated vertigo caused by cerebral hypoperfusion.

PubMed

Xu, Xiaowei; Jiang, Li; Luo, Man; Li, Jiaoxing; Li, Weidong; Sheng, Wenli

2015-06-01

The etiology of isolated vertigo has been a substantial diagnostic challenge for both neurologists and otolaryngologists. This study was designed to detect recurrent isolated vertigo due to cerebral hypoperfusion using perfusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (PWI). We recruited isolated vertigo patients whose clinical condition was suspected to be caused by hypodynamics of the brain; these individuals formed the case group. We generated two additional groups: a negative group composed of vertigo patients whose symptoms were caused by problems associated with the ear and a healthy control group. Each subject underwent PWI, and seven regions of interest (ROIs) were chosen. The relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV), relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF), and mean transit time (MTT) were obtained from each ROI. We further calculated the absolute difference of relative parameter values between two mirrored ROIs. The significant difference in the relative MTT from the mirrored cerebellar ROI (|rMTTleft-right|) of the case group was larger than those from the negative and healthy control groups (p = 0.026 and p = 0.038, respectively). Signal differences in |rrCBVleft-right| and |rrCBFleft-right| were not found among the three groups. In summary, disequilibrium in the rMTT of the bilateral cerebellum in the case group implied that hypoperfusion of the posterior circulation could trigger recurrent isolated vertigo and could be shown efficiently using PWI.

Reward Devaluation: Dot-Probe Meta-Analytic Evidence of Avoidance of Positive Information in Depressed Persons

PubMed Central

Winer, E. Samuel; Salem, Taban

2015-01-01

Cognitive theories of depression and anxiety have traditionally emphasized the role of attentional biases in the processing of negative information. The dot-probe task has been widely used to study this phenomenon. Recent findings suggest that biased processing of positive information might also be an important aspect of developing psychopathological symptoms. However, despite some evidence suggesting persons with symptoms of depression and anxiety may avoid positive information, many dot-probe studies have produced null findings. The present review used conventional and novel meta-analytic methods to evaluate dot-probe attentional biases away from positive information and, for comparison, toward negative information, in depressed and anxious individuals. Results indicated that avoidance of positive information is a real effect exhibiting substantial evidential value among persons experiencing psychopathology, with individuals evidencing primary symptoms of depression clearly demonstrating this effect. Different theoretical explanations for these findings are evaluated, including those positing threat-processing structures, even-handedness, self-regulation, and reward devaluation, with the novel theory of reward devaluation emphasized and expanded. These novel findings and theory suggest that avoidance of prospective reward helps to explain the cause and sustainability of depressed states. Suggestions for future research and methodological advances are discussed. PMID:26619211

Questions of time and affect: a person's affectivity profile, time perspective, and well-being.

PubMed

Garcia, Danilo; Sailer, Uta; Nima, Ali Al; Archer, Trevor

2016-01-01

Background. A "balanced" time perspective has been suggested to have a positive influence on well-being: a sentimental and positive view of the past (high Past Positive), a less pessimistic attitude toward the past (low Past Negative), the desire of experiencing pleasure with slight concern for future consequences (high Present Hedonistic), a less fatalistic and hopeless view of the future (low Present Fatalistic), and the ability to find reward in achieving specific long-term goals (high Future). We used the affective profiles model (i.e., combinations of individuals' experience of high/low positive/negative affectivity) to investigate differences between individuals in time perspective dimensions and to investigate if the influence of time perspective dimensions on well-being was moderated by the individual's type of profile. Method. Participants (N = 720) answered to the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule, the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory and two measures of well-being: the Temporal Satisfaction with Life Scale and Ryff's Scales of Psychological Well-Being-short version. A Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was conducted to identify differences in time perspective dimensions and well-being among individuals with distinct affective profiles. Four structural equation models (SEM) were used to investigate which time perspective dimensions predicted well-being for individuals in each profile. Results. Comparisons between individuals at the extreme of the affective profiles model suggested that individuals with a self-fulfilling profile (high positive/low negative affect) were characterized by a "balanced" time perspective and higher well-being compared to individuals with a self-destructive profile (low positive/high negative affect). However, a different pattern emerged when individuals who differed in one affect dimension but matched in the other were compared to each other. For instance, decreases in the past negative time perspective dimension lead to high positive affect when negative affect is high (i.e., self-destructive vs. high affective) but to low negative affect when positive affect was high (i.e., high affective vs. self-fulfilling). The moderation analyses showed, for example, that for individuals with a self-destructive profile, psychological well-being was significantly predicted by the past negative, present fatalistic and future time perspectives. Among individuals with a high affective or a self-fulfilling profile, psychological well-being was significantly predicted by the present fatalistic dimension. Conclusions. The interactions found here go beyond the postulation of a "balanced" time perspective being the only way to promote well-being. Instead, we present a more person-centered approach to achieve higher levels of emotional, cognitive, and psychological well-being.

Attentional Bias to Negative Affect Moderates Negative Affect’s Relationship with Smoking Abstinence

PubMed Central

Etcheverry, Paul E.; Waters, Andrew J.; Lam, Cho; Correa-Fernandez, Virmarie; Vidrine, Jennifer Irvin; Cinciripini, Paul M.; Wetter, David W.

2016-01-01

Objective To examine whether initial orienting (IO) and inability to disengage attention (ITD) from negative affective stimuli moderate the association of negative affect with smoking abstinence during a quit attempt. Methods Data were from a longitudinal cohort study of smoking cessation (N=424). A negative affect modified Stroop was administered one week before and on quit day to measure IO and ITD. Ecological Momentary Assessments were used to create negative affect intercepts and linear slopes for the week before quitting and on quit day. Quit day and long-term abstinence measures were collected. Results Continuation ratio (CR) logit model analyses found significant interactions of pre-quit negative affect slope with pre-quit ITD [OR = .738(.57, .96), p= .02] and quit day negative affect intercept with quit day ITD [OR = .62(.41, 950), p= .03] predicting abstinence. The interaction of pre-quit negative affect intercept and pre-quit IO predicting quit day abstinence was significant [OR = 1.42(1.06, 1.90), p= .02], as was the interaction of quit day negative affect slope and quit day IO predicting long-term abstinence [OR = 1.45(1.02, 2.08), p= .04]. Conclusions The hypothesis that the association of negative affect with smoking abstinence would be moderated by ITD was generally supported. Among individuals with high ITD, negative affect was inversely related to abstinence, but unrelated to abstinence among individuals with lower levels of ITD. Unexpectedly, among individuals with low IO negative affect was inversely related to abstinence, but unrelated to abstinence among individuals with higher levels of ITD. PMID:27505211

Attentional bias to negative affect moderates negative affect's relationship with smoking abstinence.

PubMed

Etcheverry, Paul E; Waters, Andrew J; Lam, Cho; Correa-Fernandez, Virmarie; Vidrine, Jennifer Irvin; Cinciripini, Paul M; Wetter, David W

2016-08-01

To examine whether initial orienting (IO) and inability to disengage (ITD) attention from negative affective stimuli moderate the association of negative affect with smoking abstinence during a quit attempt. Data were from a longitudinal cohort study of smoking cessation (N = 424). A negative affect modified Stroop task was administered 1 week before and on quit day to measure IO and ITD. Ecological Momentary Assessments were used to create negative affect intercepts and linear slopes for the week before quitting and on quit day. Quit day and long-term abstinence measures were collected. Continuation ratio logit model analyses found significant interactions for prequit negative affect slope with prequit ITD, odds ratio (OR) = 0.738 (0.57, 0.96), p = .02, and for quit day negative affect intercept with quit day ITD, OR = 0.62 (0.41, 950), p = .03, predicting abstinence. The Prequit Negative Affect Intercept × Prequit IO interaction predicting quit day abstinence was significant, OR = 1.42 (1.06, 1.90), p = .02, as was the Quit Day Negative Affect Slope × Quit Day IO interaction predicting long-term abstinence, OR = 1.45 (1.02, 2.08), p = .04. The hypothesis that the association of negative affect with smoking abstinence would be moderated by ITD was generally supported. Among individuals with high ITD, negative affect was inversely related to abstinence, but unrelated to abstinence among individuals with lower levels of ITD. Unexpectedly, among individuals with low IO, negative affect was inversely related to abstinence, but unrelated to abstinence among individuals with higher levels of ITD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The oral microbiome in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive individuals.

PubMed

Kistler, James O; Arirachakaran, Pratanporn; Poovorawan, Yong; Dahlén, Gunnar; Wade, William G

2015-09-01

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with a range of oral conditions, and increased numbers of disease-associated microbial species have previously been found in HIV-positive subjects. The aim of this study was to use next-generation sequencing to compare the composition of the oral microbiome in HIV-positive and -negative individuals. Plaque and saliva were collected from 37 HIV-positive individuals and 37 HIV-negative individuals, and their bacterial composition determined by pyrosequencing of partial 16S rRNA genes. A total of 855,222 sequences were analysed. The number of species-level operational taxonomic units (OTUs) detected was significantly lower in the saliva of HIV-positive individuals (mean = 303.3) than in that of HIV-negative individuals (mean = 365.5) (P < 0.0003). Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) based on community membership (Jaccard index) and structure (Yue and Clayton measure of dissimilarity) showed significant separation of plaque and saliva samples [analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), P < 0.001]. PCoA plots did not show any clear separation based on HIV status. However, AMOVA indicated that there was a significant difference in the community membership of saliva between HIV-positive and -negative groups (P = 0.001). Linear discriminant analysis effect size revealed an OTU identified as Haemophilus parainfluenzae to be significantly associated with HIV-positive individuals, whilst Streptococcus mitis/HOT473 was most significantly associated with HIV-negative individuals. In conclusion, this study has confirmed that the microbial composition of saliva and plaque is different. The oral microbiomes of HIV-positive and -negative individuals were found to be similar overall, although there were minor but significant differences in the composition of the salivary microbiota of the two groups.

Suboptimal primary and secondary cardiovascular disease prevention in HIV-positive individuals on antiretroviral therapy.

PubMed

van Zoest, Rosan A; van der Valk, Marc; Wit, Ferdinand W; Vaartjes, Ilonca; Kooij, Katherine W; Hovius, Joppe W; Prins, Maria; Reiss, Peter

2017-08-01

Background We aimed to identify the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, and investigate preventive cardiovascular medication use and achievement of targets as per Dutch cardiovascular risk management guidelines among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and HIV-negative individuals. Design The design was a cross-sectional analysis within an ongoing cohort study. Methods Data on medication use and cardiovascular disease prevalence were available for 528 HIV-positive and 521 HIV-negative participants. We identified cardiovascular risk factors and applied cardiovascular risk management guidelines, mainly focusing on individuals eligible for (a) primary prevention because of high a priori cardiovascular risk, or for (b) secondary prevention. Results One hundred and three (20%) HIV-positive and 77 (15%) HIV-negative participants were classified as having high cardiovascular risk; 53 (10%) HIV-positive and 27 (5%) HIV-negative participants were eligible for secondary prevention. Of HIV-positive individuals 57% at high cardiovascular risk and 42% of HIV-positive individuals eligible for secondary prevention had systolic blood pressures above guideline-recommended thresholds. Cholesterol levels were above guideline-recommended thresholds in 81% of HIV-positive individuals at high cardiovascular risk and 57% of HIV-positive individuals eligible for secondary prevention. No statistically significant differences were observed between HIV-positive and HIV-negative participants regarding achievement of targets, except for glycaemic control (glycated haemoglobin ≤ 53 mmol/mol) among individuals using diabetes medication (90% vs 50%, p = 0.017) and antiplatelet/anticoagulant use for secondary prevention (85% vs 63%, p = 0.045), which were both superior among HIV-positive participants. Conclusions Cardiovascular risk management is suboptimal in both HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals and should be improved.

Suboptimal primary and secondary cardiovascular disease prevention in HIV-positive individuals on antiretroviral therapy

PubMed Central

van der Valk, Marc; Wit, Ferdinand W; Vaartjes, Ilonca; Kooij, Katherine W; Hovius, Joppe W; Prins, Maria; Reiss, Peter

2017-01-01

Background We aimed to identify the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, and investigate preventive cardiovascular medication use and achievement of targets as per Dutch cardiovascular risk management guidelines among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and HIV-negative individuals. Design The design was a cross-sectional analysis within an ongoing cohort study. Methods Data on medication use and cardiovascular disease prevalence were available for 528 HIV-positive and 521 HIV-negative participants. We identified cardiovascular risk factors and applied cardiovascular risk management guidelines, mainly focusing on individuals eligible for (a) primary prevention because of high a priori cardiovascular risk, or for (b) secondary prevention. Results One hundred and three (20%) HIV-positive and 77 (15%) HIV-negative participants were classified as having high cardiovascular risk; 53 (10%) HIV-positive and 27 (5%) HIV-negative participants were eligible for secondary prevention. Of HIV-positive individuals 57% at high cardiovascular risk and 42% of HIV-positive individuals eligible for secondary prevention had systolic blood pressures above guideline-recommended thresholds. Cholesterol levels were above guideline-recommended thresholds in 81% of HIV-positive individuals at high cardiovascular risk and 57% of HIV-positive individuals eligible for secondary prevention. No statistically significant differences were observed between HIV-positive and HIV-negative participants regarding achievement of targets, except for glycaemic control (glycated haemoglobin ≤ 53 mmol/mol) among individuals using diabetes medication (90% vs 50%, p = 0.017) and antiplatelet/anticoagulant use for secondary prevention (85% vs 63%, p = 0.045), which were both superior among HIV-positive participants. Conclusions Cardiovascular risk management is suboptimal in both HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals and should be improved. PMID:28578613

Interchromosomal insertional translocation at Xq26.3 alters SOX3 expression in an individual with XX male sex reversal.

PubMed

Haines, Bryan; Hughes, James; Corbett, Mark; Shaw, Marie; Innes, Josie; Patel, Leena; Gecz, Jozef; Clayton-Smith, Jill; Thomas, Paul

2015-05-01

46,XX male sex reversal occurs in approximately 1: 20 000 live births and is most commonly caused by interchromosomal translocations of the Y-linked sex-determining gene, SRY. Rearrangements of the closely related SOX3 gene on the X chromosome are also associated with 46,XX male sex reversal. It has been hypothesized that sex reversal in the latter is caused by ectopic expression of SOX3 in the developing urogenital ridge where it triggers male development by acting as an analog of SRY. However, altered regulation of SOX3 in individuals with XX male sex reversal has not been demonstrated. Here we report a boy with SRY-negative XX male sex reversal who was diagnosed at birth with a small phallus, mixed gonads, and borderline-normal T. Molecular characterization of the affected individual was performed using array comparative genomic hybridization, fluorescent in situ hybridization of metaphase chromosomes, whole-genome sequencing, and RT-PCR expression analysis of lymphoblast cell lines. The affected male carries ∼774-kb insertion translocation from chromosome 1 into a human-specific palindromic sequence 82 kb distal to SOX3. Importantly, robust SOX3 expression was identified in cells derived from the affected individual but not from control XX or XY cells, indicating that the translocation has a direct effect on SOX3 regulation. This is the first demonstration of altered SOX3 expression in an individual with XX male sex reversal and suggests that SOX3 can substitute for SRY to initiate male development in humans.

Are individual NOEC levels safe for mixtures? A study on mixture toxicity of brominated flame-retardants in the copepod Nitocra spinipes.

PubMed

Breitholtz, Magnus; Nyholm, Jenny Rattfelt; Karlsson, Jenny; Andersson, Patrik L

2008-07-01

In aquatic ecosystems organisms are exposed to mixtures of pollutants. Still, risk assessment focuses almost exclusively on effect characterization of individual substances. The main objective of the current study was therefore to study mixture toxicity of a common group of industrial substances, i.e., brominated flame-retardants (BFRs), in the harpacticoid copepod Nitocra spinipes. Initially, 10 BFRs with high hydrophobicity but otherwise varying chemical characteristics were selected based on multivariate chemical characterization and tested individually for effects on mortality and development using a partial life cycle test (six days) where silica gel is used as a carrier of the hydrophobic substances. Based on these findings, six of the 10 BFRs were mixed in a series of NOEC proportions (which were set to 0.008, 0.04, 0.2, 1, and five times the NOEC concentrations for each individual BFR), loaded on silica gel and tested in a full life cycle test (26 days). Significantly increased mortality was observed in N. spinipes after six and 26 days exposure at a NOEC proportion that equals the NOEC LDR value (x1) for each BFR in the mixture (p=0.0015 and p=0.0105, respectively). At the NOECx5 proportion all animals were dead. None of the other NOEC proportions caused significant negative responses related to development and reproduction. This shows that low concentrations of individual substances can cause toxicity if exposed in mixtures, which highlights the need to consider mixture toxicity to a greater extent in regulatory work.

A comprehensive iterative approach is highly effective in diagnosing individuals who are exome negative.

PubMed

Shashi, Vandana; Schoch, Kelly; Spillmann, Rebecca; Cope, Heidi; Tan, Queenie K-G; Walley, Nicole; Pena, Loren; McConkie-Rosell, Allyn; Jiang, Yong-Hui; Stong, Nicholas; Need, Anna C; Goldstein, David B

2018-06-15

Sixty to seventy-five percent of individuals with rare and undiagnosed phenotypes remain undiagnosed after exome sequencing (ES). With standard ES reanalysis resolving 10-15% of the ES negatives, further approaches are necessary to maximize diagnoses in these individuals. In 38 ES negative patients an individualized genomic-phenotypic approach was employed utilizing (1) phenotyping; (2) reanalyses of FASTQ files, with innovative bioinformatics; (3) targeted molecular testing; (4) genome sequencing (GS); and (5) conferring of clinical diagnoses when pathognomonic clinical findings occurred. Certain and highly likely diagnoses were made in 18/38 (47%) individuals, including identifying two new developmental disorders. The majority of diagnoses (>70%) were due to our bioinformatics, phenotyping, and targeted testing identifying variants that were undetected or not prioritized on prior ES. GS diagnosed 3/18 individuals with structural variants not amenable to ES. Additionally, tentative diagnoses were made in 3 (8%), and in 5 individuals (13%) candidate genes were identified. Overall, diagnoses/potential leads were identified in 26/38 (68%). Our comprehensive approach to ES negatives maximizes the ES and clinical data for both diagnoses and candidate gene identification, without GS in the majority. This iterative approach is cost-effective and is pertinent to the current conundrum of ES negatives.

De Novo Truncating Mutations in the Last and Penultimate Exons of PPM1D Cause an Intellectual Disability Syndrome.

PubMed

Jansen, Sandra; Geuer, Sinje; Pfundt, Rolph; Brough, Rachel; Ghongane, Priyanka; Herkert, Johanna C; Marco, Elysa J; Willemsen, Marjolein H; Kleefstra, Tjitske; Hannibal, Mark; Shieh, Joseph T; Lynch, Sally Ann; Flinter, Frances; FitzPatrick, David R; Gardham, Alice; Bernhard, Birgitta; Ragge, Nicola; Newbury-Ecob, Ruth; Bernier, Raphael; Kvarnung, Malin; Magnusson, E A Helena; Wessels, Marja W; van Slegtenhorst, Marjon A; Monaghan, Kristin G; de Vries, Petra; Veltman, Joris A; Lord, Christopher J; Vissers, Lisenka E L M; de Vries, Bert B A

2017-04-06

Intellectual disability (ID) is a highly heterogeneous disorder involving at least 600 genes, yet a genetic diagnosis remains elusive in ∼35%-40% of individuals with moderate to severe ID. Recent meta-analyses statistically analyzing de novo mutations in >7,000 individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders highlighted mutations in PPM1D as a possible cause of ID. PPM1D is a type 2C phosphatase that functions as a negative regulator of cellular stress-response pathways by mediating a feedback loop of p38-p53 signaling, thereby contributing to growth inhibition and suppression of stress-induced apoptosis. We identified 14 individuals with mild to severe ID and/or developmental delay and de novo truncating PPM1D mutations. Additionally, deep phenotyping revealed overlapping behavioral problems (ASD, ADHD, and anxiety disorders), hypotonia, broad-based gait, facial dysmorphisms, and periods of fever and vomiting. PPM1D is expressed during fetal brain development and in the adult brain. All mutations were located in the last or penultimate exon, suggesting escape from nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. Both PPM1D expression analysis and cDNA sequencing in EBV LCLs of individuals support the presence of a stable truncated transcript, consistent with this hypothesis. Exposure of cells derived from individuals with PPM1D truncating mutations to ionizing radiation resulted in normal p53 activation, suggesting that p53 signaling is unaffected. However, a cell-growth disadvantage was observed, suggesting a possible effect on the stress-response pathway. Thus, we show that de novo truncating PPM1D mutations in the last and penultimate exons cause syndromic ID, which provides additional insight into the role of cell-cycle checkpoint genes in neurodevelopmental disorders. Copyright © 2017 American Society of Human Genetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Negative Affect during a Collective (but Not an Individual) Task Is Associated with Holistic Attention in East Asian Cultural Context

PubMed Central

Tominaga, Hitoshi; Uchida, Yukiko; Miyamoto, Yuri; Yamasaki, Teruo

2017-01-01

Previous studies have suggested that individuals from East Asian cultures are more likely to show holistic attention—a pattern of attention that incorporates contextual information into focal stimuli—than individuals from North American cultures. Holistic attention is also prevalent in communities that require close cooperation. However, it is not yet known how cooperation is related to holistic attention. We theorized that holistic attention increases when people experience negative affect (e.g., worry, sadness, and frustration) during collective tasks (but not during individual tasks) because negative affect in social contexts signals the existence of potential threats to social harmony, thus indicating a need to restore social harmony. To examine this hypothesis, an experiment was conducted in which participants performed a musical duet either with another participant (a collective task requiring cooperation), or individually with a computer (an individual task). After the musical task, the Framed Line Task (FLT) was administered to examine their holistic attention. Participants also reported their emotional states both before and after the music task. Results suggested that negative affect in the collective task—but not the individual task—was positively correlated with a holistic pattern of attention. The function of negative affect in social contexts as motivation to restore relationships and how this enhances holistic attention is discussed. The moderating effect of social context on the link between negative affect and cognition is also discussed. PMID:28824483

Negative Affect during a Collective (but Not an Individual) Task Is Associated with Holistic Attention in East Asian Cultural Context.

PubMed

Tominaga, Hitoshi; Uchida, Yukiko; Miyamoto, Yuri; Yamasaki, Teruo

2017-01-01

Previous studies have suggested that individuals from East Asian cultures are more likely to show holistic attention-a pattern of attention that incorporates contextual information into focal stimuli-than individuals from North American cultures. Holistic attention is also prevalent in communities that require close cooperation. However, it is not yet known how cooperation is related to holistic attention. We theorized that holistic attention increases when people experience negative affect (e.g., worry, sadness, and frustration) during collective tasks (but not during individual tasks) because negative affect in social contexts signals the existence of potential threats to social harmony, thus indicating a need to restore social harmony. To examine this hypothesis, an experiment was conducted in which participants performed a musical duet either with another participant (a collective task requiring cooperation), or individually with a computer (an individual task). After the musical task, the Framed Line Task (FLT) was administered to examine their holistic attention. Participants also reported their emotional states both before and after the music task. Results suggested that negative affect in the collective task-but not the individual task-was positively correlated with a holistic pattern of attention. The function of negative affect in social contexts as motivation to restore relationships and how this enhances holistic attention is discussed. The moderating effect of social context on the link between negative affect and cognition is also discussed.

Individuals in food webs: the relationships between trophic position, omnivory and among-individual diet variation.

PubMed

Svanbäck, Richard; Quevedo, Mario; Olsson, Jens; Eklöv, Peter

2015-05-01

Among-individual diet variation is common in natural populations and may occur at any trophic level within a food web. Yet, little is known about its variation among trophic levels and how such variation could affect phenotypic divergence within populations. In this study we investigate the relationships between trophic position (the population's range and average) and among-individual diet variation. We test for diet variation among individuals and across size classes of Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis), a widespread predatory freshwater fish that undergoes ontogenetic niche shifts. Second, we investigate among-individual diet variation within fish and invertebrate populations in two different lake communities using stable isotopes. Third, we test potential evolutionary implications of population trophic position by assessing the relationship between the proportion of piscivorous perch (populations of higher trophic position) and the degree of phenotypic divergence between littoral and pelagic perch sub-populations. We show that among-individual diet variation is highest at intermediate trophic positions, and that this high degree of among-individual variation likely causes an increase in the range of trophic positions among individuals. We also found that phenotypic divergence was negatively related to trophic position in a population. This study thus shows that trophic position is related to and may be important for among-individual diet variation as well as to phenotypic divergence within populations.

Gender-Specific Effects of Mood on Alcohol-Seeking Behaviors: Preliminary Findings Using Intravenous Alcohol Self-Administration.

PubMed

Cyders, Melissa A; VanderVeen, J Davis; Plawecki, Martin; Millward, James B; Hays, James; Kareken, David A; O'Connor, Sean

2016-02-01

Although negative mood has long been implicated in differences in alcohol seeking by men and women, little research has used precise, well-controlled laboratory experiments to examine how negative mood affects alcohol-seeking behaviors. A total of 34 (19 women) community-dwelling, alcohol-using adults aged 21 to 32 (mean age = 24.86, SD = 3.40, 74.3% Caucasian; Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test [AUDIT] = 10.1, SD = 3.4) completed 2 counterbalanced intravenous alcohol self-administration sessions: one under negative mood and one under neutral mood. Fourteen individuals (9 women; mean age = 25.00, SD = 2.77) participated in an alcohol "liking" experiment (i.e., free access [FA] drinking) and 20 individuals (10 women; mean age = 24.77, SD = 3.73) participated in an alcohol "wanting" experiment, in which gaining access to alcohol required progressively effortful work. There was no significant difference between men and women on the AUDIT, t(32) = -0.38, p = 0.71. Priming with negative mood induction caused a significant decrease in self-reported mood (mean change = -1.85, t(32) = -6.81, p < 0.001), as intended. In FA, negative mood was associated with a significantly increased peak breath alcohol concentration (BrAC; F = 9.41, p = 0.01), with a trend toward a greater effect in men than in women (F = 2.67, p = 0.13). Negative mood also had a significant effect on peak BrAC achieved in the progressive work paradigm (F = 5.28, p = 0.04), with a significantly stronger effect in men (F = 5.35, p = 0.03) than women; men also trended toward more consistent work for alcohol across both neutral and negative sessions. These preliminary findings demonstrate a gender-specific response on how mood affects alcohol seeking and suggest gender-specific interventions to prevent mood-based alcohol consumption. Copyright © 2016 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Message framing in social networking sites.

PubMed

Kao, Danny Tengti; Chuang, Shih-Chieh; Wang, Sui-Min; Zhang, Lei

2013-10-01

Online social networking sites represent significant new opportunities for Internet advertisers. However, results based on the real world cannot be generalized to all virtual worlds. In this research, the moderating effects of need for cognition (NFC) and knowledge were applied to examine the impact of message framing on attitudes toward social networking sites. A total of 216 undergraduates participated in the study. Results reveal that for social networking sites, while high-NFC individuals form more favorable attitudes toward negatively framed messages than positively framed messages, low-NFC individuals form more favorable attitudes toward positively framed messages than negatively framed messages. In addition, low-knowledge individuals demonstrate more favorable attitudes toward negatively framed messages than positively framed messages; however, the framing effect does not differentially affect the attitudes of high-knowledge individuals. Furthermore, the framing effect does not differentially affect the attitudes of high-NFC individuals with high knowledge. In contrast, low-NFC individuals with low knowledge hold more favorable attitudes toward positively framed messages than negatively framed messages.

Romantic Partners’ Individual Coping Strategies and Dyadic Coping: Implications for Relationship Functioning

PubMed Central

Papp, Lauren M.; Witt, Nicole L.

2011-01-01

Individual coping strategies and dyadic coping independently predict partner well-being and relationship functioning; however, it is unclear whether the coping processes are inter-related and whether they uniquely contribute to romantic relationship functioning. One hundred heterosexual dating couples rated the individual coping strategy of negative mood regulation as well as positive and negative dyadic coping. Relationship functioning was assessed via partners’ reports of relationship satisfaction and observers’ ratings of negative interaction in conflict. Actor-Partner Interdependence Models (APIMs; Cook & Kenny, 2005; Kashy & Kenny, 2000) revealed associations between individual coping and dyadic coping in the predicted directions. APIMs also indicated the unique contributions of positive and negative dyadic coping to relationship functioning, above and beyond contributions of individual coping strategies. Implications of dyadic coping as a target of efforts to prevent or treat partner and/or relational distress are discussed. PMID:20954765

Effects of amphibian chytrid fungus on individual survival probability in wild boreal toads

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pilliod, D.S.; Muths, E.; Scherer, R. D.; Bartelt, P.E.; Corn, P.S.; Hossack, B.R.; Lambert, B.A.; Mccaffery, R.; Gaughan, C.

2010-01-01

Chytridiomycosis is linked to the worldwide decline of amphibians, yet little is known about the demographic effects of the disease. We collected capture-recapture data on three populations of boreal toads (Bufo boreas [Bufo = Anaxyrus]) in the Rocky Mountains (U.S.A.). Two of the populations were infected with chytridiomycosis and one was not. We examined the effect of the presence of amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis [Bd]; the agent of chytridiomycosis) on survival probability and population growth rate. Toads that were infected with Bd had lower average annual survival probability than uninfected individuals at sites where Bd was detected, which suggests chytridiomycosis may reduce survival by 31-42% in wild boreal toads. Toads that were negative for Bd at infected sites had survival probabilities comparable to toads at the uninfected site. Evidence that environmental covariates (particularly cold temperatures during the breeding season) influenced toad survival was weak. The number of individuals in diseased populations declined by 5-7%/year over the 6 years of the study, whereas the uninfected population had comparatively stable population growth. Our data suggest that the presence of Bd in these toad populations is not causing rapid population declines. Rather, chytridiomycosis appears to be functioning as a low-level, chronic disease whereby some infected individuals survive but the overall population effects are still negative. Our results show that some amphibian populations may be coexisting with Bd and highlight the importance of quantitative assessments of survival in diseased animal populations. Journal compilation. ?? 2010 Society for Conservation Biology. No claim to original US government works.

Parental instrumental feeding, negative affect, and binge eating among overweight individuals.

PubMed

Mason, Tyler B

2015-04-01

Parental instrumental feeding (i.e., rewarding children with food for perceived correct behaviors and punishing by taking away food for perceived incorrect behaviors) and negative affect are independently associated with binge eating in adulthood. However, less is known about interactions between these variables and binge eating. This study examined the relationship of retrospective reports of parental feeding practices and negative affect to binge eating. Participants were 165 overweight and obese undergraduate students at a large Mid-Atlantic University. High parental instrumental feeding strengthened the relationship between negative affect and binge eating. Also, individuals who reported low parental feeding practices reported similar binge eating regardless of negative affect. These findings suggest that overweight and obese individuals whose parents used more instrumental feeding practices are most likely to engage in binge eating in response to negative affect. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Adult height and the risk of cause-specific death and vascular morbidity in 1 million people: individual participant meta-analysis.

PubMed

2012-10-01

The extent to which adult height, a biomarker of the interplay of genetic endowment and early-life experiences, is related to risk of chronic diseases in adulthood is uncertain. We calculated hazard ratios (HRs) for height, assessed in increments of 6.5 cm, using individual-participant data on 174374 deaths or major non-fatal vascular outcomes recorded among 1085949 people in 121 prospective studies. For people born between 1900 and 1960, mean adult height increased 0.5-1 cm with each successive decade of birth. After adjustment for age, sex, smoking and year of birth, HRs per 6.5 cm greater height were 0.97 (95% confidence interval: 0.96-0.99) for death from any cause, 0.94 (0.93-0.96) for death from vascular causes, 1.04 (1.03-1.06) for death from cancer and 0.92 (0.90-0.94) for death from other causes. Height was negatively associated with death from coronary disease, stroke subtypes, heart failure, stomach and oral cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, mental disorders, liver disease and external causes. In contrast, height was positively associated with death from ruptured aortic aneurysm, pulmonary embolism, melanoma and cancers of the pancreas, endocrine and nervous systems, ovary, breast, prostate, colorectum, blood and lung. HRs per 6.5 cm greater height ranged from 1.26 (1.12-1.42) for risk of melanoma death to 0.84 (0.80-0.89) for risk of death from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. HRs were not appreciably altered after further adjustment for adiposity, blood pressure, lipids, inflammation biomarkers, diabetes mellitus, alcohol consumption or socio-economic indicators. Adult height has directionally opposing relationships with risk of death from several different major causes of chronic diseases.

Behavioral and neuronal determinants of negative reciprocity in the ultimatum game.

PubMed

Kaltwasser, Laura; Hildebrandt, Andrea; Wilhelm, Oliver; Sommer, Werner

2016-10-01

The rejection of unfair offers in the ultimatum game (UG) indicates negative reciprocity. The model of strong reciprocity claims that negative reciprocity reflects prosociality because the rejecting individual is sacrificing resources in order to punish unfair behavior. However, a recent study found that the rejection rate of unfair offers is linked to assertiveness (status defense model). To pursue the question what drives negative reciprocity, the present study investigated individual differences in the rejection of unfair offers along with their behavioral and neuronal determinants. We measured fairness preferences and event-related potentials (ERP) in 200 healthy participants playing a computerized version of the UG with pictures of unfair and fair proposers. Structural equation modeling (SEM) on the behavioral data corroborated both the strong reciprocity and the status defense models of human cooperation: Not only more prosocial but also more assertive individuals were more likely to show negative reciprocity by rejecting unfair offers. Experimental ERP results confirmed the feedback negativity (FN) as a neural signature of fairness processing. Multilevel SEM of brain-behavior relationships revealed that negative reciprocity was significantly associated with individual differences in FN amplitudes in response to proposers. Our results confirm stable individual differences in fairness processing at the behavioral and neuronal level. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Siblings of individuals with Smith-Magenis syndrome: an investigation of the correlates of positive and negative behavioural traits.

PubMed

Moshier, M S; York, T P; Silberg, J L; Elsea, S H

2012-10-01

Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects approximately one out of 25,000 births worldwide. To date, no research has been conducted to investigate how having an individual with SMS in a family is a positive or negative influence on siblings. To investigate this question we conducted a study involving 79 siblings and 60 parents of individuals with SMS to assess perceptions of how having a sibling with SMS positively and negative influence siblings' behavioural traits. Our findings show that age of siblings of individuals with SMS was associated with a significant increase in positive behavioural traits and a significant decrease in negative behavioural traits. Additionally, siblings who perceive benefits from having a sibling with SMS demonstrate significantly more positive behavioural traits and significantly fewer negative behavioural traits. Parents accurately assess the changes in sibling behavioural traits with age, and parents who perceive their child as having experienced benefits from the sibling relationship report that siblings demonstrate significantly more positive behavioural traits and significantly fewer negative behavioural traits. Our research shows that although individuals experience difficulties as a result of having a sibling with SMS, overall, siblings tend to fare well and parents appreciate both the positive and negative behavioural effects that result from having a sibling with SMS. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Plasma cortisol and oxytocin levels predict help-seeking intentions for depressive symptoms.

PubMed

Thomas, Susan; Larkin, Theresa

2018-01-01

Depressed individuals often refuse or withdraw from help, a phenomenon termed help-negation, which is a risk factor for poor outcomes. Most previous research has investigated psychosocial factors including stigma as causes of low help-seeking intentions for depression, however these do not adequately explain the problem. We hypothesised that because help-negation worsens with symptom severity, it might be linked to important biological changes associated with depression itself. We investigated the relative contributions of cortisol, a stress hormone linked to depression, and oxytocin, a hormone which mediates social behaviours, alongside psychosocial factors, to help-seeking intentions among depressed and non-depressed individuals. Morning plasma cortisol and oxytocin levels, psychopathology, suicidal ideation, help-seeking intentions from informal sources including family and friends, and formal sources including health professionals, and perceived social support were quantified in 63 adults meeting DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) who were not receiving any treatment, and 60 healthy controls. Between-group analyses of variance, correlations, and hierarchical multiple regressions were employed. Help-seeking intentions were lower in depressed than healthy participants, negatively correlated to cortisol and positively correlated to oxytocin. Cortisol negatively, and oxytocin positively, predicted help-seeking intentions from informal but not formal sources, after controlling for psychopathology and psychosocial factors. Neuroendocrine changes associated with depression may contribute to low help-seeking from friends and family, which may have implications for interpersonal support and outcomes. Research and clinical approaches which incorporate biological as well as psychosocial factors may allow for more targeted and effective early interventions to address lack of help-seeking and depression progression. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

OCD Taboo Thoughts and Stigmatizing Attitudes in Clinicians.

PubMed

Steinberg, Daniel S; Wetterneck, Chad T

2017-04-01

Individuals who suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder have persistent intrusive thoughts that cause severe distress that impairs daily functioning. These individuals often conceal their intrusive thoughts and delay help-seeking for fear of being stigmatized. Stigma can be problematic when it is present among mental health professionals because they may distance themselves from their clients and have a negative outlook on treatment outcome. To date there has not been any research that focuses on stigma that clinician's may hold towards obsessive-compulsive disorder or specific obsessions; however, there is evidence that mental health professionals may have prejudices towards individuals who suffer from other mental illnesses. The current study aimed to explore clinician and student clinician attitudes about obsessional content from varying symptom dimensions. Results indicated participants were more likely to socially reject or be concerned by individuals with obsessions related to contamination, harming, and sexual obsessions than those with scrupulous obsessions, and that they would be less likely to reveal sexual obsessions to others if they were experiencing them than the other three types of obsessions.

Internalized Transphobia, Resilience, and Mental Health: Applying the Psychological Mediation Framework to Italian Transgender Individuals

PubMed Central

Bochicchio, Vincenzo; Amodeo, Anna Lisa; Esposito, Concetta; Valerio, Paolo; Maldonato, Nelson Mauro; Bacchini, Dario; Vitelli, Roberto

2018-01-01

Transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) people are a highly-stigmatized population. For this reason, they might internalize society’s normative gender attitudes and develop negative mental health outcomes. As an extension of the minority stress model, the psychological mediation framework sheds light on psychological processes through which anti-transgender discrimination might affect mental health. Within this framework, the current study aimed at assessing in 149 TGNC Italian individuals the role of internalized transphobia as a mediator between anti-transgender discrimination and mental health, considering resilience as the individual-level coping mechanism buffering this relationship. The results suggest that both indicators of internalized transphobia (i.e., shame and alienation) mediate the relationship between anti-transgender discrimination and depression, while only alienation mediates the relationship between anti-transgender discrimination and anxiety. Furthermore, the results suggest that the indirect relation between anti-transgender discrimination and anxiety through alienation is conditional on low and moderate levels of resilience. Findings have important implications for clinical practice and psycho-social interventions to reduce stigma and stress caused by interpersonal and individual stigma. PMID:29534023

Emotion, working memory task demands and individual differences predict behavior, cognitive effort and negative affect.

PubMed

Storbeck, Justin; Davidson, Nicole A; Dahl, Chelsea F; Blass, Sara; Yung, Edwin

2015-01-01

We examined whether positive and negative affect motivates verbal and spatial working memory processes, respectively, which have implications for the expenditure of mental effort. We argue that when emotion promotes cognitive tendencies that are goal incompatible with task demands, greater cognitive effort is required to perform well. We sought to investigate whether this increase in cognitive effort impairs behavioural control over a broad domain of self-control tasks. Moreover, we predicted that individuals with higher behavioural inhibition system (BIS) sensitivities would report more negative affect within the goal incompatible conditions because such individuals report higher negative affect during cognitive challenge. Positive or negative affective states were induced followed by completing a verbal or spatial 2-back working memory task. All participants then completed one of three self-control tasks. Overall, we observed that conditions of emotion and working memory incompatibility (positive/spatial and negative/verbal) performed worse on the self-control tasks, and within the incompatible conditions individuals with higher BIS sensitivities reported more negative affect at the end of the study. The combination of findings suggests that emotion and working memory compatibility reduces cognitive effort and impairs behavioural control.

Emotional Encoding Context Leads to Memory Bias in Individuals with High Anxiety

PubMed Central

Fernandes, Myra A.

2017-01-01

We investigated whether anxious individuals, who adopt an inherently negative mindset, demonstrate a particularly salient memory bias for words tainted by negative contexts. To this end, sequentially presented target words, overlayed onto negative or neutral pictures, were studied in separate blocks (within-subjects) using a deep or shallow encoding instruction (between-subjects). Following study, in Test 1, participants completed separate recognition test blocks for the words overlayed onto the negative and the neutral contexts. Following this, in Test 2, participants completed a recognition test for the foils from each Test 1 block. We found a significant three-way interaction on Test 2, such that individuals with high anxiety who initially studied target words using a shallow encoding instruction, demonstrated significantly elevated memory for foils that were contained within the negative Test 1 block. Results show that during retrieval (Test 1), participants re-entered the mode of processing (negative or neutral) engaged at encoding, tainting the encoding of foils with that same mode of processing. The findings suggest that individuals with high relative to low anxiety, adopt a particularly salient negative retrieval mode, and this creates a downstream bias in encoding and subsequent retrieval of otherwise neutral information. PMID:29280957

Over-the-Counter Relief From Pains and Pleasures Alike: Acetaminophen Blunts Evaluation Sensitivity to Both Negative and Positive Stimuli.

PubMed

Durso, Geoffrey R O; Luttrell, Andrew; Way, Baldwin M

2015-06-01

Acetaminophen, an effective and popular over-the-counter pain reliever (e.g., the active ingredient in Tylenol), has recently been shown to blunt individuals' reactivity to a range of negative stimuli in addition to physical pain. Because accumulating research has shown that individuals' reactivity to both negative and positive stimuli can be influenced by a single factor (an idea known as differential susceptibility), we conducted two experiments testing whether acetaminophen blunted individuals' evaluations of and emotional reactions to both negative and positive images from the International Affective Picture System. Participants who took acetaminophen evaluated unpleasant stimuli less negatively and pleasant stimuli less positively, compared with participants who took a placebo. Participants in the acetaminophen condition also rated both negative and positive stimuli as less emotionally arousing than did participants in the placebo condition (Studies 1 and 2), whereas nonevaluative ratings (extent of color saturation in each image; Study 2) were not affected by drug condition. These findings suggest that acetaminophen has a general blunting effect on individuals' evaluative and emotional processing, irrespective of negative or positive valence. © The Author(s) 2015.

Emotional Encoding Context Leads to Memory Bias in Individuals with High Anxiety.

PubMed

Lee, Christopher; Fernandes, Myra A

2017-12-27

We investigated whether anxious individuals, who adopt an inherently negative mindset, demonstrate a particularly salient memory bias for words tainted by negative contexts. To this end, sequentially presented target words, overlayed onto negative or neutral pictures, were studied in separate blocks (within-subjects) using a deep or shallow encoding instruction (between-subjects). Following study, in Test 1, participants completed separate recognition test blocks for the words overlayed onto the negative and the neutral contexts. Following this, in Test 2, participants completed a recognition test for the foils from each Test 1 block. We found a significant three-way interaction on Test 2, such that individuals with high anxiety who initially studied target words using a shallow encoding instruction, demonstrated significantly elevated memory for foils that were contained within the negative Test 1 block. Results show that during retrieval (Test 1), participants re-entered the mode of processing (negative or neutral) engaged at encoding, tainting the encoding of foils with that same mode of processing. The findings suggest that individuals with high relative to low anxiety, adopt a particularly salient negative retrieval mode, and this creates a downstream bias in encoding and subsequent retrieval of otherwise neutral information.

Effects of acute tryptophan depletion on affective processing in first-degree relatives of depressive patients and controls after exposure to uncontrollable stress.

PubMed

Firk, Christine; Markus, C Rob

2008-08-01

Individuals with a family history of depression may be more likely to develop depression due to an innate vulnerability of their serotonergic system. However, even though serotonergic vulnerability may constitute a risk factor in the development of depression, it does not seem to be sufficient to cause a depressive episode. Based on previous data, it is suggested that stress may be a mediating factor. This study examined the role of serotonin (5-HT) in stress coping in individuals with or without a family history of depression. Nineteen healthy first-degree relatives of depressive patients (FH+) and 19 healthy controls without a family history of depression (FH-) were tested in a double-blind placebo-controlled design for affective processing under acute stress exposure, following acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) or placebo. Significant negative effects were found of stress on affective processing in FH- and FH+. In addition, FH- responded slower to positive words after stress only following ATD, whereas FH+ responded marginally slower under stress already after placebo and before stress following ATD. Acute stress exposure reduces positive affective bias; supporting the role of stress as an important predecessor in the development of depression. Furthermore, FH+ may be more susceptible than FH- to the negative effects of stress as well as to the negative effects of ATD. The results support the assumption that the 5-HT system is involved in stress resilience and may be more vulnerable in first-degree relatives of depression.

The Environment and the Microbial Ecology of Human Skin

PubMed Central

McBride, Mollie E.; Duncan, W. Christopher; Knox, J. M.

1977-01-01

Microbial flora of the skin of three human population groups representing different natural environments was examined quantitatively and qualitatively to determine whether environmental differences in temperature and humidity can influence the microbial flora of normal skin. Five anatomical skin sites - hands, back, axillae, groin, and feet - were sampled from 10 subjects working in a high-humidity, high-temperature environment, 10 subjects from a low-temperature, high-humidity environment, and 10 subjects working in a moderate-temperature and low-humidity environment. Bacterial populations were significantly larger from the back, axillae, and feet in individuals from the high-temperature and high-humidity environment as compared to the moderate-temperature, low-humidity environment. High humidity and low temperature had no significant effect on total populations, but this group showed a higher frequency of isolation of fungi, and gram-negative bacteria from the back and feet. Although there was an indication that increase in the environmental humidity could result in an increased frequency of isolation of gram-negative bacteria, there was no evidence that an increase in either temperature or humidity altered the relative proportions of gram-negative bacteria in the predominantly gram-positive microbial flora found on normal skin. It was concluded that, although climatic changes may cause fluctation in microbial populations from certain sites, they are not a major influence on the ecology of the microbial flora of normal skin in the natural environment. The variables introduced by studying individuals in their natural environment and the influence of these on the results are discussed. PMID:16345214

Character Education in Islamic Boarding School and The Implication to Students’ Attitude and Critical Thinking Skills on Biodiversity Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayah, R. K.

2017-02-01

In this globalization and modernization era, Indonesia as an expanded country is trying to improve in various field, technology and information development in this era has caused changes in various field like economy, politic, social and also culture. Be sides caused the positives impact, this development also caused negatives impact. For example technology development in internet has caused some negative impact like sarcasm, insulting, materialism and hardness. The education process whether formally, informally, or nonformally, become a pillar to bore a new generation of Indonesia with the strong character. This strong character marked by moral capacity like sincerity, individual quality which differentiated with others and obstinancy to face the hardness. This research used a descriptive research. The subject is students from MA based Islamic boarding school at class X MIA. Sample in this research used purposive sampling tehnique. The result of this research express that students’ atitude and critical thinking on biodiversity learning have average score whether character educated students in islamic boarding and also in school. This is proved that the strong character can be obtained from a brilliant education system and not just emphasize intelectual intellegence but education based on belief in God and fear and also able to give the creation which useful for religion, country and people. Then education that contain the two main element, that is the superiority in academic and also nonacademic (include moral and spiritual superiority) is needed. Students’ critical thinking on biodiversity learning also have average score whether character educated students in islamic boarding school.

Elevated surface temperature depresses survival of banner-tailed kangaroo rats: will climate change cook a desert icon?

PubMed

Moses, Martin R; Frey, Jennifer K; Roemer, Gary W

2012-01-01

Modest increases in global temperature have been implicated in causing population extirpations and range shifts in taxa inhabiting colder environs and in ectotherms whose thermoregulation is more closely tied to environmental conditions. Many arid-adapted endotherms already experience conditions at their physiological limits, so it is conceivable that they could be similarly affected by warming temperatures. We explored how climatic variables might influence the apparent survival of the banner-tailed kangaroo rat (Dipodomys spectabilis), a rodent endemic to the Chihuahuan Desert of North America and renowned for its behavioral and physiological adaptations to arid environments. Relative variable weight, strength of variable relationships, and other criteria indicated that summer, diurnal land surface temperature (SD_LST) was the primary environmental driver of apparent survival in these arid-adapted rodents. Higher temperatures had a negative effect on apparent survival, which ranged from 0.15 (SE = 0.04) for subadults to 0.50 (SE = 0.07) for adults. Elevated SD_LST may negatively influence survival through multiple pathways, including increased water loss and energy expenditure that could lead to chronic stress and/or hyperthermia that could cause direct mortality. Land surface temperatures are predicted to increase by as much 6.5°C by 2099, reducing apparent survival of adults to ~0.15 in some regions of the species' range, possibly causing a shift in their distribution. The relationship between SD_LST and survival suggests a mechanism whereby physiological tolerances are exceeded resulting in a reduction to individual fitness that may ultimately cause a shift in the species' range over time.

Stiffness, working stroke, and force of single-myosin molecules in skeletal muscle: elucidation of these mechanical properties via nonlinear elasticity evaluation.

PubMed

Kaya, Motoshi; Higuchi, Hideo

2013-11-01

In muscles, the arrays of skeletal myosin molecules interact with actin filaments and continuously generate force at various contraction speeds. Therefore, it is crucial for myosin molecules to generate force collectively and minimize the interference between individual myosin molecules. Knowledge of the elasticity of myosin molecules is crucial for understanding the molecular mechanisms of muscle contractions because elasticity directly affects the working and drag (resistance) force generation when myosin molecules are positively or negatively strained. The working stroke distance is also an important mechanical property necessary for elucidation of the thermodynamic efficiency of muscle contractions at the molecular level. In this review, we focus on these mechanical properties obtained from single-fiber and single-molecule studies and discuss recent findings associated with these mechanical properties. We also discuss the potential molecular mechanisms associated with reduction of the drag effect caused by negatively strained myosin molecules.

The burden of empathy: Partners' responses to divergence of interests in daily life.

PubMed

Righetti, Francesca; Gere, Judith; Hofmann, Wilhelm; Visserman, Mariko L; Van Lange, Paul A M

2016-08-01

Empathy has often been discussed as a beneficial process from which favorable individual and interpersonal experiences may be derived. The present work investigates whether empathy may sometimes be a burden rather than a benefit, under certain interpersonal circumstances. Specifically, we hypothesized that encountering situations of divergence of interests with a partner may cause discomfort, and that empathizing with one's partner would exacerbate this discomfort, resulting in higher levels of negative mood and stress that can affect relationship satisfaction. We tested these hypotheses using innovative experience sampling methodology in which both partners reported on their experiences in their natural environments. In support, we found that when people encountered divergence of interests with one's partner, as compared with when they did not, they experienced higher negative mood and stress and, consequently, lower relationship satisfaction. These effects were intensified, rather than reduced, by empathy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Consequences of gynecological cancer in patients and their partners from the sexual and psychological perspective

PubMed Central

Woźniak, Katarzyna; Iżycka, Natalia

2016-01-01

The diagnosis of gynecological cancer and the following consequences of the treatment radically change the lives of cancer patients and their partners. Women experience negative consequences in terms of sexual, psychological and social functioning. Surgical treatment may result in a decrease in sexual pleasure and pain during intercourse. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can cause a loss of libido and negatively affect the capacity to experience pleasure or orgasm. Treatment-related changes may include the occurrence of body image disorders, decreased quality of life as well as depressive and anxiety disorders among patients. Furthermore, a negative influence on the relationship between the affected women and their partners, as well as an adverse effect on the social activity, can be observed. Cancer is not an individual experience. It also affects partners of the sick women in terms of psychological and sexual functioning. This article depicts possible problems encountered by cancer patients and their partners from the psychological and sexual perspective. The emphasis is put on understanding sexuality not only in the context of sexual performance, but also in a wider perspective. PMID:27582686

Canine parvovirus-2b-associated erythema multiforme in a litter of English Setter dogs.

PubMed

Woldemeskel, Moges; Liggett, Alan; Ilha, Marcia; Saliki, Jeremiah T; Johnson, Leslie P

2011-05-01

Erythema multiforme (EM) was diagnosed in a litter of English Setter puppies. The puppies developed erythematous cutaneous lesions at the age of 2 weeks. Microscopically, there was individual keratinocyte apoptosis associated with lymphocyte exocytosis in all layers of the epidermis. Intranuclear viral inclusions were seen in multiple tissues and organs. Tissues from the tongue, lymph node, spleen, skin, and small intestine were positive for Canine parvovirus-2 (CPV-2) and negative for Canine distemper virus (CDV) and Canid herpesvirus 1 by fluorescent antibody test. Negative-staining electron microscopy detected parvovirus particles in the intestinal contents. The skin and small intestine were positive for CPV-2b and negative for CDV by polymerase chain reaction. The mucocutaneous junctions and small intestines stained positive for CPV by immunohistochemistry. The present report documents CPV-2b-associated EM in a litter of English Setters and substantiates the single previous report associating EM with CPV-2. The finding suggests that CPV should be considered as a possible cause of EM in dogs. © 2011 The Author(s)

Negative affectivity: moderator or confound in emotional dissonance-outcome relationships?

PubMed

Abraham, R

1999-01-01

This study was an examination of the impact of negative affectivity on relationships between emotional dissonance, job satisfaction, and emotional exhaustion. Negative affectivity is the predisposition to view life in negative terms. Emotional dissonance originates from the conflict between expressed and experienced emotions. In organizations that require the expression of positive emotions, high negative affectivity individuals may experience conflict between expressed, positive emotions and felt, negative emotions. A moderator effect exists when high negative affectivity individuals experience greater job dissatisfaction and emotional exhaustion. Alternatively, negative affectivity may exert a confounding effect through its relationship to both emotional dissonance and its outcomes. Empirical tests showed that negative affectivity moderated the emotional dissonance-job satisfaction relationship and confounded the emotional dissonance-emotional exhaustion relationship.

Ocular Manifestations of Ebola Virus Disease: An Ophthalmologist's Guide to Prevent Infection and Panic

PubMed Central

Vingolo, Enzo Maria; Messano, Giuseppe Alessio; Fragiotta, Serena; Petti, Stefano

2015-01-01

Ebola virus disease (EVD—formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever) is a severe hemorrhagic fever caused by lipid-enveloped, nonsegmented, negative-stranded RNA viruses belonging to the genus Ebolavirus. Case fatality rates may reach up to 76% of infected individuals, making this infection a deadly health problem in the sub-Saharan population. At the moment, there are still no indications on ophthalmological clinical signs and security suggestions for healthcare professionals (doctors and nurses or cooperative persons). This paper provides a short but complete guide to reduce infection risks. PMID:26557674

Baroreflex responses and LBNP tolerance following exercise training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Convertino, V. A.; Thompson, C. A.; Eckberg, D. L.; Fritsch, J. M.; Mack, G. W.; Nadel, E. R.

1990-01-01

The hypothesis that endurance exercise training designed to increase aerobic capacity results in reduced orthostatic tolerance due to alterations of blood-pressure controlling mechanisms was reexamined using a specially designed training in which tolerance to orthostasis and the primary mechanisms associated with the blood-pressure control could be measured before and after the increase in aerobic capacity. Results demonstrate that maximal oxygen uptake can be significantly elevated in individuals of average fit without reducing lower body negative pressure tolerance. The exercise training was found to cause a resting bradycardia, which had no effect on the cardiac vagal reflex response.

The concept of "harm" in Internet gaming disorder.

PubMed

King, Daniel L; Delfabbro, Paul H

2018-05-23

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a proposed condition that refers to persistent gaming leading to clinically significant impairment. However, there have been few attempts to study the different types and degrees of harm caused by IGD. This commentary describes some of the negative intrapersonal and interpersonal effects of an extreme time investment in gaming activities in the context of IGD. Future research should examine the way in which IGD harms may occur at different levels and degrees. This may enhance the screening of individuals whose behavior is suspected to meet the definition of the proposed IGD criteria.

Improvement of a PCR test to diagnose infection by Mansonella ozzardi.

PubMed

Vera, Luana Janaína Souza; Basano, Sergio de Almeida; Camargo, Juliana de Souza Almeida Aranha; França, Andonai Krauze de; Ferreira, Ricardo de Godoi Mattos; Casseb, Almeida Andrade; Medeiros, Jansen Fernandes; Fontes, Gilberto; Camargo, Luís Marcelo Aranha

2011-01-01

Mansonelliasis is caused by Mansonella ozzardi. It is widespread in the Amazon region, with a high prevalence. The common exam of thick blood smears stained with Giemsa shows low efficacy levels and has been an obstacle to diagnosing individuals with low blood parasitemia. In order to increase diagnosis efficacy, the PCR technique was improved. PCR demonstrated the best performance, with sensitivity and negative predictive values (NPV) of 100%, followed by blood filtration through membrane filters, which showed a sensitivity of 88.9% and a NPV of 84.6%, when compared to thick blood smears.

Functional Genomics of Allergen Gene Families in Fruits

PubMed Central

Maghuly, Fatemeh; Marzban, Gorji; Laimer, Margit

2009-01-01

Fruit consumption is encouraged for health reasons; however, fruits may harbour a series of allergenic proteins that may cause discomfort or even represent serious threats to certain individuals. Thus, the identification and characterization of allergens in fruits requires novel approaches involving genomic and proteomic tools. Since avoidance of fruits also negatively affects the quality of patients’ lives, biotechnological interventions are ongoing to produce low allergenic fruits by down regulating specific genes. In this respect, the control of proteins associated with allergenicity could be achieved by fine tuning the spatial and temporal expression of the relevant genes. PMID:22253972

Probing semiconductor gap states with resonant tunneling.

PubMed

Loth, S; Wenderoth, M; Winking, L; Ulbrich, R G; Malzer, S; Döhler, G H

2006-02-17

Tunneling transport through the depletion layer under a GaAs {110} surface is studied with a low temperature scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The observed negative differential conductivity is due to a resonant enhancement of the tunneling probability through the depletion layer mediated by individual shallow acceptors. The STM experiment probes, for appropriate bias voltages, evanescent states in the GaAs band gap. Energetically and spatially resolved spectra show that the pronounced anisotropic contrast pattern of shallow acceptors occurs exclusively for this specific transport channel. Our findings suggest that the complex band structure causes the observed anisotropies connected with the zinc blende symmetry.

Residential exposure to air toxics is linked to lower grade point averages among school children in El Paso, Texas, USA

PubMed Central

Clark-Reyna, Stephanie E.; Grineski, Sara E.; Collins, Timothy W.

2015-01-01

Children in low-income neighborhoods tend to be disproportionately exposed to environmental toxicants. This is cause for concern because exposure to environmental toxicants negatively affect health, which can impair academic success. To date, it is unknown if associations between air toxics and academic performance found in previous school-level studies persist when studying individual children. In pairing the National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) risk estimates for respiratory and diesel particulate matter risk disaggregated by source, with individual-level data collected through a mail survey, this paper examines the effects of exposure to residential environmental toxics on academic performance for individual children for the first time and adjusts for school-level effects using generalized estimating equations. We find that higher levels of residential air toxics, especially those from non-road mobile sources, are statistically significantly associated with lower grade point averages among fourth and fifth grade school children in El Paso (Texas, USA). PMID:27034529

Modeling Social Capital as Dynamic Networks to Promote Access to Oral Healthcare

PubMed Central

Northridge, Mary E.; Kunzel, Carol; Zhang, Qiuyi; Kum, Susan S.; Gilbert, Jessica L.; Jin, Zhu; Metcalf, Sara S.

2016-01-01

Social capital, as comprised of human connections in social networks and their associated benefits, is closely related to the health of individuals, communities, and societies at large. For disadvantaged population groups such as older adults and racial/ethnic minorities, social capital may play a particularly critical role in mitigating the negative effects and reinforcing the positive effects on health. In this project, we model social capital as both cause and effect by simulating dynamic networks. Informed in part by a community-based health promotion program, an agent-based model is contextualized in a GIS environment to explore the complexity of social disparities in oral and general health as experienced at the individual, interpersonal, and community scales. This study provides the foundation for future work investigating how health and healthcare accessibility may be influenced by social networks. PMID:27668298

Modeling Social Capital as Dynamic Networks to Promote Access to Oral Healthcare.

PubMed

Wang, Hua; Northridge, Mary E; Kunzel, Carol; Zhang, Qiuyi; Kum, Susan S; Gilbert, Jessica L; Jin, Zhu; Metcalf, Sara S

2016-01-01

Social capital, as comprised of human connections in social networks and their associated benefits, is closely related to the health of individuals, communities, and societies at large. For disadvantaged population groups such as older adults and racial/ethnic minorities, social capital may play a particularly critical role in mitigating the negative effects and reinforcing the positive effects on health. In this project, we model social capital as both cause and effect by simulating dynamic networks. Informed in part by a community-based health promotion program, an agent-based model is contextualized in a GIS environment to explore the complexity of social disparities in oral and general health as experienced at the individual, interpersonal, and community scales. This study provides the foundation for future work investigating how health and healthcare accessibility may be influenced by social networks.

Public health programs as surrogates for social action in Suriname, South America.

PubMed

Peplow, Daniel; Augustine, Sarah

2015-01-01

This paper addresses the merits of public health activism that advocates for social change in which health is the outcome of interest. We acknowledge that while efforts at the individual level are important, social network models consider the underlying mechanisms that lie outside the public health sector. This paper considers the inequitable health of Indigenous people who bear a disproportionate share of the negative health consequences due to economic development programs that follow an assimilation model. This paper discusses a combination of theoretical constructs to understand and solve the problems at hand. It concludes that while the attention paid to technological and behavioral solutions at the individual level yields important health outcomes, attention should also be paid to structural causes that address social, political and economic barriers to prevent disease, disability and premature death. © The Author(s) 2014.

Influenza vaccine effectiveness estimates in the Dutch population from 2003 to 2014: The test-negative design case-control study with different control groups.

PubMed

van Doorn, Eva; Darvishian, Maryam; Dijkstra, Frederika; Donker, Gé A; Overduin, Pieter; Meijer, Adam; Hak, Eelko

2017-05-15

Information about influenza vaccine effectiveness (IVE) is important for vaccine strain selection and immunization policy decisions. The test-negative design (TND) case-control study is commonly used to obtain IVE estimates. However, the definition of the control patients may influence IVE estimates. We have conducted a TND study using the Dutch Sentinel Practices of NIVEL Primary Care Database which includes data from patients who consulted the General Practitioner (GP) for an episode of acute influenza-like illness (ILI) or acute respiratory infection (ARI) with known influenza vaccination status. Cases were patients tested positive for influenza virus. Controls were grouped into those who tested (1) negative for influenza virus (all influenza negative), (2) negative for influenza virus, but positive for respiratory syncytial virus, rhinovirus or enterovirus (non-influenza virus positive), and (3) negative for these four viruses (pan-negative). We estimated the IVE over all epidemic seasons from 2003/2004 through 2013/2014, pooled IVE for influenza vaccine partial/full matched and mismatched seasons and the individual seasons using generalized linear mixed-effect and multiple logistic regression models. The overall IVE adjusted for age, GP ILI/ARI diagnosis, chronic disease and respiratory allergy was 35% (95% CI: 15-48), 64% (95% CI: 49-75) and 21% (95% CI: -1 to 39) for all influenza negative, non-influenza virus positive and pan-negative controls, respectively. In both the main and subgroup analyses IVE estimates were the highest using non-influenza virus positive controls, likely due to limiting inclusion of controls without laboratory-confirmation of a virus causing the respiratory disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Positive perfectionism, negative perfectionism, and emotional eating: The mediating role of stress.

PubMed

Wang, Hanwei; Li, Jie

2017-08-01

The current study examines the different impacts of positive perfectionism and negative perfectionism on individuals' emotional eating, as well as stress as the proposed underlying mediator that explains the abovementioned relationships. Overall, 386 adults in China reported their levels of positive perfectionism, negative perfectionism, perceived stress, and emotional eating behaviors. Results demonstrate that positive perfectionism is negatively associated with emotional eating, while negative perfectionism is positively associated with emotional eating. In addition, stress mediates the relationship between perfectionism and emotional eating. Specifically, positive perfectionism is indirectly related to emotional eating through the mediation of stress, whereas negative perfectionism is related to emotional eating directly and indirectly through the mediation of stress. Findings of the current study indicate that practitioners working with individuals who suffer from emotional eating problems should focus on ways to reduce negative perfectionism while finding approaches that enhance positive perfectionism. With this approach, individuals would experience less stress and, therefore, would be less likely to be involved in emotional eating. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Risk and resilience factors in coping with daily stress in adulthood: the role of age, self-concept incoherence, and personal control.

PubMed

Diehl, Manfred; Hay, Elizabeth L

2010-09-01

This study observed young, middle-aged, and older adults (N = 239; Mage = 49.6 years; range = 18-89 years) for 30 consecutive days to examine the association between daily stress and negative affect, taking into account potential risk (i.e., self-concept incoherence) and resilience (i.e., age, perceived personal control) factors. Results indicated that younger individuals and individuals with a more incoherent self-concept showed higher average negative affect across the study. As well, individuals reported higher negative affect on days that they experienced more stress than usual and on days that they reported less control than usual. These main effects were qualified by significant interactions. In particular, the association between daily stress and negative affect was stronger on days on which adults reported low control compared with days on which they reported high control (i.e., perceptions of control buffered stress). Reactivity to daily stress did not differ for individuals of different ages or for individuals with different levels of self-concept incoherence. Although all individuals reported higher negative affect on days on which they reported less control than usual, this association was more pronounced among younger adults. The current study helps to elucidate the role of risk and resilience factors when adults are faced with daily stress.

Effect of supplementary implantation of a sulcus-fixated intraocular lens in patients with negative dysphotopsia.

PubMed

Makhotkina, Natalia Y; Dugrain, Vincent; Purchase, Daniel; Berendschot, Tos T J M; Nuijts, Rudy M M A

2018-02-01

To evaluate whether the outcome of negative dysphotopsia treatment by implantation of a Sulcoflex intraocular lens (IOL) can be understood using individual biometry and optical modeling data. University Eye Clinic, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands. Retrospective case series. Patients with negative dysphotopsia were treated with supplementary implantation of a sulcus-fixated IOL. Preoperative and postoperative ray-tracing optical models of eyes with negative dysphotopsia were constructed in the Zemax Optic Studio program using individual biometric data. The relationship between biometric parameters, ray-tracing data, and the course of negative dysphotopsia was evaluated. The study comprised 8 patients (10 eyes). After surgery, negative dysphotopsia resolved completely in 6 eyes, partially in 2 eyes, and persisted in 2 eyes. There was no relationship between the course of negative dysphotopsia and age, IOL power, or individual biometry results other than a larger angle κ that was observed in 2 patients with persistent negative dysphotopsia after surgery. Preoperative ray-tracing models showed a decrease in light irradiance at the periphery relative to the center of visual field. After sulcus-fixated IOL implantation, this decrease partially resolved, in particular, for a small pupil aperture (P < .05), and it was more prominent in patients in whom negative dysphotopsia resolved completely than in those with partial or persistent negative dysphotopsia (P = .065 at 1.5 mm aperture). Of all individual biometry results, only angle κ showed a relationship with the course of negative dysphotopsia. In patient-specific optical modeling of sulcus-fixated IOL implantation, the increase in simulated light irradiance at the periphery was related to the course of negative dysphotopsia. Copyright © 2018 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Illness Perceptions in Patients of Schizophrenia: A Preliminary Investigation from Lahore, Pakistan.

PubMed

Hussain, Sadia; Imran, Nazish; Hotiana, Usman Amin; Mazhar, Nauman; Asif, Aftab

2017-01-01

Patient's perception of their illness influences their healthcare decisions. The objectives of this study were to explore patient's own beliefs about their illness (Schizophrenia) and perceived social support, and its impact on their attitudes toward pharmacological treatment in Lahore, Pakistan. This study was conducted at Mayo Hospital Lahore from March to September 2016. Hundred individuals suffering from Schizophrenia completed four questionnaires; a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Illness Perception Questionnaire for Schizophrenia(IPQ-S), Drug attitude Inventory-10 (DAI) and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (PSS). Stress, family problems, lack of friends & financial worries were endorsed strongly by patients as cause of their mental illness. Ambiguity regarding their mental illness duration and personal control was observed. Patients' perceived significant negative consequences, negative emotional response, as well as had poor understanding of their mental illness and treatment effectiveness. Statistically significant gender differences in treatment control and illness coherence subscales of IPQS were observed. Drug attitude inventory was positively correlated with Treatment control subscale (p < .01) and negatively correlated with Illness coherence subscale of IPQS (p < .05). The negative consequences subscale and perceived social support was negatively correlated (p < .01). Patient's perception about their own illness is predictor of their drug taking attitude and perceived social support. Study results should help to develop new interventions to correct inaccurate beliefs in patients with schizophrenia to improve illness outcome.

It is all in their mind: A review on information processing bias in lonely individuals.

PubMed

Spithoven, Annette W M; Bijttebier, Patricia; Goossens, Luc

2017-12-01

Loneliness is a distressing emotional state that motivates individuals to renew and maintain social contact. It has been suggested that lonely individuals suffer from a cognitive bias towards social threatening stimuli. However, current models of loneliness remain vague on how this cognitive bias is expressed in lonely individuals. The current review provides an up-to-date overview of studies examining loneliness in relation to various aspects of cognitive functioning. These studies are interpreted in light of the Social Information Processing (SIP) model. A wide range of studies indicate that lonely individuals have a negative cognitive bias in all stages of SIP. More specifically, lonely individuals have an increased attention for social threatening stimuli, hold negative and hostile intent attributions, expect rejection, evaluate themselves and others negatively, endorse less promotion- and more prevention-oriented goals, and have a low self-efficacy. This negative cognitive bias seems specific to the social context. Avenues for future research and implications for clinical practice are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neuroticism and attitudes toward action in 19 countries.

PubMed

Ireland, Molly E; Hepler, Justin; Li, Hong; Albarracín, Dolores

2015-06-01

Although individuals scoring high on Neuroticism tend to avoid taking action when faced with challenges, Neuroticism is also characterized by impulsivity. To explore cognitive biases related to this costly behavior pattern, we tested whether individuals who rated themselves as higher in Neuroticism would evaluate the general concepts of action and inaction as, respectively, more negative and positive. We further investigated whether anxiety and depression would mediate and individualism-collectivism would moderate these relations in a large international sample. Participants (N = 3,827 college students; 69% female) from 19 countries completed surveys measuring Neuroticism, attitudes toward action and inaction, depression, anxiety, and individualism-collectivism. Hierarchical linear models tested the above predictions. Neuroticism negatively correlated with attitudes toward action and positively correlated with attitudes toward inaction. Furthermore, anxiety was primarily responsible for emotionally unstable individuals' less positive attitudes toward action, and individuals who endorsed more collectivistic than individualistic beliefs showed a stronger negative association between Neuroticism and attitudes toward action. Researchers and practitioners interested in understanding and remediating the negative consequences of Neuroticism should pay greater attention to attitudes toward action and inaction, particularly focusing on their links with anxiety and individualism-collectivism. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Essentialism and Racial Bias Jointly Contribute to the Categorization of Multiracial Individuals.

PubMed

Ho, Arnold K; Roberts, Steven O; Gelman, Susan A

2015-10-01

Categorizations of multiracial individuals provide insight into the psychological mechanisms driving social stratification, but few studies have explored the interplay of cognitive and motivational underpinnings of these categorizations. In the present study, we integrated research on racial essentialism (i.e., the belief that race demarcates unobservable and immutable properties) and negativity bias (i.e., the tendency to weigh negative entities more heavily than positive entities) to explain why people might exhibit biases in the categorization of multiracial individuals. As theorized, racial essentialism, both dispositional (Study 1) and experimentally induced (Study 2), led to the categorization of Black-White multiracial individuals as Black, but only among individuals evaluating Black people more negatively than White people. These findings demonstrate how fundamental cognitive and motivational biases interact to influence the categorization of multiracial individuals. © The Author(s) 2015.

Novel VCP mutations in inclusion body myopathy associated with Paget disease of bone and frontotemporal dementia.

PubMed

Watts, G D J; Thomasova, D; Ramdeen, S K; Fulchiero, E C; Mehta, S G; Drachman, D A; Weihl, C C; Jamrozik, Z; Kwiecinski, H; Kaminska, A; Kimonis, V E

2007-11-01

Inclusion body myopathy associated with Paget disease of bone and frontotemporal dementia (IBMPFD, OMIM 167320) has recently been attributed to eight missense mutations in valosin-containing protein (VCP). We report novel VCP mutations N387H and L198W in six individuals from two families who presented with proximal muscle weakness at a mean age of diagnosis of 40 years, most losing the ability to walk within a few years of onset. Electromyographic studies in four individuals were suggestive of 'myopathic' changes, and neuropathic pattern was identified in one individual in family 1. Muscle biopsy in four individuals showed myopathic changes characterized by variable fiber size, two individuals showing rimmed vacuoles and IBM-type cytoplasmic inclusions in muscle fibers, and electron microscopy in one individual revealing abundant intranuclear inclusions. Frontotemporal dementia associated with characteristic behavioral changes including short-term memory loss, language difficulty, and antisocial behavior was observed in three individuals at a mean age of 47 years. Detailed brain pathology in one individual showed cortical degenerative changes, most severe in the temporal lobe and hippocampus. Abundant ubiquitin-positive tau-, alpha-synuclein-, polyglutamine repeat-negative neuronal intranuclear inclusions and only rare intracytoplasmic VCP positive inclusions were seen. These new mutations may cause structural changes in VCP and provide some insight into the functional effects of pathogenic mutations.

Do changes in grazing pressure and the degree of shrub encroachment alter the effects of individual shrubs on understorey plant communities and soil function?

PubMed

Soliveres, Santiago; Eldridge, David J

2014-04-01

Shrub canopies in semi-arid environments often produce positive effects on soil fertility, and on the richness and biomass of understorey plant communities. However, both positive and negative effects of shrub encroachment on plant and soil attributes have been reported at the landscape-level. The contrasting results between patch- and landscape-level effects in shrublands could be caused by differences in the degree of shrub encroachment or grazing pressure, both of which are likely to reduce the ability of individual shrubs to ameliorate their understorey environment.We examined how grazing and shrub encroachment (measured as landscape-level shrub cover) influence patch-level effects of shrubs on plant density, biomass and similarity in species composition between shrub understories and open areas, and on soil stability, nutrient cycling, and infiltration in two semi-arid Australian woodlands.Individual shrubs had consistently positive effects on all plant and soil variables (average increase of 23% for all variables). These positive patch-level effects persisted with increasing shrub cover up to our maximum of 50% cover. Heavy grazing negatively affected most of the variables studied (average decline of 11%). It also altered, for some variables, how individual shrubs affected their sub-canopy environment with increasing shrub cover. Thus for species density, biomass and soil infiltration, the positive effect of individual shrubs with increasing shrub cover diminished under heavy grazing. Our study refines predictions of the effects of woody encroachment on ecosystem structure and functioning by showing that heavy grazing, rather than differences in shrub cover, explains the contrasting effects on ecosystem structure and function between individual shrubs and those in dense aggregations. We also discuss how species-specific traits of the encroaching species, such as their height or its ability to fix N, might influence the relationship between their patch-level effects and their cover within the landscape.

Do changes in grazing pressure and the degree of shrub encroachment alter the effects of individual shrubs on understorey plant communities and soil function?

PubMed Central

Soliveres, Santiago; Eldridge, David J.

2015-01-01

Summary Shrub canopies in semi-arid environments often produce positive effects on soil fertility, and on the richness and biomass of understorey plant communities. However, both positive and negative effects of shrub encroachment on plant and soil attributes have been reported at the landscape-level. The contrasting results between patch- and landscape-level effects in shrublands could be caused by differences in the degree of shrub encroachment or grazing pressure, both of which are likely to reduce the ability of individual shrubs to ameliorate their understorey environment. We examined how grazing and shrub encroachment (measured as landscape-level shrub cover) influence patch-level effects of shrubs on plant density, biomass and similarity in species composition between shrub understories and open areas, and on soil stability, nutrient cycling, and infiltration in two semi-arid Australian woodlands. Individual shrubs had consistently positive effects on all plant and soil variables (average increase of 23% for all variables). These positive patch-level effects persisted with increasing shrub cover up to our maximum of 50% cover. Heavy grazing negatively affected most of the variables studied (average decline of 11%). It also altered, for some variables, how individual shrubs affected their sub-canopy environment with increasing shrub cover. Thus for species density, biomass and soil infiltration, the positive effect of individual shrubs with increasing shrub cover diminished under heavy grazing. Synthesis Our study refines predictions of the effects of woody encroachment on ecosystem structure and functioning by showing that heavy grazing, rather than differences in shrub cover, explains the contrasting effects on ecosystem structure and function between individual shrubs and those in dense aggregations. We also discuss how species-specific traits of the encroaching species, such as their height or its ability to fix N, might influence the relationship between their patch-level effects and their cover within the landscape. PMID:25914435

Understanding protocol performance: impact of test performance.

PubMed

Turner, Robert G

2013-01-01

This is the second of two articles that examine the factors that determine protocol performance. The objective of these articles is to provide a general understanding of protocol performance that can be used to estimate performance, establish limits on performance, decide if a protocol is justified, and ultimately select a protocol. The first article was concerned with protocol criterion and test correlation. It demonstrated the advantages and disadvantages of different criterion when all tests had the same performance. It also examined the impact of increasing test correlation on protocol performance and the characteristics of the different criteria. To examine the impact on protocol performance when individual tests in a protocol have different performance. This is evaluated for different criteria and test correlations. The results of the two articles are combined and summarized. A mathematical model is used to calculate protocol performance for different protocol criteria and test correlations when there are small to large variations in the performance of individual tests in the protocol. The performance of the individual tests that make up a protocol has a significant impact on the performance of the protocol. As expected, the better the performance of the individual tests, the better the performance of the protocol. Many of the characteristics of the different criteria are relatively independent of the variation in the performance of the individual tests. However, increasing test variation degrades some criteria advantages and causes a new disadvantage to appear. This negative impact increases as test variation increases and as more tests are added to the protocol. Best protocol performance is obtained when individual tests are uncorrelated and have the same performance. In general, the greater the variation in the performance of tests in the protocol, the more detrimental this variation is to protocol performance. Since this negative impact is increased as more tests are added to the protocol, greater test variation indicates using fewer tests in the protocol. American Academy of Audiology.

Simultaneous Detection of Both Single Nucleotide Variations and Copy Number Alterations by Next-Generation Sequencing in Gorlin Syndrome

PubMed Central

Morita, Kei-ichi; Naruto, Takuya; Tanimoto, Kousuke; Yasukawa, Chisato; Oikawa, Yu; Masuda, Kiyoshi; Imoto, Issei; Inazawa, Johji; Omura, Ken; Harada, Hiroyuki

2015-01-01

Gorlin syndrome (GS) is an autosomal dominant disorder that predisposes affected individuals to developmental defects and tumorigenesis, and caused mainly by heterozygous germline PTCH1 mutations. Despite exhaustive analysis, PTCH1 mutations are often unidentifiable in some patients; the failure to detect mutations is presumably because of mutations occurred in other causative genes or outside of analyzed regions of PTCH1, or copy number alterations (CNAs). In this study, we subjected a cohort of GS-affected individuals from six unrelated families to next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis for the combined screening of causative alterations in Hedgehog signaling pathway-related genes. Specific single nucleotide variations (SNVs) of PTCH1 causing inferred amino acid changes were identified in four families (seven affected individuals), whereas CNAs within or around PTCH1 were found in two families in whom possible causative SNVs were not detected. Through a targeted resequencing of all coding exons, as well as simultaneous evaluation of copy number status using the alignment map files obtained via NGS, we found that GS phenotypes could be explained by PTCH1 mutations or deletions in all affected patients. Because it is advisable to evaluate CNAs of candidate causative genes in point mutation-negative cases, NGS methodology appears to be useful for improving molecular diagnosis through the simultaneous detection of both SNVs and CNAs in the targeted genes/regions. PMID:26544948

Critical factors for the return-to-work process among people with affective disorders: Voices from two vocational approaches.

PubMed

Porter, Susann; Lexén, Annika; Johansson, Suzanne; Bejerholm, Ulrika

2018-05-22

Depression is among the major causes of disability with a negative impact on both daily life and work performance. Whilst depression is the primary cause of sick-leave and unemployment in today's workplace there is a lack of knowledge of the needs of individuals with depression regarding their return-to-work (RTW) process. To explore which factors are of critical importance for people suffering from depression and who also are unemployed in their RTW-process and to explore the impact of two vocational approaches on the service users' experiences. The study included participants in two vocational rehabilitation approaches; Individual Enabling and Support (IES) and Traditional Vocational Rehabilitation (TVR). Qualitative methods were applied to explore critical factors in the RTW-process. Individuals with affective disorders including depression and bipolar disorder were included.RESULTSThree themes emerged as critical factors; Experiencing hope and power, Professionals' positive attitudes, beliefs and behaviours, and Employing a holistic perspective and integrating health and vocational service.CONCLUSIONThis study has demonstrated critical factors for the return-to-work process as experienced by persons with depression. To experience hope and power, to meet professionals that believe "you can work", who use a person-centred and holistic service approach, are such factors necessary for gaining a real job. In particular, professionals in TVR need to embrace this understanding since their services were not experienced as including these elements.

Simultaneous Detection of Both Single Nucleotide Variations and Copy Number Alterations by Next-Generation Sequencing in Gorlin Syndrome.

PubMed

Morita, Kei-ichi; Naruto, Takuya; Tanimoto, Kousuke; Yasukawa, Chisato; Oikawa, Yu; Masuda, Kiyoshi; Imoto, Issei; Inazawa, Johji; Omura, Ken; Harada, Hiroyuki

2015-01-01

Gorlin syndrome (GS) is an autosomal dominant disorder that predisposes affected individuals to developmental defects and tumorigenesis, and caused mainly by heterozygous germline PTCH1 mutations. Despite exhaustive analysis, PTCH1 mutations are often unidentifiable in some patients; the failure to detect mutations is presumably because of mutations occurred in other causative genes or outside of analyzed regions of PTCH1, or copy number alterations (CNAs). In this study, we subjected a cohort of GS-affected individuals from six unrelated families to next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis for the combined screening of causative alterations in Hedgehog signaling pathway-related genes. Specific single nucleotide variations (SNVs) of PTCH1 causing inferred amino acid changes were identified in four families (seven affected individuals), whereas CNAs within or around PTCH1 were found in two families in whom possible causative SNVs were not detected. Through a targeted resequencing of all coding exons, as well as simultaneous evaluation of copy number status using the alignment map files obtained via NGS, we found that GS phenotypes could be explained by PTCH1 mutations or deletions in all affected patients. Because it is advisable to evaluate CNAs of candidate causative genes in point mutation-negative cases, NGS methodology appears to be useful for improving molecular diagnosis through the simultaneous detection of both SNVs and CNAs in the targeted genes/regions.

Questions of time and affect: a person’s affectivity profile, time perspective, and well-being

PubMed Central

Sailer, Uta; Nima, Ali Al; Archer, Trevor

2016-01-01

Background. A “balanced” time perspective has been suggested to have a positive influence on well-being: a sentimental and positive view of the past (high Past Positive), a less pessimistic attitude toward the past (low Past Negative), the desire of experiencing pleasure with slight concern for future consequences (high Present Hedonistic), a less fatalistic and hopeless view of the future (low Present Fatalistic), and the ability to find reward in achieving specific long-term goals (high Future). We used the affective profiles model (i.e., combinations of individuals’ experience of high/low positive/negative affectivity) to investigate differences between individuals in time perspective dimensions and to investigate if the influence of time perspective dimensions on well-being was moderated by the individual’s type of profile. Method. Participants (N = 720) answered to the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule, the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory and two measures of well-being: the Temporal Satisfaction with Life Scale and Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Well-Being-short version. A Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was conducted to identify differences in time perspective dimensions and well-being among individuals with distinct affective profiles. Four structural equation models (SEM) were used to investigate which time perspective dimensions predicted well-being for individuals in each profile. Results. Comparisons between individuals at the extreme of the affective profiles model suggested that individuals with a self-fulfilling profile (high positive/low negative affect) were characterized by a “balanced” time perspective and higher well-being compared to individuals with a self-destructive profile (low positive/high negative affect). However, a different pattern emerged when individuals who differed in one affect dimension but matched in the other were compared to each other. For instance, decreases in the past negative time perspective dimension lead to high positive affect when negative affect is high (i.e., self-destructive vs. high affective) but to low negative affect when positive affect was high (i.e., high affective vs. self-fulfilling). The moderation analyses showed, for example, that for individuals with a self-destructive profile, psychological well-being was significantly predicted by the past negative, present fatalistic and future time perspectives. Among individuals with a high affective or a self-fulfilling profile, psychological well-being was significantly predicted by the present fatalistic dimension. Conclusions. The interactions found here go beyond the postulation of a “balanced” time perspective being the only way to promote well-being. Instead, we present a more person-centered approach to achieve higher levels of emotional, cognitive, and psychological well-being. PMID:27019786

Who I am depends on how I feel: the role of affect in the expression of culture.

PubMed

Ashton-James, Claire E; Maddux, William W; Galinsky, Adam D; Chartrand, Tanya L

2009-03-01

We present a novel role of affect in the expression of culture. Four experiments tested whether individuals' affective states moderate the expression of culturally normative cognitions and behaviors. We consistently found that value expressions, self-construals, and behaviors were less consistent with cultural norms when individuals were experiencing positive rather than negative affect. Positive affect allowed individuals to explore novel thoughts and behaviors that departed from cultural constraints, whereas negative affect bound people to cultural norms. As a result, when Westerners experienced positive rather than negative affect, they valued self-expression less, showed a greater preference for objects that reflected conformity, viewed the self in more interdependent terms, and sat closer to other people. East Asians showed the reverse pattern for each of these measures, valuing and expressing individuality and independence more when experiencing positive than when experiencing negative affect. The results suggest that affect serves an important functional purpose of attuning individuals more or less closely to their cultural heritage.

Negative experiences in childhood and the development and course of bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Jaworska-Andryszewska, Paulina; Rybakowski, Janusz

2016-10-31

The aim of this paper is to review the effects of negative childhood experiences on the development and course of bipolar disorder (BD) and to discuss the involved mechanisms. The negative childhood experiences that may play a role in BD are critical or traumatic events including all kinds of abuse, loss of a parent or parents resulting from death, suicide, separation, divorce or prolonged separation. Previous studies indicate that in BD patients negative childhood events are more frequent than in control group. In BD patients these events are associated with an earlier onset and more severe course of the illness, including more frequent relapses, suicidal behavior, substance abuse and somatic diseases. This paper presents the possibility of the specific impact of individual events on the clinical outcome of BD. Mechanisms explaining the impact of negative childhood events on the development and course of BD include the interaction between biological predisposition and stress factors, the concept of kindling and activation of negative cognitive schemas. Early negative experiences cause a modification of the expression of the mediators of stress and neurotransmitters in certain areas of the brain. The interaction of these mediators with the development of neural networks may lead to long-lasting structural and functional changes. Molecular genetic studies indicate the possibility of interactions between environmental factors (stress) and the polymorphisms of serotonin transporter, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and toll-like receptor (TLR2). It has also been hypothesized that childhood experiences affect DNA methylation, acting as a form of molecular memory and modifying brain activity over the next decade.

Disruption of sonic hedgehog signaling in Ellis-van Creveld dwarfism confers protection against bipolar affective disorder.

PubMed

Ginns, E I; Galdzicka, M; Elston, R C; Song, Y E; Paul, S M; Egeland, J A

2015-10-01

Ellis-van Creveld syndrome, an autosomal recessively inherited chondrodysplastic dwarfism, is frequent among Old Order Amish of Pennsylvania. Decades of longitudinal research on bipolar affective disorder (BPAD) revealed cosegregation of high numbers of EvC and Bipolar I (BPI) cases in several large Amish families descending from the same pioneer. Despite the high prevalence of both disorders in these families, no EvC individual has ever been reported with BPI. The proximity of the EVC gene to our previously reported chromosome 4p16 BPAD locus with protective alleles, coupled with detailed clinical observations that EvC and BPI do not occur in the same individuals, led us to hypothesize that the genetic defect causing EvC in the Amish confers protection from BPI. This hypothesis is supported by a significant negative association of these two disorders when contrasted with absence of disease (P=0.029, Fisher's exact test, two-sided, verified by permutation to estimate the null distribution of the test statistic). As homozygous Amish EVC mutations causing EvC dwarfism do so by disrupting sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling, our data implicate Shh signaling in the underlying pathophysiology of BPAD. Understanding how disrupted Shh signaling protects against BPI could uncover variants in the Shh pathway that cause or increase risk for this and related mood disorders.

Compromised zinc status of experimental rats as a consequence of prolonged iron & calcium supplementation.

PubMed

Jayalakshmi, S; Platel, Kalpana

2016-02-01

Iron supplementation is usually given to pregnant and lactating women who may also have marginal deficiency of zinc. The negative impact of supplemental iron and calcium on zinc status is a cause of concern. The present investigation was undertaken to examine the effect of inclusion of iron and calcium in the diet at supplementary levels on zinc status of experimental rats. Groups of experimental rats were maintained on diets supplemented with iron (Molar ratio - Zn:Fe 1:30) and calcium (Molar ratio - Zn:Ca 1:667) both individually and in combination for six weeks. Zinc status of these rats was assessed by determining zinc concentration in circulation and in organs, and the activities of zinc containing enzymes in serum and liver. The zinc status of experimental rats receiving supplemental levels of iron and calcium was significantly compromised. Zinc concentration in serum, kidney, spleen and liver was reduced significantly by both these minerals. Six weeks of supplementation of iron and calcium individually, significantly reduced the activity of liver and serum superoxide dismutase and alkaline phosphatase. Activity of liver alcohol dehydrogenase was lowered in calcium supplemented group and in calcium + iron supplemented group, while that of carbonic anhydrase was significantly reduced by iron, calcium and their combination. Supplemental levels of iron and calcium, both individually and in combination, significantly compromised the zinc status of experimental rats. This negative effect of these two minerals was more prominent when these were supplemented for a period of six weeks.

Ventral striatum response during reward and punishment reversal learning in unmedicated major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Robinson, Oliver J; Cools, Roshan; Carlisi, Christina O; Sahakian, Barbara J; Drevets, Wayne C

2012-02-01

Affective biases may underlie many of the key symptoms of major depressive disorder, from anhedonia to altered cognitive performance. Understanding the cause of these biases is therefore critical in the quest for improved treatments. Depression is associated, for example, with a negative affective bias in reversal learning. However, despite the fact that reversal learning is associated with striatal response in healthy individuals and depressed individuals exhibit attenuated striatal function on multiple tasks, studies to date have not demonstrated striatal involvement in the negative bias in reversal learning in depression. In this study, the authors sought to determine whether this may be because reversal learning tasks conventionally used to study behavior examine reversals only on the basis of unexpected punishment and therefore do not adequately separate reward- and punishment-based behavior. The authors used functional MRI to compare the hemodynamic response to a reversal learning task with mixed reward- and punishment-based reversal stages between individuals with unmedicated major depressive disorder (N=13) and healthy comparison subjects (N=14). Impaired reward (but not punishment) reversal accuracy was found alongside attenuated anteroventral striatal response to unexpected reward in depression. Attenuated neurophysiological response of the anteroventral striatum may reflect dysfunction in circuits involving afferent projections from the orbitofrontal, limbic, and/or mesostriatal dopaminergic pathways, which conceivably may, together with the ventral striatum, underlie anhedonia in depression. Learning to appreciate and enjoy positive life experiences is critical for recovery from depression. This study pinpoints a neural target for such recovery.

Effects of Self-Image on Anxiety, Judgement Bias and Emotion Regulation in Social Anxiety Disorder.

PubMed

Lee, Hannah; Ahn, Jung-Kwang; Kwon, Jung-Hye

2018-04-25

Research to date has focused on the detrimental effects of negative self-images for individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD), but the benefits of positive self-images have been neglected. The present study examined the effect of holding a positive versus negative self-image in mind on anxiety, judgement bias and emotion regulation (ER) in individuals with SAD. Forty-two individuals who met the diagnostic criteria for SAD were randomly assigned to either a positive or a negative self-image group. Participants were assessed twice with a week's interval in between using the Reactivity and Regulation Situation Task, which measures social anxiety, discomfort, judgement bias and ER, prior to and after the inducement of a positive or negative self-image. Individuals in the positive self-image group reported less social anxiety, discomfort and distress from social cost when compared with their pre-induction state. They also used more adaptive ER strategies and experienced less anxiety and discomfort after using ER. In contrast, individuals in the negative self-image group showed no significant differences in anxiety, judgement bias or ER strategies before and after the induction. This study highlights the beneficial effects of positive self-images on social anxiety and ER.

The spiral of distrust: (Non-)cooperation in a repeated trust game is predicted by anger and individual differences in negative reciprocity orientation.

PubMed

Harth, Nicole S; Regner, Tobias

2017-12-01

This study investigated state anger and individual differences in negative reciprocity orientation as predictors of individuals' willingness to cooperate with strangers. In order to observe real behaviour, we used a trust game that was played over six periods. In the trust game, a first player (sender) determines how much of a certain endowment she/he wants to share with a second player (trustee), who then can give something back. We varied whether participants received feedback [feedback (yes, no)] about the trustee's behavioural decision (amount sent back). Supporting our hypotheses, the results suggest that feedback compared with no feedback about the trustee's behaviour increased anger. Specifically, information about low back transfers triggered anger and non-cooperation in return. Importantly, participants with a strong negative reciprocity orientation reported higher levels of anger and were less willing to cooperate with the trustee compared with those with low negative reciprocity orientation. Moreover, even when anger was low, individuals with a strong negative reciprocity orientation were less willing to cooperate compared with those with a low negative reciprocity orientation. Thus, negative reciprocity orientation seems to arouse a spiral of distrust. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. © 2016 International Union of Psychological Science.

Attachment priming and avoidant personality features as predictors of social-evaluation biases.

PubMed

Bowles, David P; Meyer, Björn

2008-02-01

Personality research has shown that negativity in social situations (e.g., negative evaluations of others) can be reduced by the activation of participants' sense of attachment security. Individuals with avoidant personality disorder (APD), however, are theoretically less responsive to context or situational cues because of the inflexible nature of their personality disposition. This idea of individual differences in context-responsiveness was tested in a sample of 169 undergraduates who were assessed for APD features and assigned to positive, negative, or neutral attachment priming conditions. More pronounced APD features were associated with more negative responses to vignettes describing potentially distressing social situations. A significant interaction showed that participants with more avoidant features consistently appraised the vignettes relatively more negatively, regardless of priming condition. Those without APD features, by contrast, did not exhibit negative appraisals/evaluations unless negatively primed (curvilinear effect). This effect could not be explained by depression, current mood, or attachment insecurity, all of which related to negative evaluative biases, but none of which related to situation inflexibility. These findings provide empirical support for the notion that negative information-processing is unusually inflexible and context-unresponsive among individuals with more pronounced features of APD.

Consistent etiology of severe, frequent psychotic experiences and milder, less frequent manifestations: A twin study of specific psychotic experiences in adolescence

PubMed Central

Zavos, Helena M.S.; Freeman, Daniel; Haworth, Claire M. A.; McGuire, Philip; Plomin, Robert; Cardno, Alastair G.; Ronald, Angelica

2014-01-01

Context The onset of psychosis is usually preceded by psychotic experiences, but little is known about their causes. The present study investigated the degree of genetic and environmental influences on specific psychotic experiences, assessed dimensionally, in adolescence in the community and in individuals with many, frequent experiences (defined using quantitative cut-offs). The degree of overlap in etiological influences between specific psychotic experiences was also investigated Objective Investigate degree of genetic and environmental influences on specific psychotic experiences, assessed dimensionally, in adolescence in the community and in individuals having many, frequent experiences (defined using quantitative cut-offs). Test degree of overlap in etiological influences between specific psychotic experiences. Design Classic twin design. Structural equation model-fitting. Univariate and bivariate twin models, liability threshold models, DeFries-Fulker extremes analysis and the Cherny Method. Setting Representative community sample of twins from England and Wales. Participants 5059 adolescent twin pairs (Mean age: 16.31 yrs, SD: 0.68 yrs). Main outcome measure Psychotic experiences assessed as quantitative traits (self-rated paranoia, hallucinations, cognitive disorganization, grandiosity, anhedonia; parent-rated negative symptoms). Results Genetic influences were apparent for all psychotic experiences (15-59%) with modest shared environment for hallucinations and negative symptoms (17-24%) and significant nonshared environment (49-64% for the self-rated scales, 17% for Parent-rated Negative Symptoms). Three different empirical approaches converged to suggest that the etiology in extreme groups (most extreme-scoring 5%, 10% and 15%) did not differ significantly from that of the whole distribution. There was no linear change in the heritability across the distribution of psychotic experiences, with the exception of a modest increase in heritability for increasing severity of parent-rated negative symptoms. Of the psychotic experiences that showed covariation, this appeared to be due to shared genetic influences (bivariate heritabilities = .54-.71). Conclusions and Relevance These findings are consistent with the concept of a psychosis continuum, suggesting that the same genetic and environmental factors influence both extreme, frequent psychotic experiences and milder, less frequent manifestations in adolescents. Individual psychotic experiences in adolescence, assessed quantitatively, have lower heritability estimates and higher estimates of nonshared environment than those for the liability to schizophrenia. Heritability varies by type of psychotic experience, being highest for paranoia and parent-rated negative symptoms, and lowest for hallucinations. PMID:25075799

Identification of circulating microRNAs in HNF1A-MODY carriers.

PubMed

Bonner, C; Nyhan, K C; Bacon, S; Kyithar, M P; Schmid, J; Concannon, C G; Bray, I M; Stallings, R L; Prehn, J H M; Byrne, M M

2013-08-01

HNF1A-MODY is a monogenic form of diabetes caused by mutations in the HNF1A gene. Here we identify, for the first time, HNF1A-MODY-associated microRNAs (miRNAs) that can be detected in the serum of HNF1A-MODY carriers. An miRNA array was carried out in rat INS-1 insulinoma cells inducibly expressing the common human Pro291fsinsC-HNF1A frame shift mutation. Differentially expressed miRNAs were validated by quantitative real-time PCR. Expression of miRNAs in the serum of HNF1A-MODY carriers (n = 31), MODY-negative family members (n = 10) and individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (n = 17) was quantified by absolute real-time PCR analysis. Inducible expression of Pro291fsinsC-HNF1A in INS-1 cells caused a significant upregulation of three miRNAs (miR-103, miR-224, miR-292-3p). The differential expression of two miRNAs (miR-103 and miR-224) was validated in vitro. Strongly elevated levels of miR-103 and miR-224 could be detected in the serum of HNF1A-MODY carriers compared with MODY-negative family controls. Serum levels of miR-103 distinguished HNF1A-MODY carriers from HbA1c-matched individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Our study demonstrates that the pathophysiology of HNF1A-MODY is associated with the overexpression of miR-103 and miR-224. Furthermore, our study demonstrates that these miRNAs can be readily detected in the serum of HNF1A-MODY carriers.

Sestrin-2, a repressor of PDGFRβ signalling, promotes cigarette-smoke-induced pulmonary emphysema in mice and is upregulated in individuals with COPD

PubMed Central

Heidler, Juliana; Fysikopoulos, Athanasios; Wempe, Frank; Seimetz, Michael; Bangsow, Thorsten; Tomasovic, Ana; Veit, Florian; Scheibe, Susan; Pichl, Alexandra; Weisel, Friederike; Lloyd, K. C. Kent; Jaksch, Peter; Klepetko, Walter; Weissmann, Norbert; von Melchner, Harald

2013-01-01

SUMMARY Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. COPD is caused by chronic exposure to cigarette smoke and/or other environmental pollutants that are believed to induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) that gradually disrupt signalling pathways responsible for maintaining lung integrity. Here we identify the antioxidant protein sestrin-2 (SESN2) as a repressor of PDGFRβ signalling, and PDGFRβ signalling as an upstream regulator of alveolar maintenance programmes. In mice, the mutational inactivation of Sesn2 prevents the development of cigarette-smoke-induced pulmonary emphysema by upregulating PDGFRβ expression via a selective accumulation of intracellular superoxide anions (O2−). We also show that SESN2 is overexpressed and PDGFRβ downregulated in the emphysematous lungs of individuals with COPD and to a lesser extent in human lungs of habitual smokers without COPD, implicating a negative SESN2-PDGFRβ interrelationship in the pathogenesis of COPD. Taken together, our results imply that SESN2 could serve as both a biomarker and as a drug target in the clinical management of COPD. PMID:24046361

Muscular effects of vitamin D in young athletes and non-athletes and in the elderly.

PubMed

Koundourakis, Nikolaos E; Avgoustinaki, Pavlina D; Malliaraki, Niki; Margioris, Andrew N

2016-10-01

Muscles are major targets of vitamin D. Exposure of skeletal muscles to vitamin D induces the expression of multiple myogenic transcription factors enhancing muscle cell proliferation and differentiation. At the same time vitamin D suppresses the expression of myostatin, a negative regulator of muscle mass. Moreover, vitamin D increases the number of type II or fast twitch muscle cells and in particular that of type IIA cells, while its deficiency causes type IIA cell atrophy. Furthermore, vitamin D supplementation in young males with low vitamin D levels increases the percentage of type IIA fibers in muscles, causing an increase in muscular high power output. Vitamin D levels are strongly associated with exercise performance in athletes and physically active individuals. In the elderly and in adults below the age of 65, several studies have established a close association between vitamin D levels and neuromuscular coordination. The aim of this review is to appraise our current understanding of the significance of vitamin D on muscular performance in both older and frail individuals as well as in younger adults, athletes or non-athletes with regard to both ordinary everyday musculoskeletal tasks and peak athletic performance.

Risk Belief and Attitude Formation From Translated Scientific Messages About PFOA, an Environmental Risk Associated With Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Smith, Sandi W; Hitt, Rose; Russell, Jessica; Nazione, Samantha; Silk, Kami; Atkin, Charles K; Keating, David

2017-03-01

Evidence regarding possible environmental causes of breast cancer is advancing. Often, however, the public is not informed about these advances in a manner that is easily understandable. This research translates findings from biologists into messages at two literacy levels about perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a possible environmental contributor to breast cancer. The Heuristic Systematic Model (HSM) was used to investigate how ability, motivation, and systematic and heuristic processing lead to risk beliefs and, ultimately, to negative attitudes for individuals receiving translated scientific messages about PFOA. Participants (N = 1,389) came from the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation's Army of Women. Findings indicated that ability, in the form of translated messages, predicted systematic processing, operationalized as knowledge gain, which was negatively associated with formation of risk beliefs that led to negative attitudes toward PFOA. Heuristic processing cues, operationalized as perceived message quality and source credibility, were positively associated with risk beliefs, which predicted negative attitudes about PFOA. Overall, more knowledge and lower literacy messages led to lower perceived risk, while greater involvement and ratings of heuristic cues led to greater risk perceptions. This is an example of a research, translation, and dissemination team effort in which biologists created knowledge, communication scholars translated and tested messages, and advocates were participants and those who disseminated messages.

Identifying attentional bias and emotional response after appearance-related stimuli exposure.

PubMed

Cho, Ara; Kwak, Soo-Min; Lee, Jang-Han

2013-01-01

The effect of media images has been regarded as a significant variable in the construction or in the activation of body images. Individuals who have a negative body image use avoidance coping strategies to minimize damage to their body image. We identified attentional biases and negative emotional responses following exposure to body stimuli. Female university students were divided into two groups based on their use of avoidance coping strategies (high-level group: high avoidance [HA]; low-group: low avoidance [LA]), and were assigned to two different conditions (exposure to thin body pictures, ET, and exposure to oversized body pictures, EO). Results showed that the HA group paid more attention to slim bodies and reported more negative emotions than the LA group, and that the EO had more negative effects than the ET. We suggest that HAs may attend more to slim bodies as a way of avoiding overweight bodies, influenced by social pressure, and in the search for a compensation of a positive emotional balance. However, attentional bias toward slim bodies can cause an upward comparison process, leading to increased body dissatisfaction, which is the main factor in the development of eating disorders (EDs). Therefore, altering avoidance coping strategies should be considered for people at risk of EDs.

Alcohol Consumption and Survival after a Breast Cancer Diagnosis: A Literature-Based Meta-analysis and Collaborative Analysis of Data for 29,239 Cases

PubMed Central

Ali, Alaa M.G.; Schmidt, Marjanka K.; Bolla, Manjeet K.; Wang, Qin; Gago-Dominguez, M.; Castelao, J. Esteban; Carracedo, Angel; Garzón, Victor Muñoz; Bojesen, Stig E.; Nordestgaard, Børge G.; Flyger, Henrik; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Vrieling, Alina; Rudolph, Anja; Seibold, Petra; Nevanlinna, Heli; Muranen, Taru A.; Aaltonen, Kirsimari; Blomqvist, Carl; Matsuo, Keitaro; Ito, Hidemi; Iwata, Hiroji; Horio, Akiyo; John, Esther M.; Sherman, Mark; Lissowska, Jolanta; Figueroa, Jonine; Garcia-Closas, Montserrat; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Shah, Mitul; Hopper, John L.; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Bueno-de-Mesquita, Bas; Krogh, Vittorio; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Andersson, Anne; Clavel-Chapelon, Françoise; Dossus, Laure; Fagherazzi, Guy; Peeters, Petra H.; Olsen, Anja; Wishart, Gordon C.; Easton, Douglas F.; Borgquist, Signe; Overvad, Kim; Barricarte, Aurelio; González, Carlos A.; Sánchez, María-José; Amiano, Pilar; Riboli, Elio; Key, Tim; Pharoah, Paul D.

2015-01-01

Background Evidence for an association of alcohol consumption with prognosis after a diagnosis of breast cancer has been inconsistent. We have reviewed and summarized the published evidence and evaluated the association using individual patient data from multiple case cohorts. Methods A MEDLINE search to identify studies published up to January 2013 was performed. We combined published estimates of survival time for “moderate drinkers” versus nondrinkers. An analysis of individual participant data using Cox regression was carried out using data from 11 case cohorts. Results We identified 11 published studies suitable for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Moderate post-diagnosis alcohol consumption was not associated with overall survival [HR, 0.95; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.85–1.05], but there was some evidence of better survival associated with prediagnosis consumption (HR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.73–0.88). Individual data on alcohol consumption for 29,239 cases with 4,839 deaths were available from the 11 case cohorts, all of which had data on estrogen receptor (ER) status. For women with ER-positive disease, there was little evidence that pre- or postdiagnosis alcohol consumption is associated with breast cancer–specific mortality, with some evidence of a negative association with all-cause mortality. On the basis of a single study, moderate postdiagnosis alcohol intake was associated with a small reduction in breast cancer–specific mortality for women with ER-negative disease. There was no association with prediagnosis intake for women with ER-negative disease. Conclusion There was little evidence that pre- or post-diagnosis alcohol consumption is associated with breast cancer–specific mortality for women with ER-positive disease. There was weak evidence that moderate post-diagnosis alcohol intake is associated with a small reduction in breast cancer–specific mortality in ER-negative disease. Impact Considering the totality of the evidence, moderate postdiagnosis alcohol consumption is unlikely to have a major adverse effect on the survival of women with breast cancer. PMID:24636975

The positive emotions that facilitate the fulfillment of needs may not be positive emotions at all: the role of ambivalence.

PubMed

Moss, Simon A; Wilson, Samuel G

2015-01-01

According to some scholars, if individuals experience over three times as many positive emotions as negative emotions, they are more likely to thrive. We contend, however, that perhaps positive and negative emotions that overlap in time are likely to enhance wellbeing. Specifically, if positive and negative emotions are experienced simultaneously rather than separately-called ambivalent emotions-the fundamental needs of individuals are fulfilled more frequently. Considerable evidence supports this perspective. First, many emotions that enhance wellbeing, although classified as positive, also coincide with negative feelings. Second, ambivalent emotions, rather than positive or negative emotions separately, facilitate creativity and resilience. Third, ambivalent emotions activate distinct cognitive systems that enable individuals to form attainable goals, refine their skills, and enhance their relationships. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Acute abdomen due to group A streptococcus bacteremia caused by an isolate with a mutation in the csrS gene.

PubMed

Kaneko, Masahiko; Maruta, Masaki; Shikata, Hisaharu; Hanayama, Masakazu; Ikebe, Tadayoshi

2015-11-01

Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococcus) is an aerobic gram-positive coccus that causes infections ranging from non-invasive pharyngitis to severely invasive necrotizing fasciitis. Mutations in csrS/csrR and rgg, negative regulator genes of group A streptococcus, are crucial factors in the pathogenesis of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, which is a severe, invasive infection characterized by sudden onset of shock and multiorgan failure, resulting in a high mortality rate. Here we present a case of group A streptococcal bacteremia in a 28-year-old Japanese woman with no relevant previous medical history. The patient developed progressive abdominal symptoms that may have been due to spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, followed by a state of shock, which did not fulfill the proposed criteria for streptococcal toxic shock. The isolate was found to harbor a mutation in the negative regulator csrS gene, whereas the csrR and rgg genes were intact. It was noteworthy that this strain carrying a csrS mutation had caused group A streptococcal bacteremia characterized by acute abdomen as the presenting symptom in a young individual who had been previously healthy. This case indicates that group A streptococcus with csrS mutations has potential virulence factors that are associated with the onset of group A streptococcal bacteremia that does not meet the diagnostic criteria for streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. Copyright © 2015 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Germline mutations in SUFU cause Gorlin syndrome-associated childhood medulloblastoma and redefine the risk associated with PTCH1 mutations.

PubMed

Smith, Miriam J; Beetz, Christian; Williams, Simon G; Bhaskar, Sanjeev S; O'Sullivan, James; Anderson, Beverley; Daly, Sarah B; Urquhart, Jill E; Bholah, Zaynab; Oudit, Deemesh; Cheesman, Edmund; Kelsey, Anna; McCabe, Martin G; Newman, William G; Evans, D Gareth R

2014-12-20

Heterozygous germline PTCH1 mutations are causative of Gorlin syndrome (naevoid basal cell carcinoma), but detection rates > 70% have rarely been reported. We aimed to define the causative mutations in individuals with Gorlin syndrome without PTCH1 mutations. We undertook exome sequencing on lymphocyte DNA from four unrelated individuals from families with Gorlin syndrome with no PTCH1 mutations found by Sanger sequencing, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA), or RNA analysis. A germline heterozygous nonsense mutation in SUFU was identified in one of four exomes. Sanger sequencing of SUFU in 23 additional PTCH1-negative Gorlin syndrome families identified a SUFU mutation in a second family. Copy-number analysis of SUFU by MLPA revealed a large heterozygous deletion in a third family. All three SUFU-positive families fulfilled diagnostic criteria for Gorlin syndrome, although none had odontogenic jaw keratocysts. Each SUFU-positive family included a single case of medulloblastoma, whereas only two (1.7%) of 115 individuals with Gorlin syndrome and a PTCH1 mutation developed medulloblastoma. We demonstrate convincing evidence that SUFU mutations can cause classical Gorlin syndrome. Our study redefines the risk of medulloblastoma in Gorlin syndrome, dependent on the underlying causative gene. Previous reports have found a 5% risk of medulloblastoma in Gorlin syndrome. We found a < 2% risk in PTCH1 mutation-positive individuals, with a risk up to 20× higher in SUFU mutation-positive individuals. Our data suggest childhood brain magnetic resonance imaging surveillance is justified in SUFU-related, but not PTCH1-related, Gorlin syndrome. © 2014 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Toward Reducing Ageism: PEACE (Positive Education about Aging and Contact Experiences) Model.

PubMed

Levy, Sheri R

2018-03-19

The population of older adults is growing worldwide. Negative ageism (negative attitudes and behavior toward older adults) is a serious international concern that negatively influences not only older adults but also individuals across the age continuum. This article proposes and examines the application of an integrative theoretical model across empirical evidence in the literature on ageism in psychology, medicine, social work, and sociology. The proposed Positive Education about Aging and Contact Experiences (PEACE) model focuses on 2 key contributing factors expected to reduce negative ageism: (a) education about aging including facts on aging along with positive older role models that dispel negative and inaccurate images of older adulthood; and (b) positive contact experiences with older adults that are individualized, provide or promote equal status, are cooperative, involve sharing of personal information, and are sanctioned within the setting. These 2 key contributing factors have the potential to be interconnected and work together to reduce negative stereotypes, aging anxiety, prejudice, and discrimination associated with older adults and aging. This model has implications for policies and programs that can improve the health and well-being of individuals, as well as expand the residential, educational, and career options of individuals across the age continuum.

The relationship of neurocognition and negative symptoms to social and role functioning over time in individuals at clinical high risk in the first phase of the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Meyer, Eric C; Carrión, Ricardo E; Cornblatt, Barbara A; Addington, Jean; Cadenhead, Kristin S; Cannon, Tyrone D; McGlashan, Thomas H; Perkins, Diana O; Tsuang, Ming T; Walker, Elaine F; Woods, Scott W; Heinssen, Robert; Seidman, Larry J

2014-11-01

Impaired social, role, and neurocognitive functioning are preillness characteristics of people who later develop psychosis. In people with schizophrenia, neurocognition and negative symptoms are associated with functional impairment. We examined the relative contributions of neurocognition and symptoms to social and role functioning over time in clinically high-risk (CHR) individuals and determined if negative symptoms mediated the influence of cognition on functioning. Social, role, and neurocognitive functioning and positive, negative, and disorganized symptoms were assessed in 167 individuals at CHR for psychosis in the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study Phase 1 (NAPLS-1), of whom 96 were reassessed at 12 months. Regression analyses indicated that negative symptoms accounted for unique variance in social and role functioning at baseline and follow-up. Composite neurocognition accounted for unique, but modest, variance in social and role functioning at baseline and in role functioning at follow-up. Negative symptoms mediated the relationship between composite neurocognition and social and role functioning across time points. In exploratory analyses, individual tests (IQ estimate, Digit Symbol/Coding, verbal memory) selectively accounted for social and role functioning at baseline and follow-up after accounting for symptoms. When negative symptom items with content overlapping with social and role functioning measures were removed, the relationship between neurocognition and social and role functioning was strengthened. The modest overlap among neurocognition, negative symptoms, and social and role functioning indicates that these domains make substantially separate contributions to CHR individuals. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The effects of priming on children's attitudes toward older individuals.

PubMed

Hoe, Sony; Davidson, Denise

2002-01-01

The purpose of the present research was to examine younger (7-years-old) and older (10-years-old) children's attitudes toward older individuals following one type of five primes: positive prime, negative prime, elderly prime, grandparent prime, or neutral prime. Overall, children's attitudes on three tests--Apperception, Semantic Differential, and Attribute Salience--were affected by the type of prime children were given, with positive and grandparent primes resulting in more positive views toward older individuals than negative, elderly, or neutral (control group) primes. The present research provides evidence that priming the most accessible cognitions about an individual can affect even young children's perception of the individual. These results are discussed in terms of category-based and data-driven processing and may explain the disparate findings obtained in previous studies that have shown the children's attitudes toward older individuals are sometimes negative, whereas other studies have shown that children's attitudes are more positive or neutral.

Qualitative interviewing with vulnerable populations: individuals' experiences of participating in suicide and self-harm based research.

PubMed

Biddle, Lucy; Cooper, Jayne; Owen-Smith, Amanda; Klineberg, Emily; Bennewith, Olive; Hawton, Keith; Kapur, Nav; Donovan, Jenny; Gunnell, David

2013-03-05

Concern exists that involving vulnerable individuals as participants in research into suicide and self-harm may cause distress and increase suicidal feelings. Actual understanding of participants' experiences is however limited, especially in relation to in-depth qualitative research. Data were collected from four separate studies focused on self-harm or suicide. These included people with varying levels of past distress, including some who had made nearly lethal suicide attempts. Each involved semi-structured qualitative interviewing. Participants (n=63) were asked to complete a visual analogue scale measuring current emotional state before and after their interview and then comment on how they had experienced the interview, reflecting on any score change. Most participants experienced a change in well-being. Between 50% and 70% across studies reported improvement, many describing the cathartic value of talking. A much smaller group in each study (18-27%) reported lowering of mood as they were reminded of difficult times or forced to focus on current issues. However, most anticipated that their distress would be transient and it was outweighed by a desire to contribute to research. An increase in distress did not therefore necessarily indicate a negative experience. There was no follow-up so the long-term effects of participation are unknown. Scores and post interview reflections were collected from participants by the researcher who had conducted the interview, which may have inhibited reporting of negative effects. These findings suggest individuals are more likely to derive benefit from participation than experience harm. Overprotective gate-keeping could prevent some individuals from gaining these benefits. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Environmental and individual attributes associated with child maltreatment resulting in hospitalization or death.

PubMed

Thurston, Holly; Freisthler, Bridget; Bell, Janice; Tancredi, Daniel; Romano, Patrick S; Miyamoto, Sheridan; Joseph, Jill G

2017-05-01

Maltreatment continues to be a leading cause of death for young children. Researchers are beginning to uncover which neighborhood attributes may be associated with maltreatment outcomes. However, few studies have been able to explore these influences while controlling for individual family attributes, and none have been able to parse out the most severe outcomes-injuries resulting in hospitalization or death. This study utilizes a retrospective, case-control design on a dataset containing both individual and environmental level attributes of children who have been hospitalized or died due to maltreatment to explore the relative influence of attributes inside and outside the household walls. Binary conditional logistic regression was used to model the outcome as a function of the individual and environmental level predictors. Separate analyses also separated the outcome by manner of maltreatment: abuse or neglect. Finally, a sub-analysis included protective predictors representing access to supportive resources. Findings indicate that neighborhood attributes were similar for both cases and controls, except in the neglect only model, wherein impoverishment was associated with higher odds of serious maltreatment. Dense housing increased risk in all models except the neglect only model. In a sub-analysis, distance to Family Resource Centers was inversely related to serious maltreatment. In all models, variables representing more extreme intervention and/or removal of the victim and/or perpetrator from the home (foster care or criminal court involvement) were negatively associated with the risk of becoming a case. Medi-Cal insurance eligibility of a child was also negatively associated with becoming a case. Government interventions may be playing a critical role in child protection. More research is needed to ascertain how these interventions assert their influence. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early-life experience affects honey bee aggression and resilience to immune challenge

PubMed Central

Rittschof, Clare C.; Coombs, Chelsey B.; Frazier, Maryann; Grozinger, Christina M.; Robinson, Gene E.

2015-01-01

Early-life social experiences cause lasting changes in behavior and health for a variety of animals including humans, but it is not well understood how social information ‘‘gets under the skin’’ resulting in these effects. Adult honey bees (Apis mellifera) exhibit socially coordinated collective nest defense, providing a model for social modulation of aggressive behavior. Here we report for the first time that a honey bee’s early-life social environment has lasting effects on individual aggression: bees that experienced high-aggression environments during pre-adult stages showed increased aggression when they reached adulthood relative to siblings that experienced low-aggression environments, even though all bees were kept in a common environment during adulthood. Unlike other animals including humans however, high-aggression honey bees were more, rather than less, resilient to immune challenge, assessed as neonicotinoid pesticide susceptibility. Moreover, aggression was negatively correlated with ectoparasitic mite presence. In honey bees, early-life social experience has broad effects, but increased aggression is decoupled from negative health outcomes. Because honey bees and humans share aspects of their physiological response to aggressive social encounters, our findings represent a step towards identifying ways to improve individual resiliency. Pre-adult social experience may be crucial to the health of the ecologically threatened honey bee. PMID:26493190

Reward devaluation: Dot-probe meta-analytic evidence of avoidance of positive information in depressed persons.

PubMed

Winer, E Samuel; Salem, Taban

2016-01-01

Cognitive theories of depression and anxiety have traditionally emphasized the role of attentional biases in the processing of negative information. The dot-probe task has been widely used to study this phenomenon. Recent findings suggest that biased processing of positive information might also be an important aspect of developing psychopathological symptoms. However, despite some evidence suggesting persons with symptoms of depression and anxiety may avoid positive information, many dot-probe studies have produced null findings. The present review used conventional and novel meta-analytic methods to evaluate dot-probe attentional biases away from positive information and, for comparison, toward negative information, in depressed and anxious individuals. Results indicated that avoidance of positive information is a real effect exhibiting substantial evidential value among persons experiencing psychopathology, with individuals evidencing primary symptoms of depression clearly demonstrating this effect. Different theoretical explanations for these findings are evaluated, including those positing threat-processing structures, even-handedness, self-regulation, and reward devaluation, with the novel theory of reward devaluation emphasized and expanded. These novel findings and theory suggest that avoidance of prospective reward helps to explain the cause and sustainability of depressed states. Suggestions for future research and methodological advances are discussed. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Monomicrobial necrotizing fasciitis in a single center: the emergence of Gram-negative bacteria as a common pathogen.

PubMed

Yahav, D; Duskin-Bitan, H; Eliakim-Raz, N; Ben-Zvi, H; Shaked, H; Goldberg, E; Bishara, J

2014-11-01

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a life-threatening soft tissue infection. It is usually caused by Streptococcus pyogenes and other Gram-positive bacteria. Several reports, however, emphasize the importance of Gram-negative rods in this infection. We retrospectively studied all cases of monomicrobial necrotizing fasciitis hospitalized in our center during the years 2002-2012. We compared clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with Gram-negative versus Gram-positive infection. Forty-five cases were reviewed, 19 caused by Gram-negative organisms, 10 of them Escherichia coli, and 26 caused by Gram-positive organisms, 10 of them S. pyogenes. Compared to Gram-positive infections, patients with Gram-negative infections were more likely to have a baseline malignancy (9/19, 47.4%) or to have undergone recent surgery (4/19, 42.3%). The 30-day mortality was higher among Gram-negative infected patients (8/19, 42.1% vs. 8/26, 30.8%). Creatine phosphokinase (CPK) was elevated in a minority of patients with Gram-negative necrotizing fasciitis, and its absolute value was lower than in Gram-positive necrotizing fasciitis. In our center, 42% of monomicrobial necrotizing fasciitis cases were found to be caused by Gram-negative organisms, mostly E. coli. These infections usually appeared in immunocompromised or postoperative patients, often presented with normal CPK levels, and were associated with high mortality rates.

The role of low cognitive effort and negative symptoms in neuropsychological impairment in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Strauss, Gregory P; Morra, Lindsay F; Sullivan, Sara K; Gold, James M

2015-03-01

Two experiments were conducted to examine whether insufficient effort, negative symptoms (e.g., avolition, anhedonia), and psychological variables (e.g., anhedonia and perception of low cognitive resources) predict generalized neurocognitive impairment in individuals with schizophrenia (SZ). In Experiment 1, participants included 97 individuals with SZ and 63 healthy controls (CN) who completed the Victoria Symptom Validity Test (VSVT), the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB), and self-report anhedonia questionnaires. In Experiment 2, participants included 46 individuals with SZ and 33 CN who completed Green's Word Memory Test (WMT), the MCCB, and self-reports of anhedonia, defeatist performance beliefs, and negative expectancy appraisals. RESULTS indicated that a low proportion of individuals with SZ failed effort testing (1.0% Experiment 1; 15.2% Experiment 2); however, global neurocognitive impairment was significantly predicted by low effort and negative symptoms. Findings indicate that low effort does not threaten the validity of neuropsychological test results in the majority of individuals with schizophrenia; however, effort testing may be useful in SZ patients with severe negative symptoms who may be more likely to put forth insufficient effort due to motivational problems. Although the base rate of failure is relatively low, it may be beneficial to screen for insufficient effort in SZ and exclude individuals who fail effort testing from pharmacological or cognitive remediation trials. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Risk and Resilience Factors in Coping with Daily Stress in Adulthood: The Role of Age, Self-Concept Incoherence, and Personal Control

PubMed Central

Diehl, Manfred; Hay, Elizabeth L.

2010-01-01

This study observed young, middle-aged and older adults (N = 239; Mage = 49.6 years, range = 18-89 years) for 30 consecutive days to examine the association between daily stress and negative affect taking into account potential risk (i.e., self-concept incoherence) and resilience factors (i.e., age, perceived personal control). Results indicated that younger individuals and individuals with a more incoherent self-concept showed higher average negative affect across the study. As well, individuals reported higher negative affect on days that they experienced more stress than usual and on days that they reported less control than usual. These main effects were qualified by significant interactions. In particular, the association between daily stress and negative affect was stronger on days on which adults reported low control compared to days on which they reported high control (i.e., perceptions of control buffered stress). Reactivity to daily stress did not differ for individuals of different ages or for individuals with different levels of self-concept incoherence. Although all individuals reported higher negative affect on days on which they reported less control than usual, this association was more pronounced among younger adults. This study helps to elucidate the role of risk and resilience factors when adults are faced with daily stress. PMID:20822228

Quarrelsome behavior in borderline personality disorder: influence of behavioral and affective reactivity to perceptions of others.

PubMed

Sadikaj, Gentiana; Moskowitz, D S; Russell, Jennifer J; Zuroff, David C; Paris, Joel

2013-02-01

We examined how the amplification of 3 within-person processes (behavioral reactivity to interpersonal perceptions, affect reactivity to interpersonal perceptions, and behavioral reactivity to a person's own affect) accounts for greater quarrelsome behavior among individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Using an event-contingent recording (ECR) methodology, individuals with BPD (N = 38) and community controls (N = 31) reported on their negative affect, quarrelsome behavior, and perceptions of the interaction partner's agreeable-quarrelsome behavior in interpersonal events during a 20-day period. Behavioral reactivity to negative affect was similar in both groups. However, behavioral reactivity and affect reactivity to interpersonal perceptions were elevated in individuals with BPD relative to community controls; specifically, individuals with BPD reported more quarrelsome behavior and more negative affect during interactions in which they perceived others as more cold-quarrelsome. Greater negative affect reactivity to perceptions of other's cold-quarrelsome behavior partly accounted for the increased quarrelsome behavior reported by individuals with BPD during these interactions. This pattern of results suggests a cycle in which the perception of cold-quarrelsome behavior in others triggers elevated negative affect and quarrelsome behavior in individuals with BPD, which subsequently led to more quarrelsome behavior from their interaction partners, which leads to perceptions of others as cold-quarrelsomeness, which begins the cycle anew. 2013 APA, all rights reserved

Daily variability in working memory is coupled with negative affect: the role of attention and motivation.

PubMed

Brose, Annette; Schmiedek, Florian; Lövdén, Martin; Lindenberger, Ulman

2012-06-01

Across days, individuals experience varying levels of negative affect, control of attention, and motivation. We investigated whether this intraindividual variability was coupled with daily fluctuations in working memory (WM) performance. In 100 days, 101 younger individuals worked on a spatial N-back task and rated negative affect, control of attention, and motivation. Results showed that individuals differed in how reliably WM performance fluctuated across days, and that subjective experiences were primarily linked to performance accuracy. WM performance was lower on days with higher levels of negative affect, reduced control of attention, and reduced task-related motivation. Thus, variables that were found to predict WM in between-subjects designs showed important relationships to WM at the within-person level. In addition, there was shared predictive variance among predictors of WM. Days with increased negative affect and reduced performance were also days with reduced control of attention and reduced motivation to work on tasks. These findings are in line with proposed mechanisms linking negative affect and cognitive performance.

Negative emotion differentiation: its personality and well-being correlates and a comparison of different assessment methods.

PubMed

Erbas, Yasemin; Ceulemans, Eva; Lee Pe, Madeline; Koval, Peter; Kuppens, Peter

2014-01-01

Previous research has shown that individual differences in negative emotion differentiation may play a prominent role in well-being. Yet, many basic questions about negative emotion differentiation remain unanswered, including how it relates and overlaps with related and known dimensions of individual differences and what its possible underlying processes are. To answer these questions, in the current article we present three correlational studies that chart the nomological network of individual differences in negative emotion differentiation in terms of personality, difficulties in identifying and describing feelings, and several indicators of well-being, propose a novel paradigm to assess it in the lab, and explore relationships with a possible underlying mechanism in terms of the motivation to approach or avoid emotions. The results affirm consistent relations between negative emotion differentiation and indicators of adjustment like negative affect, self-esteem, neuroticism, depression and meta-knowledge about one's emotions, and show how it is related to the motivation to experience affective states.

Multiple causes of the Younger Dryas cold period: new insights from coupled model experiments constrained by data assimilation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renssen, Hans; Mairesse, Aurélien; Goosse, Hugues; Mathiot, Pierre; Heiri, Oliver; Roche, Didier M.; Nisancioglu, Kerim H.; Valdes, Paul J.

2016-04-01

The Younger Dryas cooling event disrupted the overall warming trend in the North Atlantic region during the last deglaciation. Climate change during the Younger Dryas was abrupt, and thus provides insights into the sensitivity of the climate system to perturbations. The sudden Younger Dryas cooling has traditionally been attributed to a shut-down of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation by meltwater discharges. However, alternative explanations such as strong negative radiative forcing and a shift in atmospheric circulation have also been offered. In this study we investigate the importance of these different forcings in coupled climate model experiments constrained by data assimilation. We find that the Younger Dryas climate signal as registered in proxy evidence is best simulated using a combination of processes: a weakened Atlantic meridional overturning circulation, moderate negative radiative forcing and an altered atmospheric circulation. We conclude that none of the individual mechanisms alone provide a plausible explanation for the Younger Dryas cold period. We suggest that the triggers for abrupt climate changes like the Younger Dryas are more complex than suggested so far, and that studies on the response of the climate system to perturbations should account for this complexity. Reference: Renssen, H. et al. (2015) Multiple causes of the Younger Dryas cold period. Nature Geoscience 8, 946-949.

Intersection of FOXO- and RUNX1-mediated gene expression programs in single breast epithelial cells during morphogenesis and tumor progression.

PubMed

Wang, Lixin; Brugge, Joan S; Janes, Kevin A

2011-10-04

Gene expression networks are complicated by the assortment of regulatory factors that bind DNA and modulate transcription combinatorially. Single-cell measurements can reveal biological mechanisms hidden by population averages, but their value has not been fully explored in the context of mRNA regulation. Here, we adapted a single-cell expression profiling technique to examine the gene expression program downstream of Forkhead box O (FOXO) transcription factors during 3D breast epithelial acinar morphogenesis. By analyzing patterns of mRNA fluctuations among individual matrix-attached epithelial cells, we found that a subset of FOXO target genes was jointly regulated by the transcription factor Runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1). Knockdown of RUNX1 causes hyperproliferation and abnormal morphogenesis, both of which require normal FOXO function. Down-regulating RUNX1 and FOXOs simultaneously causes widespread oxidative stress, which arrests proliferation and restores normal acinar morphology. In hormone-negative breast cancers lacking human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) amplification, we find that RUNX1 down-regulation is strongly associated with up-regulation of FOXO1, which may be required to support growth of RUNX1-negative tumors. The coordinate function of these two tumor suppressors may provide a failsafe mechanism that inhibits cancer progression.

Concurrent administration effect of antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drugs on the immunotoxicity of bacterial endotoxins.

PubMed

El Amir, Azza M; Tanious, Dalia G; Mansour, Hanaa A

2017-11-01

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is a gram-negative bacterium that causes a variety of diseases in compromised hosts. Bacterial endotoxins such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) are the major outer surface membrane components that are present in almost all gram-negative bacteria and act as extremely strong stimulators of innate immunity and inflammation of the airway. This study was undertaken to determine the effect of combined administration of Gentamicin (GENT) as an antibiotic and Dexamethasone (DEXA) as an anti-inflammatory drug on some immunological and histological parameters. After determination of LD 50 of P. aeruginosa, mice groups were injected with DEXA, GENT and lipopolysaccharide alone or in combination. Lipopolysaccharide single injection caused a significant increase of total leukocyte count, lymphocytes, neutrophils and levels of IgM and IgG. DEXA induced an increase of neutrophilia and lymphopenia. Immunological examination demonstrated that combined treatment has a significant effect of decreasing lymphocytes and IgG levels than single treatment does. Histological examination demonstrated that the inflammation of thymus, spleen, lymph node and liver decreases in mice that received combined treatment than those that received individual treatment. Concurrent administration of DEXA and GENT has a great effect on protecting organs against damage in case of endotoxemia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Calpain I Activation Causes GLUT3 Proteolysis and Downregulation of O-GlcNAcylation in Alzheimer's Disease Brain.

PubMed

Gu, Jianlan; Jin, Nana; Ma, Denglei; Chu, Dandan; Iqbal, Khalid; Gong, Cheng-Xin; Liu, Fei

2018-01-01

Impairment of cerebral glucose uptake/metabolism in individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is believed to lead to downregulation of protein O-GlcNAcylation, which contributes to tau pathogenesis through tau hyperphosphorylation. Level of glucose transporter 3 (GLUT3), a neuronal specific glucose transporter, is decreased in AD brain, which may contribute to impaired brain glucose uptake/metabolism. However, what causes the reduction of GLUT3 in AD brain is not fully understood. Here, we report 1) that decrease of GLUT3 is associated with the reduction of protein O-GlcNAcylation in AD brain, 2) that GLUT3 level is negatively correlated with calpain I activation in human brain, 3) that calpain I proteolyzes GLUT3 at the N-terminus in vitro, and 4) that activation of calpain I is negatively correlated with protein O-GlcNAcylation in AD brain. Furthermore, we found that overexpression of GLUT3 enhances protein O-GlcNAcylation in N2a cells. Overexpression of calpain I suppresses protein O-GlcNAcylation in these cells. These findings suggest a novel mechanism by which calpain I overactivation leads to GLUT3 degradation and the consequent down-regulation of protein O-GlcNAcylation in AD brain.

Ecological suicide in microbes.

PubMed

Ratzke, Christoph; Denk, Jonas; Gore, Jeff

2018-05-01

The growth and survival of organisms often depend on interactions between them. In many cases, these interactions are positive and caused by a cooperative modification of the environment. Examples are the cooperative breakdown of complex nutrients in microbes or the construction of elaborate architectures in social insects, in which the individual profits from the collective actions of her peers. However, organisms can similarly display negative interactions by changing the environment in ways that are detrimental for them, for example by resource depletion or the production of toxic byproducts. Here we find an extreme type of negative interactions, in which Paenibacillus sp. bacteria modify the environmental pH to such a degree that it leads to a rapid extinction of the whole population, a phenomenon that we call ecological suicide. Modification of the pH is more pronounced at higher population densities, and thus ecological suicide is more likely to occur with increasing bacterial density. Correspondingly, promoting bacterial growth can drive populations extinct whereas inhibiting bacterial growth by the addition of harmful substances-such as antibiotics-can rescue them. Moreover, ecological suicide can cause oscillatory dynamics, even in single-species populations. We found ecological suicide in a wide variety of microbes, suggesting that it could have an important role in microbial ecology and evolution.

Cultivating positive emotions: a useful adjunct when working with people who self-harm?

PubMed

Morris, Charlotte; Simpson, Jane; Sampson, Mark; Beesley, Frank

2014-01-01

This narrative review draws upon a broad range of literature, including theory and empirical research, to argue that positive emotions are a useful adjunct to therapy when working with individuals who self-harm. The review highlights how self-harm is often employed as a method of emotion regulation and may be both negatively and positively reinforced. It is suggested that individuals who self-harm have potential difficulty in experiencing positive and negative emotions. The compatibility of an emotion focused approach to therapy for individuals who self-harm is therefore deemed an appropriate one. However, current therapeutic models predominantly focus on unpleasant or negative emotions and largely tend to neglect positive emotions, such as happiness. Broaden and build theory indicates that positive emotions can reduce the effects of negative emotions and aid recovery from intolerable negative emotions that may underpin self-harming behaviours. Therefore, the incorporation of positive emotions into therapy is likely to be helpful. In addition, if cultivated over time, positive emotions can build resilience that may enable individuals to cope better with events that precipitate self-injurious behaviours. The review emphasizes how positive emotions represent a valuable addition to therapeutic work but also highlights that the negatively valenced and painful emotions often experienced by those who self-injure must still be addressed. When working with individuals who self-harm it may be beneficial for practitioners to consider clients' experiences of positive emotions, and how to cultivate these, in addition to targeting the negative emotions which tend to underpin self-harming behaviours. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Strategically Funny: Romantic Motives Affect Humor Style in Relationship Initiation.

PubMed

DiDonato, Theresa E; Jakubiak, Brittany K

2016-08-01

Not all humor is the same, yet little is known about the appeal of specific humor styles in romantic initiation. The current experimental study addresses this gap by investigating how romantic motives (short-term or long-term) affect individuals' anticipated use of, and response to, positive humor and negative humor. Heterosexual participants (n = 224) imagined the pursuit of either a desired short-term or long-term relationship, indicated the extent to which they would produce positive and negative humor, and reported how their own interest would change in response to the imaginary target's use of positive or negative humor. Results revealed that individuals are strategic in their humor production as a function of relational motives. Individuals produced positive humor in both contexts but limited their use of negative humor when pursuing a long-term relationship. The target's positive humor increased individuals' attraction, especially women's, and although negative humor boosted attraction, it did not boost attraction more for short-term than long-term relationships. Findings extend a trait-indicator model of humor and their implications are discussed in light of other theoretical perspectives.

Social Categorization on Perception Bias in the Practice of Microteaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Jon-Chao; Hwang, Ming-Yueh; Lu, Chow-Chin; Tsai, Chi-Ruei

2017-02-01

Microteaching has gained considerable attention for its effectiveness in rapid and contextual training in professional development programs. However, the interpretive quality of the teaching demonstration and peer feedback may influence individuals' attribution and self-correction, leading to ineffective learning. In this study, a microteaching workshop in a professional development program for 78 elementary school science teachers was investigated. The results showed that the effectiveness of microteaching was negatively affected by participants' perception bias due to social categorization. Moreover, it was indicated that the participants' perception of the in-group and out-group, classified by the degree of the individuals' science knowledge, fostered social categorization. Participants tended to experience perception conflicts caused by their inability to see personal faults, and a typical perception bias of "seeing one's own strengths and seeing others' shortcomings" was more frequently recognized in the out-group. These results converge to highlight the importance of social categorization in perception bias relevant to microteaching.

The Neurobiology of "Food Addiction" and Its Implications for Obesity Treatment and Policy.

PubMed

Carter, Adrian; Hendrikse, Joshua; Lee, Natalia; Yücel, Murat; Verdejo-Garcia, Antonio; Andrews, Zane B.; Hall, Wayne

2016-07-17

There is a growing view that certain foods, particularly those high in refined sugars and fats, are addictive and that some forms of obesity can usefully be treated as a food addiction. This perspective is supported by a growing body of neuroscience research demonstrating that the chronic consumption of energy-dense foods causes changes in the brain's reward pathway that are central to the development and maintenance of drug addiction. Obese and overweight individuals also display patterns of eating behavior that resemble the ways in which addicted individuals consume drugs. We critically review the evidence that some forms of obesity or overeating could be considered a food addiction and argue that the use of food addiction as a diagnostic category is premature. We also examine some of the potential positive and negative clinical, social, and public policy implications of describing obesity as a food addiction that require further investigation.

[The system theory of aging: methodological principles, basic tenets and applications].

PubMed

Krut'ko, V N; Dontsov, V I; Zakhar'iashcheva, O V

2009-01-01

The paper deals with the system theory of aging constructed on the basis of present-day scientific methodology--the system approach. The fundamental cause for aging is discrete existence of individual life forms, i.e. living organisms which, from the thermodynamic point of view, are not completely open systems. The primary aging process (build-up of chaos and system disintegration of aging organism) obeys the second law of thermodynamics or the law of entropy increase in individual partly open systems. In living organisms the law is exhibited as synergy of four main aging mechanisms: system "pollution" of organism, loss of non-regenerative elements, accumulation of damages and deformations, generation of variability on all levels, and negative changes in regulation processes and consequent degradation of the organism systematic character. These are the general aging mechanisms; however, the regulatory mechanisms may be important equally for organism aging and search for ways to prolong active life.

Bloodstream infections in haematology: risks and new challenges for prevention.

PubMed

Worth, Leon J; Slavin, Monica A

2009-05-01

Bloodstream infections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the haematology population, and may contribute to delayed administration of chemotherapy, increased length of hospitalisation, and increased healthcare expenditure. For gram-positive, gram-negative, anaerobic and fungal infections, specific risk factors are recognised. Unique host and environmental factors contributing to pathogenesis are acknowledged in this population. Trends in spectrum and antimicrobial susceptibility of pathogens are examined, and potential contributing factors are discussed. These include the widespread use of empiric antimicrobial therapy, increasingly intensive chemotherapeutic regimens, frequent use of central venous catheters, and local infection control practices. In addition, the risks and benefits of prophylaxis, and spectrum of endemic flora are identified as relevant factors within individual centres. Finally, challenges are presented regarding prevention, early detection, surveillance and prophylaxis. To reduce the rate and impact of bloodstream infections multifaceted and customised strategies are required within individual haematology units.

Tuberculous pleuritis secondary to Mycobacterium bovis in a veterinarian.

PubMed

Corcoran, John P; Hallifax, Robert J; Bettinson, Henry V; Psallidas, Ioannis; Rahman, Najib M

2016-07-01

Mycobacterium bovis is a rare cause of tuberculosis in humans, but should be considered in individuals at risk secondary to medical comorbidities (notably immunocompromise) or occupational exposure. Most cases are secondary to reactivation of latent infection in elderly individuals although cases of primary infection still occur, usually involving animal-to-human transmission. Pleural fluid culture in the context of suspected tuberculous pleuritis is frequently negative and pleural biopsy significantly increases the likelihood of confirming the diagnosis histologically and microbiologically. Although thoracoscopic biopsies are the reference standard, closed pleural biopsies are an appropriate and more accessible alternative in the majority of cases - these should be done under direct ultrasound guidance to maximise diagnostic yield. Treatment for M. bovis infection is with prolonged combination anti-tuberculous therapy, using an alternative to pyrazinamide as the organism is inherently resistant to this drug. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Emotions as Proximal Causes of Word of Mouth: A Nonlinear Approach.

PubMed

Lopes, Rita Rueff; Navarro, José; Silva, Ana Junca

2018-01-01

Service research tends to operationalize word of mouth (WOM) behavior as one of the many responses to service satisfaction. In this sense, little is known about its antecedents or moderators. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of customers' emotions during service experiences on WOM, applying nonlinear techniques and exploring the moderating role of customers' propensity for emotional contagion. Using the critical incidents technique, 122 customers recalled significant service experiences and the emotions they aroused, and reported if they shared said experiences with other individuals. We found that, whereas linear methods presented non-significant results in the emotions-WOM relationship, nonlinear ones (artificial neural networks) explained 46% of variance. Negative emotions were stronger predictors of WOM and the importance of emotions for WOM was significantly higher for individuals with high propensity for emotional contagion (R^2 = .79) than for those with lower levels (R^2 = .48). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Long-term exposure to noise impairs cortical sound processing and attention control.

PubMed

Kujala, Teija; Shtyrov, Yury; Winkler, Istvan; Saher, Marieke; Tervaniemi, Mari; Sallinen, Mikael; Teder-Sälejärvi, Wolfgang; Alho, Kimmo; Reinikainen, Kalevi; Näätänen, Risto

2004-11-01

Long-term exposure to noise impairs human health, causing pathological changes in the inner ear as well as other anatomical and physiological deficits. Numerous individuals are daily exposed to excessive noise. However, there is a lack of systematic research on the effects of noise on cortical function. Here we report data showing that long-term exposure to noise has a persistent effect on central auditory processing and leads to concurrent behavioral deficits. We found that speech-sound discrimination was impaired in noise-exposed individuals, as indicated by behavioral responses and the mismatch negativity brain response. Furthermore, irrelevant sounds increased the distractibility of the noise-exposed subjects, which was shown by increased interference in task performance and aberrant brain responses. These results demonstrate that long-term exposure to noise has long-lasting detrimental effects on central auditory processing and attention control.

[Health effects of occupational endotoxin exposure: a review and relevance to veterinary practice].

PubMed

Smit, Lidwien A M; Wouters, Inge M; Heederik, Dick; Douwes, Jeroen

2009-10-15

Endotoxins are cell-wall components of Gram-negative bacteria that are commonly present in plants and plant products and in faecal matter. This review presents an overview of endotoxin exposure levels, associated health effects, and relevance regarding veterinary practice. Exposure to airborne endotoxin is especially high in the agricultural sector and among veterinarians, and in particular among those working with horses or farm animals. Inhalation of endotoxins may cause acute airway inflammation and respiratory symptoms that can lead to (non-allergic) asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in individuals with prolonged exposure to high levels of endotoxins. Interestingly, recent studies have shown that individuals exposed to high levels of endotoxin also have a lower risk of allergic conditions such as hay fever. Although endotoxin may protect against allergies, it is essential to reduce exposure levels in the agricultural sector in order to prevent workers from developing chronic non-allergic respiratory disorders.

The influence of interactions among phenolic compounds on the antiradical activity of chokeberries (Aronia melanocarpa).

PubMed

Jakobek, Lidija; Seruga, Marijan; Krivak, Petra

2011-06-01

In the present work, interactions between phenolic compounds from chokeberries and their influence on the antiradical activity was studied. Three fractions were isolated from chokeberries containing different classes of phenolic compounds. The first fraction contained a major part of phenolic acids and flavonols, the second anthocyanins, and the third insoluble phenols and proanthocyanidins. The phenolic compound content was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography, and the antiradical activity using the DPPH test. In order to evaluate the effects of interactions between phenolic compounds on the antiradical activity, the antiradical activity of individual phenolic fractions was compared with that obtained by mixing phenolic fractions. Phenolic mixtures showed the decrease in the antiradical activity in comparison with the individual phenolic fractions. These results suggest the existence of complex interactions among phenolic compounds that caused the decrease of the antiradical activity. Interactions among chokeberry phenols promoted a negative synergism.

Correlation of ISS Electric Potential Variations with Mission Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willis, Emily M.; Minow, Joseph I.; Parker, Linda Neergaard

2014-01-01

Orbiting approximately 400 km above the Earth, the International Space Station (ISS) is a unique research laboratory used to conduct ground-breaking science experiments in space. The ISS has eight Solar Array Wings (SAW), and each wing is 11.7 meters wide and 35.1 meters long. The SAWs are controlled individually to maximize power output, minimize stress to the ISS structure, and minimize interference with other ISS operations such as vehicle dockings and Extra-Vehicular Activities (EVA). The Solar Arrays are designed to operate at 160 Volts. These large, high power solar arrays are negatively grounded to the ISS and collect charged particles (predominately electrons) as they travel through the space plasma in the Earth's ionosphere. If not controlled, this collected charge causes floating potential variations which can result in arcing, causing injury to the crew during an EVA or damage to hardware [1]. The environmental catalysts for ISS floating potential variations include plasma density and temperature fluctuations and magnetic induction from the Earth's magnetic field. These alone are not enough to cause concern for ISS, but when they are coupled with the large positive potential on the solar arrays, floating potentials up to negative 95 Volts have been observed. Our goal is to differentiate the operationally induced fluctuations in floating potentials from the environmental causes. Differentiating will help to determine what charging can be controlled, and we can then design the proper operations controls for charge collection mitigation. Additionally, the knowledge of how high power solar arrays interact with the environment and what regulations or design techniques can be employed to minimize charging impacts can be applied to future programs.

An interview study of persons who attribute health problems to dental filling materials--part two in a triangulation study on 65 and 75 years old Swedes.

PubMed

Ståhlnacke, Katri; Söderfeldt, Björn

2013-01-01

Dental materials are perceived as a health problem by some people, although scientists do not agree about possible causes of such problems. The aim of this paper was to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of experiences from living with health problems attributed to dental materials. Addressed topics were the type of problem, both as to general and oral health, perceived causes of the problems,their experienced effect on life, and reception by health professionals. Persons, who in a previous large questionnaire study had answered that they had experienced troubles from dental materials and also agreed to answer follow-up questions, were contacted with a request to take part in an interview study. Eleven individual interviews were held.The interviews were transcribed verbatim and the material was analysed according to the Qualitative Content Analysis method. Meaning units were extracted and condensed into a number of codes, which were combined into subcategories, categories, and themes. Four themes were identified: 1) Long-term oral, mental, and somatic difficulties of varying character, caused by dental amalgam. 2) Problems treated mainly by replacement of dental material in fillings. 3) Powerful effects on life, mostly negative. 4) The reception by health professionals was generally good, but with elements of encounters where they felt treated with nonchalance and lack of respect. In conclusion, people who attributed their health difficulties to dental materials had a complex range of problems and the perception was that amalgam/mercury was the cause of the troubles. The reception from health professionals was perceived as generally good, although with occasional negative experiences.

De novo mutations in NALCN cause a syndrome characterized by congenital contractures of the limbs and face, hypotonia, and developmental delay.

PubMed

Chong, Jessica X; McMillin, Margaret J; Shively, Kathryn M; Beck, Anita E; Marvin, Colby T; Armenteros, Jose R; Buckingham, Kati J; Nkinsi, Naomi T; Boyle, Evan A; Berry, Margaret N; Bocian, Maureen; Foulds, Nicola; Uzielli, Maria Luisa Giovannucci; Haldeman-Englert, Chad; Hennekam, Raoul C M; Kaplan, Paige; Kline, Antonie D; Mercer, Catherine L; Nowaczyk, Malgorzata J M; Klein Wassink-Ruiter, Jolien S; McPherson, Elizabeth W; Moreno, Regina A; Scheuerle, Angela E; Shashi, Vandana; Stevens, Cathy A; Carey, John C; Monteil, Arnaud; Lory, Philippe; Tabor, Holly K; Smith, Joshua D; Shendure, Jay; Nickerson, Deborah A; Bamshad, Michael J

2015-03-05

Freeman-Sheldon syndrome, or distal arthrogryposis type 2A (DA2A), is an autosomal-dominant condition caused by mutations in MYH3 and characterized by multiple congenital contractures of the face and limbs and normal cognitive development. We identified a subset of five individuals who had been putatively diagnosed with "DA2A with severe neurological abnormalities" and for whom congenital contractures of the limbs and face, hypotonia, and global developmental delay had resulted in early death in three cases; this is a unique condition that we now refer to as CLIFAHDD syndrome. Exome sequencing identified missense mutations in the sodium leak channel, non-selective (NALCN) in four families affected by CLIFAHDD syndrome. We used molecular-inversion probes to screen for NALCN in a cohort of 202 distal arthrogryposis (DA)-affected individuals as well as concurrent exome sequencing of six other DA-affected individuals, thus revealing NALCN mutations in ten additional families with "atypical" forms of DA. All 14 mutations were missense variants predicted to alter amino acid residues in or near the S5 and S6 pore-forming segments of NALCN, highlighting the functional importance of these segments. In vitro functional studies demonstrated that NALCN alterations nearly abolished the expression of wild-type NALCN, suggesting that alterations that cause CLIFAHDD syndrome have a dominant-negative effect. In contrast, homozygosity for mutations in other regions of NALCN has been reported in three families affected by an autosomal-recessive condition characterized mainly by hypotonia and severe intellectual disability. Accordingly, mutations in NALCN can cause either a recessive or dominant condition characterized by varied though overlapping phenotypic features, perhaps based on the type of mutation and affected protein domain(s). Copyright © 2015 The American Society of Human Genetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A longitudinal analysis of discrete negative emotions and health-services use in elderly individuals.

PubMed

McKeen, Nancy A; Chipperfield, Judith G; Campbell, Darren W

2004-01-01

To test the hypothesis that everyday, discrete negative emotions-anger, frustration, sadness, and fear-relate to health-service use in later life. Community-dwelling adults (n = 345) ages 72 to 99 were interviewed about the frequency of recently experienced emotions. Physician visits and hospital admissions in the subsequent 2 years were outcomes. Covariates included prior use of health services, chronic illness, functional status, and demographics. Age, education, and gender moderated relations between negative emotions and health care use. More frustration was associated with fewer physician visits among older individuals. Sadness was associated with more hospital admissions for women. Among those with more education, frequent anger was associated with more physician visits. Projected effects of negative emotions resulted in increases in health-service use, ranging from 18% to 33%. The interactions indicate the importance of negative emotions and the larger social and developmental context in health care services use among elderly individuals.

Neuroticism and Attitudes Toward Action in 19 Countries

PubMed Central

Ireland, Molly E.; Hepler, Justin; Li, Hong; Albarracín, Dolores

2018-01-01

Although individuals scoring high on Neuroticism tend to avoid taking action when faced with challenges, Neuroticism is also characterized by impulsivity. To explore cognitive biases related to this costly behavior pattern, we tested whether individuals who rated themselves as higher in Neuroticism would evaluate the general concepts of action and inaction as, respectively, more negative and positive. We further investigated whether anxiety and depression would mediate and individualism-collectivism would moderate these relations in a large international sample. Participants (N = 3,827 college students; 69% female) from 19 countries completed surveys measuring Neuroticism, attitudes toward action and inaction, depression, anxiety, and individualism-collectivism. Hierarchical linear models tested the above predictions. Neuroticism negatively correlated with attitudes toward action and positively correlated with attitudes toward inaction. Furthermore, anxiety was primarily responsible for emotionally unstable individuals’ less positive attitudes toward action, and individuals who endorsed more collectivistic than individualistic beliefs showed a stronger negative association between Neuroticism and attitudes toward action. Researchers and practitioners interested in understanding and remediating the negative consequences of Neuroticism should pay greater attention to attitudes toward action and inaction, particularly focusing on their links with anxiety and individualism-collectivism. PMID:24684688

Development of a Molecular-Beacon Assay To Detect the G1896A Precore Mutation in Hepatitis B Virus-Infected Individuals

PubMed Central

Waltz, Therese L.; Marras, Salvatore; Rochford, Gemma; Nolan, John; Lee, Eugenia; Melegari, Margherita; Pollack, Henry

2005-01-01

The 1896 precore (PC) mutation is the most frequent cause of hepatitis B virus e-antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Detection of the 1896 PC mutation has application in studies monitoring antiviral therapy and the natural history of the disease. Identification of this mutation is usually performed by direct sequencing, which is both costly and laborious. The aim of this study was to develop a rapid, high-throughput assay to detect the 1896 PC mutation using real-time PCR and molecular-beacon technology. The assay was initially standardized on oligonucleotide targets and plasmids containing the wild-type (WT) and PC mutation and then tested on plasma samples from children with HBV DNA of >106 copies/ml. Nine individuals were HBeAg negative and suspected to harbor HBeAg mutations, while 12 children were HBeAg positive and selected as controls. Ninety percent (19 of 21) of plasma samples tested with molecular beacons were in complete agreement with sequencing results. The remaining 10% (2 of 21) of samples were identified as heterogeneous mixtures of WT and mutant virus by molecular beacons, though sequencing found only a homogeneous mutant in both cases. Overall, the 1896 PC mutation was detected by this assay in 55.5% of the children with HBeAg-negative infection. In summary, this assay is a rapid, sensitive, and specific technique that effectively discriminates WT from 1896 PC mutant HBV and may be useful in clinical and epidemiological studies. PMID:15634980

Duplication of SOX9 is not a common cause of 46,XX testicular or 46,XX ovotesticular DSD.

PubMed

Seeherunvong, Tossaporn; Ukarapong, Supamit; McElreavey, Kenneth; Berkovitz, Gary D; Perera, Erasmo M

2012-01-01

Translocation of the SRY gene to the paternal X chromosome is the explanation for testis development in the majority of subjects with 46,XX testicular disorder of sexual development (DSD). However, nearly all subjects with 46,XX ovotesticular DSD and up to one third of subjects with 46,XX testicular DSD lack SRY. SRY-independent expression of SOX9 has been implicated in the etiology of testis development in some individuals. We amplified microsatellite markers in the region of SOX9 from a cohort of 30 subjects with either 46,XX testicular or 46,XX ovotesticular DSD to detect SOX9 duplications. Duplication of the SOX9 region in 17q was not detected in any subject. Duplication in the region of 17q that contains SOX9 is not a common cause of testis development in subjects with SRY-negative 46,XX testicular or ovotesticular DSD.

Current Concepts in Graves' Disease

PubMed Central

Girgis, Christian M.; Champion, Bernard L.; Wall, Jack R.

2011-01-01

Graves' disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism in the developed world. It is caused by an immune defect in genetically susceptible individuals in whom the production of unique antibodies results in thyroid hormone excess and glandular hyperplasia. When unrecognized, Graves' disease impacts negatively on quality of life and poses serious risks of psychosis, tachyarrhythmia and cardiac failure. Beyond the thyroid, Graves' disease has diverse soft-tissue effects that reflect its systemic autoimmune nature. Thyroid eye disease is the most common of these manifestations and is important to recognise given its risk to vision and potential to deteriorate in response to radioactive iodine ablation. In this review we discuss the investigation and management of Graves' disease, the recent controversy regarding the hepatotoxicity of propylthiouracil and the emergence of novel small-molecule thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor ligands as potential targets in the treatment of Graves' disease. PMID:23148179

Vaccines and animal welfare.

PubMed

Morton, D B

2007-04-01

Vaccination promotes animal welfare by protecting animal health, but it also has other welfare benefits, e.g. recent investigations have looked at the potential of vaccines in immunoneutering such as immunocastration--a humane alternative to the painful traditional methods. Similarly, vaccination can be used during disease outbreaks as a viable alternative to stamping-out, thus avoiding the welfare problems that on-farm mass slaughter can cause. Protecting animal health through vaccination leads to improved animal welfare, and maintaining good welfare ensures that animals can respond successfully to vaccination (as poor welfare can lead to immunosuppression, which can affect the response to vaccination). It is clear that vaccination has tremendous advantages for animal welfare and although the possible side effects of vaccination can have a negative effect on the welfare of some individual animals, the harm caused by these unwanted effects must be weighed against the undoubted benefits for groups of animals.

[Sexual aggression against girls and adult women--causes and consequences].

PubMed

Bitzer, J

2005-04-01

The causes of sexual aggression are multiple. Bioevolutionary rooted behavioral dispositions (sexual aggressiveness of men as a reproductive strategy) are enforced by specific male dominated structures of society and socially determined stereotypes of female roles which deter women from self determination of their sexuality; these macrosocial factors combine with individual conditions of socialization, in which violence plays an important role. With respect to the consequences of sexual aggression primary victimization (the trauma itself with physical and psychological harm) can be distinguished from secondary victimization (devaluation and mistrust in the social environment). The degree of negative health outcomes depends on risk factors like previous abuse, severity of the violent act, and lack of social support. Prevention must aim at changes of societal conditions that enhance sexual aggression and the establishment of programs for men and women at risk in which techniques of control of sexual aggression, attenuation and inhibition can be learnt.

Long-term (30 days) toxicity of NiO nanoparticles for adult zebrafish Danio rerio

PubMed Central

Kovrižnych, Jevgenij A.; Zeljenková, Dagmar; Rollerová, Eva; Szabová, Elena

2014-01-01

Nickel oxide in the form of nanoparticles (NiO NPs) is extensively used in different industrial branches. In a test on adult zebrafish, the acute toxicity of NiO NPs was shown to be low, however longlasting contact with this compound can lead to its accumulation in the tissues and to increased toxicity. In this work we determined the 30-day toxicity of NiO NPs using a static test for zebrafish Danio rerio. We found the 30-day LC50 value to be 45.0 mg/L, LC100 (minimum concentration causing 100% mortality) was 100.0 mg/L, and LC0 (maximum concentration causing no mortality) was 6.25 mg/L for adult individuals of zebrafish. Considering a broad use of Ni in the industry, NiO NPs chronic toxicity may have a negative impact on the population of aquatic organisms and on food web dynamics in aquatic systems. PMID:26038672

Long-term (30 days) toxicity of NiO nanoparticles for adult zebrafish Danio rerio.

PubMed

Kovrižnych, Jevgenij A; Sotníková, Ružena; Zeljenková, Dagmar; Rollerová, Eva; Szabová, Elena

2014-03-01

Nickel oxide in the form of nanoparticles (NiO NPs) is extensively used in different industrial branches. In a test on adult zebrafish, the acute toxicity of NiO NPs was shown to be low, however longlasting contact with this compound can lead to its accumulation in the tissues and to increased toxicity. In this work we determined the 30-day toxicity of NiO NPs using a static test for zebrafish Danio rerio. We found the 30-day LC50 value to be 45.0 mg/L, LC100 (minimum concentration causing 100% mortality) was 100.0 mg/L, and LC0 (maximum concentration causing no mortality) was 6.25 mg/L for adult individuals of zebrafish. Considering a broad use of Ni in the industry, NiO NPs chronic toxicity may have a negative impact on the population of aquatic organisms and on food web dynamics in aquatic systems.

The meaning of suffering in drug addiction and recovery from the perspective of existentialism, Buddhism and the 12-Step program.

PubMed

Chen, Gila

2010-09-01

The aim of the current article was to examine the meaning of suffering in drug addiction and in the recovery process. Negative emotions may cause primary suffering that can drive an individual toward substance abuse. At the same time, drugs only provide temporary relief, and over time, the pathological effects of the addiction worsen causing secondary suffering, which is a motivation for treatment. The 12-Step program offers a practical way to cope with suffering through a process of surrender. The act of surrender sets in motion a conversion experience, which involves a self-change including reorganization of one's identity and meaning in life. This article is another step toward understanding one of the several factors that contribute to the addict's motivation for treatment. This knowledge may be helpful for tailoring treatment that addresses suffering as a factor that initiates treatment motivation and, in turn, treatment success.

22q11.2q13 duplication including SOX10 causes sex-reversal and peripheral demyelinating neuropathy, central dysmyelinating leukodystrophy, Waardenburg syndrome, and Hirschsprung disease.

PubMed

Falah, Nadia; Posey, Jennifer E; Thorson, Willa; Benke, Paul; Tekin, Mustafa; Tarshish, Brocha; Lupski, James R; Harel, Tamar

2017-04-01

Diagnosis of genetic syndromes may be difficult when specific components of a disorder manifest at a later age. We present a follow up of a previous report [Seeherunvong et al., (2004); AJMGA 127: 149-151], of an individual with 22q duplication and sex-reversal syndrome. The subject's phenotype evolved to include peripheral and central demyelination, Waardenburg syndrome type IV, and Hirschsprung disease (PCWH; MIM 609136). DNA microarray analysis defined the duplication at 22q11.2q13, including SOX10. Sequencing of the coding region of SOX10 did not reveal any mutations. Our data suggest that SOX10 duplication can cause disorders of sex development and PCWH, supporting the hypothesis that SOX10 toxic gain of function rather than dominant negative activity underlies PCWH. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

22q11.2q13 Duplication Including SOX10 causes Sex-reversal and Peripheral Demyelinating Neuropathy, Central Dysmyelinating Leukodystrophy, Waardenburg Syndrome and Hirschsprung Disease

PubMed Central

Falah, Nadia; Posey, Jennifer E.; Thorson, Willa; Benke, Paul; Tekin, Mustafa; Tarshish, Brocha; Lupski, James R; Harel, Tamar

2017-01-01

Diagnosis of genetic syndromes may be difficult when specific components of a disorder manifest at a later age. We present a follow up of a previous report [Seeherunvong et al., 2004; Ajmga 127: 149–151], of an individual with 22q duplication and sex-reversal syndrome. The subject’s phenotype evolved to include peripheral and central demyelination, Waardenburg syndrome type IV, and Hirschsprung disease (PCWH; MIM 609136). DNA microarray analysis defined the duplication at 22q11.2q13, including SOX10. Sequencing of the coding region of SOX10 did not reveal any mutations. Our data suggest that SOX10 duplication can cause disorders of sex development and PCWH, supporting the hypothesis that SOX10 toxic gain-of-function rather than dominant negative activity underlies PCWH. PMID:28328136

[Cytomegalovirus-associated infectious mononucleosis-like syndrome accompanied by transient monoclonal expansion of CD8+ T-cells].

PubMed

Yonezawa, Akihito; Onaka, Takashi; Imada, Kazunori

2009-08-01

Most cases of infectious mononucleosis (IM) are caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Other pathogens have been reported to cause heterophile-negative mononucleosis-like syndrome, including cytomegalovirus (CMV) and human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1). Primary CMV infection is often asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals. In this article, we describe a patient with prolonged fever and fatigue, who developed transient monoclonal CD8+ T-cell lymphocytosis after primary CMV infection. Monoclonal gene rearrangement of T-cell receptor (TCR) beta locus was transiently detected in DNA from peripheral lymphocytes. Monoclonal rearrangement and atypical lymphocytosis disappeared after treatment with anti-viral agents. These observations imply that monoclonal expansion of T-cells could be a reactive phenomenon of primary CMV infection and TCR gene rearrangement is not specific for malignancy. Physicians should carefully follow patients with monoclonal expansion of CD8+ T-cells after CMV-IM in order to rule out T cell malignancy.

Neurocognitive findings in compulsive sexual behavior: a preliminary study.

PubMed

Derbyshire, Katherine L; Grant, Jon E

2015-06-01

BACKGROUND AND AIMS :Compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) is a common behavior affecting 3-6% of the population, characterized by repetitive and intrusive sexual urges or behaviors that typically cause negative social and emotional consequences. For this small pilot study on neurological data, we compared 13 individuals with CSB and gender- matched healthy controls on diagnostic assessments and computerized neurocognitive testing. No significant differences were found between the groups. These data contradict a common hypothesis that CSB is cognitively different from those without psychiatric comorbidities as well as previous research on impulse control disorders and alcohol dependence. Further research is needed to better understand and classify CSB based on these findings.

Longitudinal associations between stressors and work ability in hospital workers.

PubMed

Carmen Martinez, Maria; da Silva Alexandre, Tiago; Dias de Oliveira Latorre, Maria do Rosario; Marina Fischer, Frida

This study sought to assess associations between work stressors and work ability in a cohort (2009-2012) of 498 hospital workers. Time-dependent variables associated with the Work Ability Index (WAI) were evaluated using general linear mixed models. Analyses included effects of individual and work characteristics. Except for work demands, the work stressors (job control, social support, effort-reward imbalance, overcommitment and work-related activities that cause pain/injury) were associated with WAI (p < 0.050) at intercept and in the time interaction. Daytime work and morning shift work were associated with decreased WAI (p < 0.010). Work stressors negatively affected work ability over time independently of other variables.

Seronegativity of bovines face to their own recovered leptospiral isolates.

PubMed

Libonati, Hugo; Pinto, Priscila S; Lilenbaum, Walter

2017-07-01

Leptospirosis is an important cause of reproductive failure in cattle. The standard diagnostic tool (MAT) is recommended for herd but not for individual diagnosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the humoral response of bovines face to their own recovered isolates. A total of 25 bovine from which leptospires were recovered were tested by MAT against reference strains and their own isolates. Only three cows (12%) presented seroreactivity against their own isolates. This study demonstrates that cattle may not react against their own isolates and highlights the importance of interpreting serological negative results with caution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contemporary Evaluation and Treatment of Poststroke Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction.

PubMed

Panfili, Zachary; Metcalf, Meredith; Griebling, Tomas L

2017-08-01

Stroke is an extremely common clinical entity, and poststroke incontinence is a major cause of morbidity for stroke survivors. Although patients can experience a wide variety of lower urinary tract symptoms, detrusor overactivity is among the most common clinical findings following stroke. All forms of lower urinary tract symptoms can negatively impact physical and psychosocial function for affected patients and their caregivers and loved ones. Careful evaluation is critical for successful management. Treatment is tailored to the goals and needs of each individual patient. Improvements in continence status can help to enhance overall and health-related quality of life. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Carbon isotopic shift and its cause at the Wuchiapingian-Changhsingian boundary in the Upper Permian at the Zhaojiaba section, South China: Evidences from multiple geochemical proxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Hengye; Yu, Hao; Wang, Jianguo; Qiu, Zhen; Xiang, Lei; Shi, Guo

2015-06-01

The Late Permian environmental change, connecting the Guadalupian-Lopingian (G-L) (Middle-Upper Permian) boundary mass extinction and the Permain-Triassic (P-Tr) boundary mass extinction, has attracted more and more attentions. A significant negative shift for carbon isotope had been found at the Wuchiapingian-Changhsingian (W-C) boundary in the Upper Permian recently. However, the cause(s) of this negative excursion is still unknown. To resolve this problem, we analyzed the bulk organic carbon isotope, total organic carbon (TOC) content, pyritic sulfur (Spy) content, major element concentrations, and molecular organic biomarkers in the Wujiaping and Dalong formations in the Upper Permian from the Zhaojiaba section in western Hubei province, South China. Our results show that (1) there was a significant negative excursion in organic carbon isotopes at the W-C boundary and again a negative excursion at the top of Changhsingian stage; (2) the significant negative excursion at the W-C boundary was probably a global signal and mainly caused by the low primary productivity; and (3) the negative carbon isotope excursion at the top of Changhsingian was probably caused by the Siberian Traps eruptions. A decline in oceanic primary productivity at the W-C boundary probably represents a disturbance of the marine food web, leading to a vulnerable ecosystem prior to the P-Tr boundary mass extinction.

Portuguese adolescents' attitudes toward sexual minorities: transphobia, homophobia, and gender role beliefs.

PubMed

Costa, Pedro Alexandre; Davies, Michelle

2012-01-01

Research has shown that negative attitudes toward lesbians and gay men are common and widespread in Western societies. However, few studies have addressed attitudes toward transgender individuals. In addition, although research has shown that homophobic harassment and bullying is highly common among adolescents, little is known about adolescent's attitudes toward sexual minorities. This study aimed to fill these gaps in knowledge, by investigating adolescents' attitudes toward transgender individuals and possible attitudinal correlates of those attitudes. Participants (N = 188; 62 males and 126 females) were recruited in high schools in Lisbon, Portugal. Age ranged from 15 to 19 years (M = 17; SD = .96). Participants completed a questionnaire booklet measuring attitudes toward transgender individuals, lesbians, and gay men, and gender role beliefs. Results revealed that attitudes toward transgender individuals were significantly correlated with all attitude measures. Specifically, it was revealed that those participants who endorsed negative attitudes toward transgender individuals were also endorsing of negative attitudes toward lesbians and gay men and tended to adhere to traditional gender roles. A significant gender effect was found with males being more negative toward sexual minorities than females, but these negative attitudes were more extreme toward gay men than toward lesbian women. Implications of these findings are discussed.

The King of Norway: negative individuation, the hero myth and psychopathic narcissism in extreme violence and the life of Anders Behring Breivik.

PubMed

Virtanen, Harri

2013-11-01

The paper discusses negative individuation and the hero myth as developmental concepts. It is suggested that in negative individuation healthy psychological development is hindered and goes astray. Aggression then becomes the central psychic system. Repressed anger is the core element in psychopathic narcissism (Diamond) and malignant narcissism (Kernberg). Both Diamond and Kernberg extend narcissistic personality structure to antisocial, psychopathic personality in an effort to better understand extreme violence. According to Freud, love (libido) and hate (the death drive) are the major motivational systems in the human psyche. In contrast to Freud, Jung sees libido as a life force in general, not simply as a sexual drive. Jung writes about evil and the shadow but does not present a comprehensive theory of the negative development of an individual's life. The concept of negative individuation connects the shadow and the death drive with psychopathology, psychiatry and psychotherapy. In this paper, I explore these concepts in the light of contemporary affect theory according to Kernberg. I also ask how ideology is tied to extreme violence and how it is possible that narcissistic personality structures can lead to such radically different outcomes as were manifested in the lives of Anders Behring Breivik and Steve Jobs. © 2013, The Society of Analytical Psychology.

Individual Differences in Typical Reappraisal Use Predict Amygdala and Prefrontal Responses

PubMed Central

Drabant, Emily M.; McRae, Kateri; Manuck, Stephen B.; Hariri, Ahmad R.; Gross, James J.

2010-01-01

Background Participants who are instructed to use reappraisal to downregulate negative emotion show decreased amygdala responses and increased prefrontal responses. However, it is not known whether individual differences in the tendency to use reappraisal manifests in similar neural responses when individuals are spontaneously confronted with negative situations. Such spontaneous emotion regulation might play an important role in normal and pathological responses to the emotional challenges of everyday life. Methods Fifty-six healthy women completed a blood oxygenation-level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging challenge paradigm involving the perceptual processing of emotionally negative facial expressions. Participants also completed measures of typical emotion regulation use, trait anxiety, and neuroticism. Results Greater use of reappraisal in everyday life was related to decreased amygdala activity and increased prefrontal and parietal activity during the processing of negative emotional facial expressions. These associations were not attributable to variation in trait anxiety, neuroticism, or the use of another common form of emotion regulation, namely suppression. Conclusions These findings suggest that, like instructed reappraisal, individual differences in reappraisal use are associated with decreased activation in ventral emotion generative regions and increased activation in prefrontal control regions in response to negative stimuli. Such individual differences in emotion regulation might predict successful coping with emotional challenges as well as the onset of affective disorders. PMID:18930182

Undifferentiated negative affect and impulsivity in borderline personality and depressive disorders: A momentary perspective.

PubMed

Tomko, Rachel L; Lane, Sean P; Pronove, Lisa M; Treloar, Hayley R; Brown, Whitney C; Solhan, Marika B; Wood, Phillip K; Trull, Timothy J

2015-08-01

Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often report experiencing several negative emotions simultaneously, an indicator of "undifferentiated" negative affect. The current study examined the relationship between undifferentiated negative affect and impulsivity. Participants with a current BPD (n = 67) or depressive disorder (DD; n = 38) diagnosis carried an electronic diary for 28 days, reporting on emotions and impulsivity when randomly prompted (up to 6 times per day). Undifferentiated negative affect was quantified using momentary intraclass correlation coefficients, which indicated how consistently negative emotion items were rated across fear, hostility, and sadness subscales. Undifferentiated negative affect at the occasion-level, day-level, and across 28 days was used to predict occasion-level impulsivity. Multilevel modeling was used to test the hypothesis that undifferentiated negative emotion would be a significant predictor of momentary impulsivity above and beyond levels of overall negative affect. Undifferentiated negative affect at the occasion and day levels were significant predictors of occasion-level impulsivity, but undifferentiated negative affect across the 28-day study period was only marginally significant. Results did not differ depending on BPD or DD status, though individuals with BPD did report significantly greater momentary impulsivity and undifferentiated negative affect. Undifferentiated negative affect may increase risk for impulsivity among individuals with BPD and depressive disorders, and the current data suggest that this process can be relatively immediate as well as cumulative over the course of a day. This research supports the consideration of undifferentiated negative affect as a transdiagnostic construct, but one that may be particularly relevant for those with BPD. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Undifferentiated Negative Affect and Impulsivity in Borderline Personality and Depressive Disorders: A Momentary Perspective

PubMed Central

Pronove, Lisa M.; Treloar, Hayley R.; Brown, Whitney C.; Solhan, Marika B.; Wood, Phillip K.; Trull, Timothy J.

2015-01-01

Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often report experiencing several negative emotions simultaneously, an indicator of “undifferentiated” negative affect. The current study examined the relationship between undifferentiated negative affect and impulsivity. Participants with a current BPD (n = 67) or depressive disorder (DD; n = 38) diagnosis carried an electronic diary for 28 days, reporting on emotions and impulsivity when randomly prompted (up to 6 times per day). Undifferentiated negative affect was quantified using momentary intraclass correlation coefficients, which indicated how consistently negative emotion items were rated across fear, hostility, and sadness subscales. Undifferentiated negative affect at the occasion-level, day-level, and across 28 days was used to predict occasion-level impulsivity. Multilevel modeling was used to test the hypothesis that undifferentiated negative emotion would be a significant predictor of momentary impulsivity above and beyond levels of overall negative affect. Undifferentiated negative affect at the occasion and day levels were significant predictors of occasion-level impulsivity, but undifferentiated negative affect across the 28-day study period was only marginally significant. Results did not differ depending on BPD or DD status, though BPD individuals did report significantly greater momentary impulsivity and undifferentiated negative affect. Undifferentiated negative affect may increase risk for impulsivity among individuals with BPD and depressive disorders, and the current data suggest that this process can be relatively immediate as well as cumulative over the course of a day. This research supports the consideration of undifferentiated negative affect as a transdiagnostic construct, but one that may be particularly relevant for those with BPD. PMID:26147324

VEGF-ablation therapy reduces drug delivery and therapeutic response in ECM-dense tumors.

PubMed

Röhrig, F; Vorlová, S; Hoffmann, H; Wartenberg, M; Escorcia, F E; Keller, S; Tenspolde, M; Weigand, I; Gätzner, S; Manova, K; Penack, O; Scheinberg, D A; Rosenwald, A; Ergün, S; Granot, Z; Henke, E

2017-01-05

The inadequate transport of drugs into the tumor tissue caused by its abnormal vasculature is a major obstacle to the treatment of cancer. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) drugs can cause phenotypic alteration and maturation of the tumor's vasculature. However, whether this consistently improves delivery and subsequent response to therapy is still controversial. Clinical results indicate that not all patients benefit from antiangiogenic treatment, necessitating the development of criteria to predict the effect of these agents in individual tumors. We demonstrate that, in anti-VEGF-refractory murine tumors, vascular changes after VEGF ablation result in reduced delivery leading to therapeutic failure. In these tumors, the impaired response after anti-VEGF treatment is directly linked to strong deposition of fibrillar extracellular matrix (ECM) components and high expression of lysyl oxidases. The resulting condensed, highly crosslinked ECM impeded drug permeation, protecting tumor cells from exposure to small-molecule drugs. The reduced vascular density after anti-VEGF treatment further decreased delivery in these tumors, an effect not compensated by the improved vessel quality. Pharmacological inhibition of lysyl oxidases improved drug delivery in various tumor models and reversed the negative effect of VEGF ablation on drug delivery and therapeutic response in anti-VEGF-resistant tumors. In conclusion, the vascular changes after anti-VEGF therapy can have a context-dependent negative impact on overall therapeutic efficacy. A determining factor is the tumor ECM, which strongly influences the effect of anti-VEGF therapy. Our results reveal the prospect to revert a possible negative effect and to potentiate responsiveness to antiangiogenic therapy by concomitantly targeting ECM-modifying enzymes.

VEGF-ablation therapy reduces drug delivery and therapeutic response in ECM-dense tumors

PubMed Central

Röhrig, F; Vorlová, S; Hoffmann, H; Wartenberg, M; Escorcia, F E; Keller, S; Tenspolde, M; Weigand, I; Gätzner, S; Manova, K; Penack, O; Scheinberg, D A; Rosenwald, A; Ergün, S; Granot, Z; Henke, E

2017-01-01

The inadequate transport of drugs into the tumor tissue caused by its abnormal vasculature is a major obstacle to the treatment of cancer. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) drugs can cause phenotypic alteration and maturation of the tumor's vasculature. However, whether this consistently improves delivery and subsequent response to therapy is still controversial. Clinical results indicate that not all patients benefit from antiangiogenic treatment, necessitating the development of criteria to predict the effect of these agents in individual tumors. We demonstrate that, in anti-VEGF-refractory murine tumors, vascular changes after VEGF ablation result in reduced delivery leading to therapeutic failure. In these tumors, the impaired response after anti-VEGF treatment is directly linked to strong deposition of fibrillar extracellular matrix (ECM) components and high expression of lysyl oxidases. The resulting condensed, highly crosslinked ECM impeded drug permeation, protecting tumor cells from exposure to small-molecule drugs. The reduced vascular density after anti-VEGF treatment further decreased delivery in these tumors, an effect not compensated by the improved vessel quality. Pharmacological inhibition of lysyl oxidases improved drug delivery in various tumor models and reversed the negative effect of VEGF ablation on drug delivery and therapeutic response in anti-VEGF-resistant tumors. In conclusion, the vascular changes after anti-VEGF therapy can have a context-dependent negative impact on overall therapeutic efficacy. A determining factor is the tumor ECM, which strongly influences the effect of anti-VEGF therapy. Our results reveal the prospect to revert a possible negative effect and to potentiate responsiveness to antiangiogenic therapy by concomitantly targeting ECM-modifying enzymes. PMID:27270432

Differentiation of EL4 lymphoma cells by tumoral environment is associated with inappropriate expression of the large chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan PG-M and the tumor-associated antigen HTgp-175.

PubMed

Rottiers, P; Verfaillie, T; Contreras, R; Revets, H; Desmedt, M; Dooms, H; Fiers, W; Grooten, J

1998-11-09

Progression to malignancy of transformed cells involves complex genetic alterations and aberrant gene expression patterns. While aberrant gene expression is often caused by alterations in individual genes, the contribution of the tumoral environment to the triggering of this gene expression is less well established. The stable but heterogeneous expression in cultured EL4/13 cells of a novel tumor-associated antigen, designated as HTgp-175, was chosen for the investigation of gene expression during tumor formation. Homogeneously HTgp-175-negative EL4/13 cells, isolated by cell sorting or obtained by subcloning, acquired HTgp-175 expression as a result of tumor formation. The tumorigenicity of HTgp-175-negative vs. HTgp-175-positive EL4 variants was identical, indicating that induction but not selection accounted for the phenotypic switch from HTgp-175-negative to HTgp-175-positive. Although mutagenesis experiments showed that the protein was not essential for tumor establishment, tumor-derived cells showed increased malignancy, linking HTgp-175 expression with genetic changes accompanying tumor progression. This novel gene expression was not an isolated event, since it was accompanied by ectopic expression of the large chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan PG-M and of normal differentiation antigens. We conclude that signals derived from the tumoral microenvironment contribute significantly to the aberrant gene expression pattern of malignant cells, apparently by fortuitous activation of differentiation processes and cause expression of novel differentiation antigens as well as of inappropriate tumor-associated and ectopic antigens.

Aberration of a negative ion beam caused by space charge effect.

PubMed

Miyamoto, K; Wada, S; Hatayama, A

2010-02-01

Aberrations are inevitable when the charged particle beams are extracted, accelerated, transmitted, and focused with electrostatic and magnetic fields. In this study, we investigate the aberration of a negative ion accelerator for a neutral beam injector theoretically, especially the spherical aberration caused by the negative ion beam expansion due to the space charge effect. The negative ion current density profiles with the spherical aberration are compared with those without the spherical aberration. It is found that the negative ion current density profiles in a log scale are tailed due to the spherical aberration.

Feedback and reward processing in high-functioning autism.

PubMed

Larson, Michael J; South, Mikle; Krauskopf, Erin; Clawson, Ann; Crowley, Michael J

2011-05-15

Individuals with high-functioning autism often display deficits in social interactions and high-level cognitive functions. Such deficits may be influenced by poor ability to process feedback and rewards. The feedback-related negativity (FRN) is an event-related potential (ERP) that is more negative following losses than gains. We examined FRN amplitude in 25 individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and 25 age- and IQ-matched typically developing control participants who completed a guessing task with monetary loss/gain feedback. Both groups demonstrated a robust FRN that was more negative to loss trials than gain trials; however, groups did not differ in FRN amplitude as a function of gain or loss trials. N1 and P300 amplitudes did not differentiate groups. FRN amplitude was positively correlated with age in individuals with ASD, but not measures of intelligence, anxiety, behavioral inhibition, or autism severity. Given previous findings of reduced-amplitude error-related negativity (ERN) in ASD, we propose that individuals with ASD may process external, concrete, feedback similar to typically developing individuals, but have difficulty with internal, more abstract, regulation of performance. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Risk score for identifying adults with CSF pleocytosis and negative CSF Gram stain at low risk for an urgent treatable cause.

PubMed

Hasbun, Rodrigo; Bijlsma, Merijn; Brouwer, Matthijs C; Khoury, Nabil; Hadi, Christiane M; van der Ende, Arie; Wootton, Susan H; Salazar, Lucrecia; Hossain, Md Monir; Beilke, Mark; van de Beek, Diederik

2013-08-01

We aimed to derive and validate a risk score that identifies adults with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis and a negative CSF Gram stain at low risk for an urgent treatable cause. Patients with CSF pleocytosis and a negative CSF Gram stain were stratified into a prospective derivation (n = 193) and a retrospective validation (n = 567) cohort. Clinically related baseline characteristics were grouped into three composite variables, each independently associated with a set of predefined urgent treatable causes. We subsequently derived a risk score classifying patients into low (0 composite variables present) or high (≥ 1 composite variables present) risk for an urgent treatable cause. The sensitivity of the risk score was determined in the validation cohort and in a prospective case series of 214 adults with CSF-culture proven bacterial meningitis, CSF pleocytosis and a negative Gram stain. A total of 41 of 193 patients (21%) in the derivation cohort and 71 of 567 (13%) in the validation cohort had an urgent treatable cause. Sensitivity of the dichotomized risk score to detect an urgent treatable cause was 100.0% (95% CI 93.9-100.0%) in the validation cohort and 100.0% (95% CI 97.8-100.0%) in bacterial meningitis patients. The risk score can be used to identify adults with CSF pleocytosis and a negative CSF Gram stain at low risk for an urgent treatable cause. Copyright © 2013 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

RISK SCORE FOR IDENTIFYING ADULTS WITH CSF PLEOCYTOSIS AND NEGATIVE CSF GRAM STAIN AT LOW RISK FOR AN URGENT TREATABLE CAUSE

PubMed Central

Hasbun, Rodrigo; Bijlsma, Merijn; Brouwer, Matthijs C; Khoury, Nabil; Hadi, Christiane M; van der Ende, Arie; Wootton, Susan H.; Salazar, Lucrecia; Hossain, Md Monir; Beilke, Mark; van de Beek, Diederik

2013-01-01

Background We aimed to derive and validate a risk score that identifies adults with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis and a negative CSF Gram stain at low risk for an urgent treatable cause. Methods Patients with CSF pleocytosis and a negative CSF Gram stain were stratified into a prospective derivation (n=193) and a retrospective validation (n=567) cohort. Clinically related baseline characteristics were grouped into three composite variables, each independently associated with a set of predefined urgent treatable causes. We subsequently derived a risk score classifying patients into low (0 composite variables present) or high ( ≥ 1 composite variables present) risk for an urgent treatable cause. The sensitivity of the risk score was determined in the validation cohort and in a prospective case series of 214 adults with CSF-culture proven bacterial meningitis, CSF pleocytosis and a negative Gram stain. Findings A total of 41 of 193 patients (21%) in the derivation cohort and 71 of 567 (13%) in the validation cohort had an urgent treatable cause. Sensitivity of the dichotomized risk score to detect an urgent treatable cause was 100.0% (95%CI 93.9-100.0%) in the validation cohort and 100.0% (95%CI 97.8-100.0%) in bacterial meningitis patients. Interpretation The risk score can be used to identify adults with CSF pleocytosis and a negative CSF Gram stain at low risk for an urgent treatable cause. PMID:23619080

Toxicology findings in cases of hanging in the City and County of San Francisco over the 3-year period from 2011 to 2013.

PubMed

San Nicolas, A C; Lemos, N P

2015-10-01

In postmortem cases where the cause of death is hanging, toxicological analyses may be considered unnecessary by some medical examiners, toxicologists, and other persons involved in medico-legal investigations because the cause of death seems "obvious." To ascertain if toxicological analyses are necessary when the cause of death is hanging, all 102 hanging cases (25 females; 77 males) from 2011 to 2013 that came under the jurisdiction of the San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner were examined from a total of 3912 sudden, unexpected, or violent death cases in the same period. Suicide was the manner of death in 99 of these cases, with two accidental and one undetermined death. The average age of decedents was 43.9 years (median 41), the youngest was an 11-year old male and the oldest was an 86-year old female. Of the 102 cases, 33 had negative toxicology while 69 cases had at least one positive toxicology result. Females were equally likely to have negative or positive results (12 and 13 cases respectively), but males were 37.5% more likely to have positive toxicology (n=56) rather than negative toxicology (n=21). For females, alcohol, mirtazapine, venlafaxine, and trazodone were the top psychoactive substances in peripheral blood while THC, cocaine, hydrocodone, bupropion, olanzapine, doxylamine, quetiapine and dextromethorphan were also reported. For males, alcohol, THC, cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, bupropion, and diphenhydramine were the top psychoactive substances in blood, but several other drugs were also found in individual cases. Our study of hanging cases over a 3-year period support the idea that complete postmortem toxicology investigation of hangings should be performed, even when the "obvious" cause of death is asphyxia due to hanging. Many of these cases involved psychoactive substances (most often alcohol and cannabis), and having such knowledge provides a better understanding of the circumstances surrounding the decedent's death, their possible state of impairment, including the possibility of a staged suicide if the decedent was too impaired to perform a self-hanging. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Size does matter - Intraspecific variation of feeding mechanics in the crested newt Triturus dobrogicus (Kiritzescu, 1903)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kucera, Florian; Beisser, Christian J.; Lemell, Patrick

2018-03-01

Many studies have yet been conducted on suction feeding in aquatic salamander species. Within the Salamandridae, the crested newt Triturus dobrogicus (Kiritzescu, 1903), occurring from the Austrian Danube floodplains to the Danube Delta, was not subject of investigations so far. The present study examines the kinematics of aquatic suction feeding in this species by means of high-speed videography. Recordings of five individuals of different size and sex while feeding on bloodworms were conducted, in order to identify potential discrepancies among individuals and sizes. Five coordinate points were digitized from recordings of prey capture and twelve time- and velocity-determined variables were evaluated. All specimens follow a typical inertial suction feeding process, where rapid hyoid depression expands the buccal cavity. Generated negative pressure within the buccal cavity causes influx of water along with the prey item into the mouth. Results demonstrate higher distance values and angles for gape in individuals with smaller size. In addition, hyoid depression is maximized in smaller individuals. While Triturus dobrogicus resembles a typical inertial suction feeder in its functional morphology, intraspecific differences could be found regarding the correlation of different feeding patterns and body size.

Anemia and hematinic deficiencies in gastric parietal cell antibody-positive and antibody-negative erosive oral lichen planus patients with thyroid antibody positivity.

PubMed

Chang, Julia Y-F; Chen, I-Chang; Wang, Yi-Ping; Wu, Yu-Hsueh; Chen, Hsin-Ming; Sun, Andy

2016-11-01

Serum gastric parietal cell antibody (GPCA), thyroglobulin antibody (TGA), and thyroid microsomal antibody (TMA) are found in some erosive oral lichen planus (EOLP) patients. This study assessed whether serum GPCA, TGA and TMA and EOLP itself played significant roles in causing anemia and hematinic deficiencies in TGA/TMA-positive EOLP patients with GPCA positivity (GPCA + /TGA/TMA/EOLP patients) or negativity (GPCA - /TGA/TMA/EOLP patients). The mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean blood hemoglobin (Hb), iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid levels were measured and compared between any two of the four groups of 29 GPCA + /TGA/TMA/EOLP patients, 80 GPCA - /TGA/TMA/EOLP patients, 198 all antibodies-negative EOLP patients (Abs - /EOLP patients), and 218 healthy control individuals. GPCA + /TGA/TMA/EOLP patients had significantly lower mean Hb and vitamin B12 levels as well as significantly greater frequencies of Hb, iron, and vitamin B12 deficiencies than healthy controls. GPCA + /TGA/TMA/EOLP patients had significantly lower serum vitamin B12 level and higher MCV as well as a significantly greater frequency of vitamin B12 deficiency than GPCA - /TGA/TMA/EOLP patients. Furthermore, both GPCA - /TGA/TMA/EOLP and Abs - /EOLP patients did have significantly lower mean Hb, MCV, and iron (for women only) levels, as well as significantly greater frequencies of Hb and iron deficiencies than healthy controls. However, there were no significant differences in measured blood data between GPCA - /TGA/TMA/EOLP and Abs - /EOLP patients. We conclude that serum GPCA is the major factor causing vitamin B12 deficiency, macrocytosis and pernicious anemia in GPCA + /TGA/TMA/EOLP patients. ELOP itself but not TGA/TMA positivity plays a significant role in causing anemia and hematinic deficiencies in GPCA - /TGA/TMA/EOLP patients. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Changes in Body Water Caused by Sleep Deprivation in Taeeum and Soyang Types in Sasang Medicine: Prospective Intervention Study

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background There is a negative relationship between sleep deprivation and health. However, no study has investigated the effect of sleep deprivation on individuals with different body composition. The aim of this study was to determine the differential effect of sleep deprivation in individuals with different body compositions (fluid) according to Soyang type (SY) and Taeeum type (TE). Methods Sixty-two cognitively normal, middle-aged people with normal sleep patterns were recruited from the local population. The duration of participants' sleep was restricted to 4 h/day during the intervention phase. To examine the physiological changes brought on by sleep deprivation and recovery, 10 ml of venous blood was obtained. Results Total Body Water (TBW) and Extracellular Water (ECW) were significantly different between the groups in the intervention phase. Physiological parameters also varied from the beginning of the resting phase to the end of the experiment. Potassium levels changed more in SY than TE individuals. Conclusion Participants responded differently to the same amount of sleep deprivation depending on their Sasang constitution types. This study indicated that SY individuals were more sensitive to sleep deprivation and were slower to recover from the effects of sleep deprivation than TE individuals. PMID:28676829

Exploring the mind's eye: Contents and characteristics of mental images in overweight individuals with binge eating behaviour.

PubMed

Dugué, Rebecca; Keller, Silke; Tuschen-Caffier, Brunna; Jacob, Gitta A

2016-12-30

Mental images play a role in various mental disorders and are strongly associated with emotions. Negative emotions and their regulation are important in eating disorders. However, research on mental imagery in eating disorders is still scarce. We investigated mental images and their relation to distress and eating disorder psychopathology in individuals with binge eating behaviour. Content and characteristics of mental images and their relation to psychopathology of 21 individuals with binge eating behaviour, 19 mixed patient controls and 21 healthy controls have been assessed with a semi-structured interview. Occurrence and vividness of food-related images did not differ between groups. However they were experienced as more distressing and distracting and more difficult to control by eating disordered patients. Body-related mental images were less associated with desire to eat than expected. Mental images of social rejection were experienced as more vivid by both clinical groups and caused desire to eat in individuals with binge eating behaviour. Mental images are relevant in binge eating behaviour, but with different patterns regarding concomitant distress and eating disorder psychopathology. As transdiagnostic mental images of social rejection are relevant for individuals with binge eating behaviour, research on imagery based techniques in eating disorders seems promising. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Is the Nobel Prize good for science?

PubMed

Casadevall, Arturo; Fang, Ferric C

2013-12-01

The Nobel Prize is arguably the best known and most prestigious award in science. Here we review the effect of the Nobel Prize and acknowledge that it has had many beneficial effects on science. However, ever since its inaugural year in 1901, the Nobel Prize has also been beset by controversy, mostly involving the selection of certain individuals and the exclusion of others. In this regard, the Nobel Prize epitomizes the winner-takes-all economics of credit allocation and distorts the history of science by personalizing discoveries that are truly made by groups of individuals. The limitation of the prize to only 3 individuals at a time when most scientific discovery is the result of collaborative and cooperative research is arguably the major cause of Nobel Prize controversies. A simple solution to this problem would be to eliminate the restriction on the number of individuals who could be awarded the prize, a measure that would recognize all who contribute, from students to senior investigators. There is precedent for such a change in the Nobel Peace Prize, which has often gone to organizations. Changing the Nobel Prize to more fairly allocate credit would reduce the potential for controversy and directly benefit the scientific enterprise by promoting cooperation and collaboration of scientists within a field to reduce the negative consequences of competition between individual scientists.

Social anxiety and interpersonal stress generation: the moderating role of interpersonal distress.

PubMed

Siegel, David M; Burke, Taylor A; Hamilton, Jessica L; Piccirillo, Marilyn L; Scharff, Adela; Alloy, Lauren B

2018-06-01

Existing models of social anxiety scarcely account for interpersonal stress generation. These models also seldom include interpersonal factors that compound the effects of social anxiety. Given recent findings that two forms of interpersonal distress, perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness, intensify social anxiety and cause interpersonal stress generation, these two constructs may be especially relevant to examining social anxiety and interpersonal stress generation together. The current study extended prior research by examining the role of social anxiety in the occurrence of negative and positive interpersonal events and evaluated whether interpersonal distress moderated these associations. Undergraduate students (N = 243; M = 20.46 years; 83% female) completed self-report measures of social anxiety, perceived burdensomeness, and thwarted belongingness, as well as a self-report measure and clinician-rated interview assessing negative and positive interpersonal events that occurred over the past six weeks. Higher levels of social anxiety were associated only with a higher occurrence of negative interpersonal dependent events, after controlling for depressive symptoms. This relationship was stronger among individuals who also reported higher levels of perceived burdensomeness, but not thwarted belongingness. It may be important to more strongly consider interpersonal stress generation in models of social anxiety.

Impact of Parental HIV/AIDS on Children’s Psychological Well-Being: A Systematic Review of Global Literature

PubMed Central

Chi, Peilian; Li, Xiaoming

2012-01-01

This review examines the global literature regarding the impact of parental HIV/AIDS on children’s psychological well-being. Fifty one articles reporting quantitative data from a total of 30 studies were retrieved and reviewed. Findings were mixed but tended to show that AIDS orphans and vulnerable children had poorer psychological well-being in comparison with children from HIV-free families or children orphaned by other causes. Limited longitudinal studies suggested a negative effect of parental HIV on children’s psychological well-being in an early stage of parental HIV-related illness and such effects persisted through the course of parental illness and after parental death. HIV-related stressful life events, stigma, and poverty were risk factors that might aggravate the negative impact of parental HIV/AIDS on children. Individual coping skills, trusting relationship with caregivers and social support were suggested to protect children against the negative effects of parental HIV/AIDS. This review underlines the vulnerability of children affected by HIV/AIDS. Culturally and developmentally appropriate evidence-based interventions are urgently needed to promote the psychological well-being of children affected by HIV/AIDS. PMID:22972606

Attitudes toward Substance Abuse Clients: An Empirical Study of Clinical Psychology Trainees.

PubMed

Mundon, Chandra R; Anderson, Melissa L; Najavits, Lisa M

2015-01-01

Despite the high prevalence of substance use disorder (SUD) and its frequent comorbidity with mental illness, individuals with SUD are less likely to receive effective SUD treatment from mental health practitioners than SUD counselors. Limited competence and interest in treating this clinical population are likely influenced by a lack of formal training in SUD treatment. Using a factorial survey-vignette design that included three clinical vignettes and a supplementary survey instrument, we investigated whether clinical psychology doctoral students differ in their level of negative emotional reactions toward clients with SUD versus major depressive disorder (MDD); whether they differ in their attributions for SUD versus MDD; and how their negative emotional reactions and attributions impact their interest in pursuing SUD clinical work. Participants were 155 clinical psychology graduate-level doctoral students (72% female). Participants endorsed more negative emotional reactions toward clients with SUD than toward clients with MDD. They were also more likely to identify poor willpower as the cause for SUD than for MDD. More than a third reported interest in working with SUD populations. Highest levels of interest were associated with prior professional and personal experience with SUD, four to six years of clinical experience, and postmodern theoretical orientation.

Does Individual Stigma Predict Mental Health Funding Attitudes? Toward an Understanding of Resource Allocation and Social Climate.

PubMed

DeLuca, Joseph S; Clement, Timothy W; Yanos, Philip T

2017-01-01

The uneven progression of mental health funding in the United States, and the way that the funding climate seems to be influenced by local and regional differences, raises the issue of what factors, including stigma, may impact mental health funding decisions. Criticisms that mental health stigma research is too individually-focused have led researchers to consider how broader, macro-level forms of stigma - such as structural stigma - intersect with micro-level forms of individual stigma. While some studies suggest that macro and micro stigma levels are distinct processes, other studies suggest a more synergistic relationship between structural and individual stigma. Participants in the current study (N = 951; national, convenience sample of the U.S.) completed a hypothetical mental health resource allocation task (a measure of structural discrimination). We then compared participants' allocation of resources to mental health to participants' endorsement of negative stereotypes, beliefs about recovery and treatment, negative attributions, intended social distancing, microaggressions, and help-seeking (measures of individual stigma). Negative stereotyping, help-seeking self-stigma, and intended social distancing behaviors were weakly but significantly negatively correlated with allocating funds to mental health programs. More specifically, attributions of blame and anger were positively correlated to funding for vocational rehabilitation; attributions of dangerousness and fear were negatively correlated to funding for supported housing and court supervision and outpatient commitment; and attributions of anger were negatively correlated to funding for inpatient commitment and hospitalization. Individual stigma and sociodemographic factors appear to only partially explain structural stigma decisions. Future research should assess broader social and contextual factors, in addition to other beliefs and worldviews (e.g., allocation preference questionnaire, economic beliefs).

False negative fecal occult blood test may be associated with increased mortality from colorectal cancer.

PubMed

Half, Elizabeth E; Mlynarsky, Liat; Naftali, Timna; Benjaminov, Fabiana; Konikoff, Fred M

2013-09-01

Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) is an accepted screening test for colorectal cancer (CRC). It has been shown to decrease mortality by up to 30%. The outcome of screening failures has not been adequately studied. The purpose of this study was to assess the outcome of patients who were diagnosed with CRC after a false negative FOBT. We identified all consecutive CRCs from pathology reports between 2005 and 2010. Patients were divided according to their FOBT result. Those who became positive were compared to patients who remained negative. Altogether 401 CRCs were identified. Of those, 202 never performed a FOBT. At least one negative FOBT was performed by 133 individuals (67%). Of these, 76 remained negative (false negatives, FN) and 57 became positive (positive conversion, PC, controls). The prevalence of metastatic disease was threefold higher among the FNs as compared to the PC group (16 [22.2%] vs. 4 [7.5%], P=0.022). All-cause mortality was also significantly higher among FNs versus PCs (24 [31.6%] vs. 5 [8.8%], P=0.001); in Cox regression analysis of survival (covariates: FNs vs. PC, gender, age, medications and co-morbidities) FNs had increased mortality compared to the PC (HR 2.929, P=0.033, CI 95% 1.092-7.858). No statistically significant difference was found regarding all primary end points when comparing the FN and the "No test" group. These data disclose a particular risk of FOBT as a screening test. A subgroup of patients with "false" negative tests may have increased morbidity and mortality. Efforts should be made to recognize and characterize this high-risk group.

Illness Perceptions in Patients of Schizophrenia: A Preliminary Investigation from Lahore, Pakistan

PubMed Central

Hussain, Sadia; Imran, Nazish; Hotiana, Usman Amin; Mazhar, Nauman; Asif, Aftab

2017-01-01

Background and Objective: Patient’s perception of their illness influences their healthcare decisions. The objectives of this study were to explore patient’s own beliefs about their illness (Schizophrenia) and perceived social support, and its impact on their attitudes toward pharmacological treatment in Lahore, Pakistan. Methods: This study was conducted at Mayo Hospital Lahore from March to September 2016. Hundred individuals suffering from Schizophrenia completed four questionnaires; a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Illness Perception Questionnaire for Schizophrenia(IPQ-S), Drug attitude Inventory-10 (DAI) and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (PSS). Results: Stress, family problems, lack of friends & financial worries were endorsed strongly by patients as cause of their mental illness. Ambiguity regarding their mental illness duration and personal control was observed. Patients’ perceived significant negative consequences, negative emotional response, as well as had poor understanding of their mental illness and treatment effectiveness. Statistically significant gender differences in treatment control and illness coherence subscales of IPQS were observed. Drug attitude inventory was positively correlated with Treatment control subscale (p < .01) and negatively correlated with Illness coherence subscale of IPQS (p < .05). The negative consequences subscale and perceived social support was negatively correlated (p < .01). Conclusion: Patient’s perception about their own illness is predictor of their drug taking attitude and perceived social support. Study results should help to develop new interventions to correct inaccurate beliefs in patients with schizophrenia to improve illness outcome. PMID:29067048

O-5S quantitative real-time PCR: a new diagnostic tool for laboratory confirmation of human onchocerciasis.

PubMed

Mekonnen, Solomon A; Beissner, Marcus; Saar, Malkin; Ali, Solomon; Zeynudin, Ahmed; Tesfaye, Kassahun; Adbaru, Mulatu G; Battke, Florian; Poppert, Sven; Hoelscher, Michael; Löscher, Thomas; Bretzel, Gisela; Herbinger, Karl-Heinz

2017-10-02

Onchocerciasis is a parasitic disease caused by the filarial nematode Onchocerca volvulus. In endemic areas, the diagnosis is commonly confirmed by microscopic examination of skin snip samples, though this technique is considered to have low sensitivity. The available melting-curve based quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) using degenerated primers targeting the O-150 repeat of O. volvulus was considered insufficient for confirming the individual diagnosis, especially in elimination studies. This study aimed to improve detection of O. volvulus DNA in clinical samples through the development of a highly sensitive qPCR assay. A novel hydrolysis probe based qPCR assay was designed targeting the specific sequence of the O. volvulus O-5S rRNA gene. A total of 200 clinically suspected onchocerciasis cases were included from Goma district in South-west Ethiopia, from October 2012 through May 2013. Skin snip samples were collected and subjected to microscopy, O-150 qPCR, and the novel O-5S qPCR. Among the 200 individuals, 133 patients tested positive (positivity rate of 66.5%) and 67 negative by O-5S qPCR, 74 tested positive by microscopy (37.0%) and 78 tested positive by O-150 qPCR (39.0%). Among the 133 O-5S qPCR positive individuals, microscopy and O-150 qPCR detected 55.6 and 59.4% patients, respectively, implying a higher sensitivity of O-5S qPCR than microscopy and O-150 qPCR. None of the 67 individuals who tested negative by O-5S qPCR tested positive by microscopy or O-150 qPCR, implying 100% specificity of the newly designed O-5S qPCR assay. The novel O-5S qPCR assay is more sensitive than both microscopic examination and the existing O-150 qPCR for the detection of O. volvulus from skin snip samples. The newly designed assay is an important step towards appropriate individual diagnosis and control of onchocerciasis.

Negative mood induction normalizes decision making in male cocaine dependent individuals.

PubMed

Fernández-Serrano, María José; Moreno-López, Laura; Pérez-García, Miguel; Viedma-Del Jesús, María I; Sánchez-Barrera, María B; Verdejo-García, Antonio

2011-10-01

Decision making is thought to play a key role in psychostimulant relapse, but very few studies have addressed the issue of how to counteract decision-making deficits in addicted individuals. According to the somatic marker framework, pervasive decision-making problems in addicted individuals may relate to abnormalities in the processing of emotional signals that work to anticipate the prospective outcomes of potential decisions. The present study was conducted to test whether the induction of different emotional states (positive, negative, or drug-related) could either normalize or further impair decision-making performance in male cocaine polysubstance-using individuals (CPSI), as indexed by the Iowa gambling task (IGT). Forty-two CPSI and 65 healthy control individuals (all males) were randomly allocated in four affective conditions using a parallel-group design. Participants in the different conditions performed the IGT during exposure to neutral, positive, negative, or drug-related sets of affective images. The results showed that the CPSI exposed to the negative affective context showed a preference for the risk-averse safe choices of the IGT and had a net performance indistinguishable from that of controls. On the other hand, CPSI exposed to positive, drug-related, and neutral contexts showed the typical pattern of disadvantageous performance in the IGT and performed significantly poorer than controls. The impact of the negative mood induction could not be explained in terms of baseline differences in decision-making skills, personality traits related to sensitivity to reward/punishment, or trait positive/negative affect. We conclude that negative mood induction can normalize decision-making performance in male CPSI, which may have important implications for the treatment of cocaine use-related disorders.

Terminal differentiation of T cells is strongly associated with CMV infection and increased in HIV-positive individuals on ART and lifestyle matched controls

PubMed Central

Booiman, Thijs; Wit, Ferdinand W.; Girigorie, Arginell F.; Maurer, Irma; De Francesco, Davide; Sabin, Caroline A.; Harskamp, Agnes M.; Prins, Maria; Franceschi, Claudio; Deeks, Steven G.; Winston, Alan; Reiss, Peter

2017-01-01

HIV-1-positive individuals on successful antiretroviral therapy (ART) are reported to have higher rates of age-associated non-communicable comorbidities (AANCCs). HIV-associated immune dysfunction has been suggested to contribute to increased AANCC risk. Here we performed a cross-sectional immune phenotype analysis of T cells in ART-treated HIV-1-positive individuals with undetectable vireamia (HIV-positives) and HIV-1-negative individuals (HIV-negatives) over 45 years of age. In addition, two control groups were studied: HIV negative adults selected based on lifestyle and demographic factors (Co-morBidity in Relation to AIDS, or COBRA) and unselected age-matched donors from a blood bank. Despite long-term ART (median of 12.2 years), HIV-infected adults had lower CD4+ T-cell counts and higher CD8+ T-cell counts compared to well-matched HIV-negative COBRA participants. The proportion of CD38+HLA-DR+ and PD-1+ CD4+ T-cells was higher in HIV-positive cohort compared to the two HIV-negative cohorts. The proportion CD57+ and CD27−CD28− cells of both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells in HIV-positives was higher compared to unselected adults (blood bank) as reported before but this difference was not apparent in comparison with well-matched HIV-negative COBRA participants. Multiple regression analysis showed that the presence of an increased proportion of terminally differentiated T cells was strongly associated with CMV infection. Compared to appropriately selected HIV-negative controls, HIV-positive individuals on ART with long-term suppressed viraemia exhibited incomplete immune recovery and increased immune activation/exhaustion. CMV infection rather than treated HIV infection appears to have more consistent effects on measures of terminal differentiation of T cells. PMID:28806406

Rose Angina Questionnaire: Validation with cardiologists' diagnoses to detect coronary heart disease in Bangladesh

PubMed Central

Rahman, Muhammad Aziz; Spurrier, Nicola; Mahmood, Mohammad Afzal; Rahman, Mahmudur; Choudhury, Sohel Reza; Leeder, Stephen

2013-01-01

Aim/objectives The study aimed to validate the Rose Angina Questionnaire (RAQ) to detect coronary heart disease (CHD) by comparing with cardiologists' diagnoses in Bangladesh. Methods Patients aged 40–75 years attending to two cardiac hospitals were diagnosed as either CHD positive or CHD negative by cardiologists. The RAQ was used to reclassify them into CHD positive [RAQ] and CHD negative [RAQ]. Findings There were 302 CHD positive [cardiologists] and 302 CHD negative [cardiologists] individuals. The RAQ reclassified 194 individuals as CHD positive [RAQ] and 409 individuals as CHD negative [RAQ]. Therefore, the RAQ had 53% sensitivity and 89% specificity. There was no difference in sensitivity and specificity during subgroup analyzes by age and gender; the sensitivity was higher among people from lower socio-economic status. Conclusion The RAQ, having moderate sensitivity but high specificity to detect CHD, can be used to screen individuals at risk of CHD in large-scale epidemiological surveys. PMID:23438610

Impact of urban built environment on urban short-distance taxi travel: the case of Shanghai

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Zhuoye; Zhuo, Jian

2018-05-01

The excessive individual motorized transport is the main cause of urban congestion and generates negative consequences on urban environmental quality, energy consumption, infrastructure supply and urban security. Bicycle can compete effectively with automobile for short-distance travels within 3km. If we take action to encourage the rider to shift from automobile to bike for the short-distance travels, it leaves us a great chance to reduce the modal share of individual motorized mode. This paper focus on the spatial impact of built environment on short-distance taxi riders’ travel behaviour. The data sources include taxi trajectory data for a week, demographic data of the Sixth National Census, POI data. In this paper, we figure out the volumes and spatial distribution of short-distance taxi travel in the central city of Shanghai. We build a multiple regression model to quantitative analyze the impact of urban built environment on urban short-distance taxi travel. The findings explain the spatial distribution short-distance taxi travel. In the conclusion, some advice are provided on how planners change the spatial settings to discourage short-distance individual motorized travel.

Anxiety sensitivity levels: a predictor of treatment compliance or avoidance.

PubMed

Weiner, Arthur A

2013-01-01

The goal of this article is to stress the importance of understanding the presence of varying levels of pretreatment anxiety sensitivity to certain anticipated dental events and the role it plays as a predictor of anxious behavior and patient responses when individuals are confronted with fear-causing events, such as dental treatment. The varying intensity of anxiety sensitivity levels (ASL) in individuals serves to lessen or heighten the anxious and fearful response to potentially anxiety-provoking stimuli, such as pain. This level of anxiety sensitivity can often be traced back to the degree of knowledge or lack of information possessed by the patient regarding anticipated treatment and the practitioner's degree of acumen and completeness in history gathering. It has been suggested clinically that the level of anxiety sensitivity is directly related to the ability to predict whether or not treatment compliance will be achieved in an individual. Knowing the factors-either physiological or psychological-that are in play and that produce negative and aversive responses within a patient before and during treatment is key to solving these barriers to dental care.

A content analysis of depression-related discourses on Sina Weibo: attribution, efficacy, and information sources.

PubMed

Pan, Jiabao; Liu, Bingjie; Kreps, Gary L

2018-06-20

Depression is a mood disorder that may lead to severe outcomes including mental breakdown, self-injury, and suicide. Potential causes of depression include genetic, sociocultural, and individual-level factors. However, public understandings of depression guided by a complex interplay of media and other societal discourses might not be congruent with the scientific knowledge. Misunderstandings of depression can lead to under-treatment and stigmatization of depression. Against this backdrop, this study aims to achieve a holistic understanding of the patterns and dynamics in discourses about depression from various information sources in China by looking at related posts on social media. A content analysis was conducted with 902 posts about depression randomly selected within a three-year period (2014 to 2016) on the mainstream social media platform in China, Sina Weibo. Posts were analyzed with a focus on attributions of and solutions to depression, attitudes towards depression, and efficacy indicated by the posts across various information sources. Results suggested that depression was most often attributed to individual-level factors. Across all the sources, individual-level attributions were often adopted by state-owned media whereas health and academic experts and organizations most often mentioned biological causes of depression. Citizen journalists and unofficial social groups tended to make societal-level attributions. Overall, traditional media posts suggested the lowest efficacy in coping with depression and the most severe negative outcomes as compared with other sources. The dominance of individual-level attributions and solutions regarding depression on Chinese social media on one hand manifests the public's limited understanding of depression and on the other hand, may further constrain adoption of scientific explanations about depression and exacerbate stigmatization towards depressed individuals. Mass media's posts centered on description of severe outcomes of depression without suggestions of solutions' effectiveness, which may induce more anxiety among depressed individuals. Campaigns promoting comprehensive understandings about depression and popular works translating scientific findings on depression to the public are called for.

Mental disorder is a cause of crime: the cornerstone of forensic psychiatry.

PubMed

Anckarsäter, Henrik; Radovic, Susanna; Svennerlind, Christer; Höglund, Pontus; Radovic, Filip

2009-01-01

The assumption that mental disorder is a cause of crime is the foundation of forensic psychiatry, but conceptual, epistemological, and empirical analyses show that neither mental nor crime, or the causation implied, are clear-cut concepts. "Mental" denotes heterogeneous aspects of a person such as inner experiences, cognitive abilities, and behaviour patterns described in a non-physical vocabulary. In psychology and psychiatry, mental describes law-bound, caused aspects of human functioning that are predictable and generalizable. Problems defined as mental disorders are end-points of dimensional inter-individual differences rather than natural categories. Deficits in cognitive faculties, such as attention, verbal understanding, impulse control, and reality assessment, may be susceptibility factors that relate to behaviours (such as crimes) by increasing the probability (risk) for a negative behaviour or constitute causes in the sense of INUS conditions (Insufficient but Non-redundant parts of Unnecessary but Sufficient conditions). Attributing causes to complex behaviours such as crimes is not an unbiased process, and mental disorders will attract disproportionate attention when it comes to explanations of behaviours that we wish to distance ourselves from. Only by rigorous interpretation of what psychiatry actually can inform us about, using empirical analyses of quantified aggressive antisocial behaviours and their possible explanatory factors, can we gain a clearer notion of the relationship between mental disorder and crime.

Cognitive and neural consequences of memory suppression in major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Sacchet, Matthew D; Levy, Benjamin J; Hamilton, J Paul; Maksimovskiy, Arkadiy; Hertel, Paula T; Joormann, Jutta; Anderson, Michael C; Wagner, Anthony D; Gotlib, Ian H

2017-02-01

Negative biases in cognition have been documented consistently in major depressive disorder (MDD), including difficulties in the ability to control the processing of negative material. Although negative information-processing biases have been studied using both behavioral and neuroimaging paradigms, relatively little research has been conducted examining the difficulties of depressed persons with inhibiting the retrieval of negative information from long-term memory. In this study, we used the think/no-think paradigm and functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess the cognitive and neural consequences of memory suppression in individuals diagnosed with depression and in healthy controls. The participants showed typical behavioral forgetting effects, but contrary to our hypotheses, there were no differences between the depressed and nondepressed participants or between neutral and negative memories. Relative to controls, depressed individuals exhibited greater activity in right middle frontal gyrus during memory suppression, regardless of the valence of the suppressed stimuli, and differential activity in the amygdala and hippocampus during memory suppression involving negatively valenced stimuli. These findings indicate that depressed individuals are characterized by neural anomalies during the suppression of long-term memories, increasing our understanding of the brain bases of negative cognitive biases in MDD.

Diabetes screening anxiety and beliefs.

PubMed

Skinner, T C; Davies, M J; Farooqi, A M; Jarvis, J; Tringham, J R; Khunti, K

2005-11-01

This study assesses the impact of screening for diabetes on anxiety levels in an ethnically mixed population in the UK, and explores whether beliefs about Type 2 diabetes account for these anxiety levels. This cross-sectional study recruited individuals who were identified at high risk of developing diabetes through general practitioners' (GPs) lists or through public media recruitment. Participants completed an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Between blood tests, participants completed the Spielberger State Anxiety Scale Short Form, the Emotional Stability Scale of the Big Five Inventory 44 and three scales from the Diabetes Illness Representations Questionnaire, revised for this study. Of the 1339 who completed the OGTT and questionnaire booklet, 54% were female, with 21% from an Asian background. Forty-five per cent of participants reported little to moderate amounts of anxiety at screening (mean 35.2; sd = 11.6). There was no significant effect of family history of diabetes, ethnic group or recruitment method on anxiety. The only variable significantly associated (negatively) with anxiety was the personality trait of emotional stability. Of responders, 64% and 61% agreed that diabetes was caused by diet or hereditary factors, respectively. Only 155 individuals (12%) agreed that diabetes was serious, shortens life and causes complications. The results of this study replicate that of previous studies, indicating that screening for diabetes does not induce significant anxiety. Bivariate analysis indicated that individuals who perceived diabetes to be serious, life shortening and resulting in complications had higher anxiety scores, the personality trait of emotional stability being the strongest predictor of anxiety.

Primary care physicians’ perspectives on the prescription opioid epidemic*

PubMed Central

Kennedy-Hendricks, Alene; Busch, Susan H.; McGinty, Emma E.; Bachhuber, Marcus A.; Niederdeppe, Jeff; Gollust, Sarah E.; Webster, Daniel W.; Fiellin, David A.; Barry, Colleen L.

2016-01-01

Background Prescription opioid use disorder and overdose have risen substantially in the U.S. Primary care physicians are critical to many ongoing and proposed efforts to address the prescription opioid epidemic. Yet, little is known about their attitudes and beliefs surrounding this issue. This study aimed to determine primary care physicians’ perceptions of the seriousness of the problem, its causes, groups responsible for addressing it, attitudes toward individuals with prescription opioid use disorder, beliefs about the effectiveness of addiction treatments, and support for various policies. Methods We conducted a national web-based survey in 2014 among 1,010 primary care physicians. We gauged responses to attitude and belief items on 7-point Likert scales. We examined the proportion agreeing with each statement, and whether responses differed among physicians prescribing higher and lower volumes of opioids. Results Respondents largely attributed the causes of prescription opioid use disorder to individual-oriented factors and certain physician-oriented factors, and believed that individuals with prescription opioid use disorder and physicians were primarily responsible for addressing the problem. Negative attitudes toward people with prescription opioid use disorder were prevalent, but a majority believed that treatment could be effective. There was majority support for all measured policies, with the highest levels of support for policies to monitor prescribing among patients potentially at risk for an opioid use disorder and to improve physician education and training. Conclusions Given strong endorsement of recommended policies, physician support could be leveraged to advance efforts to curb prescription opioid use disorder and overdose. PMID:27261154

The Formation of Marijuana Risk Perception in a Population of Substance Abusing Patients.

PubMed

Wilkinson, Samuel T; van Schalkwyk, Gerrit I; Davidson, Larry; D'Souza, Deepak C

2016-03-01

Risk perception has been shown to be protective with regard to marijuana use. Notably, the risk perception of marijuana in individuals with substance abuse problems varies significantly from that of the general public. Understanding how risk perception is formed in substance users could explain these differences and help predict the consequences of policy changes. Using this framework, we explored risk perception and its formation in a sample of substance abusing veterans. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with veterans who were receiving treatment for substance abuse. Interviews were recorded digitally, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. A prominent perspective among the 31 participants was that marijuana is significantly different from other drugs because it is safe, not addictive, not associated with physical withdrawal, and has less overt behavioral effects than other substances. Many of these participants drew upon their own innocuous experiences with the drug in developing this perspective, more so than information from any other source. A contrasting narrative emphasized marijuana's capacity to cause negative social consequences, act as a gateway to the use of other, more harmful substances, and cause paranoia or worsen psychosis. In conclusion, individual experience with marijuana featured more prominently in informing risk perception than any other source of information. Our results and previous literature suggest that the significant disconnect between the individual experiences of substance users and the current clinical and legal policy towards marijuana may weaken the legitimacy of public policy or the authority of the medical community.

A Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (MIMIC) model of internal barriers to drug treatment in China.

PubMed

Qi, Chang; Kelly, Brian C; Liao, Yanhui; He, Haoyu; Luo, Tao; Deng, Huiqiong; Liu, Tieqiao; Hao, Wei; Wang, Jichuan

2015-03-01

Although evidence exists for distinct barriers to drug abuse treatment (BDATs), investigations of their inter-relationships and the effect of individual characteristics on the barrier factors have been sparse, especially in China. A Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (MIMIC) model is applied for this target. A sample of 262 drug users were recruited from three drug rehabilitation centers in Hunan Province, China. We applied a MIMIC approach to investigate the effect of gender, age, marital status, education, primary substance use, duration of primary drug use, and drug treatment experience on the internal barrier factors: absence of problem (AP), negative social support (NSS), fear of treatment (FT), and privacy concerns (PC). Drug users of various characteristics were found to report different internal barrier factors. Younger participants were more likely to report NSS (-0.19, p=0.038) and PC (-0.31, p<0.001). Compared to other drug users, ice users were more likely to report AP (0.44, p<0.001) and NSS (0.25, p=0.010). Drug treatment experiences related to AP (0.20, p=0.012). In addition, differential item functioning (DIF) occurred in three items when participant from groups with different duration of drug use, ice use, or marital status. Individual characteristics had significant effects on internal barriers to drug treatment. On this basis, BDAT perceived by different individuals could be assessed before tactics were utilized to successfully remove perceived barriers to drug treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forming a negative impression of another person correlates with activation in medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala.

PubMed

Iidaka, Tetsuya; Harada, Tokiko; Sadato, Norihiro

2011-09-01

Neural correlates involved in the formation of negative impression from face were investigated using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging and a partial conditioning paradigm. Eighteen normal volunteers underwent imaging while they viewed the faces of two unfamiliar individuals: one individual's face was partially accompanied by negative emotion but the other's was not. After the volunteers learned the relationship between the faces and the emotion, they formed a more negative impression of the person's face when the emotion was presented. Subtraction analysis of the individuals' neutral faces revealed activation in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and superior temporal sulcus, but this activity did not correlate with the change of impression from face. On the other hand, the response in the left amygdala negatively correlated with the change of impression from face in the first run. Time modulation analysis revealed that activity in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex associated with negative emotion was the largest in the initial part of the acquisition. These results suggest that a negative impression from face may be formed by orchestrated activity in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and amygdala, and that the activity has a prominent role in the initial acquisition of negative emotion.

Negative frequency-dependent selection maintains a dramatic flower color polymorphism in the rewardless orchid Dactylorhiza sambucina (L.) Soò

PubMed Central

Gigord, Luc D. B.; Macnair, Mark R.; Smithson, Ann

2001-01-01

The orchid Dactylorhiza sambucina shows a stable and dramatic flower-color polymorphism, with both yellow- and purple-flowered individuals present in natural populations throughout the range of the species in Europe. The evolutionary significance of flower-color polymorphisms found in many rewardless orchid species has been discussed at length, but the mechanisms responsible for their maintenance remain unclear. Laboratory experiments have suggested that behavioral responses by pollinators to lack of reward availability might result in a reproductive advantage for rare-color morphs. Consequently, we performed an experiment varying the relative frequency of the two color morphs of D. sambucina to test whether rare morph advantage acted in the natural habitat of the species. We show here clear evidence from this manipulative experiment that rare-color morphs have reproductive advantage through male and female components. This is the first demonstration, to our knowledge, that negative frequency-dependent selection through pollinator preference for rare morphs can cause the maintenance of a flower-color polymorphism. PMID:11353863

Attributional style in fist episode of schizophrenia and schizophrenia spectrum disorders with and without paranoid ideation.

PubMed

Zaytseva, Yulia; Burova, Vitalina; Garakh, Zanna; Gurovich, Isaac Ya

2013-09-01

In the present study we evaluated attributional style which refers to how individuals explain the causes for positive and negative events in their lives in patients with first episode of schizophrenia with and without paranoid ideation. 43 patients with first episode of psychosis and 37 matched normal controls completed Ambiguous Intentions Hostility Questionnaire (AIHQ) (Combs et al. 2007). Between group comparison of AIHQ scores showed a notable tendency to show aggressive response in overall patients group. We obtained significant elevation of hostility and blame biases scores in intentional and accidental situations in patients with paranoid ideation while the patients with non-paranoid ideation showed greater hostility and blame biases only in accidental situations as compared to controls. Correlations with positive and negative symptoms were obtained. Our findings suggest that patients with first episode of psychosis exhibit difficulties of the attribution biases which are interconnected with symptoms and thus indicate a trait-deficit of attributional style.

A Puzzle Unsolved: Failure to Observe Different Effects of God and Religion Primes on Intergroup Attitudes

PubMed Central

Ramsay, Jonathan E.; Tong, Eddie M. W.; Pang, Joyce S.; Chowdhury, Avijit

2016-01-01

Religious priming has been found to have both positive and negative consequences, and recent research suggests that the activation of God-related and community-related religious cognitions may cause outgroup prosociality and outgroup derogation respectively. The present research sought to examine whether reminders of God and religion have different effects on attitudes towards ingroup and outgroup members. Over two studies, little evidence was found for different effects of these two types of religious primes. In study 1, individuals primed with the words “religion”, “God” and a neutral control word evaluated both ingroup and outgroup members similarly, although a marginal tendency towards more negative evaluations of outgroup members by females exposed to religion primes was observed. In study 2, no significant differences in attitudes towards an outgroup member were observed between the God, religion, and neutral priming conditions. Furthermore, the gender effect observed in study 1 did not replicate in this second study. Possible explanations for these null effects are discussed. PMID:26812526

A Puzzle Unsolved: Failure to Observe Different Effects of God and Religion Primes on Intergroup Attitudes.

PubMed

Ramsay, Jonathan E; Tong, Eddie M W; Pang, Joyce S; Chowdhury, Avijit

2016-01-01

Religious priming has been found to have both positive and negative consequences, and recent research suggests that the activation of God-related and community-related religious cognitions may cause outgroup prosociality and outgroup derogation respectively. The present research sought to examine whether reminders of God and religion have different effects on attitudes towards ingroup and outgroup members. Over two studies, little evidence was found for different effects of these two types of religious primes. In study 1, individuals primed with the words "religion", "God" and a neutral control word evaluated both ingroup and outgroup members similarly, although a marginal tendency towards more negative evaluations of outgroup members by females exposed to religion primes was observed. In study 2, no significant differences in attitudes towards an outgroup member were observed between the God, religion, and neutral priming conditions. Furthermore, the gender effect observed in study 1 did not replicate in this second study. Possible explanations for these null effects are discussed.

The effects of arts-in-medicine programming on the medical-surgical work environment

PubMed Central

Sonke, Jill; Pesata, Virginia; Arce, Lauren; Carytsas, Ferol P.; Zemina, Kristen; Jokisch, Christine

2015-01-01

Background: Arts in medicine programs have significant impacts on patients and staff in long-term care environments, but the literature lacks evidence of effectiveness on hospital units with shorter average lengths of stay. Methods: The qualitative study used individual structured interviews to assess the impacts of arts programming on job satisfaction, stress, unit culture, support, quality of care, and patient outcomes on a short-term medical-surgical unit, and used a qualitative cross comparison grounded theory methodology to analyze data. Results: The study confirmed that arts programming can positively affect unit culture, nursing practice, and quality of care on short-stay medical-surgical units. Significant insights related to nursing practice and the art program were found, including that music can cause negative distraction for staff. Conclusions: While positive impacts of arts programming on the medical-surgical environment are clear, potential negative effects also need to be considered in the development of practice protocols for artists. PMID:25544861

Compromised zinc status of experimental rats as a consequence of prolonged iron & calcium supplementation

PubMed Central

Jayalakshmi, S.; Platel, Kalpana

2016-01-01

Background & objectives: Iron supplementation is usually given to pregnant and lactating women who may also have marginal deficiency of zinc. The negative impact of supplemental iron and calcium on zinc status is a cause of concern. The present investigation was undertaken to examine the effect of inclusion of iron and calcium in the diet at supplementary levels on zinc status of experimental rats. Methods: Groups of experimental rats were maintained on diets supplemented with iron (Molar ratio - Zn:Fe 1:30) and calcium (Molar ratio - Zn:Ca 1:667) both individually and in combination for six weeks. Zinc status of these rats was assessed by determining zinc concentration in circulation and in organs, and the activities of zinc containing enzymes in serum and liver. Results: The zinc status of experimental rats receiving supplemental levels of iron and calcium was significantly compromised. Zinc concentration in serum, kidney, spleen and liver was reduced significantly by both these minerals. Six weeks of supplementation of iron and calcium individually, significantly reduced the activity of liver and serum superoxide dismutase and alkaline phosphatase. Activity of liver alcohol dehydrogenase was lowered in calcium supplemented group and in calcium + iron supplemented group, while that of carbonic anhydrase was significantly reduced by iron, calcium and their combination. Interpretation & conclusions: Supplemental levels of iron and calcium, both individually and in combination, significantly compromised the zinc status of experimental rats. This negative effect of these two minerals was more prominent when these were supplemented for a period of six weeks. PMID:27121523

Failure of PCR to Detect Treponema pallidum ssp. pertenue DNA in Blood in Latent Yaws.

PubMed

Marks, Michael; Katz, Samantha; Chi, Kai-Hua; Vahi, Ventis; Sun, Yongcheng; Mabey, David C; Solomon, Anthony W; Chen, Cheng Y; Pillay, Allan

2015-01-01

Yaws, caused by Treponema pallidum ssp. pertenue, is a neglected tropical disease closely related to venereal syphilis and is targeted for eradication by 2020. Latent yaws represents a diagnostic challenge, and current tools cannot adequately distinguish between individuals with true latent infection and individuals who are serofast following successful treatment. PCR on blood has previously been shown to detect T. pallidum DNA in patients with syphilis, suggesting that this approach may be of value in yaws. We performed real-time PCR for Treponema pallidum ssp. pertenue on blood samples from 140 children with positive T. pallidum Particle Agglutination (TPPA) and Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) tests and 7 controls (negative serology), all collected as part of a prospective study of yaws in the Solomon Islands. All samples were also tested by a nested PCR for T. pallidum. 12 patients had clinical evidence of active yaws whilst 128 were considered to have latent yaws. 43 children had high titre rapid plasma reagins (RPRs) of ≥1:32. PCR testing with both assays gave negative results in all cases. It is possible that the failure to detect T. pallidum ssp. pertenue in blood reflects lower loads of organism in latent yaws compared to those in latent infection with T. pallidum ssp. pertenue, and/or a lower propensity for haematogenous dissemination in yaws than in syphilis. As the goal of the yaws control programme is eradication, a tool that can differentiate true latent infection from individuals who are serofast would be of value; however, PCR of blood is not that tool.

Evaluation of multiplex real-time PCR for detection of Haemophilus ducreyi, Treponema pallidum, herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 in the diagnosis of genital ulcer disease in the Rakai District, Uganda.

PubMed

Suntoke, T R; Hardick, A; Tobian, A A R; Mpoza, B; Laeyendecker, O; Serwadda, D; Opendi, P; Gaydos, C A; Gray, R H; Wawer, M J; Quinn, T C; Reynolds, S J

2009-04-01

To develop a real-time PCR assay that reliably and accurately detects the predominant sexually transmitted aetiological agents of genital ulcer disease (GUD) (Haemophilus ducreyi, Treponema pallidum and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2)) and to assess the use of real-time PCR diagnostic testing in a rural African field site. Two multiplex real-time PCR reactions were used to detect H ducreyi/and HSV-1/HSV-2 in ulcer swabs from 100 people with symptomatic genital ulcers in rural Rakai, Uganda. Results were compared with syphilis, HSV-1 and HSV-2 serology. Of 100 GUD samples analysed from 43 HIV positive and 57 HIV negative individuals, 71% were positive for one or more sexually transmitted infection (STI) pathogens by real-time PCR (61% for HSV-2, 5% for T pallidum, 3% for HSV-1, 1% for H ducreyi and 1% for dual H ducreyi/HSV-2). The frequency of HSV in genital ulcers was 56% (32/57) in HIV negative individuals and 77% (33/43) in HIV positive individuals (p = 0.037). Assay reproducibility was evaluated by repeat PCR testing in the USA with 96% agreement (kappa = 0.85). STI pathogens were detected in the majority of GUD swab samples from symptomatic patients in Rakai, Uganda, by real-time PCR. HSV-2 was the predominant cause of genital ulcers. Real-time PCR technology can provide sensitive, rapid and reproducible evaluation of GUD aetiology in a resource-limited setting.

Ventral Striatum Response During Reward and Punishment Reversal Learning in Unmedicated Major Depressive Disorder

PubMed Central

Robinson, Oliver J.; Cools, Roshan; Carlisi, Christina O.; Sahakian, Barbara J.; Drevets, Wayne C.

2017-01-01

Objective Affective biases may underlie many of the key symptoms of major depressive disorder, from anhedonia to altered cognitive performance. Understanding the cause of these biases is therefore critical in the quest for improved treatments. Depression is associated, for example, with a negative affective bias in reversal learning. However, despite the fact that reversal learning is associated with striatal response in healthy individuals and depressed individuals exhibit attenuated striatal function on multiple tasks, studies to date have not demonstrated striatal involvement in the negative bias in reversal learning in depression. In this study, the authors sought to determine whether this may be because reversal learning tasks conventionally used to study behavior examine reversals only on the basis of unexpected punishment and therefore do not adequately separate reward- and punishment-based behavior. Method The authors used functional MRI to com pare the hemodynamic response to a reversal learning task with mixed reward- and punishment-based reversal stages between individuals with unmedicated major depressive disorder (N=13) and healthy comparison subjects (N=14). Results Impaired reward (but not punishment) reversal accuracy was found alongside attenuated anteroventral striatal response to unexpected reward in depression. Conclusions Attenuated neurophysiological response of the anteroventral striatum may reflect dysfunction in circuits involving afferent projections from the orbitofrontal, limbic, and/or mesostriatal dopaminergic pathways, which conceivably may, together with the ventral striatum, underlie anhedonia in depression. Learning to appreciate and enjoy positive life experiences is critical for recovery from depression. This study pinpoints a neural target for such recovery. PMID:22420038

Failure of PCR to Detect Treponema pallidum ssp. pertenue DNA in Blood in Latent Yaws

PubMed Central

Chi, Kai-Hua; Vahi, Ventis; Sun, Yongcheng; Mabey, David C.; Solomon, Anthony W.; Chen, Cheng Y.; Pillay, Allan

2015-01-01

Yaws, caused by Treponema pallidum ssp. pertenue, is a neglected tropical disease closely related to venereal syphilis and is targeted for eradication by 2020. Latent yaws represents a diagnostic challenge, and current tools cannot adequately distinguish between individuals with true latent infection and individuals who are serofast following successful treatment. PCR on blood has previously been shown to detect T. pallidum DNA in patients with syphilis, suggesting that this approach may be of value in yaws. We performed real-time PCR for Treponema pallidum ssp. pertenue on blood samples from 140 children with positive T. pallidum Particle Agglutination (TPPA) and Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) tests and 7 controls (negative serology), all collected as part of a prospective study of yaws in the Solomon Islands. All samples were also tested by a nested PCR for T. pallidum. 12 patients had clinical evidence of active yaws whilst 128 were considered to have latent yaws. 43 children had high titre rapid plasma reagins (RPRs) of ≥1:32. PCR testing with both assays gave negative results in all cases. It is possible that the failure to detect T. pallidum ssp. pertenue in blood reflects lower loads of organism in latent yaws compared to those in latent infection with T. pallidum ssp. pertenue, and/or a lower propensity for haematogenous dissemination in yaws than in syphilis. As the goal of the yaws control programme is eradication, a tool that can differentiate true latent infection from individuals who are serofast would be of value; however, PCR of blood is not that tool. PMID:26125585

Neighborhood racial discrimination and the development of major depression.

PubMed

Russell, Daniel W; Clavél, Frederick D; Cutrona, Carolyn E; Abraham, W Todd; Burzette, Rebecca G

2018-02-01

This study examined the impact of neighborhood racial discrimination on the development of major depressive disorder (MDD) in a sample of African American women. Participants were 499 women from Georgia and Iowa with no history of MDD who were followed for 9 to 11 years. Several neighborhood characteristics (community social disorder, community cohesion, and community racism) and individual characteristics (negative life events, financial strain, personal outlook, religious involvement, relationship quality, negative affectivity, and individual experiences of racism) were employed as predictors of whether or not the women met criteria for MDD during this period of time. In a multilevel logistic regression analysis, neighborhood-level discrimination as well as individual-level variables including the number of negative life events, financial strain, and negative affectivity were found to be significant predictors of developing MDD. Analyses of cross-level interactions indicated that the effects of neighborhood-level discrimination were moderated by the quality of individuals' relationships, such that better relationships with others served to lessen the effect of neighborhood discrimination on depression. Implications of these findings for understanding the negative effects of racial discrimination are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Interpretation bias and social anxiety: does interpretation bias mediate the relationship between trait social anxiety and state anxiety responses?

PubMed

Chen, Junwen; Milne, Kirby; Dayman, Janet; Kemps, Eva

2018-05-23

Two studies aimed to examine whether high socially anxious individuals are more likely to negatively interpret ambiguous social scenarios and facial expressions compared to low socially anxious individuals. We also examined whether interpretation bias serves as a mediator of the relationship between trait social anxiety and state anxiety responses, in particular current state anxiety, bodily sensations, and perceived probability and cost of negative evaluation pertaining to a speech task. Study 1 used ambiguous social scenarios and Study 2 used ambiguous facial expressions as stimuli to objectively assess interpretation bias. Undergraduate students with high and low social anxiety completed measures of state anxiety responses at three time points: baseline, after the interpretation bias task, and after the preparation for an impromptu speech. Results showed that high socially anxious individuals were more likely to endorse threat interpretations for ambiguous social scenarios and to interpret ambiguous faces as negative than low socially anxious individuals. Furthermore, negative interpretations mediated the relationship between trait social anxiety and perceived probability of negative evaluation pertaining to the speech task in Study 1 but not Study 2. The present studies provide new insight into the role of interpretation bias in social anxiety.

Real-Time Detection Method And System For Identifying Individual Aerosol Particles

DOEpatents

Gard, Eric Evan; Fergenson, David Philip

2005-10-25

A method and system of identifying individual aerosol particles in real time. Sample aerosol particles are compared against and identified with substantially matching known particle types by producing positive and negative test spectra of an individual aerosol particle using a bipolar single particle mass spectrometer. Each test spectrum is compared to spectra of the same respective polarity in a database of predetermined positive and negative spectra for known particle types and a set of substantially matching spectra is obtained. Finally the identity of the individual aerosol particle is determined from the set of substantially matching spectra by determining a best matching one of the known particle types having both a substantially matching positive spectrum and a substantially matching negative spectrum associated with the best matching known particle type.

Mnemonic transmission, social contagion, and emergence of collective memory: Influence of emotional valence, group structure, and information distribution.

PubMed

Choi, Hae-Yoon; Kensinger, Elizabeth A; Rajaram, Suparna

2017-09-01

Social transmission of memory and its consequence on collective memory have generated enduring interdisciplinary interest because of their widespread significance in interpersonal, sociocultural, and political arenas. We tested the influence of 3 key factors-emotional salience of information, group structure, and information distribution-on mnemonic transmission, social contagion, and collective memory. Participants individually studied emotionally salient (negative or positive) and nonemotional (neutral) picture-word pairs that were completely shared, partially shared, or unshared within participant triads, and then completed 3 consecutive recalls in 1 of 3 conditions: individual-individual-individual (control), collaborative-collaborative (identical group; insular structure)-individual, and collaborative-collaborative (reconfigured group; diverse structure)-individual. Collaboration enhanced negative memories especially in insular group structure and especially for shared information, and promoted collective forgetting of positive memories. Diverse group structure reduced this negativity effect. Unequally distributed information led to social contagion that creates false memories; diverse structure propagated a greater variety of false memories whereas insular structure promoted confidence in false recognition and false collective memory. A simultaneous assessment of network structure, information distribution, and emotional valence breaks new ground to specify how network structure shapes the spread of negative memories and false memories, and the emergence of collective memory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Curative Treatment of Severe Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections by a New Class of Antibiotics Targeting LpxC

PubMed Central

Lemaître, Nadine; Liang, Xiaofei; Najeeb, Javaria; Lee, Chul-Jin; Titecat, Marie; Leteurtre, Emmanuelle; Simonet, Michel; Toone, Eric J.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The infectious diseases caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria pose serious threats to humankind. It has been suggested that an antibiotic targeting LpxC of the lipid A biosynthetic pathway in Gram-negative bacteria is a promising strategy for curing Gram-negative bacterial infections. However, experimental proof of this concept is lacking. Here, we describe our discovery and characterization of a biphenylacetylene-based inhibitor of LpxC, an essential enzyme in the biosynthesis of the lipid A component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. The compound LPC-069 has no known adverse effects in mice and is effective in vitro against a broad panel of Gram-negative clinical isolates, including several multiresistant and extremely drug-resistant strains involved in nosocomial infections. Furthermore, LPC-069 is curative in a murine model of one of the most severe human diseases, bubonic plague, which is caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Yersinia pestis. Our results demonstrate the safety and efficacy of LpxC inhibitors as a new class of antibiotic against fatal infections caused by extremely virulent pathogens. The present findings also highlight the potential of LpxC inhibitors for clinical development as therapeutics for infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. PMID:28743813

Effect of anxiety on memory for emotional information in older adults.

PubMed

Herrera, Sara; Montorio, Ignacio; Cabrera, Isabel

2017-04-01

Several studies have shown that anxiety is associated with a better memory of negative events. However, this anxiety-related memory bias has not been studied in the elderly, in which there is a preferential processing of positive information. To study the effect of anxiety in a recognition task and an autobiographical memory task in 102 older adults with high and low levels of trait anxiety. Negative, positive and neutral pictures were used in the recognition task. In the autobiographical memory task, memories of the participants' lives were recorded, how they felt when thinking about them, and the personal relevance of these memories. In the recognition task, no anxiety-related bias was found toward negative information. Individuals with high trait anxiety were found to remember less positive pictures than those with low trait anxiety. In the autobiographical memory task, both groups remembered negative and positive events equally. However, people with high trait anxiety remembered life experiences with more negative emotions, especially when remembering negative events. Individuals with low trait anxiety tended to feel more positive emotions when remembering their life experiences and most of these referred to feeling positive emotions when remembering negative events. Older adults with anxiety tend to recognize less positive information and to present more negative emotions when remembering life events; while individuals without anxiety have a more positive experience of negative memories.

Lay theories about social class buffer lower-class individuals against poor self-rated health and negative affect.

PubMed

Tan, Jacinth J X; Kraus, Michael W

2015-03-01

The economic conditions of one's life can profoundly and systematically influence health outcomes over the life course. Our present research demonstrates that rejecting the notion that social class categories are biologically determined-a nonessentialist belief-buffers lower-class individuals from poor self-rated health and negative affect, whereas conceiving of social class categories as rooted in biology-an essentialist belief-does not. In Study 1, lower-class individuals self-reported poorer health than upper-class individuals when they endorsed essentialist beliefs but showed no such difference when they rejected such beliefs. Exposure to essentialist theories of social class also led lower-class individuals to report greater feelings of negative self-conscious emotions (Studies 2 and 3), and perceive poorer health (Study 3) than upper-class individuals, whereas exposure to nonessentialist theories did not lead to such differences. Discussion considers how lay theories of social class potentially shape long-term trajectories of health and affect of lower-class individuals. © 2015 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

[Observation on gene polymorphism of Rh blood group in Chinese Han nationality].

PubMed

Lan, Jiong-Cai; Wang, Cong-Rong; Wei, Ya-Ming; Zhou, Hua-You; Cao, Qiong; Zhang, Yin-Ze; Jiang, KuReXi; Wu, Da-Lin; Liu, Zhong

2003-12-01

To observe the gene polymorphism of Rh blood group in unrelated random individuals and families for Chinese Han nationality, polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primer (PCR-SSP) was used to amplify the Rh C/E gene, RhD gene, exons, intron 2 and 10, insert and Rh Box in 160 blood samples of RhD positive unrelated individuals and 71 samples of RhD negative unrelated individuals and 7 samples of families whose probands were RhD-negative. The results showed that RhD genes of RhD-negative individuals with C antigens were polymorphism, three forms were found for D exon including intact, partial deletion and complete deletion exons. Insert fragments and Rh Box were found in most cases of families whose probands were RhD-negative and its inheritance accorded with the Mendel's Law, and it did not affect the expression of RhD gene. "Normal" RhD exon 4 amplifying product was not found in all of the samples. It was concluded that gene structure of the RhD-negative in Chinese was polymorphism, intact, partial deletion and complete deletion exons were found in the individuals with C antigen and probably existed specific D (nf) Ce haplotype. The function of insert was uncertain. The Rh gene sequences of Chinese Han nationality are different from those of Caucasian and the Rh gene library based on Han nationality should be established.

The effects of acute inflammation on cognitive functioning and emotional processing in humans: A systematic review of experimental studies.

PubMed

Bollen, Jessica; Trick, Leanne; Llewellyn, David; Dickens, Chris

2017-03-01

The cognitive neuropsychological model of depression proposes that negative biases in the processing of emotionally salient information have a central role in the development and maintenance of depression. We have conducted a systematic review to determine whether acute experimental inflammation is associated with changes to cognitive and emotional processing that are thought to cause and maintain depression. We identified experimental studies in which healthy individuals were administered an acute inflammatory challenge (bacterial endotoxin/vaccination) and standardised tests of cognitive function were performed. Fourteen references were identified, reporting findings from 12 independent studies on 345 participants. Methodological quality was rated strong or moderate for 11 studies. Acute experimental inflammation was triggered using a variety of agents (including endotoxin from E. coli, S. typhi, S. abortus Equi and Hepatitis B vaccine) and cognition was assessed over hours to months, using cognitive tests of i) attention/executive functioning, ii) memory and iii) social/emotional processing. Studies found mixed evidence that acute experimental inflammation caused changes to attention/executive functioning (2 of 6 studies showed improvements in attention executive function compared to control), changes in memory (3 of 5 studies; improved reaction time: reduced memory for object proximity: poorer immediate and delayed memory) and changes to social/emotional processing (4 of 5 studies; reduced perception of emotions, increased avoidance of punishment/loss experiences, and increased social disconnectedness). Acute experimental inflammation causes negative biases in social and emotional processing that could explain observed associations between inflammation and depression. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring the lived experience of adults using prescription opioids to manage chronic noncancer pain

PubMed Central

Brooks, Erica A; Unruh, Anita; Lynch, Mary E

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) and prescription opioid use is a highly complex and growing health care issue in Canada. Many quantitative research studies have investigated the effectiveness of opioids for chronic pain; however, gaps remain in the literature regarding the personal experience of using opioids and their impact on those experiencing CNCP. OBJECTIVE: To explore the lived experience of adults using prescription opioids to manage CNCP, focusing on how opioid medication affected their daily lives. METHODS: In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with nine adults between 40 and 68 years of age who were using prescription opioids daily for CNCP. Interviews were audiorecorded and transcribed, and subsequently analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. RESULTS: Six major themes identified positive and negative aspects of opioid use associated with social, physical, emotional and psychological dimensions of pain management. These themes included the process of decision making, and physical and psychosocial consequences of using opioids including pharmacological side effects, feeling stigmatized, guilt, fears, ambivalence, self-protection and acceptance. CONCLUSION: Although there were many negative aspects to using opioids daily, the positive effects outweighed the negative for most participants and most of the negative aspects were socioculturally induced rather than caused by the drug itself. The present study highlighted the complexities involved in using prescription opioids daily for management of CNCP for individuals living with pain. PMID:25562838

Sex versus asex: An analysis of the role of variance conversion.

PubMed

Lewis-Pye, Andrew E M; Montalbán, Antonio

2017-04-01

The question as to why most complex organisms reproduce sexually remains a very active research area in evolutionary biology. Theories dating back to Weismann have suggested that the key may lie in the creation of increased variability in offspring, causing enhanced response to selection. Under appropriate conditions, selection is known to result in the generation of negative linkage disequilibrium, with the effect of recombination then being to increase genetic variance by reducing these negative associations between alleles. It has therefore been a matter of significant interest to understand precisely those conditions resulting in negative linkage disequilibrium, and to recognise also the conditions in which the corresponding increase in genetic variation will be advantageous. Here, we prove rigorous results for the multi-locus case, detailing the build up of negative linkage disequilibrium, and describing the long term effect on population fitness for models with and without bounds on fitness contributions from individual alleles. Under the assumption of large but finite bounds on fitness contributions from alleles, the non-linear nature of the effect of recombination on a population presents serious obstacles in finding the genetic composition of populations at equilibrium, and in establishing convergence to those equilibria. We describe techniques for analysing the long term behaviour of sexual and asexual populations for such models, and use these techniques to establish conditions resulting in higher fitnesses for sexually reproducing populations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantified, Localized Health Benefits of Accelerated Carbon Dioxide Emissions Reductions.

PubMed

Shindell, Drew; Faluvegi, Greg; Seltzer, Karl; Shindell, Cary

2018-01-01

Societal risks increase as Earth warms, but also for emissions trajectories accepting relatively high levels of near-term emissions while assuming future negative emissions will compensate even if they lead to identical warming [1]. Accelerating carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions reductions, including as a substitute for negative emissions, hence reduces long-term risks but requires dramatic near-term societal transformations [2]. A major barrier to emissions reductions is the difficulty of reconciling immediate, localized costs with global, long-term benefits [3, 4]. However, 2°C trajectories not relying on negative emissions or 1.5°C trajectories require elimination of most fossil fuel related emissions. This generally reduces co-emissions that cause ambient air pollution, resulting in near-term, localized health benefits. We therefore examine the human health benefits of increasing ambition of 21 st century CO 2 reductions by 180 GtC; an amount that would shift a 'standard' 2°C scenario to 1.5°C or could achieve 2°C without negative emissions. The decreased air pollution leads to 153±43 million fewer premature deaths worldwide, with ~40% occurring during the next 40 years, and minimal climate disbenefits. More than a million premature deaths would be prevented in many metropolitan areas in Asia and Africa, and >200,000 in individual urban areas on every inhabited continent except Australia.

Quantified, localized health benefits of accelerated carbon dioxide emissions reductions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shindell, Drew; Faluvegi, Greg; Seltzer, Karl; Shindell, Cary

2018-04-01

Societal risks increase as Earth warms, and increase further for emissions trajectories accepting relatively high levels of near-term emissions while assuming future negative emissions will compensate, even if they lead to identical warming as trajectories with reduced near-term emissions1. Accelerating carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions reductions, including as a substitute for negative emissions, hence reduces long-term risks but requires dramatic near-term societal transformations2. A major barrier to emissions reductions is the difficulty of reconciling immediate, localized costs with global, long-term benefits3,4. However, 2 °C trajectories not relying on negative emissions or 1.5 °C trajectories require elimination of most fossil-fuel-related emissions. This generally reduces co-emissions that cause ambient air pollution, resulting in near-term, localized health benefits. We therefore examine the human health benefits of increasing 21st-century CO2 reductions by 180 GtC, an amount that would shift a `standard' 2 °C scenario to 1.5 °C or could achieve 2 °C without negative emissions. The decreased air pollution leads to 153 ± 43 million fewer premature deaths worldwide, with 40% occurring during the next 40 years, and minimal climate disbenefits. More than a million premature deaths would be prevented in many metropolitan areas in Asia and Africa, and >200,000 in individual urban areas on every inhabited continent except Australia.

Phase-locked scroll waves defy turbulence induced by negative filament tension.

PubMed

Li, Teng-Chao; Gao, Xiang; Zheng, Fei-Fei; Cai, Mei-Chun; Li, Bing-Wei; Zhang, Hong; Dierckx, Hans

2016-01-01

Scroll waves in a three-dimensional media may develop into turbulence due to negative tension of the filament. Such negative tension-induced instability of scroll waves has been observed in the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction systems. Here we propose a method to restabilize scroll wave turbulence caused by negative tension in three-dimensional chemical excitable media using a circularly polarized (rotating) external field. The stabilization mechanism is analyzed in terms of phase-locking caused by the external field, which makes the effective filament tension positive. The phase-locked scroll waves that have positive tension and higher frequency defy the turbulence and finally restore order. A linear theory for the change of filament tension caused by a generic rotating external field is presented and its predictions closely agree with numerical simulations.

Body-related cognitions, affect and post-event processing in body dysmorphic disorder.

PubMed

Kollei, Ines; Martin, Alexandra

2014-03-01

Cognitive behavioural models postulate that individuals with BDD engage in negative appearance-related appraisals and affect. External representations of one's appearance are thought to activate a specific mode of processing characterized by increased self-focused attention and an activation of negative appraisals and affect. The present study used a think-aloud approach including an in vivo body exposure to examine body-related cognitions and affect in individuals with BDD (n = 30), as compared to individuals with major depression (n = 30) and healthy controls (n = 30). Participants were instructed to think aloud during baseline, exposure and follow-up trials. Individuals with BDD verbalized more body-related and more negative body-related cognitions during all trials and reported higher degrees of negative affect than both control groups. A weaker increase of positive body-related cognitions during exposure, a stronger increase of sadness and anger after exposure and higher levels of post-event processing, were specific processes in individuals with BDD. Individuals with major depression were not excluded from the BDD group. This is associated with a reduction of internal validity, as the two clinical groups are somewhat interwoven. Key findings need to be replicated. The findings indicate that outcomes such as negative appearance-related cognitions and affect are specific to individuals with BDD. An external representation of one's appearance activates a specific mode of processing in BDD, manifesting itself in the absence of positive body-related cognitions, increased anger and sadness, and high levels of post-event processing. These specific processes may contribute toward maintenance of BDD psychopathology. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adaptive disengagement buffers self-esteem from negative social feedback.

PubMed

Leitner, Jordan B; Hehman, Eric; Deegan, Matthew P; Jones, James M

2014-11-01

The degree to which self-esteem hinges on feedback in a domain is known as a contingency of self-worth, or engagement. Although previous research has conceptualized engagement as stable, it would be advantageous for individuals to dynamically regulate engagement. The current research examined whether the tendency to disengage from negative feedback accounts for variability in self-esteem. We created the Adaptive Disengagement Scale (ADS) to capture individual differences in the tendency to disengage self-esteem from negative outcomes. Results demonstrated that the ADS is reliable and valid (Studies 1 and 2). Furthermore, in response to negative social feedback, higher scores on the ADS predicted greater state self-esteem (Study 3), and this relationship was mediated by disengagement (Study 4). These findings demonstrate that adaptive disengagement protects self-esteem from negative outcomes and that the ADS is a valid measure of individual differences in the implementation of this process. © 2014 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

A comprehensive review of auditory verbal hallucinations: lifetime prevalence, correlates and mechanisms in healthy and clinical individuals

PubMed Central

de Leede-Smith, Saskia; Barkus, Emma

2013-01-01

Over the years, the prevalence of auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) have been documented across the lifespan in varied contexts, and with a range of potential long-term outcomes. Initially the emphasis focused on whether AVHs conferred risk for psychosis. However, recent research has identified significant differences in the presentation and outcomes of AVH in patients compared to those in non-clinical populations. For this reason, it has been suggested that auditory hallucinations are an entity by themselves and not necessarily indicative of transition along the psychosis continuum. This review will examine the presentation of auditory hallucinations across the life span, as well as in various clinical groups. The stages described include childhood, adolescence, adult non-clinical populations, hypnagogic/hypnopompic experiences, high schizotypal traits, schizophrenia, substance induced AVH, AVH in epilepsy, and AVH in the elderly. In children, need for care depends upon whether the child associates the voice with negative beliefs, appraisals and other symptoms of psychosis. This theme appears to carry right through to healthy voice hearers in adulthood, in which a negative impact of the voice usually only exists if the individual has negative experiences as a result of their voice(s). This includes features of the voices such as the negative content, frequency, and emotional valence as well as anxiety and depression, independently or caused by voices presence. It seems possible that the mechanisms which maintain AVH in non-clinical populations are different from those which are behind AVH presentations in psychotic illness. For example, the existence of maladaptive coping strategies in patient populations is one significant difference between clinical and non-clinical groups which is associated with a need for care. Whether or not these mechanisms start out the same and have differential trajectories is not yet evidenced. Future research needs to focus on the comparison of underlying factors and mechanisms that lead to the onset of AVH in both patient and non-clinical populations. PMID:23882203

Clinical and laboratory characteristics of ocular syphilis: a new face in the era of HIV co-infection.

PubMed

Lee, Sun Young; Cheng, Vincent; Rodger, Damien; Rao, Narsing

2015-12-01

Ocular syphilis is reemerging as an important cause of uveitis in the new era of common co-infection with HIV. This study will reveal the clinical and laboratory characteristics in the group of individuals co-infected with ocular syphilis and HIV compared with HIV-negative individuals. In this retrospective observational case series, medical records of patients diagnosed with ocular syphilis with serologic support from 2008 to 2014 were reviewed. Ocular and systemic manifestation and laboratory profiles were reviewed. Twenty-nine eyes of 16 consecutive patients (10 HIV-positive and 6 HIV-negative) were included. All patients were males, and mean age of onset for ocular syphilis was 43 (mean 42.65 ± 13.13). In both HIV-positive and HIV-negative groups, ocular manifestations of syphilis were variable including anterior uveitis (4 eyes), posterior uveitis (8 eyes), panuveitis (13 eyes), and isolated papillitis (4 eyes). In HIV-positive patients, panuveitis was the most common feature (12/18 eyes, 67 %) and serum rapid plasma reagin (RPR) titers were significantly higher (range 1:64-1:16,348; mean 1:768; p = 0.018) than in HIV-negative patients. Upon the diagnosis of ocular syphilis in HIV-positive patients, HIV-1 viral load was high (median 206,887 copies/ml) and CD4 cell count ranged from 127 to 535 cells/ml (mean 237 ± 142; median 137). Regardless of HIV status, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) exam was frequently abnormal: positive CSF fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (FTA-ABS) or Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test results in seven patients or either elevated CSF WBC count or elevated CSF protein in six patients. Our results reveal that the patients with ocular syphilis with high serum RPR titers may have concomitant HIV infection requiring further testing for HIV status and ocular syphilis is likely associated with the central nervous system involvement and therefore needs to be managed according to the treatment recommendations for neurosyphilis.

Obesity: attitudes of undergraduate student nurses and registered nurses.

PubMed

Poon, Man-Yuk; Tarrant, Marie

2009-08-01

To investigate undergraduate student nurses' and registered nurses' attitudes towards obese persons and towards the management of obese patients. Obesity is a global public health problem. Escalating rates of overweight and obesity are also taking a toll in Asian countries that have historically had much lower rates. Despite the growing prevalence of obesity worldwide, studies show that nurses and other health professionals hold negative attitudes towards obese people, which may affect the care of obese patients. Cross-sectional study. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 352 undergraduate student nurses and 198 registered nurses. The questionnaire consisted of the Fat Phobia Scale, the Attitudes Toward Obese Adult Patients Scale and a demographic profile. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and student's t-tests. Overall mean scores on the Fat Phobia Scale (3.53 SD 0.47) indicated average levels of fat phobia and mean scores on the Attitudes Toward Obese Adult Patients scale (2.64 SD 0.51) indicated neutral attitudes towards obese patients. Registered nurses had significantly higher levels of fat phobia and more negative attitudes than did student nurses. The majority of participants perceived that obese people liked food, overate, and were shapeless, slow and unattractive. Additionally, over one-half of participants believed that obese adults should be put on a diet while in hospital. Results of this study show that both registered nurses and student nurses have negative perceptions of obesity and are unlikely to attribute positive characteristics to obese individuals. That registered nurses hold more negative attitudes towards obese person is cause for concern. Given the increasing prevalence of obesity and the disproportionate number of obese persons affected by many health conditions, current and future nurses should have positive professional attitudes towards obese individuals. Obesity needs to be more adequately addressed, both in basic nursing education programs and in continuing professional education for practising nurses.

Public opinion on childhood immunisations in Iceland.

PubMed

Óskarsson, Ýmir; Guðnason, Þórólfur; Jónsdóttir, Guðbjörg A; Kristinsson, Karl G; Briem, Haraldur; Haraldsson, Ásgeir

2015-12-16

In recent years, vaccine preventable diseases such as measles and pertussis have been re-emerging in Western countries, maybe because of decreasing participation in childhood vaccination programs in some countries. There is clear evidence for vaccine efficacy and the risk of adverse effects is low. This needs to be communicated to the general public. The aim of the study was to evaluate the public opinion on childhood vaccinations in Iceland. An internet based study was used to evaluate the opinion on childhood immunisations in Iceland. The cohort was divided in three groups: (a) general public (b) employees of the University Hospital Iceland and (c) employees (teachers and staff) of the University of Iceland. The cohorts could be stratified according to age, gender, education, household income, parenthood and residency. Responses were received from 5584 individuals (53% response rate). When asked about childhood vaccinations in the first and second year of life, approximately 95% of participants were "positive" or "very positive", approximately 1% were "negative" or "very negative". When participants were asked whether they would have their child immunized according to the Icelandic childhood vaccination schedule, 96% were "positive" or "very positive", 1.2% were "negative" or "very negative". Similarly, 92% trust Icelandic Health authorities to decide on childhood vaccination schedule, 2.3% did not. In total, 9.3% "rather" or "strongly" agreed to the statement "I fear that vaccinations can cause severe adverse effects", 17.5% were undecided and 66.9% "disagreed" or "strongly disagreed". Individuals with higher education were more likely to disagree with this statement (OR=1.45, CI95=1.29-1.64, p<0.001) as did males (OR=1.22, CI95=1.087-1.379, p=0.001). This study shows a very positive attitude towards vaccinations raising expectations for an ongoing success in preventing preventable communicable diseases in childhood in Iceland. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A comprehensive review of auditory verbal hallucinations: lifetime prevalence, correlates and mechanisms in healthy and clinical individuals.

PubMed

de Leede-Smith, Saskia; Barkus, Emma

2013-01-01

Over the years, the prevalence of auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) have been documented across the lifespan in varied contexts, and with a range of potential long-term outcomes. Initially the emphasis focused on whether AVHs conferred risk for psychosis. However, recent research has identified significant differences in the presentation and outcomes of AVH in patients compared to those in non-clinical populations. For this reason, it has been suggested that auditory hallucinations are an entity by themselves and not necessarily indicative of transition along the psychosis continuum. This review will examine the presentation of auditory hallucinations across the life span, as well as in various clinical groups. The stages described include childhood, adolescence, adult non-clinical populations, hypnagogic/hypnopompic experiences, high schizotypal traits, schizophrenia, substance induced AVH, AVH in epilepsy, and AVH in the elderly. In children, need for care depends upon whether the child associates the voice with negative beliefs, appraisals and other symptoms of psychosis. This theme appears to carry right through to healthy voice hearers in adulthood, in which a negative impact of the voice usually only exists if the individual has negative experiences as a result of their voice(s). This includes features of the voices such as the negative content, frequency, and emotional valence as well as anxiety and depression, independently or caused by voices presence. It seems possible that the mechanisms which maintain AVH in non-clinical populations are different from those which are behind AVH presentations in psychotic illness. For example, the existence of maladaptive coping strategies in patient populations is one significant difference between clinical and non-clinical groups which is associated with a need for care. Whether or not these mechanisms start out the same and have differential trajectories is not yet evidenced. Future research needs to focus on the comparison of underlying factors and mechanisms that lead to the onset of AVH in both patient and non-clinical populations.

Methodological issues in negative symptom trials.

PubMed

Marder, Stephen R; Daniel, David G; Alphs, Larry; Awad, A George; Keefe, Richard S E

2011-03-01

Individuals from academia, the pharmaceutical industry, and the US Food and Drug Administration used a workshop format to discuss important methodological issues in the design of trials of pharmacological agents for improving negative symptoms in schizophrenia. The issues addressed included the need for a coprimary functional measure for registration trials; the characteristics of individuals who should enter negative symptom trials; the optimal duration for a proof-of-concept or registration trial; the optimal design of a study of a broad-spectrum agent that treats both positive and negative symptoms or a co-medication that is added to an antipsychotic; the relative strengths and weaknesses of available instruments for measuring negative symptoms; the definition of clinically meaningful improvement for these trials; and whether drugs can be approved for a subdomain of negative symptoms.

Methodological Issues in Negative Symptom Trials

PubMed Central

Marder, Stephen R.; Daniel, David G.; Alphs, Larry; Awad, A. George; Keefe, Richard S. E.

2011-01-01

Individuals from academia, the pharmaceutical industry, and the US Food and Drug Administration used a workshop format to discuss important methodological issues in the design of trials of pharmacological agents for improving negative symptoms in schizophrenia. The issues addressed included the need for a coprimary functional measure for registration trials; the characteristics of individuals who should enter negative symptom trials; the optimal duration for a proof-of-concept or registration trial; the optimal design of a study of a broad-spectrum agent that treats both positive and negative symptoms or a co-medication that is added to an antipsychotic; the relative strengths and weaknesses of available instruments for measuring negative symptoms; the definition of clinically meaningful improvement for these trials; and whether drugs can be approved for a subdomain of negative symptoms. PMID:21270473

Neural mechanisms of negative reinforcement in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Damiano, Cara R; Cockrell, Dillon C; Dunlap, Kaitlyn; Hanna, Eleanor K; Miller, Stephanie; Bizzell, Joshua; Kovac, Megan; Turner-Brown, Lauren; Sideris, John; Kinard, Jessica; Dichter, Gabriel S

2015-01-01

Previous research has found accumulating evidence for atypical reward processing in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), particularly in the context of social rewards. Yet, this line of research has focused largely on positive social reinforcement, while little is known about the processing of negative reinforcement in individuals with ASD. The present study examined neural responses to social negative reinforcement (a face displaying negative affect) and non-social negative reinforcement (monetary loss) in children with ASD relative to typically developing children, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We found that children with ASD demonstrated hypoactivation of the right caudate nucleus while anticipating non-social negative reinforcement and hypoactivation of a network of frontostriatal regions (including the nucleus accumbens, caudate nucleus, and putamen) while anticipating social negative reinforcement. In addition, activation of the right caudate nucleus during non-social negative reinforcement was associated with individual differences in social motivation. These results suggest that atypical responding to negative reinforcement in children with ASD may contribute to social motivational deficits in this population.

[Effects of the recipient's response on the emotions and cognitions of female undergraduates disclosing negative emotional experiences in interpersonal relationships].

PubMed

Endo, Hiroko; Yukawa, Shintaro

2013-04-01

The relationship between a recipient's response to a disclosure of negative emotional experiences, and the resulting negative emotions, hesitation in self-disclosure (interpersonal and intra-personal hesitation), and negatively-confused thoughts of the person making the disclosure were investigated. Female undergraduates (N=271) were asked to write about angry or sad events in their interpersonal relationships that they had disclosed to someone. Then they completed a questionnaire assessing the recipient's responses, negative emotions such as anger and depression caused by the recipient's responses, hesitation in self-disclosure about the events, and negatively-confused thoughts about the events. The results of covariance structure analysis indicated that a recipient's rejection in response to the disclosure of negative emotional experiences resulted in negative thoughts caused by an increase of negative emotions and hesitation in self-disclosure. The results also showed that a recipient's acceptance also increased depression in the person making the self-disclosure, which intensified the intra-personal hesitation, and increased negatively-confused thoughts.

Neuroticism as Distancing: Perceptual Sources of Evidence

PubMed Central

Liu, Tianwei; Ode, Scott; Moeller, Sara K.; Robinson, Michael D.

2013-01-01

Several theories and self-reported sources of data link individual differences in negative affectivity to avoidance motivation. Chronic avoidance motivation, through repeated practice, may result in a relatively cognitive distance-enhancing dynamic whereby events and stimuli are perceived as further away from the self, even when they are not threatening. Such predictions are novel, but follow from cybernetic theories of self-regulation. In five studies (total N = 463), relations of this type were investigated. Study 1 presented participants with phrases that were ambiguous and found that trait negative affect predicted phrase interpretation in a distance-enhancing temporal direction. Study 2 replicated this effect across a systematic manipulation of event valence. Study 3 asked individuals to estimate the size of words and found that individuals higher in neuroticism generally perceived words to be smaller than did individuals lower in neuroticism. In Study 4, people high (but not low) in neuroticism perceived words to be shrinking faster than they were growing. In Study 5, greater perceptual distancing, in a font size estimation task, predicted more adverse reactions to negative events in daily life. Although normative effects varied across studies, consistent support for a chronic distancing perspective of individual differences in negative affectivity was found. PMID:23527850

Curative Treatment of Severe Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections by a New Class of Antibiotics Targeting LpxC

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lemaître, Nadine; Liang, Xiaofei; Najeeb, Javaria

ABSTRACT The infectious diseases caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria pose serious threats to humankind. It has been suggested that an antibiotic targeting LpxC of the lipid A biosynthetic pathway in Gram-negative bacteria is a promising strategy for curing Gram-negative bacterial infections. However, experimental proof of this concept is lacking. Here, we describe our discovery and characterization of a biphenylacetylene-based inhibitor of LpxC, an essential enzyme in the biosynthesis of the lipid A component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. The compound LPC-069 has no known adverse effects in mice and is effectivein vitroagainst a broad panel of Gram-negative clinical isolates,more » including several multiresistant and extremely drug-resistant strains involved in nosocomial infections. Furthermore, LPC-069 is curative in a murine model of one of the most severe human diseases, bubonic plague, which is caused by the Gram-negative bacteriumYersinia pestis. Our results demonstrate the safety and efficacy of LpxC inhibitors as a new class of antibiotic against fatal infections caused by extremely virulent pathogens. The present findings also highlight the potential of LpxC inhibitors for clinical development as therapeutics for infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. IMPORTANCEThe rapid spread of antimicrobial resistance among Gram-negative bacilli highlights the urgent need for new antibiotics. Here, we describe a new class of antibiotics lacking cross-resistance with conventional antibiotics. The compounds inhibit LpxC, a key enzyme in the lipid A biosynthetic pathway in Gram-negative bacteria, and are activein vitroagainst a broad panel of clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacilli involved in nosocomial and community infections. The present study also constitutes the first demonstration of the curative treatment of bubonic plague by a novel, broad-spectrum antibiotic targeting LpxC. Hence, the data highlight the therapeutic potential of LpxC inhibitors against a wide variety of Gram-negative bacterial infections, including the most severe ones caused byY. pestisand by multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant carbapenemase-producing strains.« less

Curative Treatment of Severe Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections by a New Class of Antibiotics Targeting LpxC.

PubMed

Lemaître, Nadine; Liang, Xiaofei; Najeeb, Javaria; Lee, Chul-Jin; Titecat, Marie; Leteurtre, Emmanuelle; Simonet, Michel; Toone, Eric J; Zhou, Pei; Sebbane, Florent

2017-07-25

The infectious diseases caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria pose serious threats to humankind. It has been suggested that an antibiotic targeting LpxC of the lipid A biosynthetic pathway in Gram-negative bacteria is a promising strategy for curing Gram-negative bacterial infections. However, experimental proof of this concept is lacking. Here, we describe our discovery and characterization of a biphenylacetylene-based inhibitor of LpxC, an essential enzyme in the biosynthesis of the lipid A component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. The compound LPC-069 has no known adverse effects in mice and is effective in vitro against a broad panel of Gram-negative clinical isolates, including several multiresistant and extremely drug-resistant strains involved in nosocomial infections. Furthermore, LPC-069 is curative in a murine model of one of the most severe human diseases, bubonic plague, which is caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Yersinia pestis Our results demonstrate the safety and efficacy of LpxC inhibitors as a new class of antibiotic against fatal infections caused by extremely virulent pathogens. The present findings also highlight the potential of LpxC inhibitors for clinical development as therapeutics for infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. IMPORTANCE The rapid spread of antimicrobial resistance among Gram-negative bacilli highlights the urgent need for new antibiotics. Here, we describe a new class of antibiotics lacking cross-resistance with conventional antibiotics. The compounds inhibit LpxC, a key enzyme in the lipid A biosynthetic pathway in Gram-negative bacteria, and are active in vitro against a broad panel of clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacilli involved in nosocomial and community infections. The present study also constitutes the first demonstration of the curative treatment of bubonic plague by a novel, broad-spectrum antibiotic targeting LpxC. Hence, the data highlight the therapeutic potential of LpxC inhibitors against a wide variety of Gram-negative bacterial infections, including the most severe ones caused by Y. pestis and by multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant carbapenemase-producing strains. Copyright © 2017 Lemaître et al.

Set-shifting abilities, mood and loss of control over eating in binge eating disorder: An experimental study.

PubMed

Dingemans, Alexandra E; Visser, Hiske; Paul, Linda; van Furth, Eric F

2015-12-15

Executive functions play an important role in problem-solving and self-control. Set-shifting is an aspect of executive functioning and represents cognitive flexibility. The inability to control eating in Binge Eating Disorder (BED) may imply deficits in set-shifting which could be exacerbated by negative mood and depressive symptoms. The aim of the study was to test whether there is a causal relationship between set-shifting ability, changes in mood and loss of control over eating in BED. Seventy-five participants diagnosed with BED were randomly assigned to a negative or neutral mood induction. Set-shifting abilities, depressive symptoms, current mood and loss of control over eating were assessed. Having depressive symptoms and poorer set-shifting abilities resulted in a more negative mood after a negative mood induction, whereas this was not observed in the neutral mood induction. Post-hoc analyses revealed that individuals with poorer set-shifting abilities and more changes in negative mood, experienced more feelings of loss of control over eating than individuals whose set-shifting abilities were better and whose mood did not change. The results suggest that both depressive symptoms and deficits in set-shifting abilities may decrease an individual's ability to handle negative affect and increase loss of control over eating in individuals with BED. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Memantine add-on to antipsychotic treatment for residual negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Kishi, Taro; Matsuda, Yuki; Iwata, Nakao

2017-07-01

We examined whether memantine add-on to antipsychotic treatment is beneficial in schizophrenia treatment. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to achieve stronger evidence on the efficacy and safety of memantine add-on for treating schizophrenia. We analyzed double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials of memantine add-on treatment in schizophrenia patients receiving antipsychotics. The primary outcomes were amelioration of negative symptoms and all-cause discontinuation. Dichotomous outcomes are presented as risk ratios (RRs), and continuous outcomes are presented as mean differences (MDs) or standardized mean differences (SMDs). Eight studies (n = 448) were included. Although memantine add-on treatment was superior to placebo for ameliorating negative symptoms (SMD = -0.96, p = 0.006, I 2  = 88%; N = 7, n = 367) in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale general subscale (MD = -1.62, p = 0.002, I 2  = 0%; N = 4, n = 151) and Mini-Mental Status Examination score (MD = -3.07, p < 0.0001, I 2  = 21%; N = 3, n = 83), there were no statistically significant differences in the amelioration of overall (SMD = -0.75, p = 0.06, I 2  = 86%; N = 5, n = 271), positive (SMD = -0.46, p = 0.07, I 2  = 80%; N = 7, n = 367), and depressive symptoms (SMD = -0.127, p = 0.326, I 2  = 0%; N = 4, n = 201); all-cause discontinuation (RR = 1.34, p = 0.31, I 2  = 0%; N = 8, n = 448); and individual adverse events (fatigue, dizziness, headache, nausea, constipation) between the groups. For negative symptoms, the significant heterogeneity disappeared when risperidone studies alone were considered (I 2  = 0%). However, memantine add-on treatment remained superior to placebo (SMD = -1.29, p = 0.00001). Meta-regression analysis showed that patient age was associated with memantine-associated amelioration of negative symptoms (slope = 0.171, p = 0.0206). Memantine add-on treatment may be beneficial for treating psychopathological symptoms (especially negative symptoms) in schizophrenia patients. The negative-symptom effect size may be associated with younger adult schizophrenia patients.

Diagnosing binge eating disorder in a primary care setting.

PubMed

Montano, C Brendan; Rasgon, Natalie L; Herman, Barry K

2016-01-01

Binge eating disorder (BED), now recognized as a distinct eating disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, is the most prevalent eating disorder. Although nearly half of individuals with BED are obese, BED also occurs in nonobese individuals. Despite the relatively high percentage of weight loss treatment-seeking individuals meeting BED criteria, primary care physicians may not be familiar with or have ever diagnosed BED. Many providers may also have difficulty distinguishing BED as a contributory factor in obesity. This review differentiates BED from other causes of obesity by describing how obese individuals with BED differ from obese individuals without BED and from nonobese individuals with BED in areas including psychopathology, behavior, genetics, physiology, quality of life and productivity. The ways in which health-care providers can identify individuals who may have BED are also highlighted so the proper course of treatment is pursued. Overall, obese individuals with BED demonstrate a number of key characteristics that differentiate them from obese individuals without eating disorders, including increased impulsivity in response to food stimuli with loss of control over eating, resulting in the consumption of more calories. They also experience significant guilt and other negative emotions following a meal. In addition, individuals with BED patients have more psychiatric comorbidity, display more psychopathology, exhibit longer binge durations, consume more meals as snacks during the day and have less dietary restraint compared with individuals with BED who are not obese. However, the differences between individuals with BED who are obese versus not obese are not as prominent. Taken together, the evidence appears to support the conclusion that BED is a unique and treatable neurobehavioral disorder associated with distinct behavioral and psychological profiles and distinct medical and functional outcomes, and that it is not merely a subtype of obesity.

Negative electro-mechanical windows are required for drug-induced Torsades de Pointes in the anesthetized guinea pig.

PubMed

Guns, P-J; Johnson, D M; Weltens, E; Lissens, J

2012-09-01

Assessment of the propensity of novel drugs to cause proarrhythmia is essential in the drug development process. It is increasingly recognized, however, that QT prolongation alone is an imperfect surrogate marker for Torsades de Pointes (TdP) arrhythmia prediction. In the present study we investigated the behavior of a novel surrogate marker for TdP, the electro-mechanical (E-M) window, prior to triggering of TdP episodes with sympathetic stimulation after administration of a number of reference compounds. Experiments were carried out in closed chest pentobarbital anesthetized guinea pigs. Test compounds were administered intravenously together with a specific I(Ks) blocker (JNJ303; 0.2 mgkg(-1)min(-1) for 3 min) and adrenaline (0.06 mgkg(-1)min(-1) for 2 min) was applied to trigger TdP. ECG, blood- and left ventricular pressure signals were measured continuously throughout the experiments. The E-M window i.e. the duration of the mechanical systole (QLVP(end) interval) minus the duration of the electrical activity (QT interval) was assessed for individual beats. Drugs with documented TdP liability (quinidine, haloperidol, domperidone, terfenadine, moxifloxacin, ciprofloxacin and dofetilide) produced TdP in the protocol after adrenaline infusion, whereas negative control compounds (verapamil, ranolazine, amiodarone and saline) did not cause TdP arrhythmia, even though increases in repolarization times were observed. TdP were typically preceded by large (greater than -50 ms) negative electro-mechanical windows and were accompanied by aftercontractions. The present study in anesthetized guinea pigs indicates that negative E-M windows are a prerequisite for sympathetically-driven TdP induction after the administration of various agents with known proarrhythmic potential. These data are a first step in the validation of this novel protocol; however we believe that this proarrhythmia model in small animals might be a valuable additional tool in the prediction of TdP risk of new chemical entities at the early stages of drug discovery. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of Individual and Neighborhood Factors on Cardiovascular Risk in White Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Women and Men.

PubMed

Cohn, Tanya; Miller, Arlene; Fogg, Louis; Braun, Lynne T; Coke, Lola

2017-04-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality for adults in the US, regardless of ethnicity. A cross-sectional correlational design was used to describe and compare CVD risk and cardiac mortality in White Hispanic and non-Hispanic women and men. Data from 3,317 individuals (1,523 women and 1,794 men) hospitalized for non-cardiac causes during 2012-2013, and data from the 2010 United States Census were included. The sex-specific 10-year Framingham General Cardiovascular Risk Score (FRS-10) was used to estimate long-term risk for major cardiac events. Approximately three-quarters of the sample was White Hispanic. FRS-10 scores were generally low, but a high prevalence of risk factors not included in the standard FRS-10 scoring formula was seen. White Hispanic women had significantly lower estimated CVD risk scores compared to White Hispanic and non-Hispanic men despite higher non-FRS-10 risks. Neighborhood median household income had a significant negative relationship and Hispanic neighborhood concentration had a significant positive relationship with cardiac mortality. Hispanic concentration was the only predictor of estimated CVD risk in a multilevel model. CVD risk assessment tools that are calibrated for ethnic groups and socioeconomic status may be more appropriate for Hispanic individuals than the FRS-10. Neighborhood-level factors should be included in clinical cardiac assessment in addition to individual characteristics and behavioral risks. Researchers should continue to seek additional risk factors that may contribute to or protect against CVD in order to close the gap between estimated CVD risk and actual cardiac mortality for Hispanics in the US. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Accounting for tagging-to-harvest mortality in a Brownie tag-recovery model by incorporating radio-telemetry data.

PubMed

Buderman, Frances E; Diefenbach, Duane R; Casalena, Mary Jo; Rosenberry, Christopher S; Wallingford, Bret D

2014-04-01

The Brownie tag-recovery model is useful for estimating harvest rates but assumes all tagged individuals survive to the first hunting season; otherwise, mortality between time of tagging and the hunting season will cause the Brownie estimator to be negatively biased. Alternatively, fitting animals with radio transmitters can be used to accurately estimate harvest rate but may be more costly. We developed a joint model to estimate harvest and annual survival rates that combines known-fate data from animals fitted with transmitters to estimate the probability of surviving the period from capture to the first hunting season, and data from reward-tagged animals in a Brownie tag-recovery model. We evaluated bias and precision of the joint estimator, and how to optimally allocate effort between animals fitted with radio transmitters and inexpensive ear tags or leg bands. Tagging-to-harvest survival rates from >20 individuals with radio transmitters combined with 50-100 reward tags resulted in an unbiased and precise estimator of harvest rates. In addition, the joint model can test whether transmitters affect an individual's probability of being harvested. We illustrate application of the model using data from wild turkey, Meleagris gallapavo, to estimate harvest rates, and data from white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, to evaluate whether the presence of a visible radio transmitter is related to the probability of a deer being harvested. The joint known-fate tag-recovery model eliminates the requirement to capture and mark animals immediately prior to the hunting season to obtain accurate and precise estimates of harvest rate. In addition, the joint model can assess whether marking animals with radio transmitters affects the individual's probability of being harvested, caused by hunter selectivity or changes in a marked animal's behavior.

Accounting for tagging-to-harvest mortality in a Brownie tag-recovery model by incorporating radio-telemetry data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buderman, Frances E.; Diefenbach, Duane R.; Casalena, Mary Jo; Rosenberry, Christopher S.; Wallingford, Bret D.

2014-01-01

The Brownie tag-recovery model is useful for estimating harvest rates but assumes all tagged individuals survive to the first hunting season; otherwise, mortality between time of tagging and the hunting season will cause the Brownie estimator to be negatively biased. Alternatively, fitting animals with radio transmitters can be used to accurately estimate harvest rate but may be more costly. We developed a joint model to estimate harvest and annual survival rates that combines known-fate data from animals fitted with transmitters to estimate the probability of surviving the period from capture to the first hunting season, and data from reward-tagged animals in a Brownie tag-recovery model. We evaluated bias and precision of the joint estimator, and how to optimally allocate effort between animals fitted with radio transmitters and inexpensive ear tags or leg bands. Tagging-to-harvest survival rates from >20 individuals with radio transmitters combined with 50–100 reward tags resulted in an unbiased and precise estimator of harvest rates. In addition, the joint model can test whether transmitters affect an individual's probability of being harvested. We illustrate application of the model using data from wild turkey, Meleagris gallapavo,to estimate harvest rates, and data from white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, to evaluate whether the presence of a visible radio transmitter is related to the probability of a deer being harvested. The joint known-fate tag-recovery model eliminates the requirement to capture and mark animals immediately prior to the hunting season to obtain accurate and precise estimates of harvest rate. In addition, the joint model can assess whether marking animals with radio transmitters affects the individual's probability of being harvested, caused by hunter selectivity or changes in a marked animal's behavior.

Sharper and faster "nano darts" kill more bacteria: a study of antibacterial activity of individually dispersed pristine single-walled carbon nanotube.

PubMed

Liu, Shaobin; Wei, Li; Hao, Lin; Fang, Ning; Chang, Matthew Wook; Xu, Rong; Yang, Yanhui; Chen, Yuan

2009-12-22

To further our understanding on the antibacterial activity of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), high purity SWCNTs with average diameter of 0.83 nm and (7,5) chirality as dominate (n,m) structure were dispersed in a biocompatible surfactant solution. Ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared radiation absorption spectroscopy was employed to monitor the aggregation of SWCNTs. The results demonstrated that individually dispersed SWCNTs were more toxic than SWCNT aggregates toward bacteria (gram-negative Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis). Individually dispersed SWCNTs can be visualized as numerous moving "nano darts" in the solution, constantly attacking the bacteria; thereby, degrading the bacterial cell integrity and causing the cell death. Controlled experimental results suggested that inhibiting cell growth and oxidative stress were not the major causes responsible for the death of cells. Furthermore, the detrimental effects of Co metal residues (up to 1 mug/mL) on SWCNT samples can be ruled out. Atomic force microscope study conducted in suspension proved that the death rates of bacteria were strongly correlated with their mechanical properties; soft cells were more vulnerable to SWCNT piercing. The antibacterial activity of SWCNTs can be remarkably improved by enhancing the SWCNT physical puncture on bacteria in the following ways: (1) dispersing SWCNTs individually to sharpen the nano darts; (2) increasing SWCNT concentration to raise the population density of nano darts; and (3) elevating the shaking speed of incubation to speed up the nano darts. This study elucidated several factors controlling the antibacterial activity of pristine SWCNTs and it provided an insight in developing strategies that can maximize the SWCNT application potentials while minimizing the health and environment risks.

Lysosomal acid lipase deficiency: A hidden disease among cohorts of familial hypercholesterolemia?

PubMed

Chora, Joana Rita; Alves, Ana Catarina; Medeiros, Ana Margarida; Mariano, Cibelle; Lobarinhas, Goreti; Guerra, António; Mansilha, Helena; Cortez-Pinto, Helena; Bourbon, Mafalda

Lysosomal acid lipase deficiency (LALD) is an autosomal recessive disorder and an unrecognized cause of dyslipidemia. Patients usually present with dyslipidemia and altered liver function and mutations in LIPA gene are the underlying cause of LALD. The aim of this study was to investigate LALD in individuals with severe dyslipidemia and/or liver steatosis. Coding, splice regions, and promoter region of LIPA were sequenced by Sanger sequencing in a cohort of mutation-negative familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) patients (n = 492) and in a population sample comprising individuals with several types of dyslipidemia and/or liver steatosis (n = 258). This study led to the identification of LALD in 4 children referred to the Portuguese FH Study, all with a clinical diagnosis of FH. Mild liver dysfunction was present at the age of FH diagnosis; however, a diagnosis of LALD was not considered. No adults at the time of referral have been identified with LALD. LALD is a life-threatening disorder, and early identification is crucial for the implementation of specific treatment to avoid premature mortality. FH cohorts should be investigated to identify possible LALD patients, who will need appropriate treatment. These results highlight the importance of correctly identifying the etiology of the dyslipidemia. Copyright © 2017 National Lipid Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

If and when: intrinsic differences and environmental stressors influence migration in brown trout (Salmo trutta).

PubMed

Peiman, Kathryn S; Birnie-Gauvin, Kim; Midwood, Jonathan D; Larsen, Martin H; Wilson, Alexander D M; Aarestrup, Kim; Cooke, Steven J

2017-06-01

Partial migration is a common phenomenon, yet the causes of individual differences in migratory propensity are not well understood. We examined factors that potentially influence timing of migration and migratory propensity in a wild population of juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta) by combining experimental manipulations with passive integrated transponder telemetry. Individuals were subjected to one of six manipulations: three designed to mimic natural stressors (temperature increase, food deprivation, and chase by a simulated predator), an injection of exogenous cortisol designed to mimic an extreme physiological challenge, a sham injection, and a control group. By measuring length and mass of 923 individuals prior to manipulation and by monitoring tagged individuals as they left the stream months later, we assessed whether pre-existing differences influenced migratory tendency and timing of migration, and whether our manipulations affected growth, condition, and timing of migration. We found that pre-existing differences predicted migration, with smaller individuals and individuals in poor condition having a higher propensity to migrate. Exogenous cortisol manipulation had the largest negative effect on growth and condition, and resulted in an earlier migration date. Additionally, low-growth individuals within the temperature and food deprivation treatments migrated earlier. By demonstrating that both pre-existing differences in organism state and additional stressors can affect whether and when individuals migrate, we highlight the importance of understanding individual differences in partial migration. These effects may carry over to influence migration success and affect the evolutionary dynamics of sub-populations experiencing different levels of stress, which is particularly relevant in a changing world.

Self-referent information processing in individuals with bipolar spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Molz Adams, Ashleigh; Shapero, Benjamin G; Pendergast, Laura H; Alloy, Lauren B; Abramson, Lyn Y

2014-01-01

Bipolar spectrum disorders (BSDs) are common and impairing, which has led to an examination of risk factors for their development and maintenance. Historically, research has examined cognitive vulnerabilities to BSDs derived largely from the unipolar depression literature. Specifically, theorists propose that dysfunctional information processing guided by negative self-schemata may be a risk factor for depression. However, few studies have examined whether BSD individuals also show self-referent processing biases. This study examined self-referent information processing differences between 66 individuals with and 58 individuals without a BSD in a young adult sample (age M=19.65, SD=1.74; 62% female; 47% Caucasian). Repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to examine multivariate effects of BSD diagnosis on 4 self-referent processing variables (self-referent judgments, response latency, behavioral predictions, and recall) in response to depression-related and nondepression-related stimuli. Bipolar individuals endorsed and recalled more negative and fewer positive self-referent adjectives, as well as made more negative and fewer positive behavioral predictions. Many of these information-processing biases were partially, but not fully, mediated by depressive symptoms. Our sample was not a clinical or treatment-seeking sample, so we cannot generalize our results to clinical BSD samples. No participants had a bipolar I disorder at baseline. This study provides further evidence that individuals with BSDs exhibit a negative self-referent information processing bias. This may mean that those with BSDs have selective attention and recall of negative information about themselves, highlighting the need for attention to cognitive biases in therapy. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Self-referent information processing in individuals with bipolar spectrum disorders

PubMed Central

Molz Adams, Ashleigh; Shapero, Benjamin G.; Pendergast, Laura H.; Alloy, Lauren B.; Abramson, Lyn Y.

2014-01-01

Background Bipolar spectrum disorders (BSDs) are common and impairing, which has led to an examination of risk factors for their development and maintenance. Historically, research has examined cognitive vulnerabilities to BSDs derived largely from the unipolar depression literature. Specifically, theorists propose that dysfunctional information processing guided by negative self-schemata may be a risk factor for depression. However, few studies have examined whether BSD individuals also show self-referent processing biases. Methods This study examined self-referent information processing differences between 66 individuals with and 58 individuals without a BSD in a young adult sample (age M = 19.65, SD = 1.74; 62% female; 47% Caucasian). Repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to examine multivariate effects of BSD diagnosis on 4 self-referent processing variables (self-referent judgments, response latency, behavioral predictions, and recall) in response to depression-related and nondepression-related stimuli. Results Bipolar individuals endorsed and recalled more negative and fewer positive self-referent adjectives, as well as made more negative and fewer positive behavioral predictions. Many of these information-processing biases were partially, but not fully, mediated by depressive symptoms. Limitations Our sample was not a clinical or treatment-seeking sample, so we cannot generalize our results to clinical BSD samples. No participants had a bipolar I disorder at baseline. Conclusions This study provides further evidence that individuals with BSDs exhibit a negative self-referent information processing bias. This may mean that those with BSDs have selective attention and recall of negative information about themselves, highlighting the need for attention to cognitive biases in therapy. PMID:24074480

Interpretation bias for uncertain threat: A replication and extension.

PubMed

Oglesby, Mary E; Raines, Amanda M; Short, Nicole A; Capron, Daniel W; Schmidt, Norman B

2016-06-01

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) has been proposed as an important transdiagnostic variable within various anxiety-related disorders. Research has suggested that individuals high in IU may interpret ambiguous information in a more threatening manner, suggesting a negative interpretation bias for uncertain information. However, interpretation biases within IU have not been adequately tested in the literature. The current study evaluated negative interpretation biases for uncertain information by directly measuring an individual's interpretations of ambiguous information across two samples. Participants consisted of 76 (Study 1; 72.4% female) and 31 (Study 2; 81% female) undergraduate students. Results indicated that individuals high in IU interpret ambiguous scenarios as more threatening compared to negative and/or positive scenarios (β = .45, p = .02). In addition, individuals high in IU showed a negative interpretation bias for ambiguous information, but not benign information (Study 1: β = -.40, p < .001; Study 2: β = -.57, p = .002). Future research should attempt to replicate these findings within clinical populations. In addition, future work would benefit from the inclusion of behavioral assessments of IU. These findings are the first to detect the presence of a negative interpretation bias for uncertain information among individuals high in IU utilizing a task designed to directly measure an individual's interpretation of information. Given the efficacy and low economic burden associated with interpretation bias modification protocols, and the transdiagnostic nature of IU, targeting IU within these protocols could have a tremendous public health impact. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dual tasking negatively impacts obstacle avoidance abilities in post-stroke individuals with visuospatial neglect: Task complexity matters!

PubMed

Aravind, Gayatri; Lamontagne, Anouk

2017-01-01

Persons with perceptual-attentional deficits due to visuospatial neglect (VSN) after a stroke are at a risk of collisions while walking in the presence of moving obstacles. The attentional burden of performing a dual-task may further compromise their obstacle avoidance performance, putting them at a greater risk of collisions. The objective of this study was to compare the ability of persons with (VSN+) and without VSN (VSN-) to dual task while negotiating moving obstacles. Twenty-six stroke survivors (13 VSN+, 13 VSN-) were assessed on their ability to (a) negotiate moving obstacles while walking (locomotor single task); (b) perform a pitch-discrimination task (cognitive single task) and (c) simultaneously perform the walking and cognitive tasks (dual task). We compared the groups on locomotor (collision rates, minimum distance from obstacle and onset of strategies) and cognitive (error rates) outcomes. For both single and dual task walking, VSN+ individuals showed higher collision rates compared to VSN- individuals. Dual tasking caused deterioration of locomotor (more collisions, delayed onset and smaller minimum distances) and cognitive performances (higher error rate) in VSN+ individuals. Contrastingly, VSN- individuals maintained collision rates, increased minimum distance, but showed more cognitive errors, prioritizing their locomotor performance. Individuals with VSN demonstrate cognitive-locomotor interference under dual task conditions, which could severely compromise safety when ambulating in community environments and may explain the poor recovery of independent community ambulation in these individuals.

Performance Feedback Processing Is Positively Biased As Predicted by Attribution Theory.

PubMed

Korn, Christoph W; Rosenblau, Gabriela; Rodriguez Buritica, Julia M; Heekeren, Hauke R

2016-01-01

A considerable literature on attribution theory has shown that healthy individuals exhibit a positivity bias when inferring the causes of evaluative feedback on their performance. They tend to attribute positive feedback internally (e.g., to their own abilities) but negative feedback externally (e.g., to environmental factors). However, all empirical demonstrations of this bias suffer from at least one of the three following drawbacks: First, participants directly judge explicit causes for their performance. Second, participants have to imagine events instead of experiencing them. Third, participants assess their performance only after receiving feedback and thus differences in baseline assessments cannot be excluded. It is therefore unclear whether the classically reported positivity bias generalizes to setups without these drawbacks. Here, we aimed at establishing the relevance of attributions for decision-making by showing an attribution-related positivity bias in a decision-making task. We developed a novel task, which allowed us to test how participants changed their evaluations in response to positive and negative feedback about performance. Specifically, we used videos of actors expressing different facial emotional expressions. Participants were first asked to evaluate the actors' credibility in expressing a particular emotion. After this initial rating, participants performed an emotion recognition task and did--or did not--receive feedback on their veridical performance. Finally, participants re-rated the actors' credibility, which provided a measure of how they changed their evaluations after feedback. Attribution theory predicts that participants change their evaluations of the actors' credibility toward the positive after receiving positive performance feedback and toward the negative after negative performance feedback. Our results were in line with this prediction. A control condition without feedback showed that correct or incorrect performance alone could not explain the observed positivity bias. Furthermore, participants' behavior in our task was linked to the most widely used measure of attribution style. In sum, our findings suggest that positive and negative performance feedback influences the evaluation of task-related stimuli, as predicted by attribution theory. Therefore, our study points to the relevance of attribution theory for feedback processing in decision-making and provides a novel outlook for decision-making biases.

Performance Feedback Processing Is Positively Biased As Predicted by Attribution Theory

PubMed Central

Rodriguez Buritica, Julia M.; Heekeren, Hauke R.

2016-01-01

A considerable literature on attribution theory has shown that healthy individuals exhibit a positivity bias when inferring the causes of evaluative feedback on their performance. They tend to attribute positive feedback internally (e.g., to their own abilities) but negative feedback externally (e.g., to environmental factors). However, all empirical demonstrations of this bias suffer from at least one of the three following drawbacks: First, participants directly judge explicit causes for their performance. Second, participants have to imagine events instead of experiencing them. Third, participants assess their performance only after receiving feedback and thus differences in baseline assessments cannot be excluded. It is therefore unclear whether the classically reported positivity bias generalizes to setups without these drawbacks. Here, we aimed at establishing the relevance of attributions for decision-making by showing an attribution-related positivity bias in a decision-making task. We developed a novel task, which allowed us to test how participants changed their evaluations in response to positive and negative feedback about performance. Specifically, we used videos of actors expressing different facial emotional expressions. Participants were first asked to evaluate the actors’ credibility in expressing a particular emotion. After this initial rating, participants performed an emotion recognition task and did—or did not—receive feedback on their veridical performance. Finally, participants re-rated the actors’ credibility, which provided a measure of how they changed their evaluations after feedback. Attribution theory predicts that participants change their evaluations of the actors’ credibility toward the positive after receiving positive performance feedback and toward the negative after negative performance feedback. Our results were in line with this prediction. A control condition without feedback showed that correct or incorrect performance alone could not explain the observed positivity bias. Furthermore, participants’ behavior in our task was linked to the most widely used measure of attribution style. In sum, our findings suggest that positive and negative performance feedback influences the evaluation of task-related stimuli, as predicted by attribution theory. Therefore, our study points to the relevance of attribution theory for feedback processing in decision-making and provides a novel outlook for decision-making biases. PMID:26849646

Co-infection of HIV and intestinal parasites in rural area of China

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Intestinal parasite infections (IPIs) are among the most significant causes of illness and disease of socially and economically disadvantaged populations in developing countries, including rural areas of the People's Republic of China. With the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among rural Chinese populations, there is ample scope for co-infections and there have been increasing fears about their effects. However, hardly any relevant epidemiological studies have been carried out in the country. The aim of the present survey was to assess the IPI infection status among a representative sample of HIV-positive Chinese in rural Anhui province, and compare the findings with those from a cohort of non-infected individuals. Methods A case control study was carried out in a rural village of Fuyang, Anhui province, China. Stool samples of all participants were examined for the presence of intestinal parasites. Blood examination was performed for the HIV infection detection and anemia test. A questionnaire was administered to all study participants. Results A total of 302 HIV positive and 303 HIV negative individuals provided one stool sample for examination. The overall IPI prevalence of intestinal helminth infections among HIV positives was 4.3% (13/302) while it was 5.6% (17/303) among HIV negatives, a non-significant difference. The prevalence of protozoa infections among HIV positives was 23.2% while the rate was 25.8% among HIV negatives. The species-specific prevalences among HIV positives were as follows: 3.6% for hookworm, 0.7% for Trichuris trichiura, zero for Ascaris lumbricoides, 0.3% for Clonorchis sinensis, 1.3% for Giardia intestinalis, 16.2% for Blastocystis hominis, 1.7% for Entamoeba spp. and 8.3% for Cryptosporidium spp.. Cryptosporidium spp. infections were significantly more prevalent among HIV positives (8.3%) compared to the HIV negative group (3.0%; P < 0.05). Among people infected with HIV, Cryptosporidium spp. was significantly more prevalent among males (12.6%) than females (4.4%; P < 0.05). According to multivariate logistic regression, the factors significantly associated with parasite infections of the people who were HIV positive included sex (male: OR = 6.70, 95% CI: 2.030, 22.114), younger age (less than 42 years old: OR = 4.148, 95% CI: 1.348, 12.761), and poor personal hygiene habits (OR = 0.324, 95% CI: 0.105, 0.994). Conclusions HIV positive individuals are more susceptible to co-infections with Cryptosporidium spp. than HIV negative people, particularly younger males with poor personal hygiene habits, indicating a need for targeted hygiene promotion, IPI surveillance and treatment. PMID:22330320

The global burden of tuberculosis: results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015.

PubMed

2018-03-01

An understanding of the trends in tuberculosis incidence, prevalence, and mortality is crucial to tracking of the success of tuberculosis control programmes and identification of remaining challenges. We assessed trends in the fatal and non-fatal burden of tuberculosis over the past 25 years for 195 countries and territories. We analysed 10 691 site-years of vital registration data, 768 site-years of verbal autopsy data, and 361 site-years of mortality surveillance data using the Cause of Death Ensemble model to estimate tuberculosis mortality rates. We analysed all available age-specific and sex-specific data sources, including annual case notifications, prevalence surveys, and estimated cause-specific mortality, to generate internally consistent estimates of incidence, prevalence, and mortality using DisMod-MR 2.1, a Bayesian meta-regression tool. We assessed how observed tuberculosis incidence, prevalence, and mortality differed from expected trends as predicted by the Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a composite indicator based on income per capita, average years of schooling, and total fertility rate. We also estimated tuberculosis mortality and disability-adjusted life-years attributable to the independent effects of risk factors including smoking, alcohol use, and diabetes. Globally, in 2015, the number of tuberculosis incident cases (including new and relapse cases) was 10·2 million (95% uncertainty interval 9·2 million to 11·5 million), the number of prevalent cases was 10·1 million (9·2 million to 11·1 million), and the number of deaths was 1·3 million (1·1 million to 1·6 million). Among individuals who were HIV negative, the number of incident cases was 8·8 million (8·0 million to 9·9 million), the number of prevalent cases was 8·9 million (8·1 million to 9·7 million), and the number of deaths was 1·1 million (0·9 million to 1·4 million). Annualised rates of change from 2005 to 2015 showed a faster decline in mortality (-4·1% [-5·0 to -3·4]) than in incidence (-1·6% [-1·9 to -1·2]) and prevalence (-0·7% [-1·0 to -0·5]) among HIV-negative individuals. The SDI was inversely associated with HIV-negative mortality rates but did not show a clear gradient for incidence and prevalence. Most of Asia, eastern Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa had higher rates of HIV-negative tuberculosis burden than expected given their SDI. Alcohol use accounted for 11·4% (9·3-13·0) of global tuberculosis deaths among HIV-negative individuals in 2015, diabetes accounted for 10·6% (6·8-14·8), and smoking accounted for 7·8% (3·8-12·0). Despite a concerted global effort to reduce the burden of tuberculosis, it still causes a large disease burden globally. Strengthening of health systems for early detection of tuberculosis and improvement of the quality of tuberculosis care, including prompt and accurate diagnosis, early initiation of treatment, and regular follow-up, are priorities. Countries with higher than expected tuberculosis rates for their level of sociodemographic development should investigate the reasons for lagging behind and take remedial action. Efforts to prevent smoking, alcohol use, and diabetes could also substantially reduce the burden of tuberculosis. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Home gardening may be a risk factor for contact dermatitis to Alstroemeria.

PubMed

Tavares, Beatriz; Loureiro, Graça; Pereira, Celso; Chieira, Celso

2006-01-01

Occupational allergy among florists and people who work in cut flower production of Alstroemeria cultivars (Peruvian lily or Inca lily) has been previously reported. The allergen involved in sensitization is tulipalin A (alpha-methylene-gamma-butyrolactone). We describe the case of a 65-year-old woman who developed severe dermatitis on her right thumb, index and middle fingers and less severe dermatitis on her left palm and front of forearm with occasional itching of the neck and face after taking up home gardening activities, including cutting flowers such as Alstroemeria. The patient and three healthy individuals were submitted to epicutaneous tests with the European standard series, the plant series, and stem portions of three suspected ornamental plants (Alstroemeria, Lilium and Zantedeschia), garlic, and onion. Patch tests performed in our patient, revealed an extreme reaction (+ + +) to Alstroemeria and alpha-methylene-gamma-butyrolactone, a strong reaction (+ +) to propolis and wood tar mix, a weak reaction (+) to balsam of Peru, an irritant reaction to garlic and negative results to diallyl disulfide and the other components investigated. Patch tests performed in the healthy individuals revealed negative. We stress the importance of Alstroemeria as a cause of allergic contact dermatitis not only in workers involved in the flower trade, but also in other people that come into contact with this plant in their leisure activities.

Trauma-Informed Approach to Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence.

PubMed

Anyikwa, Victoria A

2016-01-01

Trauma leads to deleterious effects on individuals and families causing many to seek treatment from social work practitioners across systems of care. Trauma comes in all forms, from community violence to domestic violence, including physical and sexual abuse of children and violence among intimate partners that leaves its victims devastatingly impacted. Women make up the majority of survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) with studies revealing significant associated mental health problems. Social workers are bound to work with survivors of IPV and must be prepared to deliver effective trauma-informed services. While trauma-specific services exist for specific populations, researchers are finding that negative events in childhood and in family functioning can impact individuals' lives in negative ways thus having implications for treatment across systems. For women survivors of IPV, the traumatic stress may be cumulative with varied emotional and mental health impacts that may force them to seek services across systems, not just domestic violence specific systems. As such it is imperative that social workers increase awareness of trauma, its impact on women, and the importance of the approach and environment in which they provide services. In this article the author aims to broaden social workers knowledge of the use of a TIC approach developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that's applicable across systems of care, particularly when working with women survivors of IPV.

Public stigma and schizophrenia in São Paulo city.

PubMed

Peluso, Erica Toledo Piza; Blay, Sérgio Luís

2011-06-01

To assess public stigma in relation to people with schizophrenia and possible factors associated with this phenomenon. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a probabilistic sample of 500 individuals who live in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, and are aged between 18 and 65 years. A structured questionnaire was used, and it was applied in person. Questionnaire began with the presentation of a vignette describing an individual with schizophrenia (according to DSM-IV and ICD-10 criteria). This was followed by questions that assessed perceived negative reactions and discrimination, perceived dangerousness and emotional reactions in relation to the case presented in the vignette. People with schizophrenia were perceived as potentially dangerous by 74.2% of interviewees. In addition, 59.0% of the sample perceived them as capable of arousing negative reactions, and 57.2% as capable of arousing discrimination in society. However, emotional reactions reported by the interviewees themselves were mainly pro-social in nature. The most important factors associated with these responses were: attribution of "biological" causes and perceived dangerousness. This study indicated that beliefs related to public stigma towards people with schizophrenia are commonly held in São Paulo city. An important focus for future studies is to investigate the scope and impact of public stigma on the everyday experiences of people with schizophrenia in the Brazilian context.

fMRI Study of Social Anxiety during Social Ostracism with and without Emotional Support.

PubMed

Nishiyama, Yoshiko; Okamoto, Yasumasa; Kunisato, Yoshihiko; Okada, Go; Yoshimura, Shinpei; Kanai, Yoshihiro; Yamamura, Takanao; Yoshino, Atsuo; Jinnin, Ran; Takagaki, Koki; Onoda, Keiichi; Yamawaki, Shigeto

2015-01-01

Social anxiety is characterized by an excessive fear of being embarrassed in social interactions or social performance situations. Emotional support can help to decrease or diminish social distress. Such support may play an important role at different points of social interaction. However, it is unclear how the beneficial effects of social support are represented in the brains of socially anxious individuals. To explore this, we used the same paradigm previously used to examine the effects of emotional support on social pain caused by exclusion. Undergraduates (n = 46) showing a wide range of social anxiety scores underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while participating in a Cyberball game. Participants were initially included and later excluded from the game. In the latter half of the session in which participants were excluded, they were provided with supportive messages. In line with our previous work, we found that social exclusion led to increased anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) activity, whereas emotional support led to increased left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activity. Despite validation of the paradigm, social anxiety was not associated with increased ACC activity during social exclusion, or during perceived emotional support. Instead, fear of negative evaluation as assessed by the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation (BFNE) scale showed positive associations with left DLPFC activation while receiving emotional support, compared to while being socially excluded. The more socially anxious an individual was, the greater was the left DLPFC activity increased during receipt of messages. This suggests that highly socially anxious people still have the ability to perceive social support, but that they are nevertheless susceptible to negative evaluation by others.

fMRI Study of Social Anxiety during Social Ostracism with and without Emotional Support

PubMed Central

Nishiyama, Yoshiko; Okamoto, Yasumasa; Kunisato, Yoshihiko; Okada, Go; Yoshimura, Shinpei; Kanai, Yoshihiro; Yamamura, Takanao; Yoshino, Atsuo; Jinnin, Ran; Takagaki, Koki; Onoda, Keiichi; Yamawaki, Shigeto

2015-01-01

Social anxiety is characterized by an excessive fear of being embarrassed in social interactions or social performance situations. Emotional support can help to decrease or diminish social distress. Such support may play an important role at different points of social interaction. However, it is unclear how the beneficial effects of social support are represented in the brains of socially anxious individuals. To explore this, we used the same paradigm previously used to examine the effects of emotional support on social pain caused by exclusion. Undergraduates (n = 46) showing a wide range of social anxiety scores underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while participating in a Cyberball game. Participants were initially included and later excluded from the game. In the latter half of the session in which participants were excluded, they were provided with supportive messages. In line with our previous work, we found that social exclusion led to increased anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) activity, whereas emotional support led to increased left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activity. Despite validation of the paradigm, social anxiety was not associated with increased ACC activity during social exclusion, or during perceived emotional support. Instead, fear of negative evaluation as assessed by the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation (BFNE) scale showed positive associations with left DLPFC activation while receiving emotional support, compared to while being socially excluded. The more socially anxious an individual was, the greater was the left DLPFC activity increased during receipt of messages. This suggests that highly socially anxious people still have the ability to perceive social support, but that they are nevertheless susceptible to negative evaluation by others. PMID:26000902

"Clozapine makes me quite drowsy, so when I wake up in the morning those first cups of coffee are really handy": an exploratory qualitative study of excessive caffeine consumption among individuals with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Thompson, Lisa; Pennay, Amy; Zimmermann, Adam; Cox, Merrilee; Lubman, Dan I

2014-04-16

Research has shown that individuals with schizophrenia use caffeine at higher rates than the general population; however, no qualitative research has been undertaken investigating problematic caffeine use and its effects on this population. This article explores the role of caffeine consumption in the lives of people with schizophrenia through a narrative analysis of the attitudes and beliefs associated with this practice, and how these, in turn, influence caffeine consumption. A qualitative study was undertaken with individuals who had previously scored in either a 'moderate' or 'high' risk category for caffeine use on the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Tool (ASSIST). In-depth interviews were undertaken with 20 individuals, and transcripts were analysed thematically to identify prominent perspectives. Consistent with previous literature, participants' caffeine consumption was driven largely by its stimulating properties; however, participants also identified 'cravings' as an important motivating factor. Participants' behaviours related to caffeine consumption seemed to be tempered by their previous experiences of consumption; if participants had experienced positive effects such as alertness or relaxation in the past, their use was maintained at a similar level or increased. Conversely, participants who anticipated negative consequences often altered their patterns of caffeine consumption; for example, by substituting caffeinated drinks that minimised or ceased their experience of negative side effects for those that directly caused such impacts. Overall, participants largely identified caffeine consumption as a highly meaningful activity, which provided structure to their day and facilitated opportunities for social interaction. The inconsistencies between individuals' beliefs about their health and the actual risk of harm associated with health-related behaviours present significant and ongoing challenges for the implementation of relevant and effective strategies for health promotion among individuals diagnosed with mental illness. As a starting point, it would be worthwhile for services engaging with people diagnosed with mental illness, and in particular schizophrenia, to consider implementing caffeine-related health literacy strategies to educate consumers about the risk of excessive caffeine consumption and the interactions between caffeine and antipsychotic medications.

Sample pooling for real-time PCR detection and virulence determination of the footrot pathogen Dichelobacter nodosus.

PubMed

Frosth, Sara; König, Ulrika; Nyman, Ann-Kristin; Aspán, Anna

2017-09-01

Dichelobacter nodosus is the principal cause of ovine footrot and strain virulence is an important factor in disease severity. Therefore, detection and virulence determination of D. nodosus is important for proper diagnosis of the disease. Today this is possible by real-time PCR analysis. Analysis of large numbers of samples is costly and laborious; therefore, pooling of individual samples is common in surveillance programs. However, pooling can reduce the sensitivity of the method. The aim of this study was to develop a pooling method for real-time PCR analysis that would allow sensitive detection and simultaneous virulence determination of D. nodosus. A total of 225 sheep from 17 flocks were sampled using ESwabs within the Swedish Footrot Control Program in 2014. Samples were first analysed individually and then in pools of five by real-time PCR assays targeting the 16S rRNA and aprV2/B2 genes of D. nodosus. Each pool consisted of four negative and one positive D. nodosus samples with varying amounts of the bacterium. In the individual analysis, 61 (27.1%) samples were positive in the 16S rRNA and the aprV2/B2 PCR assays and 164 (72.9%) samples were negative. All samples positive in the aprV2/B2 PCR-assay were of aprB2 variant. The pooled analysis showed that all 41 pools were also positive for D. nodosus 16S rRNA and the aprB2 variant. The diagnostic sensitivity for pooled and individual samples was therefore similar. Our method includes concentration of the bacteria before DNA-extraction. This may account for the maintenance of diagnostic sensitivity. Diagnostic sensitivity in the real-time PCR assays of the pooled samples were comparable to the sensitivity obtained for individually analysed samples. Even sub-clinical infections were able to be detected in the pooled PCR samples which is important for control of the disease. This method may therefore be implemented in footrot control programs where it can replace analysis of individual samples.

Stabilization of Ag nanostructures by tuning their Fermi levels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tani, Tadaaki; Kan, Ryota; Yamano, Yuka; Uchida, Takayuki

2018-05-01

The oxidation of Ag nanostructures has been studied as a key step for their degradation under the guiding principle in the previous paper that they are stable when their Fermi level is lower than those of their surroundings. The drop of the Fermi level of a thin Ag layer was caused by the formation of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of certain organic compounds including those of photographic interest and a monolayer of AgI, and attributed to the formation of dielectric layers, whose positive charges were closer to the Ag layer than negative charges. A consideration is given on further examinations needed to realize the above guiding principle in individual devices.

Proceedings of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Energy Symposium: Energy for Survival

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Severe energy problems plague the 16 member states of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), including those exporting petroleum. Two particular problems are characteristic of the region. The first is deforestation which is leading to lower agriculture productivity, climatic changes, and reduced individual productivity because of the labor and time required to collect fuelwood. The second problem is the purchase of petroleum by countries, causing negative balance of payments, which in turn diverts financial resources from the other development programs. The objectives of the ECOWAS Energy Symposium were to bring these problems to the attention of policy makers and to decide a course of action.

Serratia marcescens Bullous Cellulitis in a Splenectomized Patient: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Fournier, John B; Dabiri, Ganary; Thomas, Vinod; Skowron, Gail; Carson, Polly; Falanga, Vincent

2016-06-01

Serratia marcescens is a Gram-negative bacillus belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family. Cutaneous infection with Serratia is rare, and usually occurs in immunocompromised individuals. Primary cutaneous infections are uncommon, but they are typically severe and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The pathogenetic factors leading to S. marcescens infection are not fully understood, but contributing virulence factors include proteases, secreted exotoxins, and the formation of biofilm. We report a case of cellulitis occurring in a splenectomized patient, which led to multiple wound debridements and a transmetatarsal amputation. This dramatic case led us to review the published literature on soft tissue infections caused by S. marcescens. © The Author(s) 2016.

Human Health Impacts of and Public Health Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebi, K. L.

2007-12-01

Weather and climate are among the factors that determine the geographic range and incidence of several major causes of ill health, including undernutrition, diarrheal diseases and other conditions due to unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation, and malaria. The Human Health chapter in the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that climate change has begun to negatively affect human health, and that projected climate change will increase the risks of climate-sensitive health outcomes, particularly in lower-income populations, predominantly within tropical/subtropical countries. Those at greatest risk include the urban poor, older adults, children, traditional societies, subsistence farmers, and coastal populations, particularly in low income countries. The cause-and-effect chain from climate change to changing patterns of health determinants and outcomes is complex and includes socioeconomic, institutional, and other factors. The severity of future impacts will be determined by changes in climate as well as by concurrent changes in nonclimatic factors and by the adaptation measures implemented to reduce negative impacts. Public health has a long history of effectively intervening to reduce risks to the health of individuals and communities. Lessons learned from more than 150 years of research and intervention can provide insights to guide the design and implementation of effective and efficient interventions to reduce the current and projected impacts of climate variability and change.

SPRED1, a RAS MAPK pathway inhibitor that causes Legius syndrome, is a tumour suppressor downregulated in paediatric acute myeloblastic leukaemia.

PubMed

Pasmant, E; Gilbert-Dussardier, B; Petit, A; de Laval, B; Luscan, A; Gruber, A; Lapillonne, H; Deswarte, C; Goussard, P; Laurendeau, I; Uzan, B; Pflumio, F; Brizard, F; Vabres, P; Naguibvena, I; Fasola, S; Millot, F; Porteu, F; Vidaud, D; Landman-Parker, J; Ballerini, P

2015-01-29

Constitutional dominant loss-of-function mutations in the SPRED1 gene cause a rare phenotype referred as neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1)-like syndrome or Legius syndrome, consisted of multiple café-au-lait macules, axillary freckling, learning disabilities and macrocephaly. SPRED1 is a negative regulator of the RAS MAPK pathway and can interact with neurofibromin, the NF1 gene product. Individuals with NF1 have a higher risk of haematological malignancies. SPRED1 is highly expressed in haematopoietic cells and negatively regulates haematopoiesis. SPRED1 seemed to be a good candidate for leukaemia predisposition or transformation. We performed SPRED1 mutation screening and expression status in 230 paediatric lymphoblastic and acute myeloblastic leukaemias (AMLs). We found a loss-of-function frameshift SPRED1 mutation in a patient with Legius syndrome. In this patient, the leukaemia blasts karyotype showed a SPRED1 loss of heterozygosity, confirming SPRED1 as a tumour suppressor. Our observation confirmed that acute leukaemias are rare complications of the Legius syndrome. Moreover, SPRED1 was significantly decreased at RNA and protein levels in the majority of AMLs at diagnosis compared with normal or paired complete remission bone marrows. SPRED1 decreased expression correlated with genetic features of AML. Our study reveals a new mechanism which contributes to deregulate RAS MAPK pathway in the vast majority of paediatric AMLs.

Co-occurrence of anaerobic bacteria in colorectal carcinomas.

PubMed

Warren, René L; Freeman, Douglas J; Pleasance, Stephen; Watson, Peter; Moore, Richard A; Cochrane, Kyla; Allen-Vercoe, Emma; Holt, Robert A

2013-05-15

Numerous cancers have been linked to microorganisms. Given that colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths and the colon is continuously exposed to a high diversity of microbes, the relationship between gut mucosal microbiome and colorectal cancer needs to be explored. Metagenomic studies have shown an association between Fusobacterium species and colorectal carcinoma. Here, we have extended these studies with deeper sequencing of a much larger number (n = 130) of colorectal carcinoma and matched normal control tissues. We analyzed these data using co-occurrence networks in order to identify microbe-microbe and host-microbe associations specific to tumors. We confirmed tumor over-representation of Fusobacterium species and observed significant co-occurrence within individual tumors of Fusobacterium, Leptotrichia and Campylobacter species. This polymicrobial signature was associated with over-expression of numerous host genes, including the gene encoding the pro-inflammatory chemokine Interleukin-8. The tumor-associated bacteria we have identified are all Gram-negative anaerobes, recognized previously as constituents of the oral microbiome, which are capable of causing infection. We isolated a novel strain of Campylobacter showae from a colorectal tumor specimen. This strain is substantially diverged from a previously sequenced oral Campylobacter showae isolate, carries potential virulence genes, and aggregates with a previously isolated tumor strain of Fusobacterium nucleatum. A polymicrobial signature of Gram-negative anaerobic bacteria is associated with colorectal carcinoma tissue.

The impact of negative emotions on self-concept abstraction depends on accessible information processing styles.

PubMed

Isbell, Linda M; Rovenpor, Daniel R; Lair, Elicia C

2016-10-01

Research suggests that anger promotes global, abstract processing whereas sadness and fear promote local, concrete processing (see Schwarz & Clore, 2007 for a review). Contrary to a large and influential body of work suggesting that specific affective experiences are tethered to specific cognitive outcomes, the affect-as-cognitive-feedback account maintains that affective experiences confer positive or negative value on currently dominant processing styles, and thus can lead to either global or local processing (Huntsinger, Isbell, & Clore, 2014). The current work extends this theoretical perspective by investigating the impact of discrete negative emotions on the self-concept. By experimentally manipulating information processing styles and discrete negative emotions that vary in appraisals of certainty, we demonstrate that the impact of discrete negative emotions on the spontaneous self-concept depends on accessible processing styles. When global processing was accessible, individuals in angry (negative, high certainty) states generated more abstract statements about themselves than individuals in either sad (Experiment 1) or fearful (Experiment 2; negative, low certainty) states. When local processing was made accessible, however, the opposite pattern emerged, whereby individuals in angry states generated fewer abstract statements than individuals in sad or fearful states. Together these studies provide new insights into the mechanisms through which discrete emotions influence cognition. In contrast to theories assuming a dedicated link between emotions and processing styles, these results suggest that discrete emotions provide feedback about accessible ways of thinking, and are consistent with recent evidence suggesting that the impact of affect on cognition is highly context-dependent. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Bridging the Gap between Aetiological and Maintaining Factors in Social Anxiety Disorder: The Impact of Socially Traumatic Experiences on Beliefs, Imagery and Symptomatology.

PubMed

Norton, Alice R; Abbott, Maree J

2017-05-01

A number of key environmental factors during childhood have been implicated in the aetiology of social anxiety disorder (SAD), including aversive social experiences, traumatic life events and parent-child interaction. However, understanding the nature, interactions and relative contributions of these factors remains unclear. Furthermore, the relation of aversive social experiences to the development of key maintaining factors in SAD requires elucidation. The current study aimed to extend previous research regarding the aetiology of SAD by investigating the relationship between key environmental factors in childhood, negative beliefs and self-imagery, and the development of SAD. Social anxiety disorder individuals (n = 40, 87.5% female, M age  = 20.25 years) completed self-report measures of social anxiety symptomatology, traumatic experiences and parenting style. In addition, participants were administered interviews assessing various domains of childhood trauma, as well as negative self-imagery and associated socially traumatic memories. Participants reported a high frequency of early traumatic experiences across all domains (physical, emotional, sexual, social and non-relational), as well as a high degree of parental overcontrol. However, social anxiety symptomatology was most strongly correlated with socially traumatic experiences, and mediation analyses suggest that appraisal of aversive social/peer experiences accounts for the relationship of SAD symptomatology with negative self-beliefs and imagery. These outcomes suggest that social trauma may be a key proximal cause of SAD development, leading to the development of negative beliefs and imagery that subsequently maintain the disorder. These findings have implications for understanding SAD aetiology, and improving treatment outcomes for the disorder. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Negative social experiences have been implicated in the development of social anxiety disorder (SAD), but the role of this predisposing factor remains unclear. Compared with other risk factors for SAD, social anxiety symptomatology was most strongly correlated with socially traumatic experiences. Mediation analyses suggested that appraisal of aversive social experiences accounted for the relationship of SAD symptomatology with negative self-beliefs and imagery. These outcomes suggest that SAD individuals would benefit from interventions targeted at processing socially traumatic memories (e.g., imagery rescripting). Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Individual differences in emotion lateralisation and the processing of emotional information arising from social interactions.

PubMed

Bourne, Victoria J; Watling, Dawn

2015-01-01

Previous research examining the possible association between emotion lateralisation and social anxiety has found conflicting results. In this paper two studies are presented to assess two aspects related to different features of social anxiety: fear of negative evaluation (FNE) and emotion regulation. Lateralisation for the processing of facial emotion was measured using the chimeric faces test. Individuals with greater FNE were more strongly lateralised to the right hemisphere for the processing of anger, happiness and sadness; and, for the processing of fearful faces the relationship was found for females only. Emotion regulation strategies were reduced to two factors: positive strategies and negative strategies. For males, but not females, greater reported use of negative emotion strategies is associated with stronger right hemisphere lateralisation for processing negative emotions. The implications for further understanding the neuropsychological processing of emotion in individuals with social anxiety are discussed.

Emotion-Based Dispositions to Rash Action: Positive and Negative Urgency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cyders, Melissa A.; Smith, Gregory T.

2008-01-01

Under heightened emotional states, individuals are more inclined to engage in ill-considered or rash actions than at other times. The authors present evidence for the existence of 2 related traits called positive and negative urgency. The traits refer to individual differences in the disposition to engage in rash action when experiencing extreme…

Environmental Scan of Weight Bias Exposure in Primary Health Care Training Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell-Mayhew, Shelly; Nutter, Sarah; Alberga, Angela; Jelinski, Susan; Ball, Geoff D. C.; Edwards, Alun; Oddie, Scott; Sharma, Arya M.; Pickering, Barbara; Forhan, Mary

2016-01-01

Negative attitudes and beliefs about individuals with obesity (also known as weight bias) have negative consequences for physical and mental health for individuals with obesity and impact the quality of care provided by health professionals. A preliminary environmental scan of college and university training programs was conducted consisting of 67…

How Brooding Minds Inhibit Negative Material: An Event-Related fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vanderhasselt, Marie-Anne; Baeken, Chris; Van Schuerbeek, Peter; Luypaert, Rob; De Mey, Johan; De Raedt, Rudi

2013-01-01

Depressive brooding--a passive ruminative focus on one's problems, negative mood and their consequences--is a thinking style that places individuals at a greater risk to develop future psychopathology. In this study, we investigated whether inter-individual differences in depressive brooding are related to neural differences underlying the…

Finding Positive Meaning after Loss: The Mediating Role of Reflection for Bereaved Individuals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyraz, Guler; Horne, Sharon G.; Sayger, Thomas V.

2010-01-01

This study examined the mediating effect of reflection on the relationship between search for meaning, positive affect, negative affect, and positive meaning-finding among 380 bereaved individuals. Using structural equation modeling, reflection was found to mediate the relationship between search for meaning, affect (positive and negative), and…

The Influence of Staff Training on Challenging Behaviour in Individuals with Intellectual Disability: A Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Alison D.; Dube, Charmayne; Temple, Beverley

2015-01-01

Many individuals with intellectual disability engage in challenging behaviour. This can significantly limit quality of life and also negatively impact caregivers (e.g., direct care staff, family caregivers and teachers). Fortunately, efficacious staff training may alleviate some negative side effects of client challenging behaviour. Currently, a…

Forms of Social Support in the Workplace for Individuals with Visual Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papakonstantinou, Doxa; Papadopoulos, Konstantinos

2010-01-01

In this study, the authors explored the forms of social support, both positive and negative, that individuals with visual impairments receive in the workplace. This study was a follow-up to the authors' previous study (Papakonstantinou & Papadopoulos, 2009) that investigated the various forms of positive and negative social support received by…

Antibody response to Plasmodium vivax antigens in Fy-negative individuals from the Colombian Pacific coast.

PubMed

Herrera, Sócrates; Gómez, Andrés; Vera, Omaira; Vergara, Juana; Valderrama-Aguirre, Augusto; Maestre, Amanda; Méndez, Fabián; Wang, Ruobing; Chitnis, Chetan E; Yazdani, Syed S; Arévalo-Herrera, Myriam

2005-11-01

The Duffy antigen (Fy) is necessary for Plasmodium vivax invasion of human erythrocytes. Some populations have a highly prevalent Fy-negative phenotype; such persons are naturally protected from P. vivax blood infection but are expected to completely support the P. vivax pre-erythrocytic cycle, representing a valuable model for studying the immune response during these parasitic stages. We typed 214 individuals, mostly Afro-Colombians, from a P. vivax-endemic area for Fy expression and determined the antibody response to P. vivax pre-erythrocytic (sporozoites and CS) and blood-stage antigens (blood forms, P. vivax merozoite surface protein 1, and P. vivax Duffy binding protein [PvDBP]). Antibody titers to P. vivax circumsporozoite protein, P11, and N-terminal peptides and the number of responders were similar in Fy-negative and Fy-positive individuals. The number of responders to sporozoites, blood forms, and PvDBP were different between these groups. Thus, Fy-negative individuals from malaria-endemic areas can be used to study the immune response to the P. vivax liver phase without interference of the erythrocytic cycle.

Does Trapping Influence Decision-Making under Ambiguity in White-Lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari)?

PubMed Central

Nogueira, Selene Siqueira da Cunha; Fernandes, Iurianny Karla; Costa, Thaise Silva Oliveira; Nogueira-Filho, Sérgio Luiz Gama; Mendl, Michael

2015-01-01

The white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) is an endangered species whose bold anti-predator behaviour in comparison to related species may increase its vulnerability to hunting and predation. We used a judgement bias test to investigate whether captive peccaries that had recently experienced a trapping event made more ‘pessimistic’ decisions under ambiguity. If so, this would indicate (i) that the procedure may induce a negative affective state and hence have welfare implications, and (ii) that the species is able to adopt a cautious response style despite its bold phenotype. Eight individuals were trained to ‘go’ to a baited food bowl when a positive auditory cue (whistle; CS+) was given and to ‘no-go’ when a negative cue (horn A; CS-) was sounded to avoid a loud sound and empty food bowl. An ‘ambiguous’ auditory cue (bell; CSA) was presented to probe decision-making under ambiguity. Individuals were subjected to three tests in the order: T1 (control-no trap), T2 (24h after-trap procedure), and T3 (control-no trap). In each test, each animal was exposed to 10 judgement bias trials of each of the three cue types: CS+,CS-,CSA. We recorded whether animals reached the food bowl within 60s (‘go’ response) and their response speed (m/s). The animals varied in their responses to the CSA cue depending on test type. In all tests, animals made more ‘go’ responses to CS+ than CSA. During control tests (T1 and T3), the peccaries showed higher proportions of ‘go’ responses to CSA than to CS-. In T2, however, the animals showed similar proportions of ‘go’ responses to CSA and CS-, treating the ambiguous cue similarly to the negative cue. There were differences in their response speed according to cue type: peccaries were faster to respond to CS+ than to CS- and CSA. Trapping thus appeared to cause a ‘pessimistic’ judgement bias in peccaries, which may reflect a negative affective state with implications for the welfare and management of captive individuals, and also function to increase caution and survival chances following such an event in the wild environment. PMID:26061658

Individual and combined effects of multiple high-risk triggers on postcessation smoking urge and lapse.

PubMed

Lam, Cho Y; Businelle, Michael S; Aigner, Carrie J; McClure, Jennifer B; Cofta-Woerpel, Ludmila; Cinciripini, Paul M; Wetter, David W

2014-05-01

Negative affect, alcohol consumption, and presence of others smoking have consistently been implicated as risk factors for smoking lapse and relapse. What is not known, however, is how these factors work together to affect smoking outcomes. This paper uses ecological momentary assessment (EMA) collected during the first 7 days of a smoking cessation attempt to test the individual and combined effects of high-risk triggers on smoking urge and lapse. Participants were 300 female smokers who enrolled in a study that tested an individually tailored smoking cessation treatment. Participants completed EMA, which recorded negative affect, alcohol consumption, presence of others smoking, smoking urge, and smoking lapse, for 7 days starting on their quit date. Alcohol consumption, presence of others smoking, and negative affect were, independently and in combination, associated with increase in smoking urge and lapse. The results also found that the relationship between presence of others smoking and lapse and the relationship between negative affect and lapse were moderated by smoking urge. The current study found significant individual effects of alcohol consumption, presence of other smoking, and negative affect on smoking urge and lapse. Combing the triggers increased smoking urge and the risk for lapse to varying degrees, and the presence of all 3 triggers resulted in the highest urge and lapse risk.

Working memory and reward association learning impairments in obesity.

PubMed

Coppin, Géraldine; Nolan-Poupart, Sarah; Jones-Gotman, Marilyn; Small, Dana M

2014-12-01

Obesity has been associated with impaired executive functions including working memory. Less explored is the influence of obesity on learning and memory. In the current study we assessed stimulus reward association learning, explicit learning and memory and working memory in healthy weight, overweight and obese individuals. Explicit learning and memory did not differ as a function of group. In contrast, working memory was significantly and similarly impaired in both overweight and obese individuals compared to the healthy weight group. In the first reward association learning task the obese, but not healthy weight or overweight participants consistently formed paradoxical preferences for a pattern associated with a negative outcome (fewer food rewards). To determine if the deficit was specific to food reward a second experiment was conducted using money. Consistent with Experiment 1, obese individuals selected the pattern associated with a negative outcome (fewer monetary rewards) more frequently than healthy weight individuals and thus failed to develop a significant preference for the most rewarded patterns as was observed in the healthy weight group. Finally, on a probabilistic learning task, obese compared to healthy weight individuals showed deficits in negative, but not positive outcome learning. Taken together, our results demonstrate deficits in working memory and stimulus reward learning in obesity and suggest that obese individuals are impaired in learning to avoid negative outcomes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trait anxiety and attenuated negative affect differentiation: a vulnerability factor to consider?

PubMed

Matt, Lindsey M; Fresco, David M; Coifman, Karin G

2016-11-01

Describing emotional experiences using distinct terms, or affect differentiation, has been associated with emotion regulation and adaptive behavior under stress. There is little data, however, examining the association between differentiation and dispositional factors underlying psychopathology. The current study examines the association between differentiation and trait anxiety (TA) given prior evidence of cognitive biases in TA relevant to higher order processing of emotional experiences. We examined cross-sectionally, via lab-based repeated assessment, the association between differentiation of negative and positive experiences and TA. Two hundred twenty-two adults completed an emotion reactivity task including repeated assessments of affect. We hypothesized that individuals higher in trait anxiety (HTA) would have greater difficulty differentiating their experiences. HTA individuals exhibited lower levels of negative affect (NA) differentiation even when controlling for depression. Although negative emotion intensity was consistently associated with lower differentiation, this did not account for the influence of HTA on differentiation. These data suggest that HTA individuals have greater difficulty differentiating negative emotions, regardless of negative emotion intensity and depression. As HTA is common to many emotional disorders; this evidence suggests that poor differentiation may also be an important transdiagnostic consideration in models of risk and of affective disease.

Brain structure correlates of emotion-based rash impulsivity

PubMed Central

Muhlert, N.; Lawrence, A.D.

2015-01-01

Negative urgency (the tendency to engage in rash, ill-considered action in response to intense negative emotions), is a personality trait that has been linked to problematic involvement in several risky and impulsive behaviours, and to various forms of disinhibitory psychopathology, but its neurobiological correlates are poorly understood. Here, we explored whether inter-individual variation in levels of trait negative urgency was associated with inter-individual variation in regional grey matter volumes. Using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in a sample (n = 152) of healthy participants, we found that smaller volumes of the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and right temporal pole, regions previously linked to emotion appraisal, emotion regulation and emotion-based decision-making, were associated with higher levels of trait negative urgency. When controlling for other impulsivity linked personality traits (sensation seeking, lack of planning/perseverance) and negative emotionality per se (neuroticism), these associations remained, and an additional relationship was found between higher levels of trait negative urgency and smaller volumes of the left ventral striatum. This latter finding mirrors recent VBM findings in an animal model of impulsivity. Our findings offer novel insight into the brain structure correlates of one key source of inter-individual differences in impulsivity. PMID:25957991

Brain Structural Differences between Normal and Obese Adults and their Links with Lack of Perseverance, Negative Urgency, and Sensation Seeking.

PubMed

Wang, Haifeng; Wen, Baohong; Cheng, Jingliang; Li, Hongpeng

2017-01-16

In order to examine the difference in brain structure between obese and normal weight individuals, and to explore the relationship between the neuroanatomical changes and impulsivity traits, this study used a voxel-based morphometry method to examine gray matter (GM) volume alterations related to impulsive personality traits in obese individuals relative to normal weight. Eighty adults that completed the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale were analyzed. Possible GM volume alterations were first analyzed at the whole brain level, and then the relationship between regional GM volume differences and UPPS-P scores were examined in selected regions of interest. Reduced GM volumes were found in the frontal and limbic regions in the obese group compared to normal weight individuals. In the normal weight group, lack of perseverance was negatively correlated with GM volume in the anterior cingulate cortex, and negative urgency was negatively correlated with GM volume in the insula. In the obese group, sensation seeking was negatively correlated with GM volume in the left amygdala and right pallidum. These findings might improve our understanding of the relationship between lack of perseverance, negative urgency, and sensation seeking and body weight fluctuations.

Brain Structural Differences between Normal and Obese Adults and their Links with Lack of Perseverance, Negative Urgency, and Sensation Seeking

PubMed Central

Wang, Haifeng; Wen, Baohong; Cheng, Jingliang; Li, Hongpeng

2017-01-01

In order to examine the difference in brain structure between obese and normal weight individuals, and to explore the relationship between the neuroanatomical changes and impulsivity traits, this study used a voxel-based morphometry method to examine gray matter (GM) volume alterations related to impulsive personality traits in obese individuals relative to normal weight. Eighty adults that completed the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale were analyzed. Possible GM volume alterations were first analyzed at the whole brain level, and then the relationship between regional GM volume differences and UPPS-P scores were examined in selected regions of interest. Reduced GM volumes were found in the frontal and limbic regions in the obese group compared to normal weight individuals. In the normal weight group, lack of perseverance was negatively correlated with GM volume in the anterior cingulate cortex, and negative urgency was negatively correlated with GM volume in the insula. In the obese group, sensation seeking was negatively correlated with GM volume in the left amygdala and right pallidum. These findings might improve our understanding of the relationship between lack of perseverance, negative urgency, and sensation seeking and body weight fluctuations. PMID:28091559

Deficient manipulation of working memory in remitted depressed individuals: Behavioral and electrophysiological evidence.

PubMed

Liu, Mingfan; Zhou, Li; Wang, Xiumei; Jiang, Ying; Liu, Qiaosheng

2017-07-01

The study aimed to examine whether remitted depressed (RMD) individuals show a dysfunction of valence-dependent manipulation and its neurophysiological correlates. Event-related potentials were conducted on 25 individuals with remitted depression and 27 controls during a working memory manipulation task. The sorting costs and the P3b and slow wave (SW) amplitudes were analyzed. Compared to the control subjects, the RMD individuals revealed higher sorting costs, particularly when they were shown negative targets. The control individuals exhibited reduced P3b and SW amplitudes in response to the backward negative pictures, whereas the RMD participants exhibited increased central-parietal and lateral P3b and SW amplitudes in the backward condition. Both groups exhibited overall decreased P3b and SW amplitudes in response to the backward positive pictures. RMD individuals are associated with a deficient manipulation for negative material and an unimpaired manipulation for positive material. This study extends current knowledge that deficits in cognitive control persist after the remission of depressive symptoms. Copyright © 2017 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Temporal framing and the decision to take part in type 2 diabetes screening: effects of individual differences in consideration of future consequences on persuasion.

PubMed

Orbell, Sheina; Hagger, Martin

2006-07-01

Reliable individual differences in the extent to which people consider the long- and short-term consequences of their own behaviors are hypothesized to influence the impact of a persuasive communication. In a field experiment, the time frame of occurrence of positive and negative consequences of taking part in a proposed Type 2 diabetes screening program was manipulated in a sample of 210 adults with a mean age of 53 years. Individual differences in consideration of future consequences (CFC; A. Strathman, F. Gleicher, D. S. Boninger, & C. S. Edwards, 1994) moderated (a) the generation of positive and negative thoughts and (b) the persuasive impact of the different communications. Low-CFC individuals were more persuaded when positive consequences were short term and negative consequences were long term. The opposite was true of high-CFC individuals. Path analyses show that net positive thoughts generated mediated the effect of the CFC x Time Frame manipulations on behavioral intentions.

Counting to ten milliseconds: low-anger, but not high-anger, individuals pause following negative evaluations.

PubMed

Robinson, Michael D; Wilkowski, Benjamin M; Meier, Brian P; Moeller, Sara K; Fetterman, Adam K

2012-01-01

Low-anger individuals are less reactive, both emotionally and behaviourally, to a large variety of situational primes to anger and aggression. Why this is so, from an affective processing perspective, has been largely conjectural. Four studies (total N=270) sought to link individual differences in anger to tendencies exhibited in basic affective processing tasks. On the basis of motivational factors and considerations, it was hypothesised that negative evaluations would differentially activate a psychological alarm system at low levels of anger, resulting in a pause that should be evident in the speed of making subsequent evaluations. Just such a pattern was evident in all studies. By contrast, high-anger individuals did not pause following their negative evaluations. In relation to this affective processing tendency, at least, dramatically different effects were observed among low- versus high-anger individuals. Implications for the personality-processing literature, theories of trait anger, and fast-acting regulatory processes are discussed.

Neural correlates of the individual emotional Stroop in borderline personality disorder.

PubMed

Wingenfeld, Katja; Rullkoetter, Nina; Mensebach, Christoph; Beblo, Thomas; Mertens, Markus; Kreisel, Stefan; Toepper, Max; Driessen, Martin; Woermann, Friedrich G

2009-05-01

Emotional dysregulation is a key feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD) with altered inhibitory functions having suggested as being crucial. The anterior cingulate cortex and further prefrontal brain regions are crucial for response inhibition. The regulation of emotions is ensured via inhibitory control over the amygdala. The present study aimed to investigate neural correlates of response inhibition in BPD by using an emotional Stroop paradigm extending the task to word stimuli which were related to stressful life events. Twenty BPD patients and 20 healthy controls underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while performing the individual emotional Stroop task. A block design was used with the following word type conditions: neutral words, general negative words, and individual negative words. The individual negative words were recruited from a prior interview conducted with each participant. While BPD patients had overall slower reaction times in the Stroop task compared to healthy controls, there was no increased slowing with emotional interference. Controls exhibited significant fMRI blood oxygenation level-dependent signal increases in the anterior cingulate cortex as well as in frontal cortex contrasting generally negative vs. neutral and individual negative vs. neutral conditions, respectively. BPD patients did not show equivalent signal changes. These results provide further evidence for a dysfunctional network of brain areas in BPD, including the ACC and frontal brain regions. These areas are crucial for the regulation of stress and emotions, the core problems of BPD patients.

Electrophysiological correlates of implicit valenced self-processing in high vs. low self-esteem individuals.

PubMed

Grundy, John G; Benarroch, Miriam F F; Lebarr, A Nicole; Shedden, Judith M

2015-01-01

We provide the first high-temporal resolution account of the self-esteem implicit association test (IAT; Greenwald & Farnham, 2000) to highlight important similarities and differences between the cognitive processes corresponding to implicit valenced self-processing in high vs. low self-esteem individuals. We divided individuals into high and low self-esteem groups based on the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (Rosenberg, 1965) and administered the self-esteem IAT while recording electroencephalographic data. We show that the P2 captured group (high vs. low self-esteem) differences, the N250 and the late parietal positivity (LPP) captured differences corresponding to category pairing (self/positive vs. self/negative pairing), and the N1, P2, and P300-400 components captured interactions between self-esteem groups and whether the self was paired with positive or negative categories in the IAT. Overall, both high and low self-esteem groups were sensitive to the distinction between positive and negative information in relation to the self (me/negative generally displayed larger event-related potential amplitudes than me/positive), but for high self-esteem individuals, this difference was generally larger, earlier, and most pronounced over left-hemisphere electrodes. These electrophysiological differences may reflect differences in attentional resources devoted to teasing apart these two oppositely valenced associations. High self-esteem individuals appear to devote more automatic (early) attentional resources to strengthen the distinction between positively or negatively valenced information in relation to the self.

Positive and negative affect in individuals with spinal cord injuries.

PubMed

Salter, J E; Smith, S D; Ethans, K D

2013-03-01

Participants with spinal cord injuries (SCIs) and healthy controls completed standardized questionnaires assessing depression level, positive and negative affect, and personality traits. To identify the specific characteristics of emotional experiences affected by spinal cord injury. A Canadian rehabilitation center. Individuals with SCIs were recruited from a list of patients who had volunteered to participate in studies being conducted by the SCI clinic. Healthy controls were recruited from the community, but tested in the SCI clinic. Thirty-six individuals with complete (ASIA A) SCIs and 36 age-, gender- and education-matched controls participated in this study. SCI participants were classified as cervical (C1-C7), upper thoracic (T1-T5) or lower thoracic/upper lumbar (T6-L2). All participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedules, the NEO Neuroticism Questionnaire, and the harm avoidance scale of the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using independent-samples t-tests (when contrasting SCI and controls) and analysis of variance (when comparing across SCI groups). Participants with SCIs experienced significantly less positive affect than controls. The two groups did not differ in their experience of negative affect. Participants with SCIs also reported greater levels of depression. Depression scores improved with an increasing number of years post injury. Individuals with SCIs are characterized by specific emotional dysfunction related to the experience of positive emotions, rather than a tendency to ruminate on negative emotions. The results suggest that these individuals would benefit from rehabilitation programs that include training in positive psychology.

Individual differences in neural responses to social rejection: the joint effect of self-esteem and attentional control

PubMed Central

Hooker, Christine I.; Miyakawa, Asako; Verosky, Sara; Luerssen, Anna; Ayduk, Özlem N.

2012-01-01

Individuals with low self-esteem have been found to react more negatively to signs of interpersonal rejection than those with high self-esteem. However, previous research has found that individual differences in attentional control can attenuate negative reactions to social rejection among vulnerable, low self-esteem individuals. The current fMRI study sought to elucidate the neurobiological substrate of this buffering effect. We hypothesized and found that while looking at scenes of social rejection (vs negative scenes) low self-esteem high attentional control individuals engaged the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC), an area of the brain associated with emotional control, more than their low self-esteem low attentional control peers. Furthermore, we found that low self-esteem high attentional control individuals evaluated social rejection as less arousing and less rejecting in a separate behavioral task. Importantly, activation in the rACC fully mediated the relationship between the interaction of self-esteem and attentional control and emotional evaluations, suggesting that the rACC activation underlies the buffering effects of attentional control. Results are discussed in terms of individual differences in emotional vulnerability and protection and by highlighting the role of rACC in emotion regulation. PMID:21609969

The possible physical mechanism for the EAP-SR co-action

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Zhiqiang; Feng, Guolin; Dogar, Muhammad Mubashar; Huang, Gang

2017-11-01

The anomalous characteristics of summer precipitation and atmospheric circulation in the East Asia-West Pacific Region (EA-WP) associated with the co-action of East Asia/Pacific teleconnection-Silk Road teleconnection (EAP-SR) are investigated in this study. The compositions of EAP-SR phase anomalies can be expressed as pattern I (+ +), pattern II (+ -), pattern III (- -), and pattern IV (- +) using EAP and SR indices. It is found that the spatial distribution of summer precipitation anomalies in EA-WP corresponding to pattern I (III) shows a tripole structure in the meridional direction and a zonal dipole structure in the subtropical region, while pattern II (IV) presents a tripole pattern in meridional direction with compressed and continuous anomalies in the zonal direction over the subtropical region. The similar meridional and zonal structures are also found in the geopotential height anomalies at 500-hPa, as well as wind anomalies and moisture convergence at 850-hPa. Finally, a schematic mechanism for the EAP-SR co-action upon the summer precipitation in EA-WP is built: (1) Pattern I (III) exhibits that the negative (positive) sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies over tropical East Pacific may cause the enhanced (weakened) convective activity dominating the West Pacific, trigger the positive (negative) EAP teleconnection and produce more (less) precipitation. Besides, the negative (positive) SST anomalies over the Indonesia Maritime Continent (IMC) may further weaken (strengthen) anomalous downward (upward) motion over the South China Sea (SCS), cause negative (positive) geopotential height anomalies at the middle troposphere and surrounding regions through the function of the tropical Hadley circulation. Then the negative (positive) geopotential height anomalies could motivate the positive (negative) EAP teleconnection through the northward propagation of wave-activity perturbation. Meanwhile, a positive (negative) geopotential height anomalous pattern over Eastern Europe motivates a Rossby wave train propagation from Western Europe to west-central Asia. This circumstance can cause suppressed (enhanced) convection and less (more) precipitation over northwestern India and Pakistan, which could strengthen the negative (positive) geopotential height and positive (negative) vorticity anomalies over central East Asia, resulting in a negative (positive) SR teleconnection along the Asian jet stream. A positive (negative) lobe over the Korean Peninsula and Japan corresponding to SR overlaps with a positive (negative) lobe of EAP, which strengthens the anomalous phase contrast on both sides of 120°E. Accordingly, summer precipitation anomalies in EA-WP exhibit the meridional tripole pattern and the zonal dipole pattern. (2) Pattern II (IV) indicates that the normal SST anomalies over the tropical East Pacific cause the weak tele-impact on the tropical West Pacific, while the positive (negative) SST anomalies over the IMC will lead to a negative (positive) lobe of EAP over the subtropical region. This circumstance can weaken the positive (negative) lobe of SR over subtropical region, causing compressed and continuous negative (positive) anomalies of 500-hPa geopotential height and positive (negative) surface precipitation anomalies from central East China to Japan.

Schema Driven Construction of Future Autobiographical Traumatic Events: The Future is Much More Troubling than the Past

PubMed Central

Rubin, David C.

2013-01-01

Research on future episodic thought has produced compelling theories and results in cognitive psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and clinical psychology. To integrate these using basic concepts and methods from autobiographical memory research, 76 undergraduates remembered past and imagined future positive and negative events that had or would have a major impact on them. Correlations of the online ratings of visual and auditory imagery, emotion, and other measures demonstrated that individuals used the same processes to the same extent to remember past and construct future events. These measures predicted the theoretically important metacognitive judgment of past reliving and future ‘preliving’ in similar ways. Future negative events had much higher scores than past negative events on standardized tests of reactions to traumatic events, scores in the range that would qualify for a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which was replicated (n = 52) to check for order effects. Consistent with earlier work, future events had less sensory vividness. Thus, the imagined symptoms of future events were unlikely to be caused by sensory vividness. To confirm this, 63 undergraduates produced numerous added details between two constructions of the same negative future events, removing deficits in rated vividness with no increase in the standardized tests of reactions to traumatic events. Neuroticism predicted individuals’ reactions to negative past events but did not predict imagined reactions to future events. This set of novel methods and findings are interpreted in the contexts of the literatures of episodic future thought, autobiographical memory, PTSD, and classic schema theory. PMID:23607632

Glutamatergic stimulation of the left dentate gyrus abolishes depressive-like behaviors in a rat learned helplessness paradigm.

PubMed

Seo, Jeho; Cho, Hojin; Kim, Gun Tae; Kim, Chul Hoon; Kim, Dong Goo

2017-10-01

Episodic experiences of stress have been identified as the leading cause of major depressive disorder (MDD). The occurrence of MDD is profoundly influenced by the individual's coping strategy, rather than the severity of the stress itself. Resting brain activity has been shown to alter in several mental disorders. However, the functional relationship between resting brain activity and coping strategies has not yet been studied. In the present study, we observed different patterns of resting brain activity in rats that had determined either positive (resilient to stress) or negative (vulnerable to stress) coping strategies, and examined whether modulation of the preset resting brain activity could influence the behavioral phenotype associated with negative coping strategy (i.e., depressive-like behaviors). We used a learned helplessness paradigm-a well-established model of MDD-to detect coping strategies. Differences in resting state brain activity between animals with positive and negative coping strategies were assessed using 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). Glutamatergic stimulation was used to modulate resting brain activity. After exposure to repeated uncontrollable stress, seven of 23 rats exhibited positive coping strategies, while eight of 23 rats exhibited negative coping strategies. Increased resting brain activity was observed only in the left ventral dentate gyrus of the positive coping rats using FDG-PET. Furthermore, glutamatergic stimulation of the left dentate gyrus abolished depressive-like behaviors in rats with negative coping strategies. Increased resting brain activity in the left ventral dentate gyrus helps animals to select positive coping strategies in response to future stress. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The developmental effects of media-ideal internalization and self-objectification processes on adolescents' negative body-feelings, dietary restraint, and binge eating.

PubMed

Dakanalis, Antonios; Carrà, Giuseppe; Calogero, Rachel; Fida, Roberta; Clerici, Massimo; Zanetti, Maria Assunta; Riva, Giuseppe

2015-08-01

Despite accumulated experimental evidence of the negative effects of exposure to media-idealized images, the degree to which body image, and eating related disturbances are caused by media portrayals of gendered beauty ideals remains controversial. On the basis of the most up-to-date meta-analysis of experimental studies indicating that media-idealized images have the most harmful and substantial impact on vulnerable individuals regardless of gender (i.e., "internalizers" and "self-objectifiers"), the current longitudinal study examined the direct and mediated links posited in objectification theory among media-ideal internalization, self-objectification, shame and anxiety surrounding the body and appearance, dietary restraint, and binge eating. Data collected from 685 adolescents aged between 14 and 15 at baseline (47 % males), who were interviewed and completed standardized measures annually over a 3-year period, were analyzed using a structural equation modeling approach. Results indicated that media-ideal internalization predicted later thinking and scrutinizing of one's body from an external observer's standpoint (or self-objectification), which then predicted later negative emotional experiences related to one's body and appearance. In turn, these negative emotional experiences predicted subsequent dietary restraint and binge eating, and each of these core features of eating disorders influenced each other. Differences in the strength of these associations across gender were not observed, and all indirect effects were significant. The study provides valuable information about how the cultural values embodied by gendered beauty ideals negatively influence adolescents' feelings, thoughts and behaviors regarding their own body, and on the complex processes involved in disordered eating. Practical implications are discussed.

Measuring Generalized Expectancies for Negative Mood Regulation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catanzaro, Salvatore J.; Mearns, Jack

Research has suggested the utility of studying individual differences in the regulation of negative mood states. Generalized response expectancies for negative mood regulation were defined as expectancies that some overt behavior or cognition would alleviate negative mood states as they occur across situations. The Generalized Expectancy for…

Coping with Self-Threat and the Evaluation of Self-Related Traits: An fMRI Study

PubMed Central

Corcoran, Katja; Ebner, Franz

2015-01-01

A positive view of oneself is important for a healthy lifestyle. Self-protection mechanisms such as suppressing negative self-related information help us to maintain a positive view of ourselves. This is of special relevance when, for instance, a negative test result threatens our positive self-view. To date, it is not clear which brain areas support self-protective mechanisms under self-threat. In the present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study the participants (N = 46) received a (negative vs. positive) performance test feedback before entering the scanner. In the scanner, the participants were instructed to ascribe personality traits either to themselves or to a famous other. Our results showed that participants responded slower to negative self-related traits compared to positive self-related traits. High self-esteem individuals responded slower to negative traits compared to low self-esteem individuals following a self-threat. This indicates that high self-esteem individuals engage more in self-enhancing strategies after a threat by inhibiting negative self-related information more successfully than low self-esteem individuals. This behavioral pattern was mirrored in the fMRI data as dACC correlated positively with trait self-esteem. Generally, ACC activation was attenuated under threat when participants evaluated self-relevant traits and even more for negative self-related traits. We also found that activation in the ACC was negatively correlated with response times, indicating that greater activation of the ACC is linked to better access (faster response) to positive self-related traits and to impaired access (slower response) to negative self-related traits. These results confirm the ACC function as important in managing threatened self-worth but indicate differences in trait self-esteem levels. The fMRI analyses also revealed a decrease in activation within the left Hippocampus and the right thalamus under threat. This indicates that a down-regulation of activation in these regions might also serve as coping mechanism in dealing with self-threat. PMID:26333130

How Team-Level and Individual-Level Conflict Influences Team Commitment: A Multilevel Investigation.

PubMed

Lee, Sanghyun; Kwon, Seungwoo; Shin, Shung J; Kim, MinSoo; Park, In-Jo

2017-01-01

We investigate how two different types of conflict (task conflict and relationship conflict) at two different levels (individual-level and team-level) influence individual team commitment. The analysis was conducted using data we collected from 193 employees in 31 branch offices of a Korean commercial bank. The relationships at multiple levels were tested using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). The results showed that individual-level relationship conflict was negatively related to team commitment while individual-level task conflict was not. In addition, both team-level task and relationship conflict were negatively associated with team commitment. Finally, only team-level relationship conflict significantly moderated the relationship between individual-level relationship conflict and team commitment. We further derive theoretical implications of these findings.

How Team-Level and Individual-Level Conflict Influences Team Commitment: A Multilevel Investigation

PubMed Central

Lee, Sanghyun; Kwon, Seungwoo; Shin, Shung J.; Kim, MinSoo; Park, In-Jo

2018-01-01

We investigate how two different types of conflict (task conflict and relationship conflict) at two different levels (individual-level and team-level) influence individual team commitment. The analysis was conducted using data we collected from 193 employees in 31 branch offices of a Korean commercial bank. The relationships at multiple levels were tested using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). The results showed that individual-level relationship conflict was negatively related to team commitment while individual-level task conflict was not. In addition, both team-level task and relationship conflict were negatively associated with team commitment. Finally, only team-level relationship conflict significantly moderated the relationship between individual-level relationship conflict and team commitment. We further derive theoretical implications of these findings. PMID:29387033

Study of the combinatorial impact of empathy and emotion on the processing of conflicts of interest with the event-related potential technique.

PubMed

He, Xiaoli; Zhang, Ni

2017-01-01

Studies have found that empathy is important in moral development and violence suppression, and emotion also affects empathy. However, the combinatorial effect of emotion and empathy on the processing of conflicts is not known. A total of 44 undergraduate students (23 in low-empathy group and 21 in high-empathy group) were enrolled in this study. They were subjected to positive, negative, and neutral emotion evoking, as well as conflicting or nonconflicting proposals. Event-related potential technology was used to study the combinatorial effects of empathy and emotion on the processing of conflict of interest. We found that under the influence of a positive emotion, both low- and high-empathy groups exhibited lower rejection rates. In the context of conflict, individuals in the high-empathy group showed fewer refusals under positive emotion. In the low-empathy group, there was no significant difference between responses to different emotions, but conflicting proposals induced more negative medial frontal negativity than nonconflicting proposals. Individuals in the low-empathy group showed different late positive potentials when responding to different types of proposals under both neutral and negative emotions, whereas those in the high-empathy group only showed different late positive potentials responding to different types of proposals under negative emotion. Our results indicate that under positive emotion, individuals with low empathy show less difference in processing either conflicting or nonconflicting proposals, whereas under negative emotion, individuals with high empathy show enhanced motivation toward nonconflicting proposals.

Insular Activity during Passive Viewing of Aversive Stimuli Reflects Individual Differences in State Negative Affect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meriau, Katja; Wartenburger, Isabell; Kazzer, Philipp; Prehn, Kristin; Villringer, Arno; van der Meer, Elke; Heekeren, Hauke R.

2009-01-01

People differ with regard to how they perceive, experience, and express negative affect. While trait negative affect reflects a stable, sustained personality trait, state negative affect represents a stimulus limited and temporally acute emotion. So far, little is known about the neural systems mediating the relationship between negative affect…

The validation and utility of a quantitative one-step multiplex RT real-time PCR targeting Rotavirus A and Norovirus

PubMed Central

Dung, Tran Thi Ngoc; Phat, Voong Vinh; Nga, Tran Vu Thieu; My, Phan Vu Tra; Duy, Pham Thanh; Campbell, James I.; Thuy, Cao Thu; Hoang, Nguyen Van Minh; Van Minh, Pham; Le Phuc, Hoang; Tuyet, Pham Thi Ngoc; Vinh, Ha; Kien, Duong Thi Hue; Huy, Huynh Le Anh; Vinh, Nguyen Thanh; Nga, Tran Thi Thu; Hau, Nguyen Thi Thu; Chinh, Nguyen Tran; Thuong, Tang Chi; Tuan, Ha Manh; Simmons, Cameron; Farrar, Jeremy J.; Baker, Stephen

2013-01-01

Rotavirus (RoV) and Norovirus (NoV) are the main causes of viral gastroenteritis. Currently, there is no validated multiplex real-time PCR that can detect and quantify RoV and NoV simultaneously. The aim of the study was to develop, validate, and internally control a multiplex one-step RT real-time PCR to detect and quantify RoV and NoV in stool samples. PCR sensitivity was assessed by comparing amplification against the current gold standard, enzyme immunoassay (EIA), on stool samples from 94 individuals with diarrhea and 94 individuals without diarrhea. PCR detected 10% more RoV positive samples than EIA in stools samples from patients with diarrhea. PCR detected 23% more NoV genogroup II positive samples from individuals with diarrhea and 9% more from individuals without diarrhea than EIA, respectively. Genotyping of the PCR positive/EIA negative samples suggested the higher rate of PCR positivity, in comparison to EIA, was due to increased sensitivity, rather than nonspecific hybridization. Quantitation demonstrated that the viral loads of RoV and NoV in the stools of diarrheal patients were an order of magnitude greater than in individuals without diarrhea. This internally controlled real-time PCR method is robust, exhibits a high degree of reproducibility, and may have a greater utility and sensitivity than commercial EIA kits. PMID:23046990

Stress hormones link food availability and population processes in seabirds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kitaysky, A.S.; Piatt, John F.; Wingfield, J.C.

2007-01-01

Catastrophic population declines in marine top predators in the northern Pacific have been hypothesized to result from nutritional stress affecting reproduction and survival of individuals. However, empirical evidence for food-related stress in wild animals is frequently lacking or inconclusive. We used a field endocrinology approach to measure stress, identify its causes, and examine a link between stress and population processes in the common murre Uria aalge. We tested the empirical relationship between variations in the stress hormone corticosterone (CORT) and food abundance, reproduction, and persistence of individuals at declining and increasing colonies in Cook Inlet, Alaska, from 1996 to 2001. We found that CORT secretion in murres is independent of colony, reproductive stage effects, and gender of individuals, but is directly negatively correlated with abundance of their food. Baseline CORT reflected current food abundance, whereas acute stress-induced CORT reflected food abundance in the previous month. As food supply diminished, increased CORT secretion predicted a decrease in reproductive performance. At a declining colony, increased baseline levels of CORT during reproduction predicted disappearance of individuals from the population. Persistence of individuals in a growing colony was independent of CORT during reproduction. The obtained results support the hypothesis that nutritional stress during reproduction affects reproduction and survival in seabirds. This study provides the first unequivocal evidence for CORT secretion as a mechanistic link between fluctuations in food abundance and population processes in seabirds. ?? Inter-Research 2007.

Cytomegalovirus infection enhances the immune response to influenza.

PubMed

Furman, David; Jojic, Vladimir; Sharma, Shalini; Shen-Orr, Shai S; Angel, Cesar J L; Onengut-Gumuscu, Suna; Kidd, Brian A; Maecker, Holden T; Concannon, Patrick; Dekker, Cornelia L; Thomas, Paul G; Davis, Mark M

2015-04-01

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a β-herpesvirus present in a latent form in most people worldwide. In immunosuppressed individuals, CMV can reactivate and cause serious clinical complications, but the effect of the latent state on healthy people remains elusive. We undertook a systems approach to understand the differences between seropositive and negative subjects and measured hundreds of immune system components from blood samples including cytokines and chemokines, immune cell phenotyping, gene expression, ex vivo cell responses to cytokine stimuli, and the antibody response to seasonal influenza vaccination. As expected, we found decreased responses to vaccination and an overall down-regulation of immune components in aged individuals regardless of CMV status. In contrast, CMV-seropositive young adults exhibited enhanced antibody responses to influenza vaccination, increased CD8(+) T cell sensitivity, and elevated levels of circulating interferon-γ compared to seronegative individuals. Experiments with young mice infected with murine CMV also showed significant protection from an influenza virus challenge compared with uninfected animals, although this effect declined with time. These data show that CMV and its murine equivalent can have a beneficial effect on the immune response of young, healthy individuals, which may explain the ubiquity of CMV infection in humans and many other species. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Predator encounters have spatially extensive impacts on parental behaviour in a breeding bird community

PubMed Central

Moks, Kadri; Thomson, Robert L.; Calhim, Sara; Järvistö, Pauliina E.; Schuett, Wiebke; Velmala, William; Laaksonen, Toni

2016-01-01

Predation risk has negative indirect effects on prey fitness, partly mediated through changes in behaviour. Evidence that individuals gather social information from other members of the population suggests that events in a community may impact the behaviour of distant individuals. However, spatially wide-ranging impacts on individual behaviour caused by a predator encounter elsewhere in a community have not been documented before. We investigated the effect of a predator encounter (hawk model presented at a focal nest) on the parental behaviour of pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca), both at the focal nest and at nearby nests different distances from the predator encounter. We show that nest visitation of both focal pairs and nearby pairs were affected, up to 3 h and 1 h, respectively. Parents also appeared to compensate initial disrupted feeding by later increasing nest visitation rates. This is the first evidence showing that the behaviour of nearby pairs was affected away from an immediate source of risk. Our results indicate that the impacts of short-term predator encounters may immediately extend spatially to the broader community, affecting the behaviour of distant individuals. Information about predators is probably quickly spread by cues such as intra- and heterospecific alarm calls, in communities of different taxa. PMID:27030411

Heterogeneity of allocation promotes cooperation in public goods games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Chuang; Wu, Te; Jia, Jian-Yuan; Cong, Rui; Wang, Long

2010-11-01

We investigate the effects of heterogeneous investment and distribution on the evolution of cooperation in the context of the public goods games. To do this, we develop a simple model in which each individual allocates differing funds to his direct neighbors based upon their difference in connectivity, because of the heterogeneity of real social ties. This difference is characterized by the weight of the link between paired individuals, with an adjustable parameter precisely controlling the heterogeneous level of ties. By numerical simulations, it is found that allocating both too much and too little funds to diverse neighbors can remarkably improve the cooperation level. However, there exists a worst mode of funds allocation leading to the most unfavorable cooperation induced by the moderate values of the parameter. In order to better reveal the potential causes behind these nontrivial phenomena we probe the microscopic characteristics including the average payoff and the cooperator density for individuals of different degrees. It demonstrates rather different dynamical behaviors between the modes of these two types of cooperation promoter. Besides, we also investigate the total link weights of individuals numerically and theoretically for negative values of the parameter, and conclude that the payoff magnitude of middle-degree nodes plays a crucial role in determining the cooperators’ fate.

There was not, they did not: May negation cause the negated ideas to be remembered as existing?

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

In this article we demonstrate that negation of ideas can have paradoxical effects, possibly leading the listener to believe that the negated ideas actually existed. In Experiment 1, participants listened to a description of a house, in which some objects were mentioned, some were negated, and some were not mentioned at all. When questioned about the existence of these objects a week later, the participants gave more false positives for items that were negated in the original material than for items that were not mentioned at all, an effect we call negation related false memories (NRFM). The NRFM effect was replicated again in Experiment 2 with a sample of five and six year-old children. Experiment 3 confirmed NRFM in the case of negated actions. The results are discussed in terms of retention hypothesis, as well as the theory that negation can activate a representation of an entity and behaviour. It is also indicated that future research is needed to ensure that it is indeed negation which caused false alarms, not merely mentioning an object. PMID:28448549

Benefits of positive relationship experiences for avoidantly attached individuals.

PubMed

Stanton, Sarah C E; Campbell, Lorne; Pink, Jennifer C

2017-10-01

Attachment avoidance is characterized by discomfort with closeness and a reluctance to develop intimacy with romantic partners, which contribute to heightened general negativity and lower satisfaction and self-disclosure in and out of their relationships. Recent research, however, has begun to uncover circumstances in which romantic partners and positive relationships buffer more avoidantly attached individuals against deleterious individual and relationship outcomes. Across 3 studies, using a multimethod approach encompassing both experimental and dyadic longitudinal diary methods, we investigated the effects of positive, intimacy-related relationship experiences on more avoidant persons' positive and negative affect, relationship quality, self-disclosure, and attachment security immediately and over time. Results revealed that more avoidant individuals exhibit a reduction of general negative affect in particular (Studies 1-2) and report greater relationship quality (Studies 2-3) in response to positive relationship experiences, and, following intimacy-promoting activities with their partner, engage in greater self-disclosure over time and demonstrate decreased attachment avoidance 1 month later (Study 3). These findings identify novel circumstances in which more avoidant persons' negative expectations of relationships may be countered, and suggest that relatively simple techniques can have potentially important short- and long-term implications for more avoidant individuals and their relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Neuroticism as distancing: perceptual sources of evidence.

PubMed

Liu, Tianwei; Ode, Scott; Moeller, Sara K; Robinson, Michael D

2013-05-01

Several theories and self-reported sources of data link individual differences in negative affectivity to avoidance motivation. Chronic avoidance motivation, through repeated practice, may result in a relatively cognitive distance-enhancing dynamic whereby events and stimuli are perceived as further away from the self, even when they are not threatening. Such predictions are novel but follow from cybernetic theories of self-regulation. In 5 studies (total N = 463), relations of this type were investigated. Study 1 presented participants with phrases that were ambiguous and found that trait negative affect predicted phrase interpretation in a distance-enhancing temporal direction. Study 2 replicated this effect across a systematic manipulation of event valence. Study 3 asked individuals to estimate the size of words and found that individuals higher in neuroticism generally perceived words to be smaller than did individuals lower in neuroticism. In Study 4, people high (but not low) in neuroticism perceived words to be shrinking faster than they were growing. In Study 5, greater perceptual distancing, in a font size estimation task, predicted more adverse reactions to negative events in daily life. Although normative effects varied across studies, consistent support for a chronic distancing perspective of individual differences in negative affectivity was found. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved

Emotional reactivity and regulation in individuals with psychopathic traits: Evidence for a disconnect between neurophysiology and self-report.

PubMed

Ellis, Jennifer D; Schroder, Hans S; Patrick, Christopher J; Moser, Jason S

2017-10-01

Individuals with psychopathic traits often demonstrate blunted reactivity to negative emotional stimuli. However, it is not yet clear whether these individuals also have difficulty regulating their emotional responses to negative stimuli. To address this question, participants with varying levels of psychopathic traits (indexed by the Triarchic Measure of Psychopathy; Patrick, 2010) completed a task in which they passively viewed, increased, or decreased their emotions to negative picture stimuli while electrocortical activity was recorded. During passive viewing of negative images, higher boldness, but not higher disinhibition or meanness, was associated with reduced amplitude of the late positive potential (LPP), an ERP that indexes reactivity to emotionally relevant stimuli. However, all participants demonstrated expected enhancement of the LPP when asked to increase their emotional response. Participants did not show expected suppression of the LPP when asked to decrease their emotional response. Contrary to the electrophysiological data, individuals with higher boldness did not self-report experiencing blunted emotional response during passive viewing trials, and they reported experiencing greater emotional reactivity relative to other participants when regulating (e.g., both increasing and decreasing) their emotions. Results suggest inconsistency between physiological and self-report indices of emotion among high-bold individuals during both affective processing and regulation. © 2017 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Individual differences in schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Lu, Wenlian; Wan, Lin; Yan, Hao; Wang, Chuanyue; Yang, Fude; Tan, Yunlong; Li, Lingjiang; Yu, Hao; Liddle, Peter F.; Palaniyappan, Lena; Zhang, Dai

2017-01-01

Background Whether there are distinct subtypes of schizophrenia is an important issue to advance understanding and treatment of schizophrenia. Aims To understand and treat individuals with schizophrenia, the aim was to advance understanding of differences between individuals, whether there are discrete subtypes, and how first-episode patients (FEP) may differ from multiple episode patients (MEP). Method These issues were analysed in 687 FEP and 1880 MEP with schizophrenia using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for (PANSS) schizophrenia before and after antipsychotic medication for 6 weeks. Results The seven Negative Symptoms were correlated with each other and with P2 (conceptual disorganisation), G13 (disturbance of volition), and G7 (motor retardation). The main difference between individuals was in the cluster of seven negative symptoms, which had a continuous unimodal distribution. Medication decreased the PANSS scores for all the symptoms, which were similar in the FEP and MEP groups. Conclusions The negative symptoms are a major source of individual differences, and there are potential implications for treatment. Declaration of interests L.P. received speaker fees from Otsuka Canada and educational grant from Janssen Canada in 2017. Copyright and usage © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Non-Commercial, No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) license. PMID:29163982

Neural responses to negative feedback are related to negative emotionality in healthy adults

PubMed Central

Santesso, Diane L.; Bogdan, Ryan; Birk, Jeffrey L.; Goetz, Elena L.; Holmes, Avram J.

2012-01-01

Prior neuroimaging and electrophysiological evidence suggests that potentiated responses in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), particularly the rostral ACC, may contribute to abnormal responses to negative feedback in individuals with elevated negative affect and depressive symptoms. The feedback-related negativity (FRN) represents an electrophysiological index of ACC-related activation in response to performance feedback. The purpose of the present study was to examine the FRN and underlying ACC activation using low resolution electromagnetic tomography source estimation techniques in relation to negative emotionality (a composite index including negative affect and subclinical depressive symptoms). To this end, 29 healthy adults performed a monetary incentive delay task while 128-channel event-related potentials were recorded. We found that enhanced FRNs and increased rostral ACC activation in response to negative—but not positive—feedback was related to greater negative emotionality. These results indicate that individual differences in negative emotionality—a putative risk factor for emotional disorders—modulate ACC-related processes critically implicated in assessing the motivational impact and/or salience of environmental feedback. PMID:21917847

When training boomerangs - Negative outcomes associated with Cockpit Resource Management programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helmreich, Robert L.; Wilhelm, John A.

1989-01-01

Participants' self-reports and measures of attitudes regarding flightdeck management indicate that Cockpit Resource Management training is positively received and causes highly significant changes in attitudes regarding crew coordination and personal capabilities. However, a subset of participants react negatively to the training and show boomerangs (negative change) in attitudes. Explorations into the causes of this effect pinpoint personality factors and group dynamics as critical determinants of reactions to training and the magnitude and direction of attitude change.

Subjective relative deprivation is associated with poorer physical and mental health.

PubMed

Mishra, Sandeep; Carleton, R Nicholas

2015-12-01

Substantial epidemiological evidence has shown that income inequality and objective measures of relative deprivation are associated with poorer health outcomes. However, surprisingly little research has examined whether subjective feelings of relative deprivation are similarly linked with poorer health outcomes. The relative deprivation hypothesis suggests that inequality affects health at the individual level through negative consequences of social comparison. We directly examined the relationship between subjective feelings of personal relative deprivation and self-reported physical and mental health in a diverse community sample (n = 328). Results demonstrated that subjective feelings of personal relative deprivation are associated with significantly poorer physical and mental health. These relationships held even when accounting for covariates that have been previously associated with both relative deprivation and health. These results further support the link between relative deprivation and health outcomes and suggest that addressing root causes of relative deprivation may lead to greater individual health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Ego-Defensive Role of Legitimacy: How Threat-Based Justifications Protect the Self-Esteem of Discriminators.

PubMed

Pereira, Cicero Roberto; Álvaro, José Luis; Vala, Jorge

2018-05-01

This article analyzes the ego-defensive role played by legitimation, by examining the hypothesis that threat-based justifications attenuate the negative effect on an individual's self-esteem caused by his or her becoming aware of his or her own discriminatory behavior. Across three studies (including a pilot experiment), participants who were led to believe that they had acted in a discriminatory way experienced a decrease in their self-esteem. In Study 1 ( N = 116), this effect was nullified when discrimination was justified by either symbolic or realistic threat perceptions. Study 2 ( N = 250) replicated this pattern of results and went further by showing that discrimination affects self-esteem only in more egalitarian individuals, whereas for those less egalitarian, it affects their social image. According to the ego-defensive role of legitimation, a meta-analytical integration of the results confirmed that the influence of discrimination in depressing self-esteem is moderated by threat-based justifications.

Marine pollution effects on the southern surf crab Ovalipes trimaculatus (Crustacea: Brachyura: Polybiidae) in Patagonia Argentina.

PubMed

Lezcano, Aníbal Hernán; Rojas Quiroga, María Laura; Liberoff, Ana Laura; Van der Molen, Silvina

2015-02-28

We compared the carapace shape and thickness as well as the energy density of Ovalipes trimaculatus inhabiting areas comprising a gradient of marine pollution: high, moderate and undetected, in the Nuevo gulf (Patagonia Argentina). The carapace shape was evaluated by means of individual asymmetry scores (=fluctuating asymmetry) whereas the carapace thickness was assessed by measuring the carapace dry weight. The energy density was analyzed through its negative relationship with water content in muscle tissue. The individual asymmetry scores as well as the percentage of water content in muscle tissue were proportional to the marine pollution gradient, whereas the carapaces thickness did not differ among sampling sites. Our results are consistent with previous findings and demonstrate the direct effect of marine pollution on other taxa different from gastropods, cephalopods and polyplacophora and add to long-standing concerns about detrimental effects caused by marine pollution on the benthic community of the Nuevo gulf. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Expected Emotional Usefulness and Emotional Preference in Individuals with Major Depressive Disorder

PubMed Central

Yoon, Sunkyung; Lee, Seung-Hwan; Kim, Hyang Sook

2016-01-01

Objective Previous studies indicate that emotion regulation problems in major depressive disorder (MDD) may be caused by difficulties in preferring useful emotions according to their goals. We investigated expected emotional usefulness and emotional preference in individuals with MDD (MDDs) and healthy controls (HCs). Methods Participants were given an interpersonal scenario with two different goals (confrontation and collaboration) and rated their willingness to participate in emotion-provoking activities and the expected usefulness of a particular emotion. Results MDDs were similar to HCs in expected emotional usefulness but showed different patterns of emotional preference. HCs preferred happiness to negative emotions across goals whereas MDDs did not show such pattern. In addition, HCs displayed goal-appropriate preferences whereas MDDs did not prefer certain emotions for specific goals. Conclusion Although MDDs seemed to understand how useful an emotion can be, they did not show preference for goal-appropriate emotions. Interventions should address why MDDs have difficulty engaging in goal-appropriate emotions despite having full knowledge of the utility of emotions in achieving goals. PMID:27121431

Resilience as Regulation of Developmental and Family Processes

PubMed Central

MacPhee, David; Lunkenheimer, Erika; Riggs, Nathaniel

2015-01-01

Resilience can be defined as establishing equilibrium subsequent to disturbances to a system caused by significant adversity. When families experience adversity or transitions, multiple regulatory processes may be involved in establishing equilibrium, including adaptability, regulation of negative affect, and effective problem-solving skills. The authors’ resilience-as-regulation perspective integrates insights about the regulation of individual development with processes that regulate family systems. This middle-range theory of family resilience focuses on regulatory processes across levels that are involved in adaptation: whole-family systems such as routines and sense of coherence; coregulation of dyads involving emotion regulation, structuring, and reciprocal influences between social partners; and individual self-regulation. Insights about resilience-as-regulation are then applied to family-strengthening interventions that are designed to promote adaptation to adversity. Unresolved issues are discussed in relation to resilience-as-regulation in families, in particular how risk exposure is assessed, interrelations among family regulatory mechanisms, and how families scaffold the development of children’s resilience. PMID:26568647

Ethanol Forensic Toxicology.

PubMed

Perry, Paul J; Doroudgar, Shadi; Van Dyke, Priscilla

2017-12-01

Ethanol abuse can lead to negative consequences that oftentimes result in criminal charges and civil lawsuits. When an individual is suspected of driving under the influence, law enforcement agents can determine the extent of intoxication by measuring the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and performing a standardized field sobriety test. The BAC is dependent on rates of absorption, distribution, and elimination, which are influenced mostly by the dose of ethanol ingested and rate of consumption. Other factors contributing to BAC are gender, body mass and composition, food effects, type of alcohol, and chronic alcohol exposure. Because of individual variability in ethanol pharmacology and toxicology, careful extrapolation and interpretation of the BAC is needed, to justify an arrest and assignment of criminal liability. This review provides a summary of the pharmacokinetic properties of ethanol and the clinical effects of acute intoxication as they relate to common forensic questions. Concerns regarding the extrapolation of BAC and the implications of impaired memory caused by alcohol-induced blackouts are discussed. © 2017 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

Wellbeing: causes and consequences of emotion regulation in work settings.

PubMed

Zammuner, V L; Galli, C

2005-10-01

Emotion regulation processes are a crucial aspect of the working role in jobs which require employee-customer interactions: What kinds of regulation processes are activated, with what frequency, and what are their correlates and consequences are important aspects to consider because of their potential implications for the well-being of individuals. To investigate these issues, a set of studies was carried out with Italian workers (N=769) performing service jobs in different sectors. Job-related, socio-demographic, and individual psychological variables were taken into account. The results confirmed the hypothesis that in service job-roles emotional labour (EL) is a component whose negative and positive implications for employees' well-being need to be considered. Emotional labour, embedded in a net of relationships with such job variables as frequency and duration of client-interaction, can result in high psychological costs for service workers. In particular, surface acting regulation was found to have a personal cost, indexed by the burnout dimensions of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization.

Explaining ideology: two factors are better than one.

PubMed

Robbins, Philip; Shields, Kenneth

2014-06-01

Hibbing et al. contend that individual differences in political ideology can be substantially accounted for in terms of differences in a single psychological factor, namely, strength of negativity bias. We argue that, given the multidimensional structure of ideology, a better explanation of ideological variation will take into account both individual differences in negativity bias and differences in empathic concern.

Does Negative Mood Influence Self-Report Assessment of Individual and Relational Measures? An Experimental Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heene, Els; De Raedt, Rudi; Buysse, Ann; Van Oost, Paulette

2007-01-01

The present study was designed to test the influence of negative mood on the self-report of individual and relational correlates of depression and marital distress. The authors applied a combined experimental mood induction procedure, based on music, autobiographical recall, and environmental manipulation. Results showed that the mood manipulation…

Asymmetric affective forecasting errors and their correlation with subjective well-being

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Aims Social scientists have postulated that the discrepancy between achievements and expectations affects individuals' subjective well-being. Still, little has been done to qualify and quantify such a psychological effect. Our empirical analysis assesses the consequences of positive and negative affective forecasting errors—the difference between realized and expected subjective well-being—on the subsequent level of subjective well-being. Data We use longitudinal data on a representative sample of 13,431 individuals from the German Socio-Economic Panel. In our sample, 52% of individuals are females, average age is 43 years, average years of education is 11.4 and 27% of our sample lives in East Germany. Subjective well-being (measured by self-reported life satisfaction) is assessed on a 0–10 discrete scale and its sample average is equal to 6.75 points. Methods We develop a simple theoretical framework to assess the consequences of positive and negative affective forecasting errors—the difference between realized and expected subjective well-being—on the subsequent level of subjective well-being, properly accounting for the endogenous adjustment of expectations to positive and negative affective forecasting errors, and use it to derive testable predictions. Given the theoretical framework, we estimate two panel-data equations, the first depicting the association between positive and negative affective forecasting errors and the successive level of subjective well-being and the second describing the correlation between subjective well-being expectations for the future and hedonic failures and successes. Our models control for individual fixed effects and a large battery of time-varying demographic characteristics, health and socio-economic status. Results and conclusions While surpassing expectations is uncorrelated with subjective well-being, failing to match expectations is negatively associated with subsequent realizations of subjective well-being. Expectations are positively (negatively) correlated to positive (negative) forecasting errors. We speculate that in the first case the positive adjustment in expectations is strong enough to cancel out the potential positive effects on subjective well-being of beaten expectations, while in the second case it is not, and individuals persistently bear the negative emotional consequences of not achieving expectations. PMID:29513685

Glutamatergic Synaptic Dysregulation in Schizophrenia: Therapeutic Implications

PubMed Central

Basu, Alo; Benneyworth, Michael; Balu, Darrick; Konopaske, Glenn

2016-01-01

Schizophrenia affects approximately 1% of the population and continues to be associated with poor outcome because of the limited efficacy of and noncompliance with existing antipsychotic medications. An alternative hypothesis invoking the excitatory neurotransmitter, glutamate, arose out of clinical observations that NMDA receptor antagonists, the dissociative anesthetics like ketamine, can replicate in normal individuals the full range of symptoms of schizophrenia including psychosis, negative symptoms, and cognitive impairments. Low dose ketamine can also re-create a number of physiologic abnormalities characteristic of schizophrenia. Postmortem studies have revealed abnormalities in endogenous modulators of NMDA receptors in schizophrenia as well as components of a postsynaptic density where NMDA receptors are localized. Gene association studies have revealed several genes that affect NMDA receptor function whose allelic variants are associated with increased risk for schizophrenia including genes encoding D-amino acid oxidase, its modulator G72, dysbindin, and neuregulin. The parvalbumin-positive, fast-firing GABAergic interneurons that provide recurrent inhibition to cortical-limbic pyramidal neurons seem to be most sensitive to NMDA receptor hypofunction. As a consequence, disinhibition of glutamatergic efferents disrupts cortical processing, causing cognitive impairments and negative symptoms, and drives subcortical dopamine release, resulting in psychosis. Drugs designed to correct the cortical-limbic dysregulated glutamatergic neurotransmission show promise for reducing negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia as well as its positive symptoms. PMID:23027419

Genital herpes stigma: Toward the Measurement and Validation of a highly prevalent yet hidden public health problem.

PubMed

Wang, Katie; Merin, Abigail; Rendina, H Jonathon; Pachankis, John E

2018-02-01

Despite its highly prevalent and stigmatizing nature, genital herpes has received little attention from stigma researchers relative to other sexually transmitted infections. This limitation is of great relevance to researchers and practitioners in both clinical and healthcare settings, given that stigma can cause psychological distress and hinder disclosure to sexual partners, hence contributing to the spread of genital herpes. The present research developed and examined the psychometric properties of a quantitative measure of genital herpes stigma. Two hundred individuals diagnosed with genital herpes recruited through online genital herpes support groups completed a survey containing 37 items adapted from the HIV Stigma Scale, questions about demographic and herpes-related characteristics, and measures of relevant psychosocial variables. A confirmatory factor analysis yielded an 18-item scale with four factors: personalized stigma, disclosure concerns, negative self-image, and concern with public attitudes. All subscales demonstrated good internal consistency, with Cronbach alphas ranging from 0.74 to 0.87. Construct validity was supported by correlations with relevant psychosocial variables, including negative affect, rumination, and perceived social support. As a psychometrically sound assessment tool, the Genital Herpes Stigma Scale can be used in both clinical and research settings to facilitate future efforts to alleviate the negative psychological consequences of this incurable viral infection.

Spatio-temporal distribution and environmental drivers of Barley yellow dwarf virus and vector abundance in Kansas.

PubMed

Enders, Laramy; Hefley, Trevor; Girvin, John; Whitworth, Robert; Smith, Charles

2018-05-11

Several aphid species transmit barley yellow dwarf, a globally destructive disease caused by viruses that infect cereal grain crops. Data from >400 samples collected across Kansas wheat fields in 2014 and 2015 were used to develop spatio-temporal models predicting the extent to which landcover, temperature and precipitation affect spring aphid vector abundance and presence of individuals carrying Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV). The distribution of Rhopalosiphum padi abundance was not correlated with climate or landcover, but Sitobion avenae abundance was positively correlated to fall temperature and negatively correlated to spring temperature and precipitation. The abundance of Schizaphis graminum was negatively correlated with fall precipitation and winter temperature. The incidence of viruliferous (+BYDV) R. padi was positively correlated with fall precipitation but negatively correlated with winter precipitation. In contrast, the probability of +BYDV S. avenae was unaffected by precipitation but was positively correlated with average fall temperatures and distance to nearest forest or shrubland. R. padi and S. avenae were more prevalent at Eastern sample sites where ground cover is more grassland than cropland, suggesting that grassland may provide over-summering sites for vectors and pose a risk as potential BYDV reservoirs. Nevertheless, land cover patterns were not strongly associated with differences in abundance or probability that viruliferous aphids were present.

Identification of biomarkers that distinguish human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive versus HPV-negative head and neck cancers in a mouse model.

PubMed

Strati, Katerina; Pitot, Henry C; Lambert, Paul F

2006-09-19

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Recent reports have associated a subset of HNSCC with high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs), particularly HPV16, the same subset of HPVs responsible for the majority of cervical and anogenital cancers. In this study we describe a mouse model for HPV-associated HNSCC that employs mice transgenic for the HPV16 oncogenes E6 and E7. In these mice, E6 and E7 induce aberrant epithelial proliferation and, in the presence of a chemical carcinogen, they increase dramatically the animal's susceptibility to HNSCC. The cancers arising in the HPV16-transgenic mice mirror the molecular and histopathological characteristics of human HPV-positive HNSCC that distinguish the latter from human HPV-negative HNSCC, including overexpression of p16 protein and formation of more basaloid cancers. This validated model of HPV-associated HNSCC provides the means to define the contributions of individual HPV oncogenes to HNSCC and to understand the molecular basis for the differing clinical properties of HPV-positive and HPV-negative human HNSCC. From this study, we identify minichromosome maintenance protein 7 (MCM7) and p16 as potentially useful biomarkers for HPV-positive head and neck cancer.

Safety and immunogenicity of a quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine in HIV-infected and HIV-negative adolescents and young adults.

PubMed

Giacomet, Vania; Penagini, Francesca; Trabattoni, Daria; Viganò, Alessandra; Rainone, Veronica; Bernazzani, Giada; Bonardi, Claudia Maria; Clerici, Mario; Bedogni, Giorgio; Zuccotti, Gian Vincenzo

2014-09-29

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is highly prevalent and can lead to cancer; the development of safe and efficacious vaccines for HPV is a major public health concern. The two licensed HPV vaccines contain recombinant virus-like particles of HPV 16 and 18; one of such vaccines also protects against HPV types 6 and 11 which cause genital warts. We determined safety and immunogenicity of quadrivalent HPV vaccine in HIV-infected and HIV-negative adolescents and young adults, aged 13-27 years. The seroconversion rate, assessed by antibody titers, 1 month after the administration of the third vaccine dose was 0.85 (95% CI 0.75-0.95) in the HIV-infected group and 0.91 (0.83-0.99) in the HIV-negative subjects (p=0.52). The vaccine was generally safe and well tolerated; the most common side effect was local pain and the most frequent systemic side effect was headache. This is the first report on response to HPV vaccination in both female and male HIV-infected adolescents and young adults and highlights that this population may benefit from HPV immunoprophylaxis. Further studies are needed to examine the long term efficacy of this vaccine in HIV-infected individuals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Disengagement beliefs in smokers: do they influence the effects of a tailored persuasive message advocating smoking cessation?

PubMed

Dijkstra, A

2009-09-01

Disengagement beliefs function to reduce cognitive dissonance and a number of predictions with regard to disengagement beliefs have been tested and verified. However, the influence of disengagement beliefs on persuasion has not been studied yet. In a field-experiment, 254 smokers were randomly assigned to a persuasive message condition or a no-information control condition. First, it was assessed to what extent disengagement beliefs influenced persuasion. In smokers with low adherence to disengagement beliefs, quitting activity (attempting to quit) in the control condition was high, but this was not further increased by persuasive information on the negative outcomes of smoking. In contrast, smokers who strongly adhered to disengagement beliefs showed low quitting activity in the control condition, but significantly more quitting activity when they received the persuasive message. Second, it was studied what smokers do when they experience negative affect caused by the persuasive message. The results show that in smokers who strongly adhered to disengagement beliefs, negative affect was associated with less quitting activity. Although these results show that quitting activity as assessed at 2 and 8 months follow-ups was influenced by disengagement beliefs, point prevalence seven-day quitting was not. This study shows that adherence to disengagement beliefs is a relevant individual difference in understanding effects of smoking cessation interventions.

Developing a national computerised absence monitoring and management system to reduce nursing student attrition: evaluation of staff and student perspectives.

PubMed

Currie, Kay; McCallum, Jacqueline; Murray, John; Scott, Janine; Strachan, Evelyn; Yates, Lynda; Wright, Marty

2014-05-01

Reducing avoidable nursing student attrition is an international challenge. A pattern of falling attendance is recognised as a frequent precursor to withdrawal from nursing programmes. To address concerns regarding nursing student attrition, the Scottish Government implemented a pilot project for a centralised Computerised Absence Management and Monitoring System (CAMMS). The CAMMS adopted an 'assertive outreach' approach, contacting students every two weeks via colour coded letters to tell them whether their attendance was 'excellent', 'good, but potentially causing concern'; or 'warning; attendance concerns/contact academic staff for support'. This article reports key findings from an evaluation of CAMMS. To explore the perceived impact of CAMMS on student support and attrition, from the perspectives of academic and administrative staff and students. Mixed methods evaluation design. Three large geographically dispersed Schools of Nursing in Scotland. 83 students; 20 academic staff; and 3 lead administrators. On-line cohort survey of academic staff and students; structured interviews with lead administrators. Findings reflected a spectrum of negative and positive views of CAMMS. Students who are attending regularly seem pleased that their commitment is recognised. Lecturers who teach larger groups report greater difficulty getting to know students individually and acknowledge the benefit of identifying potential attendance concerns at an early stage. Conversely, some students who received a 'warning' letter were frequently annoyed or irritated, rather than feeling supported. Increased staff workload resulted in negative perceptions and a consequent reluctance to use CAMMS. However, students who were causing concern reported subsequent improvement in attendance. CAMMS has the potential to identify 'at-risk' students at an early stage; however, the system should have flexibility to tailor automatically generated letters in response to individual circumstances, to avoid student frustration. Further research on the longer term impact of CAMMS on attrition rates is warranted. © 2013.

Negative Effects of Learning Spreadsheet Management on Learning Database Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vágner, Anikó; Zsakó, László

2015-01-01

A lot of students learn spreadsheet management before database management. Their similarities can cause a lot of negative effects when learning database management. In this article, we consider these similarities and explain what can cause problems. First, we analyse the basic concepts such as table, database, row, cell, reference, etc. Then, we…

Chronic and Daily Stressors Along With Negative Affect Interact to Predict Daily Tiredness.

PubMed

Hartsell, Elizabeth N; Neupert, Shevaun D

2017-11-01

The present study examines the within-person relationship of daily stressors and tiredness and whether this depends on daily negative affect and individual differences in chronic stress. One hundred sixteen older adult participants were recruited via Amazon's Mechanical Turk for a 9-day daily diary study. Daily tiredness, daily stressors, and negative affect were measured each day, and chronic stress was measured at baseline. Daily stressors, daily negative affect, and chronic stress interacted to predict daily tiredness. People with high chronic stress who experienced an increase in daily negative affect were the most reactive to daily stressors in terms of experiencing an increase in daily tiredness. We also found that people with low levels of chronic stress were the most reactive to daily stressors when they experienced low levels of daily negative affect. Our results highlight the need for individualized and contextualized approaches to combating daily tiredness in older adults.

Stereotyping by Omission: Eliminate the Negative, Accentuate the Positive

PubMed Central

Bergsieker, Hilary B.; Leslie, Lisa M.; Constantine, Vanessa S.; Fiske, Susan T.

2014-01-01

Communicators, motivated by strategic self-presentation, selectively underreport negative content in describing their impressions of individuals and stereotypes of groups, particularly for targets whom they view ambivalently with respect to warmth and competence. Communicators avoid overtly inaccurate descriptions, preferring to omit negative information and emphasize positive information about mixed individual targets (Study 1). With more public audiences, communicators increasingly prefer negativity omission to complete accuracy (Study 2), a process driven by self-presentation concerns (Study 3), and moderated by bidimensional ambivalence. Similarly, in an extension of the Princeton Trilogy studies, reported stereotypes of ethnic and national outgroups systematically omitted negative dimensions over 75 years—as anti-prejudice norms intensified—while neutral and positive stereotype dimensions remained constant (Study 4). Multiple assessment methods confirm this stereotyping-by-omission phenomenon (Study 5). Implications of negativity omission for innuendo and stereotype stagnation are discussed. PMID:22448889

Promoting success or preventing failure: cultural differences in motivation by positive and negative role models.

PubMed

Lockwood, Penelope; Marshall, Tara C; Sadler, Pamela

2005-03-01

In two studies, cross-cultural differences in reactions to positive and negative role models were examined. The authors predicted that individuals from collectivistic cultures, who have a stronger prevention orientation, would be most motivated by negative role models, who highlight a strategy of avoiding failure; individuals from individualistic cultures, who have a stronger promotion focus, would be most motivated by positive role models, who highlight a strategy of pursuing success. In Study 1, the authors examined participants' reported preferences for positive and negative role models. Asian Canadian participants reported finding negative models more motivating than did European Canadians; self-construals and regulatory focus mediated cultural differences in reactions to role models. In Study 2, the authors examined the impact of role models on the academic motivation of Asian Canadian and European Canadian participants. Asian Canadians were motivated only by a negative model, and European Canadians were motivated only by a positive model.

Negative emotionality and externalizing problems in toddlerhood: overreactive parenting as a moderator of genetic influences.

PubMed

Lipscomb, Shannon T; Leve, Leslie D; Shaw, Daniel S; Neiderhiser, Jenae M; Scaramella, Laura V; Ge, Xiaojia; Conger, Rand D; Reid, John B; Reiss, David

2012-02-01

The current study examines the interplay between parental overreactivity and children's genetic backgrounds as inferred from birth parent characteristics on the development of negative emotionality during infancy, and in turn, to individual differences in externalizing problems in toddlerhood. The sample included 361 families linked through adoption (birth parents and adoptive families). Data were collected when the children were 9, 18, and 27 months old. Results indicated links between individual levels and changes in negative emotionality during infancy and toddlerhood to externalizing problems early in the third year of life. Findings also revealed an interaction between birth mother negative affect and adoptive mother overreactive parenting on children's negative emotionality. This Genotype × Environment interaction predicted externalizing problems indirectly through its association with negative emotionality and revealed stronger effects of genetic risk for children with less overreactive parenting from their mothers. Limitations of this study and directions for future research are discussed.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bruening, W.; Nakagama, H.: Bardessy, N.

Wilms` tumor (WT), an embryonal malignancy of the kidney, occurs most frequently in children under the age of 5 years, affecting {approximately}1 in 10,000 individuals. The WT1 tumor suppressor gene, residing at 11p13, is structurally altered in {approximately}10-15% of WT cases. Individuals with germline mutations within the WT1 gene suffer from predisposition to WT and developmental defects of the urogenital system. Patients with heterozygous deletions of the WT1 gene, or mutations predicted to cause inactivation of one WT1 allele, suffer relatively mild genital system defects (notably hypospadias and cryptorchidism in males) and a predisposition to WT. These results suggest thatmore » developing genital system development is sensitive to the absolute concentrations of the WT1 gene products. Patients with missense mutations within the WT1 gene, however, can suffer from a much more severe disorder known as Denys-Drash syndrome (DDS). This syndrome is characterized by intersex disorders, renal nephropathy, and a predisposition to WTs. The increased severity of the developmental defects associated with DDS, compared to those individuals with mild genital system anomalies and WTs, suggests that mutations defined in patients with DDS behave in a dominant-negative fashion. We have identified a novel WT1 mutation in a patient with DDS. This mutation, predicted to produce a truncated WT1 polypeptide encompassing exons 1, 2, and 3, defines a domain capable of behaving as an antimorph. We have also demonstrated that WT1 can self-associate in vivo using yeast two-hybrid systems. Deletion analysis have mapped the interacting domains to the amino terminus of the WT1 polypeptide, within exons 1 and 2. These results provide a molecular mechanism to explain how WT1 mutations can function in a dominant-negative fashion to eliminate wild-type WT1 activity, leading to DDS.« less

Modulation of the age at onset in spinocerebellar ataxia by CAG tracts in various genes

PubMed Central

Durr, Alexandra; Bauer, Peter; Figueroa, Karla P.; Ichikawa, Yaeko; Brussino, Alessandro; Forlani, Sylvie; Rakowicz, Maria; Schöls, Ludger; Mariotti, Caterina; van de Warrenburg, Bart P.C.; Orsi, Laura; Giunti, Paola; Filla, Alessandro; Szymanski, Sandra; Klockgether, Thomas; Berciano, José; Pandolfo, Massimo; Boesch, Sylvia; Melegh, Bela; Timmann, Dagmar; Mandich, Paola; Camuzat, Agnès; Goto, Jun; Ashizawa, Tetsuo; Cazeneuve, Cécile; Tsuji, Shoji; Pulst, Stefan-M.; Brusco, Alfredo; Riess, Olaf; Stevanin, Giovanni

2014-01-01

Polyglutamine-coding (CAG)n repeat expansions in seven different genes cause spinocerebellar ataxias. Although the size of the expansion is negatively correlated with age at onset, it accounts for only 50–70% of its variability. To find other factors involved in this variability, we performed a regression analysis in 1255 affected individuals with identified expansions (spinocerebellar ataxia types 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7), recruited through the European Consortium on Spinocerebellar Ataxias, to determine whether age at onset is influenced by the size of the normal allele in eight causal (CAG)n-containing genes (ATXN1–3, 6–7, 17, ATN1 and HTT). We confirmed the negative effect of the expanded allele and detected threshold effects reflected by a quadratic association between age at onset and CAG size in spinocerebellar ataxia types 1, 3 and 6. We also evidenced an interaction between the expanded and normal alleles in trans in individuals with spinocerebellar ataxia types 1, 6 and 7. Except for individuals with spinocerebellar ataxia type 1, age at onset was also influenced by other (CAG)n-containing genes: ATXN7 in spinocerebellar ataxia type 2; ATXN2, ATN1 and HTT in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3; ATXN1 and ATXN3 in spinocerebellar ataxia type 6; and ATXN3 and TBP in spinocerebellar ataxia type 7. This suggests that there are biological relationships among these genes. The results were partially replicated in four independent populations representing 460 Caucasians and 216 Asian samples; the differences are possibly explained by ethnic or geographical differences. As the variability in age at onset is not completely explained by the effects of the causative and modifier sister genes, other genetic or environmental factors must also play a role in these diseases. PMID:24972706

Gut content analysis of Lake Michigan waterbirds in years with avian botulism type E mortality, 2010–2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Essian, David A.; Chipault, Jennifer G.; Lafrancois, Brenda M.; Leonard, Jill B.K.

2016-01-01

Waterbird die-offs caused by Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin type E (BoNT/E) have occurred sporadically in the Great Lakes since the late 1960s, with a recent pulse starting in the late 1990s. In recent die-offs, round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus) have been implicated as vectors for the transfer of BoNT/E to fish-eating birds due to the round goby invasion history and their importance as prey. Dreissenid mussels (Dreissena spp.) are also potentially involved in BoNT/E transmission to birds and round gobies. We examined gut contents of waterbirds collected in Lake Michigan during die-offs in 2010–2012, and the gut contents of culled, presumably BoNT/E-free double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus). Round gobies were found in 86% of the BoNT/E-positive individuals, 84% of the BoNT/E-negative birds, and 94% of the BoNT/E-free cormorants examined. Double-crested cormorants, ring-billed gulls (Larus delewarensis), and common loons (Gavia immer) consumed larger-sized round gobies than horned and red-necked grebes (Podiceps auritus and Podiceps grisegena), white-winged scoters (Melanitta deglandi), and long-tailed ducks (Clangula hymealis). Other common prey included dreissenid mussels, terrestrial insects, and alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus). Our data emphasize the importance of round gobies and mussels in diets of Lake Michigan waterbirds and suggest they may play a role in the transfer of BoNT/E to waterbirds; however, round gobies and mussels were found in BoNT/E-positive, -negative, and -free individuals, suggesting that other factors, such as alternative trophic pathways for toxin transfer, bird migratory timing and feeding locations, prey behavior, and individual physiological differences across birds may affect the likelihood that a bird will succumb to BoNT/E intoxication.

Seroepidemiology of dengue in travellers: a paired sera analysis.

PubMed

Leder, Karin; Mutsch, Margot; Schlagenhauf, Patricia; Luxemburger, Christine; Torresi, Joseph

2013-01-01

Dengue is a frequent cause of fever in travellers. The true extent is unknown as many infections are asymptomatic or undiagnosed. We used paired sera, with pre- and post-travel specimens from Swiss travellers to tropical destinations, to evaluate the seroepidemiology of travel-related dengue. Post-travel specimens were tested for the presence of IgG and IgM antibodies to dengue antigen serotypes (1, 2, 3 and 4) using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). All post-travel sera that screened as positive for dengue IgG or IgM antibodies were re-tested with the corresponding pre-travel sera as paired assays in order to detect seroconversion. There were 285 travellers with specimens available for analysis. Two hundred and fifty seven of the 285 individuals (90.2%) had negative dengue serology post-travel. Of the remaining 28 cases, 25 were dengue IgG positive and 3 had equivocal results. This corresponds to IgG seropositivity in 8.9%. Eighteen of these 25 individuals had a pre-travel specimen available for testing, of which 15 were positive for IgG consistent with possible past exposure. Three of the 18 had negative serology pre-travel, indicating possible recent infection. This corresponds to an attack rate of possible dengue of 1.1% and an incidence rate of 6.7 per 1000 person-months (95% CI 0-60.0). Two of these three individuals had received yellow fever vaccine for their trip, raising the potential of cross-reactivity. The confirmed dengue attack rate therefore was 0.23% with a corresponding incidence rate of 2.2 per 1000 person-months (95% CI-0-33.1). Seroepidemiology provides additional evidence of an appreciable risk of acute dengue infection among travellers to tropical destinations. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Attitudes toward euthanasia among Swedish medical students.

PubMed

Karlsson, Marit; Strang, Peter; Milberg, Anna

2007-10-01

Attitudes toward euthanasia differ between individuals and populations, and in many studies the medical profession is more reluctant than the general public. Our goal was to explore medical students' attitude toward euthanasia. A questionnaire containing open-ended questions was answered anonymously by 165 first- and fifth-year medical students. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis with no predetermined categories. The students' arguments opposing euthanasia were based on opinions of 1. euthanasia being morally wrong, 2. fear of possible negative effects on society, 3. euthanasia causing strain on physicians and 4. doubts about the true meaning of requests of euthanasia from patients. Arguments supporting euthanasia were based on 1. patients' autonomy and 2. the relief of suffering, which could be caused by severe illnesses, reduced integrity, hopelessness, social factors and old age. There are several contradictions in the students' arguments and the results indicate a possible need for education focusing on the possibility of symptom control in palliative care and patients' perceived quality of life.

Is bad intent negligible? Linking victim justice sensitivity, hostile attribution bias, and aggression.

PubMed

Bondü, Rebecca

2018-05-03

The hostile attribution bias (HAB) is a well-established risk factor for aggression. It is considered part of the suspicious mindset that may cause highly victim-justice sensitive individuals to behave uncooperatively. Thus, links of victim justice sensitivity (JS) with negative behavior, such as aggression, may be better explained by HAB. The present study tested this hypothesis in N = 279 German adolescents who rated their JS, HAB, and physical, relational, verbal, reactive, and proactive aggression. Victim JS predicted physical, relational, verbal, reactive, and proactive aggression when HAB was controlled. HAB only predicted physical and proactive aggression. There were no moderator effects. Injustice seems an important reason for aggression irrespective of whether or not it is intentionally caused, particularly among those high in victim JS. Thus, victim JS should be considered as a potential important risk factor for aggression and receive more attention by research on aggression and preventive efforts. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.