Negative life events have detrimental effects on in-vitro fertlization outcome.

PubMed

Yilmaz, Nafiye; Kahyaoglu, İnci; İnal, Hasan Ali; Görkem, Ümit; Devran, Aysun; Mollamahmutoglu, Leyla

2015-09-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of negative life events on in-vitro-fertilization (IVF) outcome. Depression and negative life events were measured using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and List of Recent Events in 83 women attending the IVF clinic of a tertiary research and education hospital with the diagnosis of unexplained infertility between January 2013 and August 2013. Demographic features, stimulation parameters, depression scores, and negative life events of pregnant and non-pregnant participants were compared and the relation between negative life events, depression scores, and IVF outcome was investigated. Women who did not achieve a pregnancy experienced more negative life events than women who became pregnant (77.2% vs. 23.1%) (p > 0.001). The number of patients with moderate-to-severe depression (BDI scores > 16) was higher in the non-pregnant group than pregnant group (49.1% vs. 26.9%), however the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.057). Clinical pregnancy showed a significant moderate negative correlation with the number of negative life events (r = -0.513, p = 0.001), but the correlation between clinical pregnancy and BDI scores was not statistically significant (r = -0.209, p = 0.059). Stressful life events have a negative influence on the quality of life, which eventually affects in IVF outcome, possibly through maladaptive lifestyle behavior.

Auditory Middle Latency Response and Phonological Awareness in Students with Learning Disabilities

PubMed Central

Romero, Ana Carla Leite; Funayama, Carolina Araújo Rodrigues; Capellini, Simone Aparecida; Frizzo, Ana Claudia Figueiredo

2015-01-01

Introduction Behavioral tests of auditory processing have been applied in schools and highlight the association between phonological awareness abilities and auditory processing, confirming that low performance on phonological awareness tests may be due to low performance on auditory processing tests. Objective To characterize the auditory middle latency response and the phonological awareness tests and to investigate correlations between responses in a group of children with learning disorders. Methods The study included 25 students with learning disabilities. Phonological awareness and auditory middle latency response were tested with electrodes placed on the left and right hemispheres. The correlation between the measurements was performed using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Results There is some correlation between the tests, especially between the Pa component and syllabic awareness, where moderate negative correlation is observed. Conclusion In this study, when phonological awareness subtests were performed, specifically phonemic awareness, the students showed a low score for the age group, although for the objective examination, prolonged Pa latency in the contralateral via was observed. Negative weak to moderate correlation for Pa wave latency was observed, as was positive weak correlation for Na-Pa amplitude. PMID:26491479

Associations between results of post-stroke NDT-Bobath rehabilitation in gait parameters, ADL and hand functions.

PubMed

Mikołajewska, Emilia

2013-01-01

In patients after a stroke there are variable disorders. These patients often need rehabilitation in more than one area beceause of multiple limitations of the ability to perform everyday activities. The aim of the study was to assess correlations - statistical relationships between observed gait parameters, ADL and hand functions - results of rehabilitation of patients after ischaemic stroke according to the NDTBobath method for adults. The investigated group consisted of 60 patients after ischaemic stroke, who participated in the rehabilitation programme. 10 sessions of the NDT-Bobath therapy were provided in 2 weeks (10 days of the therapy). The calculation of correlations was made based on changes of parameters: Bobath Scale (to assess hand functions), Barthel Index (to assess ADL), gait velocity, cadence and stride lenght. Measurements were performed in every patient twice: on admission (before the therapy) and after last session of the therapy to assess rehabilitation effects. The main statistically relevant corellations observed in the study were as follows: in the whole group of patients: poor and moderate (negative) correlation between changes of gait parameters and Bobath Scale and Barthel Index, moderate and severe (negative) correlation between changes of gait parameters and Bobath Scale and Barthel Index in the group of women, correlation between changes in Bobath Scale and Barthel Index in the group of patients with left side of paresis, (negative) correlation between changes of gait parameters and Bobath Scale in group of patients younger than 68 years, moderate, high and very high correlations between changes in gait parameters in groups of women, men, younger than 68 years and older than 68 years. There have been observed statistically significant and favourable changes in the health status of patients, described by gait parameters, changes in hand functions and ADL. Based on the presented correlations there is an assumption that it is hard to achieve simultaneous recovery in all areas: gait parameters, hand functions and ADLs in two weeks of rehabilitation.

Genetic and phenotypic relationships of feeding behavior and temperament with performance, feed efficiency, ultrasound, and carcass merit of beef cattle.

PubMed

Nkrumah, J D; Crews, D H; Basarab, J A; Price, M A; Okine, E K; Wang, Z; Li, C; Moore, S S

2007-10-01

Feeding behavior and temperament may be useful in genetic evaluations either as indicator traits for other economically relevant traits or because the behavior traits may have a direct economic value. We determined the variation in feeding behavior and temperament of beef cattle sired by Angus, Charolais, or Hybrid bulls and evaluated their associations with performance, efficiency, and carcass merit. The behavior traits were daily feeding duration, feeding head down (HD) time, feeding frequency (FF), and flight speed (FS, as a measure of temperament). A pedigree file of 813 animals forming 28 paternal half-sib families with about 20 progeny per sire was used. Performance, feeding behavior, and efficiency records were available on 464 animals of which 381 and 302 had records on carcass merit and flight speed, respectively. Large SE reflect the number of animals used. Direct heritability estimates were 0.28 +/- 0.12 for feeding duration, 0.33 +/- 0.12 for HD, 0.38 +/- 0.13 for FF, and 0.49 +/- 0.18 for FS. Feeding duration had a weak positive genetic (r(g)) correlation with HD (r(g) = 0.25 +/- 0.32) and FS (r(g) = 0.42 +/- 0.26) but a moderate negative genetic correlation with FF (r(g) = -0.40 +/- 0.30). Feeding duration had positive phenotypic (r(p)) and genetic correlations with DMI (r(p) = 0.27; r(g) = 0.56 +/- 0.20) and residual feed intake (RFI; r(p) = 0.49; r(g) = 0.57 +/- 0.28) but was unrelated phenotypically with feed conversion ratio [FCR; which is the reciprocal of the efficiency of growth (G:F)]. Feeding duration was negatively correlated with FCR (r(g) = -0.25 +/- 0.29). Feeding frequency had a moderate to high negative genetic correlation with DMI (r(g) = -0.74 +/- 0.15), FCR (r(g) = -0.52 +/- 0.21), and RFI (r(g) = -0.77 +/- 0.21). Flight speed was negatively correlated phenotypically with DMI (r(p) = -0.35) but was unrelated phenotypically with FCR or RFI. On the other hand, FS had a weak negative genetic correlation with DMI (r(g) = -0.11 +/- 0.26), a moderate genetic correlation with FCR (r(g) = 0.40 +/- 0.26), and a negative genetic correlation with RFI (r(g) = -0.59 +/- 0.45). The results indicate that behavior traits may contribute to the variation in the efficiency of growth of beef cattle, and there are potential correlated responses to selection to improve efficiency. Feeding behavior and temperament may need to be included in the definition of beef cattle breeding goals, and approaches such as the culling of unmanageable cattle and the introduction of correct handling facilities or early life provision of appropriate experiences to improve handling will be useful.

The moderating effects of gender on the associations between multidimensional hostility and psychosomatic symptoms: a Chinese case.

PubMed

Weng, Chia-Ying; Lin, I-Mei; Jiang, Ding-Yu

2010-08-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of gender on the relationship between multidimensional hostility and psychosomatic symptoms in Chinese culture. The participants in this study were 398 Chinese college students (40% female) recruited from Taiwan. Four dimensions of multidimensional hostility-hostility cognition, hostility affect, expressive hostility behavior, and suppressive hostility behavior-were measured by the Chinese Hostility Inventory. After controlling for the effects of depression and anxiety, the results of path analysis revealed that the multidimensional hostility predicted psychosomatic symptoms directly, and predicted psychosomatic symptoms indirectly through negative health behavior. Furthermore, gender moderated the relationships between multidimensional hostility and health outcomes. Expressive hostility exacerbated psychosomatic symptom in females but buffered it in males, while affective hostility exacerbated psychosomatic symptoms in males. Additionally, suppressive hostility behavior was correlated to psychosomatic symptoms indirectly through negative health behavior in females. Moreover, expressive hostility was correlated to psychosomatic symptoms indirectly through negative health behavior more in males than in females.

The correlation between intradermal testing and serum specific IgE to house dust mite in negative skin prick test allergic rhinitis adult patients.

PubMed

Tantilipikorn, Pongsakorn; Danpornprasert, Piyanart; Ngaotepprutaram, Premyot; Assanasen, Paraya; Bunnag, Chaweewan; Thinkhamrop, Bandit

2015-12-01

Diagnosis of allergic rhinitis (AR) is based on history, physical examination, and skin prick test (SPT) while intradermal (ID) test can be performed to confirm the diagnosis in case of negative result of SPT. However, the ID test is not recommended for cat and timothy grass allergy because of its high false positive rate. As a result, the "quantitative" technique of serum specific IgE (sIgE) measurement might be helpful to diagnose AR with more confidence. To evaluate the correlation between ID tests and sIgE in the diagnosis of house dust mite (HDM)-sensitive AR patients. Patients with chronic rhinitis (CR) were recruited and SPT was performed. If SPT was negative, ID test and sIgE to HDM [Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp)] measurement were performed. Eighty-two patients with chronic rhinitis (CR), whose SPTs were negative for Dp, were included. There were 39 males (47.6%) and 43 females (52.4%) aged between 18 and 76 years old (mean age = 43.3 years). The ID test was positive in 13 patients (15.9%), and was negative in 69 patients (84.1 %). sIgE to HDM was positive ( ≥ 0.35 kUA/l) in 2 patients (2.4%). There was a fair to moderate correlation between the size of wheal of ID test and sIgE to HDM (r = 0.44, 95% confidence interval: 0.19 to 0.67, p < 0.01). ID test has a fair to moderate correlation with sIgE Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and it can be used in CR patients with negative SPT where sIgE is not feasible.

The association between adolescents' depressive symptoms, maternal negative affect, and family relationships in Hong Kong: cross-sectional and longitudinal findings.

PubMed

Leung, Sharron S K; Stewart, Sunita M; Wong, Joy P S; Ho, Daniel S Y; Fong, Daniel Y T; Lam, T H

2009-10-01

This study investigated the bidirectional relationships of adolescents' and maternal mood, and the moderating effect by gender and perceived family relationships on these relationships. Data were obtained from 626 adolescent-mother dyads and follow-up data were collected one year later from a subset. Adolescents reported their depressive symptoms, and their mothers reported their negative affect. Adolescents described their perception of family relationships. Maternal negative affect and adolescents' depressive symptoms were significantly correlated at baseline. This association was moderated by gender and family relationships. The association was stronger in mother-daughter compared to mother-son dyads. In families where relationships were reported to be poor, adolescent depressive symptoms were uniformly high, regardless of maternal negative affect. However, in families where relationships were good, maternal negative affect was associated with higher adolescents' depressive symptoms. In longitudinal analyses, adolescents' mood at baseline was found to relate to maternal negative affect at follow-up. Family relationships at baseline were also associated with adolescents' depressive symptoms at follow-up. However, there was no prediction from maternal negative affect at baseline to adolescents' depressive symptoms at follow-up. Gender and quality of family relationships did not moderate the longitudinal relationships between adolescents' depressive symptoms and maternal negative affect in either direction.

Correlation between pennation angle and image quality of skeletal muscle fibre tractography using deterministic diffusion tensor imaging.

PubMed

Okamoto, Yoshikazu; Okamoto, Toru; Yuka, Kujiraoka; Hirano, Yuji; Isobe, Tomonori; Minami, Manabu

2012-12-01

The aim of this study was to ascertain whether a correlation existed between muscle pennation angle and the ability to successfully perform tractography of the lower leg muscle fibres with deterministic diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in normal volunteers. Fourteen volunteers aged 20-39 (mean 28.2 years old) were recruited. All volunteers were scanned using DTI, and six fibre tractographs were constructed from one lower leg of each volunteer, and the 'fibre density' was calculated in each of the tractographs. The pennation angle is the angle formed by the muscle fibre and the aponeurosis. The average pennation angle (AVPA) and standard deviation of the pennation angle (SDPA) were also measured for each muscle by ultrasonography in the same region as the MRI scan. For all 84 tractography images, the correlation coefficient between the fibre density and AVPA or SDPA was calculated. Fibre density and AVPA showed a moderate negative correlation (R = -0.72), and fibre density and SDPA showed a weak negative correlation (R = -0.47). With respect to comparisons within each muscle, AVPA and fibre density showed a moderate negative correlation in the gastrocnemius lateralis muscle (R = -0.57). Our data suggest that a larger, more variable pennation angle resulted in worse skeletal muscle tractography using deterministic DTI. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology © 2012 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

Relationship of self-reported mysticism with depression and anxiety in Iranian Muslims.

PubMed

Ghorbani, Nima; Watson, P J; Rostami, Reza

2007-04-01

This study examined relationships of self-reported Mysticism with dispositional Depression and Anxiety in Iranian Muslims. The sample contained 80 women and 51 men undergraduates who volunteered to participate (M age=20.5 yr., SD= 2.0). Participants responded to the Hood Mysticism Scale and to the Costello and Comrey Depression and Anxiety Scales. Scores on the Religious Interpretation dimension of mystical experience correlated negatively with those on Depression, explained a similar relationship observed for Extrovertive Mysticism, and moderated the otherwise positive relationship between Introvertive Mysticism and Anxiety. Moderation occurred when Introvertive Mysticism correlated negatively rather than positively with Anxiety in those who scored high on Religious Interpretation and very high on the Introvertive factor. These data suggested possibilities for reconciling conflicts that have appeared between philosophical interpretations of Introvertive Mysticism and previous self-report data.

Influence of environmental variables on diffusive greenhouse gas fluxes at hydroelectric reservoirs in Brazil.

PubMed

Rogério, J P; Santos, M A; Santos, E O

2013-11-01

For almost two decades, studies have been under way in Brazil, showing how hydroelectric reservoirs produce biogenic gases, mainly methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), through the organic decomposition of flooded biomass. This somewhat complex phenomenon is due to a set of variables with differing levels of interdependence that directly or indirectly affect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The purpose of this paper is to determine, through a statistical data analysis, the relation between CO2, CH4 diffusive fluxes and environmental variables at the Furnas, Itumbiara and Serra da Mesa hydroelectric reservoirs, located in the Cerrado biome on Brazil's high central plateau. The choice of this region was prompted by its importance in the national context, covering an area of some two million square kilometers, encompassing two major river basins (Paraná and Tocantins-Araguaia), with the largest installed power generation capacity in Brazil, together accounting for around 23% of Brazilian territory. This study shows that CH4 presented a moderate negative correlation between CO2 and depth. Additionally, a moderate positive correlation was noted for pH, water temperature and wind. The CO2 presented a moderate negative correlation for pH, wind speed, water temperature and air temperature. Additionally, a moderate positive correlation was noted for CO2 and water temperature. The complexity of the emission phenomenon is unlikely to occur through a simultaneous understanding of all the factors, due to difficulties in accessing and analyzing all the variables that have real, direct effects on GHG production and emission.

The Emotional Stroop as an Emotion Regulation Task.

PubMed

Kappes, Cathleen; Bermeitinger, Christina

2016-01-01

The present studies investigate age differences observed when performing the emotional Stroop task considered as an expression of emotion regulation. Previous studies employing this task showed mixed findings regarding age differences, with a lack of evidence for positivity effects. However, moderating factors such as arousal or dispositional (emotion) regulation strategies were mostly not taken into account. Moreover, relations between Stroop effects and emotional reactions were not examined. In two studies (Study 1/2: nyoung = 26/41; nold = 19/39), an emotional Stroop task was employed and valence (negative, neutral, positive [Study 2 only]) and arousal of the word stimuli were varied. Additionally, flexible goal adjustment (FGA), positive and negative affect in the last 12 months, and change in momentary affect (Study 2 only) were measured. Study 1 showed larger emotional Stroop effects (ESE) in older than younger adults with medium arousing negative words. We also found correlations between FGA (positive correlation) as well as negative affect (negative correlation) and the ESE with medium arousing negative words. Study 2 corroborates these findings by exhibiting positive change in momentary affect with larger ESEs for medium arousing negative words in the older age group. The findings emphasize the importance of including arousal level and dispositional regulation measures (such as FGA) as moderating factors in age differences and within-group differences in emotion regulation. Although we did not find evidence for a positivity effect, processing in the emotional Stroop task was related to positive change in momentary affect and less negative affect in the older age group. Taken together, our experiments demonstrate that the emotional Stroop task is suited as a measure for emotion induction and related emotion regulation mechanisms.

Combinatorial Algorithms for Portfolio Optimization Problems - Case of Risk Moderate Investor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juarna, A.

2017-03-01

Portfolio optimization problem is a problem of finding optimal combination of n stocks from N ≥ n available stocks that gives maximal aggregate return and minimal aggregate risk. In this paper given N = 43 from the IDX (Indonesia Stock Exchange) group of the 45 most-traded stocks, known as the LQ45, with p = 24 data of monthly returns for each stock, spanned over interval 2013-2014. This problem actually is a combinatorial one where its algorithm is constructed based on two considerations: risk moderate type of investor and maximum allowed correlation coefficient between every two eligible stocks. The main outputs resulted from implementation of the algorithms is a multiple curve of three portfolio’s attributes, e.g. the size, the ratio of return to risk, and the percentage of negative correlation coefficient for every two chosen stocks, as function of maximum allowed correlation coefficient between each two stocks. The output curve shows that the portfolio contains three stocks with ratio of return to risk at 14.57 if the maximum allowed correlation coefficient between every two eligible stocks is negative and contains 19 stocks with maximum allowed correlation coefficient 0.17 to get maximum ratio of return to risk at 25.48.

Lexical and phonological variability in preschool children with speech sound disorder.

PubMed

Macrae, Toby; Tyler, Ann A; Lewis, Kerry E

2014-02-01

The authors of this study examined relationships between measures of word and speech error variability and between these and other speech and language measures in preschool children with speech sound disorder (SSD). In this correlational study, 18 preschool children with SSD, age-appropriate receptive vocabulary, and normal oral motor functioning and hearing were assessed across 2 sessions. Experimental measures included word and speech error variability, receptive vocabulary, nonword repetition (NWR), and expressive language. Pearson product–moment correlation coefficients were calculated among the experimental measures. The correlation between word and speech error variability was slight and nonsignificant. The correlation between word variability and receptive vocabulary was moderate and negative, although nonsignificant. High word variability was associated with small receptive vocabularies. The correlations between speech error variability and NWR and between speech error variability and the mean length of children's utterances were moderate and negative, although both were nonsignificant. High speech error variability was associated with poor NWR and language scores. High word variability may reflect unstable lexical representations, whereas high speech error variability may reflect indistinct phonological representations. Preschool children with SSD who show abnormally high levels of different types of speech variability may require slightly different approaches to intervention.

Fitness and Adiposity Are Independently Associated with Cardiometabolic Risk in Youth

PubMed Central

Buchan, Duncan S.; Young, John D.; Boddy, Lynne M.; Malina, Robert M.; Baker, Julien S.

2013-01-01

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to examine the independent associations of adiposity and cardiorespiratory fitness with clustered cardiometabolic risk. Methods. A cross-sectional sample of 192 adolescents (118 boys), aged 14–16 years, was recruited from a South Lanarkshire school in the West of Scotland. Anthropometry and blood pressure were measured, and blood samples were taken. The 20 m multistage fitness test was the indicator of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). A clustered cardiometabolic risk score was constructed from HDL-C (inverted), LDL-C, HOMA, systolic blood pressure, and triglycerides. Interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and adiponectin were also measured and examined relative to the clustered cardiometabolic risk score, CRF, and adiposity. Results. Although significant, partial correlations between BMI and waist circumference (WC) and both CRF and adiponectin were negative and weak to moderate, while correlations between the BMI and WC and CRP were positive but weak to moderate. Weak to moderate negative associations were also evident for adiponectin with CRP, IL-6, and clustered cardiometabolic risk. WC was positively associated while CRF was negatively associated with clustered cardiometabolic risk. With the additional adjustment for either WC or CRF, the independent associations with cardiometabolic risk persisted. Conclusion. WC and CRF are independently associated with clustered cardiometabolic risk in Scottish adolescents. PMID:23984329

COMPARISON OF PROVIDER-ASSESSED AND PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOME MEASURES OF ACUTE SKIN TOXICITY DURING A PHASE III TRIAL OF MOMETASONE CREAM VERSUS PLACEBO DURING BREAST RADIOTHERAPY: THE NORTH CENTRAL CANCER TREATMENT GROUP (N06C4)

PubMed Central

Neben-Wittich, Michelle A.; Atherton, Pamela J.; Schwartz, David J.; Sloan, Jeff A.; Griffin, Patricia C.; Deming, Richard L.; Anders, Jon C.; Loprinzi, Charles L.; Burger, Kelli N.; Martenson, James A.; Miller, Robert C.

2012-01-01

Purpose Considerable interobserver variability exists among providers and between providers and patients when measuring subjective symptoms. In the recently published Phase III N06C4 trial of mometasone cream vs. placebo to prevent radiation dermatitis, the primary provider–assessed (PA) endpoint, using the Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), was negative. However, prospectively planned secondary analyses of patient-reported outcomes (PROs), using the Skindex-16 and Skin Toxicity Assessment Tool (STAT), were positive. This study assesses the relationship between PA outcomes and PROs. Methods and Materials Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to compare the three tools. Statistical correlations were defined as follows: <0.5, mild; 0.5–0.7, moderate; and >0.7, strong. Results CTCAE dermatitis moderately correlated with STATerythema, and CTCAE pruritus strongly correlated with STAT itching. CTCAE pruritus had a moderate correlation with Skindex-16 itching. Comparing the 2 PRO tools, Skindex-16 itching correlated moderately with STAT itching. Skindex-16 burning, hurting, irritation, and persistence all showed the strongest correlation with STAT burning; they showed moderate correlations with STAT itching and tenderness. Conclusions The PRO Skindex-16 correlated well with the PRO portions of STAT, but neither tool correlated well with CTCAE. PROs delineated a wider spectrum of toxicity than PA measures and provided more information on rash, redness, pruritus, and annoyance measures compared with CTCAE findings of rash and pruritus. PROs may provide a more complete measure of patient experience than single-symptom, PA endpoints in clinical trials assessing radiation skin toxicity. PMID:20888137

Infant negative affect and maternal interactive behavior during the still-face procedure: the moderating role of adult attachment states of mind.

PubMed

Haltigan, John D; Leerkes, Esther M; Supple, Andrew J; Calkins, Susan D

2014-01-01

The current study examined associations between attachment state of mind measured prenatally (N = 259) and maternal behavior in the reunion episode of the still-face procedure when infants were six months of age both as a main effect and in conjunction with infant negative affect. Using a dimensional approach to adult attachment measurement, dismissing and preoccupied states of mind were negatively associated with maternal sensitivity, and each correlated with distinct parenting behaviors. Positive associations were found between dismissing states of mind and maternal monitoring and preoccupied states of mind and maternal withdraw. Maternal preoccupation moderated associations between infant negative affect and maternal intrusive, withdrawn, and monitoring behaviors, supporting the notion that maternal attachment influences parenting behavior via a modulatory process in which infant distress cues are selectively filtered and responded to. Analyses using a traditional AAI scale and classification approach also provided evidence for distinct parenting behavior correlates of insecure adult attachment representations. The importance of measuring global and stylistic differences in maternal behavior in contexts which allow for the activation of the entire range of infant affective states is discussed.

Infant Negative Affect and Maternal Interactive Behavior During the Still-Face Procedure: The Moderating Role of Adult Attachment States of Mind

PubMed Central

Haltigan, John D.; Leerkes, Esther M.; Supple, Andrew J.; Calkins, Susan D.

2013-01-01

The current study examined associations between attachment state of mind measured prenatally (N = 259) and maternal behavior in the reunion episode of the still-face procedure when infants were six months of age both as a main effect and in conjunction with infant negative affect. Using a dimensional approach to adult attachment measurement, dismissing and preoccupied states of mind were negatively associated with maternal sensitivity, and each correlated with distinct parenting behaviors. Positive associations were found between dismissing states of mind and maternal monitoring and preoccupied states of mind and maternal withdraw. Maternal preoccupation moderated associations between infant negative affect and maternal intrusive, withdrawn, and monitoring behaviors, supporting the notion that maternal attachment influences parenting behavior via a modulatory process in which infant distress cues are selectively filtered and responded to. Analyses using a traditional AAI scale and classification approach also provided evidence for distinct parenting behavior correlates of insecure adult attachment representations. The importance of measuring global and stylistic differences in maternal behavior in contexts which allow for the activation of the entire range of infant affective states is discussed. PMID:24329015

Converting positive and negative symptom scores between PANSS and SAPS/SANS.

PubMed

van Erp, Theo G M; Preda, Adrian; Nguyen, Dana; Faziola, Lawrence; Turner, Jessica; Bustillo, Juan; Belger, Aysenil; Lim, Kelvin O; McEwen, Sarah; Voyvodic, James; Mathalon, Daniel H; Ford, Judith; Potkin, Steven G; Fbirn

2014-01-01

The Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS), the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia (PANSS) are the most widely used schizophrenia symptom rating scales, but despite their co-existence for 25 years no easily usable between-scale conversion mechanism exists. The aim of this study was to provide equations for between-scale symptom rating conversions. Two-hundred-and-five schizophrenia patients [mean age±SD=39.5±11.6, 156 males] were assessed with the SANS, SAPS, and PANSS. Pearson's correlations between symptom scores from each of the scales were computed. Linear regression analyses, on data from 176 randomly selected patients, were performed to derive equations for converting ratings between the scales. Intraclass correlations, on data from the remaining 29 patients, not part of the regression analyses, were performed to determine rating conversion accuracy. Between-scale positive and negative symptom ratings were highly correlated. Intraclass correlations between the original positive and negative symptom ratings and those obtained via conversion of alternative ratings using the conversion equations were moderate to high (ICCs=0.65 to 0.91). Regression-based equations may be useful for conversion between schizophrenia symptom severity as measured by the SANS/SAPS and PANSS, though additional validation is warranted. This study's conversion equations, implemented at http:/converteasy.org, may aid in the comparison of medication efficacy studies, in meta- and mega-analyses examining symptoms as moderator variables, and in retrospective combination of symptom data in multi-center data sharing projects that need to pool symptom rating data when such data are obtained using different scales. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluating Weight Status and Sex as Moderators of the Association of Serum Leptin with Bone Mineral Density in Children and Adolescents
.

PubMed

Armaiz-Flores, Sara A; Kelly, Nichole R; Galescu, Ovidiu A; Demidowich, Andrew P; Altschul, Anne M; Brady, Sheila M; Hubbard, Van S; Pickworth, Courtney K; Tanofsky-Kraff, Marian; Shomaker, Lauren B; Reynolds, James C; Yanovski, Jack A

2017-01-01

Animal studies suggest that leptin may adversely affect bone mineral density (BMD). Clinical studies have yielded conflicting results. We therefore investigated associations between leptin and bone parameters in children. 830 healthy children (age = 11.4 ± 3.1 years; 75% female; BMI standard deviation score [BMIz] = 1.5 ± 1.1) had fasting serum leptin measured with ELISA and body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The main effects for leptin and BMIz plus leptin's interactions with sex and BMIz were examined using hierarchical linear regressions for appendicular, pelvis, and lumbar spine BMD as well as bone mineral content (BMC), and bone area (BA). Accounting for demographic, pubertal development, and anthropometric variables, leptin was negatively and independently associated with lumbar spine BMC and BA, pelvis BA, and leg BA (p < 0.05 for all). Sex, but not BMIz, moderated the associations of leptin with bone parameters. In boys, leptin was negatively correlated with leg and arm BMD, BMC at all bone sites, and BA at the subtotal and lumbar spine (p < 0.01 for all). In girls, leptin was positively correlated with leg and arm BMD (p < 0.05 for both). Independent of body size, leptin is negatively associated with bone measures; however, these associations are moderated by sex: boys, but not girls, have a negative independent association between leptin and BMD.
. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Volumetric correlates of memory and executive function in normal elderly, mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease

PubMed Central

Duarte, Audrey; Hayasaka, Satoru; Du, Antao; Schuff, Norbert; Jahng, Geon-Ho; Kramer, Joel; Miller, Bruce; Weiner, Michael

2007-01-01

In Alzheimer’s disease (AD), atrophy negatively impacts cognition while in healthy adults, inverse relationships between brain volume and cognition may occur. We investigated correlations between gray matter volume and cognition in elderly controls, AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients with memory and executive deficits. AD demonstrated substantial loss in temporal, parietal and frontal regions while MCI exhibited moderate volume loss in temporal and frontal regions. In controls, memory and executive function were negatively correlated with frontal regions, while in AD, memory was positively correlated with temporal and frontal gyri, and executive function with frontal regions. The combination of the two patterns may explain the lack of correlations in MCI. Developmental versus pathological contributions to these relationships are discussed. PMID:16904823

Medical Evidence Influence on Inpatients and Nurses Pain Ratings Agreement

PubMed Central

Samolsky Dekel, Boaz Gedaliahu; Gori, Alberto; Vasarri, Alessio; Sorella, Maria Cristina; Di Nino, Gianfranco; Melotti, Rita Maria

2016-01-01

Biased pain evaluation due to automated heuristics driven by symptom uncertainty may undermine pain treatment; medical evidence moderators are thought to play a role in such circumstances. We explored, in this cross-sectional survey, the effect of such moderators (e.g., nurse awareness of patients' pain experience and treatment) on the agreement between n = 862 inpatients' self-reported pain and n = 115 nurses' pain ratings using a numerical rating scale. We assessed the mean of absolute difference, agreement (κ-statistics), and correlation (Spearman rank) of inpatients and nurses' pain ratings and analyzed congruence categories' (CCs: underestimation, congruence, and overestimation) proportions and dependence upon pain categories for each medical evidence moderator (χ 2 analysis). Pain ratings agreement and correlation were limited; the CCs proportions were further modulated by the studied moderators. Medical evidence promoted in nurses overestimation of low and underestimation of high inpatients' self-reported pain. Knowledge of the negative influence of automated heuristics driven by symptoms uncertainty and medical-evidence moderators on pain evaluation may render pain assessment more accurate. PMID:27445633

The relationship between internalized stigma, negative symptoms and social functioning in schizophrenia: the mediating role of self-efficacy.

PubMed

Hill, Kimberley; Startup, Mike

2013-04-30

The broad aim of the present study was to gain a greater understanding of the processes that contribute to negative symptoms and social functioning in schizophrenia. More specifically, a theoretical model was proposed predicting that self-efficacy would mediate the relationship between internalized stigma and both negative symptoms and social functioning in schizophrenia. Initial analyses revealed that all variables were correlated. Specifically, internalized stigma was strongly correlated with negative symptoms, social functioning and self-efficacy. Furthermore, self-efficacy was strongly related to negative symptoms and moderately associated with social functioning. Further analyses however did not support the mediational role of self-efficacy. The theoretical and clinical implications of the findings, together with recommendations for future research, are outlined. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mobility and Balance and Their Correlation with Physiological Factors in Elderly with Different Foot Postures

PubMed Central

Mohd Said, Aisyah; Bukry, Saiful Adli

2015-01-01

This study determines (1) the correlation between mobility and balance performances with physiological factors and (2) the relationship between foot postures with anthropometric characteristics and lower limb characteristics among elderly with neutral, pronated, and supinated foot. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in community-dwelling elderly (age: 69.86 ± 5.62 years). Participants were grouped into neutral (n = 16), pronated (n = 14), and supinated (n = 14) foot based on the foot posture index classification. Anthropometric data (height, weight, and BMI), lower limb strength (5-STS) and endurance (30 s chair rise test), mobility (TUG), and balance (FSST) were determined. Data were analyzed using Spearman's correlation coefficient. Body weight was negatively and moderately correlated (r s = −0.552, P < 0.05) with mobility in supinated foot; moderate-to-high positive linear rank correlation was found between lower limb strength and mobility (r s = 0.551 to 0.804, P < 0.05) for pronated and neutral foot. Lower limb endurance was negatively and linearly correlated with mobility in pronated (r s = −0.699) and neutral (r s = −0.573) foot. No correlation was observed in balance performance with physiological factors in any of the foot postures. We can conclude that muscle function may be the most important feature to make movement possible in older persons regardless of the type of foot postures. PMID:26583104

Leverage effect and its causality in the Korea composite stock price index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Chang-Yong

2012-02-01

In this paper, we investigate the leverage effect and its causality in the time series of the Korea Composite Stock Price Index from November of 1997 to September of 2010. The leverage effect, which can be quantitatively expressed as a negative correlation between past return and future volatility, is measured by using the cross-correlation coefficient of different time lags between the two time series of the return and the volatility. We find that past return and future volatility are negatively correlated and that the cross correlation is moderate and decays over 60 trading days. We also carry out a partial correlation analysis in order to confirm that the negative correlation between past return and future volatility is neither an artifact nor influenced by the traded volume. To determine the causality of the leverage effect within the decay time, we additionally estimate the cross correlation between past volatility and future return. With the estimate, we perform a statistical hypothesis test to demonstrate that the causal relation is in favor of the return influencing the volatility rather than the other way around.

A Comparison of Autonomous Regulation and Negative Self-Evaluative Emotions as Predictors of Smoking Behavior Change among College Students

PubMed Central

Lee, Hyoung S.; Catley, Delwyn; Harris, Kari Jo

2011-01-01

This study compared autonomous self-regulation and negative self-evaluative emotions as predictors of smoking behavior change in college student smokers (N=303) in a smoking cessation intervention study. Although the two constructs were moderately correlated, latent growth curve modeling revealed that only autonomous regulation, but not negative self-evaluative emotions, was negatively related to the number of days smoked. Results suggest that the two variables tap different aspects of motivation to change smoking behaviors, and that autonomous regulation predicts smoking behavior change better than negative self-evaluative emotions. PMID:21911436

A comparison of autonomous regulation and negative self-evaluative emotions as predictors of smoking behavior change among college students.

PubMed

Lee, Hyoung S; Catley, Delwyn; Harris, Kari Jo

2012-05-01

This study compared autonomous self-regulation and negative self-evaluative emotions as predictors of smoking behavior change in college student smokers (N = 303) in a smoking cessation intervention study. Although the two constructs were moderately correlated, latent growth curve modeling revealed that only autonomous regulation, but not negative self-evaluative emotions, was negatively related to the number of days smoked. Results suggest that the two variables tap different aspects of motivation to change smoking behaviors, and that autonomous regulation predicts smoking behavior change better than negative self-evaluative emotions.

The moderating role of socially desirable responding in implicit-explicit attitudes toward asylum seekers.

PubMed

Anderson, Joel R

2017-07-04

Implicit and explicit attitudes correlate under certain conditions and researchers are interested in the moderating factors of this relationship. This paper explored the role of socially desirable responding in this relationship by testing the hypothesis that impression management (IM; i.e., deliberate response modification) and self-deceptive enhancement (SDE; i.e., positive self-bias) play moderating roles in the relationship of implicit-explicit attitudes toward asylum seekers in Australia. Seventy-four students responded to a battery of measures and the results revealed that IM (but not SDE) moderated this relationship to the extent that higher IM scores weakened the correspondence between implicit and explicit attitude scores. This suggests that attitudes toward asylum seekers might be susceptible to socially desirable response tendencies and in combination with the finding that IM was negatively related to explicit attitudes, it is argued that self-presentation concerns result in the deliberate attenuation of reported negative explicit attitudes. © 2017 International Union of Psychological Science.

Genetic parameter and breeding value estimation of donkeys' problem-focused coping styles.

PubMed

Navas González, Francisco Javier; Jordana Vidal, Jordi; León Jurado, José Manuel; Arando Arbulu, Ander; McLean, Amy Katherine; Delgado Bermejo, Juan Vicente

2018-05-12

Donkeys are recognized therapy or leisure-riding animals. Anecdotal evidence has suggested that more reactive donkeys or those more easily engaging flight mechanisms tend to be easier to train compared to those displaying the natural donkey behaviour of fight. This context brings together the need to quantify such traits and to genetically select donkeys displaying a neutral reaction during training, because of its implication with handler/rider safety and trainability. We analysed the scores for coping style traits from 300 Andalusian donkeys from 2013 to 2015. Three scales were applied to describe donkeys' response to 12 stimuli. Genetic parameters were estimated using multivariate models with year, sex, husbandry system and stimulus as fixed effects and age as a linear and quadratic covariable. Heritabilities were moderate, 0.18 ± 0.020 to 0.21 ± 0.021. Phenotypic correlations between intensity and mood/emotion or response type were negative and moderate (-0.21 and -0.25, respectively). Genetic correlations between the same variables were negative and moderately high (-0.46 and -0.53, respectively). Phenotypic and genetic correlations between mood/emotion and response type were positive and high (0.92 and 0.95, respectively). Breeding values enable selection methods that could lead to endangered breed preservation and genetically selecting donkeys for the uses that they may be most suitable. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Plasma Levels Before and After Supplementation: Correlations with Mood and Clinical Outcomes in the Omega-3 and Therapy Studies.

PubMed

Arnold, L Eugene; Young, Andrea S; Belury, Martha A; Cole, Rachel M; Gracious, Barbara; Seidenfeld, Adina M; Wolfson, Hannah; Fristad, Mary A

2017-04-01

To examine fatty acid profiles, their response to omega-3 fatty acid (Ω3) supplementation, and associations with clinical status and treatment response in youth with mood disorders. In a placebo-controlled 2X2 design, 7-14 year-olds (N = 95) in parallel pilot trials (depression N = 72; bipolar N = 23) were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of Ω3 supplementation (1.4 g eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA], 0.2 g docosahexaenoic acid [DHA], and 0.27 g other Ω3 per day); psychoeducational psychotherapy (PEP); their combination; or placebo (mainly oleic and linoleic acid) alone. Blood was drawn at baseline (N = 90) and endpoint (n = 65). Fatty acid levels were expressed as percent of total plasma fatty acids. Correlational and moderator/mediator analyses were done with SPSS Statistics 23. At baseline: (1) DHA correlated negatively with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) (r = -0.23, p = 0.029); (2) Arachidonic acid (AA, Ω6) correlated negatively with global functioning (r = -0.24, p = 0.022); (3) Total Ω3 correlated negatively with age (r = -0.22, p = 0.036) and diastolic blood pressure (r = -0.31, p = 0.006). Moderation: Baseline ALA moderated response to Ω3 supplementation: ALA levels above the sample mean (lower DHA) predicted significantly better placebo-controlled response (p = 0.04). Supplementation effects: Compared to placebo, 2 g Ω3 per day increased EPA blood levels sevenfold and DHA levels by half (both p < 0.001). Body weight correlated inversely with increased EPA (r = -0.52, p = 0.004) and DHA (r = -0.54, p = 0.003) and positively with clinical mood response. Mediation: EPA increase baseline-to-endpoint mediated placebo-controlled global function and depression improvement: the greater the EPA increase, the less the placebo-controlled Ω3 improvement. Ω3 supplementation at 2 g/day increases blood levels substantially, more so in smaller children. A possible U-shaped response curve should be explored.

The Moderating Effect of Mental Toughness: Perception of Risk and Belief in the Paranormal.

PubMed

Drinkwater, Kenneth; Dagnall, Neil; Denovan, Andrew; Parker, Andrew

2018-01-01

This research demonstrates that higher levels of mental toughness provide cognitive-perceptual processing advantages when evaluating risk. No previous research, however, has examined mental toughness in relation to perception of risk and paranormal belief (a variable associated with distorted perception of causality and elevated levels of perceived risk). Accordingly, the present paper investigated relationships between these factors. A sample of 174 participants completed self-report measures assessing mental toughness, general perception of risk, and paranormal belief. Responses were analyzed via correlations and moderation analyses. Results revealed that mental toughness correlated negatively with perception of risk and paranormal belief, whereas paranormal belief correlated positively with perception of risk. For the moderation effects, simple slopes analyses indicated that high levels of MT and subfactors of commitment and confidence reduced the strength of association between paranormal belief and perceived risk. Therefore, MT potentially acts as a protective factor among individuals who believe in the paranormal, reducing the tendency to perceive elevated levels of risk.

Are core self-evaluations a suitable moderator in stressor-detachment relationships? A study among managers' perceived job demands, detachment and strain reactions.

PubMed

Hentrich, Stephan; Zimber, Andreas; Sosnowsky-Waschek, Nadia; Gregersen, Sabine; Petermann, Franz

2018-01-01

The relationships among job demands, personality factors, recovery and psychological health receive increasing attention but are not well understoodOBJECTIVE:Therefore, the present study tests moderating effects among a sample of managers as proposed by the stressor-detachment model. We aimed to determine whether core self-evaluations (CSE) had an influence on the correlations between detachment and strain reactions (depressive symptoms, irritation, exhaustion) and between job demands and detachment. Further, we tested whether detachment attenuates the positive relation between job demands and strain reactions. A convenience sample of managers in three German settings (N = 282) participated in the cross-sectional study. Results based on hierarchical regression analysis showed that high CSE significantly weakened the negative relationship between detachment and depressive symptoms in this sample. However, CSE did not moderate the negative relationship between job demands and detachment. Moreover, results revealed that detachment moderated the positive relation between job demands and exhaustion. The authors tested whether CSE was able to moderate the relationship between job demands, psychological detachment and different stress reactions. Although we found a significant interaction effect, CSE may be too distal to moderate all respective associations.

A positive take on schizophrenia negative symptom scales: Converting scores between the SANS, NSA and SDS.

PubMed

Preda, Adrian; Nguyen, Dana D; Bustillo, Juan R; Belger, Aysenil; O'Leary, Daniel S; McEwen, Sarah; Ling, Shichun; Faziola, Lawrence; Mathalon, Daniel H; Ford, Judith M; Potkin, Steven G; van Erp, Theo G M

2018-06-20

To provide quantitative conversions between commonly used scales for the assessment of negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Linear regression analyses generated conversion equations between symptom scores from the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), the Schedule for the Deficit Syndrome (SDS), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), or the Negative Symptoms Assessment (NSA) based on a cross sectional sample of 176 individuals with schizophrenia. Intraclass correlations assessed the rating conversion accuracy based on a separate sub-sample of 29 patients who took part in the initial study as well as an independent sample of 28 additional subjects with schizophrenia. Between-scale negative symptom ratings were moderately to highly correlated (r = 0.73-0.91). Intraclass correlations between the original negative symptom rating scores and those obtained via using the conversion equations were in the range of 0.61-0.79. While there is a degree of non-overlap, several negative symptoms scores reflect measures of similar constructs and may be reliably converted between some scales. The conversion equations are provided at http://www.converteasy.org and may be used for meta- and mega-analyses that examine negative symptoms. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Understanding Antipsychotic Drug Treatment Effects: A Novel Method to Reduce Pseudospecificity of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) Factors.

PubMed

Hopkins, Seth C; Ogirala, Ajay; Loebel, Antony; Koblan, Kenneth S

2017-12-01

The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) is the most widely used efficacy measure in acute treatment studies of schizophrenia. However, interpretation of the efficacy of antipsychotics in improving specific symptom domains is confounded by moderate-to-high correlations among standard (Marder) PANSS factors. The authors review the results of an uncorrelated PANSS score matrix (UPSM) transform designed to reduce pseudospecificity in assessment of symptom change in patients with schizophrenia. Based on a factor analysis of five pooled, placebo-controlled lurasidone clinical trials (N=1,710 patients), a UPSM transform was identified that generated PANSS factors with high face validity (good correlation with standard Marder PANSS factors), and high specificity/orthogonality (low levels of between-factor correlation measuring change during treatment). Between-factor correlations were low at baseline for both standard (Marder) PANSS factors and transformed PANSS factors. However, when measured change in symptom severity was measured during treatment (in a pooled 5-study analysis), there was a notable difference for standard PANSS factors, where changes across factors were found to be highly correlated (factors exhibited pseudospecificity), compared to transformed PANSS factors, where factor change scores exhibited the same low levels of between-factor correlation observed at baseline. At Week 6-endpoint, correlations among PANSS factor severity scores were moderate-to-high for standard factors (0.34-0.68), but continued to be low for the transformed factors (-0.22-0.20). As an additional validity check, we analyzed data from one of the original five pooled clinical trials that included other well-validated assessment scales (MADRS, Negative Symptom Assessment scale [NSA]). In this baseline analysis, UPSM-transformed PANSS factor severity scores (negative and depression factors) were found to correlate well with the MADRS and NSA. The availability of transformed PANSS factors with a high degree of orthogonality/specificity, but which retain a high degree of concurrent and face validity, can reduce pseudospecificity as a measurement confound, and should facilitate the drug development process, permitting a more accurate characterization of the efficacy of putative new agents in targeting specific symptom domains in patients with psychotic illness.

Cultural differences in the dialectical and non-dialectical emotional styles and their implications for health

PubMed Central

Miyamoto, Yuri; Ryff, Carol D.

2011-01-01

Previous cross-cultural studies have repeatedly demonstrated that East Asians are more likely to show a dialectical emotional style than Americans, but do not distinguish between specific types of dialectical emotional styles. Using an age diverse sample, we found that compared to Americans, Japanese are more likely to experience both positive and negative emotions moderately frequently (i.e., moderate dialectical), but are no more likely to experience them frequently (i.e., high dialectical). Thus, dialectical emotions prevalent in East Asia may be characterised by a “middle way” rather than by emotional extremes. Furthermore, we explored whether dialectical emotion types are associated with better health profiles depending on cultural background. Our results show that the moderate dialectical type is associated with fewer physical symptoms in Japan than in the USA. Together, these findings show the cultural differences in the experience of balanced positive and negative emotions and their health correlates. PMID:21432654

Workplace spirituality as a moderator in relation between stress and health: An exploratory empirical assessment.

PubMed

Kumar, Vineet; Kumar, Sandeep

2014-06-01

The present study explores the role of workplace spirituality in moderating the relationship between occupational stress and the health of managerial personnel in India. A sample of 150 managers working in different public and private organizations was used to measure workplace spirituality, occupational stress, and health using the Spirituality at Work scale, the Occupational Stress Index and the 28-item General Health Questionnaire, respectively. The findings reveal that workplace spirituality moderates the negative relationship of stress and health. The study also found that stress has a negative impact on health while workplace spirituality positively correlated with health. The findings also support the practical importance of spirituality in the workplace for improving health conditions by providing a healthy atmosphere and meaningful work for employees. This exploratory study encourages future research to understand the role of spirituality in the workplace.

The Relationship between Teacher Support and Students' Academic Emotions: A Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Lei, Hao; Cui, Yunhuo; Chiu, Ming Ming

2018-01-01

This meta-analysis examines the association between teacher support and students' academic emotions [both positive academic emotions (PAEs) and negative academic emotions (NAEs)] and explores how student characteristics moderate these relationships. We identified 65 primary studies with 58,368 students. The results provided strong evidence linking teacher support and students' academic emotions. Furthermore, students' culture, age, and gender moderated these links. The correlation between teacher support and PAEs was stronger for Western European and American students than for East Asian students, while the correlation between teacher support and NAEs was stronger for East Asian students than for Western European and American students. Also, the correlation between teacher support and PAEs was strong among university students and weaker among middle school students, compared to other students. The correlation between teacher support and NAEs was stronger for middle school students and for female students, compared to other students. PMID:29403405

Breast MRI background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) correlates with the risk of breast cancer.

PubMed

Telegrafo, Michele; Rella, Leonarda; Stabile Ianora, Amato Antonio; Angelelli, Giuseppe; Moschetta, Marco

2016-02-01

To investigate whether background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) and breast cancer would correlate searching for any significant difference of BPE pattern distribution in case of benign or malignant lesions. 386 patients, including 180 pre-menopausal (group 1) and 206 post-menopausal (group 2), underwent MR examination. Two radiologists evaluated MR images classifying normal BPE as minimal, mild, moderate or marked. The two groups of patients were subdivided into 3 categories based on MRI findings (negative, benign and malignant lesions). The distribution of BPE patterns within the two groups and within the three MR categories was calculated. The χ2 test was used to evaluate BPE type distribution in the three patient categories and any statistically significant correlation of BPE with lesion type was calculated. The Student t test was applied to search for any statistically significant difference between BPE type rates in group 1 and 2. The χ2 test demonstrated a statistically significant difference in the distribution of BPE types in negative patients and benign lesions as compared with malignant ones (p<0.05). A significantly higher prevalence of moderate and marked BPE was found among malignant lesions (group 1: 32% and 42%, respectively; group 2: 31% and 46%, respectively) while a predominance of minimal and mild BPE among negative patients (group 1: 60% and 36%, respectively; group 2: 68% and 32%, respectively) and benign lesions (group 1: 54% and 38%, respectively; group 2: 75% and 17%, respectively) was found. The Student t test did not show a statistically significant difference between BPE type rates in group 1 and 2 (p>0.05). Normal BPE could correlate with the risk of breast cancer being such BPE patterns as moderate and marked associated with patients with malignant lesions in both pre and post-menopausal women. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The relationship between the yo-yo tests, anaerobic performance and aerobic performance in young soccer players.

PubMed

Karakoç, Barış; Akalan, Cengiz; Alemdaroğlu, Utku; Arslan, Erşan

2012-12-01

The purposes of this study were to determine the relationship between performance in the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 (YIRT1), the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 2 (YIRT2) and the Yo-Yo endurance test (continuous) (YET) with maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and Wingate anaerobic performance (WaNT) test results in young soccer players (age 15.00 ± 0.0 years, body height 176.3 ± 4.2 cm and body mass 68.1 ± 3.6 kg). An ergospirometry device was used during the treadmill test (TRT) to determine VO2max. At the end of the study, significant differences were found between the Yo-Yo tests and TRT in terms of HRmax (TRT = 195,92, YIRT1 = 197,83, YIRT2 = 198,5 YET = 198) (p > 0.05). While there were moderate correlations between VO2max and YIRT 1-2 performances (respectively, r = 0.56, r = 0.53), there was only a weak relationship between VO2max and YET performance (r = 0.43) (distance covered). There were also moderate significant negative correlations between performance in the YIRT2 and peak power measured in the WaNT (r = -0.55), although there were no significant correlations between performance in the three tests and average power. A moderate negative correlation was found between performance in the YIRT2 and Fatigue index (FI) (r = -0,66). In conclusion, the YIRT2 may be a more suitable field test for determining both aerobic and anaerobic performance in soccer players.

The Relationship Between the Yo-Yo Tests, Anaerobic Performance and Aerobic Performance in Young Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Karakoç, Barış; Akalan, Cengiz; Alemdaroğlu, Utku; Arslan, Erşan

2012-01-01

The purposes of this study were to determine the relationship between performance in the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 (YIRT1), the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 2 (YIRT2) and the Yo-Yo endurance test (continuous) (YET) with maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and Wingate anaerobic performance (WaNT) test results in young soccer players (age 15.00 ± 0.0 years, body height 176.3 ± 4.2 cm and body mass 68.1 ± 3.6 kg). An ergospirometry device was used during the treadmill test (TRT) to determine VO2max. At the end of the study, significant differences were found between the Yo-Yo tests and TRT in terms of HRmax (TRT = 195,92, YIRT1 = 197,83, YIRT2 = 198,5 YET = 198) (p > 0.05). While there were moderate correlations between VO2max and YIRT 1–2 performances (respectively, r = 0.56, r = 0.53), there was only a weak relationship between VO2max and YET performance (r = 0.43) (distance covered). There were also moderate significant negative correlations between performance in the YIRT2 and peak power measured in the WaNT (r = −0.55), although there were no significant correlations between performance in the three tests and average power. A moderate negative correlation was found between performance in the YIRT2 and Fatigue index (FI) (r = −0,66). In conclusion, the YIRT2 may be a more suitable field test for determining both aerobic and anaerobic performance in soccer players. PMID:23486008

Spiritual Well-being May Reduce the Negative Impacts of Cancer Symptoms on the Quality of Life and the Desire for Hastened Death in Terminally Ill Cancer Patients.

PubMed

Wang, Yin-Chih; Lin, Chia-Chin

2016-01-01

Spirituality is a central component of the well-being of terminally ill cancer patients. The aim of this study was to examine the mediating or moderating role of spiritual well-being in reducing the impact of cancer-related symptoms on quality of life and the desire for hastened death in terminally ill cancer patients. Eighty-five terminally ill cancer patients were assessed using the Taiwanese version of the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General, the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-being, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, and the Schedule of Attitudes Toward Hastened Death. Spiritual well-being was significantly negatively correlated with symptom severity (r = -0.46, P < .01). Symptom severity negatively correlated with quality of life (r = -0.54) and positively correlated with hopelessness (r = 0.51, P < .01) and the desire for hastened death (r = 0.61, P < .01). Spiritual well-being was a partial mediator and moderator between symptom severity and quality of life. Spiritual well-being was a partial mediator between symptom severity and the desire for hastened death. The meaning subscale of spiritual well-being was a more significant predictor of the desire for hastened death and quality of life than the faith subscale was. Spiritual well-being may reduce the negative impacts of cancer on quality of life and the desire for hastened death. Appropriate spiritual care may reduce the negative impact of severe cancer symptoms on quality of life and the desire for hastened death in terminally ill cancer patients.

Attitudes toward Same-Sex Attraction and Behavior among Chinese University Students: Tendencies, Correlates, and Gender Differences

PubMed Central

Chi, Xinli; Hawk, Skyler T.

2016-01-01

The present study examined Chinese university students’ attitudes toward same-sex attraction and behavior, the socio-demographic correlates of these attitudes, and the potential gender differences in both tendencies and correlates. A total of 2,644 Chinese university students (49.7% male, mean age = 20.27 years) indicated generally negative attitudes toward same-sex attraction and behavior, with males reporting more negative attitudes than females. More years in university (i.e., higher grade levels), higher levels of maternal education, growing up in an urban area, and more frequent Internet use significantly predicted more positive attitudes. Gender significantly moderated one correlate: For female participants, a higher university grade was related to more positive attitudes; this correlation was not significant for male participants. The findings suggest valuable directions for related intervention practices for young people in China. PMID:27790184

The relationship between academic self-concept, intrinsic motivation, test anxiety, and academic achievement among nursing students: mediating and moderating effects.

PubMed

Khalaila, Rabia

2015-03-01

The impact of cognitive factors on academic achievement is well documented. However, little is known about the mediating and moderating effects of non-cognitive, motivational and situational factors on academic achievement among nursing students. The aim of this study is to explore the direct and/or indirect effects of academic self-concept on academic achievement, and examine whether intrinsic motivation moderates the negative effect of test anxiety on academic achievement. This descriptive-correlational study was carried out on a convenience sample of 170 undergraduate nursing students, in an academic college in northern Israel. Academic motivation, academic self-concept and test anxiety scales were used as measuring instruments. Bootstrapping with resampling strategies was used for testing multiple mediators' model and examining the moderator effect. A higher self-concept was found to be directly related to greater academic achievement. Test anxiety and intrinsic motivation were found to be significant mediators in the relationship between self-concept and academic achievement. In addition, intrinsic motivation significantly moderated the negative effect of test anxiety on academic achievement. The results suggested that institutions should pay more attention to the enhancement of motivational factors (e.g., self-concept and motivation) and alleviate the negative impact of situational factors (e.g., test anxiety) when offering psycho-educational interventions designed to improve nursing students' academic achievements. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical activity correlates with neurological impairment and disability in multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Motl, Robert W; Snook, Erin M; Wynn, Daniel R; Vollmer, Timothy

2008-06-01

This study examined the correlation of physical activity with neurological impairment and disability in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). Eighty individuals with MS wore an accelerometer for 7 days and completed the Symptom Inventory (SI), Performance Scales (PS), and Expanded Disability Status Scale. There were large negative correlations between the accelerometer and SI (r = -0.56; rho = -0.58) and Expanded Disability Status Scale (r = -0.60; rho = -0.69) and a moderate negative correlation between the accelerometer and PS (r = -0.39; rho = -0.48) indicating that physical activity was associated with reduced neurological impairment and disability. Such findings provide a preliminary basis for using an accelerometer and the SI and PS as outcome measures in large-scale prospective and experimental examinations of the effect of physical activity behavior on disability and dependence in MS.

Moderators, mediators, and other predictors of risperidone response in children with autistic disorder and irritability.

PubMed

Arnold, L Eugene; Farmer, Cristan; Kraemer, Helena Chmura; Davies, Mark; Witwer, Andrea; Chuang, Shirley; DiSilvestro, Robert; McDougle, Christopher J; McCracken, James; Vitiello, Benedetto; Aman, Michael G; Scahill, Lawrence; Posey, David J; Swiezy, Naomi B

2010-04-01

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Research Units on Pediatric Psychopharmacology (RUPP) Autism Network found an effect size of d = 1.2 in favor of risperidone on the main outcome measure in an 8-week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial for irritability in autistic disorder. This paper explores moderators and mediators of this effect. Intention-to-treat (ITT) analyses were conducted with suspected moderators and mediators entered into the regression equations. MacArthur Foundation Network subgroup guidelines were followed in the evaluation of the results. Only baseline severity moderated treatment response: Higher severity showed greater improvement for risperidone but not for placebo. Weight gain mediated treatment response negatively: those who gained more weight improved less with risperidone and more with placebo. Compliance correlated with outcome for risperidone but not placebo. Higher dose correlated with worse outcome for placebo, but not risperidone. Of nonspecific predictors, parent education, family income, and low baseline prolactin positively predicted outcome; anxiety, bipolar symptoms, oppositional-defiant symptoms, stereotypy, and hyperactivity negatively predicted outcome. Risperidone moderated the effect of change in 5'-nucleotidase, a marker of zinc status, for which decrease was associated with improvement only with risperidone, not with placebo. The benefit-risk ratio of risperidone is better with greater symptom severity. Risperidone can be individually titrated to optimal dosage for excellent response in the majority of children. Weight gain is not necessary for risperidone benefit and may even detract from it. Socioeconomic advantage, low prolactin, and absence of co-morbid problems nonspecifically predict better outcome. Mineral interactions with risperidone deserve further study.

Development of the Observation Scale for Aggressive Behavior (OSAB) for Dutch forensic psychiatric inpatients with an antisocial personality disorder.

PubMed

Hornsveld, Ruud H J; Nijman, Henk L I; Hollin, Clive R; Kraaimaat, Floor W

2007-01-01

The Observation Scale for Aggressive Behavior (OSAB) has been developed to evaluate inpatient treatment programs designed to reduce aggressive behavior in Dutch forensic psychiatric patients with an antisocial personality disorder, who are "placed at the disposal of the government". The scale should have the sensitivity to measure changes in the possible determinants of aggressive behavior, such as limited control of displayed negative emotions (irritation, anger or rage) and a general deficiency of social skills. In developing the OSAB 40 items were selected from a pool of 82 and distributed among the following a priori scales: Irritation/anger, Anxiety/gloominess, Aggressive behavior, Antecedent (to aggressive behavior), Sanction (for aggressive behavior) and Social behavior. The internal consistency of these subscales was good, the inter-rater reliability was moderate to good, and the test-retest reliability over a two to three week period was moderate to good. The correlation between the subscales Irritation/anger, Anxiety/gloominess, Aggressive behavior, Antecedent, Sanction was substantial and significant, but the anticipated negative correlation between these subscales and the Social behavior subscale could not be shown. Relationships between the corresponding subscales of the OSAB and the FIOS, used to calculate concurrent validity, yielded relatively high correlations. The validity of the various OSAB subscales could be further supported by significant correlations with the PCL-R and by significant but weak correlations with corresponding subscales of the self-report questionnaires. The Observation Scale for Aggressive Behavior (OSAB) seems to measure aggressive behavior in Dutch forensic psychiatric inpatients with an antisocial personality disorder reliably and validly. Contrary to expectations, a negative relationship was not found between aggressive and social behavior in either the OSAB or FIOS, which were used for calculating concurrent validity.

SA30. Self-Assessment of Amotivation and Insight into Patients With Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Papsuev, Oleg; Movina, Larisa; Minyaycheva, Maria; Luther, Lauren

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Schizophrenia is a disabling disorder characterized by negative and cognitive symptoms. The negative symptom domain of low motivation has recently been found to be an important determinant of functioning. Currently, motivation is frequently assessed with either self-rated or clinician-rated motivation measures. However, little is known about the overlap between self-rated and clinician-rated motivation and whether these two assessment types are differentially related to clinical variables. Therefore, this study investigated (1) the association between self-rated and clinician-rated motivation, (2) the clinical correlates of both motivation assessment types, and (3) the correlates of the discrepancy between the motivation assessments types. Methods: Fifty patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders were assessed by trained clinicians using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Calgary Depression Scale (CDSS), and both the clinician-rated (C) and self-rated (S) versions of the Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES). Neurocognition was assessed with the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS). Social cognition was assessed with the Hinting Task, the Relationships Across Domains measure, and the Ekman-60 emotion recognition task. Results: The AES-C and AES-S were positively correlated (r = .43; P < .05). Further, moderate, positive correlations were established between the AES-C and most of the PANSS amotivation subscale items (N2 (r = .51), N4 (r = .45)). However, a significant correlation between the AES-C and the G16 item of the PANSS amotivation subscale was not observed. The AES-S was not significantly correlated with any of the PANSS amotivation items. The AES-C did not correlate with the PANSS depression item or the CDSS total score, while moderate correlations with the AES-S were observed with both (r = .38 and r = .45, respectively). The AES-C/AES-S discrepancy score was positively correlated with the PANSS insight item (r = 0.39) and the presence of a paranoid schizophrenia diagnosis (r = .32). No significant correlations were observed between the discrepancy score and the BACS, social cognition measures, or additional demographic variables. Conclusion: While the clinician-rated AES is regarded as a sensitive instrument for the assessment of apathetic/amotivation schizophrenia symptoms, our results suggest that scores from the self-rated AES need to be interpreted carefully. Our findings also indicate that patients with schizophrenia might be less aware of primary negative (i.e., amotivation) symptoms, and when asked to self-rate negative symptoms, they rate secondary negative symptoms caused by depression. Results also suggest that reduced insight might be driving part of the discrepancy between self-rated and clinician-rated motivation. Findings should be considered when choosing motivation measures.

Stress and academic performance among medical students.

PubMed

Sohail, Nudrat

2013-01-01

To determine the relationship of stress and academic performance in first year medical students and to identify sources of stress, levels of stress and relevant coping strategies. Mixed method sequential. Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, from March to December 2010. Survey questionnaire and in-depth interviews were carried out in the first year students with their consent. Two hundred and fifty students were surveyed, out of whom 120 students responded. Twelve students with their consent were interviewed. Non-probability purposive sampling was employed for both types of data collection. SPSS version 20 was used. The qualitative data generated through structured in-depth interviews, were analyzed by content analysis. Low level of stress was found in 7.5% (score ‹150), moderate level of stress was present in 71.67% (score between 150 and 300), and high level of stress was observed in 20.83% (score ›300) of the students. There is moderate negative (-0.583) and significant (p < 0.01) correlation between academic performance and sources of stress. Similarly there is moderate negative (-0.478) and significant (p < 0.01) correlation between academic performance and levels of stress. There was strong positive (0.799) and significant (p < 0.01), correlation between stress level and number of stress sources. The study showed a diversity of stress sources and a high level of stress in the medical students. The results also show that higher level of stress is associated with poor academic performance.

Relationship between platelet phospholipid FA and mean platelet volume in healthy men.

PubMed

Li, Duo; Turner, Alan; Sinclair, Andrew J

2002-09-01

Increased mean platelet volume (MPV) has been suggested as an independent risk factor for acute myocardial infarction and the increased reactivity of large platelets. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between platelet phospholipid (PL) PUFA composition and MPV in 139 free-living healthy men ages 20-55 yr (vegans, n = 18; ovolacto vegetarians, n = 43; moderate meat-eaters, n = 60; and high meateaters, n = 18). Each subject completed a semiquantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire and gave a blood sample. Platelet PL FA composition and MPV were determined by standard methods. MPV was significantly greater in the vegans than in the ovolacto vegetarian, moderate, or high meat-eater groups (P < 0.01). Both vegan and ovolacto vegetarian groups had significantly higher platelet PL 18:2n-6 and 22:4n-6, and lower 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 compared with the moderate and high meat-eater groups. The vegans demonstrated a significant reduction in 20:4n-6 and 22:5n-3 compared with the ovolacto vegetarian, high meat-eater, and moderate meat-eater groups. Bivariate analysis results showed that MPV was significantly positively correlated with platelet PL 18:2n-6 (P = 0.048) and negatively correlated with 20:3n-6 (P = 0.02), 20:5n-3 (P = 0.005), and 22:5n-3 (P< 0.0001), respectively. In a multiple linear regression analysis, after controlling for potential confounding factors such as dietary group, age, exercise, body mass index, and dietary polyunsaturated and saturated fat, cholesterol, carbohydrate, and fiber intake, the MPV was still strongly negatively correlated with platelet PL 20:3n-6 (P = 0.003) and 22:5n-3 (P = 0.001). The present data suggest that 22:5n-3 and 20:3n-6 may play a role in the structural function of the platelet membrane.

Motivation and Pleasure Scale-Self-Report (MAP-SR): Validation of the German version of a self-report measure for screening negative symptoms in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Engel, Maike; Lincoln, Tania Marie

2016-02-01

Validated self-report instruments could provide a time efficient screening method for negative symptoms in people with schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of a German version of the Motivation and Pleasure Scale-Self-Report (MAP-SR) which is based on the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS). In- and outpatients (N=50) with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were assessed with standardized interviews and questionnaires on negative and positive symptoms and general psychopathology in schizophrenia, depression, and global functioning. The German version of the MAP-SR showed high internal consistency. Convergent validity was supported by significant correlations between the MAP-SR with the experience sub-scale of the CAINS and the negative symptom sub-scale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. The MAP-SR also exhibited discriminant validity indicated by its non-significant correlations with positive symptoms and general psychopathology, which is in line with the findings for the original version of the MAP-SR. However, the MAP-SR correlated moderately with depression. The German MAP-SR appears to be a valid and suitable diagnostic tool for the identification of negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Temperament, Beliefs About Pain Control, and Pain Intensity in Endometriosis Patients.

PubMed

Bylinka, Joanna; Oniszczenko, Włodzimierz

2016-12-01

This correlational study investigated the relationships between temperament, beliefs about pain control, and pain intensity ratings in a group of 103 women diagnosed with endometriosis. Temperament traits were assessed using the Formal Characteristics of Behaviour-Temperament Inventory. Beliefs about pain control were measured using the Polish version of the Beliefs about Pain Control Questionnaire. The Numerical Rating Scale (NRS-11) was used to measure pain intensity. There was a high negative correlation between the temperament trait of endurance and pain intensity ratings. Moderate negative correlations with pain intensity were found for internal beliefs about pain control. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that the endurance trait and internal beliefs about pain control accounted for 33 % of the variance in pain intensity ratings in women with endometriosis.

Visual analog rating of mood by people with aphasia.

PubMed

Haley, Katarina L; Womack, Jennifer L; Harmon, Tyson G; Williams, Sharon W

2015-08-01

Considerable attention has been given to the identification of depression in stroke survivors with aphasia, but there is more limited information about other mood states. Visual analog scales are often used to collect subjective information from people with aphasia. However, the validity of these methods for communicating about mood has not been established in people with moderately to severely impaired language. The dual purposes of this study were to characterize the relative endorsement of negative and positive mood states in people with chronic aphasia after stroke and to examine congruent validity for visual analog rating methods for people with a range of aphasia severity. Twenty-three left-hemisphere stroke survivors with aphasia were asked to indicate their present mood by using two published visual analog rating methods. The congruence between the methods was estimated through correlation analysis, and scores for different moods were compared. Endorsement was significantly stronger for "happy" than for mood states with negative valence. At the same time, several participants displayed pronounced negative mood compared to previously published norms for neurologically healthy adults. Results from the two rating methods were moderately and positively correlated. Positive mood is prominent in people with aphasia who are in the chronic stage of recovery after stroke, but negative moods can also be salient and individual presentations are diverse. Visual analog rating methods are valid methods for discussing mood with people with aphasia; however, design optimization should be explored.

Potentiated processing of negative feedback in depression is attenuated by anhedonia

PubMed Central

Mueller, E. M.; Pechtel, P.; Cohen, A.L.; Douglas, S.R.; Pizzagalli, D.A.

2014-01-01

Background Although cognitive theories of depression have postulated enhanced processing of negatively valenced information, previous EEG studies have shown both increased and reduced sensitivity for negative performance feedback in MDD. To reconcile these paradoxical findings, it has been speculated that sensitivity for negative feedback is potentiated in moderate MDD but reduced in highly anhedonic subjects. The goal of this study was to test this hypothesis by analyzing the feedback-related negativity (FRN), frontomedial theta power (FMT), and source-localized anterior midcingulate cortex (aMCC) activity after negative feedback. Methods Fourteen unmedicated participants with MDD and 15 control participants performed a reinforcement learning task while 128-channel EEG was recorded. FRN, FMT and LORETA source-localized aMCC activity after negative and positive feedback were compared between groups. Results The MDD group showed higher FRN amplitudes and aMCC activation to negative feedback than controls. Moreover, aMCC activation to negative feedback was inversely related to self-reported anhedonia. In contrast, self-reported anxiety correlated with feedback-evoked frontomedial theta (FMT) within the depression group. Conclusions The present findings suggest that, among depressed and anxious individuals, enhanced processing of negative feedback occurs relatively early in the information processing stream. These results extend prior work and indicate that although moderate depression is associated with elevated sensitivity for negative feedback, high levels of anhedonia may attenuate this effect. PMID:25620272

Study on the relationship between backpack use and back and neck pain among adolescents.

PubMed

Navuluri, Neelima; Navuluri, Ramesh B

2006-12-01

A descriptive correlation study was conducted in Hobbs, New Mexico, USA, to find the relationship between backpack use and back and neck pain among adolescent boys and girls. A higher percentage of girls than boys rated their pain as being moderate to extremely strong. The correlation between pain and backpack weight per body mass index among girls was positive and significant, but negative and non-significant among boys. The correlation between pain and backpack weight was positive and non-significant among both boys and girls. The correlation between pain and each of the variables of backpack weight per body weight, backpack weight per height, and backpack weight per body surface area was negative and non-significant among boys, but positive and non-significant among girls. Gender-based research studies with additional variables and safe backpack use education in schools are recommended.

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Plasma Levels Before and After Supplementation: Correlations with Mood and Clinical Outcomes in the Omega-3 and Therapy Studies

PubMed Central

Young, Andrea S.; Belury, Martha A.; Cole, Rachel M.; Gracious, Barbara; Seidenfeld, Adina M.; Wolfson, Hannah; Fristad, Mary A.

2017-01-01

Abstract Objective: To examine fatty acid profiles, their response to omega-3 fatty acid (Ω3) supplementation, and associations with clinical status and treatment response in youth with mood disorders. Methods: In a placebo-controlled 2X2 design, 7–14 year-olds (N = 95) in parallel pilot trials (depression N = 72; bipolar N = 23) were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of Ω3 supplementation (1.4 g eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA], 0.2 g docosahexaenoic acid [DHA], and 0.27 g other Ω3 per day); psychoeducational psychotherapy (PEP); their combination; or placebo (mainly oleic and linoleic acid) alone. Blood was drawn at baseline (N = 90) and endpoint (n = 65). Fatty acid levels were expressed as percent of total plasma fatty acids. Correlational and moderator/mediator analyses were done with SPSS Statistics 23. Results: At baseline: (1) DHA correlated negatively with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) (r = −0.23, p = 0.029); (2) Arachidonic acid (AA, Ω6) correlated negatively with global functioning (r = −0.24, p = 0.022); (3) Total Ω3 correlated negatively with age (r = −0.22, p = 0.036) and diastolic blood pressure (r = −0.31, p = 0.006). Moderation: Baseline ALA moderated response to Ω3 supplementation: ALA levels above the sample mean (lower DHA) predicted significantly better placebo-controlled response (p = 0.04). Supplementation effects: Compared to placebo, 2 g Ω3 per day increased EPA blood levels sevenfold and DHA levels by half (both p < 0.001). Body weight correlated inversely with increased EPA (r = −0.52, p = 0.004) and DHA (r = −0.54, p = 0.003) and positively with clinical mood response. Mediation: EPA increase baseline-to-endpoint mediated placebo-controlled global function and depression improvement: the greater the EPA increase, the less the placebo-controlled Ω3 improvement. Conclusion: Ω3 supplementation at 2 g/day increases blood levels substantially, more so in smaller children. A possible U-shaped response curve should be explored. PMID:28157380

Volubility as a Mediator in the Associations between Conversational Language Measures and Child Temperament

PubMed Central

DeThorne, Laura Segebart; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Mahurin-Smith, Jamie; Coletto, Mary-Kelsey; Petrill, Stephen A.

2015-01-01

Background Despite support for the use of conversational language measures, concerns remain regarding the extent to which they may be confounded with aspects of child temperament, extraversion in particular. Aims This study of 161 twins from the Western Reserve Reading Project (WRRP) examined the associations between children’s conversational language use and three key aspects of child temperament: Surgency (i.e., introversion/extraversion), Effortful Control (i.e., attention and task persistence), and Negative Affectivity (e.g., fear, anger, sadness). Child biological sex was considered as a possible moderating factor. Methods & Procedures Correlational analyses were conducted between aspects of temperament during early school-age years (i.e., 7 to 8 yrs), as measured by the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire-Short Form (CBQ; Putnam & Rothbart, 2006), and six different measures of children’s conversational language use: total number of complete and intelligible utterances (TCICU), number of total words (NTW), mean length of utterance (MLU), total number of conjunctions (TNC), number of different words (NDW), and measure D (i.e., a measure of lexical diversity). Values for NTW, TNC, and NDW were derived both on the entire sample and on the first 100 C-units. Correlations between language and temperament were compared between girls and boys using the Fisher r-to-z transformation to examine the significance of potential moderating effects. Outcomes & Results Children’s reported variability in Effortful Control did not correlate significantly with any of the child language measures. In contrast, children’s Negative Affectivity and Surgency tended to demonstrate positive, albeit modest, correlations with those conversational language measures that were derived from the sample as a whole, rather than from a standardized number of utterances. MLU, as well as measures of NDW and NTW derived from standardized sample lengths of 100 C-units, did not correlate with any measure of child temperament. TNC demonstrated an unexpected negative correlation with child Surgency when it was derived from a standardized number of C-units but not when derived from the entire sample length. Child biological sex did not moderate the significant associations between language and temperament measures. Conclusions & Implications Overall, measures that control for volubility did not correlate significantly with child temperament; however, measures that reflected volubility tended to correlate weakly with some aspects of temperament, particularly Surgency. Results provide a degree of discriminant evidence for the validity of MLU and measures of type (i.e., NDW) and token use (i.e., NTW) when derived from a standardized number of utterances. PMID:22026571

The correlation between symptomatic fatigue to definite measures of gait in people with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Kalron, Alon

2016-02-01

There is a general consensus relating to the multidimensional aspects of fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), however, the exact impact of this symptom on gait is not fully understood. Our primary aim was to examine the relationship between definite parameters of gait with self-reported symptomatic fatigue in PwMS according to their level of neurological impairment. Spatio-temporal parameters of gait were studied using an electronic walkway. The Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale (MSWS-12) questionnaire, a patient-rated measure of walking ability was collected. The Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) questionnaire was used to determine the level of symptomatic fatigue. One hundred and one PwMS (61 women) were included in the study analysis. Subjects were divided into mild and moderate neurological impaired groups. Fatigue was correlated with 5 (out of 14) spatiotemporal parameters. However, correlation scores were all <0.35, thus considered as weak correlations. In the mild group, the double support period was the only variable positively correlated to fatigue (Spearman's rho=0.28, P=0.05). In the moderate group, step and stride length were solely negatively correlated to fatigue (Spearman's rho=0.32, P=0.03). In contrast to the definite gait parameters, the MSWS-12 self-questionnaire was moderately positively correlated to the level of fatigue. Scores for the total, mild and moderate groups were 0.54, 0.57 and 0.51; P<0.01, respectively. The present results indicate that modifications in spatio-temporal parameters of gait are not closely related to symptomatic fatigue in PwMS. On the contrary, the self-reported MSWS-12 questionnaire is predisposed to level of fatigue in PwMS. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Correlates of Conflict: Disagreement Is Not Necessarily Detrimental

PubMed Central

Adams, Ryan E.; Laursen, Brett

2008-01-01

In this study, the authors examined whether concurrent associations between adolescent outcomes and disagreements with mothers, fathers, and best friends vary as a function of perceived relationship quality. Participants were 469 11- to 18-year-old youths from a culturally diverse community. Negative qualities of parent–adolescent and friend relationships were linked to adjustment problems (aggression, anxiety and depression, delinquency, and withdrawal). Positive qualities of parent–adolescent relationships were linked to school grades and adjustment problems. Nonlinear associations between conflict and adolescent outcomes were moderated by negative qualities of relationships such that increases in conflict from low to moderate levels were linked to (a) higher school grades for adolescents in better but not poorer quality relationships and (b) greater delinquency and withdrawal for adolescents in poorer but not better quality relationships. PMID:17874930

The effect of talking about psychological trauma with a significant other on heart rate reactivity in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder.

PubMed

Nachar, Nadim; Lavoie, Marc E; Marchand, André; O'Connor, Kieron P; Guay, Stéphane

2014-09-30

Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) commonly make efforts to avoid trauma-oriented conversations with their significant others, which may interfere with the natural recovery process. Trauma-oriented conversations can be experienced as physiologically arousing, depending on the intensity of PTSD symptoms and perceptions of social support. In the current investigation, changes in heart rate responses to a trauma-oriented social interaction with a significant other were assessed. Perceived supportive and unsupportive or negative social interactions were examined as moderators of the association between heart rate changes to this context and intensity of PTSD symptoms. A total of 46 individuals with PTSD completed diagnostic interviews and self-report measures of symptoms and perceived supportive and negative social interactions during a trauma-oriented social interaction with a significant other. Heart rate was continuously measured during this interaction. Results showed that engagement in a trauma-oriented social interaction was predictive of elevations in heart rate that positively correlated with intensity of PTSD symptoms. The moderation hypothesis was partially supported. In addition, perceived negative social interactions positively correlated with elevations in heart rate. These findings can inform social intervention efforts for individuals with PTSD. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cultural differences in the dialectical and non-dialectical emotional styles and their implications for health.

PubMed

Miyamoto, Yuri; Ryff, Carol D

2011-01-01

Previous cross-cultural studies have repeatedly demonstrated that East Asians are more likely to show a dialectical emotional style than Americans, but do not distinguish between specific types of dialectical emotional styles. Using an age diverse sample, we found that compared to Americans, Japanese are more likely to experience both positive and negative emotions moderately frequently (i.e., moderate dialectical), but are no more likely to experience them frequently (i.e., high dialectical). Thus, dialectical emotions prevalent in East Asia may be characterised by a "middle way" rather than by emotional extremes. Furthermore, we explored whether dialectical emotion types are associated with better health profiles depending on cultural background. Our results show that the moderate dialectical type is associated with fewer physical symptoms in Japan than in the USA. Together, these findings show the cultural differences in the experience of balanced positive and negative emotions and their health correlates. © 2010 Psychology Press, an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business

Type and Frequency of Social Interaction among Workers with and without Mental Retardation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson, Brad; And Others

1993-01-01

The social/verbal interactions of six employees with moderate or severe mental retardation and six workers without mental retardation were observed in restaurant settings. Among findings was that interactions between workers with mental retardation and the job coach correlated negatively with the workers' initiation of interactions with co-workers…

Bullying and Stress in Early Adolescence: The Role of Coping and Social Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Konishi, Chiaki; Hymel, Shelley

2009-01-01

Prior research from Norway and Japan has demonstrated positive relationships between stress and bullying--The more stress students experience, the more they engage in bullying. The modest correlations, however, suggest that other variables may moderate the stress-bullying link, serving as protective factors that make such negative responses to…

Simultaneous evaluation of superoxide content and mitochondrial membrane potential in stallion semen samples provides additional information about sperm quality.

PubMed

Johannisson, A; Figueiredo, M I; Al-Kass, Z; Morrell, J M

2018-05-01

An improved fertility prediction for stallions is of importance for equine breeding. Here, we investigate the potential of a combined staining of stallion spermatozoa for superoxide and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) for this purpose. Semen samples were analysed immediately after arrival at the laboratory, as well as after 24 h. Superoxide was measured by MitoSOXRed, while MMP was measured with JC-1. Menadione was used to stimulate superoxide production. In addition, other parameters of sperm quality, namely motility, membrane integrity, chromatin integrity, sperm kinematics and Hoechst 33258 exclusion were measured and correlated to superoxide production and MMP. Both bivariate correlations between measured parameters as well as multivariate analysis were performed. Measured values in the superoxide/MMP assay did not correlate with other parameters. However, there was a strong negative correlation (r = 0.96 after 0 h, r = 0.95 after 24 h) between membrane integrity and chromatin integrity. Moderate positive correlations were found between motility parameters and membrane integrity, as well as moderate negative correlations between motility parameters and chromatin integrity. The multivariate analysis revealed that membrane integrity, chromatin integrity and motility contributed to the first principal component, while the second was influenced by superoxide/MMP parameters as well as sperm kinematics. Storage of samples for 24 h decreased motility, chromatin integrity and membrane integrity. In conclusion, combined measurement of superoxide and MMP provides additional information not obtained by other assays of sperm quality. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Time-Series Analysis of Supergranule Characterstics at Solar Minimum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Peter E.; Pesnell, W. Dean

2013-01-01

Sixty days of Doppler images from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) / Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) investigation during the 1996 and 2008 solar minima have been analyzed to show that certain supergranule characteristics (size, size range, and horizontal velocity) exhibit fluctuations of three to five days. Cross-correlating parameters showed a good, positive correlation between supergranulation size and size range, and a moderate, negative correlation between size range and velocity. The size and velocity do exhibit a moderate, negative correlation, but with a small time lag (less than 12 hours). Supergranule sizes during five days of co-temporal data from MDI and the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) / Helioseismic Magnetic Imager (HMI) exhibit similar fluctuations with a high level of correlation between them. This verifies the solar origin of the fluctuations, which cannot be caused by instrumental artifacts according to these observations. Similar fluctuations are also observed in data simulations that model the evolution of the MDI Doppler pattern over a 60-day period. Correlations between the supergranule size and size range time-series derived from the simulated data are similar to those seen in MDI data. A simple toy-model using cumulative, uncorrelated exponential growth and decay patterns at random emergence times produces a time-series similar to the data simulations. The qualitative similarities between the simulated and the observed time-series suggest that the fluctuations arise from stochastic processes occurring within the solar convection zone. This behavior, propagating to surface manifestations of supergranulation, may assist our understanding of magnetic-field-line advection, evolution, and interaction.

Children's Mathematics and Verbal Self-concepts and Externalizing Behaviors: The Moderating Role of Peer Rejection at School.

PubMed

Passiatore, Ylenia; Grimaldi Capitello, Teresa; De Stasio, Simona; Millioni, Michela; Gentile, Simonetta; Fiorilli, Caterina

2017-01-01

Previous research has found a strong correlation between children's academic self-concept and their behavioral problems. The present study examined whether children's peer rejection moderated the relationship between children's math and verbal self-concepts and their behavioral problems at school. We expected that children's social competence, as measured by peer rejection, moderated the negative effect of low self-concept on children's externalizing behaviors. Participants were 173 children (males = 93, M age = 10.31 years, SD = 1.43). The main findings showed that peer rejection moderated the effect of both low verbal and math self-concepts on children's externalizing behavior. The results are discussed in terms of the protective factor played by children's social competence reducing the impact of low self-concept on children's externalizing behaviors.

Instrument for evaluation of sedentary lifestyle in patients with high blood pressure.

PubMed

Lopes, Marcos Venícios de Oliveira; da Silva, Viviane Martins; de Araujo, Thelma Leite; Guedes, Nirla Gomes; Martins, Larissa Castelo Guedes; Teixeira, Iane Ximenes

2015-01-01

this article describes the diagnostic accuracy of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire to identify the nursing diagnosis of sedentary lifestyle. a diagnostic accuracy study was developed with 240 individuals with established high blood pressure. The analysis of diagnostic accuracy was based on measures of sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, likelihood ratios, efficiency, diagnostic odds ratio, Youden index, and area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve. statistical differences between genders were observed for activities of moderate intensity and for total physical activity. Age was negatively correlated with activities of moderate intensity and total physical activity. the analysis of area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve for moderate intensity activities, walking, and total physical activity showed that the International Physical Activity Questionnaire present moderate capacity to correctly classify individuals with and without sedentary lifestyle.

Kinetics of lipogenic genes expression in milk purified mammary epithelial cells (MEC) across lactation and their correlation with milk and fat yield in buffalo.

PubMed

Yadav, Poonam; Kumar, Parveen; Mukesh, Manishi; Kataria, R S; Yadav, Anita; Mohanty, A K; Mishra, B P

2015-04-01

Expression patterns of lipogenic genes (LPL, ABCG2, ACSS2, ACACA, SCD, BDH, LIPIN1, SREBF1, PPARα and PPARγ) were studied in milk purified MEC across different stages of lactation (15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 and 240 days relative to parturition) in buffalo. PPARα was the most abundant gene while ABCG2 and ACSS2 had moderate level of expression; whereas expression of SREBF and PPARγ was very low. The expression patterns of some genes (BDH1, ACSS2, and LIPIN1) across lactation were positively correlated with milk yield while negatively correlated with fat yield. SCD also showed weak correlation with milk yield (p, 0.53) and fat yield (p, -0.47). On the other hand, expression pattern of ACACA was negatively correlated with milk yield (p, -0.88) and positively correlated with fat yield (p, 0.62). Strong correlation was observed between genes involved in de novo milk fat synthesis (BDH1, ACSS2, LIPIN2 and SCD) and milk yield. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality of life following paediatric heart transplant: are age and activity level factors?

PubMed

Parent, John J; Sterrett, Lauren; Caldwell, Randall; Darragh, Robert; Schamberger, Marcus; Murphy, Debbie; Ebenroth, Eric

2015-03-01

We evaluated whether quality of life correlates to age and activity in children following heart transplantation. In addition, quality of life in children following heart transplantation was compared with previously reported values in children with congenital heart disease. Quality of life remains an important aspect of therapy. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Generic Core Scales and Cardiac Module were administered to 14 children who had previously undergone heart transplantation. Patients wore a pedometer for 7 days to assess daily activity. The age at assessment was 13.1±1.9 years. The patients were 7.1±5.7 years post heart transplantation. There was a negative correlation between age at first heart transplantation and emotional (r=-0.64; p<0.05) and school function (r=-0.57; p<0.05). A negative correlation between patient's age at assessment and perceived physical appearance existed (r=-0.53; p<0.05). Daily steps negatively correlated with cognitive (r=-0.58; p<0.05), physical (r=-0.63; p<0.05), emotional (r=-0.62; p<0.05), and school function (r=-0.66; p<0.01). Heart transplantation patients reported better scores for treatment and symptoms (p<0.05) but lower physical health scores (p<0.01) than those with moderate congenital heart disease. Paediatric heart transplantation patients reported overall similar quality of life as patients with moderate congenital heart disease. Children receiving heart transplants at an older age may require additional emotional and educational support. Heart transplantation patients with higher activity levels may be more aware of their physical, emotional, and cognitive limitations, and thus score lower on these quality of life indicators.

Discrete emotions predict changes in cognition, judgment, experience, behavior, and physiology: a meta-analysis of experimental emotion elicitations.

PubMed

Lench, Heather C; Flores, Sarah A; Bench, Shane W

2011-09-01

Our purpose in the present meta-analysis was to examine the extent to which discrete emotions elicit changes in cognition, judgment, experience, behavior, and physiology; whether these changes are correlated as would be expected if emotions organize responses across these systems; and which factors moderate the magnitude of these effects. Studies (687; 4,946 effects, 49,473 participants) were included that elicited the discrete emotions of happiness, sadness, anger, and anxiety as independent variables with adults. Consistent with discrete emotion theory, there were (a) moderate differences among discrete emotions; (b) differences among discrete negative emotions; and (c) correlated changes in behavior, experience, and physiology (cognition and judgment were mostly not correlated with other changes). Valence, valence-arousal, and approach-avoidance models of emotion were not as clearly supported. There was evidence that these factors are likely important components of emotion but that they could not fully account for the pattern of results. Most emotion elicitations were effective, although the efficacy varied with the emotions being compared. Picture presentations were overall the most effective elicitor of discrete emotions. Stronger effects of emotion elicitations were associated with happiness versus negative emotions, self-reported experience, a greater proportion of women (for elicitations of happiness and sadness), omission of a cover story, and participants alone versus in groups. Conclusions are limited by the inclusion of only some discrete emotions, exclusion of studies that did not elicit discrete emotions, few available effect sizes for some contrasts and moderators, and the methodological rigor of included studies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved).

Correlations Between Nutrition Habits, Anxiety and Metabolic Parameters in Greek Healthy Adults.

PubMed

Lambrinakou, Stavroula; Katsa, Maria Efthymia; Zyga, Sofia; Ioannidis, Anastasios; Sachlas, Athanasios; Panoutsopoulos, Georgios; Pistikou, Anna Maria; Magana, Maria; Kougioumtzi Dimoligianni, Dafni Eleni; Kolovos, Petros; Rojas Gil, Andrea Paola

2017-01-01

Anxiety combined with nervousness and apprehension consist a focal response to different life conditions. Lifestyle habits, anxiety and biochemical markers are in a constant interaction. To investigate the prevalence of anxiety in healthy adults and its possible association with biochemical factors-lipid profile, liver markers, thyroid hormones-and lifestyle habits. Quantitative descriptive correlation study. A total of 100 healthy adults participated in the research. A specially designed questionnaire and Hamilton's scale were used. Anthropometric and biochemical analyses were performed. Overall, 61% of the participants presented moderate to very serious anxiety. The average score on the Hamilton scale was 13.82 (±9.000), with men exhibiting less stress than women. For p ≤ 0.05: Stress was positively correlated with impaired thyroid and hepatic function. Hepatic function was affected by both sugar products and water melon, which were positively correlated with total bilirubin and AST/SGOT respectively. Tomato, peppers and legumes were negatively correlated with AST/SGOT. Deep fried food was positively correlated with GGT and triglycerides. Legumes and fish were negatively correlated with CPK. Regarding the lipid metabolism, it was found that food cooked with oil was positively associated with uric acid, but non-cooked olive oil was negatively correlated with the risk for CAD. Thyroid function was negatively correlated with non-homemade food and pasta consumption and positively correlated with consumption of whole grains and green tea. Participants with subclinical hypothyroidism seemed to consume less vitamin B12, folic acid and vegetables. No direct correlation between lifestyle habits and anxiety was found. Nevertheless, eating habits influenced biochemical markers-especially the thyroid hormones-which may be indirectly responsible for anxiety and related moods.

Validation of the German version of the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS).

PubMed

Engel, Maike; Fritzsche, Anja; Lincoln, Tania Marie

2014-12-15

Validated assessment instruments could contribute to a better understanding and assessment of negative symptoms and advance treatment research. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of a German version of the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS). In- and outpatients (N=53) with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were assessed with standardized interviews and questionnaires on negative and positive symptoms and general psychopathology in schizophrenia, depression, the ability to experience anticipatory and consummatory pleasure, and global functioning. The results indicated good psychometric properties, high internal consistency and promising inter-rater agreement for the German version of the CAINS. The two-factor solution of the original version of the CAINS was confirmed, indicating good construct validity. Convergent validity was supported by significant correlations between the CAINS subscales with the negative symptom scale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, and with consummatory pleasure. The CAINS also exhibited discriminant validity indicated by its non-significant correlations with positive symptoms, general psychopathology and depression that are in line with the findings for the original version of the CAINS. In addition, the CAINS correlated moderately with global functioning. The German version of the CAINS appears to be a valid and suitable diagnostic tool for measuring negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pupillary Responses as a Biomarker of Diminished Effort Associated With Defeatist Attitudes and Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Granholm, Eric; Ruiz, Ivan; Gallegos-Rodriguez, Yuliana; Holden, Jason; Link, Peter C

2016-10-15

The hypothesis that defeatist performance attitudes are associated with decreased goal-directed task effort and negative symptoms in consumers with schizophrenia was investigated by using pupillary responses as a biomarker of task effort. Pupillary dilation during cognitive tasks provides a biomarker of effort devoted to the task, with greater dilation indicating greater effort. Defeatist attitudes were assessed in 149 consumers with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 50 healthy control subjects, and consumers were divided into three groups (tertile split) with respect to severity of defeatist attitudes. Pupillary dilation responses were recorded during a digit-span task with three-, six-, and nine-digit spans. Effort allocation (pupillary responses) to the task increased as the processing load increased from low (three-digit) to moderate (six-digit) demands in healthy control subjects and consumers with schizophrenia with mild and moderate severity of defeatist attitudes. In contrast, consumers with severe defeatist attitudes did not increase their effort when processing demands increased from low to moderate loads. These consumers showed significantly less effort in the six-digit condition relative to consumers with mild defeatist attitudes. Moreover, consumers with severe defeatist attitudes showed significantly greater severity of negative symptoms relative to consumers with mild defeatist attitudes and negative symptoms were significantly correlated with defeatist attitudes. These results suggest a relationship between defeatist performance attitudes, goal-directed task effort indexed by pupillary responses, and negative symptoms in schizophrenia. The findings have implications for using cognitive therapy to reduce defeatist attitudes that may contribute to diminished effort and negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Moderating effect of age on the association between future time perspective and preventive coping.

PubMed

Chen, Tao; Liu, Lu-Lu; Cui, Ji-Fang; Chen, Xing-Jie; Shi, Hai-Song; Neumann, David L; Shum, David H K; Wang, Ya; Chan, Raymond C K

2017-09-01

The present study aimed to investigate the moderating effect of age on the relationship between future time perspective (FTP) and future-oriented coping. A total of 1,915 participants aged 9-84 years completed measures of FTP and future-oriented coping. Moderation analyses were conducted to examine whether age played a role in the association between FTP and future-oriented coping (proactive and preventive). Results showed that proactive and preventive coping were negatively correlated with age, and age moderated the association between FTP and preventive coping but not proactive coping. Furthermore, the strength of the positive association between FTP and preventive coping was strongest among the older participants, moderate among the middle-aged participants, and weakest among the younger participants. These results suggest that the association between FTP and preventive coping varies across the lifespan. © 2017 The Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Buffers or Boosters? The Role of HRM Practices in Older Workers' Experience of Stereotype Threat.

PubMed

Oliveira, Eduardo André da Silva; Cabral-Cardoso, Carlos José

2018-01-02

Building on the social identity approach and the HRM literature, this two-wave cross-sectional study examined the effects of negative age-based metastereotypes on the age-based stereotype threat experience of older workers and on organizational disidentification. The moderator role of HRM practices in the relationship between negative age-based metastereotypes and age-based stereotype threat was also investigated. Older workers survey results (n = 469) from 14 manufacturing companies indicated that negative age-based metastereotypes correlate positively with stereotype threat. Moderation results showed that age-awareness HRM practices (training for older workers) reinforced age-based stereotype threat, whereas general HRM practices (recognition and respect) impaired it. The article suggests that the combination of age-based metastereotypes with a stereotype threat framework contributes to further understand older workers' beliefs and attitudes. It also indicates that to be effective, HRM practices should emphasize positive social identities older workers share with their colleagues, rather than giving older workers special treatment that may, after all, reinforce stigmatization.

Estimates of genetic parameters for chemical traits of meat quality in Japanese black cattle

PubMed Central

Sakuma, Hironori; Saito, Kaoru; Kohira, Kimiko; Ohhashi, Fumie; Shoji, Noriaki

2016-01-01

Abstract Genetic parameters for 54 carcass and chemical traits, such as general composition (moisture, crude fat and crude protein), fatty acid composition and water‐soluble compounds (free amino acids, peptides, nucleotides and sugars) of 587 commercial Japanese Black cattle were assessed. Heritability estimates for carcass traits and general composition ranged between 0.19–0.28, whereas those for fatty acid composition ranged between 0.11–0.85. Most heritability estimates for water‐soluble compounds were lower than 0.30; these traits were affected by aging period. Moderate heritability was observed for glutamine, alanine, taurine, anserine, inosine 5′‐monophosphate (IMP), inosine and myo‐inositol. In particular, heritability estimates were the highest (0.66) for taurine. Traits with moderate heritability were unaffected by aging period, with the exception of IMP, which was affected by aging period but exhibited moderate heritability (0.47). Although phenotypic correlations of water‐soluble compounds with carcass weight (CW), beef marbling standard (BMS) and monounsaturated fatty acid were generally low, genetic correlations between these traits were low to high. At the genetic level, most of the water‐soluble compounds were positively correlated with monounsaturated fatty acid but negatively correlated with CW and BMS. Thus, our results indicate that genetic variance and correlations could exist and be captured for some of the water‐soluble compounds. PMID:27146072

Leverage effect in financial markets: the retarded volatility model.

PubMed

Bouchaud, J P; Matacz, A; Potters, M

2001-11-26

We investigate quantitatively the so-called "leverage effect," which corresponds to a negative correlation between past returns and future volatility. For individual stocks this correlation is moderate and decays over 50 days, while for stock indices it is much stronger but decays faster. For individual stocks the magnitude of this correlation has a universal value that can be rationalized in terms of a new "retarded" model which interpolates between a purely additive and a purely multiplicative stochastic process. For stock indices a specific amplification phenomenon seems to be necessary to account for the observed amplitude of the effect.

Serum zinc, senile plaques, and neurofibrillary tangles: findings from the Nun Study.

PubMed

Tully, C L; Snowdon, D A; Markesbery, W R

1995-11-13

Zinc appears to have a role in binding amyloid precursor protein in vitro, but it is not known whether zinc plays a role in senile plaque formation in vivo in humans. Serum zinc concentrations were available from 12 sisters who died in the Nun Study, a longitudinal study of aging and Alzheimer's disease. Fasting serum zinc concentrations, determined approximately 1 year before death, showed moderate to strong negative correlations with senile plaque counts in seven brain regions. In all brain regions combined, the age-adjusted negative correlations with serum zinc were statistically significant for total senile plaques and diffuse plaques, and suggestive for neuritic plaques. Thus serum zinc in the normal range may be associated with low senile plaque counts in the elderly.

The roles of age at puberty and energy restriction in sow reproductive longevity: a genomic perspective

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Approximately 50% of sows are culled annually with more than one third due to poor fertility. Our research demonstrated that age at puberty is an early pre-breeding indicator of reproductive longevity. Age at puberty can be measured early in life, has a moderate heritability and is negatively correl...

Psychophysiological Correlates of Developmental Changes in Healthy and Autistic Boys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weismüller, Benjamin; Thienel, Renate; Youlden, Anne-Marie; Fulham, Ross; Koch, Michael; Schall, Ulrich

2015-01-01

This study investigated neurodevelopmental changes in sound processing by recording mismatch negativity (MMN) in response to various degrees of sound complexity in 18 mildly to moderately autistic versus 15 healthy boys aged between 6 and 15 years. Autistic boys presented with lower IQ and poor performance on a range of executive and social…

Association between changes on the Negative Symptom Assessment scale (NSA-16) and measures of functional outcome in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Velligan, Dawn I; Alphs, Larry; Lancaster, Scott; Morlock, Robert; Mintz, Jim

2009-09-30

We examined whether changes in negative symptoms, as measured by scores on the 16-item Negative Symptom Assessment scale (NSA-16), were associated with changes in functional outcome. A group of 125 stable outpatients with schizophrenia were assessed at baseline and at 6 months using the NSA-16, the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, and multiple measures of functional outcome. Baseline adjusted regression coefficients indicated moderate correlations between negative symptoms and functional outcomes when baseline values of both variables were controlled. Results were nearly identical when we controlled for positive symptoms. Cross-lag panel correlations and Structural Equation Modeling were used to examine whether changes in negative symptoms drove changes in functional outcomes over time. Results indicated that negative symptoms drove the changes in the Social and Occupational Functioning Scale (SOFAS) rather than the reverse. Measures of Quality of Life and measures of negative symptoms may be assessing overlapping constructs or changes in both may be driven by a third variable. Negative symptoms were unrelated over time to scores on a performance-based measure of functional capacity. This study indicates that the relationship between negative symptom change and the change in functional outcomes is complex, and points to potential issues in selection of assessments.

Genetic parameters for wool traits, live weight, and ultrasound carcass traits in Merino sheep.

PubMed

Mortimer, S I; Hatcher, S; Fogarty, N M; van der Werf, J H J; Brown, D J; Swan, A A; Greeff, J C; Refshauge, G; Edwards, J E Hocking; Gaunt, G M

2017-05-01

Genetic correlations between 29 wool production and quality traits and live weight and ultrasound fat depth (FAT) and eye muscle depth (EMD) traits were estimated from the Information Nucleus (IN). The IN comprised 8 genetically linked flocks managed across a range of Australian sheep production environments. The data were from a maximum of 9,135 progeny born over 5 yr from 184 Merino sires and 4,614 Merino dams. The wool traits included records for yearling and adult fleece weight, fiber diameter (FD), staple length (SL), fiber diameter CV (FDCV), scoured color, and visual scores for breech and body wrinkle. We found high heritability for the major yearling wool production traits and some wool quality traits, whereas other wool quality traits, wool color, and visual traits were moderately heritable. The estimates of heritability for live weight generally increased with age as maternal effects declined. Estimates of heritability for the ultrasound traits were also higher when measured at yearling age rather than at postweaning age. The genetic correlations for fleece weight with live weights were positive (favorable) and moderate (approximately 0.5 ± 0.1), whereas those with FD were approximately 0.3 (unfavorable). The other wool traits had lower genetic correlations with the live weights. The genetic correlations for FAT and EMD with FD and SL were positive and low, with FDCV low to moderate negative, but variable with wool weight and negligible for the other wool traits. The genetic correlations for FAT and EMD with postweaning weight were positive and high (0.61 ± 0.18 to 0.75 ± 0.14) but were generally moderate with weights at other ages. Selection for increased live weight will result in a moderate correlated increase in wool weight as well as favorable reductions in breech cover and wrinkle, along with some unfavorable increases in FD and wool yellowness but little impact on other wool traits. The ultrasound meat traits, FAT and EMD, were highly positively genetically correlated (0.8), and selection to increase them would result in a small unfavorable correlated increase in FD, moderately favorable reductions in breech cover and wrinkle, but equivocal or negligible changes in other wool traits. The estimated parameters provide the basis for calculation of more accurate Australian Sheep Breeding Values and selection indexes that combine wool and meat objectives in Merino breeding programs.

Correlation between disease severity and brain electric LORETA tomography in Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Gianotti, Lorena R R; Künig, Gabriella; Lehmann, Dietrich; Faber, Pascal L; Pascual-Marqui, Roberto D; Kochi, Kieko; Schreiter-Gasser, Ursula

2007-01-01

To compare EEG power spectra and LORETA-computed intracortical activity between Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and healthy controls, and to correlate the results with cognitive performance in the AD group. Nineteen channel resting EEG was recorded in 21 mild to moderate AD patients and in 23 controls. Power spectra and intracortical LORETA tomography were computed in seven frequency bands and compared between groups. In the AD patients, the EEG results were correlated with cognitive performance (Mini Mental State Examination, MMSE). AD patients showed increased power in EEG delta and theta frequency bands, and decreased power in alpha2, beta1, beta2 and beta3. LORETA specified that increases and decreases of power affected different cortical areas while largely sparing prefrontal cortex. Delta power correlated negatively and alpha1 power positively with the AD patients' MMSE scores; LORETA tomography localized these correlations in left temporo-parietal cortex. The non-invasive EEG method of LORETA localized pathological cortical activity in our mild to moderate AD patients in agreement with the literature, and yielded striking correlations between EEG delta and alpha1 activity and MMSE scores in left temporo-parietal cortex. The present data support the hypothesis of an asymmetrical progression of the Alzheimer's disease.

Milk consumption and lactose intolerance in adults.

PubMed

Qiao, Rong; Huang, ChengYu; Du, HuiZhang; Zeng, Guo; Li, Ling; Ye, Sheng

2011-10-01

To investigate relations between milk consumption and lactose intolerance (LI) in adults and to explore the effect of milk consumption on lactase activity. Total of 182 subjects aged 20-70 years were recruited and interviewed by questionnaires, and their accumulative cow's milk intake (AMI) was calculated. LI was evaluated by hydrogen breath test (HBT). A negative correlation was found between AMI and severity of observed LI symptom (r=-0.2884; P<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed a negative correlation between LI and duration and frequency of milk consumption (OR, 0.317 and 0.465, respectively; both P<0.05) and a positive correlation between LI and amount of milk consumed per sitting (OR, 6.337; P<0.05). LI is related to various milk consumption behaviors. Most Chinese adults with LI may tolerate moderate milk consumption <160 mL. Copyright © 2011 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Physical activity and its correlation to diabetic retinopathy.

PubMed

Praidou, Anna; Harris, Martin; Niakas, Dimitrios; Labiris, Georgios

2017-02-01

The lack of physical activity, along with obesity, smoking, hypertension and hyperglycaemia are considered as risk factors for the occurrence of diseases such as diabetes. Primary objective of the study was to investigate potential correlation between physical activity and diabetic retinopathy. Three hundred and twenty patients were included in the study: 240 patients with diabetes type 2 (80 patients with mild to moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, 80 patients with severe to very severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and 80 ones with proliferative diabetic retinopathy) were compared with 80 non-diabetic patients (control group). Physical activity of patients was assessed by the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ, 2002). HbA1c and BMI were also measured in diabetic patients. Group comparisons were attempted for levels of physical activity and sedentary behavior. Total physical activity was decreased in patients with severe to very severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and proliferative diabetic retinopathy as compared to patients with mild to moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and to the control group (p<0.05). Significant negative correlation was detected between HbA1c levels, BMI and physical activity (both p<0.05). Moreover, significant negative correlation between the severity of diabetic retinopathy and physical activity has been demonstrated (p<0.05). Increased physical activity is associated with less severe levels of diabetic retinopathy, independent of the effects of HbA1c and BMI. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Working memory facilitates insight instead of hindering it: Comment on DeCaro, Van Stockum, and Wieth (2016).

PubMed

Chuderski, Adam; Jastrzębski, Jan

2017-12-01

The "nothing-special" account of insight predicts positive correlations of insight problem solving and working memory capacity (WMC), whereas the "special-process" account expects no, or even negative, correlations. In the latter vein, DeCaro, Van Stockum Jr., and Wieth (2016) have recently reported weak negative WMC correlations with 2 constraint relaxation matchstick problems and 3 insight problems, and thus they claim that WM hinders insight. Here, we report on 3 studies that investigated WMC and various matchstick and classical problems (including 1 study that precisely replicated DeCaro et al.'s procedure). All 3 studies yielded moderate positive correlations of WMC with both the constraint relaxation and the classical problems. WMC explained 10% variance in problem solving, no matter what problems were used or how they were applied. Thus, DeCaro et al.'s claim that WM hinders insight is unwarranted. The opposite is true: WM facilitates insight. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Relationship between postural alignment in sitting by photogrammetry and seated postural control in post-stroke subjects.

PubMed

Iyengar, Y R; Vijayakumar, K; Abraham, J M; Misri, Z K; Suresh, B V; Unnikrishnan, B

2014-01-01

This study was executed to find out correlation between postural alignment in sitting measured through photogrammetry and postural control in sitting following stroke. A cross-sectional study with convenient sampling consisting of 45 subjects with acute and sub-acute stroke. Postural alignment in sitting was measured through photogrammetry and relevant angles were obtained through software MB Ruler (version 5.0). Seated postural control was measured through Function in Sitting Test (FIST). Correlation was obtained using Spearman's Rank Correlation co-efficient in SPSS software (version 17.0). Moderate positive correlation (r = 0.385; p < 0.01) was found between angle of lordosis and angle between acromion, lateral epicondyle and point between radius and ulna. Strong negative correlation (r = -0.435; p < 0.01) was found between cranio-vertebral angle and kyphosis. FIST showed moderate positive correlation (r = 0.3446; p < 0.05) with cranio-vertebral angle and strong positive correlation (r = 0.4336; p < 0.01) with Brunnstrom's stage of recovery in upper extremity. Degree of forward head posture in sitting correlates directly with seated postural control and inversely with degree of kyphosis in sitting post-stroke. Postural control in sitting post-stroke is directly related with Brunnstrom's stage of recovery in affected upper extremity in sitting.

Dementia quality of life instrument--construct and concurrent validity in patients with mild to moderate dementia.

PubMed

Voigt-Radloff, S; Leonhart, R; Schützwohl, M; Jurjanz, L; Reuster, T; Gerner, A; Marschner, K; van Nes, F; Graff, M; Vernooij-Dassen, M; Rikkert, M O; Holthoff, V; Hüll, M

2012-03-01

To translate the Dementia quality of life instrument (DQoL) into German and assess its construct and concurrent validity in community-dwelling people with mild to moderate dementia. Dementia quality of life instrument data of two pooled samples (n=287) were analysed regarding ceiling and floor effects, internal consistency, factor reliability and correlations with corresponding scales on quality of life (Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease and SF-12), cognition (Mini-Mental State Examination, Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale - cognitive), depression (Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia) and activities of daily living (Interview of Deterioration in Daily Living Activities in Dementia). We found no floor effects (<2%), minor ceiling effects (1-11%), moderate to good internal consistency (Cronbach's α: 0.6-0.8) and factor reliability (0.6-0.8), moderate correlations with self-rated scales of quality of life (Spearman coefficient: 0.3-0.6) and no or minor correlations with scores for cognition, depression or activities of daily living (r<0.3). The original five-factor model could not be confirmed. The DQoL can be used in dementia research for assessing positive and negative affect, feelings of belonging and self-esteem. The findings suggest further research to improve the structure of the scales aesthetics, feelings of belonging and self-esteem. © 2011 The Author(s). European Journal of Neurology © 2011 EFNS.

Lower urinary tract symptoms and uroflow in a community-based sample of Taiwanese men.

PubMed

Chen, Tsung-I; Hsu, Yen-Shen; Wu, Tony Tong-Lin

2003-02-01

Inter-cultural difference in the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) has been recognized. The purpose of present study was to evaluate the prevalence of LUTS and the correlation between symptoms with age and urinary flow rate in a community-based sample of Taiwanese men. Invitation letters were sent out to 4,488 men > or = 40 years old living in Ling-Ya District, Kaohsiung City. All responders were scheduled for thorough history taking, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) assessment, digital rectal examination, serum prostatic specific antigen (PSA) and uroflow determinations. The correlation of IPSS with age, PSA levels and urinary flow rate were evaluated. A total of 306 men (6.8%) accepted our invitation; 207 of them had validated data for analysis. The confidence interval was 6.79 at 95% confidence level. Twenty-one men (10.1%) had serum PSA > 4 ng/ml. The median PSA increased with advancing age (p = 0.001). Severe symptoms were reported by 9.7%, while 40.1% reported moderate symptoms. The percentage of men with IPSS > or = 8 increased withage (p < 0.001). There was a positive correlation between IPSS and age (r = 0.380). Negative correlation between IPSS and voided volume (r = -0.255), maximal flow rate (r = -0.363), and mean flow rate (r = -0.401) were also noted. In this community-based study, moderate to severe lower urinary tract symptoms were reported by 50% of assessable men over the age of 40 years. This prevalence was similar to that of Japanese but higher than those of American, French, and Scottish men. The IPSS was positively correlated with age, and negatively correlated with uroflow rate and voided volume. However, because of extremely low and uneven response rates among each age category, this data must be interpreted with caution.

Does arterial health affect VO2peak and muscle oxygenation in a sedentary cohort?

PubMed

Lizamore, Catherine Anne; Stoner, Lee; Lucas, Samuel John Edwin; Lucero, Adam; Hamlin, Michael John

2015-02-01

An association between arterial health and peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) has been demonstrated; however, little is known about how arterial health influences muscular oxygenation during exercise. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the relations between arterial health, VO2peak, and muscle oxygenation in a middle-age sedentary population. Radial augmentation index (AIx) (via pulse wave analysis) of 21 sedentary middle-age participants (15 females and six males; age, 54.7 ± 5.4; body mass index, 29.0 ± 4.7 kg·m; mean ± SD) was assessed, and on another day ( < 7 d), participants completed a modified Bruce protocol (MBP). Using near-infrared spectroscopy, total oxygenation index (TOI) of the left flexor carpi ulnaris and the left vastus lateralis were monitored throughout the MBP. Independent and average (arm + leg) percentage decrease in TOI between stage 1 of the MBP and maximal exertion (TOIdiff) during MBP was calculated. Changes between dependent variables were correlated using Pearson product-moment correlations and were interpreted as follows: r > 0.5, strong; 0.5 > r > 0.3, moderate; and r < 0.3, weak. We observed moderate negative correlation between AIx and VO2peak (r = -0.34, -0.63 to -0.03; Pearson correlation, 90% confidence limits) and strong negative correlation between AIx and average TOIdiff (r = -0.58, -0.78 to -0.27). The VO2peak and average TOIdiff were strongly correlated (r = 0.55, 0.23-0.77). Arterial health seems to be an important determinant of muscle oxygenation during exercise. In turn, muscle oxygenation during exercise is strongly related to VO2peak. Developing training modalities to prioritize arterial health outcomes may be a useful way of improving VO2peak in this population.

Genetic interrelationships among phosphorus, nitrogen, calcium, and energy bioavailability in a growing chicken population.

PubMed

Ankra-Badu, G A; Pesti, G M; Aggrey, S E

2010-11-01

A random-mating population was used to study the genetic interrelationship between phytate P (PPB), Ca (CaB), N (NB), and energy bioavailability (EB), BW at 4 wk of age, relative growth (RG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Heritability estimates for PPB, CaB, NB, and EB were 0.09, 0.13, 0.16, and 0.10, respectively, and those of BW, RG, and FCR were 0.66, 0.15, and 0.10, respectively. Genetic correlations between PPB and BW, and FCR were moderate and negative, suggesting that improvement in PPB will impair growth. The genetic correlations between PPB and CaB, and EB and RG were positive and moderate, indicating that improvement in PPB would also lead to improved CaB, EB, and RG. Energy bioavailability was positively correlated with CaB, NB, PPB, and BW. Even though the genetic correlation between EB and the other traits measured, except RG and FCR, ranged from low to moderate, improving the ability of birds to utilize caloric energy in the feed would consequently improve PPB as well as growth. Improving PPB would reduce the amount of P in excreta and provide an additional savings if exogenous phytase were not added to poultry feed. The genetic correlation between PPB and NB was low but positive, whereas NB had a positive genetic correlation with BW. Therefore, selecting on NB will result in positive correlated responses in BW and PPB. Improving PPB and NB will not only improve productivity, but also reduce the polluting effects of P and N on the environment.

Negative affect, negative urgency, thought suppression, and bulimic symptoms: a moderated mediation analysis in a sample at-risk for bulimic symptoms.

PubMed

Lavender, Jason M; Green, Daniel; Anestis, Michael D; Tull, Matthew T; Gratz, Kim L

2015-05-01

Research suggests that negative affect, negative urgency, and thought suppression are related to bulimic symptoms, either directly or indirectly. This study examined associations between these constructs in a sample at-risk for bulimic symptoms. Participants (N = 80) recruited from a residential substance abuse treatment facility completed self-report questionnaires. A regression-based bootstrapping approach was used to examine the indirect effect of negative affect on bulimic symptoms through negative urgency and the moderating role of thought suppression in the association between negative affect and negative urgency. Results revealed a significant indirect effect, significant moderation, and a significant moderated mediation effect, with an indirect effect of negative affect on bulimic symptoms through negative urgency, conditional upon low to moderate (but not high) levels of thought suppression. These findings suggest that negative affect may promote rash actions, particularly in the context of low to moderate thought suppression, leading to increased risk of bulimic symptoms. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Meaningful work and mental health: job satisfaction as a moderator.

PubMed

Allan, Blake A; Dexter, Chelsea; Kinsey, Rebecca; Parker, Shelby

2018-02-01

Depression, anxiety and stress are common problems for modern workers. Although having meaningful work, or work that is significant, facilitates personal growth, and contributes to the greater good, has been linked to better mental health, people's work might also need to be satisfying or enjoyable to improve outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to examine meaningful work's relation to mental health (i.e. depression, anxiety and stress) and investigate job satisfaction as a moderator of this relation. The study hypotheses were tested with a large, diverse sample recruited from an online source. Partially supporting hypotheses, when controlling for job satisfaction, meaningful work negatively correlated with depression but did not have a significant relation with anxiety and stress. Similarly, job satisfaction negatively predicted depression and stress. Furthermore, the relations between meaningful work and both anxiety and stress were moderated by job satisfaction. Specifically, only people perceiving their work as meaningful and satisfying reported less anxiety and stress. Although continued research is needed, employers and employees may have to target both the meaningfulness and job satisfaction to address the issues of stress and anxiety among working adults.

Personality correlates of pathological gambling derived from Big Three and Big Five personality models

PubMed Central

Miller, Joshua D.; MacKillop, James; Fortune, Erica E.; Maples, Jessica; Lance, Charles E.; Campbell, W. Keith; Goodie, Adam S.

2013-01-01

Personality traits have proven to be consistent and important factors in a variety of externalizing behaviors including addiction, aggression, and antisocial behavior. Given the comorbidity of these behaviors with pathological gambling (PG), it is important to test the degree to which PG shares these trait correlates. In a large community sample of regular gamblers (N=354; 111 with diagnoses of pathological gambling), the relations between measures of two major models of personality – Big Three and Big Five – were examined in relation to PG symptoms derived from a semi-structured diagnostic interview. Across measures, traits related to the experience of strong negative emotions were the most consistent correlates of PG, regardless of whether they were analyzed using bivariate or multivariate analyses. In several instances, however, the relations between personality and PG were moderated by demographic variable such as gender, race, and age. It will be important for future empirical work of this nature to pay closer attention to potentially important moderators of these relations. PMID:23078872

Neuroticism and stress: the role of displacement behavior.

PubMed

Mohiyeddini, Changiz; Bauer, Stephanie; Semple, Stuart

2015-01-01

Neuroticism is linked with an impaired ability to cope with stress and is an important risk factor for stress-related disorders. Hence, there is interest in exploring the behavioral correlates of neuroticism and how such behaviors may moderate the link between neuroticism and the response to stress. Displacement behavior - activity such as face touching and scratching - is important to investigate in this respect, as recent studies indicate that such behavior is linked to negative emotional states and has an important stress coping function. Here, we explored the relationship between neuroticism, displacement behavior, and stress in a healthy population of men. This was a cross-sectional, quasiexperimentally controlled study. We assessed participants' levels of neuroticism, and then during a Trier Social Stress Test quantified displacement behavior, physiological, and cognitive indices of the stress response; after the test we measured the self-reported experience of stress. Displacement behavior was negatively correlated with self-reported experience, physiological, and cognitive measures of stress and moderated the relationships between neuroticism, self-reported experience, and cognitive index of stress. Our results suggest displacement behavior plays an important role in shaping the link between neuroticism and the response to stress.

Depression among female psychiatric nurses in southern Taiwan: main and moderating effects of job stress, coping behaviour and social support.

PubMed

Lin, Huey-S; Probst, Janice C; Hsu, Yu-C

2010-08-01

In this study, we tested the following hypotheses among psychiatric nurses: (1) job stress would be positively correlated with depression; (2) coping behaviour would be significantly correlated with depression and moderate the relationship between job stress and depression; (3) social support would be significantly negatively correlated with depression and was a significant moderator on the relationship between job stress and depression. Most studies in Taiwan related to depression have focused on the general public rather than nurses. The main effect of job stress (coping behaviour, social support) on level of depression has been documented in some population, but the moderating effects of coping behaviours and social support on the relationship between job stress and depression have not been well studied among nurses, especially among psychiatric nurses. A cross-sectional research design was employed. A self-report questionnaire was adopted to measure personal characteristics, depression (Beck Depression Inventory), job stress (Taiwanese Nurse Stress Checklist), coping behaviour (Jalowiec Coping Scale) and social support (short form, Interpersonal Support Evaluation List). Eligible subjects were female, non-supervisory, inpatient ward nurses in a psychiatric hospital in southern Taiwan. One hundred and fifty-four questionnaires were distributed, and the response rate was 91.6%. After adjusting for covariates, we found that: (1) Job stress and affective-oriented coping were significantly positively correlated with BDI-II scores. (2) Coping behaviour was not a significant moderator on the relationship between job stress and depression scores among psychiatric nurses, but social support was. Depression scores were correlated with job stress and affective-oriented coping, but social support could work to reduce the effect of stress on depression among psychiatric nurses. Nursing managers should explore both ways of reducing job stress and techniques for building social support networks in the institution to protect their members against stress and depression.

Evaluation of the Ganglion Cell Complex and Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer in Low, Moderate, and High Myopia: A Study by RTVue Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography.

PubMed

Sezgin Akcay, Betul Ilkay; Gunay, Betul Onal; Kardes, Esra; Unlu, Cihan; Ergin, Ahmet

2017-01-01

To assess the effect of low, moderate, and high myopia on the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and Ganglion cell complex (GCC) measured by Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) in non-glaucomatous subjects. The subjects were divided into three groups: low (n = 81, 35.6%), moderate (n = 79, 34.8%), and highly myopic eyes (n = 67, 29.5%). The RNFL thickness profile, including the average, superior, nasal, inferior, and temporal quadrant and each of the eight directional thicknesses, was measured. GCC parameters, including the average, superior, and inferior values, the focal loss volume (FLV), and the global loss volume (GLV), were measured. The correlation between the OCT measurements and the axial length was evaluated. The average, superior, inferior, and nasal RNFL thicknesses of low and moderate myopic eyes were found to be significantly higher than those of highly myopic eyes. The temporal RNFL thicknesses were not different among the three groups. The average, superior, and inferior ganglion cell complex values of low and moderate myopic eyes were significantly higher than those of highly myopic eyes. The FLV and GLV of low and moderate myopic eyes were significantly higher than those of highly myopic eyes (p = 0.001 for all). In the moderate and high myopia groups, the average RNFL thickness and GCC thickness were both negatively correlated with the axial length. Highly myopic subjects tend to have thinner RNFL and GCC thicknesses than subjects with low and moderate myopia.

Moderation: an alternative to restraint as a mode of weight self-regulation.

PubMed

Stotland, S

2012-12-01

This study considered two types of eating and weight self-regulation, in five groups, including four types of weight controllers and one non-dieting group. New scales were developed to measure eating moderation and restraint. Moderation was largely uncorrelated with restraint in 4 groups and had a fairly strong positive relation in 1 group. The moderation scale was unrelated to the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) restraint scale and the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ) rigid restraint subscale and weakly positively related to TFEQ flexible restraint. The restraint scale was strongly correlated to the DEBQ restraint scale, and to both flexible and rigid restraint subscales of the TFEQ. Across the five groups, moderation had exclusively positive relationships with attitude, behavior and emotion variables, while restraint had primarily negative relationships. The study supports moderation as a new dimension of weight self-regulation, independent of restraint. The new measures of moderation and restraint can be used together in research on the processes of change in weight management. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Moderators of sexual behavior in gay men.

PubMed

Moskowitz, David A; Roloff, Michael E

2010-08-01

We investigated factors that might moderate the association between sexual behavior desires and sexual behavior enactments in gay men. Condom eschewal, number of STIs, HIV serostatus, age, and relationship status were each hypothesized to moderate this association. An Internet survey collected data from 219 self-identifying gay men. Results indicated that sexual behavior desires and enactments were highly correlated, and of the five moderators tested, four varied this association. Condom eschewers had a stronger association between desires and enactments than condom users. Gay men with fewer STIs/STDs (excluding HIV) also had a stronger association between the two variables. HIV serostatus did not exclusively moderate the association. Rather, a three-way interaction was produced such that HIV-positive men with STIs had a stronger association between sexual behavior desires and enactments than HIV-negative men with STIs. Finally, gay men in monogamous relationships were least likely to have their desires associated with enactments. Age was not found to be a significant moderator. Overall, we concluded the moderators representing sexual health and sexual health behaviors were most influential over the enactment of sexual behavior desires.

Hypnotic suggestibility, cognitive inhibition, and dissociation.

PubMed

Dienes, Zoltán; Brown, Elizabeth; Hutton, Sam; Kirsch, Irving; Mazzoni, Giuliana; Wright, Daniel B

2009-12-01

We examined two potential correlates of hypnotic suggestibility: dissociation and cognitive inhibition. Dissociation is the foundation of two of the major theories of hypnosis and other theories commonly postulate that hypnotic responding is a result of attentional abilities (including inhibition). Participants were administered the Waterloo-Stanford Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form C. Under the guise of an unrelated study, 180 of these participants also completed: a version of the Dissociative Experiences Scale that is normally distributed in non-clinical populations; a latent inhibition task, a spatial negative priming task, and a memory task designed to measure negative priming. The data ruled out even moderate correlations between hypnotic suggestibility and all the measures of dissociation and cognitive inhibition overall, though they also indicated gender differences. The results are a challenge for existing theories of hypnosis.

Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) in Parkinson's Disease: Potential as Trait-, Progression- and Prediction Marker and Confounding Factors.

PubMed

Bernhard, Felix P; Heinzel, Sebastian; Binder, Gerhard; Weber, Karin; Apel, Anja; Roeben, Benjamin; Deuschle, Christian; Maechtel, Mirjam; Heger, Tanja; Nussbaum, Susanne; Gasser, Thomas; Maetzler, Walter; Berg, Daniela

2016-01-01

Biomarkers indicating trait, progression and prediction of pathology and symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) often lack specificity or reliability. Investigating biomarker variance between individuals and over time and the effect of confounding factors is essential for the evaluation of biomarkers in PD, such as insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). IGF-1 serum levels were investigated in up to 8 biannual visits in 37 PD patients and 22 healthy controls (HC) in the longitudinal MODEP study. IGF-1 baseline levels and annual changes in IGF-1 were compared between PD patients and HC while accounting for baseline disease duration (19 early stage: ≤3.5 years; 18 moderate stage: >4 years), age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and common medical factors putatively modulating IGF-1. In addition, associations of baseline IGF-1 with annual changes of motor, cognitive and depressive symptoms and medication dose were investigated. PD patients in moderate (130±26 ng/mL; p = .004), but not early stages (115±19, p>.1), showed significantly increased baseline IGF-1 levels compared with HC (106±24 ng/mL; p = .017). Age had a significant negative correlation with IGF-1 levels in HC (r = -.47, p = .028) and no correlation in PD patients (r = -.06, p>.1). BMI was negatively correlated in the overall group (r = -.28, p = .034). The annual changes in IGF-1 did not differ significantly between groups and were not correlated with disease duration. Baseline IGF-1 levels were not associated with annual changes of clinical parameters. Elevated IGF-1 in serum might differentiate between patients in moderate PD stages and HC. However, the value of serum IGF-1 as a trait-, progression- and prediction marker in PD is limited as IGF-1 showed large inter- and intraindividual variability and may be modulated by several confounders.

Comparison of biochemical cartilage imaging techniques at 3 T MRI.

PubMed

Rehnitz, C; Kupfer, J; Streich, N A; Burkholder, I; Schmitt, B; Lauer, L; Kauczor, H-U; Weber, M-A

2014-10-01

To prospectively compare chemical-exchange saturation-transfer (CEST) with delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of cartilage (dGEMRIC) and T2 mapping to assess the biochemical cartilage properties of the knee. Sixty-nine subjects were prospectively included (median age, 42 years; male/female = 32/37) in three cohorts: 10 healthy volunteers, 40 patients with clinically suspected cartilage lesions, and 19 patients about 1 year after microfracture therapy. T2 mapping, dGEMRIC, and CEST were performed at a 3 T MRI unit using a 15-channel knee coil. Parameter maps were evaluated using region-of-interest analysis of healthy cartilage, areas of chondromalacia and repair tissue. Differentiation of damaged from healthy cartilage was assessed using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Chondromalacia grade 2-3 had significantly higher CEST values (P = 0.001), lower dGEMRIC (T1-) values (P < 0.001) and higher T2 values (P < 0.001) when compared to the normal appearing cartilage. dGEMRIC and T2 mapping correlated moderately negative (Spearman coefficient r = -0.56, P = 0.0018) and T2 mapping and CEST moderately positive (r = 0.5, P = 0.007), while dGEMRIC and CEST did not significantly correlate (r = -0.311, P = 0.07). The repair tissue revealed lower dGEMRIC values (P < 0.001) and higher CEST values (P < 0.001) with a significant negative correlation (r = -0.589, P = 0.01), whereas T2 values were not different (P = 0.54). In healthy volunteers' cartilage, CEST and dGEMRIC showed moderate positive correlation (r = 0.56), however not reaching significance (P = 0.09). ROC-analysis demonstrated non-significant differences of T2 mapping vs CEST (P = 0.14), CEST vs dGEMRIC (P = 0.89), and T2 mapping vs dGEMRIC (P = 0.12). CEST is able to detect normal and damaged cartilage and is non-inferior in distinguishing both when compared to dGEMRIC and T2 mapping. Copyright © 2014 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) in Parkinson's Disease: Potential as Trait-, Progression- and Prediction Marker and Confounding Factors

PubMed Central

Binder, Gerhard; Weber, Karin; Apel, Anja; Roeben, Benjamin; Deuschle, Christian; Maechtel, Mirjam; Heger, Tanja; Nussbaum, Susanne; Gasser, Thomas; Maetzler, Walter; Berg, Daniela

2016-01-01

Introduction Biomarkers indicating trait, progression and prediction of pathology and symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) often lack specificity or reliability. Investigating biomarker variance between individuals and over time and the effect of confounding factors is essential for the evaluation of biomarkers in PD, such as insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Materials and Methods IGF-1 serum levels were investigated in up to 8 biannual visits in 37 PD patients and 22 healthy controls (HC) in the longitudinal MODEP study. IGF-1 baseline levels and annual changes in IGF-1 were compared between PD patients and HC while accounting for baseline disease duration (19 early stage: ≤3.5 years; 18 moderate stage: >4 years), age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and common medical factors putatively modulating IGF-1. In addition, associations of baseline IGF-1 with annual changes of motor, cognitive and depressive symptoms and medication dose were investigated. Results PD patients in moderate (130±26 ng/mL; p = .004), but not early stages (115±19, p>.1), showed significantly increased baseline IGF-1 levels compared with HC (106±24 ng/mL; p = .017). Age had a significant negative correlation with IGF-1 levels in HC (r = -.47, p = .028) and no correlation in PD patients (r = -.06, p>.1). BMI was negatively correlated in the overall group (r = -.28, p = .034). The annual changes in IGF-1 did not differ significantly between groups and were not correlated with disease duration. Baseline IGF-1 levels were not associated with annual changes of clinical parameters. Discussion Elevated IGF-1 in serum might differentiate between patients in moderate PD stages and HC. However, the value of serum IGF-1 as a trait-, progression- and prediction marker in PD is limited as IGF-1 showed large inter- and intraindividual variability and may be modulated by several confounders. PMID:26967642

Measuring Math Anxiety (in Spanish) with the Rasch Rating Scale Model.

PubMed

Prieto, Gerardo; Delgado, Ana R

2007-01-01

Two successive studies probed the psychometric properties of a Math Anxiety questionnaire (in Spanish) by means of the Rasch Rating Scale Model. Participants were 411 and 216 Spanish adolescents. Convergent validity was examined by correlating the scale with both the Fennema and Sherman Attitude Scale and a math achievement test. The results show that the scores are psychometrically appropriate, and replicate those reported in meta-analyses: medium-sized negative correlations with achievement and with attitudes toward mathematics, as well as moderate sex-related differences (with girls presenting higher anxiety levels than boys).

Selection on parental performance opposes selection for larger body mass in a wild population of blue tits.

PubMed

Thomson, Caroline E; Bayer, Florian; Crouch, Nicholas; Farrell, Samantha; Heap, Elizabeth; Mittell, Elizabeth; Zurita-Cassinello, Mar; Hadfield, Jarrod D

2017-03-01

There is abundant evidence in many taxa for positive directional selection on body size, and yet little evidence for microevolutionary change. In many species, variation in body size is partly determined by the actions of parents, so a proposed explanation for stasis is the presence of a negative genetic correlation between direct and parental effects. Consequently, selecting genes for increased body size would result in a correlated decline in parental effects, reducing body size in the following generation. We show that these arguments implicitly assume that parental care is cost free, and that including a cost alters the predicted genetic architectures needed to explain stasis. Using a large cross-fostered population of blue tits, we estimate direct selection on parental effects for body mass, and show it is negative. Negative selection is consistent with a cost to parental care, mainly acting through a reduction in current fecundity rather than survival. Under these conditions, evolutionary stasis is possible for moderately negative genetic correlations between direct and parental effects. This is in contrast to the implausibly extreme correlations needed when care is assumed to be cost-free. Thus, we highlight the importance of accounting correctly for complete selection acting on traits across generations. © 2017 The Author(s). Evolution © 2017 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Digit ratio (2D:4D), aggression, and testosterone in men exposed to an aggressive video stimulus.

PubMed

Kilduff, Liam P; Hopp, Renato N; Cook, Christian J; Crewther, Blair T; Manning, John T

2013-10-10

The relative lengths of the 2(nd) and 4(th) digits (2D:4D) is a negative biomarker for prenatal testosterone, and low 2D:4D may be associated with aggression. However, the evidence for a 2D:4D-aggression association is mixed. Here we test the hypothesis that 2D:4D is robustly linked to aggression in "challenge" situations in which testosterone is increased. Participants were exposed to an aggressive video and a control video. Aggression was measured after each video and salivary free testosterone levels before and after each video. Compared to the control video, the aggressive video was associated with raised aggression responses and a marginally significant increase in testosterone. Left 2D:4D was negatively correlated with aggression after the aggressive video and the strength of the correlation was higher in those participants who showed the greatest increases in testosterone. Left 2D:4D was also negatively correlated to the difference between aggression scores in the aggressive and control conditions. The control video did not influence testosterone concentrations and there were no associations between 2D:4D and aggression. We conclude that 2D:4D moderates the impact of an aggressive stimulus on aggression, such that an increase in testosterone resulting from a "challenge" is associated with a negative correlation between 2D:4D and aggression.

Environmental congruence and work-related stress in acute care hospital medical/surgical units: a descriptive, correlational study.

PubMed

Dendaas, Nancy

2011-01-01

To describe the degree to which Environmental Congruence (EC) is present in sampled units and considered important/desirable by staff RNs; staff RNs' reported level of work-related stress (WRS); the perceived contribution of the physical environment to WRS; and the relationship between existing levels of EC and WRS. Few studies have focused on how the physical environment might contribute to nurses' WRS and chronic nursing shortages. The construct of EC can be used, within a Person Environment (PE)-Fit framework, to assess the fit among nurses, nursing work, the physical work environment, and WRS. EC was measured using investigator-developed, literature/criterion-based survey instruments. Staff RNs reported WRS variables by using two single-item self-report measures. The final convenience sample consisted of 471 staff RNs from 39 medical/surgical units from 12 hospitals in the upper Midwest. Data were collected over a 7-month period. The mean level of existing EC in the sample was roughly 70% percent of highest capacity and that of important/desired EC in the sample was 93%. Staff RNs' mean level of WRS was 6.7; the mean contribution of the physical environment to WRS was 5.8. Moderate negative correlations were found between EC and WRS (r = -.41, p < .05), and between physical environment contribution to WRS and EC (r = -.55, p <.001). Staff RNs in the sampled units wanted a significantly higher level of EC. They rated their WRS moderately high and the contribution of the physical environment to it as moderate. A moderately negative relationship was found between EC and WRS. EC may be a useful construct in research that attempts to improve hospital nursing work environments.

The Quality of Written Feedback by Attendings of Internal Medicine Residents.

PubMed

Jackson, Jeffrey L; Kay, Cynthia; Jackson, Wilkins C; Frank, Michael

2015-07-01

Attending evaluations are commonly used to evaluate residents. Evaluate the quality of written feedback of internal medicine residents. Retrospective. Internal medicine residents and faculty at the Medical College of Wisconsin from 2004 to 2012. From monthly evaluations of residents by attendings, a randomly selected sample of 500 written comments by attendings were qualitatively coded and rated as high-, moderate-, or low-quality feedback by two independent coders with good inter-rater reliability (kappa: 0.94). Small group exercises with residents and attendings also coded the utterances as high, moderate, or low quality and developed criteria for this categorization. In-service examination scores were correlated with written feedback. There were 228 internal medicine residents who had 6,603 evaluations by 334 attendings. Among 500 randomly selected written comments, there were 2,056 unique utterances: 29% were coded as nonspecific statements, 20% were comments about resident personality, 16% about patient care, 14% interpersonal communication, 7% medical knowledge, 6% professionalism, and 4% each on practice-based learning and systems-based practice. Based on criteria developed by group exercises, the majority of written comments were rated as moderate quality (65%); 22% were rated as high quality and 13% as low quality. Attendings who provided high-quality feedback rated residents significantly lower in all six of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competencies (p <0.0005 for all), and had a greater range of scores. Negative comments on medical knowledge were associated with lower in-service examination scores. Most attending written evaluation was of moderate or low quality. Attendings who provided high-quality feedback appeared to be more discriminating, providing significantly lower ratings of residents in all six ACGME core competencies, and across a greater range. Attendings' negative written comments on medical knowledge correlated with lower in-service training scores.

Phenotypic relationships between docility and reproduction in Angus heifers.

PubMed

White, K L; Bormann, J M; Olson, K C; Jaeger, J R; Johnson, S; Downey, B; Grieger, D M; Waggoner, J W; Moser, D W; Weaber, R L

2016-02-01

The objective of this study was to elucidate the phenotypic relationships between docility and first-service AI conception rate in heifers. Data ( = 337) collected from 3 cooperator herds in Kansas at the start of synchronization protocol included exit velocity (EV), chute score (CS), fecal cortisol (FC), and blood serum cortisol (BC). Data were analyzed using logistic regression with 30-d pregnancy rate as the dependent variable. The model included the fixed effect of contemporary group and the covariates FC, BC, EV, CS, BW, and age. Correlation coefficients were calculated between all continuous traits. Pregnancy rate ranged from 34% to 60% between herds. Blood cortisol positively correlated with EV ( = 0.22, < 0.01), negatively correlated with age ( = -0.12, < 0.03), and tended to be negatively correlated with BW ( = -0.10, = 0.09). Exit velocity was positively correlated with CS ( = 0.24, < 0.01) and negatively correlated with BW ( = -0.15, < 0.01) and age ( = -0.12, < 0.03). Chute score negatively correlated with age ( = -0.14, < 0.01), and age and BW were moderately positively correlated ( = 0.42, < 0.01), as expected. Older, heavier animals generally had better temperament, as indicated by lower BC, EV, and CS. The power of our test could detect no significant predictors of 30-d pregnancy for the combined data from all ranches. When the data were divided by ranch, CS ( < 0.03) and BW ( < 0.01) were both significant predictors for 30-d pregnancy for ranch 1. The odds ratio estimate for CS has an inverse relationship with pregnancy, meaning that a 1-unit increase in average CS will reduce the probability of pregnancy at ranch 1 by 48.1%. Weight also has a negative impact on pregnancy because a 1-kg increase in BW will decrease the probability of pregnancy by 2.2%. Fertility is a complex trait that depends on many factors; our data suggest that docility is 1 factor that warrants further investigation.

Reminiscence and adaptation to critical life events in older adults with mild to moderate depressive symptoms.

PubMed

Korte, Jojanneke; Bohlmeijer, Ernst T; Westerhof, Gerben J; Pot, Anne Margriet; Pot, Anne M

2011-07-01

The role of reminiscence as a way of adapting to critical life events and chronic medical conditions was investigated in older adults with mild to moderate depressive symptoms. Reminiscence is the (non)volitional act or process of recollecting memories of one's self in the past. 171 Dutch older adults with a mean age of 64 years (SD = 7.4) participated in this study. All of them had mild to moderate depressive symptoms. Participants completed measures on critical life events, chronic medical conditions, depressive symptoms, symptoms of anxiety and satisfaction with life. The reminiscence functions included were: identity, problem solving, bitterness revival and boredom reduction. Critical life events were positively correlated with identity and problem solving. Bitterness revival and boredom reduction were both positively correlated with depressive and anxiety symptoms, and negatively to satisfaction with life. Problem solving had a negative relation with anxiety symptoms. When all the reminiscence functions were included, problem solving was uniquely associated with symptoms of anxiety, and bitterness revival was uniquely associated with depressive symptoms and satisfaction with life. Interestingly, problem solving mediated the relation of critical life events with anxiety. This study corroborates the theory that reminiscence plays a role in coping with critical life events, and thereby maintaining mental health. Furthermore, it is recommended that therapists focus on techniques which reduce bitterness revival in people with depressive symptoms, and focus on problem-solving reminiscences among people with anxiety symptoms.

Children’s Mathematics and Verbal Self-concepts and Externalizing Behaviors: The Moderating Role of Peer Rejection at School

PubMed Central

Passiatore, Ylenia; Grimaldi Capitello, Teresa; De Stasio, Simona; Millioni, Michela; Gentile, Simonetta; Fiorilli, Caterina

2017-01-01

Previous research has found a strong correlation between children’s academic self-concept and their behavioral problems. The present study examined whether children’s peer rejection moderated the relationship between children’s math and verbal self-concepts and their behavioral problems at school. We expected that children’s social competence, as measured by peer rejection, moderated the negative effect of low self-concept on children’s externalizing behaviors. Participants were 173 children (males = 93, Mage = 10.31 years, SD = 1.43). The main findings showed that peer rejection moderated the effect of both low verbal and math self-concepts on children’s externalizing behavior. The results are discussed in terms of the protective factor played by children’s social competence reducing the impact of low self-concept on children’s externalizing behaviors. PMID:29163290

Reward and punishment sensitivity and alcohol use: the moderating role of executive control.

PubMed

Jonker, Nienke C; Ostafin, Brian D; Glashouwer, Klaske A; van Hemel-Ruiter, Madelon E; de Jong, Peter J

2014-05-01

Reward sensitivity and to a lesser extent punishment sensitivity have been found to explain individual differences in alcohol use. Furthermore, many studies showed that addictive behaviors are characterized by impaired self-regulatory processes, and that individual differences related to alcohol use are moderated by executive control. This is the first study that explores the potential moderating role of executive control in the relation between reward and punishment sensitivity and alcohol use. Participants were 76 university students, selected on earlier given information about their alcohol use. Half of the participants indicated to drink little alcohol and half indicated to drink substantial amounts of alcohol. As expected, correlational analyses showed a positive relationship between reward sensitivity and alcohol use and a negative relation between punishment sensitivity and alcohol use. Regression analysis confirmed that reward sensitivity was a significant independent predictor of alcohol use. Executive control moderated the relation between punishment sensitivity and alcohol use, but not the relation between reward sensitivity and alcohol use. Only in individuals with weak executive control punishment sensitivity and alcohol use were negatively related. The results suggest that for individuals with weak executive control, punishment sensitivity might be a protective factor working against substantial alcohol use. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association between perceived parental style and depressive symptoms among adolescents in Hulu Langat District, Malaysia.

PubMed

Ang, Jin Kiat; Phang, Cheng Kar; Mukhtar, Firdaus; Osman, Zubaidah Jamil; Awang, Hamidin; Sidik, Sherina Mohd; Ibrahim, Normala; Ghaffar, Siti Fatimah Ab

2017-05-24

Depression among adolescents is increasing and worrying because of its morbidity and mortality from suicide. It has been found to be associated with negative parental styles. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between perceived negative parental styles and depressive symptoms among adolescents in Hulu Langat District, Selangor, Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 1769 secondary school students by using a multistage cluster sampling method. Data were collected by using a set of validated, pre-tested and standardized questionnaires which included the Measures of Parental styles (MOPS) and modified Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 12 (DASS-12) for adolescents. Data were analyzed by using the chi-square test, Pearson's correlation coefficient and independent t-tests. Out of 1800, 1769 completed the questionnaire giving a response rate of 98.3%. The prevalence of severe depressive symptoms was about 14% while 18.0% and 36.1% of respondents have moderate and mild depressive symptoms, respectively. There were significantly moderate and positive correlations between perceived indifferent parents (Father: r = 0.367; Mother: r = 0.340, p < 0.05), perceived abusive parents (Father: r = 0.338; Mother: r = 0.331, p < 0.05) and depressive symptoms among the respondents. While perceived over control parents shows a significantly positive but weak correlation (Father: r = 0.206; Mother: r = 0.244, p < 0.05) with depressive symptoms among respondents. All types of parental styles in this study were significantly different among respondents with different categories of depressive symptoms (p < 0.008). Perceived negative parental styles have significant influence on adolescents' depressive symptoms. Intervention on modifying parental style is needed to reduce depressive symptoms.

[Relationships between landscape structure and rocky desertification in karst region of northwestern Guangxi].

PubMed

Zhang, Xiao-nan; Wang, Ke-lin; Chen, Hong-song; Zhang, Wei

2008-11-01

By using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), sixteen landscape indices were adopted to quantitatively analyze the relationships between the landscape structure and rocky desertification in karst region of Huanjiang County, Guangxi Province. The results showed that the first and the second ordination axis of CCA were strongly correlated to the factors of average patch area, average dry land patch area, landscape shape index, and landscape aggregation index. The potential rocky desertification in the region was highly positively correlated with the average dry land patch area and the average fractal dimensions of dry land and shrub land, but negatively correlated with the patch numbers of dry land. Light rocky desertification had obvious positive correlations with the fractal dimension index, average fractal dimension of unused land, and patch numbers of shrub land; while moderate and strong rocky desertification had high positive correlations with the average unused land patch area but negative correlation with the average fractal dimension of shrub land. To some extent, rocky desertification degree might be represented by the values of landscape indices. The gradient variation in karst rocky desertification along landscape structure was clearly presented by the results of CCA.

Associations among methane emission traits measured in the feedlot and in respiration chambers in Angus cattle bred to vary in feed efficiency.

PubMed

Herd, R M; Velazco, J I; Arthur, P F; Hegarty, R F

2016-11-01

The objective of the study was to evaluate associations among animal performance and methane emission traits under feedlot conditions and in respiration chambers in Angus cattle bred to vary in residual feed intake (RFI), which is a measure of feed efficiency. Fifty-nine cattle were tested for feedlot RFI, of which 41 had methane production recorded on an ad libitum grain-based ration in the feedlot, 59 on a restricted grain-based ration in respiration chambers, and 57 on a restricted roughage ration in respiration chambers. The cattle became older and heavier as they went through the different phases of the experiment, but their feed intake (expressed as DMI) and daily emission of enteric methane (methane production rate; MPR) did not increase proportionally, as feed offered was restricted in the respiration chamber tests. Methane emissions by individual animals relative to their DMI were calculated as methane yield (MY; MPR/DMI) and as 2 measures of residual methane production (RMP and RMP), which were calculated as the difference between measured MPR and that predicted from feed intake by 2 different equations. Within each test regime, MPR was positively correlated ( = 0.28 to 0.61) with DMI. Phenotypic correlations for MY, RMP, and RMP between the feedlot test and the restricted grain test ( = 0.40 to 0.43) and between the restricted grain test and the restricted roughage test were moderate ( = 0.36 to 0.41) and moderate to strong between the feedlot test and the restricted roughage test ( = 0.54 to 0.58). These results indicate that the rankings of animals for methane production relative to feed consumed are relatively stable over the 3 test phases. Feedlot feed conversion ratio and RFI were not correlated with MPR in the feedlot test and grain-based chamber test but were negatively correlated with MPR in the chamber roughage test ( = -0.31 and -0.37). Both were negatively correlated with MY and RMP in the feedlot test ( = -0.42 to -0.54) and subsequent chamber roughage test ( = -0.27 to -0.49). Midparent estimated breeding values for RFI tended to be negatively correlated with MY and RMP in the feedlot test ( = -0.27 and -0.27) and were negatively correlated with MY, RMP, and RMP in the chamber roughage test ( = -0.33 to -0.36). These results showed that in young growing cattle, lower RFI was associated with higher MY, RMP, and RMP but had no significant association with MPR.

Coexistence of Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg imbalances in patients with allergic asthma.

PubMed

Shi, Yu-heng; Shi, Guo-chao; Wan, Huan-ying; Jiang, Li-hua; Ai, Xiang-yan; Zhu, Hai-xing; Tang, Wei; Ma, Jia-yun; Jin, Xiao-yan; Zhang, Bo-ying

2011-07-05

Recent recognition is that Th2 response is insufficient to fully explain the aetiology of asthma. Other CD4(+) T cells subsets might play a role in asthma. We investigated the relative abundance and activities of Th1, Th2, Th17 and CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells in patients with allergic asthma. Twenty-two patients with mild asthma, 17 patients with moderate to severe asthma and 20 healthy donors were enrolled. All patients were allergic to house dust mites. Plasma total IgE, pulmonary function and Asthma Control Questionnaire were assessed. The proportions of peripheral blood Th1, Th2, Th17 and CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells were determined by flow cytometry. The expression of cytokines in plasma and in the culture supernatant of peripheral blood mononuclear cells was determined by enzyme linked, immunosorbent assay. The frequency of blood Th2 cells and IL-4 levels in plasma and culture supernatant of peripheral blood mononuclear cells were increased in all patients with allergic asthma. The frequency of Th17 cells and the plasma and culture supernatant levels of IL-17 were increased, whereas the frequency of CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells and plasma IL-10 levels were decreased in patients with moderate to severe asthma. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus specific IgE levels were positively correlated with the percentage of blood Th2 cells and plasma IL-4 levels. Forced expiratory volume in the first second was negatively correlated with the frequency of Th17 cells and plasma IL-17 levels, and positively correlated with the frequency of Treg cells. However, mean Asthma Control Questionnaire scores were positively correlated with the frequency of Th17 cells and plasma IL-17 levels, and negatively correlated with the frequency of Treg cells. Imbalances in Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg were found in patients with allergic asthma. Furthermore, elevated Th17 cell responses, the absence of Tregs and an imbalance in Th17/Treg levels were associated with moderate to severe asthma.

Cognitive-Affective Correlates of Suicide Ideation and Attempt: Mindfulness is Negatively Associated with Suicide Attempt History but Not State Suicidality.

PubMed

Chesin, Megan; Cascardi, Michele

2018-06-11

To test whether three cognitive-affective correlates, mindfulness, emotion reactivity, and depressive symptom severity, have different associations with current suicidal ideation (SI), a history of suicide attempt (SA) and SA+SI among emerging adults. To test whether impulsive-aggression (IA) moderates associations between cognitive-affective correlates of suicidal behavior and suicidality. Survey data on current SI, SA history, mindfulness, emotion reactivity, depressive symptom severity, and IA were collected from 780 emerging adults. Results from multinomial logistic regression analysis showed greater depressive symptom severity among emerging adults with current SI, regardless of SA history. Those with a history of SA reported greater depressive symptom severity and less mindfulness than controls. IA did not moderate relationships of SI and/or SA and mindfulness, emotion reactivity, or depressive symptom severity. Mindfulness is a marker of SA, and depressive symptom severity is associated with current SI and SA history in emerging adults. IA does not moderate these associations. To the extent that a history of SA is indicative of elevated trait-like suicide risk and SI indicates state suicidality, our findings suggest that mindfulness protects against longer-term vulnerability to SA while depressive symptom severity increases with increasing suicide state-trait risk.

A physiological role of breast milk leptin in body weight control in developing infants.

PubMed

Miralles, Olga; Sánchez, Juana; Palou, Andreu; Picó, Catalina

2006-08-01

Leptin, a hormone that regulates food intake and energy metabolism, is present in breast milk. The aim of this study was to determine whether milk leptin concentration is correlated with maternal circulating leptin and BMI and with body weight gain of infants. A group of 28 non-obese women (BMI between 16.3 and 27.3 kg/m(2)) who breast-fed their infants for at least 6 months and their infants were studied. Venous blood and milk samples were obtained from mothers at 1, 3, 6, and 9 months of lactation, and leptin concentration was determined. Infant body weight and height were followed until 2 years of age. During the whole lactation period, milk leptin concentration correlated positively with maternal plasma leptin concentration and with maternal BMI. In addition, milk leptin concentration at 1 month of lactation was negatively correlated with infant BMI at 18 and 24 months of age. A better negative correlation was also found between log milk leptin concentration at 1 and at 3 months of lactation and infant BMI from 12 to 24 months of age. We concluded that, in a group of non-obese mothers, infant body weight during the first 2 years may be influenced by milk leptin concentration during the first stages of lactation. Thus, moderate milk-borne maternal leptin appears to provide moderate protection to infants from an excess of weight gain. These results seem to point out that milk leptin is an important factor that could explain, at least partially, the major risk of obesity of formula-fed infants with respect to breast-fed infants.

Trust and mindreading in adolescents: the moderating role of social value orientation.

PubMed

Derks, Jeffrey; Van Scheppingen, Manon A; Lee, Nikki C; Krabbendam, Lydia

2015-01-01

In adolescence, aspects of cognition that are required to deal with complex cooperation situations, such as mentalising and social value orientation, are still in development. In the Trust Game, cooperation may lead to better outcomes for both players, but can also lead to exploitation by the trustee. In the present study, we explore how mindreading, a crucial aspect of mentalising, and social value orientation (whether someone is prosocial or proself) are related to trust. In a group of 217 students (51% girls, Mage = 15.1) social value orientation, mindreading and trust (using the Trust Game) were measured. The result show that social value orientation moderates the relation between mindreading and trust. In the group of prosocials, we find no correlation between mindreading and trust. In the group of proselfs, mindreading is negatively correlated to trust, indicating that proselfs use their mentalising skills to assess that the trustee is likely to exploit them.

Psychopathy and Pride: Testing Lykken's Hypothesis Regarding the Implications of Fearlessness for Prosocial and Antisocial Behavior.

PubMed

Costello, Thomas H; Unterberger, Ansley; Watts, Ashley L; Lilienfeld, Scott O

2018-01-01

Despite widespread assumptions that psychopathy is associated with serious and repeated law-breaking, individuals with psychopathic personality traits do not invariably become chronic criminal offenders. As a partial explanation for this finding, Lykken (1995) ventured that a fearless temperament underlies both psychopathic traits and heroic behavior, and that heroic individuals' early exposure to effective socializing forces such as warm parenting or healthy self-esteem often fosters a characteristic adaption that tends to beget "successful" behaviors, thereby differentiating heroes from convicts. In this study, we investigate relations between psychopathy, principally its fearless dominance dimension, pride, and prosocial and antisocial behavior in a community sample ( N = 339). Fearless dominance and self-centered impulsivity components of psychopathy yielded differential relations with authentic and hubristic pride (Tracy and Robins, 2004), such that fearless dominance was significantly positively correlated with both facets of pride while self-centered Impulsivity was significantly negatively correlated with authentic pride and significantly positively correlated with hubristic pride. Further, authentic pride moderated (potentiated) the relation between fearless dominance and transformational leadership, one of the two outcome measures for prosocial behavior employed in our investigation. Authentic pride did not moderate the relations between fearless dominance and either our other measure of prosocial behavior (heroism) or antisocial behavior, nor did positive parenting moderate the relations between psychopathy components and social behavior. Unexpectedly, hubristic pride significantly moderated the relation between impulsive-antisocial features and antisocial behavior in a protective manner.

Psychopathy and Pride: Testing Lykken’s Hypothesis Regarding the Implications of Fearlessness for Prosocial and Antisocial Behavior

PubMed Central

Costello, Thomas H.; Unterberger, Ansley; Watts, Ashley L.; Lilienfeld, Scott O.

2018-01-01

Despite widespread assumptions that psychopathy is associated with serious and repeated law-breaking, individuals with psychopathic personality traits do not invariably become chronic criminal offenders. As a partial explanation for this finding, Lykken (1995) ventured that a fearless temperament underlies both psychopathic traits and heroic behavior, and that heroic individuals’ early exposure to effective socializing forces such as warm parenting or healthy self-esteem often fosters a characteristic adaption that tends to beget “successful” behaviors, thereby differentiating heroes from convicts. In this study, we investigate relations between psychopathy, principally its fearless dominance dimension, pride, and prosocial and antisocial behavior in a community sample (N = 339). Fearless dominance and self-centered impulsivity components of psychopathy yielded differential relations with authentic and hubristic pride (Tracy and Robins, 2004), such that fearless dominance was significantly positively correlated with both facets of pride while self-centered Impulsivity was significantly negatively correlated with authentic pride and significantly positively correlated with hubristic pride. Further, authentic pride moderated (potentiated) the relation between fearless dominance and transformational leadership, one of the two outcome measures for prosocial behavior employed in our investigation. Authentic pride did not moderate the relations between fearless dominance and either our other measure of prosocial behavior (heroism) or antisocial behavior, nor did positive parenting moderate the relations between psychopathy components and social behavior. Unexpectedly, hubristic pride significantly moderated the relation between impulsive-antisocial features and antisocial behavior in a protective manner. PMID:29520247

The relationship between objective balance, perceived sense of balance, and fear of falling in stroke patients.

PubMed

Oguz, Semra; Demirbuken, Ilksan; Kavlak, Bahar; Acar, Gonul; Yurdalan, Saadet Ufuk; Polat, Mine Gulden

2017-10-01

The objective of our study was to investigate the relationship between objective balance, fear of falling, and perceived sense of balance (PSB) in stroke patients. Seventy patients aged 18-65 years with chronically developed hemiplegia or hemiparesis were enrolled in the study. Patients' objective balance scores, fear of falling, and PSB were obtained using the berg balance scale (BBS), the falls efficacy scale (FES), and a visual analog scale, respectively. The Standard Mini-Mental Examination was performed to exclude patients with mental disorders from the study. There was a moderate negative correlation between PSB and BBS scores (p = 0.001, ρ = -0.588); a strong negative correlation between BBS and FES scores (p = 0.001, ρ = -0.808); and a strong positive correlation between PSB and FES scores (p = 0.001, ρ = 0.714). We found that BBS scores had negative correlation with PBS scores in left hemiplegic patients while there was no any relationship between BBS and PBS scores in right hemiplegic patients. PSB assessment, besides the BBS, should be considered among the routine assessment methods that enable the rehabilitation team to be aware of patients' balance capacities.

Balanced states of mind in psychopathology and psychological well-being.

PubMed

Wong, Shyh Shin

2010-08-01

The balanced states of mind (BSOM) model proposes that coping with stress and psychological well-being is a function of the BSOM ratio of positive thoughts to the sum of positive and negative thoughts. Based on different BSOM ratios, different BSOM categories are constructed to quantitatively differentiate levels of coping with stress and psychological well-being. The cognitive content-specificity hypothesis states that there are unique themes of semantic content in self-reported automatic thoughts particular to depression or anxiety. This study investigated the BSOM model and its cognitive content-specificity for depression, anxiety, anger, stress, life satisfaction, and happiness, based on negative and positive automatic thoughts. Three hundred and ninety-eight college students from Singapore participated in this study. First, BSOM ratio and positive automatic thoughts were positively correlated with life satisfaction and happiness, and negatively correlated with stress, anxiety, depression, and anger. In contrast, negative automatic thoughts were positively correlated with stress, anxiety, depression, and anger, and negatively correlated with life satisfaction and happiness. Second, levels of psychopathology and psychological well-being were statistically differentiable among the BSOM categories for depression, happiness, perceived stress, and life satisfaction; and less statistically differentiable among the BSOM categories for anxiety and anger, as expected based on the BSOM model and cognitive content-specificity hypothesis. Third, the results were more supportive of the BSOM model for depression, followed by happiness, perceived stress, life satisfaction, anxiety, and anger in terms of percentage of variance accounted for by BSOM categories, as expected based on the cognitive content-specificity hypothesis. Taken together, the results suggested that the more moderately positive thoughts one has (balanced by negative thoughts), the better mental health outcomes one has. Implications and limitations of these findings are discussed.

Genetic line comparisons and genetic parameters for endoparasite infections and test-day milk production traits.

PubMed

May, Katharina; Brügemann, Kerstin; Yin, Tong; Scheper, Carsten; Strube, Christina; König, Sven

2017-09-01

Keeping dairy cows in grassland systems relies on detailed analyses of genetic resistance against endoparasite infections, including between- and within-breed genetic evaluations. The objectives of this study were (1) to compare different Black and White dairy cattle selection lines for endoparasite infections and (2) the estimation of genetic (co)variance components for endoparasite and test-day milk production traits within the Black and White cattle population. A total of 2,006 fecal samples were taken during 2 farm visits in summer and autumn 2015 from 1,166 cows kept in 17 small- and medium-scale organic and conventional German grassland farms. Fecal egg counts were determined for gastrointestinal nematodes (FEC-GIN) and flukes (FEC-FLU), and fecal larvae counts for the bovine lungworm Dictyocaulus viviparus (FLC-DV). The lowest values for gastrointestinal nematode infections were identified for genetic lines adopted to pasture-based production systems, especially selection lines from New Zealand. Heritabilities were low for FEC-GIN (0.05-0.06 ± 0.04) and FLC-DV (0.05 ± 0.04), but moderate for FEC-FLU (0.33 ± 0.06). Almost identical heritabilities were estimated for different endoparasite trait transformations (log-transformation, square root). The genetic correlation between FEC-GIN and FLC-DV was 1.00 ± 0.60, slightly negative between FEC-GIN and FEC-FLU (-0.10 ± 0.27), and close to zero between FLC-DV and FEC-FLU (0.03 ± 0.30). Random regression test-day models on a continuous time scale [days in milk (DIM)] were applied to estimate genetic relationships between endoparasite and longitudinal test-day production traits. Genetic correlations were negative between FEC-GIN and milk yield (MY) until DIM 85, and between FEC-FLU and MY until DIM 215. Genetic correlations between FLC-DV and MY were negative throughout lactation, indicating improved disease resistance for high-productivity cows. Genetic relationships between FEC-GIN and FEC-FLU with milk protein content were negative for all DIM. Apart from the very early and very late lactation stage, genetic correlations between FEC-GIN and milk fat content were negative, whereas they were positive for FEC-FLU. Genetic correlations between FEC-GIN and somatic cell score were positive, indicating similar genetic mechanisms for susceptibility to udder and endoparasite infections. The moderate heritabilities for FEC-FLU suggest inclusion of FEC-FLU into overall organic dairy cattle breeding goals to achieve long-term selection response for disease resistance. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring moderators of the relationship between physical activity behaviors and television viewing in elementary school children.

PubMed

Smith, Nicole E I; Rhodes, Ryan E; Naylor, Patti-Jean; McKay, Heather A

2008-01-01

Previous research suggests that there is limited evidence to support a negative association between physical activity (PA) behaviors and television (TV) viewing time in children. The purpose of this study was to extend the research involving PA-TV viewing relationships and to explore potential moderators, including gender, ethnicity, weekday/ weekend behaviors, structured/unstructured activities, and seasonal variability. A 9-month longitudinal design, across one school year, with assessments every 3 months. Elementary schools in the Vancouver and Richmond districts of British Columbia, Canada. Subjects. Subjects (N = 344; 47% female) were 9- to 11-year-old children who participated in a school-based PA initiative from September 2003 to June 2004. Not applicable. Assessments of PA were measured using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children. TV viewing time and structured PA were measured using a self-report questionnaire. Basic descriptives, Pearson r bivariate correlations and moderated multiple regressions with mean centered variables. No significant interaction effects were found for any of the proposed moderators. Null bivariate correlations are supportive of findings in previous literature. Our results did not find support for PA-TV viewing relations, regardless of gender, ethnicity, structured PA, and seasonal variability. PA interventions aimed at modifying sedentary behaviors, such as TV viewing, may not be warranted.

Muslim Spirituality, Religious Coping, and Reactions to Terrorism Among Pakistani University Students.

PubMed

Khan, Ziasma Haneef; Watson, P J; Chen, Zhuo

2016-12-01

Pakistani Muslim university students (N = 207) displayed Personal Distress, Public Distress, and Personal Defeat Reactions to Terrorism. All three reactions predicted poorer mental health with Personal Defeat being especially disturbed in its adjustment implications. In line with the assumptions of coping theory, scores on the Negative Religious Coping Scale correlated positively with Personal Distress and with Personal Defeat. However, Positive Religious Coping, the spirituality of Muslim Experiential Religiousness, and the Intrinsic and Extrinsic Personal Religious Orientations exhibited positive rather than the expected negative linkages with Personal Distress and Public Distress. Muslim Experiential Religiousness moderated associations of Positive and Negative Religious Coping with Public Distress. When spirituality was high, these relationships were negative. When spirituality was low, they became positive. These data documented the negative impacts that terrorism can have on Pakistanis and suggested that Muslim religious commitments may have an important role to play in resisting those influences.

Teacher structure as a predictor of students' perceived competence and autonomous motivation: The moderating role of differentiated instruction.

PubMed

Guay, Frédéric; Roy, Amélie; Valois, Pierre

2017-06-01

An important pedagogical practice is the provision of structure (Farkas & Grolnick, 2010, Motiv. Emot., 34, 266). According to self-determination theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985, Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior, Plenum, New York, NY), structure allows students to develop perceived competence in different school subjects, which in turn facilitates the development of autonomous motivation towards these subjects and limits the development of controlled motivation. In this study, we test a mediated moderation model that posits that teacher structure has a stronger positive effect on students' autonomous motivation (and a negative effect on controlled motivation) in French class when differentiated instruction is used, and that this moderation effect is mediated by perceived competence. To test this model, we used a sample of 27 elementary school teachers and 422 students from Quebec, a province of Canada. Data for teachers and students were collected with self-report measures. The method used was a correlational one with a single measurement time. Results revealed that (1) the effect of teacher structure on students' autonomous motivation was positive only when differentiated instruction strategies were frequently used, and this moderated effect was partially mediated by perceived competence, and (2) teacher structure was negatively associated with students' controlled motivation only when differentiated instruction was provided infrequently, and this moderated effect was not explained by perceived competence. These findings are discussed in the light of the literature on SDT and on differentiated instruction. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Everything in Moderation: Moderate Use of Screens Unassociated with Child Behavior Problems.

PubMed

Ferguson, Christopher J

2017-12-01

The impact of children's use of "screen" media including television and computer games, continues to be debated. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) until recently recommended a relatively restrictive screen time diet of 2 h or less for most youth. A representative correlational sample of youth were assessed for links between screen time and risky behavioral outcomes. Data collection occurred in 2013 conducted by the State of Florida. Use of screens that was moderately high, in excess of the AAP's former recommendations, but not excessive (1 SD or higher than average), was not associated with delinquency, risky behaviors, sexual behaviors, substance abuse, reduced grades or mental health problems. Even excessive screen use (1 SD or higher) was only weakly associated with negative outcomes related to delinquency, grades and depression only, and at levels unlikely to be practically significant. Results conceptually replicate those of Przybylski (2014) with a US sample for depression and delinquency as outcomes. Moderate use of screens, though in excess of the AAP's historical recommendations, are unassociated with problem outcomes. Excessive use of screens is only weakly associated with negative outcomes, and only those related to depression and delinquency as well as reduced grades, but not risky driving, substance use, risky sex or disordered eating. Although an "everything in moderation" message when discussing screen time with parents may be most productive, results do not support a strong focus on screen time as a preventative measure for youth problem behaviors.

Genetic parameters for carnitine, creatine, creatinine, carnosine, and anserine concentration in longissimus muscle and their association with palatability traits in Angus cattle.

PubMed

Mateescu, R G; Garmyn, A J; O'Neil, M A; Tait, R G; Abuzaid, A; Mayes, M S; Garrick, D J; Van Eenennaam, A L; VanOverbeke, D L; Hilton, G G; Beitz, D C; Reecy, J M

2012-12-01

The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for carnitine, creatine, creatinine, carnosine, and anserine concentration in LM and to evaluate their associations with Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) and beef palatability traits. Longissimus muscle samples from 2,285 Angus cattle were obtained and fabricated into steaks for analysis of carnitine, creatine, creatinine, carnosine, anserine, and other nutrients, and for trained sensory panel and WBSF assessments. Restricted maximum likelihood procedures were used to obtain estimates of variance and covariance components under a multiple-trait animal model. Estimates of heritability for carnitine, creatine, creatinine, carnosine, and anserine concentrations in LM from Angus cattle were 0.015, 0.434, 0.070, 0.383, and 0.531, respectively. Creatine, carnosine, and anserine were found to be moderately heritable, whereas almost no genetic variation was observed in carnitine and creatinine. Moderate positive genetic (0.25, P < 0.05) and phenotypic correlations (0.25, P < 0.05) were identified between carnosine and anserine. Medium negative genetic correlations were identified between creatine and both carnosine (-0.53, P < 0.05) and anserine (-0.46, P < 0.05). Beef and livery/metallic flavor were not associated with any of the 5 compounds analyzed (P > 0.10), and carnitine concentrations were not associated (P > 0.10) with any of the meat palatability traits analyzed. Carnosine was negatively associated with overall tenderness as assessed by trained sensory panelists. Similar negative associations with overall tenderness were identified for creatinine and anserine. Painty/fishy was the only flavor significantly and negatively associated with creatinine and carnosine. These results provide information regarding the concentration of these compounds, the amount of genetic variation, and evidence for negligible associations with beef palatability traits in LM of beef cattle.

Correlation Between the Magnetic Field and Plasma Parameters at 1 AU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Zicai; Shen, Fang; Zhang, Jie; Yang, Yi; Feng, Xueshang; Richardson, Ian G.

2018-02-01

The physical parameters of the solar wind observed in-situ near 1 AU have been studied for several decades, and relationships between them, such as the positive correlation between the solar wind plasma temperature, T, and velocity, V, and the negative correlation between density, N, and velocity, V, are well known. However, the magnetic field intensity, B, does not appear to be well correlated with any individual plasma parameter. In this article, we discuss previously under-reported correlations between B and the combined plasma parameters √{N V2} as well as between B and √{NT}. These two correlations are strong during periods of corotating interaction regions and high-speed streams, and moderate during intervals of slow solar wind. The results indicate that the magnetic pressure in the solar wind is well correlated both with the plasma dynamic pressure and the thermal pressure.

Association of myelopathy scores with cervical sagittal balance and normalized spinal cord volume: analysis of 56 preoperative cases from the AOSpine North America Myelopathy study.

PubMed

Smith, Justin S; Lafage, Virginie; Ryan, Devon J; Shaffrey, Christopher I; Schwab, Frank J; Patel, Alpesh A; Brodke, Darrel S; Arnold, Paul M; Riew, K Daniel; Traynelis, Vincent C; Radcliff, Kris; Vaccaro, Alexander R; Fehlings, Michael G; Ames, Christopher P

2013-10-15

Post hoc analysis of prospectively collected data. Development of methods to determine in vivo spinal cord dimensions and application to correlate preoperative alignment, myelopathy, and health-related quality-of-life scores in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). CSM is the leading cause of spinal cord dysfunction. The association between cervical alignment, sagittal balance, and myelopathy has not been well characterized. This was a post hoc analysis of the prospective, multicenter AOSpine North America CSM study. Inclusion criteria for this study required preoperative cervical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neutral sagittal cervical radiography. Techniques for MRI assessment of spinal cord dimensions were developed. Correlations between imaging and health-related quality-of-life scores were assessed. Fifty-six patients met inclusion criteria (mean age = 55.4 yr). The modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) scores correlated with C2-C7 sagittal vertical axis (SVA) (r = -0.282, P = 0.035). Spinal cord volume correlated with cord length (r = 0.472, P < 0.001) and cord average cross-sectional area (r = 0.957, P < 0.001). For all patients, no correlations were found between MRI measurements of spinal cord length, volume, mean cross-sectional area or surface area, and outcomes. For patients with cervical lordosis, mJOA scores correlated positively with cord volume (r = 0.366, P = 0.022), external cord area (r = 0.399, P = 0.012), and mean cross-sectional cord area (r = 0.345, P = 0.031). In contrast, for patients with cervical kyphosis, mJOA scores correlated negatively with cord volume (r = -0.496, P = 0.043) and mean cross-sectional cord area (r = -0.535, P = 0.027). This study is the first to correlate cervical sagittal balance (C2-C7 SVA) to myelopathy severity. We found a moderate negative correlation in kyphotic patients of cord volume and cross-sectional area to mJOA scores. The opposite (positive correlation) was found for lordotic patients, suggesting a relationship of cord volume to myelopathy that differs on the basis of sagittal alignment. It is interesting to note that sagittal balance but not kyphosis is tied to myelopathy score. Future work will correlate alignment changes to cord morphology changes and myelopathy outcomes. SUMMARY STATEMENTS: This is the first study to correlate sagittal balance (C2-C7 SVA) to myelopathy severity. We found a moderate negative correlation in kyphotic patients of cord volume and cross-sectional area to mJOA scores. The opposite (positive correlation) was found for lordotic patients, suggesting a relationship of cord volume to myelopathy that differs on the basis of sagittal alignment.

The level of physical activity affects the health of older adults despite being active

PubMed Central

Fernandez-Alonso, Lorena; Muñoz-García, Daniel; La Touche, Roy

2016-01-01

Health care in the ageing population is becoming a crucial issue, due to the quality of life. Physical activity, is of primary importance for older adults. This report compared the physical activity in two active older adults population with functionality, quality of life, and depression symptoms. A cross-sectional study was developed with 64 older adults. Physical activity was assessed through the Yale Physical Activity Survey for classification into a less activity (LA) group and a more activity (MA) group. Afterwards, the other health variables were measured through specific questionnaires: the quality of life with the EuroQol (EuroQol five dimensions questionnaire, EQ-5D), functionality with the Berg balance scale (BBS) and depression symptoms with the geriatric depression scale (GDS). There is a statistical significant difference between groups for the BBS (t=2.21; P=0.03, d=0.27). The Pearson correlation analysis shows in LA group a moderate correlation between the BBS and age (r=−0.539; P<0.01) and EQ-5D (r=0.480; P<0.01). Moreover, both groups had a moderate negative correlation between GDS and the the EQ-5D time trade-off (r=−0.543; P=0.02). Active older adults with different amounts of physical activity differ in the BBS. This functional score was higher in the MA group. When observing to quality of life, only the LA group was negatively associated with age while in both groups were associated with depression index. PMID:27419115

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.

The role of maternal acceptance in the relation between community violence exposure and child functioning.

PubMed

Bailey, Beth Nordstrom; Hannigan, John H; Delaney-Black, Virginia; Covington, Chandice; Sokol, Robert J

2006-02-01

Children in the United States are exposed to considerable community violence that has been linked to child functioning. However, not all those exposed, experience negative outcomes. Recent research has focused on factors that "buffer" or protect children from negative consequences of violence exposure. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the potential buffering or moderating role of maternal acceptance in the relationship between community violence exposure and internalizing and externalizing problems. Subjects were 268 urban African American first graders. Community violence exposure was significantly related to symptoms of post-traumatic stress, but did not correlate with either internalizing or externalizing problems for all children, after control for demographics, maternal mental health, and general life stress. However, children's perceptions of maternal acceptance moderated the relationship between violence exposure and internalizing and externalizing problems which included being withdrawn, anxious-depressed, and demonstrating delinquent behavior. Children with the lowest levels of self-reported maternal acceptance were most impacted by community violence. In this sample of urban first graders, low levels of maternal acceptance placed children at greater risk for adverse outcomes associated with community violence exposure compared to moderate and high levels of maternal acceptance.

Work Pressure and Safety Behaviors among Health Workers in Ghana: The Moderating Role of Management Commitment to Safety.

PubMed

Amponsah-Tawaih, Kwesi; Adu, Michael Appiah

2016-12-01

safety and healthy working environment has received numerous research attention over the years. Majority of these researches seem to have been conducted in the construction industry, with little attention in the health sector. Nonetheless, there are couple of studies conducted in Africa that suggest pressure in hospitals. Therefore the aim of the study was to examine how pressure influence safety behavior in the hospitals. With reference to the relevance of safety behavior in primary health care delivery, there was the need for the study. Data was obtained from 422 public hospital employees. Respondents were assured that all information would be kept confidential to increase the response rate and acquire more accurate information. Collection of questionnaires from participants took four weeks (20 working days), after which the data was analyzed. The result of the study showed that work pressure correlated negatively with safety behavior. General safety climate significantly correlated positively with safety behavior and negatively with work pressure, although the effect size for the latter was smaller. Hierarchical regression analysis showed management commitment to safety to moderate the relationship between work pressure and safety behavior. When employees perceive safety communication, safety systems and training to be positive, they seem to comply with safety rules and procedures than voluntarily participate in safety activities.

An evaluation tool for Myofascial Adhesions in Patients after Breast Cancer (MAP-BC evaluation tool): Concurrent, face and content validity.

PubMed

De Groef, An; Van Kampen, Marijke; Moortgat, Peter; Anthonissen, Mieke; Van den Kerckhove, Eric; Christiaens, Marie-Rose; Neven, Patrick; Geraerts, Inge; Devoogdt, Nele

2018-01-01

To investigate the concurrent, face and content validity of an evaluation tool for Myofascial Adhesions in Patients after Breast Cancer (MAP-BC evaluation tool). 1) Concurrent validity of the MAP-BC evaluation tool was investigated by exploring correlations (Spearman's rank Correlation Coefficient) between the subjective scores (0 -no adhesions to 3 -very strong adhesions) of the skin level using the MAP-BC evaluation tool and objective elasticity parameters (maximal skin extension and gross elasticity) generated by the Cutometer Dual MPA 580. Nine different examination points on and around the mastectomy scar were evaluated. 2) Face and content validity were explored by questioning therapists experienced with myofascial therapy in breast cancer patients about the comprehensibility and comprehensiveness of the MAP-BC evaluation tool. 1) Only three meaningful correlations were found on the mastectomy scar. For the most lateral examination point on the mastectomy scar a moderate negative correlation (-0.44, p = 0.01) with the maximal skin extension and a moderate positive correlation with the resistance versus ability of returning or 'gross elasticity' (0.42, p = 0.02) were found. For the middle point on the mastectomy scar an almost moderate positive correlation with gross elasticity was found as well (0.38, p = 0.04) 2) Content and face validity have been found to be good. Eighty-nine percent of the respondent found the instructions understandable and 98% found the scoring system obvious. Thirty-seven percent of the therapists suggested to add the possibility to evaluate additional anatomical locations in case of reconstructive and/or bilateral surgery. The MAP-BC evaluation tool for myofascial adhesions in breast cancer patients has good face and content validity. Evidence for good concurrent validity of the skin level was found only on the mastectomy scar itself.

Demographic predictors of false negative self-reported tobacco use status in an insurance applicant population.

PubMed

Palmier, James; Lanzrath, Brian; Dixon, Ammon; Idowu, Oluseun

2014-01-01

To identify and quantify demographic correlates of false-negative self-reporting of tobacco use in life insurance applicants. Several studies have assessed the sensitivity of self-reporting for tobacco use in various populations, but statistical examination of the causes of misreporting has been rarer. The very large (488,000 confirmed tobacco users) sample size, US-wide geographic scope, and unique incentive structure of the life insurance application process permit more robust and insurance industry-specific results in this study. Approximately 6.2 million life insurance applicants for whom both tobacco-use interview questions and a confirmatory urine cotinine test were completed between 1999 and 2012 were evaluated for consistency between self-reported and laboratory-confirmed tobacco-use status. The data set was subjected to logistic regression to identify predictors of false negative self-reports (FNSR). False-negative self-reporting was found to be strongly associated with male gender, applicant ages of less than 30 or greater than 60, and low cotinine positivity rates in the applicant's state of residence. Policy face value was also moderately predictive, values above $500,000 associated with moderately higher FNSR. The findings imply that FNSR in life insurance applicants may be the result of complex interactions among financial incentives, geography and presumptive peer groups, and gender.

Backward jump continuous-time random walk: An application to market trading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gubiec, Tomasz; Kutner, Ryszard

2010-10-01

The backward jump modification of the continuous-time random walk model or the version of the model driven by the negative feedback was herein derived for spatiotemporal continuum in the context of a share price evolution on a stock exchange. In the frame of the model, we described stochastic evolution of a typical share price on a stock exchange with a moderate liquidity within a high-frequency time scale. The model was validated by satisfactory agreement of the theoretical velocity autocorrelation function with its empirical counterpart obtained for the continuous quotation. This agreement is mainly a result of a sharp backward correlation found and considered in this article. This correlation is a reminiscence of such a bid-ask bounce phenomenon where backward price jump has the same or almost the same length as preceding jump. We suggested that this correlation dominated the dynamics of the stock market with moderate liquidity. Although assumptions of the model were inspired by the market high-frequency empirical data, its potential applications extend beyond the financial market, for instance, to the field covered by the Le Chatelier-Braun principle of contrariness.

Personality correlates of pathological gambling derived from Big Three and Big Five personality models.

PubMed

Miller, Joshua D; Mackillop, James; Fortune, Erica E; Maples, Jessica; Lance, Charles E; Keith Campbell, W; Goodie, Adam S

2013-03-30

Personality traits have proved to be consistent and important factors in a variety of externalizing behaviors including addiction, aggression, and antisocial behavior. Given the comorbidity of these behaviors with pathological gambling (PG), it is important to test the degree to which PG shares these trait correlates. In a large community sample of regular gamblers (N=354; 111 with diagnoses of pathological gambling), the relations between measures of two major models of personality - Big Three and Big Five - were examined in relation to PG symptoms derived from a semi-structured diagnostic interview. Across measures, traits related to the experience of strong negative emotions were the most consistent correlates of PG, regardless of whether they were analyzed using bivariate or multivariate analyses. In several instances, however, the relations between personality and PG were moderated by demographic variable such as gender, race, and age. It will be important for future empirical work of this nature to pay closer attention to potentially important moderators of these relations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Backward jump continuous-time random walk: an application to market trading.

PubMed

Gubiec, Tomasz; Kutner, Ryszard

2010-10-01

The backward jump modification of the continuous-time random walk model or the version of the model driven by the negative feedback was herein derived for spatiotemporal continuum in the context of a share price evolution on a stock exchange. In the frame of the model, we described stochastic evolution of a typical share price on a stock exchange with a moderate liquidity within a high-frequency time scale. The model was validated by satisfactory agreement of the theoretical velocity autocorrelation function with its empirical counterpart obtained for the continuous quotation. This agreement is mainly a result of a sharp backward correlation found and considered in this article. This correlation is a reminiscence of such a bid-ask bounce phenomenon where backward price jump has the same or almost the same length as preceding jump. We suggested that this correlation dominated the dynamics of the stock market with moderate liquidity. Although assumptions of the model were inspired by the market high-frequency empirical data, its potential applications extend beyond the financial market, for instance, to the field covered by the Le Chatelier-Braun principle of contrariness.

Validation of an innovative instrument of Positive Oral Health and Well-Being (POHW).

PubMed

Zini, Avraham; Büssing, Arndt; Chay, Cindy; Badner, Victor; Weinstock-Levin, Tamar; Sgan-Cohen, Harold D; Cochardt, Philip; Friedmann, Anton; Ziskind, Karin; Vered, Yuval

2016-04-01

Most existing measures of oral health focus solely on negative oral health, illness, and deficiencies and ignore positive oral health. In an attempt to commence exploration of this challenging field, an innovative instrument was developed, the "Positive Oral Health and Well-Being" (POHW) index. This study aimed to validate this instrument and to explore an initial model of the pathway between oral health attributes and positive oral health. A cross-sectional, multicenter study (Israel, USA, and Germany), was conducted. Our conceptual model suggests that positive oral health attributes, which integrate with positive unawareness or positive awareness on the one hand and with positive perception on the other hand, may result via appropriate oral health behavior on positive oral health. The 17-item self-administered index was built on a theoretical concept by four experts from Israel and Germany. Reliability, factor, and correlation analyses were performed. For external correlations and to measure construct validity of the instrument, we utilized the oral health impact profile-14, self-perceived oral impairment, life satisfaction, self-perceived well-being, sociodemographic and behavioral data, and oral health status indices. Four hundred and seventy participants took part in our three-center study. The combined data set reliability analyses detected two items which were not contributing to the index reliability. Thus, we tested a 15-item construct, and a Cronbach's α value of 0.933 was revealed. Primary factor analysis of the whole sample indicated three subconstructs which could explain 60 % of variance. Correlation analyses demonstrated that the POHW and OHIP-14 were strongly and negatively associated. The POHW correlated strongly and positively with general well-being, moderately with life satisfaction, and weakly with the perceived importance of regular dental checkups. It correlated moderately and negatively with perceived oral impairment, and marginally and negatively with dental caries experience (DMFT) and periodontal health status (CPI) scores. When DMFT and CPI clinical measurements were categorized, a higher score of POHW was revealed for better oral health. Our study introduced a new instrument with good reliability and sound correlations with external measures. This instrument is the first to allow measurability of positive instead of impaired oral health. We utilized subjective-psychological and functional-social measures. The current results indicate that by further exploring our conceptual model, POHW may be of importance for identifying patients with good and poor oral health, and building an effective and inexpensive strategy for prevention, by being able to evaluate the effect of interventions in a standardized way.

The Interpersonal Adaptiveness of Dispositional Guilt and Shame: A Meta-Analytic Investigation.

PubMed

Tignor, Stefanie M; Colvin, C Randall

2017-06-01

Despite decades of empirical research, conclusions regarding the adaptiveness of dispositional guilt and shame are mixed. We use meta-analysis to summarize the empirical literature and clarify these ambiguities. Specifically, we evaluate how guilt and shame are uniquely related to pro-social orientation and, in doing so, highlight the substantial yet under-acknowledged impact of researchers' methodological choices. A series of meta-analyses was conducted investigating the relationship between dispositional guilt (or shame) and pro-social orientation. Two main methodological moderators of interest were tested: test format (scenario vs. checklist) and statistical analysis (semi-partial vs. zero-order correlations). Among studies employing zero-order correlations, dispositional guilt was positively correlated with pro-social orientation (k = 63, Mr = .13, p < .001), whereas dispositional shame was negatively correlated, (k = 47, Mr = -.05, p = .07). Test format was a significant moderator for guilt studies only, with scenario measures producing significantly stronger effects. Semi-partial correlations resulted in significantly stronger effects among guilt and shame studies. Although dispositional guilt and shame are differentially related to pro-social orientation, such relationships depend largely on the methodological choices of the researcher, particularly in the case of guilt. Implications for the study of these traits are discussed. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Correlativity study of the distribution of soil magnetic susceptibility and the heavy metal contents in Xi'an City].

PubMed

Chen, Xiu-Duan; Lu, Xin-Wei; Yang, Guang

2013-03-01

The magnetic susceptibility and the concentrations of Co, Cr, Cu, Pb, Sn, Sr and Ba in topsoil samples from Xi'an City were measured to study their spatial distribution and their correlation in this study. The results show that the concentrations of all measured heavy metals are higher than their background values in Cinnamon topsoil, which is the main soil type of Xi'an City. The heavy metals concentrations and the magnetic susceptibility of the studied samples display moderate variance. Co, Cr, Cu, Pb, Sn, Sr and Ba are significantly positively correlated with low-frequency magnetic susceptibility, while are significantly negatively correlated with frequency susceptibility. The spatial distribution of low-frequency magnetic susceptibility is identical with the concentrations of Pb and Cu. However, the spatial variation of frequency magnetic susceptibility is different from the concentrations of Co, Cr and Ba. The pollution assessment results show that the heavy metal pollution in topsoil of Xi'an City is moderate. The spatial contribution of the pollution load index was significantly correlated with the magnetic susceptibility of topsoil in Xi'an City. Therefore, soil magnetic susceptibility can be used as an effective monitoring means for heavy metal pollution in urban soil.

Impulsivity Moderates the Effects of Movie Alcohol Portrayals on Adolescents’ Willingness to Drink

PubMed Central

Gibbons, Frederick X.; Kingsbury, John H.; Wills, Thomas A.; Finneran, Stephanie D.; Cin, Sonya Dal; Gerrard, Meg

2016-01-01

This study examined impulsivity as a moderator of adolescents’ reactions to positive vs. negative portrayals of drinking in American movie clips. Impulsivity, along with willingness and intentions to drink in the future, were assessed in a pretest session. In the experimental sessions, adolescents viewed a series of clips that showed drinking associated with either positive outcomes (e.g., social facilitation) or negative outcomes (fights, arguments). A third group viewed clips with similar positive or negative outcomes, but no alcohol consumption. All participants then responded to an implicit measure of attentional bias regarding alcohol (a dot probe), followed by explicit alcohol measures (self-reports of willingness and intentions to drink). Hypotheses, based on dual-processing theories, were: a) high-impulsive adolescents would respond more favorably than low-impulsive adolescents to the positive clips, but not the negative clips; and b) this difference in reactions to the positive clips would be larger on the willingness than the intention measures. Results supported the hypotheses: Adolescents high in impulsivity reported the highest willingness to drink in the positive-clip condition, but were slightly less willing than others in the negative-clip condition. In addition, results on the dot probe task indicated that reaction times to alcohol words were negatively correlated with changes in alcohol willingness, but not intention; i.e., the faster their response to the alcohol words, the more their willingness increased. The results highlight the utility of a dual-processing perspective on media influence. PMID:27099959

Physical Symptoms, Perceived Social Support, and Affect in Adolescents with Cancer

PubMed Central

WESLEY, KIMBERLY M.; ZELIKOVSKY, NATALIYA; SCHWARTZ, LISA A.

2015-01-01

Treatment for cancer among adolescents is often more intense and lasts longer than treatment for older or younger patients. It typically causes pain, fatigue, and nausea and affects social and emotional well-being. This study examined the relationships among demographics, physical symptoms, perceived social support from friends and family, and affect (positive and negative) in 102 adolescents (age 13–19) with cancer using correlational analyses. Additionally, perceived social support was explored as a mediator and moderator of the relationship between physical symptoms and affect using regression. Females reported significantly lower friend support and higher negative affect compared to males. Minority participants were more likely to endorse physical symptoms and less negative affect compared to White respondents. Higher report of physical symptoms was significantly related to greater negative affect, whereas higher perceived social support from friends was related to higher positive affect. Adolescents consistently reported high levels of social support from family and friends. Additionally, adolescents tended to report average levels of positive affect and low levels of negative affect compared to healthy populations. No significant mediation or moderation effects were found. This research highlights that females and minorities, and those with greater physical symptoms, may be more vulnerable to poor adjustment to cancer during adolescence. However, overall this study lends support to the notion that adolescents with cancer are an especially resilient population, as these patients endorsed generally high levels of social support and positive affect, with low levels of negative affect. PMID:23844924

The moderating role of cognitive biases on the relationship between negative affective states and psychotic-like experiences in non-clinical adults.

PubMed

Prochwicz, Katarzyna; Kłosowska, Joanna

2018-04-13

Negative emotions and cognitive biases are important factors underlying psychotic symptoms and psychotic-like experiences (PLEs); however, it is not clear whether these factors interact when they influence psychotic phenomena. The aim of our study was to investigate whether psychosis-related cognitive biases moderate the relationship between negative affective states, i.e. anxiety and depression, and psychotic-like experiences. The study sample contains 251 participants who have never been diagnosed with psychiatric disorders. Anxiety, depression, cognitive biases, and psychotic-like experiences were assessed with self-report questionnaires. A moderation analysis was performed to examine the relationship between the study variables. The analyses revealed that the link between anxiety and positive PLEs is moderated by External Attribution bias, whereas the relationship between depression and positive PLEs is moderated by Attention to Threat bias. Attributional bias was also found to moderate the association between depression and negative subclinical symptoms; Jumping to Conclusions bias served as a moderator in the link between anxiety and depression and negative PLEs. Further studies in clinical samples are required to verify the moderating role of individual cognitive biases on the relationship between negative emotional states and full-blown psychotic symptoms. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing stability in mild and moderate Parkinson's disease: Can clinical measures provide insight?

PubMed

Hubble, Ryan P; Silburn, Peter A; Naughton, Geraldine A; Cole, Michael H

2016-09-01

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationship between accelerometer-derived measures of movement rhythmicity and clinical measures of mobility, balance confidence and gait difficulty in people with Parkinson's disease (PD). Twenty-nine independently-living PD patients (Hoehn & Yahr Stages 1-3) with no history of significant injury or orthopaedic/deep brain stimulation surgery were recruited from a database of patients who had expressed an interest to participate in research. Participants completed clinical assessments of mobility, postural stability, balance confidence and symptom severity, while head and trunk rhythmicity was evaluated during gait using accelerometers. Following data collection, patients were stratified based on disease stage into either a Mild (Hoehn & Yahr Stage 1) or Moderate (Hoehn & Yahr Stages 2-3) PD group. The results highlighted that the Moderate PD group had poorer quality of life, reduced balance confidence and increased gait and falls difficulty. Furthermore, for these patients, gait disability and the number of previous falls were both negatively correlated with multiple components of head and trunk rhythmicity. For the Mild PD group, six-meter walk time was positively correlated with ML head rhythmicity and linear regression highlighted a significant predictive relationship between these outcomes. For the Mild and Moderate PD groups, balance confidence respectively predicted anterior-posterior trunk rhythmicity and vertical head rhythmicity. While these findings demonstrate that falls history and the Gait and Falls questionnaire provide moderate insight into head and trunk rhythmicity in Moderate PD patients, objective and clinically-feasible measures of postural instability would assist with the management of these symptoms. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Private healthcare quality: applying a SERVQUAL model.

PubMed

Butt, Mohsin Muhammad; de Run, Ernest Cyril

2010-01-01

This paper seeks to develop and test the SERVQUAL model scale for measuring Malaysian private health service quality. The study consists of 340 randomly selected participants visiting a private healthcare facility during a three-month data collection period. Data were analyzed using means, correlations, principal component and confirmatory factor analysis to establish the modified SERVQUAL scale's reliability, underlying dimensionality and convergent, discriminant validity. Results indicate a moderate negative quality gap for overall Malaysian private healthcare service quality. Results also indicate a moderate negative quality gap on each service quality scale dimension. However, scale development analysis yielded excellent results, which can be used in wider healthcare policy and practice. Respondents were skewed towards a younger population, causing concern that the results might not represent all Malaysian age groups. The study's major contribution is that it offers a way to assess private healthcare service quality. Second, it successfully develops a scale that can be used to measure health service quality in Malaysian contexts.

Integrating biological and behavioral factors in alcohol use risk: the role of ALDH2 status and alcohol expectancies in a sample of Asian Americans.

PubMed

McCarthy, D M; Wall, T L; Brown, S A; Carr, L G

2000-05-01

Prior studies have shown that the ALDH2*2 genetic variant, most common in individuals of Asian descent, is related to heightened sensitivity to alcohol and can serve as a protective factor against alcohol problems. This study explored the effect of this factor on alcohol expectancies. It was hypothesized that (a) individuals with ALDH2*2 alleles would have lower positive expectancies and higher negative expectancies, (b) expectancies would mediate the ALDH2-drinking relation, and (c) ALDH2 status would moderate the expectancy-drinking relation. Data were collected from 171 Asian American university students. Positive expectancy and ALDH2 status were correlated with alcohol use. Mediation and moderation hypotheses were supported only in the female sample. Results were not significant for negative expectancies. These results indicate that ALDH2 status may protect against drinking by lowering positive expectancies and reducing the expectancy-drinking relationship.

Proposal Allocation Ratio as a Moderator of Interpersonal Responsibility Effects on Hostile Decision-Making in the Ultimatum Game.

PubMed

Gong, Xinyu; Xia, Ling-Xiang; Sun, Yanlin; Guo, Lei; Carpenter, Vanessa C; Fang, Yuan; Chen, Yunli

2017-01-01

Interpersonal responsibility is an indigenous Chinese personality construct, which is regarded to have positive social functions. Two studies were designed to explore the relationship among interpersonal responsibility, proposal allocation ratio, and responders' hostile decisions in an ultimatum game. Study 1 was a scenario study using a hypothetical ultimatum game with a valid sample of 551 high school students. Study 2 was an experimental study which recruited 54 undergraduate students to play the incentivized ultimatum game online. The results of the two studies showed a significantly negative correlation between interpersonal responsibility and responders' rejection responses only when the proposal allocation ratio was 3:7. In addition, in Study 2, interpersonal responsibility had negative effects on responders' rejection responses under the offer of 3:7, even after controlling for the Big Five personality traits. Taken together, proposal allocation ratio might moderate the effects of interpersonal responsibility on hostile decision-making in the ultimatum game. The social function of interpersonal responsibility might be beyond the Big Five.

STIGMA, SOCIAL SUPPORT, AND TREATMENT ADHERENCE AMONG HIV-POSITIVE PATIENTS IN CHIANG MAI, THAILAND

PubMed Central

Li, Michael Jonathan; Murray, Jordan Keith; Suwanteerangkul, Jiraporn; Wiwatanadate, Phongtape

2016-01-01

Our study assessed the influence of HIV-related stigma on treatment adherence among people living with HIV in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and whether social support had a moderating effect on this relationship. We recruited 128 patients living with HIV from Sansai Hospital, a community hospital in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and collected data through structured interviews. All forms of HIV-related stigma considered in this study (personalized experience, disclosure, negative self-image, and public attitudes) were negatively correlated with adherence to anti-retroviral regimens. Multiple linear regression indicated that total HIV-related stigma was more predictive of treatment adherence than any individual stigma type, after adjusting for socio-demographic and health characteristics. Tests of interaction showed that social support did not appear to moderate the association between HIV stigma and treatment adherence. Our findings suggest that community and government efforts to improve public perceptions about people living with HIV might promote treatment adherence behaviors among HIV-positive patients. PMID:25299810

Stigma, social support, and treatment adherence among HIV-positive patients in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

PubMed

Li, Michael Jonathan; Murray, Jordan Keith; Suwanteerangkul, Jiraporn; Wiwatanadate, Phongtape

2014-10-01

Our study assessed the influence of HIV-related stigma on treatment adherence among people living with HIV in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and whether social support had a moderating effect on this relationship. We recruited 128 patients living with HIV from Sansai Hospital, a community hospital in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and collected data through structured interviews. All forms of HIV-related stigma considered in this study (personalized experience, disclosure, negative self-image, and public attitudes) were negatively correlated with adherence to anti-retroviral regimens. Multiple linear regression indicated that total HIV-related stigma was more predictive of treatment adherence than any individual stigma type, after adjusting for socio-demographic and health characteristics. Tests of interaction showed that social support did not appear to moderate the association between HIV stigma and treatment adherence. Our findings suggest that community and government efforts to improve public perceptions about people living with HIV might promote treatment adherence behaviors among HIV-positive patients.

Work-family conflict, locus of control, and women's well-being: tests of alternative pathways.

PubMed

Noor, Noraini M

2002-10-01

The author tested for the 3 possible pathways (i.e., direct, moderator, and mediator effects) in which locus of control can influence the relationship between work-family conflict and well-being. The author predicted that work-family conflict would be negatively correlated with well-being. In a sample of 310 Malaysian employed women with families, work-family conflict was a significant predictor of both job satisfaction and distress--negatively related to job satisfaction and positively related to symptoms of distress. More important, the results provided support for the effects of all 3 pathways of control on the relationship between work-family conflict and well-being, depending on the outcome measure: For job satisfaction, locus of control had direct effects, acted as a partial mediator, and played a significant moderating role. In contrast, only the direct effect of locus of control predicted distress. The author discusses those findings with reference to the literature on work-family conflict, locus of control, and the issue of stress-distress specificity.

Emotion Regulation Strategies, Secondary Traumatic Stress, and Compassion Satisfaction in Healthcare Providers.

PubMed

Măirean, Cornelia

2016-11-16

The aim of the present study is to examine the relationships between two emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression), secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction in a sample of 190 healthcare providers. Another aim of this study is to examine if the relations between emotion regulation strategies and traumatic stress symptoms are moderated by compassion satisfaction. The respondents volunteered to take part in the research and completed self-reporting measures describing the use of emotional regulation strategies, the symptoms of secondary traumatic stress, and the compassion satisfaction. The results revealed negative associations between cognitive reappraisal and secondary traumatic stress, while expressive suppression is positively associated with arousal. Moreover, cognitive reappraisal is positively related to compassion satisfaction, while secondary traumatic stress symptoms are negatively correlated with compassion satisfaction. Furthermore, the relationship between expressive suppression and intrusions is moderated by compassion satisfaction. The implications of these results for enhancing professional quality of life in the context of secondary exposure to traumatic life events are discussed.

The level of emotional intelligence for patients with bronchial asthma and a group psychotherapy plan in 7 steps.

PubMed

Ropoteanu, Andreea-Corina

2011-01-01

Strong emotions, either positive or negative, as well as vulnerability to stress are often major factors in triggering, maintaining and emphasizing the symptoms of bronchial asthma. On a group of 99 patients suffering from moderately and severely persistent allergic bronchial asthma for more than 2 years, I applied a situational test of emotional intelligence, the NEO PI-R personality test provided by D&D Consultants and I also elaborated a psychosocial test form of asthma by which I evaluated the frequency of physical symptoms, the intensity of negative emotional symptoms arisen during or subsequent to the crisis and the level of the patients' quality of life. I have presumed first that if the level of the emotional intelligence grew, this fact would have a significant positive influence on controlling the negative emotional symptoms arisen during or subsequent to the crisis and on patients' quality of life. This was invalidated, the correlations between the mentioned variables being insignificant. Secondly, I have presumed the existence of positive significant correlations between the emotional intelligence coefficient and the personality dimensions: extraversion, openness, conscientiousness and a negative significant correlation between the emotional intelligence coefficient and the dimension neuroticism. This presumption was totally confirmed. Finally, we proposed a group psychotherapy plan in 7 steps for asthmatic patients that has as main objectives to improve symptoms and therefore the patients' quality of life.

Aberrant Neural Connectivity during Emotional Processing Associated with Posttraumatic Stress

PubMed Central

Sadeh, Naomi; Spielberg, Jeffrey M.; Warren, Stacie L.; Miller, Gregory A.; Heller, Wendy

2014-01-01

Given the complexity of the brain, characterizing relations among distributed brain regions is likely essential to describing the neural instantiation of posttraumatic stress symptoms. This study examined patterns of functional connectivity among key brain regions implicated in the pathophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 35 trauma-exposed adults using an emotion-word Stroop task. PTSD symptom severity (particularly hyperarousal symptoms) moderated amygdala-mPFC coupling during the processing of unpleasant words, and this moderation correlated positively with reported real-world impairment and amygdala reactivity. Reexperiencing severity moderated hippocampus-insula coupling during pleasant and unpleasant words. Results provide evidence that PTSD symptoms differentially moderate functional coupling during emotional interference and underscore the importance of examining network connectivity in research on PTSD. They suggest that hyperarousal is associated with negative mPFC-amygdala coupling and that reexperiencing is associated with altered insula-hippocampus function, patterns of connectivity that may represent separable indicators of dysfunctional inhibitory control during affective processing. PMID:25419500

Aberrant Neural Connectivity during Emotional Processing Associated with Posttraumatic Stress.

PubMed

Sadeh, Naomi; Spielberg, Jeffrey M; Warren, Stacie L; Miller, Gregory A; Heller, Wendy

2014-11-01

Given the complexity of the brain, characterizing relations among distributed brain regions is likely essential to describing the neural instantiation of posttraumatic stress symptoms. This study examined patterns of functional connectivity among key brain regions implicated in the pathophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 35 trauma-exposed adults using an emotion-word Stroop task. PTSD symptom severity (particularly hyperarousal symptoms) moderated amygdala-mPFC coupling during the processing of unpleasant words, and this moderation correlated positively with reported real-world impairment and amygdala reactivity. Reexperiencing severity moderated hippocampus-insula coupling during pleasant and unpleasant words. Results provide evidence that PTSD symptoms differentially moderate functional coupling during emotional interference and underscore the importance of examining network connectivity in research on PTSD. They suggest that hyperarousal is associated with negative mPFC-amygdala coupling and that reexperiencing is associated with altered insula-hippocampus function, patterns of connectivity that may represent separable indicators of dysfunctional inhibitory control during affective processing.

Tricuspid regurgitation by radionuclide angiography and contrast right ventriculography: a preliminary observation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lumia, F.J.; Patil, A.; Germon, P.A.

In a retrospective study correlating the degree of tricuspid regurgitation seen on first-pass radionuclide angiography with that seen on contrast right ventriculography in 51 patients, ten had no tricuspid regurgitation by contrast ventriculography, whereas by radionuclide angiography nine had no regurgitation and one had minimal regurgitation. Of eight patients with minimal tricuspid regurgitation by contrast ventriculography, five had minimal regurgitation by nuclide angiography and three had no regurgitation. Of the 11 patients with mild to moderate tricuspid regurgitation by contrast studies, ten had mild to moderate regurgitation and one had severe regurgitation by nuclide angiography. Of 22 patients with moderatemore » to severe tricuspid regurgitation by contrast studies, 15 had moderate to severe regurgitation and seven had mild to moderate regurgitation by nuclear angiography. In this preliminary study comparing radionuclide angiography with contrast right ventriculography, there were three false-negative and one false-positive nuclide angiograms, giving a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 90%.« less

Iris structure and minor physical anomalies in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Trixler, Dániel; Tényi, Tamás

2017-10-01

This study compared five human iris characteristics and minor physical anomalies (MPAs) between patients with schizophrenia (n = 32) and controls (n = 31). Correlations between iris characteristics and MPAs were expected, due to their same ectodermic origin. Iris macro photos were taken and quantified in five categories mentioned before. MPAs were also examined in both groups. Our results show significant differences in the frequency of pigment dots of the iris and total number of MPAs between groups. Other significant differences were found in the extension of concentric furrows, as they were more common in healthy subjects, while Wolfflin nodules occurred significantly more often in patients with schizophrenia. Expected difference in Fuch's crypts could not be observed between groups. Light eye color was positively correlated to pigment dots and Wolfflin nodules, and negatively correlated with concentric furrows. Dark eye color showed positive correlation with concentric furrows, and negative correlation with pigment dots and concentric furrows. A gender effect could also been observed: male individuals showed moderate positive correlations between pigment dots and total MPAs frequency, while this couldn't be observed in the female group. Our findings suggest possible connections between iris characteristics and MPAs, where males are more prone to deviations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Implicit Theories of Intelligence and Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analytic Review

PubMed Central

Costa, Ana; Faria, Luísa

2018-01-01

The current study intended to model the link between implicit theories of intelligence (ITI) and students' academic achievement, within a meta-analytic review procedure. To assess studies' effect size, the Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) was used. The review of 46 studies (94 effect sizes) with 412,022 students presented a low-to-moderate association between the ITI and students' academic achievement. The results indicated that incremental theorists are more likely to have higher grades in specific subjects (verbal and quantitative) and in overall achievement. The entity beliefs were positively associated with students' specific verbal and quantitative domains but at a lower magnitude than incremental beliefs. Moreover, the moderator effect analyses results indicated that the link between ITI and students' achievement was not moderated by gender, but there was a moderate association in student's middle school grade. Additionally, the ITI assessment based on the most recent versions of Dweck's scales, the use of specific academic scales instead of general ITI scales, and the use of the original measures rather than adapted versions strongly moderated the link between ITI and achievement. Moreover, students from Eastern continents (Asia and Oceania) reported a positive association between incremental beliefs and achievement, Europe displayed a positive link between entity beliefs and achievement, whereas North America presented negative correlations between entity perspectives and academic achievement. This meta-analysis updates the current evidence supporting the direct link of ITI and students' academic achievement and acknowledges specific effects that ITI could have in different academic outcomes. PMID:29922195

The effects of workplace occupational mental health and related activities on psychological distress among workers: a multilevel cross-sectional analysis.

PubMed

Eguchi, Hisashi; Tsuda, Yoko; Tsukahara, Teruomi; Washizuka, Shinsuke; Kawakami, Norito; Nomiyama, Tetsuo

2012-08-01

To investigate the association of workplace occupational mental health (OMH) and related activities with psychological distress of workers in Japan. A total of 121 workplaces and their 3540 workers were surveyed using questionnaires assessing selected workplace OMH activities, demographic characteristics, psychological distress, and psychosocial work environment of the workers. A multilevel analysis was conducted. Promotion of communication correlated significantly and negatively with psychological distress among workers after adjusting for the covariates (P < 0.01). Occupational mental health activities correlated marginally significantly and negatively with psychological distress (P = 0.06). Their moderating effect for the worker-level association between psychosocial work environment and psychological distress was not significant. The findings suggest that promotion of communication in the workplace is associated with reduced psychological distress among workers. In addition, OMH activities may also be useful in reducing psychological distress.

Revisiting the Relationship between Individual Differences in Analytic Thinking and Religious Belief: Evidence That Measurement Order Moderates Their Inverse Correlation.

PubMed

Finley, Anna J; Tang, David; Schmeichel, Brandon J

2015-01-01

Prior research has found that persons who favor more analytic modes of thought are less religious. We propose that individual differences in analytic thought are associated with reduced religious beliefs particularly when analytic thought is measured (hence, primed) first. The current study provides a direct replication of prior evidence that individual differences in analytic thinking are negatively related to religious beliefs when analytic thought is measured before religious beliefs. When religious belief is measured before analytic thinking, however, the negative relationship is reduced to non-significance, suggesting that the link between analytic thought and religious belief is more tenuous than previously reported. The current study suggests that whereas inducing analytic processing may reduce religious belief, more analytic thinkers are not necessarily less religious. The potential for measurement order to inflate the inverse correlation between analytic thinking and religious beliefs deserves additional consideration.

Revisiting the Relationship between Individual Differences in Analytic Thinking and Religious Belief: Evidence That Measurement Order Moderates Their Inverse Correlation

PubMed Central

Finley, Anna J.; Tang, David; Schmeichel, Brandon J.

2015-01-01

Prior research has found that persons who favor more analytic modes of thought are less religious. We propose that individual differences in analytic thought are associated with reduced religious beliefs particularly when analytic thought is measured (hence, primed) first. The current study provides a direct replication of prior evidence that individual differences in analytic thinking are negatively related to religious beliefs when analytic thought is measured before religious beliefs. When religious belief is measured before analytic thinking, however, the negative relationship is reduced to non-significance, suggesting that the link between analytic thought and religious belief is more tenuous than previously reported. The current study suggests that whereas inducing analytic processing may reduce religious belief, more analytic thinkers are not necessarily less religious. The potential for measurement order to inflate the inverse correlation between analytic thinking and religious beliefs deserves additional consideration. PMID:26402334

Affective Teacher—Student Relationships and Students' Externalizing Behavior Problems: A Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Lei, Hao; Cui, Yunhuo; Chiu, Ming Ming

2016-01-01

This meta-analysis of 57 primary studies with 73,933 students shows strong links between affective teacher—student relationships (TSRs) and students' externalizing behavior problems (EBPs). Moreover, students' culture, age, gender, and the report types of EBPs moderated these effects. The negative correlation between positive indicators of affective TSRs and students' EBPs was stronger (a) among Western students than Eastern ones, (b) for students in the lower grades of primary school than for other students, (c) when rated by teachers or parents than by students or peers, and (d) among females than among males. In contrast, the positive correlation between negative indicators of affective TSRs and students' EBPs was stronger (a) among Eastern students than Western ones, (b) for students in the higher grades of primary school than for other students, and (c) when rated by students or peers than by teachers or parents. PMID:27625624

Marital fertility and income: moderating effects of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints religion in Utah.

PubMed

Stanford, Joseph B; Smith, Ken R

2013-03-01

Utah has the highest total fertility of any state in the United States and also the highest proportion of population affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the LDS or Mormon Church). Data were used from the 1996 Utah Health Status Survey to investigate how annual household income, education and affiliation with the LDS Church affect fertility (children ever born) for married women in Utah. Younger age and higher education were negatively correlated with fertility in the sample as a whole and among non-LDS respondents. Income was negatively associated with fertility among non-LDS respondents. However, income was positively correlated with fertility among LDS respondents. This association persisted when instrumental variables were used to address the potential simultaneous equations bias arising from the potential endogeneity of income and fertility. The LDS religion's pronatalist stance probably encourages childbearing among those with higher income.

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

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.

Meta-analysis of quality of life in children and adolescents with ADHD: By both parent proxy-report and child self-report using PedsQL™.

PubMed

Lee, Yi-chen; Yang, Hao-Jan; Chen, Vincent Chin-Hung; Lee, Wan-Ting; Teng, Ming-Jen; Lin, Chung-Hui; Gossop, Michael

2016-01-01

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent developmental disorder that seriously and negatively impacts a child's health-related quality of life (HRQOL). However, no meta-analysis has been conducted to examine the magnitude of impact, domains affected and factors moderating the impact. This review included nine studies that compared HRQOL of children or adolescents with ADHD with those with typical development using both child self-reports and parent proxy-reports. Seven among nine studies were meta-analytically synthesized to examine the degree of impact of ADHD on children and adolescents, parent-child discrepancy, and the moderators. The results indicate that ADHD impact a child's or adolescent's HRQOL negatively with a moderate effect in physical and a severe effect in psychosocial (i.e., emotional, social, and school) domains. Parental ratings of overall HRQOL in children or adolescents with ADHD were not significantly different from child's ratings when compared with typically developing children and adolescents. Age was negatively associated with all domains of HRQOL in children and adolescents with ADHD both by parent- and child-ratings, and the strongest effect was found in parental ratings of child's emotional HRQOL, with a moderate correlation. This meta-analysis suggests that HRQOL may be assessed in children and adolescents with ADHD both by parent proxy- and child self-reports, and that interventions may be planned accordingly. Future meta-analysis may explore how measures of HRQOL and other factors including child, parental, familiar and school characteristics influence the impact of ADHD and the parent-child agreement in children and adolescents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Child-evoked maternal negativity from 9 to 27 months: evidence of gene-environment correlation and its moderation by marital distress

PubMed Central

Fearon, R.M. Pasco; Reiss, David; Leve, Leslie D.; Shaw, Daniel S.; Scaramella, Laura V.; Ganiban, Jody M.; Neiderhiser, Jenae M.

2014-01-01

Past research has documented pervasive genetic influences on emotional and behavioral disturbance across the lifespan and on liability to adult psychiatric disorder. Increasingly, interest is turning to mechanisms of gene-environment interplay in attempting to understand the earliest manifestations of genetic risk. We report findings from a prospective adoption study, which aimed to test the role of evocative gene-environment correlation in early development. 561 infants adopted at birth were studied between 9 and 27 months with their adoptive parents and birth mothers. Birth mother psychiatric diagnoses and symptoms scales were used as indicators of genetic influence, and multiple self-report measures were used to index adoptive mother parental negativity. We hypothesized that birth parent psychopathology would be associated with greater adoptive parent negativity, and that such evocative effects would be amplified under conditions of high family adversity. The findings suggested that genetic factors linked to birth mother externalizing psychopathology may evoke negative reactions in adoptive mothers in the first year of life, but primarily when the adoptive family environment was characterized by marital problems. The observed maternal negativity mediated the effects of genetic risk on child adjustment at 27 months. The results underline the importance of genetically-influenced evocative processes in early development. PMID:25216383

Child-evoked maternal negativity from 9 to 27 months: Evidence of gene-environment correlation and its moderation by marital distress.

PubMed

Fearon, R M Pasco; Reiss, David; Leve, Leslie D; Shaw, Daniel S; Scaramella, Laura V; Ganiban, Jody M; Neiderhiser, Jenae M

2015-11-01

Past research has documented pervasive genetic influences on emotional and behavioral disturbance across the life span and on liability to adult psychiatric disorder. Increasingly, interest is turning to mechanisms of gene-environment interplay in attempting to understand the earliest manifestations of genetic risk. We report findings from a prospective adoption study, which aimed to test the role of evocative gene-environment correlation in early development. Included in the study were 561 infants adopted at birth and studied between 9 and 27 months, along with their adoptive parents and birth mothers. Birth mother psychiatric diagnoses and symptoms scales were used as indicators of genetic influence, and multiple self-report measures were used to index adoptive mother parental negativity. We hypothesized that birth mother psychopathology would be associated with greater adoptive parent negativity and that such evocative effects would be amplified under conditions of high adoptive family adversity. The findings suggested that genetic factors associated with birth mother externalizing psychopathology may evoke negative reactions in adoptive mothers in the first year of life, but only when the adoptive family environment is characterized by marital problems. Maternal negativity mediated the effects of genetic risk on child adjustment at 27 months. The results underscore the importance of genetically influenced evocative processes in early development.

Romanticism as a function of age, sex, and ethnicity.

PubMed

Regan, Pamela C; Anguiano, Carlos

2010-12-01

This study examined the association between romanticism (operationalized as mean score on the Romantic Beliefs Scale) and age, sex, and ethnicity in a large community sample (N = 436). Age was negatively correlated with romanticism scores; as age increased, romanticism scores decreased. No sex differences were found; men and women had similar, moderate scores. Although ethnicity largely was unrelated to romanticism, Asian/Pacific Islander participants were significantly more romantic than were African-American participants.

Association between Social Anxiety and Visual Mental Imagery of Neutral Scenes: The Moderating Role of Effortful Control.

PubMed

Moriya, Jun

2017-01-01

According to cognitive theories, verbal processing attenuates emotional processing, whereas visual imagery enhances emotional processing and contributes to the maintenance of social anxiety. Individuals with social anxiety report negative mental images in social situations. However, the general ability of visual mental imagery of neutral scenes in individuals with social anxiety is still unclear. The present study investigated the general ability of non-emotional mental imagery (vividness, preferences for imagery vs. verbal processing, and object or spatial imagery) and the moderating role of effortful control in attenuating social anxiety. The participants ( N = 231) completed five questionnaires. The results showed that social anxiety was not necessarily associated with all aspects of mental imagery. As suggested by theories, social anxiety was not associated with a preference for verbal processing. However, social anxiety was positively correlated with the visual imagery scale, especially the object imagery scale, which concerns the ability to construct pictorial images of individual objects. Further, it was negatively correlated with the spatial imagery scale, which concerns the ability to process information about spatial relations between objects. Although object imagery and spatial imagery positively and negatively predicted the degree of social anxiety, respectively, these effects were attenuated when socially anxious individuals had high effortful control. Specifically, in individuals with high effortful control, both object and spatial imagery were not associated with social anxiety. Socially anxious individuals might prefer to construct pictorial images of individual objects in natural scenes through object imagery. However, even in individuals who exhibit these features of mental imagery, effortful control could inhibit the increase in social anxiety.

Gender-moderated links between urgency, binge drinking, and excessive exercise.

PubMed

Reilly, Erin E; Dmochowski, Sasha; Schaumberg, Katherine; Earleywine, Mitch; Anderson, Drew

2016-01-01

Exercise correlates with alcohol use, but the nature of this relation and the extent to which it is maladaptive remains unclear. Urgency and motives for engaging in drinking and exercise might indicate when these behaviors are problematic. The current study examined whether urgency moderated the association between exercise motivated by weight loss and drinking. College students (N = 589, 45.7% male) completed the study during the spring of 2012. Participants completed self-report assessment measures, including frequency/quantity of alcohol consumption, exercise for weight loss, and urgency, during a single session. Negative urgency moderated the relation between exercise and alcohol consumption in men but not women; the link between excessive exercise and alcohol use was stronger for men with higher levels of urgency. Further clarification of the mechanisms underlying alcohol use and physical activity-particularly maladaptive approaches to exercise-will inform health interventions among college students.

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.

Vocal economy in vocally trained actresses and untrained female subjects.

PubMed

Master, Suely; Guzman, Marco; Dowdall, Jayme

2013-11-01

Vocally trained actresses are expected to have more vocal economy than nonactresses. Therefore, we hypothesize that there will be differences in the electroglottogram-based voice economy parameter quasi-output cost ratio (QOCR) between actresses and nonactresses. This difference should remain across different levels of intensity. A total of 30 actresses and 30 nonactresses were recruited for this study. Participants from both groups were required to sustain the vowels /a/, /i/, and /u/, in habitual, moderate, and high intensity levels. Acoustic variables such as sound pressure level (SPL), fundamental frequency (F0), and glottal contact quotient (CQ) were obtained. The QOCR was then calculated. There were no significant differences among the groups for QOCR. Positive correlations were observed for QOCR versus SPL and QOCR versus F0 in all intensity levels. Negative correlation was found between QOCR and CQ in all intensity levels. Considering the differences among intensity levels, from habitual to moderate and from moderate to loud, only the CQ did not differ significantly. The QOCR, SPL, and F0 presented significant differences throughout the different intensity levels. The QOCR did not reflect the level of vocal training when comparing trained and nontrained female subjects in the present study. Both groups demonstrated more vocal economy in moderate and high intensity levels owing to more voice output without an increase in glottal adduction. Copyright © 2013 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Organizational and safety culture in Canadian intensive care units: relationship to size of intensive care unit and physician management model.

PubMed

Dodek, Peter M; Wong, Hubert; Jaswal, Danny; Heyland, Daren K; Cook, Deborah J; Rocker, Graeme M; Kutsogiannis, Demetrios J; Dale, Craig; Fowler, Robert; Ayas, Najib T

2012-02-01

The objectives of this study are to describe organizational and safety culture in Canadian intensive care units (ICUs), to correlate culture with the number of beds and physician management model in each ICU, and to correlate organizational culture and safety culture. In this cross-sectional study, surveys of organizational and safety culture were administered to 2374 clinical staff in 23 Canadian tertiary care and community ICUs. For the 1285 completed surveys, scores were calculated for each of 34 domains. Average domain scores for each ICU were correlated with number of ICU beds and with intensivist vs nonintensivist management model. Domain scores for organizational culture were correlated with domain scores for safety culture. Culture domain scores were generally favorable in all ICUs. There were moderately strong positive correlations between number of ICU beds and perceived effectiveness at recruiting/retaining physicians (r = 0.58; P < .01), relative technical quality of care (r = 0.66; P < .01), and medical director budgeting authority (r = 0.46; P = .03), and moderately strong negative correlations with frequency of events reported (r = -0.46; P = .03), and teamwork across hospital units (r = -0.51; P = .01). There were similar patterns for relationships with intensivist management. For most pairs of domains, there were weak correlations between organizational and safety culture. Differences in perceptions between staff in larger and smaller ICUs highlight the importance of teamwork across units in larger ICUs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychometric properties of revised Thought-Action Fusion questionnaire (TAF-R) in an Iranian population.

PubMed

Pourfaraj, Majid; Mohammadi, Nourallah; Taghavi, Mohammadreza

2008-12-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of Thought-Action Fusion revised scale (TAF-R; Amir, N., freshman, M., Ramsey, B., Neary, E., & Brigidi, B. (2001). Thought-action fusion in individuals with OCD symptoms. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 39, 765-776) in a sample of 565 (321 female) students of Shiraz university. The results of factor analysis with using varimax rotation yielded eight factors that explained 80% variances of total scale. These factors are labeled: moral TAF, responsibility for positive thoughts, likelihood negative events, likelihood positive events, responsibility for negative thoughts, responsibility for harm avoidance, likelihood harm avoidance and likelihood self, respectively. The reliability coefficients of total scale are calculated by two methods: internal consistency and test-retest, which were 0.81 and 0.61, respectively. Concurrent validity showed that TAF-R scores positively and significantly correlate with responsibility, guilt and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Confirming the expectations, there were people with high obsessive-compulsive symptoms having higher TAF-R scores than those with low symptoms. Moreover, subscales-total correlations showed that the correlations between subscales were low, but subscales correlating with total score of TAF-R were moderated.

Risk behaviours among early adolescents: risk and protective factors.

PubMed

Wang, Ruey-Hsia; Hsu, Hsiu-Yueh; Lin, Shu-Yuan; Cheng, Chung-Ping; Lee, Shu-Li

2010-02-01

This paper is a report of a study conducted to examine the influence of risk/protective factors on risk behaviours of early adolescents and whether protective factors moderate their impact. An understanding of how risk and protective factors operate to influence risk behaviours of early adolescents will better prepare nurses to perform interventions appropriately to reduce risk behaviours of early adolescents. A cross-sectional study was carried out, based on a sample of public junior high schools (from 7th to 9th grades) in one city and one county in Taiwan. An anonymous questionnaire designed to measure five risk factors, six protective factors and risk behaviours was administered from October 2006 to March 2007. Data from 878 students were used for the present analysis. Pearson's correlations, anova with random effect models, and generalized linear models were used to analyse the statistically significant explanatory variables for risk behaviours. Gender, perceived father's risk behaviour, perceived mother's risk behaviour, health self-efficacy, interaction of health self-efficacy and perceived peers' risk behaviour, and interaction of emotional regulation and perceived peers' risk behaviour were statistically significant explanatory variables of risk behaviours. Health self-efficacy and emotional regulation moderated the negative effects of peers' perceived risk behaviour on risk behaviours. All protective factors were negative statistically correlated with risk behaviours, and all risk factors positively statistically correlated with risk behaviours. Male adolescents should be considered an at-risk group for risk behaviour intervention. Nurses could provide early adolescents with training regarding health self-efficacy improvement, self-esteem enhancement, emotional regulation skills to reduce their risk behaviours.

Modeling naturalistic craving, withdrawal, and affect during early nicotine abstinence: A pilot ecological momentary assessment study.

PubMed

Bujarski, Spencer; Roche, Daniel J O; Sheets, Erin S; Krull, Jennifer L; Guzman, Iris; Ray, Lara A

2015-04-01

Despite the critical role of withdrawal, craving, and positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) in smoking relapse, relatively little is known about the temporal and predictive relationship between these constructs within the first day of abstinence. This pilot study aims to characterize dynamic changes in withdrawal, craving, and affect over the course of early abstinence using ecological momentary assessment. Beginning immediately after smoking, moderate and heavy smoking participants (n = 15 per group) responded to hourly surveys assessing craving, withdrawal, NA, and PA. Univariate and multivariate multilevel random coefficient modeling was used to describe the progression of craving, withdrawal/NA, and PA and to test correlations between these constructs at the subject level over the course of early abstinence. Heavy smokers reported greater craving from 1-4 hr of abstinence and greater withdrawal/NA after 3 or more hours as compared with moderate smokers. Level of withdrawal/NA was strongly positively associated with craving, and PA was negatively correlated with craving; however, the temporal dynamics of these correlations differed substantially. The association between withdrawal/NA and craving decreased over early abstinence, whereas the reverse was observed for PA. These findings can inform experimental studies of nicotine abstinence as well as their clinical applications to smoking cessation efforts. In particular, these results help to elucidate the role of PA in nicotine abstinence by demonstrating its independent association with nicotine craving over and above withdrawal/NA. If supported by future studies, these findings can refine experimental methods and clinical approaches for smoking cessation. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Correlation between the dizziness handicap inventory and balance performance during the acute phase of unilateral vestibulopathy.

PubMed

Son, Eun Jin; Lee, Dong-Hee; Oh, Jeong-Hoon; Seo, Jae-Hyun; Jeon, Eun-Ju

2015-01-01

The dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) is widely used to evaluate self-perceived handicap due to dizziness, and is known to correlate with vestibular function tests in chronic dizziness. However, whether DHI reflects subjective symptoms during the acute phase has not been studied. This study aims to investigate the correlations of subjective and objective measurements to highlight parameters that reflect the severity of dizziness during the first week of acute unilateral vestibulopathy. Thirty-seven patients with acute unilateral vestibulopathy were examined. Patients' subjective perceptions of dizziness were measured using the DHI, Vertigo Visual Analog Scale (VVAS), Disability Scale (DS), and Activity-Specific Balance Scale (ABC). Additionally, the oculomotor tests, Romberg and sharpened Romberg tests, functional reach test, and dynamic visual acuity tests were performed. The correlation between the DHI and other tests was evaluated. DHI-total scores exhibited a moderately positive correlation with VVAS and DS, and a moderately negative correlation with ABC. However, DHI-total score did not correlate with results of the Romberg, sharpened Romberg, or functional reach tests. When compared among four groups divided according to DHI scores, VVAS and DS scores exhibited statistically significant differences, but no significant differences were detected for other test results. Our findings revealed that the DHI correlated significantly with self-perceived symptoms measured by VVAS and DS, but not ABC. There was no significant correlation with other balance function tests during the first week of acute vestibulopathy. The results suggest that DHI, VVAS and DS may be more useful to measure the severity of acute dizziness symptoms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinical Objective Dry Eye Tests in a Population of Tannery Workers in North India.

PubMed

Ranjan, Ratnesh; Kushwaha, Raj Nath; Khan, Perwez; Mohan, Shalini; Gupta, Ramesh Chandra

2016-10-01

To analyze the correlation between subjective symptoms and clinical signs of dry eye among tannery workers. In this cross-sectional study, three classic clinical tests, namely the fluorescein tear film break-up time (FTBUT) test, the fluorescein staining (FS) test, and the Schirmer test (ST), were performed to assess the clinical signs of dry eye disease in 246 tanners who were found symptomatic for dry eye in a prior ocular surface disease index survey. All workers were male with a mean age of 35 ± 9 years, and the mean duration of work at tanneries was 8 ± 5 years. Among 246 symptomatic subjects, the FTBUT test, the FS test and the ST were positive in 63.8%, 30.9% and 41.9% workers, respectively. Mean FTBUT and ST scores were 10.6 ± 4.2 seconds and 10.1 ± 7.7mm, respectively. Mean FTBUT for mild, moderate and severe symptom categories differed significantly. Mean ST scores for the mild symptom group were significantly higher than that of the moderate group (p < 0.0001). The FTBUT and ST score showed a strong negative correlation with severity of symptoms (p < 0.0001). A moderate positive correlation was observed between FS positivity and increasing symptom severity (p < 0.0001). The effect of age was insignificant for FTBUT (p = 0.10), while significant for ST score (p < 0.001). The effect of duration of tannery work was significant for both FTBUT and ST scores (p < 0.0001). Clinical tests correlated well with symptom severity among tanners, and a multifactorial etiology is suggested for dry eye diseases.

Comparison between neck pain disability and cervical range of motion in patients with episodic and chronic migraine: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Carvalho, Gabriela F; Chaves, Thais C; Gonçalves, Maria C; Florencio, Lidiane L; Braz, Carolina A; Dach, Fabíola; Fernández de Las Peñas, Cesar; Bevilaqua-Grossi, Débora

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate neck pain-related disability and cervical range of motion (CROM) in patients with episodic migraine (EM) and chronic migraine (CM) and to examine the correlation of both outcomes. This cross-sectional study consisted of 91 patients with EM and 34 with CM. Cervical range of motion was measured with the CROM device, and pain during the cervical movement was recorded. Self-reported disability related to neck pain was assessed with the Neck Disability Index. Patients with CM showed higher Neck Disability Index scores and more moderate and severe disability (P = .01). Severe disability as a result of neck pain was associated with 7.6-fold risk of developing CM (P = .003). No significant differences in CROM were identified between groups. Moderate negative correlations between CROM and disability were found for 4 motions within the CM group (-0.60

Does selection in a challenging environment produce Nile tilapia genotypes that can thrive in a range of production systems?

PubMed

Thoa, Ngo Phu; Ninh, Nguyen Huu; Knibb, Wayne; Nguyen, Nguyen Hong

2016-02-19

This study assessed whether selection for high growth in a challenging environment of medium salinity produces tilapia genotypes that perform well across different production environments. We estimated the genetic correlations between trait expressions in saline and freshwater using a strain of Nile tilapia selected for fast growth under salinity water of 15-20 ppt. We also estimated the heritability and genetic correlations for new traits of commercial importance (sexual maturity, feed conversion ratio, deformity and gill condition) in a full pedigree comprising 36,145 fish. The genetic correlations for the novel characters between the two environments were 0.78-0.99, suggesting that the effect of genotype by environment interaction was not biologically important. Across the environments, the heritability for body weight was moderate to high (0.32-0.62), indicating that this population will continue responding to future selection. The estimates of heritability for sexual maturity and survival were low but significant. The additive genetic components also exist for FCR, gill condition and deformity. Genetic correlations of harvest body weight with sexual maturity were positive and those between harvest body weight with FCR were negative. Our results indicate that the genetic line selected under a moderate saline water environment can be cultured successfully in freshwater systems.

Genetic relationships between temperament of calves at auction and carcass traits in Japanese Black cattle.

PubMed

Takeda, Kazuya; Uchida, Hiroshi; Inoue, Keiichi

2017-10-01

Correlations of calves' temperament with carcass traits were estimated to clarify the genetic relationships between them in Japanese Black cattle. The temperament records for 3128 calves during auction at a calf market were scored on a scale of 1 (calm) to 5 (nervous) as temperament score (TS), and the TS were divided into two groups (TSG): TS 1 and 2 comprised TSG 1, and 3 to 5 constituted TSG 2. Carcass data were obtained from 33 552 fattened cattle. A threshold animal model was used for analyzing the underlying liability for TSG, whereas a linear one was used for TS and carcass traits. The heritability estimates for TS and TSG were 0.12 and 0.11, respectively. On the other hand, moderate to high heritability estimates were obtained for carcass traits (0.40 to 0.68). The temperament scores were negatively correlated with carcass weight, rib thickness and subcutaneous fat thickness (-0.13 to -0.59). In contrast, weak to moderate positive correlations were found between the temperament scores and rib eye area or yield estimate (0.16 to 0.45). The temperament scores and beef marbling score had no correlation. These results showed that it is possible to improve temperament and carcass traits simultaneously. © 2017 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Relation of assertiveness and anxiety among Iranian University students.

PubMed

Larijani, T T; Aghajani, M; Baheiraei, A; Neiestanak, N S

2010-12-01

• The findings from the present study revealed that less than 30% of nursing and midwifery students have high assertiveness and only half of them have low anxiety. • Assertiveness and anxiety have negative correlations in nursing and midwifery students and affect the mental health and educational and occupational performance of the students. • Many factors such as years of education and working while studying influence the level of assertiveness in the students. • The anxiety in students had a significant relation with the father's level of education, family income, etc. The simultaneous existence of low assertiveness and high anxiety in nursing and midwifery students leads to the disruption of study performance. There exists little information concerning their assertiveness. The purpose of this study was to determine the relation of assertiveness and anxiety in nursing and midwifery students. In this correlational, cross-sectional study, 173 nursing students (68 males and 105 females) and 77 midwifery students were recruited from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran. Data were collected using a questionnaire including personal-social factors, the Spielberger Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Assertion Inventory of Gambrill and Richey. More than half of the nursing and midwifery students (59.5% and 59.7%, respectively) had moderate assertiveness. Also, 43.3% and 36.4% of them had moderate and high levels of anxiety. Pearson correlation test revealed that assertiveness and anxiety had negative correlations in nursing (r=-0.51, P < 0.001) and midwifery (r=-0.449, P < 0.001) students. Some demographic variables had significant correlations with assertiveness and anxiety among the students. Considering the relation of assertiveness and anxiety and its effects on mental health and educational and occupational performance, students should be informed of the required skills for positive interaction with others and to increase assertiveness and decrease anxiety. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing.

Impulsivity moderates the effects of movie alcohol portrayals on adolescents' willingness to drink.

PubMed

Gibbons, Frederick X; Kingsbury, John H; Wills, Thomas A; Finneran, Stephanie D; Dal Cin, Sonya; Gerrard, Meg

2016-05-01

This study examined impulsivity as a moderator of adolescents' reactions to positive versus negative portrayals of drinking in American movie clips. Impulsivity, along with willingness and intentions to drink in the future, were assessed in a pretest session. In the experimental sessions, adolescents viewed a series of clips that showed drinking associated with either positive outcomes (e.g., social facilitation) or negative outcomes (fights, arguments). A third group viewed clips with similar positive or negative outcomes, but no alcohol consumption. All participants then responded to an implicit measure of attentional bias regarding alcohol (a dot probe), followed by explicit alcohol measures (self-reports of willingness and intentions to drink). Hypotheses, based on dual-processing theories, were: (a) high-impulsive adolescents would respond more favorably than low-impulsive adolescents to the positive clips, but not the negative clips; and (b) this difference in reactions to the positive clips would be larger on the willingness than the intention measures. Results supported the hypotheses: Adolescents high in impulsivity reported the highest willingness to drink in the positive-clip condition, but were slightly less willing than others in the negative-clip condition. In addition, results on the dot probe task indicated that RTs to alcohol words were negatively correlated with changes in alcohol willingness, but not intention; that is, the faster their response to the alcohol words, the more their willingness increased. The results highlight the utility of a dual-processing perspective on media influence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The impact of tics, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and impulsivity on global functioning in Tourette syndrome.

PubMed

Kano, Yukiko; Kono, Toshiaki; Matsuda, Natsumi; Nonaka, Maiko; Kuwabara, Hitoshi; Shimada, Takafumi; Shishikura, Kurie; Konno, Chizue; Ohta, Masataka

2015-03-30

This study investigated the relationships between tics, obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS), and impulsivity, and their effects on global functioning in Japanese patients with Tourette syndrome (TS), using the dimensional approach for OCS. Fifty-three TS patients were assessed using the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale, the Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, the Impulsivity Rating Scale, and the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale. Although tic severity scores were significantly and positively correlated with OCS severity scores, impulsivity severity scores were not significantly correlated with either. The global functioning score was significantly and negatively correlated with tic and OCS severity scores. Of the 6 dimensional OCS scores, only aggression scores had a significant negative correlation with global functioning scores. A stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that only OCS severity scores were significantly associated with global functioning scores. Despite a moderate correlation between tic severity and OCS severity, the impact of OCS on global functioning was greater than that of tics. Of the OCS dimensions, only aggression had a significant impact on global functioning. Our findings suggest that it is important to examine OCS using a dimensional approach when analyzing global functioning in TS patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Negative life events and life satisfaction in university students: Belief in a just world as a mediator and moderator.

PubMed

Tian, Xunlong

2016-11-01

A cross-sectional study was conducted to explore the role of belief in a just world between negative life events and life satisfaction. The results revealed that two dimensions of belief in a just world played partial mediating roles between negative life events and life satisfaction. Moreover, belief in a just world was also a moderator between negative life events and life satisfaction that mitigates the adverse effects of negative life events. In conclusion, these results suggest that belief in a just world could be both a mediator and a moderator between negative life events and life satisfaction.

The rate of change in declining steroid hormones: a new parameter of healthy aging in men?

PubMed

Walther, Andreas; Philipp, Michel; Lozza, Niclà; Ehlert, Ulrike

2016-09-20

Research on healthy aging in men has increasingly focused on age-related hormonal changes. Testosterone (T) decline is primarily investigated, while age-related changes in other sex steroids (dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA], estradiol [E2], progesterone [P]) are mostly neglected. An integrated hormone parameter reflecting aging processes in men has yet to be identified. 271 self-reporting healthy men between 40 and 75 provided both psychometric data and saliva samples for hormone analysis. Correlation analysis between age and sex steroids revealed negative associations for the four sex steroids (T, DHEA, E2, and P). Principal component analysis including ten salivary analytes identified a principal component mainly unifying the variance of the four sex steroid hormones. Subsequent principal component analysis including the four sex steroids extracted the principal component of declining steroid hormones (DSH). Moderation analysis of the association between age and DSH revealed significant moderation effects for psychosocial factors such as depression, chronic stress and perceived general health. In conclusion, these results provide further evidence that sex steroids decline in aging men and that the integrated hormone parameter DSH and its rate of change can be used as biomarkers for healthy aging in men. Furthermore, the negative association of age and DSH is moderated by psychosocial factors.

The rate of change in declining steroid hormones: a new parameter of healthy aging in men?

PubMed Central

Walther, Andreas; Philipp, Michel; Lozza, Niclà; Ehlert, Ulrike

2016-01-01

Research on healthy aging in men has increasingly focused on age-related hormonal changes. Testosterone (T) decline is primarily investigated, while age-related changes in other sex steroids (dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA], estradiol [E2], progesterone [P]) are mostly neglected. An integrated hormone parameter reflecting aging processes in men has yet to be identified. 271 self-reporting healthy men between 40 and 75 provided both psychometric data and saliva samples for hormone analysis. Correlation analysis between age and sex steroids revealed negative associations for the four sex steroids (T, DHEA, E2, and P). Principal component analysis including ten salivary analytes identified a principal component mainly unifying the variance of the four sex steroid hormones. Subsequent principal component analysis including the four sex steroids extracted the principal component of declining steroid hormones (DSH). Moderation analysis of the association between age and DSH revealed significant moderation effects for psychosocial factors such as depression, chronic stress and perceived general health. In conclusion, these results provide further evidence that sex steroids decline in aging men and that the integrated hormone parameter DSH and its rate of change can be used as biomarkers for healthy aging in men. Furthermore, the negative association of age and DSH is moderated by psychosocial factors. PMID:27589836

Maternal and child correlates of anxiety in 2½-year-old children.

PubMed

Mount, Kristin S; Crockenberg, Susan C; Jó, Patricia S Bárrig; Wagar, Jessica-Lyn

2010-12-01

The goal of this study was to predict the development of anxiety in 2½ year olds as a function of maternal anxiety and child inhibited temperament, and to test the mediating, moderating, and curvilinear effects of maternal sensitivity. Participants were 83 mothers and their 2½-year-old children (32 females). Maternal anxiety, child inhibition, and child anxiety were assessed by maternal report. Maternal sensitivity was rated based on the appropriateness and timeliness of mothers' responses to children's fear observed during their exposure to novel events in the laboratory and from mothers' diaries documenting their responses to children's fear in everyday situations. Gender predicted child anxiety, with mothers reporting girls as more anxious, as did child inhibition, with more inhibited children exhibiting more anxiety. Maternal sensitivity predicted child anxiety as a main effect and, in addition, inhibition moderated the curvilinear association of maternal sensitivity and child anxiety. For highly inhibited children, maternal sensitivity predicted anxiety in both a negative linear and a curvilinear fashion; anxiety decreased as maternal sensitivity increased up to a moderately high level, then increased at very high levels of maternal sensitivity. For less inhibited children, maternal sensitivity showed only a significant negative linear association with child anxiety. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Metacognitive self-reflectivity moderates the relationship between distress tolerance and empathy in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Bonfils, Kelsey A; Minor, Kyle S; Leonhardt, Bethany L; Lysaker, Paul H

2018-07-01

Deficits in empathy seen in schizophrenia are thought to play a major role in the social dysfunction seen in the disorder. However, little work has investigated potential determinants of empathic deficits. This study aimed to fill that gap by examining the effects of two variables on empathy - distress tolerance and metacognitive self-reflectivity. Fifty-four people with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders receiving services at an urban VA or community mental health center were assessed for empathy, metacognition, and distress tolerance. Bivariate correlations and moderation methods were used to ascertain associations amongst these variables and examine interactions. Results revealed that, against hypotheses, empathy was not related at the bivariate level to either distress tolerance or metacognitive self-reflectivity. However, consistent with hypotheses, moderation analyses revealed that participants with higher self-reflectivity showed no relationship between distress tolerance and empathy, while those with lower self-reflectivity showed a relationship such that reduced ability to tolerate distress predicted reduced empathy. Taken together, results of this study suggest that lack of distress tolerance can negatively affect empathy in people with schizophrenia with lesser capacity for metacognitive self-reflection; thus, fostering self-reflectivity may help overcome that negative impact. Future work is needed investigating the impact of metacognitively-tailored interventions on empathy in this population. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

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.

Emotional intelligence moderates the relationship between regional gray matter volume in the bilateral temporal pole and critical thinking disposition.

PubMed

Yao, Xiaonan; Yuan, Shuge; Yang, Wenjing; Chen, Qunlin; Wei, Dongtao; Hou, Yuling; Zhang, Lijie; Qiu, Jiang; Yang, Dong

2018-04-01

Critical thinking enables people to form sound beliefs and provides a basis for emotional life. Research has indicated that individuals with better critical thinking disposition can better recognize and regulate their emotions, though the neuroanatomical mechanisms involved in this process remain to be elucidated. Further, the influence of emotional intelligence on the relationship between brain structure and critical thinking disposition has not been examined. The present study utilized voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to investigate the neural structures underlying critical thinking disposition in a large sample of college students (N = 296). Regional gray matter volume (rGMV) in the bilateral temporal pole, which reflects an individual's ability to process social and emotional information, was negatively correlated with critical thinking disposition. In addition, rGMV in bilateral para hippocampal regions -regions involved in contextual association/emotional regulation-exhibited negative correlation with critical thinking disposition. Further analysis revealed that emotional intelligence moderated the relationship between rGMV of the temporal pole and critical thinking disposition. Specifically, critical thinking disposition was associated with decreased GMV of the temporal pole for individuals who have relatively higher emotional intelligence rather than lower emotional intelligence. The results of the present study indicate that people who have higher emotional intelligence exhibit more effective and automatic processing of emotional information and tend to be strong critical thinkers.

Racial discrimination experiences and African American youth adjustment: The role of parenting profiles based on racial socialization and involved-vigilant parenting.

PubMed

Varner, Fatima A; Hou, Yang; Hodzic, Tajma; Hurd, Noelle M; Butler-Barnes, Sheretta T; Rowley, Stephanie J

2018-04-01

The purpose of this study was to test whether parenting profiles based on racial socialization and involved-vigilant parenting would compensate for or moderate associations between racial discrimination experiences and academic outcomes and psychological well-being among African American adolescents. Participants were 1,363 African American adolescents (M age = 14.19; 52.3% female) from 3 Midwestern suburban school districts. Latent profile analysis was used to examine whether there were distinct combinations of parenting. The relationships among racial discrimination experiences, parenting profiles, and adjustment were examined using structural equation modeling (SEM). Three distinct parenting profiles were found: moderate positive (n = 767; moderately high involved-vigilant parenting and racial barrier, racial pride, behavioral, and egalitarian messages, and low negative messages), unengaged (n = 351; low racial socialization messages and moderately low involved-vigilant parenting), and high negative parenting (n = 242; high negative messages, moderate other racial socialization messages, and moderately low involved-vigilant parenting). Racial discrimination experiences were negatively associated with youth adjustment. Moderate positive parenting was related to the best academic outcomes and unengaged parenting was associated with more positive academic outcomes than high negative parenting. Moderate positive parenting was associated with better psychological well-being than unengaged or high negative parenting although the benefits were greater for adolescents with fewer racial discrimination experiences. Distinct patterns of racial socialization messages and involved-vigilant parenting contribute to differences in African American youth adjustment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Psychosocial and sociodemographic correlates of life satisfaction among patients diagnosed with cancer in Jordan.

PubMed

Hamdan-Mansour, Ayman M; Al Abeiat, Dana D; Alzoghaibi, Ibrahim N; Ghannam, Bushra M; Hanouneh, Salah I

2015-03-01

Cancer is a worldwide disease, and the psychosocial concerns are nearly universal among patients with cancer. The purpose of this study is to investigate the psychosocial correlates of life satisfaction among patients diagnosed with cancer in Jordan. A cross-sectional survey using 92 patients diagnosed with cancer used to collect data in regard to life satisfaction, depressive symptoms, psychological distress, coping, and perceived social support. In general, about 50% of patients reported high level of life satisfaction and 50% of the patients reported moderate levels of ability to effectively cope with life situations. Moreover, 78% of patients reported that they had depressive symptoms and 45.3% of them reported that they had moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms had significant and negative correlation with life satisfaction (r = -0.50, p < 0.001), and stress had weak nonsignificant correlation with life satisfaction (r = 0.05, p > 0.05). On the other hand, social support from others has positive and significant correlation with life satisfaction (r = 0.32, p < 0.01). Marital status, times of admission, perceived social support from others, and depressive symptoms were significant predictors of life satisfaction. Health professionals need to integrate their medical care with psychosocial intervention early at admission and during follow-up care, so early detection of psychological disturbances will help to implement effective treatment plans.

Attachment styles, grief responses, and the moderating role of coping strategies in parents bereaved by the Sewol ferry accident

PubMed Central

Huh, Hyu Jung; Kim, Kyung Hee; Lee, Hee-Kyung; Chae, Jeong-Ho

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Previous studies on the influence of different types of attachment on grief responses have yielded contradictory outcomes. Little research has been conducted to identify the psychological processes that moderate the relationship between attachment representations and patterns of grief in disaster-related grief. Objective: The present study examines the effects of different attachment types on the grief responses of parents bereaved by loss of a child in a ferry accident, along with the moderating role of coping strategies. Methods: Bereaved parents (n = 81) completed self-report questionnaires evaluating attachment, coping strategies, complicated grief, and shame/guilt. We performed correlational analyses to examine the associations among variables. We also conducted hierarchical regression analyses and simple slope analyses to examine the moderation effects of coping strategies. Results: Anxious attachment was associated with severe shame/guilt, and avoidant attachment correlated with complicated grief. Anxious attachment was positively associated with all types of coping strategies, and avoidant attachment was negatively related to problem- and emotion-focused coping. The use of problem-focused coping strategies was a significant moderator of the relationship between the avoidant attachment dimension and shame/guilt. Avoidant attachment had a significant effect on shame/guilt in groups with a high level of problem-focused coping. In contrast, none of the coping strategies significantly moderated the relationship between anxious attachment and grief response. Conclusions: The results suggest that people with highly avoidant attachment might be overwhelmed by shame and guilt when they try to use problem-focused coping strategies. This finding suggests that grief interventions should be organized with consideration of individual differences in attachment representations. PMID:29372009

Attachment styles, grief responses, and the moderating role of coping strategies in parents bereaved by the Sewol ferry accident.

PubMed

Huh, Hyu Jung; Kim, Kyung Hee; Lee, Hee-Kyung; Chae, Jeong-Ho

2017-01-01

Background : Previous studies on the influence of different types of attachment on grief responses have yielded contradictory outcomes. Little research has been conducted to identify the psychological processes that moderate the relationship between attachment representations and patterns of grief in disaster-related grief. Objective : The present study examines the effects of different attachment types on the grief responses of parents bereaved by loss of a child in a ferry accident, along with the moderating role of coping strategies. Methods : Bereaved parents ( n  = 81) completed self-report questionnaires evaluating attachment, coping strategies, complicated grief, and shame/guilt. We performed correlational analyses to examine the associations among variables. We also conducted hierarchical regression analyses and simple slope analyses to examine the moderation effects of coping strategies. Results : Anxious attachment was associated with severe shame/guilt, and avoidant attachment correlated with complicated grief. Anxious attachment was positively associated with all types of coping strategies, and avoidant attachment was negatively related to problem- and emotion-focused coping. The use of problem-focused coping strategies was a significant moderator of the relationship between the avoidant attachment dimension and shame/guilt. Avoidant attachment had a significant effect on shame/guilt in groups with a high level of problem-focused coping. In contrast, none of the coping strategies significantly moderated the relationship between anxious attachment and grief response. Conclusions : The results suggest that people with highly avoidant attachment might be overwhelmed by shame and guilt when they try to use problem-focused coping strategies. This finding suggests that grief interventions should be organized with consideration of individual differences in attachment representations.

Negative cancer stereotypes and disease-specific self-concept in head and neck cancer.

PubMed

Wong, Janice C; Payne, Ada Y M; Mah, Kenneth; Lebel, Sophie; Lee, Ruth N F; Irish, Jonathan; Rodin, Gary; Devins, Gerald M

2013-05-01

Life-threatening diseases, such as head and neck cancer (HNCa), can stimulate the emergence of a new disease-specific self-concept. We hypothesized that (i) negative cancer-stereotypes invoke distancing, which inhibits the adoption of a disease-specific self-concept and (ii) patient characteristics, disease and treatment factors, and cancer-related stressors moderate the phenomenon. Head and neck cancer outpatients (N = 522) completed a semantic-differential measure of disease-specific self-concept (perceived similarity to the 'cancer patient') and other self-report measures in structured interviews. Negative cancer-stereotypes were represented by the number of semantic-differential dimensions (0-3) along which respondents evaluated the stereotypic 'cancer patient' negatively (i.e., negative valence). We tested the two-way interactions between negative valence and hypothesized moderator variables. We observed significant negative valence × moderator interactions for the following: (i) patient characteristics (education, employment, social networks); (ii) disease and treatment factors (cancer-symptom burden); and (iii) cancer-related stressors (uncertainty, lack of information, and existential threats). Negative cancer stereotypes were consistently associated with distancing of self from the stereotypic 'cancer patient,' but the effect varied across moderator variables. All significant moderators (except employment and social networks) were associated with increasing perceived similarity to the 'cancer patient' when respondents maintained negative stereotypes; perceived similarity decreased when people were employed or had extensive social networks. Moderator effects were less pronounced when respondents did not endorse negative cancer stereotypes. When they hold negative stereotypes, people with HNCa distance themselves from a 'cancer patient' identity to preserve self-esteem or social status, but exposure to cancer-related stressors and adaptive demands may attenuate these effects. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The moderating effects of aging and cognitive abilities on the association between work stress and negative affect.

PubMed

Hyun, Jinshil; Sliwinski, Martin J; Almeida, David M; Smyth, Joshua M; Scott, Stacey B

2018-05-01

Given that the association between work stress and negative affect can exacerbate negative health and workplace outcomes, it is important to identify the protective and risk factors that moderate this association. Socioemotional aging and cognitive abilities might influence how people utilize emotion regulation skills and engage in practical problem solving to manage their work stress. The aim of this study is to examine whether age and cognitive abilities independently and interactively moderate the association between work-related stress and negative affect. A diverse working adult sample (N = 139, age 25-65, 69% of females) completed a cross-sectional survey that assessed chronic work stress, negative affect, and fluid and crystallized cognitive abilities. Results from regression analyses suggested that both fluid and crystallized cognitive abilities, but not age, moderated the association between work stress and negative affect. Further, we found that crystallized cognition had a stronger attenuating effect on the work stress-negative affect association for older compared to younger workers. The moderating effect of fluid cognition was invariant across age. Our findings demonstrate that cognitive abilities are an important personal resource that might protect individuals against the negative impacts of work stress and negative affect. Although the role that fluid cognition plays in work stress-negative affect association is comparably important for both younger and older workers, crystallized cognition might play a more valuable role for older than younger workers.

Self-reported peer victimization and suicidal ideation in adolescent psychiatric inpatients: the mediating role of negative self-esteem.

PubMed

Jones, Heather A; Bilge-Johnson, Sumru; Rabinovitch, Annie E; Fishel, Hazel

2014-10-01

The current study investigated relationships among self-reported peer victimization, suicidality, and depression in adolescent psychiatric inpatients. Sixty-seven adolescent psychiatric inpatients at a Midwestern children's hospital completed measures of bullying and peer victimization, suicidal ideation, and depression during their inpatient stay. Analyses indicated significant moderate correlations among victimization, suicidal ideation, and depression in adolescents. Results from mediational analyses found that negative self-esteem mediated the relationship between peer victimization and suicidal ideation. To date, this study is the first to directly examine the mechanisms underlying the relationship between peer victimization and suicidal ideation in adolescent psychiatric inpatients. © The Author(s) 2013.

Application of latent variable model in Rosenberg self-esteem scale.

PubMed

Leung, Shing-On; Wu, Hui-Ping

2013-01-01

Latent Variable Models (LVM) are applied to Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). Parameter estimations automatically give negative signs hence no recoding is necessary for negatively scored items. Bad items can be located through parameter estimate, item characteristic curves and other measures. Two factors are extracted with one on self-esteem and the other on the degree to take moderate views, with the later not often being covered in previous studies. A goodness-of-fit measure based on two-way margins is used but more works are needed. Results show that scaling provided by models with more formal statistical ground correlated highly with conventional method, which may provide justification for usual practice.

Race and Ethnicity, Religion Involvement, Church-based Social Support and Subjective Health in United States: A Case of Moderated Mediation.

PubMed

Assari, Shervin

2013-02-01

To test if social support and ethnicity mediate/moderate the association between religion involvement and subjective health in the United States. This is a secondary analysis of National Survey of American Life, 2003. Hierarchical regression was fit to a national household probability sample of adult African Americans (n = 3570), Caribbean Blacks (n = 1621), and Whites (n = 891). Frequency of church attendance, positive/negative church-based social support, ethnicity, and subjective health (overall life satisfaction and self-rated mental health) were considered as predictor, mediator, moderator and outcome, respectively. Frequency of church attendance had a significant and positive association with mental health and life satisfaction among all ethnic groups. Frequency of church attendance was also correlated with positive and negative social support among all ethnic groups. Church-based social support fully mediated the association between frequency of church attendance and overall life satisfaction among African Americans but not among Caribbean Blacks, or Whites. Church-based social support, however, partially mediated the association between frequency of church attendance and overall mental health among African Americans but not among Caribbean Blacks or Whites. Ethnicity shapes how church-based social support mediates the association between religious involvement and subjective health. Our results showed a moderating mediation effect of ethnicity and social support on the religious involvement-subjective health linkage, in a way that it is only among African Americans that social support is a pathway for the beneficial health effect of religious involvement.

The use of the NDDI-E in Arabic to identify symptoms of depression of moderate or greater severity in people with epilepsy.

PubMed

Alkhamees, Hadeel A; Selai, Caroline E; Shorvon, Simon D; Kanner, Andres M

2014-03-01

The aims of the current study were to translate and to validate the NDDI-E to the Arabic language to be used as a screening instrument to identify moderately severe symptoms of depression in people with epilepsy. The English version of the NDDI-E was translated to Arabic and back translated to English by two independent translators. A total of 51 patients, aged 18-56years old, with a diagnosis of epilepsy, completed the Arabic versions of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and the NDDI-E. Patients with BDI scores >20 were considered to be suffering from moderately severe depressive symptoms. Cutoff scores, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the NDDI-E to identify symptomatic patients on the BDI were calculated. A sensitivity of 93.33% and a specificity of 94.44% were found with NDDI-E total scores >15. The positive predictive value was 87.5%, and the negative predictive value was 97.14%. Spearman's rank correlation between the BDI and the NDDI-E was high (r=.78, p=0.000, N=51). Internal consistency was at 0.926 (Cronbach's alpha). The Arabic version of the NDDI-E appears to be a reliable and sensitive instrument in the identification of moderately severe or severe depressive symptoms in people with epilepsy, and it can be used with all Arabic-speaking patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mineralocorticoid receptor haplotype, estradiol, progesterone and emotional information processing.

PubMed

Hamstra, Danielle A; de Kloet, E Ronald; Quataert, Ina; Jansen, Myrthe; Van der Does, Willem

2017-02-01

Carriers of MR-haplotype 1 and 3 (GA/CG; rs5522 and rs2070951) are more sensitive to the influence of oral contraceptives (OC) and menstrual cycle phase on emotional information processing than MR-haplotype 2 (CA) carriers. We investigated whether this effect is associated with estradiol (E2) and/or progesterone (P4) levels. Healthy MR-genotyped premenopausal women were tested twice in a counterbalanced design. Naturally cycling (NC) women were tested in the early-follicular and mid-luteal phase and OC-users during OC-intake and in the pill-free week. At both sessions E2 and P4 were assessed in saliva. Tests included implicit and explicit positive and negative affect, attentional blink accuracy, emotional memory, emotion recognition, and risky decision-making (gambling). MR-haplotype 2 homozygotes had higher implicit happiness scores than MR-haplotype 2 heterozygotes (p=0.031) and MR-haplotype 1/3 carriers (p<0.001). MR-haplotype 2 homozygotes also had longer reaction times to happy faces in an emotion recognition test than MR-haplotype 1/3 (p=0.001). Practice effects were observed for most measures. The pattern of correlations between information processing and P4 or E2 differed between sessions, as well as the moderating effects of the MR genotype. In the first session the MR-genotype moderated the influence of P4 on implicit anxiety (sr=-0.30; p=0.005): higher P4 was associated with reduction in implicit anxiety, but only in MR-haplotype 2 homozygotes (sr=-0.61; p=0.012). In the second session the MR-genotype moderated the influence of E2 on the recognition of facial expressions of happiness (sr=-0.21; p=0.035): only in MR-haplotype 1/3 higher E2 was correlated with happiness recognition (sr=0.29; p=0.005). In the second session higher E2 and P4 were negatively correlated with accuracy in lag2 trials of the attentional blink task (p<0.001). Thus NC women, compared to OC-users, performed worse on lag 2 trials (p=0.041). The higher implicit happiness scores of MR-haplotype 2 homozygotes are in line with previous reports. Performance in the attentional blink task may be influenced by OC-use. The MR-genotype moderates the influence of E2 and P4 on emotional information processing. This moderating effect may depend on the novelty of the situation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical and technical performances are not associated with tactical prominence in U14 soccer matches.

PubMed

Clemente, Filipe Manuel; Figueiredo, António José; Martins, Fernando Manuel Lourenço; Mendes, Rui Sousa; Wong, Del P

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyse the association between physical/technical variables and the tactical prominence variables in U14 soccer matches. Twenty-two young amateur soccer players (13.5 [Formula: see text] 0.5 years old, 5.4 [Formula: see text] 0.5 years of practice, 163.3 [Formula: see text] 9.8 cm in body height) from two teams of the Portuguese regional league volunteered for the study. Our results showed positive and moderate correlation between dribbling test and betweenness centrality (r = 0.324; p = 0.142), and negative moderate correlation between %fatigue index and betweenness centrality (r = -0.390; p = 0.073). Physical and technical variables had no statistical differences among tactical positions. Nevertheless, when tactical prominence of players from four tactical positions were compared, significant differences were found in terms of degree prestige (p = 0.001) and degree centrality (p = 0.002). This pilot study did not find strong correlations between physical/technical levels and tactical prominence in soccer matches.

A theoretical perspective of the nature of hydrogen-bond types - the atoms in molecules approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vijaya Pandiyan, B.; Kolandaivel, P.; Deepa, P.

2014-06-01

Hydrogen bonds and their strength were analysed based on their X-H proton-donor bond properties and the parameters of the H-Y distance (Y proton acceptor). Strong, moderate and weak interactions in hydrogen-bond types were verified through the proton affinities of bases (PA), deprotanation enthalpies of acids (DPE) and the chemical shift (σ). The aromaticity and anti-aromaticity were analysed by means of the NICS (0) (nucleus-independent chemical shift), NICS (1) and ΔNICS (0), ΔNICS (1) of hydrogen-bonded molecules. The strength of a hydrogen bond depends on the capacity of hydrogen atom engrossing into the electronegative acceptor atom. The correlation between the above parameters and their relations were discussed through curve fitting. Bader's theory of atoms in molecules has been applied to estimate the occurrence of hydrogen bonds through eight criteria reported by Popelier et al. The lengths and potential energy shifts have been found to have a strong negative linear correlation, whereas the lengths and Laplacian shifts have a strong positive linear correlation. This study illustrates the common factors responsible for strong, moderate and weak interactions in hydrogen-bond types.

Good cope, bad cope: adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies following a critical negative work event.

PubMed

Brown, Steven P; Westbrook, Robert A; Challagalla, Goutam

2005-07-01

The authors examined the moderating effects of coping tactics on the relationship between negative emotion and work performance. Findings indicate an adverse effect of emotion on performance; however, this effect is moderated by coping tactics. Venting (expressing one's negative feelings to others) amplified the adverse effects of negative emotion. Self-control had mixed effects: On one hand, it buffered the adverse effects of negative emotion, yet on the other hand, it had a negative direct effect on outcomes. Task focus had a positive direct effect on performance but no buffering (moderating) effect. Implications of these findings for understanding the effects of negative emotion and coping in the workplace are discussed. Copyright 2005 APA, all rights reserved.

Intercorrelations of lipoprotein subfractions and their covariation with lifestyle factors in healthy men.

PubMed

Parlesak, Alexandr; Eckoldt, Joachim; Winkler, Karl; Bode, Christian J; Schäfer, Christian

2014-05-01

So far, little is known about the effect of nutrition and lifestyle on the composition of circulating lipoprotein subfractions. In the current study, we measured the correlations among physical activity, nutrient intake, smoking, body-mass index (BMI), and age with the concentration of triglycerides, cholesterol, phospholipids, and apolipoproteins (ApoA1, ApoA2 and ApoB) in subfractions of LDL and HDL in 265 healthy working men. Concentrations of cholesterol, phospholipids, and ApoB in small, dense atherogenic LDL particles (sdLDL) correlated negatively (p<0.001) with those of cholesterol, phospholipids, and ApoA1 in HDL2, respectively. Age correlated positively with sdLDL while increasing BMI correlated with an atherogenic shift of cholesterol, phospholipids, and ApoB from large, buoyant LDL (lbLDL) to sdLDL and decreasing concentrations of HDL2 constituents. Physical activity and alcohol intake correlated negatively with sdLDL constituents and positively with HDL2 components. Consumption of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) correlated with a lower ratio of sdLDL to HDL2 cholesterol. A favorable lipoprotein subfraction profile linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease in men was associated with physical activity, moderate alcohol consumption, and dietary intake of MUFA, which might be exploited in future interventions for prevention of age- and BMI-associated atherogenic shifts of lipoprotein subfractions.

Intercorrelations of lipoprotein subfractions and their covariation with lifestyle factors in healthy men

PubMed Central

Parlesak, Alexandr; Eckoldt, Joachim; Winkler, Karl; Bode, Christian J; Schäfer, Christian

2014-01-01

So far, little is known about the effect of nutrition and lifestyle on the composition of circulating lipoprotein subfractions. In the current study, we measured the correlations among physical activity, nutrient intake, smoking, body-mass index (BMI), and age with the concentration of triglycerides, cholesterol, phospholipids, and apolipoproteins (ApoA1, ApoA2 and ApoB) in subfractions of LDL and HDL in 265 healthy working men. Concentrations of cholesterol, phospholipids, and ApoB in small, dense atherogenic LDL particles (sdLDL) correlated negatively (p<0.001) with those of cholesterol, phospholipids, and ApoA1 in HDL2, respectively. Age correlated positively with sdLDL while increasing BMI correlated with an atherogenic shift of cholesterol, phospholipids, and ApoB from large, buoyant LDL (lbLDL) to sdLDL and decreasing concentrations of HDL2 constituents. Physical activity and alcohol intake correlated negatively with sdLDL constituents and positively with HDL2 components. Consumption of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) correlated with a lower ratio of sdLDL to HDL2 cholesterol. A favorable lipoprotein subfraction profile linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease in men was associated with physical activity, moderate alcohol consumption, and dietary intake of MUFA, which might be exploited in future interventions for prevention of age- and BMI-associated atherogenic shifts of lipoprotein subfractions. PMID:24895480

The Correlation Between Schizophrenic Patients' Level of Internalized Stigma and Their Level of Hope.

PubMed

Olçun, Zeynep; Şahin Altun, Özlem

2017-08-01

The aim of this study is to determine the correlation between schizophrenic patients' level of internalized stigma and their level of hope. The population of the study consisted of patients who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and also met the study inclusion criteria. The study sample selection from the population was not further divided; the study was conducted with 76 patients. The data of the study were collected using a personal information form, the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) Scale, and Herth Hope Scale. The patients' mean score on the Internalized Stigma Scale was 72.78±16.05. Their score on the Hope Scale is 50.36±11.91. A significant negative correlation was found between the total mean scores of ISMI and the Herth Hope Scale (r=-0.360, p<0.01). A significant positive correlation was found between the stigma resistance subscale mean score of ISMI and the total mean score of the Herth Hope Scale (r=0.510, p<0.01). The internalized stigma levels of schizophrenic patients were found to be high, whereas their hope levels were found to be moderate. A significant negative correlation was found between internalized stigma and hope. This study also found a significant positive correlation between the stigma resistance of patients and their hope levels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relationships between social support and student burnout: A meta-analytic approach.

PubMed

Kim, Boram; Jee, Sooin; Lee, Joungwha; An, Sunghee; Lee, Sang Min

2018-02-01

This study is a meta-analysis of 19 relevant studies, with 95,434 participants, investigating the relationships between various types of social support and 3 dimensions of student burnout. The overall results indicate that social support is negatively correlated with student burnout. Specifically, school or teacher supports have the strongest negative relationship to student burnout. Social supports from parents and from peers also have a significant negative relationship with student burnout. Among the 3 dimensions of student burnout, inefficacy was more strongly related to social support than emotional exhaustion or cynicism. The results of a moderation analysis suggest that the type of schools (secondary school and postsecondary school) affected the relationships between the overall social support and student burnout. We discuss the implications to ameliorate student burnout. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Parental Socialization of Emotion.

PubMed

Eisenberg, Nancy; Cumberland, Amanda; Spinrad, Tracy L

1998-01-01

Recently, there has been a resurgence of research on emotion, including the socialization of emotion. In this article, a heuristic model of factors contributing to the socialization of emotion is presented. Then literature relevant to the socialization of children's emotion and emotion-related behavior by parents is reviewed, including (a) parental reactions to children's emotions, (b) socializers' discussion of emotion, and (c) socializers' expression of emotion. The relevant literature is not conclusive and most of the research is correlational. However, the existing body of data provides initial support for the view that parental socialization practices have effects on children's emotional and social competence and that the socialization process is bidirectional. In particular, parental negative emotionality and negative reactions to children's expression of emotion are associated with children's negative emotionality and low social competence. In addition, possible moderators of effects such as level of emotional arousal are discussed.

Interrogative suggestibility: its relationship with assertiveness, social-evaluative anxiety, state anxiety and method of coping.

PubMed

Gudjonsson, G H

1988-05-01

This paper attempts to investigate empirically in 30 subjects some of the theoretical components related to individual differences that are thought by Gudjonsson & Clark (1986) to mediate interrogative suggestibility as measured by the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale (GSS; Gudjonsson, 1984a). The variables studied were: assertiveness, social-evaluative anxiety, state anxiety and the coping methods subjects are able to generate and implement during interrogation. Low assertiveness and high evaluative anxiety were found to correlate moderately with suggestibility, but no significant correlations emerged for 'social avoidance and distress'. State anxiety correlated significantly with suggestibility, particularly after negative feedback had been administered. Coping methods (active-cognitive/behavioural vs. avoidance) significantly predicted suggestibility scores. The findings give strong support to the theoretical model of Gudjonsson & Clark.

Relationship Between Gender, Age, and Weight and the Serum Ionized Calcium Variations in Dog Periodontal Disease Evolution.

PubMed

Carreira, L Miguel; Dias, Daniela; Azevedo, Pedro

2015-06-01

To analyze the relationships between gender, age, weight, and variations in the levels of serum ionized calcium ([iCa(2+)]) during periodontal disease (PD) evolution. In this study, dogs (n = 50) were divided into 5 groups according to the stage of PD: G0 (no PD), G1 (gingivitis), G2 (initial periodontitis), G3 (moderate periodontitis), and G4 (severe periodontitis). Statistically significant correlations were observed between age, [iCa(2+)] levels, and PD stage. Older dogs had lower [iCa(2+)] levels and more advanced PD stages (high positive correlation), and their body weight decreased as PD developed (negative correlation). Lower [iCa(2+)] values were associated with more severe PD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand and osteoprotegerin levels in gingival crevicular fluid

PubMed Central

Sarlati, Fatemeh; Sattari, Mandana; Razzaghi, Shilan; Nasiri, Malihe

2012-01-01

Background: Osteoclastogenesis is coordinated by the interaction of three members of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily: Osteoprotegerin (OPG)/receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL)/receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B (RANK). The aim of this study was to investigate RANKL and OPG levels, and their relative ratio in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of patients with chronic and aggressive periodontitis, as well as healthy controls. Materials and Methods: In this analytical study, GCF was obtained from healthy (n = 10), mild chronic periodontitis (n = 18), moderate chronic periodontitis (n = 18), severe chronic periodontitis (n = 20), and generalized aggressive periodontitis (n = 20) subjects. RANKL and OPG concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical tests used were Kruskal–Wallis test, Mann–Whitney U rank sum test, and Spearman's rank correlation analysis. The level of statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: Mean RANKL concentration showed no statistically significant differences between groups (P = 0.58). There were also no significant differences between mean OPG concentration in the five groups (P = 0.0.56). Moreover, relative RANKL/OPG ratio did not reveal a significant difference between the three study group subjects: healthy, chronic periodontitis (mild, moderate, severe), and aggressive periodontitis (P = 0.41). There was statistically significant correlation between the concentration of sRANKL and Clinical Attachment Level (CAL) in moderate chronic periodontitis patients (R = 0.48, P = 0.04). There was also negative correlation between OPG concentration and CAL in moderate chronic periodontitis patients, although not significant (R = −0.13). Conclusion: RANKL was prominent in periodontitis sites, especially in moderate periodontitis patients, whereas OPG was not detectable in some diseased sites with bleeding on probing, supporting the role of these two molecules in the bone loss developed in this disease. PMID:23559954

Effects of pre-sleep media use on sleep/wake patterns and daytime functioning among adolescents: the moderating role of parental control.

PubMed

Pieters, Delphine; De Valck, Elke; Vandekerckhove, Marie; Pirrera, Sandra; Wuyts, Johan; Exadaktylos, Vasileios; Haex, Bart; Michiels, Nina; Verbraecken, Johan; Cluydts, Raymond

2014-01-01

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the influence of media use in the hour before bedtime on sleep/wake patterns and daytime functioning among adolescents and to examine the moderating role of parental control. A total of 1,926 Belgian students, 55% girls and 45% boys, with a mean age of 16.9 ± 1.5 years, completed a modified version of the School Sleep Habits Survey. Correlational analyses showed that media use, except television viewing, was associated with later bedtimes and longer sleep latencies. Cell phone and computer usage was negatively associated with daytime functioning. On schooldays, parental control had a moderating effect on the relationship between bedtime and computer use (β = .05; p < .05) and between bedtime and mp3 player use (β = .08; p < .01). During the weekend, parental control played a moderating role between bedtime and television viewing (β = .06; p = .01). As media use can influence the sleep of adolescents considerably, parental control is necessary to regulate the exposure of adolescents to media and to moderate the detrimental effect of media use on sleep.

Interleukin-24 is correlated with differentiation and lymph node numbers in rectal cancer

PubMed Central

Choi, Youngmin; Roh, Mee-Sook; Hong, Young-Seoub; Lee, Hyung-Sik; Hur, Won-Joo

2011-01-01

AIM: To assess the significance of interleukin (IL)-24 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in lymph-node-positive rectal cancer. METHODS: Between 1998 and 2005, 90 rectal adenocarcinoma patients with lymph node involvement were enrolled. All patients received radical surgery and postoperative pelvic chemoradiotherapy of 50.4-54.0 Gy. Chemotherapy of 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin or levamisole was given intravenously during the first and last week of radiotherapy, and then monthly for about 6 mo. Expression of IL-24 and VEGF was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining of surgical specimens, and their relations with patient characteristics and survival were analyzed. The median follow-up of surviving patients was 73 mo (range: 52-122 mo). RESULTS: IL-24 expression was found in 81 out of 90 patients; 31 showed weak intensity and 50 showed strong intensity. VEGF expression was found in 64 out of 90 patients. Negative and weak intensities of IL-24 expression were classified as negative expression for analysis. IL-24 expression was significantly reduced in poorly differentiated tumors in comparison with well or moderately differentiated tumors (P = 0.004), N2b to earlier N stages (P = 0.016), and stage IIIc to stage IIIa or IIIb (P = 0.028). The number of involved lymph nodes was also significantly reduced in IL-24-positive patients in comparison with IL-24-negative ones.There was no correlation between VEGF expression and patient characteristics. Expression of IL-24 and VEGF was not correlated with survival, but N stage and stages were significantly correlated with survival. CONCLUSION: IL-24 expression was significantly correlated with histological differentiation, and inversely correlated with the degree of lymph node involvement in stage III rectal cancer. PMID:21448421

The death(s) of close friends and family moderate genetic influences on symptoms of major depressive disorder in adolescents.

PubMed

Gheyara, S; Klump, K L; McGue, M; Iacono, W G; Burt, S A

2011-04-01

Prior work has suggested that genetic influences on major depressive disorder (MDD) may be activated by the experience of negative life events. However, it is unclear whether these results persist when controlling for the possibility of confounding active gene-environment correlations (rGE). We examined a sample of 1230 adopted and biological siblings between the ages of 10 and 20 years from the Sibling Interaction and Behavior Study. MDD was measured via a lifetime DSM-IV symptom count. Number of deaths experienced served as our environmental risk experience. Because this variable is largely independent of the individual's choices/behaviors, we were able to examine gene-environment interactions while circumventing possible rGE confounds. Biometric analyses revealed pronounced linear increases in the magnitude of genetic influences on symptoms of MDD with the number of deaths experienced, such that genetic influences were estimated to be near-zero for those who had experienced no deaths but were quite large in those who had experienced two or more deaths (i.e. accounting for roughly two-thirds of the phenotypic variance). By contrast, shared and non-shared environmental influences on symptoms of MDD were not meaningfully moderated by the number of deaths experienced. Such results constructively replicate prior findings of genetic moderation of depressive symptoms by negative life events, thereby suggesting that this effect is not a function of active rGE confounds. Our findings are thus consistent with the notion that exposure to specific negative life events may serve to activate genetic risk for depression during adolescence.

Co-rumination via cellphone moderates the association of perceived interpersonal stress and psychosocial well-being in emerging adults.

PubMed

Murdock, Karla Klein; Gorman, Sarah; Robbins, Maia

2015-01-01

Adolescents' and emerging adults' social interactions increasingly revolve around cellphone use, but little research has investigated the psychological properties of cellphone interactions. The current study explored co-rumination via cellphone; that is, the use of cellphone functions to excessively communicate about problems or negative feelings. Face-to-face co-rumination and co-rumination via cellphone were examined as potential moderators of the association between perceived interpersonal stress and psychosocial well-being (i.e., positive mental health and social burnout) in a sample of 142 college students. Face-to-face co-rumination was not a moderator. However, co-rumination via cellphone was a significant moderator such that higher levels of perceived interpersonal stress were associated with lower levels of well-being only among college students who reported higher levels of co-rumination via cellphone. Co-rumination via cellphone should be further investigated to elucidate its developmental trajectory and mental health correlates. Copyright © 2014 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Global identification, xenophobia and globalisation: A cross-national exploration.

PubMed

Ariely, Gal

2017-12-01

This paper explores the ways in which globalisation influences social identity. Combining a psychological social-identity framework with sociological considerations regarding the contextual impact of globalisation, it tests whether global identification-that is, people's identification as global citizens-constitutes an inclusive category, negatively linked to xenophobic attitudes towards immigrants across countries and whether the actual country level of globalisation moderates the relationship between global identification and xenophobia. Unlike most psychological studies of globalisation, it draws its data from 124 national samples across 86 countries, with 154,760 respondents overall, using three different cross-national surveys. Study 1 (International Social Survey Program National Identity Module III 2013; N = 39,426, countries = 32) evinces that while global identification is in fact negatively linked to xenophobia, the correlation is moderated by the country level of globalisation, countries marked by higher levels of globalisation exhibiting a stronger negative relation between global identification and xenophobia than those characterised by a lower level of globalisation. Study 2 (European Values Study 2008; N = 53,083, countries = 44) and Study 3 (World Values Survey 6; N = 65,251, countries = 48) replicated these results across other countries employing dissimilar scales for global identification and xenophobia. © 2016 International Union of Psychological Science.

Eating disorder-specific risk factors moderate the relationship between negative urgency and binge eating: A behavioral genetic investigation.

PubMed

Racine, Sarah E; VanHuysse, Jessica L; Keel, Pamela K; Burt, S Alexandra; Neale, Michael C; Boker, Steven; Klump, Kelly L

2017-07-01

Theoretical models of binge eating and eating disorders include both transdiagnostic and eating disorder-specific risk factors. Negative urgency (i.e., the tendency to act impulsively when distressed) is a critical transdiagnostic risk factor for binge eating, but limited research has examined interactions between negative urgency and disorder-specific variables. Investigating these interactions can help identify the circumstances under which negative urgency is most strongly associated with binge eating. We examined whether prominent risk factors (i.e., appearance pressures, thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, dietary restraint) specified in well-established etiologic models of eating disorders moderate negative urgency-binge eating associations. Further, we investigated whether phenotypic moderation effects were due to genetic and/or environmental associations between negative urgency and binge eating. Participants were 988 female twins aged 11-25 years from the Michigan State University Twin Registry. Appearance pressures, thin-ideal internalization, and body dissatisfaction, but not dietary restraint, significantly moderated negative urgency-binge eating associations, with high levels of these risk factors and high negative urgency associated with the greatest binge eating. Twin moderation models revealed that genetic, but not environmental, sharing between negative urgency and binge eating was enhanced at higher levels of these eating disorder-specific variables. Future longitudinal research should investigate whether eating disorder risk factors shape genetic influences on negative urgency into manifesting as binge eating. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Mechanical Player Load™ using trunk-mounted accelerometry in football: Is it a reliable, task- and player-specific observation?

PubMed

Barreira, Paulo; Robinson, Mark A; Drust, Barry; Nedergaard, Niels; Raja Azidin, Raja Mohammed Firhad; Vanrenterghem, Jos

2017-09-01

The aim of the present study was to examine reliability and construct convergent validity of Player Load™ (PL) from trunk-mounted accelerometry, expressed as a cumulative measure and an intensity measure (PL · min - 1 ). Fifteen male participants twice performed an overground football match simulation that included four different multidirectional football actions (jog, side cut, stride and sprint) whilst wearing a trunk-mounted accelerometer inbuilt in a global positioning system unit. Results showed a moderate-to-high reliability as indicated by the intra-class correlation coefficient (0.806-0.949) and limits of agreement. Convergent validity analysis showed considerable between-participant variation (coefficient of variation range 14.5-24.5%), which was not explained from participant demographics despite a negative association with body height for the stride task. Between-task variations generally showed a moderate correlation between ranking of participants for PL (0.593-0.764) and PL · min - 1 (0.282-0.736). It was concluded that monitoring PL ® in football multidirectional actions presents moderate-to-high reliability, that between-participant variability most likely relies on the individual's locomotive skills and not their anthropometrics, and that the intensity of a task expressed by PL · min - 1 is largely related to the running velocity of the task.

Histopathological analysis for osteomalacia and tubulopathy in itai-itai disease.

PubMed

Baba, Hayato; Tsuneyama, Koichi; Kumada, Tokimasa; Aoshima, Keiko; Imura, Johji

2014-02-01

Cadmium (Cd) is a widespread environmental contaminant that causes both renal tubulopathy and osteomalacia. Osteomalacia is thought to be a result of renal tubulopathy, but there are few studies about the histopathological relationship between the two pathoses. Therefore, in the present study, we examined specimens from cases of itai-itai disease (IID), the most severe form of chronic cadmium poisoning, to evaluate the relationship between them. We analyzed kidney and bone specimens of 61 IID cases and the data regarding Cd concentration in kidney and bone. Tubulopathy was graded on the basis of a three-step scale (mild, moderate, and severe) using the following three items: the degree of proximal tubular defluxion, thickness of renal cortex, and weight of the kidney. Osteomalacia was evaluated using the relative osteoid volume (ROV). There were 15 cases of mild, 19 cases of moderate, and 27 cases of severe tubulopathy. The average ROV was 24.9 ± 2.0%. ROV tended to increase as tubulopathy advanced in severity, and ROV was significantly higher in cases with severe tubulopathy than those with mild or moderate tubulopathy. ROV had a negative correlation with Cd concentration in the kidney but no correlation with that in the bone. Our results suggest that the development of osteomalacia was related to the development of tubulopathy.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction teachers, practice characteristics, cancer incidence, and health: a nationwide ecological description.

PubMed

Robb, Sara Wagner; Benson, Kelsey; Middleton, Lauren; Meyers, Christine; Hébert, James R

2015-02-14

Studies have demonstrated the potential of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program to improve the condition of individuals with health outcomes such as hypertension, diabetes, and chronic pain; improve psychological well-being; reduce stress levels; and increase survival among cancer patients. To date, only one study has focused on the effect of long-term meditation on stress, showing a positive protective relationship. However, the relationship between meditation and cancer incidence remains unexplored. The objective of this study was to describe the state-level relationship between MBSR instructors and their practices and county-level health outcomes, including cancer incidence, in the United States. This ecologic study was performed using geospatial mapping and descriptive epidemiology of statewide MBSR characteristics and overall health, mental health state rankings, and age-adjusted cancer incidence rates. Weak to moderate state-level correlations between meditation characteristics and colorectal and cervical cancer incidence were detected, with states with more meditation (e.g., more MBSR teachers per population) correlated with a decreased cancer incidence. A negative correlation was detected between lung & bronchus cancer and years teaching MBSR only. Moderate positive correlations were detected between Hodgkin's Lymphoma and female breast cancer in relation to all meditation characteristics. Statistically significant correlations with moderate coefficients were detected for overall health ranks and all meditation characteristics, most strongly for total number of years teaching MBSR and total number of years of general meditation practice. Our analyses might suggest that a relationship exists between the total number of MBSR teachers per state and the total number of years of general meditation practice per state, and colorectal and cervical cancer incidence. Positive correlations were observed with overall health rankings. Despite this study's limitations, its findings could serve to generate hypotheses and to inform and motivate a new focus on meditation and stress reduction in relation to cancer incidence, with specific relevance to colorectal and cervical cancer.

Genetic parameters for carcass weight, conformation and fat in five beef cattle breeds.

PubMed

Kause, A; Mikkola, L; Strandén, I; Sirkko, K

2015-01-01

Profitability of beef production can be increased by genetically improving carcass traits. To construct breeding value evaluations for carcass traits, breed-specific genetic parameters were estimated for carcass weight, carcass conformation and carcass fat in five beef cattle breeds in Finland (Hereford, Aberdeen Angus, Simmental, Charolais and Limousin). Conformation and fat were visually scored using the EUROP carcass classification. Each breed was separately analyzed using a multitrait animal model. A total of 6879-19 539 animals per breed had phenotypes. For the five breeds, heritabilities were moderate for carcass weight (h 2=0.39 to 0.48, s.e.=0.02 to 0.04) and slightly lower for conformation (h 2=0.30 to 0.44, s.e.=0.02 to 0.04) and carcass fat (h 2=0.29 to 0.44, s.e.=0.02 to 0.04). The genetic correlation between carcass weight and conformation was favorable in all breeds (r G=0.37 to 0.53, s.e.=0.04 to 0.05), heavy carcasses being genetically more conformed. The phenotypic correlation between carcass weight and carcass fat was moderately positive in all breeds (r P=0.21 to 0.32), implying that increasing carcass weight was related to increasing fat levels. The respective genetic correlation was the strongest in Hereford (r G=0.28, s.e.=0.05) and Angus (r G=0.15, s.e.=0.05), the two small body-sized British breeds with the lowest conformation and the highest fat level. The correlation was weaker in the other breeds (r G=0.08 to 0.14). For Hereford, Angus and Simmental, more conformed carcasses were phenotypically fatter (r P=0.11 to 0.15), but the respective genetic correlations were close to zero (r G=-0.05 to 0.04). In contrast, in the two large body-sized and muscular French breeds, the genetic correlation between conformation and fat was negative and the phenotypic correlation was close to zero or negative (Charolais: r G=-0.18, s.e.=0.06, r P=0.02; Limousin: r G=-0.56, s.e.=0.04, r P=-0.13). The results indicate genetic variation for the genetic improvement of the carcass traits, favorable correlations for the simultaneous improvement of carcass weight and conformation in all breeds, and breed differences in the correlations of carcass fat.

Calibrating the sociometer: the relationship between interpersonal appraisals and state self-esteem.

PubMed

Leary, M R; Haupt, A L; Strausser, K S; Chokel, J T

1998-05-01

Four experiments examined the functional relationship between interpersonal appraisal and subjective feelings about oneself. Participants imagined receiving one of several positive or negative reactions from another person (Experiments 1, 2, and 3) or actually received interpersonal evaluations (Experiment 4), then completed measures relevant to state self-esteem. All 4 studies showed that subjective feelings were a curvilinear, ogival function of others' appraisals. Although trait self-esteem correlated with state reactions as a main effect, it did not moderate participants' reactions to interpersonal feedback.

[Correlation between EGLN1 gene, protein express in lung tissue of rats and pulmonary artery pressure at different altitude].

PubMed

Li, S H; Li, S; Sun, L; Bai, Z Z; Yang, Q Y; Ga, Q; Jin, G E

2016-08-23

To investigate the correlation between pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and the expression level of Egl nine homologue 1 (EGLN1) gene or its protein in lung tissue of rats at different altitudes. Totally 121 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into low altitude group (n=11), moderate altitude group and high altitude group, the rats in moderate altitude and high altitude group were further divided into 1(st) day, 3(rd) days, 7(th) days, 15(th) day and 30(th) day group according to the exposure time to hypoxic environment, each group 11 rats. The low altitude group, the PAP of rats were determined by physiological signal acquisition system, and tissue samples were collected in liquid nitrogen container for storage at an altitude of 498 m area. Moderate altitude group rats were placed in altitude of 2 260 meters of natural environment, 5 high altitude groups rats were placed in the hypobaric hypoxic chamber, simulating altitude of 4 500 meters. The PAP of rats in moderate altitude group and high altitude group were also determined by physiological signal acquisition system, and tissue samples were collected when rats were exposed to hypoxia at 1(st), 3(rd), 7(th), 15(th) and 30(th) day; Western blot was used to determine expression levels of EGLN1 protein, and person correlation analysis was used to analyze whether the protein was related to the formation of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PH) under hypoxia. Real-time quantitive PCR method determined expression levels of EGLN1 mRNA in lung tissues, and the relative expression method was used to analyze PCR data, and finally assess whether the EGLN1 gene was the initial cause of the formation of PH during hypoxia. The mean PAP of rats was (20.0±3.2) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) in low altitude group; in moderate altitude group, mean PAP began to increase slightly when rats were exposed to hypoxia on the 15(th) day and reached at (22.7±4.1) mmHg on hypoxic 30(th) day, but compared with the low altitude group, there was no statistical difference (P> 0.05); the mean PAP of rats in high altitude group began to rise on the 7(th) day (28.7±7.7) mmHg, which was higher than that in low altitude group (P<0.05), and significantly increased to (42.3±9.1) mmHg (P<0.001) on hypoxic 30(th) day; it was significantly proportional with exposure to hypoxic time, and compared to low altitude group and moderate altitude group, there was significant difference (P<0.05). EGLN1 protein expression in the lung tissue of rats had no significant difference between the low altitude group and moderate altitude group, and its expression level in the high altitude group were significantly decreased, furthermore, the expression level decreased with the increase of hypoxia exposure time (P<0.05); PAP and EGLN1 protein expression levels showed a negative correlation (r=-0.662). The transcription level of mRNA EGLN1 in high altitude group was significantly increased under hypobaric hypoxia, it was 72 times more than that of the moderate altitude group, and nearly 300 times than that of the low altitude group, respectively (both P<0.001=. EGLN1 gene expression in lung tissue of rat is affected by hypoxia, the expression level increases with the increase of the altitude; but the protein expression level, in contrast with gene expression level, is decreased with the increase of altitude and is significantly negatively correlated with mean PAP.

Proposal Allocation Ratio as a Moderator of Interpersonal Responsibility Effects on Hostile Decision-Making in the Ultimatum Game

PubMed Central

Gong, Xinyu; Xia, Ling-Xiang; Sun, Yanlin; Guo, Lei; Carpenter, Vanessa C.; Fang, Yuan; Chen, Yunli

2017-01-01

Interpersonal responsibility is an indigenous Chinese personality construct, which is regarded to have positive social functions. Two studies were designed to explore the relationship among interpersonal responsibility, proposal allocation ratio, and responders’ hostile decisions in an ultimatum game. Study 1 was a scenario study using a hypothetical ultimatum game with a valid sample of 551 high school students. Study 2 was an experimental study which recruited 54 undergraduate students to play the incentivized ultimatum game online. The results of the two studies showed a significantly negative correlation between interpersonal responsibility and responders’ rejection responses only when the proposal allocation ratio was 3:7. In addition, in Study 2, interpersonal responsibility had negative effects on responders’ rejection responses under the offer of 3:7, even after controlling for the Big Five personality traits. Taken together, proposal allocation ratio might moderate the effects of interpersonal responsibility on hostile decision-making in the ultimatum game. The social function of interpersonal responsibility might be beyond the Big Five. PMID:29184518

The Mystery of the Mars North Polar Gravity-Topography Correlation(Or Lack Thereof)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, R. J.; Sjogren, W. L.; Johnson, C. L.

1999-01-01

Maps of moderately high resolution gravity data obtained from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) gravity calibration orbit campaign and high precision topography obtained from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) experiment reveal relationships between gravity and topography in high northern latitudes of Mars. Figure 1 shows the results of a JPL spherical harmonic gravity model bandpass filtered between degrees 6 and 50 contoured over a MOLA topographic image. A positive gravity anomaly exists over the main North Polar cap, but there are at least six additional positive gravity anomalies, as well as a number of smaller negative anomalies, with no obvious correlation to topography. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Moral distress and burnout syndrome: are there relationships between these phenomena in nursing workers?

PubMed

Dalmolin, Graziele de Lima; Lunardi, Valéria Lerch; Lunardi, Guilherme Lerch; Barlem, Edison Luiz Devos; Silveira, Rosemary Silva da

2014-01-01

to identify relationships between moral distress and Burnout in the professional performance from the perceptions of the experiences of nursing workers. this is a survey type study with 375 nursing workers working in three different hospitals of southern Rio Grande do Sul, with the application of adaptations of the Moral Distress Scale and the Maslach Burnout Inventory, validated and standardized for use in Brazil. Data validation occurred through factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha. For the data analysis bivariate analysis using Pearson's correlation and multivariate analysis using multiple regression were performed. the existence of a weak correlation between moral distress and Burnout was verified. A possible positive correlation between Burnout and therapeutic obstinacy, and a negative correlation between professional fulfillment and moral distress were identified. the need was identified for further studies that include mediating and moderating variables that may explain more clearly the models studied.

Moral distress and Burnout syndrome: are there relationships between these phenomena in nursing workers?1

PubMed Central

Dalmolin, Graziele de Lima; Lunardi, Valéria Lerch; Lunardi, Guilherme Lerch; Barlem, Edison Luiz Devos; da Silveira, Rosemary Silva

2014-01-01

Objective to identify relationships between moral distress and Burnout in the professional performance from the perceptions of the experiences of nursing workers. Methods this is a survey type study with 375 nursing workers working in three different hospitals of southern Rio Grande do Sul, with the application of adaptations of the Moral Distress Scale and the Maslach Burnout Inventory, validated and standardized for use in Brazil. Data validation occurred through factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha. For the data analysis bivariate analysis using Pearson's correlation and multivariate analysis using multiple regression were performed. Results the existence of a weak correlation between moral distress and Burnout was verified. A possible positive correlation between Burnout and therapeutic obstinacy, and a negative correlation between professional fulfillment and moral distress were identified. Conclusion the need was identified for further studies that include mediating and moderating variables that may explain more clearly the models studied. PMID:24553701

Regional beach/cliff system dynamics along the california coast

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hapke, C.J.; Reid, Don

2007-01-01

The coast of California is comprised of both sandy shorelines and cliffed coastline, and in many areas these features spatially coincide. In order to better understand the regional trends of change along the California coast, the U.S. Geological Survey is quantifying both sandy shoreline change and coastal cliff retreat for the state. The resulting database was used to examine the dynamics of the beach/cliff system. We found inconsistent evidence of a relationship between rates of cliff retreat and shoreline change on the spatial scale of 100-km cells. However, when the data are correlated within individual regions, a strong relationship exists between the geomorphology of the coast and the behavior of the beach/cliff system. Areas of high-relief coast show negative correlations, indicating that higher rates of cliff retreat correlate with lower rates of shoreline erosion. In contrast, low- to moderate-relief coasts show strong positive correlations.

THE ROLE OF TARGET ORGAN DIAGNOSTIC APPROACH IN SEASONAL ALLERGIC RHINITIS: NASAL SMEAR EOSINOPHILS.

PubMed

Nurkic, Jasmina; Ahmad, Mona Al; Arifhodzic, Nermina; Jusufovic, Edin

2016-04-01

Allergic rhinitis (AR) related to local weeds pollen sensitization (Chenopodiaceous family) is the most common cause of respiratory allergy in Kuwait. Local nasal accumulation of different cells typical of allergic inflammation is responsible for clinical symptoms of AR. Although nasal smear for Eosinophils (NSE) is one of the earliest included valuable test in diagnosis of AR, with time is underestimated. Explore possible correlation of natural pollen allergen stimulation with appearance and quantity of Eosinophils in nasal smear. A group of randomly selected patients with clinical history suggestive for seasonal AR (SAR), who came to Al Rashed Allergy Center in period from October 2014 to October 2015, obtain Nasal Smear for Eosinophils as a screening test before further diagnostic evaluation. Nasal samples were collected by passing a sterile swab, from each nasal cavity, along the medial surface of the inferior turbinate 2 to 3 times and the specimen smeared on a clear glass slide. Nasal smears were examined by light microscopy after staining with hematoxylin and eosin stain. Skin prick test is performed in all symptomatic patients with a battery of inhalant allergens that include local pollens. The control group was recruited, with their voluntary consent, from the medical stuff with a negative history of any allergic nasal symptoms. In this group we performed only nasal smear for Eosinophils. Air Biology Laboratory Kuwait provided us with daily pollen count. From total 158 study participants, 132 had SAR symptoms and are divided in four groups. Fifth, control, group is non symptomatic. For 38.6% of symptomatic patients NSE were positive, while 45% of these patients have negative SPT. From 62.1% NSE negative patients, 37.8% have negative SPT. Our results showed expected positive correlation of NSE positive patients with pollen season in Kuwait, in SPT positive group. However, presence of Eosinophils in nasal smear was moderate to high also in patients with negative SPT during the highest peak of season, in contrast to control group. NES showed moderate sensitivity, relatively high specificity and importance as screening test in SPT negative patients. Evaluation of AR demand wide and improved diagnostic approach due to significant number of SPT negative patients with positive NSE based on natural allergen stimulation. Our results emphasize locale allergic response of nasal mucosa and importance of target organ diagnostic approach.

Negative affect as a moderator of the relationship between hookup motives and hookup consequences.

PubMed

Montes, Kevin S; Napper, Lucy E; Froidevaux, Nicole M; Kenney, Shannon; LaBrie, Joseph W

2016-01-01

The current study examined the extent to which negative affect moderates the relationships between distinct hookup motives and hookup consequences. Data were collected from 271 heavy-drinking undergraduate college students. Students from 3 US universities completed online surveys assessing hooking up-related motives, behaviors, and consequences. The results showed that conformity motives to hookup and negative affect predicted hookup consequences. Furthermore, negative affect moderated the relationship between hooking up for relationship reasons and hookup consequences. Specifically, among students with high negative affect, hooking up to secure a long-term relationship was positively associated with hookup consequences whereas among students with low negative affect, securing a long-term relationship was negatively associated with hookup consequences. These findings highlight the role that motives and negative affect play in the prediction of negative hookup consequences. Moreover, the findings from the current study have the potential to inform prevention efforts designed to reduce hookup consequences.

Treatment Satisfaction Among Patients Taking Antidepressant Medication.

PubMed

López-Torres Hidalgo, Jesús; López Gallardo, Yolanda; Párraga Martínez, Ignacio; Del Campo Del Campo, José María; Villena Ferrer, Alejandro; Morena Rayo, Susana

2016-08-01

This study sought to assess treatment satisfaction among patients on antidepressants, ascertaining whether there might be an association with depressive symptomatology and other variables. Cross-sectional study conducted on 564 adult patients taking antidepressant medication. Satisfaction with antidepressant treatment was assessed using the Assessment of Satisfaction with Antidepressant Treatment Questionnaire (ESTA/Evaluación de la Satisfacción con el Tratamiento Antidepresivo). A moderate negative correlation was observed between satisfaction and intensity of depressive symptoms, as assessed with the Montgomery-Asberg scale. A weak negative correlation was observed between greater satisfaction and less favourable views about taking medication. Satisfaction scale scores were higher among those who took antidepressant medication for 1 year or more versus shorter periods. Most patients reported being satisfied with the antidepressant treatment but the level of satisfaction was higher among those who presented with less marked depressive symptoms, received longer-term treatment and viewed drug treatments favourably. Treatment satisfaction is one of the patient-reported outcome measures that can serve to complement clinical evaluation of depressive disorders.

[Correlation between anthropometric parameters and arteriosclerosis biomarker in the middle-aged and the elderly].

PubMed

Liu, Yan; Qi, Li-tong; Ma, Wei; Yang, Ying; Meng, Lei; Zhang, Bao-wei; Huo, Yong

2014-06-18

To investigate the correlation between anthropometric indices and arteriosclerosis detection indicators in the middle-aged and the elderly. A cross-sectional descriptive study was made of 1 626 individuals (diabetics patients 23.37%, hypertensive subjects 39.48% and healthy individuals 37.15%), aged 45 to 90 years [mean age: (61.60 ± 10.22) years)] in Shijingshan District, Beijing. Their measurements: body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist to height ratio (WHtR). Arterial stiffness was assessed according to brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), intima-media thickness (IMT), augmentation index (AI) and ankle-brachial index (ABI), which were measured by noninvasive detectors and equipment. The correlations between the various indicators were analyzed. The percentages of the hypertensive and diabetic groups of central obesity (male WC>85 cm, female WC>80 cm or WHtR>0.5) and of general obesity (BMI>28 kg/m²) were significantly higher than those of the healthy group (P<0.01). The difference between the two disease groups was not significant (P>0.05). There was a moderate positive correlation between the measures of abdominal obesity (WHtR and WC) and the general obesity indicators (BMI) (r=0.710 and 0.716). In the healthy group, WC and WHtR showed positive correlation with baPWV, IMT and ABI, and negative correlation with AI75. BMI showed positive correlation with IMT and negative correlation with AI75, and no correlation with baPWV and ABI. There was negative correlation between BMI and baPWV in the diabetic group. In the hypertension group, we found negative correlation between BMI and baPWV, maximum IMT, AI75, and also between WC and AI75. The simple regression straight line of baPWV versus the anthropometric parameters showed that the regression equations were y=0.949+1.379 x (baPWV vs. WHtR, R² = 0.046, P<0.001) and y=1.133+0.006x (baPWV vs. WC, R² = 0.027, P<0.001), respectively. baPWV and BMI did not have a linear relationship (P=0.62). WHtR and WC are superior to BMI indices in predicting arteriosclerosis. Anthropometric measurements for central obesity are good predictors of cardiovascular risk.

Prevalence of electrolyte disturbances in perinatal asphyxia: a prospective study.

PubMed

Thakur, Jitendra; Bhatta, Nisha Keshary; Singh, Rupa Rajbhandari; Poudel, Prakash; Lamsal, Madhab; Shakya, Anjum

2018-05-21

Birth asphyxia is defined as the presence of hypoxia, hypercapnia, and acidosis leading the newborn to systemic disturbances probably electrolyte disturbance also. Knowledge of these electrolyte disturbances is very valuable as it can be an important parameter affecting perinatal morbidity, mortality and ongoing management. Serum sodium, potassium and ionized calcium of asphyxiated term newborn were sent within one hour of birth as per the inclusion criteria. Statistical comparison of mean values of different electrolytes between different groups of perinatal asphyxia was performed by ANOVA test for parametric data and significant data were further analyzed using post hoc test. Bivariate analysis was done to determine the correlations between Apgar score at 5 min and serum electrolytes. Pearson test was used to calculate the correlation coefficient. Box plot was used to show the median and quartile between serum electrolytes and Apgar score at 5 min. The mean values of sodium for mild, moderate and severe asphyxia were 135.52, 130.7 and 127.15 meq/l respectively. The values of potassium for mild, moderate and severe asphyxia were 4.96, 5.93 and 6.78 meq/l respectively. Similarly, the mean values of ionized calcium for mild, moderate and severe asphyxia were 1.07, 1.12 and 0.99 mmol/l respectively. The values of sodium and potassium among different severity of asphyxia were significantly different (p-value< 0.001). Significant positive correlation was found between serum sodium and Apgar score at 5 min. Significant negative correlation was present between serum potassium and Apgar score at 5 min. The degree of hyponatremia and hyperkalemia was directly proportional to the severity of birth asphyxia. So these electrolyte disturbances should always be kept in mind while managing cases of perinatal asphyxia and should be managed accordingly.

Emotional intelligence, emotional labor, and job satisfaction among physicians in Greece.

PubMed

Psilopanagioti, Aristea; Anagnostopoulos, Fotios; Mourtou, Efstratia; Niakas, Dimitris

2012-12-17

There is increasing evidence that psychological constructs, such as emotional intelligence and emotional labor, play an important role in various organizational outcomes in service sector. Recently, in the "emotionally charged" healthcare field, emotional intelligence and emotional labor have both emerged as research tools, rather than just as theoretical concepts, influencing various organizational parameters including job satisfaction. The present study aimed at investigating the relationships, direct and/or indirect, between emotional intelligence, the surface acting component of emotional labor, and job satisfaction in medical staff working in tertiary healthcare. Data were collected from 130 physicians in Greece, who completed a series of self-report questionnaires including: a) the Wong Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, which assessed the four dimensions of emotional intelligence, i.e. Self-Emotion Appraisal, Others' Emotion Appraisal, Use of Emotion, and Regulation of Emotion, b) the General Index of Job Satisfaction, and c) the Dutch Questionnaire on Emotional Labor (surface acting component). Emotional intelligence (Use of Emotion dimension) was significantly and positively correlated with job satisfaction (r=.42, p<.001), whereas a significant negative correlation between surface acting and job satisfaction was observed (r=-.39, p<.001). Furthermore, Self-Emotion Appraisal was negatively correlated with surface acting (r=-.20, p<.01). Self-Emotion Appraisal was found to influence job satisfaction both directly and indirectly through surface acting, while this indirect effect was moderated by gender. Apart from its mediating role, surface acting was also a moderator of the emotional intelligence-job satisfaction relationship. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that surface acting could predict job satisfaction over and above emotional intelligence dimensions. The results of the present study may contribute to the better understanding of emotion-related parameters that affect the work process with a view to increasing the quality of service in the health sector.

The physical postures of yoga practices may protect against depressive symptoms, even as life stressors increase: a moderation analysis.

PubMed

Franklin, Rebecca A; Butler, Michael P; Bentley, Jacob A

2018-08-01

Yoga contains sub-components related to its physical postures (asana), breathing methods (pranayama), and meditation (dhyana). To test the hypothesis that specific yoga practices are associated with reduced psychological distress, 186 adults completed questionnaires assessing life stressors, symptom severity, and experience with each of these aspects of yoga. Each yoga sub-component was found to be negatively correlated with psychological distress indices. However, differing patterns of relationship to psychological distress symptoms were found for each yoga sub-component. Experience with asana was negatively correlated with global psychological distress (r = -.21, p < .01), and symptoms of anxiety (r = -.18, p = .01) and depression (r = -.17, p = .02). These relationships remained statistically significant after accounting for variance attributable to Social Readjustment Rating Scale scores (GSI: r = -.19, p = .01; BSI Anxiety: r = -.16, p = .04; BSI Depression: r = -.14, p = .05). By contrast, the correlations between other yoga sub-components and symptom subscales became non-significant after accounting for exposure to life stressors. Moreover, stressful life events moderated the predictive relationship between amount of asana experience and depressive symptoms. Asana was not related to depressive symptoms at low levels of life stressors, but became associated at mean (t[182] = -2.73, p < .01) and high levels (t[182] = -3.56, p < .001). Findings suggest asana may possess depressive symptom reduction benefits, particularly as life stressors increase. Additional research is needed to differentiate whether asana has an effect on psychological distress, and to better understand potential psychophysiological mechanisms of action.

Moderating effects of coping on work stress and job performance for nurses in tertiary hospitals: a cross-sectional survey in China.

PubMed

Li, Li; Ai, Hua; Gao, Lei; Zhou, Hao; Liu, Xinyan; Zhang, Zhong; Sun, Tao; Fan, Lihua

2017-06-12

Work stress is a major problem for nurses and it can negatively influence job performance. Therefore, it is critical to explore variables that can reduce or buffer the negative effects of work stress. This study explores the moderating effects of coping strategies on the relationship between work stress and job performance for nurses in China. A cross-sectional survey of 852 nurses from four tertiary hospitals in Heilongjiang Province, China, was conducted in 2013. Descriptive statistics were reported for socioeconomic status and demographic characteristics, level of work stress, coping strategies, and job performance. Regression analysis was conducted to test the interaction between work stress and coping strategies on job performance. Three subscales of work stress were negatively related to job performance. Positive coping strategies moderated Patient Care and job performance while negative coping strategies moderated Workload and Time and performance, and between Working Environment and Resources and performance. Positive coping strategies reduce or buffer the negative effects of work stress on job performance and negative coping strategies increased the negative effects.

Genetic variability in calving success in Aberdeen Angus cows under extensive recording.

PubMed

Urioste, J I; Chang, Y M; Naya, H; Gianola, D

2007-09-01

Data from 2032 Uruguayan Aberdeen Angus cows under extensive management and recording practices were analysed with Bayesian threshold-liability sire models, to assess genetic variability in calving success (CS), defined as a different binary trait for each of the second (CS2), third (CS3) and fourth (CS4) calving opportunities. Sire (herd) variances ranged from 0.08 to 0.11 (0.10 to 0.20) and heritability from 0.27 to 0.35, with large credibility intervals. Correlations between herd effects on CS at different calving opportunities were positive. Genetic correlation between CS2 and CS4 was positive (0.68), whereas those involving adjacent calving opportunities (CS2-CS3 and CS3-CS4) were negative, at -0.39 and -0.54, respectively. The residual correlation CS2-CS3 was negative (-0.32). The extent of uncertainty associated with the posterior estimates of the parameters was further evaluated through simulation, assuming different true values (-0.4, -0.2, +0.2 and +0.4) for the genetic correlations and changes in the degree of belief parameters of the inverse Wishart priors for the sire covariance matrix. Although inferences were not sharp enough, CS appears to be moderately heritable. The quality of data recording should be improved, in order to effect genetic improvement in female fertility.

Preferential reduction of bone mineral density at the femur reflects impairment of physical activity in patients with low-activity rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Sugiguchi, Shigeru; Goto, Hitoshi; Inaba, Masaaki; Nishizawa, Yoshiki

2010-02-01

Bone mineral density (BMD) and factors influencing BMD in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) under good or moderate control were examined to assess management of osteoporosis in RA. BMD of the lumbar spine, femur, and distal radius was measured in 105 female patients with well-controlled RA. Laboratory and clinical variables associated with disease activity were measured in the same subjects, and correlations between these variables and BMD were evaluated. The RA patients showed a greater decrease in BMD of the femoral neck than of the lumbar spine. Age, Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score, and Larsen damage score had negative correlations with BMD of the femoral neck. In multiple regression analysis of the parameters associated with BMD of the femoral neck in simple regression analysis, an increase in HAQ score showed a negative correlation with BMD of the femoral neck. After initiation of treatment with alendronate (ALN), BMD of the femoral neck increased and correlated with improvement in HAQ score. A decrease in BMD of the femoral neck is a characteristic of RA. This suggests that muscle tonus has more effect than weight-bearing activity on BMD in patients with RA. BMD of the femoral neck is a useful index for general evaluation of RA patients.

County-scale spatial distribution of soil enzyme activities and enzyme activity indices in agricultural land: implications for soil quality assessment.

PubMed

Tan, Xiangping; Xie, Baoni; Wang, Junxing; He, Wenxiang; Wang, Xudong; Wei, Gehong

2014-01-01

Here the spatial distribution of soil enzymatic properties in agricultural land was evaluated on a county-wide (567 km(2)) scale in Changwu, Shaanxi Province, China. The spatial variations in activities of five hydrolytic enzymes were examined using geostatistical methods. The relationships between soil enzyme activities and other soil properties were evaluated using both an integrated total enzyme activity index (TEI) and the geometric mean of enzyme activities (GME). At the county scale, soil invertase, phosphatase, and catalase activities were moderately spatially correlated, whereas urease and dehydrogenase activities were weakly spatially correlated. Correlation analysis showed that both TEI and GME were better correlated with selected soil physicochemical properties than single enzyme activities. Multivariate regression analysis showed that soil OM content had the strongest positive effect while soil pH had a negative effect on the two enzyme activity indices. In addition, total phosphorous content had a positive effect on TEI and GME in orchard soils, whereas alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen and available potassium contents, respectively, had negative and positive effects on these two enzyme indices in cropland soils. The results indicate that land use changes strongly affect soil enzyme activities in agricultural land, where TEI provides a sensitive biological indicator for soil quality.

Community violence exposure correlates with smaller gray matter volume and lower IQ in urban adolescents.

PubMed

Butler, Oisin; Yang, Xiao-Fei; Laube, Corinna; Kühn, Simone; Immordino-Yang, Mary Helen

2018-05-01

Adolescents' exposure to community violence is a significant public health issue in urban settings and has been associated with poorer cognitive performance and increased risk for psychiatric illnesses, including PTSD. However, no study to date has investigated the neural correlates of community violence exposure in adolescents. Sixty-five healthy adolescents (age = 14-18 years; 36 females, 29 males) from moderate- to high-crime neighborhoods in Los Angeles reported their violence exposure, parents' education level, and free/reduced school lunch status (socio-economic status, SES), and underwent structural neuroimaging and intelligence testing. Violence exposure negatively correlated with measures of SES, IQ, and gray matter volume. Above and beyond the effect of SES, violence exposure negatively correlated with IQ and with gray matter volume in the left inferior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex, regions involved in high-level cognitive functions and autonomic modulation, and previously shown to be reduced in PTSD and combat-exposed military populations. The current results provide first evidence that frontal brain regions involved in cognition and affect appear to be selectively affected by exposure to community violence, even in healthy nondelinquent adolescents who are not the direct victims or perpetrators of violence. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Correlation between morphological characteristics in spectral-domain-optical coherence tomography, different functional tests and a patient's subjective handicap in acute central serous chorioretinopathy.

PubMed

Gerendas, Bianca S; Kroisamer, Julia-Sophie; Buehl, Wolf; Rezar-Dreindl, Sandra M; Eibenberger, Katharina M; Pablik, Eleonore; Schmidt-Erfurth, Ursula; Sacu, Stefan

2018-01-16

The purpose of this study was to identify quantitatively measurable morphologic optical coherence tomography (OCT) characteristics in patients with an acute episode of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and evaluate their correlation to functional and psychological variables for their use in daily clinical practice. Retinal thickness (RT), the height, area and volume of subretinal fluid (SRF)/pigment epithelium detachments were evaluated using the standardized procedures of the Vienna Reading Center. These morphologic characteristics were compared with functional variables [best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), contrast sensitivity (CS), retinal sensitivity/microperimetry, fixation stability], and patients' subjective handicap from CSC using the National Eye Institute 25-item Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25). Data from 39 CSC patients were included in this analysis. Three different SRF height measures showed a high negative correlation (r = -0.7) to retinal sensitivity within the central 9°, which was also negatively correlated with SRF area and volume (r = -0.6). The CS score and fixation stability (fixation points within 2°) showed a moderate negative correlation (r = -0.4) with SRF height variables. Comparison of the subjective handicap with morphological characteristics in spectral-domain (SD)-OCT showed SRF height had the highest correlation (r = -0.4) with the subjective problems reported and overall NEI VFQ-25 score. In conclusion, SRF height measured in SD-OCT showed the best correlation with functional variables and patients' subjective handicap caused by the disease and therefore seems to be the best variable to look at in daily clinical routine. Even though area and volume also show a correlation, these cannot be so easily measured as height and are therefore not suggested for daily clinical routine. © 2018 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Examination of Predictors and Moderators for Self-help Treatments of Binge Eating Disorder

PubMed Central

Masheb, Robin M.; Grilo, Carlos M.

2008-01-01

Predictors and moderators of outcomes were examined in 75 overweight patients with binge eating disorder (BED) who participated in a randomized clinical trial of guided self-help treatments. Age variables, psychiatric and personality disorder comorbidity and clinical characteristics were tested as predictors and moderators of treatment outcomes. Current age and age of BED onset did not predict outcomes. Key dimensional outcomes (binge frequency, eating psychopathology, and negative affect) were predominately predicted, but not moderated, by their respective pretreatment levels. Presence of personality disorders, particularly Cluster C, predicted both post-treatment negative affect and eating disorder psychopathology. Negative affect, but not major depressive disorder, predicted attrition, and post-treatment negative affect and eating disorder psychopathology. Despite the prognostic significance of these findings for dimensional outcomes, none of the variables tested were predictive of binge remission (i.e., a categorical outcome). No moderator effects were found. The present study found poorer prognosis for patients with negative affect and personality disorders suggesting that treatment outcomes may be enhanced by attending to the cognitive and personality styles of these patients. PMID:18837607

Associations between social understanding, sibling relationship quality, and siblings' conflict strategies and outcomes.

PubMed

Recchia, Holly E; Howe, Nina

2009-01-01

Sibling relationship quality and social understanding (second-order false belief, conflict interpretation, and narrative conflict perspective references) were examined as unique and interactive correlates of sibling conflict behavior in 62 dyads (older M age = 8.39 years and younger M age = 6.06 years). High-quality relationships were associated with positive conflict processes. Younger siblings' second-order false belief scores were negatively associated with constructive conflict strategies, and older siblings' narrative self-referential focus was negatively associated with compromise. Associations between younger children's social understanding (conflict interpretation and narrative perspective references) and siblings' dyadic conflict behavior were moderated by relationship quality. Results suggest that links between social understanding and conflict behavior should be considered in conjunction with the quality of children's relationships.

Young children's video/computer game use: relations with school performance and behavior.

PubMed

Hastings, Erin C; Karas, Tamara L; Winsler, Adam; Way, Erin; Madigan, Amy; Tyler, Shannon

2009-10-01

This study examined the amount and content of children's video game playing in relation with behavioral and academic outcomes. Relationships among playing context, child gender, and parental monitoring were explored. Data were obtained through parent report of child's game play, behavior, and school performance. Results revealed that time spent playing games was related positively to aggression and negatively to school competence. Violent content was correlated positively and educational content negatively with attention problems. Educational games were related to good academic achievement. Results suggest violent games, and a large amount of game play, are related to troublesome behavioral and academic outcomes, but educational games may be related to positive outcomes. Neither gender nor parental monitoring emerged as significant moderators of these effects.

[Relationships between work-family and family-work conflicts and health of nurses--buffering effects of social support].

PubMed

Baka, Łukasz

2013-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships between work-family conflict (WFC), family-work conflict (FWC) and health, as well as the moderating effect of social support. The study was based on the Job Demands-Resources model. There were 567 nurses from 21 Polish hospitals participating in the study. To verify the hypothesis four scales, which measured WFC, FWC, social support, physical complaints and job burnout, were used. The results partially support the hypothesis. As predicted, high WFC and FWC were correlated with low physical (H1) and mental health (H2). Social support moderated negative effects of WFC (but not FWC) on mental health (H3). The effects of WFC and FWC on physical health were not moderated by social support (H4). The results also partially support the notion of the Job Demands-Resources model and provide further insight into processes leading to the high well-being of nurses in the workplace.

The Individual and Group Loyalty Scales (IGLS): construction and preliminary validation.

PubMed

Beer, Andrew; Watson, David

2009-05-01

Trait loyalty has received virtually no attention from researchers; consequently, the basic goal of this research was to create a measure of interpersonal loyalty. Principal factor analyses of an initial pool of items revealed 2 factors: Individual Loyalty (e.g., "I stand by my friends, even when they make mistakes") and Group Loyalty (e.g., "I am loyal to my country"). Analyses of a revised item pool identified the same 2 factors in a second sample. Scales based on these factors were internally consistent and only moderately related to one another. Additional analyses indicated that both scales (a) were stable over time; (b) showed moderate to strong self-peer agreement; (c) positively correlated with conscientiousness, agreeableness, altruism, and positive emotionality; and (d) negatively related to an avoidant attachment style. However, these associations all were moderate in magnitude (in fact, none was as high as |.40|), indicating that the Individual and Group Loyalty Scales tap unique variance that is not captured by existing instruments.

Perceived loneliness and general cognitive status in community-dwelling older adults: the moderating influence of depression.

PubMed

Lam, Charlene L M; Yu, Junhong; Lee, Tatia M C

2017-09-01

The relationship between depression, loneliness, and cognitive functioning among the elderly is not well understood in the literature. In the present study, we tested the moderating influence of depressive symptoms on loneliness and cognitive functioning. We recruited 100 community-dwelling older adults in Hong Kong. Demographic information, perceived loneliness, depressed mood, and general cognitive status were assessed. Results indicated that married participants reported lower levels of perceived loneliness (t (96) = 2.26, p = .03). We found a significant moderating effect of depressive symptoms on the relationship between perceived loneliness and general cognitive status (B = -.05, p = .002). Perceived loneliness correlated negatively with general cognitive status only in participants with higher levels of depressed mood (B = -.16, p = .01). Together, these findings suggest that perceived loneliness combined with depressed mood is related to poorer general cognitive status in older adults. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Water vapor variation and the effect of aerosols in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gui, Ke; Che, Huizheng; Chen, Quanliang; Zeng, Zhaoliang; Zheng, Yu; Long, Qichao; Sun, Tianze; Liu, Xinyu; Wang, Yaqiang; Liao, Tingting; Yu, Jie; Wang, Hong; Zhang, Xiaoye

2017-09-01

This study analyzes the annual and seasonal trends in precipitable water vapor (PWV) and surface temperature (Ts) over China from 1979 to 2015, and the relationships between PWV and Ts and between PWV and aerosol absorption optical depth (AAOD), using data from radiosonde stations, weather stations and multiple satellite observations. The results revealed a positive PWV trend between 1979 and 1999, and a negative PWV trend between 2000 and 2015. Analysis of the differences in the PWV trend among different stations types showed that the magnitude of the trends were in the order main urban stations > provincial capital stations > suburb stations, suggesting that anthropogenic activities have a strong influence on the PWV trend. The AAOD exhibited a significant positive trend in most regions of China from 2005 to 2015 (confidence level 95%). Using spatial correlation analysis, we showed that PWV trend derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite observations is correlated with Ts, with an annual correlation coefficient of 0.596. In addition, the spatial correlation between PWV and AAOD showed a negative relationship, with the highest correlation coefficients of -0.76 and -0.71 observed in mid-eastern China and central northwest China, respectively, suggesting that the increase in AAOD in recent years may be one of the reasons for the decrease in PWV since the 2000s in China.

Comparative analysis of phylogenetic relationships, morphologies, and pathogenicities among Curvularia lunata isolates from maize in China.

PubMed

Liu, T; Zhao, F Z; Wang, Y Y; Hou, J M; Liu, L Z; Shen, Y Q; Liu, Z; Zhang, H T; Zuo, Y H

2015-10-16

To understand the effects of disease-resistant maize varieties and new cropping systems on the population of Curvularia lunata, 52 isolates of C. lunata were collected in China from 2011 to 2013. The isolates were analyzed in terms of phylogenetic relationships, morphology, and pathogenicity. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the 52 isolates clustered into 2 distinct clusters with further subdivisions, suggesting the emergence of new genetic divergence within C. lunata. Results of morphology and pathogenicity analyses demonstrated that there were significant differences among these isolates: 27 isolates were classified as fast growing, 5 as slow growing, and 20 as moderate growing. Three isolates had white-colored colonies, 13 had yellowish green-colored colonies, and the remaining isolates had dark green-colored colonies. Furthermore, conidiation rates were assessed: 30 isolates were characterized as having low conidiation rates, 15 as having medium conidiation rates, and the remaining 7 isolates as having high conidiation rates. Eleven of the isolates appeared to be strongly pathogenic against maize, 15 isolates proved to be weakly pathogenic against maize, and the remaining isolates were regarded to be moderately pathogenic. Interestingly, correlation analysis demonstrated a negative correlation between the growth rate and the pathogenicity of the isolates, while a positive correlation was observed between the conidiation rate and the pathogenicity. No correlation was observed between the colony color and the pathogenicity of the isolates.

Does selection in a challenging environment produce Nile tilapia genotypes that can thrive in a range of production systems?

PubMed Central

Thoa, Ngo Phu; Ninh, Nguyen Huu; Knibb, Wayne; Nguyen, Nguyen Hong

2016-01-01

This study assessed whether selection for high growth in a challenging environment of medium salinity produces tilapia genotypes that perform well across different production environments. We estimated the genetic correlations between trait expressions in saline and freshwater using a strain of Nile tilapia selected for fast growth under salinity water of 15–20 ppt. We also estimated the heritability and genetic correlations for new traits of commercial importance (sexual maturity, feed conversion ratio, deformity and gill condition) in a full pedigree comprising 36,145 fish. The genetic correlations for the novel characters between the two environments were 0.78–0.99, suggesting that the effect of genotype by environment interaction was not biologically important. Across the environments, the heritability for body weight was moderate to high (0.32–0.62), indicating that this population will continue responding to future selection. The estimates of heritability for sexual maturity and survival were low but significant. The additive genetic components also exist for FCR, gill condition and deformity. Genetic correlations of harvest body weight with sexual maturity were positive and those between harvest body weight with FCR were negative. Our results indicate that the genetic line selected under a moderate saline water environment can be cultured successfully in freshwater systems. PMID:26892814

Positive and Negative Religious/Spiritual Coping and Combat Exposure as Predictors of Posttraumatic Stress and Perceived Growth in Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans

PubMed Central

Park, Crystal L.; Smith, Philip H.; Lee, Sharon Y.; Mazure, Carolyn M.; McKee, Sherry A.; Hoff, Rani

2016-01-01

We examined religious/spiritual (RS) coping from the Survey of Experiences of Returning Veterans (SERV) Study, 630 participants who reported on their demographics, combat exposure, use of positive and negative RS coping, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and perceived posttraumatic growth (PPTG). PTSD symptoms and PPTG were inversely correlated. As hypothesized, negative RS coping was inversely associated with PPTG and positively with PTSD, while positive RS coping was related only to PPTG. Although we expected that RS coping would buffer relations between combat exposure and both PTSD and PPTG, we found only one moderator effect and it was opposite our hypothesized direction: Those with high combat exposure and high positive RS coping had the highest PTSD symptomatology. These results suggest, among veterans with combat exposure, negative RS coping is associated with higher PTSD symptomatology, while positive RS coping is generally associated with higher PPTG as well as higher PTSD for those with high combat exposure. PMID:28217246

Life-Space Assessment questionnaire: Novel measurement properties for Brazilian community-dwelling older adults.

PubMed

Simões, Maria do Socorro Mp; Garcia, Isabel Ff; Costa, Lucíola da Cm; Lunardi, Adriana C

2018-05-01

The Life-Space Assessment (LSA) assesses mobility from the spaces that older adults go, and how often and how independent they move. Despite its increased use, LSA measurement properties remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to analyze the content validity, reliability, construct validity and interpretability of the LSA for Brazilian community-dwelling older adults. In this clinimetric study we analyzed the measurement properties (content validity, reliability, construct validity and interpretability) of the LSA administered to 80 Brazilian community-dwelling older adults. Reliability was analyzed by Cronbach's alpha (internal consistency), intraclass correlation coefficients and 95% confidence interval (reproducibility), and standard error of measurement (measurement error). Construct validity was analyzed by Pearson's correlations between the LSA and accelerometry (time in inactivity and moderate-to-vigorous activities), and interpretability was analyzed by determination of the minimal detectable change, and floor and ceiling effects. The LSA met the criteria for content validity. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.92, intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.97 (95% confidence interval 0.95-0.98) and standard error of measurement was 4.12. The LSA showed convergence with accelerometry (negative correlation with time in inactivity and positive correlation with time in moderate to vigorous activities), the minimal detectable change was 0.36 and we observed no floor or ceiling effects. The LSA showed adequate reliability, validity and interpretability for life-space mobility assessment of Brazilian community-dwelling older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 783-789. © 2018 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Low extraversion and high neuroticism as indices of genetic and environmental risk for social phobia, agoraphobia, and animal phobia.

PubMed

Bienvenu, O Joseph; Hettema, John M; Neale, Michael C; Prescott, Carol A; Kendler, Kenneth S

2007-11-01

The authors examined the extent to which two major personality dimensions (extraversion and neuroticism) index the genetic and environmental risk for three phobias (social phobia, agoraphobia, and animal phobia) in twins ascertained from a large, population-based registry. Lifetime phobias and personality traits were assessed through diagnostic interview and self-report questionnaire, respectively, in 7,800 twins from female-female, male-male, and opposite-sex pairs. Sex-limited trivariate Cholesky structural equation models were used to decompose the correlations among extraversion, neuroticism, and each phobia. In the best-fitting models, genetic correlations were moderate and negative between extraversion and both social phobia and agoraphobia, and that between extraversion and animal phobia was effectively zero. Genetic correlations were high and positive between neuroticism and both social phobia and agoraphobia, and that between neuroticism and animal phobia was moderate. All of the genetic risk factors for social phobia and agoraphobia were shared with those that influence extraversion and neuroticism; in contrast, only a small proportion of the genetic risk factors for animal phobia (16%) was shared with those that influence personality. Shared environmental experiences were not a source of correlations between personality traits and phobias, and unique environmental correlations were relatively modest. Genetic factors that influence individual variation in extraversion and neuroticism appear to account entirely for the genetic liability to social phobia and agoraphobia, but not animal phobia. These findings underline the importance of both introversion (low extraversion) and neuroticism in some psychiatric disorders.

Quantitative Evaluation of Head and Neck Cancer Treatment-Related Dysphagia in the Development of a Personalized Treatment Deintensification Paradigm.

PubMed

Quon, Harry; Hui, Xuan; Cheng, Zhi; Robertson, Scott; Peng, Luke; Bowers, Michael; Moore, Joseph; Choflet, Amanda; Thompson, Alex; Muse, Mariah; Kiess, Ana; Page, Brandi; Fakhry, Carole; Gourin, Christine; O'Hare, Jolyne; Graham, Peter; Szczesniak, Michal; Maclean, Julia; Cook, Ian; McNutt, Todd

2017-12-01

To test the hypothesis that quantifying swallow function with multiple patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments is an important strategy to yield insights in the development of personalized deintensified therapies seeking to reduce the risk of head and neck cancer (HNC) treatment-related dysphagia (HNCTD). Irradiated HNC subjects seen in follow-up care (April 2015 to December 2015) who prospectively completed the Sydney Swallow Questionnaire (SSQ) and the MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) concurrently on the web interface to our Oncospace database were evaluated. A correlation matrix quantified the relationship between the SSQ and MDADI. Machine-learning unsupervised cluster analysis using the elbow criterion and CLUSPLOT analysis to establish its validity was performed. We identified 89 subjects. The MDADI and SSQ scores were moderately but significantly correlated (correlation coefficient -0.69). K-means cluster analysis demonstrated that 3 unique statistical cohorts (elbow criterion) could be identified with CLUSPLOT analysis, confirming that 100% of variances were accounted for. Correlation coefficients between the individual items in the SSQ and the MDADI demonstrated weak to moderate negative correlation, except for SSQ17 (quality of life question). Pilot analysis demonstrates that the MDADI and SSQ are complementary. Three unique clusters of patients can be defined, suggesting that a unique dysphagia signature for HNCTD may be definable. Longitudinal studies relying on only a single PRO, such as MDADI, may be inadequate for classifying HNCTD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[The effects of charity advertising on donations and donors' explicit and implicit evaluations of recipients].

PubMed

Kawamura, Yuta; Kusumi, Takashi

2015-04-01

Advertisements for charity generally employ one of two advertising strategies. The first appeals to the efficacy of support, while the second appeals to the necessity of support. Two experiments investigated the effect of each type of charity advertising on donations and on donors' explicit and implicit evaluations of the recipients. The results indicated that although participants' explicit evaluations of charity recipients were not changed by efficacy-based advertising, they were negatively influenced by necessity-based advertising. Furthermore, Experiment 1 detected moderating effects of empathic concern. The explicit evaluations of participants in the necessity-based advertising group were negatively correlated with their empathic concern. Implicit evaluations were consistently negative in both groups. Both advertising strategies were more effective at securing donations than the control group, which did not use any strategies. These findings suggest practical implications for charity advertising.

Parental Socialization of Emotion

PubMed Central

Cumberland, Amanda; Spinrad, Tracy L.

2006-01-01

Recently, there has been a resurgence of research on emotion, including the socialization of emotion. In this article, a heuristic model of factors contributing to the socialization of emotion is presented. Then literature relevant to the socialization of children’s emotion and emotion-related behavior by parents is reviewed, including (a) parental reactions to children’s emotions, (b) socializers’ discussion of emotion, and (c) socializers’ expression of emotion. The relevant literature is not conclusive and most of the research is correlational. However, the existing body of data provides initial support for the view that parental socialization practices have effects on children’s emotional and social competence and that the socialization process is bidirectional. In particular, parental negative emotionality and negative reactions to children’s expression of emotion are associated with children’s negative emotionality and low social competence. In addition, possible moderators of effects such as level of emotional arousal are discussed. PMID:16865170

Valence-specific conflict moderation in the dorso-medial PFC and the caudate head in emotional speech.

PubMed

Kotz, Sonja A; Dengler, Reinhard; Wittfoth, Matthias

2015-02-01

Emotional speech comprises of complex multimodal verbal and non-verbal information that allows deducting others' emotional states or thoughts in social interactions. While the neural correlates of verbal and non-verbal aspects and their interaction in emotional speech have been identified, there is very little evidence on how we perceive and resolve incongruity in emotional speech, and whether such incongruity extends to current concepts of task-specific prediction errors as a consequence of unexpected action outcomes ('negative surprise'). Here, we explored this possibility while participants listened to congruent and incongruent angry, happy or neutral utterances and categorized the expressed emotions by their verbal (semantic) content. Results reveal valence-specific incongruity effects: negative verbal content expressed in a happy tone of voice increased activation in the dorso-medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) extending its role from conflict moderation to appraisal of valence-specific conflict in emotional speech. Conversely, the caudate head bilaterally responded selectively to positive verbal content expressed in an angry tone of voice broadening previous accounts of the caudate head in linguistic control to moderating valence-specific control in emotional speech. Together, these results suggest that control structures of the human brain (dmPFC and subcompartments of the basal ganglia) impact emotional speech differentially when conflict arises. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The relationship between nurses’ clinical competence and burnout in neonatal intensive care units

PubMed Central

Soroush, Fatemehzahra; Zargham-Boroujeni, Ali; Namnabati, Mahboobeh

2016-01-01

Background: Nurses’ clinical competency plays an important role in the care of preterm infants. On the other hand, burnout is one of the most important factors in reducing the nurses’ efficiency. With regard to the importance of the role of nurses, and the vulnerability of the infants, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between nurses’ burnout and clinical competency in NICUs. Materials and Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with the participation of 86 nurses working in the NICUs of hospitals in Isfahan, Iran. Census sampling method was used in the NICUs of educational hospitals in 2014. Data were collected by a questionnaire including demographic characteristics, Patricia clinical competency, and Maslach burnout scales. Data were analyzed by the statistical tests of independent t-test and Pearson correlations test with the significance level of α < 0.05. Results: Six dimensions of clinical competency and three dimensions of nurses’ burnout were assessed at three levels (weak, moderate, and strong levels). Statistical tests showed that clinical competency was at a moderate level in all fields. Of the dimensions of nurses’ burnout, emotional exhaustion was moderate, depersonalization was weak, and personal performance was strong. The results showed that nurses’ burnout and clinical competency in the NICUs were at a moderate level and had a significant negative relationship (r = −0.322, P = 0.003). Conclusions: Results showed that burnout had a negative relationship with competency. Therefore, managers are suggested to improve nurses’ competency and diminish their job burnout through better and more applicable planning. PMID:27563328

EMMPRIN co-expressed with matrix metalloproteinases predicts poor prognosis in patients with osteosarcoma.

PubMed

Futamura, Naohisa; Nishida, Yoshihiro; Urakawa, Hiroshi; Kozawa, Eiji; Ikuta, Kunihiro; Hamada, Shunsuke; Ishiguro, Naoki

2014-06-01

Several studies have focused on the relationships between the expression of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) and the prognosis of patients with malignant tumors. However, few of these have investigated the expression of EMMPRIN in osteosarcoma. We examined expression levels of EMMPRIN immunohistochemically in 53 cases of high-grade osteosarcoma of the extremities and analyzed the correlation of its expression with patient prognosis. The correlation between matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and EMMPRIN expression and the prognostic value of co-expression were also analyzed. Staining positivity for EMMPRIN was negative in 7 cases, low in 17, moderate in 19, and strong in 10. The overall and disease-free survivals (OS and DFS) in patients with higher EMMPRIN expression (strong-moderate) were significantly lower than those in the lower (weak-negative) group (0.037 and 0.024, respectively). In multivariate analysis, age (P=0.004), location (P=0.046), and EMMPRIN expression (P=0.038) were significant prognostic factors for overall survival. EMMPRIN expression (P=0.024) was also a significant prognostic factor for disease-free survival. Co-expression analyses of EMMPRIN and MMPs revealed that strong co-expression of EMMPRIN and membrane-type 1 (MT1)-MMP had a poor prognostic value (P=0.056 for DFS, P=0.006 for OS). EMMPRIN expression and co-expression with MMPs well predict the prognosis of patients with extremity osteosarcoma, making EMMPRIN a possible therapeutic target in these patients.

Exercise and obesity in fibromyalgia: beneficial roles of IGF-1 and resistin?

PubMed

Bjersing, Jan L; Erlandsson, Malin; Bokarewa, Maria I; Mannerkorpi, Kaisa

2013-02-27

Severe fatigue is a major health problem in fibromyalgia (FM). Obesity is common in FM, but the influence of adipokines and growth factors is not clear. The aim was to examine effects of exercise on fatigue, in lean, overweight and obese FM patients. In a longitudinal study, 48 FM patients (median 52 years) exercised for 15 weeks. Nine patients were lean (body mass index, BMI 18.5 to 24.9), 26 overweight (BMI 25 to 29.9) and 13 obese. Fatigue was rated on a 0 to 100 mm scale (fibromyalgia impact questionnaire [FIQ] fatigue) and multidimensional fatigue inventory (MFI-20) general fatigue (MFIGF). Higher levels in FIQ fatigue and MFIGF indicate greater degree of fatigue. Free and total IGF-1, neuropeptides, adipokines were determined in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Baseline FIQ fatigue correlated negatively with serum leptin (r=-0.345; P=0.016) and nerve growth factor (NGF; r=-0.412; P=0.037). In lean patients, baseline MFIGF associated negatively with serum resistin (r=-0.694; P=0.038). FIQ Fatigue associated negatively with CSF resistin (r=-0.365; P=0.073). Similarly, FIQ fatigue (r=-0.444; P=0.026) and MFIGF correlated negatively with CSF adiponectin (r=-0.508; P=0.01). In lean patients, FIQ fatigue (P=0.046) decreased after 15 weeks. After 30 weeks, MFIGF decreased significantly in lean (MFIGF: P=0.017), overweight (MFIGF: P=0.001), and obese patients (MFIGF: P=0.016). After 15 weeks, total IGF-1 increased in lean (P=0.043) patients. ∆Total IGF-1 differed significantly between lean and obese patients (P=0.010). ∆Total IGF-1 related negatively with ∆MFIGF after 15 weeks (r=-0.329; P=0.050). After 30 weeks, ∆FIQ fatigue negatively correlated with ∆NGF (r=-0.463; P=0.034) and positively with ∆neuropeptide Y (NPY) (r=0.469; P=0.032). Resistin increased after 30 weeks (P=0.034). ∆MFIGF correlated negatively with ∆resistin (r=-0.346; P=0.031), being strongest in obese patients (r=-0.815; P=0.007). In obese patients, ∆FIQ fatigue after 30 weeks correlated negatively with ∆free IGF-1 (r=-0.711; P=0.032). Exercise reduced fatigue in all FM patients, this effect was achieved earlier in lean patients. Baseline levels of resistin in both serum and CSF associated negatively with fatigue. Resistin was increased after the exercise period which correlated with decreased fatigue. Changes in IGF-1 indicate similar long-term effects in obese patients. This study shows reduced fatigue after moderate exercise in FM and indicates the involvement of IGF-1 and resistin in these beneficial effects. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00643006.

Assessment of atrial electromechanical delay and influential factors in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

PubMed

Yagmur, Julide; Yetkin, Ozkan; Cansel, Mehmet; Acikgoz, Nusret; Ermis, Necip; Karakus, Yasin; Tasolar, Hakan

2012-03-01

The interaction between moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and cardiac arrhythmias, especially atrial fibrillation (AF), is well known. We aimed to determine whether atrial electromechanical parameters assessed by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) would be affected in moderate-to-severe OSA, and detect the influential factors of atrial electromechanical parameters in these patients. Interatrial and intra-atrial electromechanical delay was measured by TDI in patients with moderate-to-severe OSA (n = 64) and control subjects (n = 39). P-wave dispersion (PWD) was calculated on the 12-lead ECG. Interatrial and intra-atrial electromechanical delay was significantly higher in the OSA group when compared with the controls (52.26 ± 12.9 vs 29.61 ± 11.26, P < 0.0001 and 18.90 ± 8.13 vs 8.71 ± 5.46, P < 0.0001; respectively). PWD was higher in the OSA group (46.09 ± 13.40 ms vs 34.10 ± 10.75 ms, P < 0.0001). Interatrial electromechanical delay had a positive correlation with PWD (r = 0.490, P < 0.0001), left atrial (LA) diameter (r = 0.383, P = 0.002), LA volume index (r = 0.354, P = 0.004), and apnea-hypopnea index (r = 0.365, P = 0.003). In addition, interatrial electromechanical delay was negatively correlated with the magnitude of the lowest oxygen saturation percentage (r = -0.498, P < 0.0001). This study showed that interatrial and intra-atrial electromechanical delay and PWD were prolonged in patients with moderate-to-severe OSA. LA dilatation, hypoxemia, and the severity of the disease may contribute a prolongation in interatrial electromechanical delay via atrial structural and electrical alterations, which may predict the risk of future AF development in patients with moderate-to-severe OSA.

The Sense of Agency Scale: A Measure of Consciously Perceived Control over One's Mind, Body, and the Immediate Environment

PubMed Central

Tapal, Adam; Oren, Ela; Dar, Reuven; Eitam, Baruch

2017-01-01

The sense of agency (SoA) is defined as “the registration that I am the initiator of my actions.” Both “direct” and “indirect” measurement of SoA has focused on specific contextualized perceptual events, however it has also been demonstrated that “higher level” cognitions seemingly affect the SoA. We designed a measure of person's general, context-free beliefs about having core agency—the Sense of Agency Scale (SoAS). An exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory (CFA) factor analyses on samples of 236 (Study 1) and 408 (Study 2) participants yielded two correlated factors we labeled Sense of Positive Agency (SoPA) and Sense of Negative Agency (SoNA). The construct validity of SoAS is demonstrated by its low-to-moderate correlations with conceptually relevant tools and by the moderate-strong relationship between the SoNA subscale and obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms (r = 0.35). We conclude that the SoAS seems to isolate people's general beliefs in their agency from their perceived success in obtaining outcomes. PMID:28955273

The Sense of Agency Scale: A Measure of Consciously Perceived Control over One's Mind, Body, and the Immediate Environment.

PubMed

Tapal, Adam; Oren, Ela; Dar, Reuven; Eitam, Baruch

2017-01-01

The sense of agency (SoA) is defined as "the registration that I am the initiator of my actions." Both "direct" and "indirect" measurement of SoA has focused on specific contextualized perceptual events, however it has also been demonstrated that "higher level" cognitions seemingly affect the SoA. We designed a measure of person's general, context-free beliefs about having core agency-the Sense of Agency Scale (SoAS). An exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory (CFA) factor analyses on samples of 236 (Study 1) and 408 (Study 2) participants yielded two correlated factors we labeled Sense of Positive Agency (SoPA) and Sense of Negative Agency (SoNA). The construct validity of SoAS is demonstrated by its low-to-moderate correlations with conceptually relevant tools and by the moderate-strong relationship between the SoNA subscale and obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms ( r = 0.35). We conclude that the SoAS seems to isolate people's general beliefs in their agency from their perceived success in obtaining outcomes.

A meta-analysis of self-reported achievement goals and nonself-report performance across three achievement domains (work, sports, and education).

PubMed

Van Yperen, Nico W; Blaga, Monica; Postmes, Tom

2014-01-01

During the past three decades, the achievement goal approach to achievement motivation has emerged as an influential area of research, and is dedicated to understanding the reasons behind the individual's drive to achieve competence and performance. However, the current literature on achievement goals is segmented rather than integrated. That is, citations across the three major and distinct achievement domains (work, education, and sports) are more the exception than the rule and similarities and differences between findings for the different achievement domains have yet to be tested. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships between self-reported achievement goals and nonself-report performance through meta-analysis, and the moderating potential of achievement domain. Identifying achievement domain as moderator improves our understanding to which contexts we can (not) generalize conclusions to, it helps to understand seemingly inconsistent findings, and opens avenues for future research on the underlying processes. Because the achievement goal (AG) measure used in a study is partially confounded with achievement domain, we examined the moderating role of this variable as well. Our findings suggest that - overall - approach goals (either mastery or performance) were associated positively with performance attainment, whereas avoidance goals (either mastery or performance) were associated negatively with performance attainment. These relationships were moderated by achievement domain. For example, relative to the education or work domain, in the sports domain, we did not observe negative correlations between avoidance goals and performance. The absence of statistical moderation due to AG measure suggests that the observed moderation of achievement domain cannot be explained by the AG measure utilized. We suggest further steps to integrate the achievement goal literature, and accordingly, to broaden and deepen understanding of performance attainment in competence-relevant settings, including the workplace, the sports field, and the classroom.

A Meta-Analysis of Self-Reported Achievement Goals and Nonself-Report Performance across Three Achievement Domains (Work, Sports, and Education)

PubMed Central

Van Yperen, Nico W.; Blaga, Monica; Postmes, Tom

2014-01-01

During the past three decades, the achievement goal approach to achievement motivation has emerged as an influential area of research, and is dedicated to understanding the reasons behind the individual’s drive to achieve competence and performance. However, the current literature on achievement goals is segmented rather than integrated. That is, citations across the three major and distinct achievement domains (work, education, and sports) are more the exception than the rule and similarities and differences between findings for the different achievement domains have yet to be tested. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships between self-reported achievement goals and nonself-report performance through meta-analysis, and the moderating potential of achievement domain. Identifying achievement domain as moderator improves our understanding to which contexts we can (not) generalize conclusions to, it helps to understand seemingly inconsistent findings, and opens avenues for future research on the underlying processes. Because the achievement goal (AG) measure used in a study is partially confounded with achievement domain, we examined the moderating role of this variable as well. Our findings suggest that – overall – approach goals (either mastery or performance) were associated positively with performance attainment, whereas avoidance goals (either mastery or performance) were associated negatively with performance attainment. These relationships were moderated by achievement domain. For example, relative to the education or work domain, in the sports domain, we did not observe negative correlations between avoidance goals and performance. The absence of statistical moderation due to AG measure suggests that the observed moderation of achievement domain cannot be explained by the AG measure utilized. We suggest further steps to integrate the achievement goal literature, and accordingly, to broaden and deepen understanding of performance attainment in competence-relevant settings, including the workplace, the sports field, and the classroom. PMID:24699695

Survival and development of Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae on isogenic tobacco lines with different levels of alkaloids.

PubMed

Jackson, D Michael; Johnson, A W; Stephenson, M G

2002-12-01

Levels of pyridine alkaloids were measured in 18 tobacco, Nicotiana tabacum L., entries from three parental isolines ('NC 95', 'SC 58', and 'Coker 139'), grown at Tifton, GA, Florence, SC, and Oxford, NC, in 1991. Levels of alkaloids in bud leaves (first fully unfolded leaf below the apical leaf bud) were negatively correlated to natural infestation ratings of tobacco budworm larvae, Heliothis virescens (F.), 7 wk after transplanting. For artificially infested bud leaves at Oxford, there was a significant negative correlation between levels of total alkaloids and larval weights after 1 wk of feeding. In 1992, four entries from the 'NC 95' isoline were grown at Oxford, and samples for alkaloid analyses were taken every 2 wk at several leaf positions on each plant. During weeks 4, 8, 12, and 16, second instar tobacco budworms were caged on individual, intact leaves inside perforated plastic bags in the field. The survival and development of tobacco budworm larvae after 1 wk were negatively correlated with levels of alkaloids at the various leaf positions. Larvae survived better and grew faster on the bud leaves of each entry where alkaloid levels were lower than they did on leaves further down the stalk where alkaloid levels were higher. More larvae survived on the lower leaves of the low alkaloid lines than on the lower leaves of the high alkaloid lines. Even moderate increases in pyridine alkaloids had negative effects on tobacco budworm survival and development. Nicotine constituted >97% of the pyridine alkaloids in the 'NC95' isoline each year.

Perinatal Asphyxia May Influence the Level of Beta-Amyloid (1-42) in Cerebrospinal Fluid: An Experimental Study on Newborn Pigs.

PubMed

Benterud, Torkil; Pankratov, Leonid; Solberg, Rønnaug; Bolstad, Nils; Skinningsrud, Anders; Baumbusch, Lars; Sandvik, Leiv; Saugstad, Ola Didrik

2015-01-01

Total tau (T-tau), phosphorylated tau (p-Tau) and Beta-Amyloid 1-42 (AB42) in Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) are useful biomarkers in neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of the study was to investigate the role of these and other CSF biomarkers (T-tau, p-Tau, AB42, S100B and NSE), during hypoxia-reoxygenation in a newborn pig model. Thirty newborn pigs were included in a study of moderate or severe hypoxia. The moderate hypoxia group (n = 12) was exposed to global hypoxia (8% O2) until Base excess (BE) reached -15 mmol/l. The pigs in the group exposed to severe hypoxia (n = 12) received 8% O2 until BE reached -20 mmol/l or mean Blood Pressure fell below 20 mm Hg, The control group (n = 6) was kept at room air. For all treatments, the CSF was collected at 9.5 hours after the intervention. The level of AB42 in CSF was significantly lower in the pigs exposed to severe hypoxia compared with the control group, 922(SD +/-445)pg/ml versus. 1290(SD +/-143) pg/ml (p<0.05), respectively. Further, a non-significant reduction of AB42 was observed in the group exposed to moderate hypoxia T-tau and p-Tau revealed no significant differences between the intervention groups and the control group, however a significantly higher level of S100B was seen in the CSF of pigs receiving hypoxia in comparison to the level in the control group. Further on, there was a moderate negative correlation between the levels of AB42 and S100B in CSF, as well as a moderate negative correlation between Lactate in blood at end of hypoxia and AB42 in CSF. This is the first study to our knowledge that demonstrated a significant drop in AB42 in CSF after neonatal hypoxia. Whether or not this has an etiological basis for adult neurodegenerative disorders needs to be studied with additional experiments and epidemiological studies. AB42 and S100B are significantly changed in neonatal pigs subjected to hypoxia compared to controls and thus may be valuable biomarkers of perinatal asphyxia.

Perinatal Asphyxia May Influence the Level of Beta-Amyloid (1-42) in Cerebrospinal Fluid: An Experimental Study on Newborn Pigs

PubMed Central

Benterud, Torkil; Pankratov, Leonid; Solberg, Rønnaug; Bolstad, Nils; Skinningsrud, Anders; Baumbusch, Lars; Sandvik, Leiv; Saugstad, Ola Didrik

2015-01-01

Objective Total tau (T-tau), phosphorylated tau (p-Tau) and Beta-Amyloid 1–42 (AB42) in Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) are useful biomarkers in neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of the study was to investigate the role of these and other CSF biomarkers (T-tau, p-Tau, AB42, S100B and NSE), during hypoxia-reoxygenation in a newborn pig model. Design Thirty newborn pigs were included in a study of moderate or severe hypoxia. The moderate hypoxia group (n = 12) was exposed to global hypoxia (8% O2) until Base excess (BE) reached -15 mmol/l. The pigs in the group exposed to severe hypoxia (n = 12) received 8% O2 until BE reached -20 mmol/l or mean Blood Pressure fell below 20 mm Hg, The control group (n = 6) was kept at room air. For all treatments, the CSF was collected at 9.5 hours after the intervention. Results The level of AB42 in CSF was significantly lower in the pigs exposed to severe hypoxia compared with the control group, 922(SD +/-445)pg/ml versus. 1290(SD +/-143) pg/ml (p<0.05), respectively. Further, a non-significant reduction of AB42 was observed in the group exposed to moderate hypoxia T-tau and p-Tau revealed no significant differences between the intervention groups and the control group, however a significantly higher level of S100B was seen in the CSF of pigs receiving hypoxia in comparison to the level in the control group. Further on, there was a moderate negative correlation between the levels of AB42 and S100B in CSF, as well as a moderate negative correlation between Lactate in blood at end of hypoxia and AB42 in CSF. Interpretation This is the first study to our knowledge that demonstrated a significant drop in AB42 in CSF after neonatal hypoxia. Whether or not this has an etiological basis for adult neurodegenerative disorders needs to be studied with additional experiments and epidemiological studies. AB42 and S100B are significantly changed in neonatal pigs subjected to hypoxia compared to controls and thus may be valuable biomarkers of perinatal asphyxia. PMID:26501201

Conversion of rainforest into agroforestry and monoculture plantation in China: Consequences for soil phosphorus forms and microbial community.

PubMed

Wang, Jinchuang; Ren, Changqi; Cheng, Hanting; Zou, Yukun; Bughio, Mansoor Ahmed; Li, Qinfen

2017-10-01

Microbial communities and their associated enzyme activities affect quantity and quality of phosphorus (P) in soils. Land use change is likely to alter microbial community structure and feedback on ecosystem structure and function. This study presents a novel assessment of mechanistic links between microbial responses to land use and shifts in the amount and quality of soil phosphorus (P). We investigated effects of the conversion of rainforests into rubber agroforests (AF), young rubber (YR), and mature rubber (MR) plantations on soil P fractions (i.e., labile P, moderately labile P, occluded P, Ca P, and residual P) in Hainan Island, Southern China. Microbial community composition and microbial enzyme were assayed to assess microbial community response to forest conversion. In addition, we also identified soil P fractions that were closely related to soil microbial and chemical properties in these forests. Conversion of forest to pure rubber plantations and agroforestry system caused a negative response in soil microorganisms and activity. The bacteria phospholipid fatty acid (PLFAs) levels in young rubber, mature rubber and rubber agroforests decreased after forest conversion, while the fungal PLFAs levels did not change. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) (16:1w5c) had the highest value of 0.246μmol(gOC) -1 in natural forest, followed by rubber agroforests, mature rubber and young rubber. Level of soil acid phosphatase activity declined soon (5 years) after forest conversion compared to natural forest, but it improved in mature rubber and agroforestry system. Labile P, moderately labile P, occluded P and residual P were highest in young rubber stands, while moderately labile, occluded and residual P were lowest in rubber agroforestry system. Soil P fractions such as labile P, moderately labile P, and Ca P were the most important contributors to the variation in soil microbial community composition. We also found that soil P factions differ significantly among the four transformation systems. Soil labile P faction and its potential sources (moderately labile P, occluded P, and residual P) were positively correlated with NO 3 - , but negatively correlated with AMF, suggesting that these properties play key roles in P transformation. Our study indicated that land use had an impact on microbial community composition and functions, which consequently influenced soil phosphorus availability and cycling. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clinical global impression of cognition in schizophrenia (CGI-CogS): reliability and validity of a co-primary measure of cognition.

PubMed

Ventura, Joseph; Cienfuegos, Angel; Boxer, Oren; Bilder, Robert

2008-11-01

Cognitive deficits are core features of schizophrenia that have been associated reliably with functional outcomes and now are a focus of treatment research. New rating scales are needed to complement current psychometric testing procedures, both to enable wider clinical use, and to serve as endpoints in clinical trials. Subjects were 35 schizophrenia patient-and-caregiver pairs recruited from the UCLA and West Los Angeles VA Outpatient Psychiatry Departments. Participants were assessed with the Clinical Global Impression of Cognition in Schizophrenia (CGI-CogS), an interview-based rating scale of cognitive functioning, on 3 occasions (baseline, 1 month, and 3 months). A computerized neurocognitive battery (Cogtest), an assessment of functioning, and symptom measures were administered at two occasions (baseline and one month). The CGI-CogS ratings generally showed a high level of internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=.69 to .96), adequate levels of inter-rater reliability (ICC's=.71 to .80), and high test-retest stability (ICC's=.92 to .95). Correlations of caregiver and rater global (but not "patient only rating") CGI-CogS ratings with neurocognitive performance were in the moderate range (r's=-.27 to -.48), while most of the correlations with functional outcome were moderate to high (r's=-.41 to -.72). In fact, the CGI-CogS ratings were significantly more correlated with Social Functioning than were objective neurocognitive test scores (p=.02) and showed a trend in the same direction for predicting Instrumental Functioning (p=.06). We found moderate correlations between CGI-CogS global ratings and PANSS positive (r's=.36 to .49) and SANS negative symptoms (r=.41 to .61), but not with BPRS depression (r's=.11 to .13). An interview-based measure of cognition demonstrated high internal consistency, good inter-rater reliability, and high test-retest reliability. Caregiver ratings appear to add important clinical information over patient-only ratings. The CGI-CogS showed moderate validity with respect to neurocognitive performance and functional outcome, and correlations of CGI-CogS with functional outcomes were stronger than correlations of objective neurocognitive performance with functional outcomes. The CGI-CogS appears to offer a reliable and valid method for clinical rating of cognitive deficits and their impact on everyday functioning in schizophrenia.

Striatal dopamine (D2) receptor availability predicts socially desirable responding.

PubMed

Reeves, Suzanne J; Mehta, Mitul A; Montgomery, Andrew J; Amiras, Dimitri; Egerton, Alice; Howard, Robert J; Grasby, Paul M

2007-02-15

Research in non-human primates has implicated striatal dopamine (D2) receptor function in the expression of social dominance--a fundamental component of social extraversion. We predicted that trait extraversion - indexed by the revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R) - would correlate with striatal DA (D2) receptor measures - indexed by [(11)C]-Raclopride binding potential (BP) - in 28 healthy post-menopausal females (mean age=75 years; range=58-91 years). Region of interest (ROI) and voxel-based statistical parametric mapping (SPM) analyses were performed, using a reference tissue model for [(11)C]-Raclopride. ROI analysis showed moderately significant negative correlations between extraversion and BP measures in the left caudate and between psychoticism scores and BP in the right putamen. Unexpectedly, scores on the Lie scale, a measure of socially desirable responding, were significantly and negatively correlated with BP measures in the putamen and survived Bonferroni correction on the right side. After controlling for the potential confounding of self-report bias in high Lie scorers, only the correlation between Lie scores and BP measures in the right putamen remained significant. Voxel-based analysis showed only Lie scores to be significantly and negatively correlated with BP measures in the right putamen. We explored this association further by applying an ROI-based approach to data on a previously scanned sample of young adults (n=13) and found a similar pattern of association, which achieved trend level significance in the right putamen. Although unanticipated, the relationship observed between BP measures in the right putamen and Lie scores is consistent with dopaminergic involvement in socially rewarding behaviour. How this relates to dopaminergic tone will need to be further explored.

Development and validation of two influenza assessments: Exploring the impact of knowledge and social environment on health behaviors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romine, William

Assessments of knowledge and perceptions about influenza were developed for high school students, and used to determine how knowledge, perceptions, and demographic variables relate to students taking precautions and their odds of getting sick. Assessments were piloted with 205 students and validated using the Rasch model. Data were then collected on 410 students from six high schools. Scores were calculated using the 2-parameter logistic model and clustered using the k-means algorithm. Kendall-tau correlations were evaluated at the alpha = 0.05 level, multinomial logistic regression was used to identify the best predictors and to test for interactions, and neural networks were used to test how well precautions and illness can be predicted using the significant correlates. Precautions and illness had more than one statistically significant correlate with small to moderate effect sizes. Knowledge was positively correlated to compliance with vaccination, hand washing frequency, and respiratory etiquette, and negatively correlated with hand sanitizer use. Perceived risk was positively correlated to compliance with flu vaccination; perceived complications to personal distancing and staying home when sick. Perceived risk and complications increased with reported illness severity. Perceived barriers decreased compliance with vaccination, hand washing, and respiratory etiquette. Factors such as gender, ethnicity, and school, had effects on more than one precaution. Hand washing quality and frequency could be predicted moderately well. Other predictions had small-to-negligible associations with actual values. Implications for future uses of the instruments and development of interventions regarding influenza in high schools are discussed.

Integrating eating disorder-specific risk factors into the acquired preparedness model of dysregulated eating: A moderated mediation analysis.

PubMed

Racine, Sarah E; Martin, Shelby J

2017-01-01

Tests of the acquired preparedness model demonstrate that the personality trait of negative urgency (i.e., the tendency to act impulsively when distressed) predicts the expectation that eating alleviates negative affect, and this eating expectancy subsequently predicts dysregulated eating. Although recent data indicate that eating disorder-specific risk factors (i.e., appearance pressures, thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, dietary restraint) strengthen negative urgency-dysregulated eating associations, it is unclear whether these risk factors impact associations directly or indirectly (i.e., through eating expectancies). The current study used latent moderated structural equation modeling to test moderated mediation hypotheses in a sample of 313 female college students. Eating expectancies mediated the association between negative urgency and dysregulated eating, and the indirect effect of negative urgency on dysregulated eating through eating expectancies was conditional on level of each eating disorder risk factor. Appearance pressures, thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, and dietary restraint significantly moderated the association between eating expectancies and dysregulated eating, while only dietary restraint moderated the direct effect of negative urgency on dysregulated eating. Findings suggest that the development of high-risk eating expectancies among individuals with negative urgency, combined with sociocultural pressures for thinness and their consequences, is associated with the greatest risk for dysregulated eating. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring the relationship between positive and negative emotional avoidance and anxiety symptom severity: the moderating role of attentional control.

PubMed

Bardeen, Joseph R; Tull, Matthew T; Stevens, Erin N; Gratz, Kim L

2014-09-01

Emotional avoidance has been found to be associated with higher levels of anxiety. However, no research to date has differentiated between the avoidance of positive and negative emotions in relation to anxiety. Additionally, no studies have examined the extent to which attentional control moderates the relation between the avoidance of emotions and anxiety. Thus, the purpose of this study was to (a) clarify relations between both positive and negative emotional avoidance and anxiety, and (b) examine attentional control as a moderator of the relations between both positive and negative emotional avoidance and anxiety. A community sample of adults (N = 93) completed a series of questionnaires, as well as a laboratory-based measure of attentional control. Greater avoidance of both positive and negative emotions was associated with higher levels of anxiety. Additionally, attentional control moderated the relationship between negative (but not positive) emotional avoidance and anxiety. Specifically, the avoidance of negative emotions was associated with higher levels of anxiety for those with lower attentional control. Limitations include a cross-sectional design, use of self-report measures, and the examination of hypotheses within a non-clinical sample. Findings are consistent with a growing body of research demonstrating the moderating role of attentional control in the relation between risk factors and negative outcomes. Findings also suggest that empirically-based treatment approaches that contain attention-based components may be beneficial for emotionally avoidant individuals with poor attentional control abilities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Influencing factors for job satisfaction in train drivers in a railway bureau: an analysis of 1413 cases].

PubMed

Gu, G Z; Yu, S F; Zhou, W H; Wu, H; Kang, L; Chen, R

2017-01-20

Objective: To investigate the influencing factors for job satisfaction in train drivers. Methods: In March 2012, cluster sampling was used to conduct a cross-sectional survey in 1413 male train drivers (including 301 passenger train drivers, 683 freight train drivers, 350 passenger shunting train drivers, and 79 high-speed train drivers) from a locomotive depot of a railway bureau. The occupational stress instruments, job content questionnaire, and effort-reward imbalance questionnaire were used to analyze job satisfaction, occupational stress factors, stress reaction, individual characteristics, coping strategies, and social support. Results: There were significant differences in job satisfaction score between the drivers with different posts, working years, ages, smoking status, and drinking status ( P <0.01). The correlation analysis revealed that job satisfaction score was positively correlated with reward, working stability, promotion opportunity, positive emotion, social support, self-esteem, and coping strategy scores ( P <0.01) and negatively correlated with sleep disorders, effort, role conflict, intergroup conflict, responsibility for persons, responsibility for things, psychological needs, physiological needs, daily stress, negative emotion, and depressive symptom scores ( P < 0.01). The analysis of variance showed that compared with the moderate and low job satisfaction groups, the high job satisfaction group had significantly higher reward, positive emotion, promotion opportunity, and role ambiguity scores ( P <0.01) , as well as significantly lower scores of responsibility for persons and responsibility for things ( P <0.01). Compared with the moderate and high job satisfaction groups the low job satisfaction group had significantly higher scores of psychological needs, effort, role conflict, sleep disorders, daily stress, depressive symptom, negative emotion, drug use, intragroup conflict, and social support ( P <0.01) , and the moderate job satisfaction group had a significantly higher score of self-esteem than the other two groups ( P <0.05). The logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of job dissatisfaction in the drivers with low so-cial support and high daily stress was more than 2 times that in those with high social support and low daily stress ( OR =2.176 and 2.171) , and sleep disorders, effort, depressive symptom, low self-esteem, and role conflict were risk factors for job dissatisfaction ( OR =1.48-1.625). Conclusion: Occupational stress, stress re-sponse, emotion, individual characteristics, and social support have great influence on job satisfaction. Im-proving social support, increasing positive emotion, and reducing occupational stress are main measures for increasing job satisfaction in train drivers.

Osteoporosis risk factors and association with somatotypes in males.

PubMed

Saitoglu, Mahmut; Ardicoglu, Ozge; Ozgocmen, Salih; Kamanli, Ayhan; Kaya, Arzu

2007-10-01

Osteoporosis is a systemic and metabolic skeletal disease characterized by reduced bone mass, changes in microarchitecture, and consequential increased fracture risk. Previous reports described a relationship between bone content with fat mass and lean body mass. In this study, we assessed osteoporosis risk factors and the association with somatotypes in males aged 45-65 years. Standard axial spine and proximal femur bone mineral density (BMD) were measured using dual x-ray (DXA) absorptiometry in 70 healthy men. Heath-Carter procedure was followed to assess individual's somatotype. All body types were grouped as endomorphy, mesomorphy, and ectomorphy. Moderate to weak correlations were found between lumbar BMD with endomorphy and mesomorphy. Negative correlation was found between lumbar BMD and ectomorphy. Total femur BMD correlated positively with endomorphy and mesomorphy and negatively correlated with ectomorphy. Body mass index correlated weakly with lumbar, femur neck, and total femur BMD. Multiple regression analysis revealed that endomorphy was significantly related to BMD measurements at lumbar spine (standardized coefficient, SC = 0.51, p = 0.001), femur neck (SC = 0.52, p = 0.001), and total femur BMD (SC = 0.41, p = 0.01). Lumbar BMD and age, hand grip strength, smoking, tea and coffee consumption, calorie expenditure, calcium intake, PTH, albumin, total protein, sex hormone-binding globulin, and testosterone were not significantly correlated. Endomorphy seems related to high BMD values at the lumbar spine and the proximal femur in middle-aged men. Somatotype together with daily calorie expenditure may be taken into account when assessing risk factors for male osteoporosis.

[Social anxiety and self-esteem: Hungarian validation of the "Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale - Straightforward Items"].

PubMed

Perczel-Forintos, Dóra; Kresznerits, Szilvia

2017-06-01

Although social anxiety disorder (SAD) is the third most frequent emotional disorder with 13-15% prevalence rate, it remains unrecognized very often. Social phobia is associated with low self-esteem, high self-criticism and fear of negative evaluation by others. It shows high comorbidity with depression, alcoholism, drug addiction and eating disorders. To adapt the widely used "Fear of Negative Evaluation" (FNE) social phobia questionnaire. Anxiety and mood disorder patients (n = 255) completed the Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (30, 12 and 8 item-versions) as well as social cognition, anxiety and self-esteem questionnaires. All the three versions of the FNE have strong internal validity (α>0.83) and moderate significant correlation with low self-esteem, negative social cognitions and anxiety. The short 8-item BFNE-S has the strongest disciminative value in differentiating patients with social phobia and with other emotional disorders. The Hungarian version of the BFNE-S is an effective tool for the quick recognition of social phobia. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(22): 843-850.

Brief report: personality correlates of susceptibility to peer influence in adolescence.

PubMed

Stautz, Kaidy; Cooper, Andrew

2014-06-01

Adolescents show a heightened susceptibility to peer influence compared to adults. Individual differences in this susceptibility exist, yet there has been little effort to link these with broader personality processes. Reward sensitivity and impulsive behaviour are also heightened in adolescence and could affect the tendency to be influenced by peers. This study examined associations between self-reported resistance to peer influence, facets of reward sensitivity and impulsivity, and subjective social status in a sample of 269 British sixth form students (mean age 16.79). Multiple regression analyses showed that negative and positive urgency were significantly negatively associated with resistance to peer influence. The relationship between negative urgency and resistance was moderated by subjective social status, such that individuals reporting low status showed a stronger negative relationship. Results suggest that a susceptibility to peer influence is linked with a tendency to act impulsively when in heightened emotional states. Adolescents high in negative urgency who feel lower in their social hierarchy may be particularly vulnerable. Copyright © 2014 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The relationship between facial emotion recognition and executive functions in first-episode patients with schizophrenia and their siblings.

PubMed

Yang, Chengqing; Zhang, Tianhong; Li, Zezhi; Heeramun-Aubeeluck, Anisha; Liu, Na; Huang, Nan; Zhang, Jie; He, Leiying; Li, Hui; Tang, Yingying; Chen, Fazhan; Liu, Fei; Wang, Jijun; Lu, Zheng

2015-10-08

Although many studies have examined executive functions and facial emotion recognition in people with schizophrenia, few of them focused on the correlation between them. Furthermore, their relationship in the siblings of patients also remains unclear. The aim of the present study is to examine the correlation between executive functions and facial emotion recognition in patients with first-episode schizophrenia and their siblings. Thirty patients with first-episode schizophrenia, their twenty-six siblings, and thirty healthy controls were enrolled. They completed facial emotion recognition tasks using the Ekman Standard Faces Database, and executive functioning was measured by Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Hierarchical regression analysis was applied to assess the correlation between executive functions and facial emotion recognition. Our study found that in siblings, the accuracy in recognizing low degree 'disgust' emotion was negatively correlated with the total correct rate in WCST (r = -0.614, p = 0.023), but was positively correlated with the total error in WCST (r = 0.623, p = 0.020); the accuracy in recognizing 'neutral' emotion was positively correlated with the total error rate in WCST (r = 0.683, p = 0.014) while negatively correlated with the total correct rate in WCST (r = -0.677, p = 0.017). People with schizophrenia showed an impairment in facial emotion recognition when identifying moderate 'happy' facial emotion, the accuracy of which was significantly correlated with the number of completed categories of WCST (R(2) = 0.432, P < .05). There were no correlations between executive functions and facial emotion recognition in the healthy control group. Our study demonstrated that facial emotion recognition impairment correlated with executive function impairment in people with schizophrenia and their unaffected siblings but not in healthy controls.

Neuropsychological screening as a standard of care during discharge from psychiatric hospitalization: the preliminary psychometrics of the CNS Screen.

PubMed

Levy, Boaz; Celen-Demirtas, Selda; Surguladze, Tinatin; Eranio, Sara; Ellison, James

2014-03-30

Cost-prohibitive factors currently prevent a warranted integration of neuropsychological screenings into routine psychiatric evaluations, as a standard of care. To overcome this challenge, the current study examined the psychometric properties of a new computerized measure-the CNS Screen. One hundred and twenty six psychiatric inpatients completed the CNS Screen, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self Rated (QIDS-SR₁₆) on the day of hospital discharge. Statistical analysis established convergent validity with a moderate correlation between the self-administered CNS Screen and the clinician-administered MoCA (r=0.64). Discriminant validity was implicated by a non-significant correlation with the QIDS-SR₁₆. Concurrent validity was supported by a moderate, negative correlation with patients' age (r=-0.62). In addition, consistent with previous findings, patients with psychotic disorders exhibited significantly poorer performance on the CNS Screen than patients with a mood disorder. Similarly, patients with a formal disability status scored significantly lower than other patients. The CNS Screen was well tolerated by all patients. With further development, this type of measure may provide a cost-effective approach to expanding neuropsychological screenings on inpatient psychiatric units. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Behavioral inhibition and activation systems in traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Wong, Christina G; Rapport, Lisa J; Meachen, Sarah-Jane; Hanks, Robin A; Lumley, Mark A

2016-11-01

Personality has been linked to cognitive appraisal and health outcomes; however, research specific to traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been sparse. Gray's theory of behavioral inhibition system and behavioral activation system (BIS/BAS) offers a neurobiologic view of personality that may be especially relevant to neurobehavioral change associated with TBI. The present study examined theoretical and psychometric issues of using the BIS/BAS scale among adults with TBI as well as BIS/BAS personality correlates of TBI. Research Method/Design: Eighty-one adults with complicated-mild to severe TBI and 76 of their significant others (SOs) participated. Measures included the BIS/BAS scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and Awareness Questionnaire. Among adults with TBI, BIS/BAS internal consistency reliabilities were similar to those found in normative samples of adults without TBI. The TBI group endorsed significantly higher BAS than did the SO group, and injury severity was positively correlated to BAS. The SO group showed expected patterns of correlation between personality and affect; positive affect was associated with BAS, and negative affect with BIS. In contrast, in the TBI group, BAS was positively correlated to both positive and negative affect. Impaired awareness of abilities moderated the intensity of relationships between BIS/BAS and affect. TBI was associated with relatively intensified BAS (approach behavior) but not BIS (avoidance behavior). The observed pattern is consistent with the neurobiology of TBI-related personality change and with theory regarding the independence of the BIS and BAS systems. The BIS/BAS scale shows promise as a personality measure in TBI. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Effects of musculoskeletal system problems on quality of life and depression in students preparing for university entrance exam.

PubMed

Kitiş, Ali; Büker, Nihal; Ünal, Ayse; Şavkın, Raziye

2017-07-01

This study was planned to investigate the relationship between musculoskeletal problems, depression, and quality of life in students preparing for university entrance exams. A total of 180 students were included in the study, 104 were female (57.77%), and 76 were male (42.22%). Students were reached through the cram schools ("dershane") in Denizli. Musculoskeletal system problems, depression status, and quality of life were determined with the Musculoskeletal-Postural Discomfort Scale (MDS), Boratav Depression Screen Scale (Bordepta), and Short Form-36 (SF-36), respectively. Demographic data, daily study, and sleep duration were also recorded. Students have moderate musculoskeletal discomfort. Musculoskeletal disorders and depressive symptoms are more observed in female students than male students ( P = 0.000). The SF-36 results were significantly negatively correlated with the MDS and Bordepta scores. A significant positive correlation was found between musculoskeletal disorders and depression status (r = 0.351, P = 0.000). Sleep duration was negatively correlated with the MDS and Bordepta (r = -0.209, P = 0.005; r = -0.148, P = 0.047, respectively) and positively correlated with the SF-36 role limitation/emotional and social functioning subscales (r = 0.225, P = 0.002 and r = 0.191, P = 0.010 respectively). Musculoskeletal problems and depression status negatively affects general health status especially in female students who are preparing for university entrance examinations. Students should be informed about musculoskeletal problems by healthcare professionals and the study room, tables, and chairs should be arranged ergonomically. Further studies might be determined that why musculoskeletal disorders and depression status are more widely among female students.

Arm-eye coordination test to objectively quantify motor performance and muscles activation in persons after stroke undergoing robot-aided rehabilitation training: a pilot study.

PubMed

Song, Rong; Tong, Kai-Yu; Hu, Xiaoling; Li, Le; Sun, Rui

2013-09-01

This study designed an arm-eye coordination test to investigate the effectiveness of the robot-aided rehabilitation for persons after stroke. Six chronic poststroke subjects were recruited to attend a 20-session robot-aided rehabilitation training of elbow joint. Before and after the training program, subjects were asked to perform voluntary movements of elbow flection and extension by following sinusoidal trajectories at different velocities with visual feedback on their joint positions. The elbow angle and the electromyographic signal of biceps and triceps as well as clinical scores were evaluated together with the parameters. Performance was objectively quantified by root mean square error (RMSE), root mean square jerk (RMSJ), range of motion (ROM), and co-contraction index (CI). After 20 sessions, RMSE and ROM improved significantly in both the affected and the unaffected side based on two-way ANOVA (P < 0.05). There was significant lower RMSJ in the affected side at higher velocities (P < 0.05). There was significant negative correlation between average RMSE with different tracking velocities and Fugl-Meyer shoulder-elbow score (P < 0.05). There was also significant negative correlation between average RMSE and average ROM (P < 0.05), and moderate nonsignificant negative correlation with RMSJ, and CI. The characterization of velocity-dependent deficiencies, monitoring of training-induced improvement, and the correlation between quantitative parameters and clinical scales could enable the exploration of effects of different types of treatment and design progress-based training method to accelerate the processes of recovery.

Cognitive Moderators of Children's Adjustment to Stressful Divorce Events: The Role of Negative Cognitive Errors and Positive Illusions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazur, Elizabeth; Wolchik, Sharlene A.; Virdin, Lynn; Sandler, Irwin N.; West, Stephen G.

1999-01-01

Examined whether children's cognitive biases moderated impact of stressful divorce-related events on adjustment in 9- to 12-year olds. Found that endorsing negative cognitive errors for hypothetical divorce events moderated relations between stressful divorce events and self- and maternal-reports of internalizing and externalizing symptoms for…

Mutual best friendship involvement, best friends' rejection sensitivity, and psychological maladaptation.

PubMed

Bowker, Julie C; Thomas, Katelyn K; Norman, Kelly E; Spencer, Sarah V

2011-05-01

Rejection sensitivity (RS) refers to the tendency to anxiously expect, readily perceive, and overreact to experiences of possible rejection. RS is a clear risk factor for psychological maladaptation during early adolescence. However, there is growing evidence of significant heterogeneity in the psychological correlates of RS. To investigate when RS poses the greatest psychological risk during early adolescence, this study examines mutual best friendship involvement (or lack thereof) and the best friends' RS as potential moderators of the associations between RS and psychological difficulties. Participants were 150 7th grade students (58 boys; M age = 13.05 years) who nominated their best friends, and reported on their RS, social anxiety, and self-esteem. Results from a series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that mutual best friendship involvement and best friends' RS were both significant moderators when fear of negative evaluation (a type of social anxiety) served as the dependent variable. The association between RS and fear of negative evaluation was stronger for adolescents without mutual best friends than adolescents with mutual best friends. In addition, the association between RS and fear of negative evaluation was the strongest for adolescents whose best friends were highly rejection sensitive (relative to adolescents whose best friends were moderately or low in RS). Findings highlight the importance of considering best friendships in studies of RS and strongly suggest that, although having mutual best friendships may be protective for rejection sensitive adolescents, having a rejection sensitive best friend may exacerbate difficulties. The significance of friends in the lives of rejection sensitive adolescents is discussed as well as possible applied implications of the findings and study limitations.

Locus of control as a stress moderator and mediator in children of divorce.

PubMed

Kim, L S; Sandler, I N; Tein, J Y

1997-04-01

This paper examined the stress moderator and mediator effects of four dimensions of perceived control in children of divorce. The dimensions of locus of control included internal control for positive events, internal control for negative events, unknown control for positive events, and unknown control for negative events. The sample consisted of 222 children between the ages of 8 and 12 whose parents had divorced in the previous 2 years. Moderational analyses showed that unknown control for positive events interacted with negative events to predict total symptoms. Plots of the simple slopes indicated a stress buffering effect whereby the slope of negative events on symptoms was higher for high than for low levels of unknown control for positive events. Mediational analysis showed that the relations between negative events and symptoms were mediated by both unknown control for positive events and unknown control for negative events. In contrast, evidence was not found for either a stress mediational or a moderational model for perceived internal control for positive or negative events. These results suggest that unknown control beliefs may be a particularly important dimension of control for children of divorce.

Factors related to quality of life among older adults in Bangladesh: A cross sectional survey.

PubMed

Uddin, Mohammad Abbas; Soivong, Pratum; Lasuka, Duangruedee; Juntasopeepun, Phanida

2017-12-01

This cross-sectional design study aimed to describe quality of life and examine factors related to quality of life among older adults in Bangladesh. Convenience sampling was used to recruit 280 older adults from ten villages in two southern districts. The results demonstrate that the majority of the participants reported an overall moderate score of quality of life. Moreover, participants' sleep problems, depression, religiosity, and activities of daily living were negatively correlated with quality of life whereas social support and health service availability were positively correlated with quality of life. Implementing intervention programs upon the significant related factors to improve older adults' quality of life is recommended. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Acculturation Predicts Negative Affect and Shortened Telomere Length.

PubMed

Ruiz, R Jeanne; Trzeciakowski, Jerome; Moore, Tiffany; Ayers, Kimberly S; Pickler, Rita H

2016-10-12

Chronic stress may accelerate cellular aging. Telomeres, protective "caps" at the end of chromosomes, modulate cellular aging and may be good biomarkers for the effects of chronic stress, including that associated with acculturation. The purpose of this analysis was to examine telomere length (TL) in acculturating Hispanic Mexican American women and to determine the associations among TL, acculturation, and psychological factors. As part of a larger cross-sectional study of 516 pregnant Hispanic Mexican American women, we analyzed DNA in blood samples (N = 56) collected at 22-24 weeks gestation for TL as an exploratory measure using monochrome multiplex quantitative telomere polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We measured acculturation with the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans, depression with the Beck Depression Inventory, discrimination with the Experiences of Discrimination Scale, and stress with the Perceived Stress Scale. TL was negatively moderately correlated with two variables of acculturation: Anglo orientation and greater acculturation-level scores. We combined these scores for a latent variable, acculturation, and we combined depression, stress, and discrimination scores in another latent variable, "negative affectivity." Acculturation and negative affectivity were bidirectionally correlated. Acculturation significantly negatively predicted TL. Using structural equation modeling, we found the model had an excellent fit with the root mean square error of approximation estimate = .0001, comparative fit index = 1.0, Tucker-Lewis index = 1.0, and standardized root mean square residual = .05. The negative effects of acculturation on the health of Hispanic women have been previously demonstrated. Findings from this analysis suggest a link between acculturation and TL, which may indicate accelerated cellular aging associated with overall poor health outcomes. © The Author(s) 2016.

Maternal Frontal EEG Asymmetry and Chronic Stressors Moderate the Link between Child Conduct Problems and Maternal Negativity

PubMed Central

Chen, Nan; Bell, Martha Ann; Deater-Deckard, Kirby

2016-01-01

Frontal EEG asymmetry is associated with individual differences in positive/negative emotionality and approach/avoidance tendencies. The current study examined the moderating role of maternal resting frontal EEG asymmetry on the link between child behavior problems and maternal harsh parenting, within the context of differing degrees of chronic family stressors (father unemployment, single parenthood, caring for multiple children, and household chaos). The sample included 121 mother-child pairs. Results showed that stressors and frontal EEG asymmetry together moderated the link. Child problem behaviors were moderately associated with greater maternal negativity for mothers with right frontal asymmetry, or mothers who experienced more stressors. However, no association existed between child behavior problems and maternal negativity for mothers with few stressors and left frontal asymmetry. The findings implicate transactions between household stress and a psychophysiological indicator of maternal emotional reactivity and mothers’ approach/avoidance tendencies, in the etiology of parental negativity toward challenging child behaviors. PMID:27853348

Determination of Spearman Correlation Coefficient (r) to Evaluate the Linear Association of Dermal Collagen and Elastic Fibers in the Perspectives of Skin Injury.

PubMed

Kumar, Naveen; Kumar, Pramod; Badagabettu, Satheesha Nayak; Lewis, Melissa Glenda; Adiga, Murali; Padur, Ashwini Aithal

2018-01-01

Difference in scar formation at different sites, in different directions at the same site, but with changes in the elasticity of skin with age, sex, and race or in some pathological conditions, is well known to clinicians. The inappropriate collagen syntheses and delayed or lack of epithelialization are known to induce scar formation with negligible elasticity at the site of damage. Changes in the elasticity of scars may be due to an unequal distribution of dermal collagen (C) and elastic (E) fibers. Spearman correlation coefficients ( r ) of collagen and elastic fibers in horizontal (H) and in vertical (V) directions (variables CV, CH, EV, and EH) were measured from the respective quantitative fraction data in 320 skin samples from 32 human cadavers collected at five selected sites over extremities. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed the statistically significant ( p < 0.01) strong positive correlation between C H and C V in all the areas, that is, shoulder joint area ( r = 0.66), wrist ( r = 0.75), forearm ( r = 0.75), and thigh ( r = 0.80), except at the ankle ( r = 0.26, p = 0.14) region. Similarly, positive correlation between E H and E V has been observed at the forearm ( r = 0.65, moderate) and thigh ( r = 0.42, low) regions. However, a significant moderate negative correlation was observed between C V and E V at the forearm ( r = -0.51) and between C H and E H at the thigh region ( r = -0.65). Significant differences of correlations of collagen and elastic fibers in different directions from different areas of extremities were noted. This may be one of the possible anatomical reasons of scar behavior in different areas and different directions of the same area.

Self-clarity and different clusters of insight and self-stigma in mental illness.

PubMed

Hasson-Ohayon, Ilanit; Mashiach-Eizenberg, Michal; Lysaker, Paul H; Roe, David

2016-06-30

The current study explored the self-experience of persons with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) by investigating the associations between different insight and self-stigma clusters, self-clarity, hope, recovery, and functioning. One hundred seven persons diagnosed with a SMI were administered six scales: self-concept clarity, self-stigma, insight into the illness, hope, recovery, and functioning. Correlations and cluster analyses were performed. Insight, as measured by a self-report scale was not related to any other variable. Self-stigma was negatively associated with self-clarity, hope, recovery and functioning. Three clusters emerged: moderate stigma/high insight (n=31), high stigma/moderate insight (n=28), and low stigma/low insight (n=42). The group with low stigma and low insight had higher mean levels of self-clarity and hope than the other two groups. There were no significant differences between cluster 1 (moderate stigma/high insight) and cluster 2 (high stigma/moderate insight) in all the variables beside self-clarity. The group with moderate stigma and high insight had significantly higher mean levels of self-clarity than the group with high stigma and moderate insight. Results reveal that when people diagnosed with SMI do not have high levels of self-stigma they often report a positive and clear sense of self accompanied with hope, regardless of having low insight. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mind wandering, sleep quality, affect and chronotype: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Carciofo, Richard; Du, Feng; Song, Nan; Zhang, Kan

2014-01-01

Poor sleep quality impairs cognition, including executive functions and concentration, but there has been little direct research on the relationships between sleep quality and mind wandering or daydreaming. Evening chronotype is associated with poor sleep quality, more mind wandering and more daydreaming; negative affect is also a mutual correlate. This exploratory study investigated how mind wandering and daydreaming are related to different aspects of sleep quality, and whether sleep quality influences the relationships between mind wandering/daydreaming and negative affect, and mind wandering/daydreaming and chronotype. Three surveys (Ns = 213; 190; 270) were completed with Chinese adults aged 18-50, including measures of sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, mind wandering, daydreaming, chronotype and affect (positive and negative). Higher frequencies of mind wandering and daydreaming were associated with poorer sleep quality, in particular with poor subjective sleep quality and increased sleep latency, night-time disturbance, daytime dysfunction and daytime sleepiness. Poor sleep quality was found to partially mediate the relationships between daydreaming and negative affect, and mind wandering and negative affect. Additionally, low positive affect and poor sleep quality, in conjunction, fully mediated the relationships between chronotype and mind wandering, and chronotype and daydreaming. The relationships between mind wandering/daydreaming and positive affect were also moderated by chronotype, being weaker in those with a morning preference. Finally, while daytime sleepiness was positively correlated with daydream frequency, it was negatively correlated with a measure of problem-solving daydreams, indicating that more refined distinctions between different forms of daydreaming or mind wandering are warranted. Overall, the evidence is suggestive of a bi-directional relationship between poor sleep quality and mind wandering/daydreaming, which may be important in attempts to deal with sleep problems and improve sleep quality. These findings and further research on this topic may also have implications for definitions and theories of mind wandering and daydreaming.

Mind Wandering, Sleep Quality, Affect and Chronotype: An Exploratory Study

PubMed Central

Carciofo, Richard; Du, Feng; Song, Nan; Zhang, Kan

2014-01-01

Poor sleep quality impairs cognition, including executive functions and concentration, but there has been little direct research on the relationships between sleep quality and mind wandering or daydreaming. Evening chronotype is associated with poor sleep quality, more mind wandering and more daydreaming; negative affect is also a mutual correlate. This exploratory study investigated how mind wandering and daydreaming are related to different aspects of sleep quality, and whether sleep quality influences the relationships between mind wandering/daydreaming and negative affect, and mind wandering/daydreaming and chronotype. Three surveys (Ns = 213; 190; 270) were completed with Chinese adults aged 18–50, including measures of sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, mind wandering, daydreaming, chronotype and affect (positive and negative). Higher frequencies of mind wandering and daydreaming were associated with poorer sleep quality, in particular with poor subjective sleep quality and increased sleep latency, night-time disturbance, daytime dysfunction and daytime sleepiness. Poor sleep quality was found to partially mediate the relationships between daydreaming and negative affect, and mind wandering and negative affect. Additionally, low positive affect and poor sleep quality, in conjunction, fully mediated the relationships between chronotype and mind wandering, and chronotype and daydreaming. The relationships between mind wandering/daydreaming and positive affect were also moderated by chronotype, being weaker in those with a morning preference. Finally, while daytime sleepiness was positively correlated with daydream frequency, it was negatively correlated with a measure of problem-solving daydreams, indicating that more refined distinctions between different forms of daydreaming or mind wandering are warranted. Overall, the evidence is suggestive of a bi-directional relationship between poor sleep quality and mind wandering/daydreaming, which may be important in attempts to deal with sleep problems and improve sleep quality. These findings and further research on this topic may also have implications for definitions and theories of mind wandering and daydreaming. PMID:24609107

Inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizae does not improve 137Cs uptake in crops grown in the Chernobyl region.

PubMed

Vinichuk, M; Mårtensson, A; Rosén, K

2013-12-01

Methods for cleaning up radioactive contaminated soils are urgently needed. In this study we investigated whether the use of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi can improve (137)Cs uptake by crops. Barley, cucumber, perennial ryegrass, and sunflower were inoculated with AM fungi and grown in low-level radionuclide contaminated soils in a field experiment 70 km southwest of Chernobyl, Ukraine, during two successive years (2009-2010). Roots of barley, cucumber and sunflower plants were slightly or moderately infected with AM fungus and root infection frequency was negatively or non-correlated with (137)Cs uptake by plants. Roots of ryegrass were moderately infected with AM fungus and infection frequency was moderately correlated with (137)Cs uptake by ryegrass. The application of AM fungi to soil in situ did not enhance radionuclide plant uptake or biomass. The responsiveness of host plants and AM fungus combination to (137)Cs uptake varied depending on the soil, although mycorrhization of soil in the field was conditional and did not facilitate the uptake of radiocesium. The total amount of (137)Cs uptake by plants growing on inoculated soil was equal to amounts in plant cultivated on non-inoculated soil. Thus, the use of AM fungi in situ for bioremediation of soil contaminated with a low concentration of (137)Cs could not be recommended. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The dopamine D2 receptor gene and depressive and anxious symptoms in childhood: associations and evidence for gene–environment correlation and gene–environment interaction

PubMed Central

Hayden, Elizabeth P.; Klein, Daniel N.; Dougherty, Lea R.; Olino, Thomas M.; Laptook, Rebecca S.; Dyson, Margaret W.; Bufferd, Sara J.; Durbin, C. Emily; Sheikh, Haroon I.; Singh, Shiva M.

2012-01-01

Objectives Research implicates the A1 allele of the dopamine D2 receptor gene (DRD2) Taq1A polymorphism in the development of depression and anxiety. Furthermore, recent papers suggest that children with A1 allele of this gene may receive less positive parenting, and that the effects of this gene on child symptoms may be moderated by parenting. We sought to replicate and extend these findings using behavioral measures in a nonclinical sample of young children. Methods In a sample of 473 preschool-aged children and their mothers, structured clinical interview measures and maternal reports of child symptoms were collected, and standardized observations of parent–child interactions were conducted. Results An association was detected between the DRD2 A1 allele and symptoms of depression and anxiety indexed using interview and parent report methods. As found in previous reports, children with the DRD2 A1 allele received less supportive parenting and displayed higher levels of negative emotionality during parent–child interactions. Tests of mediation and moderation were conducted. Conclusion We found associations between the DRD2 A1 allele and early-emerging anxious and depressive symptoms in a community sample of preschool-aged children, and evidence of a gene–environment correlation and moderation of the main effect of child genotype on child symptoms by parenting. PMID:20526230

Influence of the very polluted inputs of the Tinto-Odiel system on the adjacent littoral sediments of southwestern Spain: a statistical approach.

PubMed

Sainz, A; Ruiz, F

2006-03-01

A spatial and temporal analysis (period 1990-2003) of 15 sampling points distributed along the southwestern Spanish coast permits to delimitate the influence area of the extremely polluted discharges coming from the Tinto-Odiel system in the bottom sediments of the adjacent littoral area. As, Cu, Pb and Zn are the main heavy metals transported by the freshwater runoffs toward the shallow shelf and present very high negative (r < -0.7) and significant (p < 0.001) correlations with the distance to the estuarine mouth. The statistical analysis (index of geoaccumulation, Pearson correlation matrix, cluster analysis) of their concentrations in the littoral sediments located between the Guadiana and Guadalquivir mouths delimitates three zones: (a) Zone 1 (from the estuarine mouth to 6 km to the east), characterized by moderate to strongly polluted bottom sediments and main responsible of the mean annual variations of the former heavy metals in the area studied; (b) Zone 2 (from 21.2 km to the west to 29 km to the east), characterized by moderate pollution levels; and (c) Zone 3, located near the Guadiana and Guadalquivir mouths, with very low As-Cu-Pb contents and unpolluted to moderately levels of Zn due to urban sewages or the presence of local low mobility areas for this element.

Independence and cognition post-stroke and its relationship to burden and quality of life of family caregivers.

PubMed

Caro, Camila Caminha; Mendes, Paulo Vinicius Braga; Costa, Jacqueline Denubila; Nock, Lauren Jane; Cruz, Daniel Marinho Cezar da

2017-04-01

Stroke is a chronic disease responsible for changes in the functional capacity of the patients. Patient care is usually provided by family caregivers, but with great burden and negative impact on their quality of life. (1) To investigate whether a correlation existed between the levels of independence and cognition in stroke patients and the burden and quality of life of their caregivers; (2) to assess whether periods of injury, rehabilitation and care, and age of the stroke patients interfered with these correlations. This was a cross-sectional and correlational study that included 60 participants, of which 30 were post-stroke patients and 30 were their caregivers. The data collection instruments were the Mini Mental State Examination and the Functional Independence Measure for the post-stroke participants, and the Zarit Burden Interview Scale and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF, for the caregivers. The Pearson's product-moment correlation was used for the data analysis. Independence and cognition showed no correlation with the burden and quality of life of the caregivers. We identified a strong positive correlation between independence and cognition (r = 0.882), and a moderate negative correlation between independence and rehabilitation period (r = -0.398) and between burden and quality of life of the caregivers (r = -0.414). Our data suggest the need for health interventions aimed not only at stroke patients, but also at their family caregivers, given the association between the burden and the low levels of quality of life of the caregivers.

Predictors of patient dependence in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Benke, Thomas; Sanin, Günter; Lechner, Anita; Dal-Bianco, Peter; Ransmayr, Gerhard; Uranüs, Margarete; Marksteiner, Josef; Gaudig, Maren; Schmidt, Reinhold

2015-01-01

Patient dependence has rarely been studied in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD). To identify factors which predict patient dependence in mild-to-moderate AD. We studied 398 non-institutionalized AD patients (234 females) of the ongoing Prospective Registry on Dementia (PRODEM) in Austria. The Dependence Scale (DS) was used to assess patient dependence. Patient assessment comprised functional abilities, neuropsychiatric symptoms and cognitive functions. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of patient dependence. AD patients were mildly-to-moderately impaired (mean scores and SDs were: CDR 0.84 ± 0.43; DAD 74.4 ± 23.3, MMSE = 22.5 ± 3.6). Psychopathology and caregiver burden were in the low range (mean NPI score 13.2, range 0 to 98; mean ZBI score 18, range 0-64). Seventy five percent of patients were classified as having a mild level of patient dependence (DS sum score 0 to 6). Patient dependence correlated significantly and positively with age, functional measures, psychopathology and depression, disease duration, and caregiver burden. Significant negative, but low correlations were found between patient dependence, cognitive variables, and global cognition. Activities of daily living, patient age, and disease severity accounted for 63% of variance in patient dependence, whereas cognitive variables accounted for only 11%. Dependence in this cohort was mainly related to age and functional impairment, and less so to cognitive and neuropsychiatric variables. This differs from studies investigating patients in more advanced disease stages which found abnormal behavior and impairments of cognition as main predictors of patient dependence.

Effects of Age and Acute Moderate Alcohol Administration on Electrophysiological Correlates of Working Memory Maintenance

PubMed Central

Boissoneault, Jeff; Frazier, Ian; Lewis, Ben; Nixon, Sara Jo

2016-01-01

Background Previous studies suggest older adults may be differentially susceptible to the acute neurobehavioral effects of moderate alcohol intake. To our knowledge, no studies have addressed acute moderate alcohol effects on the electrophysiological correlates of working memory in younger and older social drinkers. This study characterized alcohol-related effects on frontal theta (FTP) and posterior alpha power (PAP) associated with maintenance of visual information during a working memory task. Methods Older (55–70 years of age; n = 51, 29 women) and younger (25–35 years of age; n = 70, 39 women) community-dwelling moderate drinkers were recruited for this study. Participants were given either placebo or an active dose targeting breath alcohol concentrations (BrACs) of 0.04 or 0.065 g/dL. Following absorption, participants completed a visual working memory task assessing cue recognition following a 9s delay. FTP and PAP were determined via Fourier transformation and subjected to 2 (age group) X 3 (dose) X 2 (repeated: working memory task condition) mixed models analysis. Results In addition to expected age-related reductions in PAP, a significant age group X dose interaction was detected for PAP such that 0.04 g/dL dose level was associated with greater PAP in younger adults but lower PAP in their older counterparts. PAP was lower in older vs younger adults at both active doses. Further mixed models revealed a significant negative association between PAP and working memory efficiency for older adults. No effects of age, dose, or their interaction were noted for FTP. Conclusions Results bolster the small but growing body of evidence that older adults exhibit differential sensitivity to the neurobehavioral effects of moderate alcohol use. Given the theoretical role of PAP in attentional and working memory function, these findings shed light on the attentional mechanisms underlying effects of acute moderate alcohol on working memory efficiency in older adults. PMID:27419803

Severity and Justness Do Not Moderate the Relation between Corporal Punishment and Negative Child Outcomes: A Multicultural and Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alampay, Liane Peña; Godwin, Jennifer; Lansford, Jennifer E.; Bombi, Anna Silvia; Bornstein, Marc H.; Chang, Lei; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Giunta, Laura Di; Dodge, Kenneth A.; Malone, Patrick S.; Oburu, Paul; Pastorelli, Concetta; Skinner, Ann T.; Sorbring, Emma; Tapanya, Sombat; Tirado, Liliana M. Uribe; Zelli, Arnaldo; Al-Hassan, Suha M.; Bacchini, Dario

2017-01-01

There is strong evidence of a positive association between corporal punishment and negative child outcomes, but previous studies have suggested that the manner in which parents implement corporal punishment moderates the effects of its use. This study investigated whether severity and justness in the use of corporal punishment moderate the…

Mediating and/or moderating roles of psychological empowerment.

PubMed

Meng, Lina; Jin, Yi; Guo, Jiajia

2016-05-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the mediating and/or moderating effects of psychological empowerment in the relationship between structural empowerment and burnout among nurses in China. Burnout is prevalent among nurses. Previous studies have found that empowering organizational structures contribute to reduce nurses' burnout. However, little is known about the mediating or moderating role of psychological empowerment in the relationship between structural empowerment and burnout among nurses in China. A cross-sectional design was conducted. A total of 244 nurses participated in this study. The data were collected in March 2013. Multiple regressions were used to test the hypothesized models. Psychological empowerment was found to be a significant mediator of the relationship between structural empowerment and burnout (standardized β=-0.553, Sobel test: z=7.79, p<0.001). The moderating effect of psychological empowerment in that relationship was not verified. Both structural and psychological empowerment negatively correlated with burnout. The psychological empowerment had a mediating effect on burnout. It is important for nurse managers to develop strategies to ensure that empowering structures are in place and to facilitate nurses' perception of psychological empowerment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Meta-Analysis on Antecedents and Outcomes of Detachment from Work.

PubMed

Wendsche, Johannes; Lohmann-Haislah, Andrea

2016-01-01

Detachment from work has been proposed as an important non-work experience helping employees to recover from work demands. This meta-analysis (86 publications, k = 91 independent study samples, N = 38,124 employees) examined core antecedents and outcomes of detachment in employee samples. With regard to outcomes, results indicated average positive correlations between detachment and self-reported mental (i.e., less exhaustion, higher life satisfaction, more well-being, better sleep) and physical (i.e., lower physical discomfort) health, state well-being (i.e., less fatigue, higher positive affect, more intensive state of recovery), and task performance (small to medium sized effects). However, average relationships between detachment and physiological stress indicators and work motivation were not significant while associations with contextual performance and creativity were significant, but negative. Concerning work characteristics, as expected, job demands were negatively related and job resources were positively related to detachment (small sized effects). Further, analyses revealed that person characteristics such as negative affectivity/neuroticism (small sized effect) and heavy work investment (medium sized effect) were negatively related to detachment whereas detachment and demographic variables (i.e., age and gender) were not related. Moreover, we found a medium sized average negative relationship between engagement in work-related activities during non-work time and detachment. For most of the examined relationships heterogeneity of effect sizes was moderate to high. We identified study design, samples' gender distribution, and affective valence of work-related thoughts as moderators for some of these aforementioned relationships. The results of this meta-analysis point to detachment as a non-work (recovery) experience that is influenced by work-related and personal characteristics which in turn is relevant for a range of employee outcomes.

A Meta-Analysis on Antecedents and Outcomes of Detachment from Work

PubMed Central

Wendsche, Johannes; Lohmann-Haislah, Andrea

2017-01-01

Detachment from work has been proposed as an important non-work experience helping employees to recover from work demands. This meta-analysis (86 publications, k = 91 independent study samples, N = 38,124 employees) examined core antecedents and outcomes of detachment in employee samples. With regard to outcomes, results indicated average positive correlations between detachment and self-reported mental (i.e., less exhaustion, higher life satisfaction, more well-being, better sleep) and physical (i.e., lower physical discomfort) health, state well-being (i.e., less fatigue, higher positive affect, more intensive state of recovery), and task performance (small to medium sized effects). However, average relationships between detachment and physiological stress indicators and work motivation were not significant while associations with contextual performance and creativity were significant, but negative. Concerning work characteristics, as expected, job demands were negatively related and job resources were positively related to detachment (small sized effects). Further, analyses revealed that person characteristics such as negative affectivity/neuroticism (small sized effect) and heavy work investment (medium sized effect) were negatively related to detachment whereas detachment and demographic variables (i.e., age and gender) were not related. Moreover, we found a medium sized average negative relationship between engagement in work-related activities during non-work time and detachment. For most of the examined relationships heterogeneity of effect sizes was moderate to high. We identified study design, samples' gender distribution, and affective valence of work-related thoughts as moderators for some of these aforementioned relationships. The results of this meta-analysis point to detachment as a non-work (recovery) experience that is influenced by work-related and personal characteristics which in turn is relevant for a range of employee outcomes. PMID:28133454

Effects of intranasal oxytocin on symptoms of schizophrenia: A multivariate Bayesian meta-analysis.

PubMed

Williams, Donald R; Bürkner, Paul-Christian

2017-01-01

Schizophrenia is a heterogeneous disorder in which psychiatric symptoms are classified into two general subgroups-positive and negative symptoms. Current antipsychotic drugs are effective for treating positive symptoms, whereas negative symptoms are less responsive. Since the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) has been shown to mediate social behavior in animals and humans, it has been used as an experimental therapeutic for treating schizophrenia and in particular negative symptoms which includes social deficits. Through eight randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and three meta-analyses, evidence for an effect of intranasal OT (IN-OT) has been inconsistent. We therefore conducted an updated meta-analysis that offers several advantages when compared to those done previously: (1) We used a multivariate analysis which allows for comparisons between symptoms and accounts for correlations between symptoms; (2) We controlled for baseline scores; (3) We used a fully Bayesian framework that allows for assessment of evidence in favor of the null hypothesis using Bayes factors; and (4) We addressed inconsistencies in the primary studies and previous meta-analyses. Eight RCTs (n=238) were included in the present study and we found that oxytocin did not improve any aspect of symptomology in schizophrenic patients and there was moderate evidence in favor of the null (no effect of oxytocin) for negative symptoms. Multivariate comparisons between symptom types revealed that oxytocin was not especially beneficial for treating negative symptoms. The effect size estimates were not moderated, publication bias was absent, and our estimates were robust to sensitivity analyses. These results suggest that IN-OT is not an effective therapeutic for schizophrenia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationships Between Craving Beliefs and Abstinence Self-Efficacy are Mediated by Smoking Motives and Moderated by Nicotine Dependence.

PubMed

Reese, Elizabeth D; Veilleux, Jennifer C

2016-01-01

Decreased abstinence self-efficacy is linked to increased craving and negative affect, as well as poorer smoking outcomes, such as lapse, relapse, and withdrawal symptom severity. Research suggests that beliefs and cognitions concerning ourselves and the world orient us toward specific goals and thus impact our judgments and behavior. This study serves to investigate whether motives for smoking mediate the relationship between beliefs about craving and abstinence self-efficacy judgments and whether this may differ by nicotine dependence. In a sample of 198 smokers (M age = 34.96, 51.8% female, 81.8% Caucasian), self-report measures of craving beliefs, situational abstinence self-efficacy, and smoking motives were measured. We examined the effect of beliefs on abstinence self-efficacy in both craving and negative affect situations, with craving and negative reinforcement smoking motives as mediators, and nicotine dependence as a moderator. Results indicate that craving beliefs predict lower abstinence self-efficacy judgments in craving situations indirectly through increased craving motives. However, this relationship was only significant for less dependent smokers. Additionally, regardless of nicotine dependence, craving beliefs predicted lower abstinence self-efficacy in negative affect situations via increased negative reinforcement smoking motives. These findings suggest that beliefs concerning the specific nature of craving correlate with smoking motives (ie, smoking goals) and thus abstinence self-efficacy judgments. Furthermore, these associations are stronger for less dependent smokers. Such findings suggest the importance of addressing craving beliefs during smoking cessation treatment, especially for less dependent smokers whose craving beliefs are associated with abstinence self-efficacy across multiple situations. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Alcohol Consumption and Negative Sex-Related Consequences among College Women: The Moderating Role of Alcohol Protective Behavioral Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moorer, Kayla D.; Madson, Michael B.; Mohn, Richard S.; Nicholson, Bonnie C.

2013-01-01

Alcohol protective behavioral strategies (PBS) limit overall negative consequences; however, less is known about the relationship between PBS and negative sex-related consequences. The purpose of the current study was to examine the moderating effects of 2 distinct types of PBS--controlled consumption strategies and serious harm reduction…

Perceived Organizational Support Impacts on the Associations of Work-Family Conflict or Family-Work Conflict with Depressive Symptoms among Chinese Doctors.

PubMed

Hao, Junhui; Wang, Jiana; Liu, Li; Wu, Wei; Wu, Hui

2016-03-16

As a common mental disorder, depressive symptoms had been studied extensively all over the world. However, positive resources for combating depressive symptoms among Chinese doctors were rarely studied. Our study aimed to investigate the relationships between work-family conflict (WFC) and family-work conflict (FWC) with depressive symptoms among Chinese doctors. Meanwhile, the role of perceived organizational support (POS) in this association was explored at an organizational level. The investigation was conducted between March and April 2014. Questionnaires that measured WFC, FWC, depressive symptoms and POS were distributed to 1200 doctors in Shenyang, China. The final study subjects were 931 doctors (effective response rate: 77.6%). In all analyses, male and female doctors were analyzed separately because of possible gender differences. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were used to examine the moderating role of POS. Baron and Kenny's technique and asymptotic and resampling strategies were used to explore the mediating role of POS on the associations of WFC or FWC with depressive symptoms. WFC and FWC had positive relations with depressive symptoms among doctors. POS played a partial mediating role on the correlation of FWC with depressive symptoms among male doctors, and POS played a partial mediating role on the correlation of WFC with depressive symptoms among female doctors. POS had a positive moderating effect on the relationship between WFC and depressive symptoms among doctors. WFC and FWC could aggravate doctors' depressive symptoms, and POS, as an organizational resource, could fight against doctors' depressive symptoms. When POS functioned as a mediator, FWC had a negative effect on POS, which could increase male doctors' depressive symptoms, and WFC had a negative effect on POS, which could increase female doctors' depressive symptoms. In the meantime, POS, as a moderator, could enhance the effects of WFC on depressive symptoms.

Community violence exposure and post-traumatic stress reactions among Gambian youth: the moderating role of positive school climate.

PubMed

O'Donnell, Deborah A; Roberts, William C; Schwab-Stone, Mary E

2011-01-01

Community violence exposure among youth can lead to various negative outcomes, including post-traumatic stress symptoms. Research in the Western world indicates that a number of social support factors may moderate the relation between violence exposure and internalizing symptoms. Little research has been carried out in non-Western countries. This study aimed to fill this gap by exploring the relations among violence exposure, parental warmth, positive school climate, and post-traumatic stress reactions among youth in The Republic of The Gambia, Africa. A school-based survey of youth behaviors, feelings, attitudes, and perceptions was administered to 653 students at senior secondary schools in four Gambian communities. Students reported high levels of exposure to violence. Over half of students reported witnessing someone threatened with serious physical harm, beaten up or mugged, attacked or stabbed with a knife/piece of glass, or seriously wounded in an incident of violence. Nearly half of students reported being beaten up or mugged during the past year, and nearly a quarter reported being threatened with serious physical harm. There were no sex differences in levels of exposure. Traumatic stress symptoms were common, especially among females. Both violence witnessing and violent victimization significantly predicted post-traumatic stress symptoms, and positive school climate moderated the relationship. Among youth victimized by violence, positive school climate was most strongly correlated with lower levels of post-traumatic stress at low levels of exposure. Among youth who had witnessed violence, positive school climate was most strongly correlated with lower levels of post-traumatic stress at high levels of exposure. Community-based programs that bring together parents, schools, and youth may play an important role in combating the negative effects of some types of violence exposure among Gambian youth. Youth experiencing high levels of violent victimization represent a sample of particular concern and merit special research and clinical attention.

Interlimb coordination during the stance phase of gait in subjects with stroke.

PubMed

Sousa, Andreia S P; Silva, Augusta; Santos, Rubim; Sousa, Filipa; Tavares, João Manuel R S

2013-12-01

To analyze the relation between contralesional and ipsilesional limbs in subjects with stroke during step-to-step transition of walking. Observational, transversal, analytical study with a convenience sample. Physical medicine and rehabilitation clinic. Subjects (n=16) with poststroke hemiparesis with the ability to walk independently and healthy controls (n=22). Not applicable. Bilateral lower limbs electromyographic activity of the soleus (SOL), gastrocnemius medialis, tibialis anterior, biceps femoris, rectus femoris, and vastus medialis (VM) muscles and the ground reaction force were analyzed during double-support and terminal stance phases of gait. The propulsive impulse of the contralesional trailing limb was negatively correlated with the braking impulse of the leading limb during double support (r=-.639, P=.01). A moderate functional relation was observed between thigh muscles (r=-.529, P=.035), and a strong and moderate dysfunctional relation was found between the plantar flexors of the ipsilesional limb and the vastus medialis of the contralesional limb, respectively (SOL-VM, r=-.80, P<.001; gastrocnemius medialis-VM, r=-.655, P=.002). Also, a functional moderate negative correlation was found between the SOL and rectus femoris muscles of the ipsilesional limb during terminal stance and between the SOL (r=-.506, P=.046) and VM (r=-.518, P=.04) muscles of the contralesional limb during loading response, respectively. The trailing limb relative impulse contribution of the contralesional limb was lower than the ipsilesional limb of subjects with stroke (P=.02) and lower than the relative impulse contribution of the healthy limb (P=.008) during double support. The findings obtained suggest that the lower performance of the contralesional limb in forward propulsion during gait is related not only to contralateral supraspinal damage but also to a dysfunctional influence of the ipsilesional limb. Copyright © 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Perceived Organizational Support Impacts on the Associations of Work-Family Conflict or Family-Work Conflict with Depressive Symptoms among Chinese Doctors

PubMed Central

Hao, Junhui; Wang, Jiana; Liu, Li; Wu, Wei; Wu, Hui

2016-01-01

As a common mental disorder, depressive symptoms had been studied extensively all over the world. However, positive resources for combating depressive symptoms among Chinese doctors were rarely studied. Our study aimed to investigate the relationships between work-family conflict (WFC) and family-work conflict (FWC) with depressive symptoms among Chinese doctors. Meanwhile, the role of perceived organizational support (POS) in this association was explored at an organizational level. The investigation was conducted between March and April 2014. Questionnaires that measured WFC, FWC, depressive symptoms and POS were distributed to 1200 doctors in Shenyang, China. The final study subjects were 931 doctors (effective response rate: 77.6%). In all analyses, male and female doctors were analyzed separately because of possible gender differences. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were used to examine the moderating role of POS. Baron and Kenny’s technique and asymptotic and resampling strategies were used to explore the mediating role of POS on the associations of WFC or FWC with depressive symptoms. WFC and FWC had positive relations with depressive symptoms among doctors. POS played a partial mediating role on the correlation of FWC with depressive symptoms among male doctors, and POS played a partial mediating role on the correlation of WFC with depressive symptoms among female doctors. POS had a positive moderating effect on the relationship between WFC and depressive symptoms among doctors. WFC and FWC could aggravate doctors’ depressive symptoms, and POS, as an organizational resource, could fight against doctors’ depressive symptoms. When POS functioned as a mediator, FWC had a negative effect on POS, which could increase male doctors’ depressive symptoms, and WFC had a negative effect on POS, which could increase female doctors’ depressive symptoms. In the meantime, POS, as a moderator, could enhance the effects of WFC on depressive symptoms. PMID:26999175

Examining moderators of discrimination and subjective well-being among LGB individuals.

PubMed

Douglass, Richard P; Conlin, Sarah E; Duffy, Ryan D; Allan, Blake A

2017-01-01

Research has found perceived discrimination to be a risk factor for mental health concerns among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people, but less clarity exists linking perceived discrimination with well-being outcomes. Building from Meyer's (2003) minority stress model, the present study examined the links between perceived discrimination and the 3 components of subjective well-being: positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction. Self-esteem and stigma consciousness were explored as empirically and theoretically implied moderators. In a sample of 368 LGB people, structural equation modeling results suggested that discrimination was not significantly associated with positive affect or life satisfaction but had a significant positive relation with negative affect. Self-esteem moderated the associations between discrimination and positive and negative affect, and stigma consciousness moderated the link with negative affect. Practical implications and directions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Young Children’s Video/Computer Game Use: Relations with School Performance and Behavior

PubMed Central

Hastings, Erin C.; Karas, Tamara L.; Winsler, Adam; Way, Erin; Madigan, Amy; Tyler, Shannon

2011-01-01

This study examined the amount and content of children’s video game playing in relation with behavioral and academic outcomes. Relationships among playing context, child gender, and parental monitoring were explored. Data were obtained through parent report of child’s game play, behavior, and school performance. Results revealed that time spent playing games was related positively to aggression and negatively to school competence. Violent content was correlated positively and educational content negatively with attention problems. Educational games were related to good academic achievement. Results suggest violent games, and a large amount of game play, are related to troublesome behavioral and academic outcomes, but educational games may be related to positive outcomes. Neither gender nor parental monitoring emerged as significant moderators of these effects. PMID:19742374

Job characteristics and burnout: The moderating roles of emotional intelligence, motivation and pay among bank employees.

PubMed

Salami, Samuel O; Ajitoni, Sunday O

2016-10-01

This study investigated the prediction of burnout from job characteristics, emotional intelligence, motivation and pay among bank employees. It also examined the interactions of emotional intelligence, motivation, pay and job characteristics in the prediction of burnout. Data obtained from 230 (Males = 127, Females = 103) bank employees were analysed using Pearson's Product Moment Correlation and multiple regression analysis. Results showed that theses variables jointly and separately negatively predicted burnout components. The results further indicated that emotional intelligence, motivation and pay separately interacted with some job characteristic components to negatively predict some burnout components. The findings imply that emotional intelligence, motivation and pay could be considered by counsellors when designing interventions to reduce burnout among bank employees. © 2015 International Union of Psychological Science.

Child Temperament Moderates Effects of Parent-Child Mutuality on Self-Regulation: A Relationship-Based Path for Emotionally Negative Infants

PubMed Central

Kim, Sanghag; Kochanska, Grazyna

2012-01-01

This study examined infants’ negative emotionality as moderating the effect of parent-child Mutually Responsive Orientation (MRO) on children’s self-regulation (N=102). Negative emotionality was observed in anger-eliciting episodes and in interactions with parents at 7 months. MRO was coded in naturalistic interactions at 15 months. Self-regulation was measured at 25 months in effortful control battery and as self-regulated compliance to parental requests and prohibitions. Negative emotionality moderated the effects of mother-child MRO. Highly negative infants were less self-regulated when they were in unresponsive relationships (low MRO), but more self-regulated when in responsive relationships (high MRO). For infants not prone to negative emotionality, there was no link between MRO and self-regulation. The “regions-of-significance” analysis supported the differential susceptibility model not the diathesis-stress model. PMID:22670684

Regional cerebral blood flow and anxiety: a correlation study in neurologically normal patients

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rodriguez, G.; Cogorno, P.; Gris, A.

1989-06-01

Regional CBF (rCBF) was evaluated by the /sup 133/Xe inhalation method in 60 neurologically normal patients (30 men and 30 women) and hemispheric and regional values were correlated with anxiety measurements collected by a self-rating questionnaire before and after the examination. Statistically significant negative correlations between rCBF and anxiety measures were found. rCBF reduction for high anxiety levels is in line with results previously reported by others and could be related to lower performance levels for moderately high anxiety scores as those reported in the present population. This could perhaps be explained by rearrangement of flow from cortical zones tomore » deeper areas of the brain, classically known to be implicated in the control of emotions. However, these results should be interpreted cautiously, since they were obtained in patients and not in normal subjects.« less

Evaluation of Occlusion Treatment Outcomes for Unilateral Amblyopia Using Different Definitions of Outcome.

PubMed

Su, Liping; Yan, Hong; Xing, Yongxin; Zhang, Yuhai; Zhu, Baoyi

2016-01-01

We studied 87 cases of children aged 3 to 10 with unilateral amblyopia (with types of anisometropia, strabismus, or both) who received good recovery after occlusion therapy. The proportional improvement had moderate positive correlation with amblyopic eye improvement (p < 0.05) and negative correlation with residual amblyopia (p < 0.05); the amblyopia residual had no correlation with amblyopic eye improvement (p < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, the proportion of the deficit-corrected of the <5 years group with 2 h/d occlusion therapy group displayed the best outcome (p < 0.05). The BCVA of amblyopia eye and residual amblyopia are simple and direct indicators for clinical application. The proportion of the deficit-corrected method should be graded as the proportion of change in visual acuity with respect to the absolute potential for improvement, and these optimum outcomes can provide powerful evidence for good therapeutic effect.

Do Sleep Disturbances and Psychotic-Like Experiences in Adolescence Share Genetic and Environmental Influences?

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Sleep disturbances regularly co-occur with clinical psychotic disorders and dimensions of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). One possible explanation for this, which has yet to be tested, is that similar genetic or environmental influences underlie sleep disturbances and vulnerability to PLEs. We conducted a twin study to test this possibility in relation to sleep disturbances and six specific PLEs in adolescence in the general population. Approximately 5,000 16-year-old twin pairs completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Insomnia Severity Index. PLEs were assessed using the Specific PLEs Questionnaire, comprising five self-report subscales (Paranoia, Hallucinations, Cognitive Disorganization, Grandiosity, and Anhedonia) and one parent-report subscale (Negative Symptoms). The associations between these measures were tested using structural equation twin model fitting. Paranoia, Hallucinations, and Cognitive Disorganization displayed moderate and significant correlations with both sleep measures (0.32–.42), while Negative Symptoms, Anhedonia, and Grandiosity showed lower correlations (0.01–0.17). Genetic and environmental influences significantly overlapped across PLEs (Paranoia, Hallucinations, Cognitive Disorganization) and both types of sleep disturbance (mean genetic and nonshared environmental correlations = 0.54 and 0.24, respectively). These estimates reduced, yet remained significant, after controlling for negative affect. The association between PLEs with sleep disturbances in adolescence is partly due to genetic and environmental influences that are common to them both. These findings indicate that the known neurobiology of sleep disturbance may provide clues regarding the causes of PLEs in adolescence. PMID:25938536

Do sleep disturbances and psychotic-like experiences in adolescence share genetic and environmental influences?

PubMed

Taylor, Mark J; Gregory, Alice M; Freeman, Daniel; Ronald, Angelica

2015-08-01

Sleep disturbances regularly co-occur with clinical psychotic disorders and dimensions of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). One possible explanation for this, which has yet to be tested, is that similar genetic or environmental influences underlie sleep disturbances and vulnerability to PLEs. We conducted a twin study to test this possibility in relation to sleep disturbances and six specific PLEs in adolescence in the general population. Approximately 5,000 16-year-old twin pairs completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Insomnia Severity Index. PLEs were assessed using the Specific PLEs Questionnaire, comprising five self-report subscales (Paranoia, Hallucinations, Cognitive Disorganization, Grandiosity, and Anhedonia) and one parent-report subscale (Negative Symptoms). The associations between these measures were tested using structural equation twin model fitting. Paranoia, Hallucinations, and Cognitive Disorganization displayed moderate and significant correlations with both sleep measures (0.32-.42), while Negative Symptoms, Anhedonia, and Grandiosity showed lower correlations (0.01-0.17). Genetic and environmental influences significantly overlapped across PLEs (Paranoia, Hallucinations, Cognitive Disorganization) and both types of sleep disturbance (mean genetic and nonshared environmental correlations = 0.54 and 0.24, respectively). These estimates reduced, yet remained significant, after controlling for negative affect. The association between PLEs with sleep disturbances in adolescence is partly due to genetic and environmental influences that are common to them both. These findings indicate that the known neurobiology of sleep disturbance may provide clues regarding the causes of PLEs in adolescence. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

The Moderating Effect of Interaction Avoidance Between Abusive Supervision and Subordinates' Job Promotions.

PubMed

Peltokorpi, Vesa

2017-10-03

While abusive supervision is shown to have negative stress-related effects on targets, less is known about the factors capable of mitigating these negative effects and their career-related outcomes. In this paper, we drew on the transactional model of stress and coping (Lazarus & Folkman, 1986) and the upward mobility theory (Turner, 1960) to explore the moderating effect of subordinates' interaction avoidance between abusive supervision and job promotions. To test this moderating effect, we collected data from 604 full-time employees at three points in time over a 12-month time period in Japan. The findings suggest that interaction avoidance moderates the relationship between abusive supervision and promotions, such that this relationship will be less negative as interaction avoidance increases.

"Macho" Beliefs Moderate the Association Between Negative Sexual Episodes and Activation of Incompetence Schemas in Sexual Context, in Gay and Heterosexual Men.

PubMed

Peixoto, Maria Manuela; Nobre, Pedro

2017-04-01

Despite the existence of conceptual models of sexual dysfunction based on cognitive theory, few studies have tested the role of vulnerability factors such as sexual beliefs as moderators of the activation of cognitive schemas in response to negative sexual events. To test the moderator role of dysfunctional sexual beliefs in the association between the frequency of negative sexual episodes and the activation of incompetence schemas in gay and heterosexual men. Five-hundred seventy-five men (287 gay, 288 heterosexual) who completed an online survey on cognitive-affective dimensions and sexual functioning were selected from a larger database. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to test the hypothesis that dysfunctional sexual beliefs moderate the association between the frequency of unsuccessful sexual episodes and the activation of incompetence schemas. Participants completed the Sexual Dysfunctional Beliefs Questionnaire and the Questionnaire of Cognitive Schemas Activated in Sexual Context. Findings indicated that men's ability for always being ready for sex, to satisfy the partner, and to maintain an erection until ending sexual activity constitute "macho" beliefs that moderate the activation of incompetence schemas when unsuccessful sexual events occur in gay and heterosexual men. In addition, activation of incompetence schemas in response to negative sexual events in gay men was moderated by the endorsement of conservative attitudes toward moderate sexuality. The main findings suggested that psychological interventions targeting dysfunctional sexual beliefs could help de-catastrophize the consequences of negative sexual events and facilitate sexual functioning. Despite being a web-based study, it represents the first attempt to test the moderator role of dysfunctional sexual beliefs in the association between the frequency of unsuccessful sexual episodes and the activation of incompetence schemas in gay and heterosexual men. Overall, findings support the role of sexual beliefs as facilitators of the activation of incompetence schemas in the face of negative sexual events in gay and heterosexual men, emphasizing the need to develop treatment and prevention strategies aimed at challenging common male beliefs about sexuality. Peixoto MM, Nobre P. "Macho" Beliefs Moderate the Association Between Negative Sexual Episodes and Activation of Incompetence Schemas in Sexual Context, in Gay and Heterosexual Men. J Sex Med 2017;14:518-525. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Associations between television viewing and love styles: an interpretation using cultivation theory.

PubMed

Hetsroni, Amir

2012-02-01

This study evaluated the associations between television viewing and love styles. The Love Attitudes Scale (LAS), based on Lee's love style taxonomy, was administered to a sample of 338 unmarried Israeli students along with questions about TV viewing habits, current involvement in a serious romantic relationship, and marital intentions. A confirmatory factor analysis of the LAS indicated that the expected six-factor solution adequately fit the data. Correlations between individual love styles and TV viewing were small to moderate, ranging from .12 to .29. Scores for Ludus love style correlated positively with viewing of news and general programming. Those for Pragma love style correlated positively with news viewing and negatively with viewing genres frequently including love themes such as soap operas and family drama, while scores for Eros love style positively correlated with watching these love abundant genres. No significant association was found for TV viewing with Storge, Mania, and Agape love styles. Hierarchical regression using demographic variables, love status, and viewing habits mirrored these results, with the unique R2 for Ludus, Pragma, and Eros ranging from 1.8% to 8%, while the total variance accounted for by the models ranged from 12% to 21%. The findings can be interpreted as support for a weak cultivation effect, in which habits in long-term TV viewing among young adults correspond to small to moderate tendencies for particular love styles that thematically relate them. However, because they are correlational, the findings could equally be interpreted in terms of tendencies that exist due to modeling within families and socialization during development.

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour: Correlation of apparent diffusion coefficient or WHO classification with recurrence-free survival.

PubMed

Kim, Mimi; Kang, Tae Wook; Kim, Young Kon; Kim, Seong Hyun; Kwon, Wooil; Ha, Sang Yun; Ji, Sang A

2016-03-01

To evaluate the correlation between grade of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (pNETs) based on the 2010 World Health Organization (WHO) classification and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and to assess whether the ADC value and WHO classification can predict recurrence-free survival (RFS) after surgery for pNETs. This retrospective study was approved by the Institutional Review Board. The requirement for informed consent was waived. Between March 2009 and November 2014, forty-nine patients who underwent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with diffusion-weighted image and subsequent surgery for single pNETs were included. Correlations among qualitative MR imaging findings, quantitative ADC values, and WHO classifications were assessed. An ordered logistic regression test was used to control for tumour size as a confounding factor. The association between ADC value (or WHO classification) and RFS was analysed. All tumors (n=49) were classified as low- (n=29, grade 1), intermediate- (n=17, grade 2), and high-grade (n=3, grade 3), respectively. The mean ADC of pNETs was moderately negatively correlated with WHO classification before and after adjustment for tumour size (ρ=-0.64, p<0.001 and ρ=-0.55, p=0.001 respectively). RFS was significantly associated with WHO classification (p=0.007), but not with the ADC value (p=0.569). The ADC value of pNETs is moderately correlated with WHO tumour grade, regardless of tumour size. However, the WHO tumour classification of pNET may be more suitable for predicting RFS than the ADC value. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influences of barriers to cessation and reasons for quitting on substance use among treatment-seeking smokers who report heavy drinking

PubMed Central

Foster, Dawn W.; Schmidt, Norman B.; Zvolensky, Michael J.

2015-01-01

Objectives We examined behavioral and cognitively-based quit processes among concurrent alcohol and tobacco users and assessed whether smoking and drinking were differentially influenced. Methods Participants were 200 treatment-seeking smokers (37.50% female; Mage = 30.72; SD = 12.68) who reported smoking an average of 10 or more cigarettes daily for at least one year. Results Barriers to cessation (BCS) and reasons for quitting (RFQ) were generally correlated with substance use. BCS moderated the relationship between quit methods and cigarette use such that quit methods were negatively associated with smoking, particularly among those with more BCS. RFQ moderated the association between quit methods and cigarette use such that quit methods were negatively linked with smoking among those with fewer RFQ, but positively linked with smoking among those with more RFQ. Two 3-way interactions emerged. The first 3-way indicated that among individuals with fewer RFQ, quit methods was negatively associated with smoking, and this was strongest among those with more BCS. However, among those with more RFQ, smoking and quit methods were positively associated, particularly among those with more BCS. The second 3-way showed that among those with fewer RFQ, quit methods was negatively linked with drinking frequency, and this was strongest among those with more BCS. However, among those with fewer BCS, drinking and quit methods were positively linked. Conclusions The relationship between behavioral and cognitively-based quit processes and substance use is not straightforward. There may be concurrent substance-using individuals for whom these processes might be associated with increased substance use. PMID:26949566

Examining Convergence of Retrospective and Ecological Momentary Assessment Measures of Negative Affect and Eating Disorder Behaviors

PubMed Central

Wonderlich, Joseph A.; Lavender, Jason M.; Wonderlich, Stephen A.; Peterson, Carol B.; Crow, Scott J.; Engel, Scott G.; Le Grange, Daniel; Mitchell, James E.; Crosby, Ross D.

2017-01-01

Objective Data gathered via retrospective forms of assessment are subject to various recall biases. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is an alternative approach involving repeated momentary assessments within a participant's natural environment, thus reducing recall biases and improving ecological validity. EMA has been used in numerous prior studies examining various constructs of theoretical relevance to eating disorders. Method This investigation includes data from three previously published studies with distinct clinical samples: (a) women with anorexia nervosa (N=118), (b) women with bulimia nervosa (N=133), and (c) obese men and women (N=50; 9 with current binge eating disorder). Each study assessed negative affective states and eating disorder behaviors using traditional retrospective assessments and EMA. Spearman rho correlations were used to evaluate the concordance of retrospective versus EMA measures of affective and/or behavioral constructs in each sample. Bland-Altman plots were also used to further evaluate concordance in the assessment of eating disorder behaviors. Results There was moderate to strong concordance for the measures of negative affective states across all three studies. Moderate to strong concordance was also found for the measures of binge eating and exercise frequency. The strongest evidence of concordance across measurement approaches was found for purging behaviors. Discussion Overall, these preliminary findings support the convergence of retrospective and EMA assessments of both negative affective states and various eating disorder behaviors. Given the advantages and disadvantages associated with each of these assessment approaches, the specific questions being studied in future empirical studies should inform decisions regarding selection of the most appropriate method. PMID:25195932

Long-Term Correlates of Objectively Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Time in Norwegian Men and Women.

PubMed

Solbraa, Ane Kristiansen; Ekelund, Ulf; Holme, Ingar M; Graff-Iversen, Sidsel; Steene-Johannessen, Jostein; Aadland, Eivind; Anderssen, Sigmund Alfred

2015-11-01

Sex, age, body mass index (BMI), perceived health and health behavior are correlates known to affect physical activity and sedentary time. However, studies have often been cross-sectional, and less is known about long-term correlates. Thus, the aims were to investigate 1) the associations between a set of characteristics (demographic, biological, psychological, and behavioral) and objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time at 13-year follow-up, and 2) the association between changes in these characteristics over time and physical activity and sedentary time. Baseline characteristics were collected in 40-year-olds in 1996, and follow-up data on objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time were obtained in 2009 (n = 240). Data were analyzed by multiple linear regressions. Self-reported physical activity (P < .001) and improved perceived health (P = .046) were positively associated with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) whereas BMI (P = .034) and increased BMI (P = .014) were negatively associated with MVPA at follow-up. Women spent less time being sedentary than men (P = .019). Education (P < .001) was positively associated and improved perceived health (P = .010) was negatively associated with sedentary time at follow-up. MVPA and sedentary time at follow-up were associated with behavioral, biological and demographic correlates. However, the nature of our analyses prevents us from inferring causality.

Psychometric validation of the Dutch translation of the quality of life in reflux and dyspepsia (QOLRAD) questionnaire in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

PubMed

Engels, Leopold G J B; Klinkenberg-Knol, Elly C; Carlsson, Jonas; Halling, Katarina

2010-08-17

The Quality of Life in Reflux and Dyspepsia (QOLRAD) questionnaire is one of the best-characterized disease-specific instruments that captures health-related problems and symptom-patterns in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This paper reports the psychometric validation of a Dutch translation of the QOLRAD questionnaire in gastroenterology outpatients with GERD. Patients completed the QOLRAD questionnaire at visit 1 (baseline), visit 2 (after 2, 4 or 8 weeks of acute treatment with esomeprazole 40 mg once daily), and visit 4 (after 6 months with on-demand esomeprazole 40 mg once daily or continuous esomeprazole 20 mg once daily). Symptoms were assessed at each visit, and patient satisfaction was assessed at visits 2 and 4. Of the 1166 patients entered in the study, 97.3% had moderate or severe heartburn and 55.5% had moderate or severe regurgitation at baseline. At visit 2, symptoms of heartburn and regurgitation were mild or absent in 96.7% and 97.7%, respectively, and 95.3% of patients reported being satisfied with the treatment. The internal consistency and reliability of the QOLRAD questionnaire (range: 0.83-0.92) supported construct validity. Convergent validity was moderate to low. Known-groups validity was confirmed by a negative correlation between the QOLRAD score and clinician-assessed severity of GERD symptoms. Effect sizes (1.15-1.93) and standardized response means (1.17-1.86) showed good responsiveness to change. GERD symptoms had a negative impact on patients' lives. The psychometric characteristics of the Dutch translation of the QOLRAD questionnaire were found to be satisfactory, with good reliability and responsiveness to change, although convergent validity was at best moderate.

Jordanian Men's and Women's Attitudes Toward Intimate Partner Violence and Its Correlates With Family Functioning and Demographics.

PubMed

Alzoubi, Fatmeh Ahmad; Ali, Reem Ahmad

2018-04-01

Jordan is a developing country in the Middle East and, much like other countries in the world, has high rates of intimate partner violence (IPV). Little information is available on Jordanian men's and women's attitudes toward IPV. The purpose of this study is to examine men's and women's attitudes toward IPV in Jordan and its relationship with some demographics and family functioning. A descriptive cross-sectional correlational design with a sample of 401 men and women was used. Descriptive statistics ( M, SD), Pearson r, t test, and ANOVA were used. The results indicated that Jordanian men and women have a lower score of IPVAS, 40.06 ( SD = 8.20), indicating lower acceptance of IPV compared with the literature. Family functioning was 3.12 ( SD = 0.46), indicating more healthy families. Family functioning was negatively correlated with IPVAS scores ( r = -.22, p = .00). All demographic variables showed small to moderate correlations with IPVAS. Education for both study participants and their spouses had a negative correlation with IPVAS ( r = -.27, p = .00) and ( r = -.20, p = .00), respectively. Male participants, individuals who were living with extended family, and those living in rural areas had significantly high IPVAS scores, indicating more accepting attitudes toward IPV. Practitioners should provide families with education on the methods of conflict resolution, effective communication within the family, problem-solving approaches, equal role distribution, and appropriate styles of establishing a family.

Child cortisol moderates the association between family routines and emotion regulation in low-income children

PubMed Central

Miller, Alison L.; Song, Ju-Hyun; Sturza, Julie; Lumeng, Julie C.; Rosenblum, Katherine; Kaciroti, Niko; Vazquez, Delia M.

2018-01-01

Biological and social influences both shape emotion regulation. In 380 low-income children, we tested whether biological stress profile (cortisol) moderated the association among positive and negative home environment factors (routines; chaos) and emotion regulation (negative lability; positive regulation). Children (M age = 50.6, SD = 6.4 months) provided saliva samples to assess diurnal cortisol parameters across 3 days. Parents reported on home environment and child emotion regulation. Structural equation modeling was used to test whether cortisol parameters moderated associations between home environment and child emotion regulation. Results showed that home chaos was negatively associated with emotion regulation outcomes; cortisol did not moderate the association. Child cortisol level moderated the routines-emotion regulation association such that lack of routine was most strongly associated with poor emotion regulation among children with lower cortisol output. Findings suggest that underlying child stress biology may shape response to environmental influences. PMID:27594200

The Moderating Effect of the Negative Impact of Recent Life Events on the Relation between Intrinsic Religiosity and Death Ideation in Older Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jahn, Danielle R.; Poindexter, Erin K.; Graham, Ryan D.; Cukrowicz, Kelly C.

2012-01-01

Researchers tested the hypothesis that the negative impact of recent life events would moderate the relationship between intrinsic religiosity and death ideation in older adults. Participants (n = 272) completed assessments of death ideation, intrinsic religiosity, and negative impact of recent life events. We confirmed the presence of concurrent…

Child Temperament Moderates Effects of Parent-Child Mutuality on Self-Regulation: A Relationship-Based Path for Emotionally Negative Infants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Sanghag; Kochanska, Grazyna

2012-01-01

This study examined infants' negative emotionality as moderating the effect of parent-child mutually responsive orientation (MRO) on children's self-regulation (n = 102). Negative emotionality was observed in anger-eliciting episodes and in interactions with parents at 7 months. MRO was coded in naturalistic interactions at 15 months.…

Turkish Version of Kolcaba's Immobilization Comfort Questionnaire: A Validity and Reliability Study.

PubMed

Tosun, Betül; Aslan, Özlem; Tunay, Servet; Akyüz, Aygül; Özkan, Hüseyin; Bek, Doğan; Açıksöz, Semra

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Immobilization Comfort Questionnaire (ICQ). The sample used in this methodological study consisted of 121 patients undergoing lower extremity arthroscopy in a training and research hospital. The validity study of the questionnaire assessed language validity, structural validity and criterion validity. Structural validity was evaluated via exploratory factor analysis. Criterion validity was evaluated by assessing the correlation between the visual analog scale (VAS) scores (i.e., the comfort and pain VAS scores) and the ICQ scores using Spearman's correlation test. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin coefficient and Bartlett's test of sphericity were used to determine the suitability of the data for factor analysis. Internal consistency was evaluated to determine reliability. The data were analyzed with SPSS version 15.00 for Windows. Descriptive statistics were presented as frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations. A p value ≤ .05 was considered statistically significant. A moderate positive correlation was found between the ICQ scores and the VAS comfort scores; a moderate negative correlation was found between the ICQ and the VAS pain measures in the criterion validity analysis. Cronbach α values of .75 and .82 were found for the first and second measurements, respectively. The findings of this study reveal that the ICQ is a valid and reliable tool for assessing the comfort of patients in Turkey who are immobilized because of lower extremity orthopedic problems. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Prevalence of Internet addiction and its association with social support and other related factors among adolescents in China.

PubMed

Wu, Xiao-Shuang; Zhang, Zhi-Hua; Zhao, Feng; Wang, Wen-Jing; Li, Yi-Feng; Bi, Linda; Qian, Zhen-Zhong; Lu, Shan-Shan; Feng, Fang; Hu, Cai-Yun; Gong, Feng-Feng; Sun, Ye-Huan

2016-10-01

A cross-sectional study design was applied amongst a random sample (n = 10158) of Chinese adolescents. Self-completed questionnaires, including demographic characteristics, Internet use situation, Youth Internet Addiction Test, Youth Social Support Rating Scale and Zung Self-rating Depression Scale were utilized to examine the study objectives. Among the study population, the prevalence rate of Internet addiction was 10.4%, with 1038 (10.2%) moderately and 21 (0.2%) severely addicted to the Internet. Results from the multivariate logistic regression analyses suggested that a variety of related factors have significant effects on Internet addiction (parental control, per capita annual household income, academic performance, the access to Internet, online activities). The correlation coefficients showed that Internet addiction was negatively correlated with social support and positively associated with depression. Social support had a significant negative predictive effect on Internet addiction. The mediating effect of depression between social support and Internet addiction was remarkable. Copyright © 2016 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Infant and maternal predictors of early life feeding decisions: The timing of solid food introduction

PubMed Central

Doub, Allison E.; Moding, Kameron J.; Stifter, Cynthia A.

2015-01-01

There is limited research on the maternal and infant characteristics associated with the timing of solid food introduction. The current study examined how maternal feeding style and infant temperament independently and interactively predicted the age at which infants were introduced to solid food. Data from 115 predominately white, middle-class mothers were collected when infants were 4 and 6 months of age. The timing of solid food introduction was positively correlated with mothers' age, education, breastfeeding at 4 months, self-reported responsiveness to infants' hunger and satiety cues, and negatively correlated with mothers' pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), beliefs about feeding infants solid food prior to 6 months of age, and infants' temperamental motor reactivity. When controlling for maternal age, education, pre-pregnancy BMI, and milk feeding method at 4 months, the timing of solid food introduction was negatively predicted by mothers' beliefs about feeding solid food prior to 6 months of age. Exploratory interaction analyses suggested that infant temperament marginally moderated maternal feeding style in predicting the timing of solid food introduction. PMID:26025089

Testing the Bivalent Fear of Evaluation Model of Social Anxiety: The Relationship between Fear of Positive Evaluation, Social Anxiety, and Perfectionism.

PubMed

Yap, Keong; Gibbs, Amy L; Francis, Andrew J P; Schuster, Sharynn E

2016-01-01

The Bivalent Fear of Evaluation (BFOE) model of social anxiety proposes that fear of negative evaluation (FNE) and fear of positive evaluation (FPE) play distinct roles in social anxiety. Research is however lacking in terms of how FPE is related to perfectionism and how these constructs interact to predict social anxiety. Participants were 382 individuals from the general community and included an oversampling of individuals with social anxiety. Measures of FPE, FNE, perfectionism, and social anxiety were administered. Results were mostly consistent with the predictions made by the BFOE model and showed that accounting for confounding variables, FPE correlated negatively with high standards but positively with maladaptive perfectionism. FNE was also positively correlated with maladaptive perfectionism, but there was no significant relationship between FNE and high standards. Also consistent with BFOE model, both FNE and FPE significantly moderated the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and social anxiety with the relationship strengthened at high levels of FPE and FNE. These findings provide additional support for the BFOE model and implications are discussed.

Infant and maternal predictors of early life feeding decisions. The timing of solid food introduction.

PubMed

Doub, Allison E; Moding, Kameron J; Stifter, Cynthia A

2015-09-01

There is limited research on the maternal and infant characteristics associated with the timing of solid food introduction. The current study examined how maternal feeding style and infant temperament independently and interactively predicted the age at which infants were introduced to solid food. Data from 115 predominately white, middle-class mothers were collected when infants were 4 and 6 months of age. The timing of solid food introduction was positively correlated with mothers' age, education, breastfeeding at 4 months, self-reported responsiveness to infants' hunger and satiety cues, and negatively correlated with mothers' pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), beliefs about feeding infants solid food prior to 6 months of age, and infants' temperamental motor reactivity. When controlling for maternal age, education, pre-pregnancy BMI, and milk feeding method at 4 months, the timing of solid food introduction was negatively predicted by mothers' beliefs about feeding solid food prior to 6 months of age. Exploratory interaction analyses suggested that infant temperament marginally moderated maternal feeding style in predicting the timing of solid food introduction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exercise and obesity in fibromyalgia: beneficial roles of IGF-1 and resistin?

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Introduction Severe fatigue is a major health problem in fibromyalgia (FM). Obesity is common in FM, but the influence of adipokines and growth factors is not clear. The aim was to examine effects of exercise on fatigue, in lean, overweight and obese FM patients. Methods In a longitudinal study, 48 FM patients (median 52 years) exercised for 15 weeks. Nine patients were lean (body mass index, BMI 18.5 to 24.9), 26 overweight (BMI 25 to 29.9) and 13 obese. Fatigue was rated on a 0 to 100 mm scale (fibromyalgia impact questionnaire [FIQ] fatigue) and multidimensional fatigue inventory (MFI-20) general fatigue (MFIGF). Higher levels in FIQ fatigue and MFIGF indicate greater degree of fatigue. Free and total IGF-1, neuropeptides, adipokines were determined in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Results Baseline FIQ fatigue correlated negatively with serum leptin (r = -0.345; P = 0.016) and nerve growth factor (NGF; r = -0.412; P = 0.037). In lean patients, baseline MFIGF associated negatively with serum resistin (r = -0.694; P = 0.038). FIQ Fatigue associated negatively with CSF resistin (r = -0.365; P = 0.073). Similarly, FIQ fatigue (r = -0.444; P = 0.026) and MFIGF correlated negatively with CSF adiponectin (r = -0.508; P = 0.01). In lean patients, FIQ fatigue (P = 0.046) decreased after 15 weeks. After 30 weeks, MFIGF decreased significantly in lean (MFIGF: P = 0.017), overweight (MFIGF: P = 0.001), and obese patients (MFIGF: P = 0.016). After 15 weeks, total IGF-1 increased in lean (P = 0.043) patients. ∆Total IGF-1 differed significantly between lean and obese patients (P = 0.010). ∆Total IGF-1 related negatively with ∆MFIGF after 15 weeks (r = -0.329; P = 0.050). After 30 weeks, ∆FIQ fatigue negatively correlated with ∆NGF (r = -0.463; P = 0.034) and positively with ∆neuropeptide Y (NPY) (r = 0.469; P = 0.032). Resistin increased after 30 weeks (P = 0.034). ∆MFIGF correlated negatively with ∆resistin (r = -0.346; P = 0.031), being strongest in obese patients (r = -0.815; P = 0.007). In obese patients, ∆FIQ fatigue after 30 weeks correlated negatively with ∆free IGF-1 (r = -0.711; P = 0.032). Conclusions Exercise reduced fatigue in all FM patients, this effect was achieved earlier in lean patients. Baseline levels of resistin in both serum and CSF associated negatively with fatigue. Resistin was increased after the exercise period which correlated with decreased fatigue. Changes in IGF-1 indicate similar long-term effects in obese patients. This study shows reduced fatigue after moderate exercise in FM and indicates the involvement of IGF-1 and resistin in these beneficial effects. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00643006 PMID:23446104

Health, well-being, and psychopathology in a clinical population: Structure and discriminant validity of Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC-SF).

PubMed

van Erp Taalman Kip, Rogier M; Hutschemaekers, Giel J M

2018-03-30

The literature suggests a distinction between illness (negative health) and the ability to cope with challenges such as illness (positive health). The two continua model of mental health distinguishes psychiatric symptoms (illness) from well-being (positive health). Well-being consists of hedonic, eudaimonic, and social well-being, constituting one factor that is moderately correlated with psychopathology in the general population. In a mental health care population, we examined whether the three dimensions of well-being are distinguishable and whether well-being is also moderately correlated with symptoms. A representative sample of 1,069 patients (63% female, 47% male; mean age: 42 years) voluntarily completed the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF), a 14-item test that assesses three components of well-being. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a model with strong correlations between the three subscales of the MHC-SF, indicating poor discriminant validity. Furthermore, the MHC-SF was strongly correlated (r = -.71) with the symptomatic distress scale of the OQ-45. Exploratory factor analysis permitted a two-factor solution, providing support for the two continua model of mental health. However, the explained variance of the second factor (well-being) was meager in comparison with the first factor (psychopathology). The results of a canonic correlation did not confirm the two continua model, and only a model with one common canonical factor was significant. For patients with clinical levels of psychopathology, the level of well-being and psychopathology correlate much higher than in the general population. Well-being and psychopathology are so entwined that the supposed distinction should be seriously questioned. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Neurocognition, Insight into Illness and Subjective Quality-of-Life in Schizophrenia: What is Their Relationship?

PubMed Central

Kurtz, Matthew M.; Tolman, Arielle

2010-01-01

Subjective quality-of-life (SQOL) has been recognized as a crucial domain of outcome in schizophrenia treatment, and yet its determinants are not well understood. In a recent meta-analytic investigation of 10 studies of neurocognition and SQOL in schizophrenia (Tolman & Kurtz, Scz Bull, in press) measures of crystallized verbal ability and processing speed were moderately negatively correlated with SQOL. One potential explanation for inverse relationships between measures of elementary neurocognition and SQOL is that higher levels of cognition may serve as a proxy for better insight into the illness, and better consequent recognition of illness-related functional impairment. This study sought to determine whether: (1) symptoms, neurocognitive variables, and insight into illness influence SQOL; and, (2) whether insight mediated or moderated a relationship between elementary neurocognitive function and SQOL. Seventy-one stabilized clients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were administered a neuropsychological test battery, symptom and subjective quality-of-life measures. Elementary neuropsychological measures of crystallized verbal ability, attention and working memory, and problem-solving were all inversely related to SQOL. Insight into illness and depression severity, but not positive and negative symptoms, were also inversely related to SQOL. Insight was not found to mediate or moderate any of the relationships between elementary neurocognition and SQOL. Taken together, these findings suggest that neurocognition and insight into illness have inverse relationships to SQOL and that elementary neurocognition does not influence SQOL through its link with illness insight. PMID:21211943

Relationships between compulsive exercise, quality of life, psychological distress and motivation to change in adults with anorexia nervosa.

PubMed

Young, Sarah; Touyz, Stephen; Meyer, Caroline; Arcelus, Jon; Rhodes, Paul; Madden, Sloane; Pike, Kathleen; Attia, Evelyn; Crosby, Ross D; Hay, Phillipa

2018-01-01

For people with anorexia nervosa (AN), compulsive exercise is characterized by extreme concerns about the perceived negative consequences of stopping/reducing exercise, dysregulation of affect, and inflexible exercise routines. It is associated with increased eating disorder psychopathology and poor clinical outcome. However, its relationships with two important clinical issues, quality of life (QoL) and motivation to change, are currently unknown. This study aimed to assess the cross-sectional relationships between compulsive exercise, QoL, psychological distress (anxiety and depressive symptoms, and obsessive-compulsive traits) and motivation to change in patients with AN. A total of 78 adults with AN participated in this study, which was nested within a randomized controlled trial of psychological treatments for AN. At baseline (pre-treatment), participants completed questionnaires assessing compulsive exercise, eating disorder (ED) psychopathology, QoL, psychological distress and motivation to change. Baseline correlational analyses demonstrated a moderate positive relationship between compulsive exercise and ED psychopathology, and a weak positive relationship between compulsive exercise and psychological distress. There was a moderate negative relationship between compulsive exercise and eating disorder QoL. These results indicate compulsive exercise is moderately associated with poorer QoL and weakly associated with higher distress. Targeting compulsive exercise in the treatment of anorexia nervosa may help reduce the burden of illness and improve patients' engagement in treatment. ACTRN12610000585022. Taking a LEAP forward in the treatment of anorexia nervosa: a randomized controlled trial. NHMRC grant: 634922.

Pain and Depressive Symptoms in Primary Care: Moderating Role of Positive and Negative Affect.

PubMed

Hirsch, Jameson K; Sirois, Fuschia M; Molnar, Danielle; Chang, Edward C

2016-07-01

Pain and its disruptive impact on daily life are common reasons that patients seek primary medical care. Pain contributes strongly to psychopathology, and pain and depressive symptoms are often comorbid in primary care patients. Not all those who experience pain develop depression, suggesting that the presence of individual-level characteristics, such as positive and negative affect, that may ameliorate or exacerbate this association. We assessed the potential moderating role of positive and negative affect on the pain-depression linkage. In a sample of 101 rural, primary care patients, we administered the Brief Pain Inventory, NEO Personality Inventory-Revised positive and negative affect subclusters, and the Center for Epidemiology Scale for Depression. In moderation models, covarying age, sex, and ethnicity, we found that positive affect, but not negative affect, was a significant moderator of the relation between pain intensity and severity and depressive symptoms. The association between pain and depressive symptoms is attenuated when greater levels of positive affects are present. Therapeutic bolstering of positive affect in primary care patients experiencing pain may reduce the risk for depressive symptoms.

Non-linear Heart Rate Variability as a Discriminator of Internalizing Psychopathology and Negative Affect in Children With Internalizing Problems and Healthy Controls

PubMed Central

Fiskum, Charlotte; Andersen, Tonje G.; Bornas, Xavier; Aslaksen, Per M.; Flaten, Magne A.; Jacobsen, Karl

2018-01-01

Background: Internalizing psychopathology and dysregulated negative affect are characterized by dysregulation in the autonomic nervous system and reduced heart rate variability (HRV) due to increases in sympathetic activity alongside reduced vagal tone. The neurovisceral system is however, a complex nonlinear system, and nonlinear indices related to psychopathology are so far less studied in children. Essential nonlinear properties of a system can be found in two main domains: the informational domain and the invariant domain. sample entropy (SampEn) is a much-used method from the informational domain, while detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) represents a widely-used method from the invariant domain. To see if nonlinear HRV can provide information beyond linear indices of autonomic activation, this study investigated SampEn and DFA as discriminators of internalizing psychopathology and negative affect alongside measures of vagally-mediated HRV and sympathetic activation. Material and Methods: Thirty-Two children with internalizing difficulties and 25 healthy controls (aged 9–13) were assessed with the Child Behavior Checklist and the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire, Revised, giving an estimate of internalizing psychopathology, negative affect and effortful control, a protective factor against psychopathology. Five minute electrocardiogram and impedance cardiography recordings were collected during a resting baseline, giving estimates of SampEn, DFA short-term scaling exponent α1, root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), and pre-ejection period (PEP). Between-group differences and correlations were assessed with parametric and non-parametric tests, and the relationships between cardiac variables, psychopathology and negative affect were assessed using generalized linear modeling. Results: SampEn and DFA were not significantly different between the groups. SampEn was weakly negatively related to heart rate (HR) in the controls, while DFA was moderately negatively related to RMSSD in both groups, and moderately positively related to HR in the clinical sample. SampEn was significantly associated with internalizing psychopathology and negative affect. DFA was significantly related to internalizing psychopathology. Conclusions: Higher invariant self-similarity was linked to less psychopathology. Higher informational entropy was related to less psychopathology and less negative affect, and may provide an index of the organizational flexibility of the neurovisceral system. PMID:29875679

Non-linear Heart Rate Variability as a Discriminator of Internalizing Psychopathology and Negative Affect in Children With Internalizing Problems and Healthy Controls.

PubMed

Fiskum, Charlotte; Andersen, Tonje G; Bornas, Xavier; Aslaksen, Per M; Flaten, Magne A; Jacobsen, Karl

2018-01-01

Background: Internalizing psychopathology and dysregulated negative affect are characterized by dysregulation in the autonomic nervous system and reduced heart rate variability (HRV) due to increases in sympathetic activity alongside reduced vagal tone. The neurovisceral system is however, a complex nonlinear system, and nonlinear indices related to psychopathology are so far less studied in children. Essential nonlinear properties of a system can be found in two main domains: the informational domain and the invariant domain. sample entropy (SampEn) is a much-used method from the informational domain, while detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) represents a widely-used method from the invariant domain. To see if nonlinear HRV can provide information beyond linear indices of autonomic activation, this study investigated SampEn and DFA as discriminators of internalizing psychopathology and negative affect alongside measures of vagally-mediated HRV and sympathetic activation. Material and Methods: Thirty-Two children with internalizing difficulties and 25 healthy controls (aged 9-13) were assessed with the Child Behavior Checklist and the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire, Revised, giving an estimate of internalizing psychopathology, negative affect and effortful control, a protective factor against psychopathology. Five minute electrocardiogram and impedance cardiography recordings were collected during a resting baseline, giving estimates of SampEn, DFA short-term scaling exponent α 1 , root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), and pre-ejection period (PEP). Between-group differences and correlations were assessed with parametric and non-parametric tests, and the relationships between cardiac variables, psychopathology and negative affect were assessed using generalized linear modeling. Results: SampEn and DFA were not significantly different between the groups. SampEn was weakly negatively related to heart rate (HR) in the controls, while DFA was moderately negatively related to RMSSD in both groups, and moderately positively related to HR in the clinical sample. SampEn was significantly associated with internalizing psychopathology and negative affect. DFA was significantly related to internalizing psychopathology. Conclusions: Higher invariant self-similarity was linked to less psychopathology. Higher informational entropy was related to less psychopathology and less negative affect, and may provide an index of the organizational flexibility of the neurovisceral system.

Evaluation of inflammatory markers interleukin-6 (IL-6) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in asthma.

PubMed

Naik, Srilata Puru; P A, Mahesh; B S, Jayaraj; Madhunapantula, SubbaRao V; Jahromi, Sarah Raeiszadeh; Yadav, Manish Kumar

2017-08-01

Even though IL-6 and MMP-9 are associated with airway inflammation in asthma, there is paucity of data in Indian population. To determine the levels of IL-6 and MMP-9 in the serum of patients suffering from asthma, and correlate with (a) disease severity, as per GINA guidelines; (b) clinical phenotypes; and (c) response to treatment. The levels of IL-6 and MMP-9 were compared between moderate persistent asthma (n = 25), severe persistent asthma (n = 25) and normal controls (n = 30). IL-6 and MMP-9 were measured by ELISA (R&D Systems Inc., USA and Canada) and compared between controls and asthmatics and between groups of different asthma severity, clinical variables, spirometry, and allergen sensitization. Spirometry was repeated after 2 months of ICS+LABA to assess response to treatment in relation to baseline IL-6 and MMP-9 levels. We observed a significant difference in both IL-6 and MMP-9 levels among asthmatics versus controls (p < 0.001), moderate versus severe persistent asthma (p < 0.001). A significant negative correlation was observed between MMP-9 and pre-bronchodilator FEV 1 and FVC, but not with IL-6. There was no association between IL-6 and MMP-9 with asthma duration, total IgE, AEC, number of allergens sensitized and degree of sensitization. No significant correlation (p > 0.5) was observed with IL-6 and MMP-9 levels and FEV 1 improvement after 2 months of ICS+LABA. Higher levels of IL-6 and MMP-9 were observed in asthmatics as compared to controls and in severe persistent asthma as compared to moderate persistent asthma, higher levels of MMP-9 was associated with lower lung functions.

DSM-5 Alcohol Use Disorder Severity in Puerto Rico: Prevalence, Criteria Profile, and Correlates.

PubMed

Caetano, Raul; Gruenewald, Paul; Vaeth, Patrice A C; Canino, Glorisa

2018-02-01

Our aim was to examine lifetime criteria profiles and correlates of severity (mild, moderate, severe) of DSM-5 alcohol use disorders (AUD) in Puerto Rico. Data are from a household random sample of individuals 18 to 64 years of age in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The survey response rate was 83%. DSM-5 AUD was identified with the Spanish version of the World Health Organization's Composite International Diagnostic Interview. The analyses also identify correlates of each severity level using an ordered logistic regression model. The prevalence of lifetime DSM-5 AUD among men and women was 38 and 16%, respectively. Mild lifetime DSM-5 AUD was the most prevalent severity level among both men (18%) and women (9%). The most common criteria, independent of gender and severity level, were drinking larger quantities and for longer than planned (men range: 80 to 97%; women range: 78 to 91%) and hazardous use (men range: 56 to 91%; women range: 42 to 74%). Results from ordered logistic regression showed that the adjusted odds ratio for weekly drinking frequency, greater volume of alcohol consumed per drinking occasion, positive attitudes about drinking, drinking norms, and male gender invariantly increased risks across all DSM-5 AUD severity levels (mild, moderate, severe). Greater negative attitudes about drinking, low family cohesion, and Protestant religion were related to greater risks at higher AUD severity levels. AUD prevalence is high in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Prevalence rates for some criteria are equally high across severity levels and poorly differentiate between mild, moderate, or severe DSM-5 AUD. The sociodemographic and alcohol-related risks vary across DSM-5 severity levels. Copyright © 2018 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Quantification of circulating cell-free DNA in the serum of patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome.

PubMed

Ye, Liang; Ma, Guan-Hua; Chen, Ling; Li, Min; Liu, Jia-Lin; Yang, Kun; Li, Qing-Yun; Li, Ning; Wan, Huan-Ying

2010-12-01

Serum cell-free DNA concentrations have been reported to increase in many acute diseases as well as in some chronic conditions such as cancer and autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study was to examine whether serum DNA concentrations were elevated in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). The effects of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) on serum DNA were also investigated. One hundred twenty-seven people diagnosed with OSAHS by polysomnography (PSG) were admitted into the OSAHS group, and 52 subjects without OSAHS were recruited for the control group. The OSAHS group was further divided into mild, moderate, and severe OSAHS subgroups based on their apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) during sleep. Ten patients with moderate and severe OSAHS were treated with nCPAP. Serum DNA, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and malonaldehyde (MDA) concentrations were measured and were found to be significantly higher in patients with moderate and severe OSAHS groups than those in the mild OSAHS and control groups (p < 0.05). Univariate analysis showed that serum DNA correlated positively with AHI, oxygen desaturation index (ODI), IL-6, and MDA, and negatively correlated with minimal oxygen saturation (miniSaO(2)) (all p < 0.05). In stepwise multiple regression analysis, only MDA and miniSaO(2) were suggested as significant independent predictors for the serum DNA concentrations. After 6 months of nCPAP therapy, serum concentrations of DNA, IL-6, and MDA were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The increasing concentration of serum DNA in patients with OSAHS was positively correlated with disease severity. Serum DNA may become an important parameter for monitoring the severity of OSAHS and effectiveness of therapy.

Fatty acid and cholesterol profiles, hypocholesterolemic, atherogenic, and thrombogenic indices of broiler meat in the retail market.

PubMed

Attia, Youssef A; Al-Harthi, Mohammed A; Korish, Mohamed A; Shiboob, Mohamed M

2017-02-16

Broiler meat is an essential source of food due to its favourable effects on human health derived from its protein, fats, minerals, vitamins and its bioactive components. A total of 90 carcasses were collected from the retail market in Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia during April, May and June 2014 to determine the effects of meat type (frozen vs. fresh) and sources within fresh types (A, B, C) vs. frozen types (D, E and F) on their fatty acid profiles, cholesterol, their hypocholesterolemic, atherogenic and thrombogenic indices, and on their antioxidants' status. The sources of meat had a significant effect on the hypocholesterolemic and atherogenic indices, with the D source of fresh meat having the best indices. Total saturated fatty acids (SFA), unsaturated fatty acids (UFA), the UFA/SAF ratio, and the monounsaturated (MUFA), Omega-6 and Omega-7 fatty acids were significantly affected by the source of meat. The results revealed that the D source of fresh meat showed favourable fatty acid profiles with significant health benefits for human. Correlation analyses showed a significant negative relationship between the SFA and hypocholesterolemic indices, and significant positive relationships with the atherogenic index, the thrombotgenic index and the total antioxidant capacity. In addition, the relationship between UFA and the hypocholesterolemic index was strongly significantly positive, but was highly negative between the atherogenic and thrombotic indices. The correlations between omega-6 and total cholesterol and the atherogenic index was moderately negative, but was moderately positive with the hypocholesterolemic index. Fatty acids profiles and the hypocholesterolemic and atherogenic indices of broiler meat in the retail market in Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia during April-May-June showed significant differences, with the potential for favourable fatty acids to be boosted. Such variability indicates the needs for a feeding strategy to enhance the favourable fatty acids that may positively impact the health of the consumer, lowering the risk of hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerosis, and thrombogenesis although further studies are needed.

Use of a Chagas Urine Nanoparticle Test (Chunap) to Correlate with Parasitemia Levels in T. cruzi/HIV Co-infected Patients.

PubMed

Castro-Sesquen, Yagahira E; Gilman, Robert H; Mejia, Carolina; Clark, Daniel E; Choi, Jeong; Reimer-McAtee, Melissa J; Castro, Rosario; Valencia-Ayala, Edward; Flores, Jorge; Bowman, Natalie; Castillo-Neyra, Ricardo; Torrico, Faustino; Liotta, Lance; Bern, Caryn; Luchini, Alessandra

2016-02-01

Early diagnosis of reactivated Chagas disease in HIV patients could be lifesaving. In Latin America, the diagnosis is made by microscopical detection of the T. cruzi parasite in the blood; a diagnostic test that lacks sensitivity. This study evaluates if levels of T. cruzi antigens in urine, determined by Chunap (Chagas urine nanoparticle test), are correlated with parasitemia levels in T. cruzi/HIV co-infected patients. T. cruzi antigens in urine of HIV patients (N = 55: 31 T. cruzi infected and 24 T. cruzi serology negative) were concentrated using hydrogel particles and quantified by Western Blot and a calibration curve. Reactivation of Chagas disease was defined by the observation of parasites in blood by microscopy. Parasitemia levels in patients with serology positive for Chagas disease were classified as follows: High parasitemia or reactivation of Chagas disease (detectable parasitemia by microscopy), moderate parasitemia (undetectable by microscopy but detectable by qPCR), and negative parasitemia (undetectable by microscopy and qPCR). The percentage of positive results detected by Chunap was: 100% (7/7) in cases of reactivation, 91.7% (11/12) in cases of moderate parasitemia, and 41.7% (5/12) in cases of negative parasitemia. Chunap specificity was found to be 91.7%. Linear regression analysis demonstrated a direct relationship between parasitemia levels and urine T. cruzi antigen concentrations (p<0.001). A cut-off of > 105 pg was chosen to determine patients with reactivation of Chagas disease (7/7). Antigenuria levels were 36.08 times (95% CI: 7.28 to 64.88) higher in patients with CD4+ lymphocyte counts below 200/mL (p = 0.016). No significant differences were found in HIV loads and CD8+ lymphocyte counts. Chunap shows potential for early detection of Chagas reactivation. With appropriate adaptation, this diagnostic test can be used to monitor Chagas disease status in T. cruzi/HIV co-infected patients.

Use of a Chagas Urine Nanoparticle Test (Chunap) to Correlate with Parasitemia Levels in T. cruzi/HIV Co-infected Patients

PubMed Central

Castro-Sesquen, Yagahira E.; Gilman, Robert H.; Mejia, Carolina; Clark, Daniel E.; Choi, Jeong; Reimer-McAtee, Melissa J.; Castro, Rosario; Valencia-Ayala, Edward; Flores, Jorge; Bowman, Natalie; Castillo-Neyra, Ricardo; Torrico, Faustino; Liotta, Lance; Bern, Caryn; Luchini, Alessandra

2016-01-01

Background Early diagnosis of reactivated Chagas disease in HIV patients could be lifesaving. In Latin America, the diagnosis is made by microscopical detection of the T. cruzi parasite in the blood; a diagnostic test that lacks sensitivity. This study evaluates if levels of T. cruzi antigens in urine, determined by Chunap (Chagas urine nanoparticle test), are correlated with parasitemia levels in T. cruzi/HIV co-infected patients. Methodology/Principal Findings T. cruzi antigens in urine of HIV patients (N = 55: 31 T. cruzi infected and 24 T. cruzi serology negative) were concentrated using hydrogel particles and quantified by Western Blot and a calibration curve. Reactivation of Chagas disease was defined by the observation of parasites in blood by microscopy. Parasitemia levels in patients with serology positive for Chagas disease were classified as follows: High parasitemia or reactivation of Chagas disease (detectable parasitemia by microscopy), moderate parasitemia (undetectable by microscopy but detectable by qPCR), and negative parasitemia (undetectable by microscopy and qPCR). The percentage of positive results detected by Chunap was: 100% (7/7) in cases of reactivation, 91.7% (11/12) in cases of moderate parasitemia, and 41.7% (5/12) in cases of negative parasitemia. Chunap specificity was found to be 91.7%. Linear regression analysis demonstrated a direct relationship between parasitemia levels and urine T. cruzi antigen concentrations (p<0.001). A cut-off of > 105 pg was chosen to determine patients with reactivation of Chagas disease (7/7). Antigenuria levels were 36.08 times (95% CI: 7.28 to 64.88) higher in patients with CD4+ lymphocyte counts below 200/mL (p = 0.016). No significant differences were found in HIV loads and CD8+ lymphocyte counts. Conclusion Chunap shows potential for early detection of Chagas reactivation. With appropriate adaptation, this diagnostic test can be used to monitor Chagas disease status in T. cruzi/HIV co-infected patients. PMID:26919324

Organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and mercury in osprey eggs--1970-79--and their relationships to shell thinning and productivity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wiemeyer, Stanley N.; Bunck, C.M.; Krynitsky, A.J.

1988-01-01

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) eggs were collected in 14 states in 1970-79 and analyzed for organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and mercury. Moderate shell thinning occurred in eggs from several areas. DDE was detected in all eggs, PCBs in 99%, DDD in 96%, dieldrin in 52%, and other compounds less frequently. Concentrations of DDT and its metabolites declined in eggs from Cape May County, New Jersey between 1970-72 and 1978-79. Eggs .from New Jersey in the early 1970s contained the highest concentrations of DDE. Dieldrin concentrations declined in eggs from the Potomac River, Maryland during 1971-77. Five different contaminants were significantly negatively correlated with shell thickness; DDE was most closely correlated. Ten percent shell thinning was associated with 2.0 ppm DDE, 15% with 4.2 ppm, and 20% with 8.7 ppm in eggs collected from randomly selected nests before egg loss. Shell thickness could not be accurately predicted from DDE concentrations in eggs collected after failure to hatch, presumably because the eggs with the thinnest shells had been broken and were unavailable for sampling. DDE was also significantly negatively correlated with brood size. Other contaminants did not appear to adversely affect shell thickness or reproductive success.

Associations between coping, affect, and social support among low-income African American smokers.

PubMed

Webb Hooper, Monica; Baker, Elizabeth A; McNutt, Marcia D

2013-11-01

Previous research has documented disparities in smoking cessation between African Americans and Caucasians. Many low-income African American smokers face a range of circumstances that may inhibit effective coping during quit attempts, yet previous research has not considered factors that influence coping in this population. This study examined (a) affect (positive and negative) and (b) perceived social support in association with coping strategies. The baseline assessment of African American smokers (N = 168) enrolled in a randomized controlled trial included the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Brief COPE. A factor analysis of the Brief COPE resulted in two factors, adaptive and maladaptive strategies. Participants were mostly single (64%), women (61%), with ≥12 years of education (68%), and low-income. They were middle aged (M = 46.1, SD = 8.7), smoked 21.8 (SD = 13.3) cigarettes/day for 24.3 (SD = 11) years, and were moderately nicotine dependent. Results demonstrated that adaptive coping was positively correlated with positive affect and social support. Maladaptive coping was positively correlated with negative affect, and inversely related to positive affect and social support. Multivariate analyses revealed that positive affect and social support were independently associated with adaptive coping strategies. In contrast, maladaptive coping was independently associated with negative affect, but not social support. Interventions that harness positive resources, such as social support and positive mood, may facilitate adaptive coping. Also, addressing negative affect among low-income African American smokers may be important to reduce maladaptive coping strategies. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A cross-cultural investigation of attachment style, catastrophizing, negative pain beliefs, and symptom severity in irritable bowel syndrome.

PubMed

Gerson, C D; Gerson, M-J; Chang, L; Corazziari, E S; Dumitrascu, D; Ghoshal, U C; Porcelli, P; Schmulson, M; Wang, W-A; Zali, M

2015-04-01

Little information exists regarding whether psychosocial variables in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) vary by geographic location. Adult attachment is an important psychological concept rooted in childhood relationship experience that has not been previously studied in IBS. Catastrophizing and negative pain beliefs have been described in IBS and may be affected by attachment. In this cross-cultural study, we determined: (i) whether attachment differs between IBS patients and controls, (ii) whether geographic location has a significant effect on attachment style, catastrophizing and negative pain beliefs, and (iii) how all three variables correlate with IBS symptom severity. 463 IBS patients, with moderate to severe symptom scores, and 192 healthy controls completed validated questionnaires about attachment, catastrophizing, negative pain beliefs and IBS-SSS in nine locations, USA (New York, Los Angeles), Mexico, Italy (Rome, Bari), Romania, Iran, India, and China. Attachment anxiety and avoidance scores were significantly higher in IBS patients than in controls (p < 0.001). This was particularly true for the fearful-avoidant attachment category, especially in China and Romania. Path analysis showed that attachment anxiety and avoidance had indirect effects on IBS-SSS through catastrophizing (p < 0.0001) and negative pain beliefs (p = 0.005). All three psychosocial measures varied significantly depending on location. In the IBS population studied, attachment style was significantly different in IBS compared to a control population. Geographic differences in attachment, catastrophizing and negative pain beliefs were documented and their correlation with symptom severity and thus, research of psychosocial variables in IBS should take into account the location of the population studied. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Investigating whether maternal memory specificity is indirectly associated with child memory specificity through maternal reminiscing.

PubMed

Jobson, Laura; Burford, Kimberly; Burns, Breana; Baldry, Amelia; Wu, Yun

2018-05-14

Maternal reminiscing and remembering has a profound influence on the development of children's autobiographical remembering skills. The current study investigated the relationships between maternal memory specificity, maternal reminiscing and child memory specificity. Participants consisted of 40 mother-child dyads. Children's age ranged between 3.5 and 6 years. Mothers and children participated in individual assessments of autobiographical memory specificity. Dyads participated in a joint reminiscing task about three past emotional (happy, sad, stressful) events. A positive moderate association was found between maternal autobiographical memory specificity and child autobiographical memory specificity. Maternal autobiographical memory specificity was significantly correlated with mothers' focus on the task, involvement and reciprocity, resolution of negative feelings, and structuring of narratives in the mother-child reminiscing task. Moderate positive associations were found between maternal focus and structuring and child memory specificity. There was no evidence to suggest maternal elaborative reminiscing style was significantly positively correlated with mother or child memory specificity. Finally, there was support for an indirect pathway between maternal memory specificity and child memory specificity through quality of support and guidance provided by the mother in maternal reminiscing. Theoretical and clinical implications are considered.

CD4+ CD25+ CD127low Regulatory T Cells as Indicator of Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Activity.

PubMed

Khattab, Sahar S; El-Saied, Amany M; Mohammed, Rehab A; Mohamed, Eman E

2016-06-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by disturbed immune regulation, inducing a progressive cartilage and bone destruction. Despite enrichment of T regulatory cell (T-regs) in synovial fluid, conflicting results are reported concerning T-regs in peripheral blood (PB) of RA patients. To determine possible correlation between the frequency of PB CD4+ CD25+CD127low (T-regs) with RA disease activity. Forty females with RA, classified according to the Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS-28), as highly active, mild-moderate or low disease activity; and 20 age and sex matched healthy controls, were enrolled to study CD4+ CD25+ CD127low T- regs in PB by flow cytometry. Active RA patients had lower frequency of the CD4+ CD25+ CD127low T- regs compared to those with mild-moderate or low disease activity (P <0.001). The frequencies of the T- regs showed negative correlation with the DAS-28 (P<0.01). In conclusion, CD4+ CD25+ CD127low T-regs is significantly lower in highly active RA patients compared to patients with lower activity or controls. Copyright© by the Egyptian Association of Immunologists.

Interactive and Indirect Effects of Anxiety and Negative Urgency on Alcohol-Related Problems

PubMed Central

Menary, Kyle R.; Corbin, William R.; Leeman, Robert F.; Fucito, Lisa M.; Toll, Benjamin A.; DeMartini, Kelly; O’Malley, Stephanie S.

2015-01-01

Background Although drinking for tension reduction has long been posited as a risk factor for alcohol-related problems, studies investigating anxiety in relation to risk for alcohol problems have returned inconsistent results, leading researchers to search for potential moderators. Negative urgency (the tendency to become behaviorally dysregulated when experiencing negative affect) is a potential moderator of theoretical interest because it may increase risk for alcohol problems among those high in negative affect. The present study tested a cross-sectional mediated moderation hypothesis whereby an interactive effect of anxiety and negative urgency on alcohol problems is mediated through coping-related drinking motives. Method The study utilized baseline data from a hazardously drinking sample of young adults (N = 193) evaluated for participation in a randomized controlled trial of naltrexone and motivational interviewing for drinking reduction. Results The direct effect of anxiety on physiological dependence symptoms was moderated by negative urgency such that the positive association between anxiety and physiological dependence symptoms became stronger as negative urgency increased. Indirect effects of anxiety and negative urgency on alcohol problems (operating through coping motives) were also observed. Conclusions Although results of the current cross-sectional study require replication using longitudinal data, the findings suggest that the simultaneous presence of anxiety and negative urgency may be an important indicator of risk for AUDs via both direct interactive effects and indirect additive effects operating through coping motives. These findings have potentially important implications for prevention/intervention efforts for individuals who become disinhibited in the context of negative emotional states. PMID:26031346

Childhood temperament: passive gene-environment correlation, gene-environment interaction, and the hidden importance of the family environment.

PubMed

Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn; Kao, Karen; Swann, Gregory; Goldsmith, H Hill

2013-02-01

Biological parents pass on genotypes to their children, as well as provide home environments that correlate with their genotypes; thus, the association between the home environment and children's temperament can be genetically (i.e., passive gene-environment correlation) or environmentally mediated. Furthermore, family environments may suppress or facilitate the heritability of children's temperament (i.e., gene-environment interaction). The sample comprised 807 twin pairs (mean age = 7.93 years) from the longitudinal Wisconsin Twin Project. Important passive gene-environment correlations emerged, such that home environments were less chaotic for children with high effortful control, and this association was genetically mediated. Children with high extraversion/surgency experienced more chaotic home environments, and this correlation was also genetically mediated. In addition, heritability of children's temperament was moderated by home environments, such that effortful control and extraversion/surgency were more heritable in chaotic homes, and negative affectivity was more heritable under crowded or unsafe home conditions. Modeling multiple types of gene-environment interplay uncovered the complex role of genetic factors and the hidden importance of the family environment for children's temperament and development more generally.

The Association between the Parent-Child Relationship and Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression: The Roles of Attachment and Perceived Spouse Attachment Behaviors.

PubMed

Bradford, Angela B; Burningham, Kayla L; Sandberg, Jonathan G; Johnson, Lee N

2017-04-01

Research shows that the parent-child relationship affects attachment security, which correlates with anxiety and depression in adulthood. Additional research shows that romantic attachment behaviors may supersede individual attachment security and buffer against negative processes. Using data from 680 married couples in the general population, we examined whether attachment mediates the link between the parent-child relationship and depressive and anxiety symptoms in adulthood. In addition, we tested whether perceived spouse attachment behaviors moderate the effects of attachment insecurity. There was an indirect effect of poor parent-child relationships on symptoms via insecure attachment. Perception of spouse's attachment behaviors was related to depression for both spouses, and they moderated the effect of attachment insecurity on depressive symptoms for husbands. Clinical implications are discussed. © 2016 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

The Resilience Function of Character Strengths in the Face of War and Protracted Conflict.

PubMed

Shoshani, Anat; Slone, Michelle

2015-01-01

This study investigated the role of character strengths and virtues in moderating relations between conflict exposure and psychiatric symptoms among 1078 adolescents aged 13-15 living in southern Israel, who were exposed to lengthy periods of war, terrorism and political conflict. Adolescents were assessed for character strengths and virtues, political violence exposure using the Political Life Events (PLE) scale, and psychiatric symptoms using the Brief Symptom Inventory and the UCLA PTSD Index. Results confirmed that political violence exposure was positively correlated with psychiatric symptoms. Interpersonal, temperance and transcendence strengths were negatively associated with psychiatric symptoms. Moderating effects of the interpersonal strengths on the relation between political violence exposure and the psychiatric and PTSD indices were confirmed. The findings extend existing knowledge about the resilience function of character strengths in exposure to protracted conflict and have important practical implications for applying strength-building practices for adolescents who grow up in war-affected environments.

The correlation between exposure to neighborhood violence and perpetration of moderate physical violence among Arab-Palestinian youth: Can it be moderated by parent-child support and gender?

PubMed

Massarwi, Adeem Ahmad

2017-01-01

In the current study, we examined the role of parent-child support as a protective factor that moderates the correlation between exposure to neighborhood violence and perpetration of moderate physical violence among 3,187 Arab-Palestinian adolescents who live in Israel (aged 12 to 18), from 21 different schools who were selected randomly. The probability sampling method was a nonproportional multistage stratified cluster sample. We also examined gender differences across this protective process. Participants completed a structured, anonymous self-report questionnaire. The findings of the study reveal that 47.3% of the adolescents had perpetrated moderate physical violence against others at least once during the month preceding the study. Moreover, exposure of adolescents to violence in their neighborhood correlated significantly and positively with perpetration of moderate physical violence. A moderation analysis was tested and found that this correlation was stronger among adolescents who had poor parent-child support than among those who had strong parent-child support. Furthermore, the findings reveal that the correlation of exposure to neighborhood violence with perpetration of moderate physical violence was not moderated by gender. However, parent-child support correlated strongly with lower levels of perpetration of moderate physical violence among males than females. The findings of the study highlight the critical role of parental factors in decreasing violent behaviors among adolescents (especially boys) as well as among adolescents who are at risk for exposure to violence in their neighborhoods. In light of the findings, we recommend that practitioners working with these adolescents include parents in intervention programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Genetic parameters for yearling weight, carcass traits, and primal-cut yields of Hanwoo cattle.

PubMed

Choi, T J; Alam, M; Cho, C I; Lee, J G; Park, B; Kim, S; Koo, Y; Roh, S H

2015-04-01

Genetic parameters associated with yearling weight, carcass traits, and primal-cut yields of male Hanwoo cattle were investigated using univariate and bivariate animal models. The mean yearling weight (YWT), carcass weight (CWT), longissimus muscle area (LMA), backfat thickness (BFT), and marbling score (MS) were 352.47 ± 0.40 kg, 337.39 ± 0.64 kg, 78.28 ± 0.13 cm2, 8.45 ± 0.05 mm, and 3.25 ± 0.03, respectively. Total primal-cut yield (TPC) was 78.95 ± 0.10% of CWT, of which 42.3% was contributed by the forequarters (chuck, CHK; shoulder, SLD; ribs, RIB; and brisket and flank, BAF). Loins, top round (TRND), and round (RND) were associated with yields of 13.57%, 5.45 ± 0.01%, and 8.87 ± 0.02%, respectively. The largest cut studied was ribs (15.67 ± 0.03%). The estimated heritabilities (h2) of YWT, CWT, LMA, BFT, and MS were 0.18 ± 0.02, 0.29 ± 0.04, 0.38 ± 0.05, 0.45 ± 0.05, and 0.62 ± 0.07, respectively. Shoulder yield was highly heritable in Hanwoo steers (0.83 ± 0.13), followed by the yields of round (0.66 ± 0.12), striploin (0.64 ± 0.12), top round (0.62 ± 0.12), sirloin (0.60 ± 0.12), and total primal-cut yield (0.52 ± 0.11). The h2 values of CHK, BAF, RIB, and tenderloin (TLN) ranged from 0.19 ± 0.09 to 0.41 ± 0.11. Generally, the genetic CV was low for most traits (2.33%-6.15%), except for CHK, BFT, and MS. The genetic correlation (rg) was strong between YWT and CWT (0.77 ± 0.06). The greatest positive and negative rg among carcass traits were those between LMA and CWT (0.52 ± 0.08) and between LMA and BFT (-0.30 ± 0.09), respectively. The correlation between CHK and SLD (0.81 ± 0.14), and those between SLD, TLN, TRND, and RND, were mostly strong (0.77-0.87), but the rg between RIB and other traits were strongly negative. The TPC yield showed moderate to high rg with most primal cuts. The YWT, CWT, and LMA correlated notably with CHK, SLD, and loin yields, especially LMA. However, BFT and MS were negatively correlated with many primal cuts but RIB. Those rg estimates were also opposite of that of LMA and CWT with primal cuts. Phenotypic correlations (rp) were generally weaker than rg estimates. The rp of YWT, CWT, and LMA were either zero or moderately negative compared to those of the BFT and MS with primal cuts. Most primal cuts yielded positive rp estimates among them, except for RIB. Our results suggest that direct selection for YWT, various carcass traits, and primal-cut yields may increase the carcass value of Hanwoo males.

[Resilience in caregivers of patients with dementia: A preliminary study].

PubMed

Fernández-Lansac, Violeta; Crespo López, María; Cáceres, Rebeca; Rodríguez-Poyo, María

2012-01-01

Caring for a relative with dementia often has negative effects on the caregiver's physical and psychological health. However, many caregivers successfully cope with the stress factors arising from care, and even have uplifts during their experience, showing high resilience levels. This study presents a preliminary analysis of resilience in caregivers of patients with dementia, exploring its relationship with different variables. Resilience was assessed (by CD-RISC) in 53 family caregivers of patients with dementia. Resilience was correlated to the following variables: caregiving context, stressors (e.g., cognitive impairment), appraisals (e.g., burden), moderators (e.g., personality traits and resources), and caregiving consequences (physical and psychological health). The participants showed moderate scores on resilience. Resilience was associated with poor emotional and physical status (significant inverse correlations with anxiety, depression, psycho-active drug use, health habits…). High resilience scores were significantly correlated to burden, neuroticism and extraversion, self-efficacy, self-esteem and less use of emotion focused coping strategies. Higher resilience relates to a good emotional and physical status in caregivers. Moreover, resilience is more associated with caregiver variables (e.g., appraisal and coping with care, personality features), than to situational variables. The data highlight the strengthening of these types of appraisal and coping as a way to improve caregivers' resilience and, consequently, their health. Copyright © 2011 SEGG. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Relationship between early and late stages of information processing: an event-related potential study

PubMed Central

Portella, Claudio; Machado, Sergio; Arias-Carrión, Oscar; Sack, Alexander T.; Silva, Julio Guilherme; Orsini, Marco; Leite, Marco Antonio Araujo; Silva, Adriana Cardoso; Nardi, Antonio E.; Cagy, Mauricio; Piedade, Roberto; Ribeiro, Pedro

2012-01-01

The brain is capable of elaborating and executing different stages of information processing. However, exactly how these stages are processed in the brain remains largely unknown. This study aimed to analyze the possible correlation between early and late stages of information processing by assessing the latency to, and amplitude of, early and late event-related potential (ERP) components, including P200, N200, premotor potential (PMP) and P300, in healthy participants in the context of a visual oddball paradigm. We found a moderate positive correlation among the latency of P200 (electrode O2), N200 (electrode O2), PMP (electrode C3), P300 (electrode PZ) and the reaction time (RT). In addition, moderate negative correlation between the amplitude of P200 and the latencies of N200 (electrode O2), PMP (electrode C3), P300 (electrode PZ) was found. Therefore, we propose that if the secondary processing of visual input (P200 latency) occurs faster, the following will also happen sooner: discrimination and classification process of this input (N200 latency), motor response processing (PMP latency), reorganization of attention and working memory update (P300 latency), and RT. N200, PMP, and P300 latencies are also anticipated when higher activation level of occipital areas involved in the secondary processing of visual input rise (P200 amplitude). PMID:23355929

Tests of Dorsolateral Frontal Function Correlate with Objective Tests of Postural Stability in Early to Moderate Stage Parkinson’s Disease

PubMed Central

Nocera, Joe R.; Price, Catherine; Fernandez, Hubert H.; Amano, Shinichi; Vallabhajosula, Srikant; Okun, Michael S.; Hwynn, Nelson; Hass, Chris J.

2010-01-01

A substantial number of individuals with Parkinson’s disease who display impaired postural stability experience accelerated cognitive decline and an increased prevalence of dementia. To date, studies suggest that this relationship, believed to be due to involvement of nondopaminergic circuitry, occurs later in the disease process. Research has yet to adequately investigate this cognitive-posturomotor relationship especially when examining earlier disease states. To gain greater understanding of the relationship between postural stability and cognitive function/dysfunction we evaluated a more stringent, objective measure of postural stability (center of pressure displacement), and also more specific measures of cognition in twenty-two patients with early to moderate stage Parkinson’s disease. The magnitude of the center of pressure displacement in this cohort was negatively correlated with performance on tests known to activate dorsolateral frontal regions. Additionally, the postural stability item of the UPDRS exhibited poor correlation with the more objective measure of center of pressure displacement and all specific measures of cognition. These results may serve as rationale for a more thorough evaluation of postural stability and cognition especially in individuals with mild Parkinson’s disease. Greater understanding of the relationship between motor and cognitive processes in Parkinson’s disease will be critical for understanding the disease process and its potential therapeutic possibilities. PMID:20829093

Ministers of Health: short-term tenure for long-term goals?

PubMed

Ferraz, Marcos Bosi; Azevedo, Rafael Teixeira

2011-03-01

Healthcare investments should consider short and long-term demands. The objectives here were to compare the average tenures of ministers of health in Brazil and in another 22 countries and to evaluate the relationship between ministers' tenures and a number of indicators. Descriptive study conducted at Centro Paulista de Economia da Saúde (CPES). Twenty-two countries with the highest Human Development Indices (HDIs) and Brazil were included. The number of ministers over the past 20 years was investigated through each country's Ministry of Health website. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to compare the number of ministers in each country with that country's indicators. The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare ministers' tenures in Brazil and other countries. The mean tenure (standard deviation, SD) of Brazilian ministers of health was 15 (12) months, a period that is statistically significantly shorter than the mean tenure of 33 (18) months in the other 22 countries (P < 0.05). There was a moderate and statistically significant positive correlation between the number of ministers and mortality rates for several conditions. The number of ministers also presented moderate and statistically significant negative correlations with per capita total healthcare expenditure (r = -0.567) and with per capita government healthcare expenditure (r = -0.530). On average, ministers of health have extremely short tenures. There is an urgent need to think and plan healthcare systems from a long-term perspective.

Impact of physical activity and cardiovascular fitness on total homocysteine concentrations in European adolescents: The HELENA study.

PubMed

Benser, Jasmin; Valtueña, Jara; Ruiz, Jonatan R; Mielgo-Ayuso, Juan; Breidenassel, Christina; Vicente-Rodriguez, German; Ferrari, Marika; Widhalm, Kurt; Manios, Yannis; Sjöström, Michael; Molnar, Denes; Gómez-Martínez, Sonia; Kafatos, Antony; Palacios, Gonzalo; Moreno, Luis A; Castillo, Manuel J; Stehle, Peter; González-Gross, Marcela

2015-01-01

We examined the association of physical activity (PA), cardiovascular fitness (CVF) and fatness with total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations in European adolescents. The present study comprised 713 European adolescents aged 14.8 ± 1.2 y (females 55.3%) from the multicenter HELENA cross-sectional study. PA was assessed through accelerometry, CVF by the 20-m shuttle run test, and body fat by skinfold thicknesses with the Slaughter equation. Plasma folate, cobalamin, and tHcy concentrations were measured. To examine the association of tHcy with PA, CVF, and fatness after controlling for a set of confounders including age, maturity, folate, cobalamin, creatinine, smoking, supplement use, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase 677 genotype (CC 47%, CT 43%, TT 10%), bivariate correlations followed by multiple regression models were performed. In the bivariate correlation analysis, tHcy concentrations were slightly negatively correlated (p<0.05) with CVF in females (measured both by stages: r=-0.118 and by VO2max: r=-0.102) and positively with body mass index (r=0.100). However, daily time spent with moderate and vigorous PA showed a weak positive association with tHcy in females (p<0.05). tHcy concentrations showed a tendency to decrease with increasing CVF and increase with increasing BMI in female European adolescents. However, tHcy concentrations were positively associated with moderate and vigorous PA in female European adolescents.

For better or worse? Coregulation of couples' cortisol levels and mood states.

PubMed

Saxbe, Darby; Repetti, Rena L

2010-01-01

Although a majority of adults live with a close relationship partner, little is known about whether and how partners' momentary affect and physiology covary, or "coregulate." This study used a dyadic multilevel modeling approach to explore the coregulation of spouses' mood states and cortisol levels in 30 married couples who sampled saliva and reported on mood states 4 times per day for 3 days. For both husbands and wives, own cortisol level was positively associated with partner's cortisol level, even after sampling time was controlled. For wives, marital satisfaction weakened the strength of this effect. Partner's negative mood was positively associated with own negative mood for both husbands and wives. Marital satisfaction fully moderated this effect, reducing the strength of the association between one's own and one's partner's negative mood states. Spouses' positive moods were not correlated. As expected, within-couple coregulation coefficients were stronger when mood and cortisol were sampled in the early morning and evening, when spouses were together at home, than during the workday. The results suggest that spouses' fluctuations in negative mood and cortisol levels are linked over several days and that marital satisfaction may buffer spouses from their partners' negative mood or stress state.

Diffusion pseudonormalization and clinical outcome in term neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

PubMed

Hayakawa, Katsumi; Koshino, Sachiko; Tanda, Koichi; Nishimura, Akira; Sato, Osamu; Morishita, Hiroyuki; Ito, Takaaki

2018-06-01

Pseudonormalization of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can lead to underestimation of brain injury in newborns with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), posing a significant problem. We have noticed that some neonates show pseudonormalization negativity on diffusion-weighted imaging. To compare pseudonormalization negativity with clinical outcomes. Seventeen term neonates with moderate or severe HIE underwent therapeutic hypothermia. They were examined by MRI twice at mean ages of 3 days and 10 days. We evaluated the presence of restricted diffusion, and also the presence or absence of pseudonormalization, by diffusion-weighted imaging at the time of the second MRI, and correlated the results with clinical outcome. DWI demonstrated no abnormality in seven neonates. Among the 10 neonates with abnormal diffusion-weighted imaging findings, 2 were positive for pseudonormalization and 8 were negative. Among neonates with normal diffusion-weighted imaging findings and with positivity for pseudonormalization, none had major disability. Among the eight neonates with pseudonormalization negativity, all but one, who was lost to follow-up, had major disability. Abnormal diffusion-weighted imaging with pseudonormalization negativity might be predictive of severe brain injury and major disability. The second-week MRI is important for the judgment of pseudonormalization.

Social support and depression of adults with visual impairments.

PubMed

Papadopoulos, Konstantinos; Papakonstantinou, Doxa; Montgomery, Anthony; Solomou, Argyro

2014-07-01

Relatively little research exists with regard to the relationship between social support and depression among adults with visual impairments. Such a gap is noteworthy when one considers that individuals become more dependent on others as they enter middle and late adulthood. The present research will examine the association between social networks, social support and depression among adults with visual impairments. Seventy-seven adults with visual impairments participated in the study. Depression, social network and emotional/practical social support were measured with self-report measures. Additionally, the degree to which emotional/practical social support received were positive or negative and the ability of respondents to self-manage their daily living were assessed. Less than a third of respondents scored above the threshold for depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms were not related to gender or vision status. Depression was correlated with age, educational level, less positive practical support, more negative practical support and more negative emotional support, with lower perceptions of self-management representing the most robust predictor of depression. Age moderated the relationship between depression and self-management, and between depression and negative emotional support. Lower perceptions of self-management and negative emotional support were significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Concurrent and prospective analyses of peer, television and social media influences on body dissatisfaction, eating disorder symptoms and life satisfaction in adolescent girls.

PubMed

Ferguson, Christopher J; Muñoz, Mónica E; Garza, Adolfo; Galindo, Mariza

2014-01-01

The degree to which media contributes to body dissatisfaction, life satisfaction and eating disorder symptoms in teenage girls continues to be debated. The current study examines television, social media and peer competition influences on body dissatisfaction, eating disorder symptoms and life satisfaction in a sample of 237 mostly Hispanic girls. 101 of these girls were reassessed in a later 6-month follow-up. Neither television exposure to thin ideal media nor social media predicted negative outcomes either concurrently nor prospectively with the exception of a small concurrent correlation between social media use and life satisfaction. Social media use was found to contribute to later peer competition in prospective analysis, however, suggesting potential indirect but not direct effects on body related outcomes. Peer competition proved to be a moderate strong predictor of negative outcomes both concurrently and prospectively. It is concluded that the negative influences of social comparison are focused on peers rather than television or social media exposure.

Even in early childhood offspring alcohol expectancies correspond to parental drinking.

PubMed

Kuntsche, Emmanuel; Kuntsche, Sandra

2018-02-01

Research has found that children as young as preschoolers have an idea about the valence (positive vs. negative) and activation (arousal vs. sedation) of emotional change when adults drink alcohol. The development of alcohol expectancies at such a young age may be due to observed parental alcohol use. Three measures of alcohol use (frequency, quantity and binge drinking) assessed among 115 fathers and 149 mothers were correlated with four alcohol expectancy factors (crossing valence and activation) of their offspring, aged three to six (70 boys and 82 girls). For both arousal and sedation expectancies and across alcohol use measures of both fathers and mothers, the greater parental alcohol use was, the higher their sons' negative and the lower positive alcohol expectancies were. For negative expectancies (particularly sedation, i.e., drinking when feeling sad or depressed), there was a stronger and more consistent association with paternal than with maternal drinking. For daughters, there was no consistent association between any expectancy factor and any parental drinking behavior. Already among preschoolers, parental drinking was found to be correlated with their sons' alcohol expectancies in the sense that they may observe and associate positive emotional consequences (feeling joyful, happy, calm, relaxed etc.) with moderate parental drinking and negative emotional consequences (feeling angry, nervous, sad, depressed etc.) with excessive drinking. This may be important for prevention, as expectancies have been found to be predominant predictors of early alcohol initiation and development of risky drinking in adolescence and beyond. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Environmental biogeography of near-surface phytoplankton in the southeast Pacific Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardy, John; Hanneman, Andrew; Behrenfeldt, Michael; Horner, Rita

1996-10-01

Biogeographic interpretation of large-scale phytoplankton distribution patterns in relation to surface hydrography is essential to understanding pelagic food web dynamics and biogeochemical processes influencing global climate. We examined the abundance and biomass of phytoplankton in relation to physical and chemical parameters in the southeast Pacific Ocean. Samples were collected along longitude 110°W, between 10°N and 60°S during late austral summer. Patterns of taxa abundance and hydrographic variables were interpreted by principal components analysis. Five distinct phytohydrographic regions were identified: (i) a north equatorial region of moderate productivity dominated by small flagellates, low nitrate and low-to-moderate pCO 2; (ii) a south equatorial region characterized by high primary productivity dominated by diatoms, high nutrient levels, and relatively high pCO 2; (iii) a central gyre region characterized by low productivity dominated by small flagellates, low nitrate, and high pCO 2; (iv) a sub-Antarctic region with moderate productivity dominated by coccolithophores, moderate nitrate concentrations, and low pCO 2; and (v) an Antarctic region with high productivity dominated by diatoms, very high nitrate, and low pCO 2. Productivity and average phytoplankton cell size were positively correlated with nitrate concentration. Total phytoplankton abundance was negatively correlated with pCO 2, photosynthetically active radiation, and ultraviolet-B radiation. The interaction between phytoplankton carbon assimilation, atmospheric CO2, and the inhibitory effect of ultraviolet radiation could have implications for the global climate. These data suggest that the effects would be greatest at southern mid-latitudes (40-50°S) where present phytoplankton production and predicted future increases in UV-B are both relatively high.

The importance of context: When relative relief renders pain pleasant

PubMed Central

Leknes, Siri; Berna, Chantal; Lee, Michael C.; Snyder, Gregory D.; Biele, Guido; Tracey, Irene

2013-01-01

Context can influence the experience of any event. For instance, the thought that “it could be worse” can improve feelings towards a present misfortune. In this study we measured hedonic feelings, skin conductance, and brain activation patterns in 16 healthy volunteers who experienced moderate pain in two different contexts. In the “relative relief context,” moderate pain represented the best outcome, since the alternative outcome was intense pain. However, in the control context, moderate pain represented the worst outcome and elicited negative hedonic feelings. The context manipulation resulted in a “hedonic flip,” such that moderate pain elicited positive hedonics in the relative relief context. Somewhat surprisingly, moderate pain was even rated as pleasant in this context, despite being reported as painful in the control context. This “hedonic flip” was corroborated by physiological and functional neuroimaging data. When moderate pain was perceived as pleasant, skin conductance and activity in insula and dorsal anterior cingulate were significantly attenuated relative to the control moderate stimulus. “Pleasant pain” also increased activity in reward and valuation circuitry, including the medial orbitofrontal and ventromedial prefrontal cortices. Furthermore, the change in outcome hedonics correlated with activity in the periacqueductal grey (PAG) of the descending pain modulatory system (DPMS). The context manipulation also significantly increased functional connectivity between reward circuitry and the PAG, consistent with a functional change of the DPMS due to the altered motivational state. The findings of this study point to a role for brainstem and reward circuitry in a context-induced “hedonic flip” of pain. PMID:23352758

A comparison of normal versus low dietary carbohydrate intake on substrate oxidation during and after moderate intensity exercise in women.

PubMed

Patterson, Rachel; Potteiger, Jeffrey A

2011-12-01

We compared the effects of consuming a 2-day low-carbohydrate (CHO) diet (low-CHO; 20% CHO, 40% protein, 40% fat) versus an isocaloric 2-day moderate-CHO diet (mod-CHO; 55% CHO, 15% protein, 30% fat) on substrate oxidation during and after exercise in ten active, young women. Subjects were 24.9 ± 6.2% body fat with a VO(2max) of 68.8 ± 13.8 ml/kg FFM/min. For 2 days prior to exercise, subjects consumed either the mod-CHO or the low-CHO diet and then completed treadmill exercise at 55% of VO(2max) until 350 kcal of energy was expended. During exercise and for 2 h post-exercise, expired gases were analyzed to determine oxidation rates for CHO (CHO-OX) and fat (FAT-OX). Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between diets for CHO-OX and FAT-OX (mg/kg FFM/min) during exercise, 1 h post-ex, and 2 h post-ex. During exercise, FAT-OX was higher (low-CHO 8.7 ± 2.2 vs. mod-CHO 6.2 ± 2.2) and CHO-OX was lower (low-CHO 25.1 ± 5.6 vs. mod-CHO 31.1 ± 6.2) following the low-CHO diet. A similar trend was observed during 1 h post-ex for FAT-OX (low-CHO 2.2 ± 0.5 vs. mod-CHO 1.6 ± 0.5) and CHO-OX (low-CHO 2.5 ± 1.2 vs. mod-CHO 4.1 ± 1.9), as well as 2 h post-ex for FAT-OX (low-CHO vs. 1.9 ± 0.5 mod-CHO 1.7 ± 0.4) and CHO-OX (low-CHO 2.5 ± 0.9 vs. mod-CHO 3.1 ± 1.1). Significant positive correlations were observed between VO(2max) and CHO-OX during exercise and post-exercise, as well as significant negative correlations between VO(2max) and FAT-OX post-exercise in the low-CHO condition. Waist circumference and FAT-OX exhibited a significant negative correlation during exercise in the low-CHO condition. Dietary macronutrient intake influenced substrate oxidation in active young women during and after moderate intensity exercise.

Local fluctuations of the signed traded volumes and the dependencies of demands: a copula analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shanshan; Guhr, Thomas

2018-03-01

We investigate how the local fluctuations of the signed traded volumes affect the dependence of demands between stocks. We analyze the empirical dependence of demands using copulas and show that they are well described by a bivariate K copula density function. We find that large local fluctuations strongly increase the positive dependence but lower slightly the negative one in the copula density. This interesting feature is due to cross-correlations of volume imbalances between stocks. Also, we explore the asymmetries of tail dependencies of the copula density, which are moderate for the negative dependencies but strong for the positive ones. For the latter, we reveal that large local fluctuations of the signed traded volumes trigger stronger dependencies of demands than of supplies, probably indicating a bull market with persistent raising of prices.

Strong commitment to traditional Protestant religious beliefs is negatively related to beliefs in paranormal phenomena.

PubMed

Hillstrom, E L; Strachan, M

2000-02-01

Numerous studies have yielded small, negative correlations between measures of paranormal and "traditional religious beliefs". This may partly reflect opinions of Christians in the samples who take biblical sanctions against many "paranormal" activities seriously. To test this, 391 college students (270 women and 121 men) rated their beliefs in various paranormal phenomena and were classified as Believers, Nominal Believers, and Nonbelievers on the strength of their self-rated commitment to key biblical (particularly Protestant) doctrines. As predicted, Believers were significantly less likely than Nominal Believers or Nonbelievers to endorse reincarnation, contact with the dead, UFOs, telepathy, prophecy, psychokinesis, or healing, while the beliefs of Nominal Believers were similar to those of Nonbelievers. Substantial percentages of Nominal and Nonbelievers (30-50%) indicated at least moderate acceptance of the paranormal phenomena surveyed.

Emotional intelligence, emotional labor, and job satisfaction among physicians in Greece

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background There is increasing evidence that psychological constructs, such as emotional intelligence and emotional labor, play an important role in various organizational outcomes in service sector. Recently, in the “emotionally charged” healthcare field, emotional intelligence and emotional labor have both emerged as research tools, rather than just as theoretical concepts, influencing various organizational parameters including job satisfaction. The present study aimed at investigating the relationships, direct and/or indirect, between emotional intelligence, the surface acting component of emotional labor, and job satisfaction in medical staff working in tertiary healthcare. Methods Data were collected from 130 physicians in Greece, who completed a series of self-report questionnaires including: a) the Wong Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, which assessed the four dimensions of emotional intelligence, i.e. Self-Emotion Appraisal, Others’ Emotion Appraisal, Use of Emotion, and Regulation of Emotion, b) the General Index of Job Satisfaction, and c) the Dutch Questionnaire on Emotional Labor (surface acting component). Results Emotional intelligence (Use of Emotion dimension) was significantly and positively correlated with job satisfaction (r=.42, p<.001), whereas a significant negative correlation between surface acting and job satisfaction was observed (r=−.39, p<.001). Furthermore, Self-Emotion Appraisal was negatively correlated with surface acting (r=−.20, p<.01). Self-Emotion Appraisal was found to influence job satisfaction both directly and indirectly through surface acting, while this indirect effect was moderated by gender. Apart from its mediating role, surface acting was also a moderator of the emotional intelligence-job satisfaction relationship. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that surface acting could predict job satisfaction over and above emotional intelligence dimensions. Conclusions The results of the present study may contribute to the better understanding of emotion-related parameters that affect the work process with a view to increasing the quality of service in the health sector. PMID:23244390

Positive and Negative Thinking in Tinnitus: Factor Structure of the Tinnitus Cognitions Questionnaire.

PubMed

Handscomb, Lucy E; Hall, Deborah A; Shorter, Gillian W; Hoare, Derek J

Researchers and clinicians consider thinking to be important in the development and maintenance of tinnitus distress, and altering thoughts or thinking style is an object of many forms of psychological therapy for tinnitus. Those working with people with tinnitus require a reliable, psychometrically robust means of measuring both positive and negative thinking related to it. The Tinnitus Cognitions Questionnaire (TCQ) was designed as such a measure and its authors showed it to be reliable, with good psychometric properties. However, no research teams have yet carried out independent validation. This study aimed to use the TCQ to investigate thinking amongst members of the general population with both bothersome and nonbothersome tinnitus and also to verify its factor structure. Three hundred forty-two members of the public with tinnitus completed the TCQ online or on paper. They also rated their tinnitus on a scale as "not a problem," "a small problem," "a moderate problem," "a big problem," or a "very big problem." The authors tested the original factor structure of the TCQ using confirmatory factor analysis and then calculated the mean scores for each item, comparing mean total scores across "problem categories" for the full questionnaire and for the positive and negative subscales. The original two-factor structure of the TCQ was a good fit to the data when the correlation between positive and negative factors was fixed at zero (root mean square error of approximation = 0.064, 90% confidence interval = 0.058 to 0.070). Items pertaining to wishing the tinnitus would go away and despairing that it would ever get better had the highest mean scores. The mean total score for the "no problem" group (M = 31.17, SD = 16.03) was not significantly different from the mean total score for the "small problem" group (M = 34.00, SD = 12.44, p = 0.99). Differences between mean scores for all other groups were statistically significant. For the negative subscale, differences were statistically significant between all problem categories. For the positive subscale, the differences between mean scores were only statistically significant for the "no problem" group (M = 28.40, SD = 17.11) compared with the "moderate problem" group (M = 18.55, SD = 8.64, p = 0.02) and for the "moderate problem" group compared with the "very big problem" group (M = 26.79, SD = 11.66, p = 0.002). Positive and negative factors were uncorrelated (ρ = -0.03.) CONCLUSIONS:: The TCQ is a valid measure of positive and negative thinking in tinnitus, and the authors recommend its use in research and therapeutic settings. Negative thinking appears to be associated with more problematic tinnitus, but positive thinking is not associated with unproblematic tinnitus, suggesting that reducing negative thinking may be more important than teaching positive thinking in therapy.

Positive and Negative Interactions Observed Between Siblings: Moderating Effects for Children Exposed to Parents’ Conflict

PubMed Central

Iturralde, Esti; Margolin, Gayla; Spies Shapiro, Lauren A.

2012-01-01

This study investigated links between interparental conflict appraisals (specifically threat and self-blame), sibling relationship quality (positive and negative dimensions), and anxiety in sibling pairs comprised of an adolescent and a younger sibling close in age. Sibling relationship quality was measured through behavioral observation. Links between self-blame and anxiety were moderated by sibling relationship quality. In older siblings, positive behavior with a sibling was associated with an attenuated relation between self-blame and anxiety. A paradoxical moderating effect was found for negative interactions; for both younger and older siblings, a relation between self-blame and anxiety was weakened in the presence of sibling negativity. Results offered support for theorized benefits of sibling relationship quality in helping early adolescents adjust to conflict between parents. PMID:24244080

Relationship between sprint times and the strength/power outputs of a machine squat jump.

PubMed

Harris, Nigel K; Cronin, John B; Hopkins, Will G; Hansen, Keir T

2008-05-01

Strength testing is often used with team-sport athletes, but some measures of strength may have limited prognostic/diagnostic value in terms of the physical demands of the sport. The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between sprint ability and the kinetic and kinematic outputs of a machine squat jump. Thirty elite level rugby union and league athletes with an extensive resistance-training background performed bilateral concentric-only machine squat jumps across loads of 20% to 90% 1 repetition maximum (1RM), and sprints over 10 meters and 30 or 40 meters. The magnitudes of the relationships were interpreted using Pearson correlation coefficients, which had uncertainty (90% confidence limits) of approximately +/-0.3. Correlations of 10-meter sprint time with kinetic and kinematic variables (force, velocity, power, and impulse) were generally positive and of moderate to strong magnitude (r = 0.32-0.53). The only negative correlations observed were for work, although the magnitude was small (r = -0.18 to -0.26). The correlations for 30- or 40-meter sprint times were similar to those for 10-meter times, although the correlation with work was positive and moderate (r = 0.35-0.40). Correlations of 10-meter time with kinetic variables expressed relative to body mass were generally positive and of trivial to small magnitude (r = 0.01-0.29), with the exceptions of work (r = -0.31 to -0.34), and impulse (r = -0.34 to -0.39). Similar correlations were observed for 30- and 40-meter times with kinetic measures expressed relative to body mass. Although correlations do not imply cause and effect, the preoccupation with maximizing power output in this particular resistance exercise to improve sprint ability appears problematic. Work and impulse are potentially important strength qualities to develop in the pursuit of improved sprinting performance.

Exposure to criminal environment and criminal social identity in a sample of adult prisoners: The moderating role of psychopathic traits.

PubMed

Sherretts, Nicole; Boduszek, Daniel; Debowska, Agata

2016-08-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of period of incarceration, criminal friend index (a retrospective measure intended to quantify criminal associations before 1st incarceration), and 4 psychopathy factors (interpersonal manipulation, callous affect, erratic lifestyle, and antisocial behavior) in criminal social identity (CSI) while controlling for age and gender. Participants were a sample of 501 incarcerated offenders (male n = 293; female n = 208) from 3 prisons located in Pennsylvania State. Moderated regression analyses indicated no significant direct association between period of incarceration and CSI or between criminal friend index and Measure of Criminal Social Identity (MCSI). However, a significant moderating effect of interpersonal manipulation on the relationship between period of incarceration and MCSI was observed. Period of incarceration was significantly positively correlated with MCSI (particularly with the in-group ties subscale) for only those offenders who scored high (1 SD above the mean) on interpersonal manipulation and significantly negatively correlated for those who scored low (1 SD below the mean) on interpersonal manipulation. Also, criminal friend index was positively significantly associated with in-group ties for high levels (1 SD above the mean) of callous affect. The main findings provide evidence for the claim that prisoners are likely to simulate changes in identity through the formation of bonds with other offenders and that this can be achieved using interpersonal manipulation skills. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

[Effects of mental workload on work ability in primary and secondary school teachers].

PubMed

Xiao, Yuanmei; Li, Weijuan; Ren, Qingfeng; Ren, Xiaohui; Wang, Zhiming; Wang, Mianzhen; Lan, Yajia

2015-02-01

To investigate the change pattern of primary and secondary school teachers' work ability with the changes in their mental workload. A total of 901 primary and secondary school teachers were selected by random cluster sampling, and then their mental workload and work ability were assessed by National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) and Work Ability Index (WAI) questionnaires, whose reliability and validity had been tested. The effects of their mental workload on the work ability were analyzed. Primary and secondary school teachers' work ability reached the highest level at a certain level of mental workload (55.73< mental workload ≤ 64.10). When their mental workload was lower than the level, their work ability had a positive correlation with the mental workload. Their work ability increased or maintained stable with the increasing mental workload. Moreover, the percentage of teachers with good work ability increased, while that of teachers with moderate work ability decreased. But when their mental workload was higher than the level, their work ability had a negative correlation with the mental workload. Their work ability significantly decreased with the increasing mental workload (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the percentage of teachers with good work ability decreased, while that of teachers with moderate work ability increased (P < 0.001). Too high or low mental workload will result in the decline of primary and secondary school teachers' work ability. Moderate mental workload (55.73∼64.10) will benefit the maintaining and stabilization of their work ability.

Coach-initiated motivational climate and cohesion in youth sport.

PubMed

Eys, Mark A; Jewitt, Eryn; Evans, M Blair; Wolf, Svenja; Bruner, Mark W; Loughead, Todd M

2013-09-01

The general purpose of the present study was to examine the link between cohesion and motivational climate in youth sport. The first specific objective was to determine if relationships demonstrated in previous research with adult basketball and handball participants would be replicated in a younger sample and with a more heterogeneous set of sports. The second specific objective was to examine whether sources of athlete enjoyment moderate the relationships between motivational climate and cohesion. Athletes (N = 997; 532 girls and 465 boys; Mage = 15.26 +/- 1.20 years) completed measures pertaining to coach-initiated motivational climate, cohesion, and sources of enjoyment. Bivariate and canonical correlations revealed positive correlations between perceptions of a task-involving motivational climate and both task and social cohesion, while ego-involving motivational climate was negatively related. Cluster analyses suggested that individuals perceiving a low task-involving climate and high ego-involving climate perceived their teams as less cohesive. Finally, the degree to which participants derived enjoyment through other-referenced competency served as a moderator in the motivational climate-task cohesion relationship. Specifically, the relationship between task cohesion and motivational climate was more pronounced for those individuals who were less likely to derive enjoyment through other-referenced competency. Youth athletes' perceptions of coach-initiated motivational climate are related to cohesion. This relationship is, however, moderated by the degree to which athletes derive enjoyment through other-referenced competency. Motivational climate is an important variable to consider within team-building protocols intent on developing cohesion.

BDNF and BMI effects on brain structures of bipolar offspring: results from the global mood and brain science initiative.

PubMed

Mansur, R B; Brietzke, E; McIntyre, R S; Cao, B; Lee, Y; Japiassú, L; Chen, K; Lu, R; Lu, W; Li, T; Xu, G; Lin, K

2017-12-01

To compare brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels between offspring of individuals with bipolar disorders (BD) and healthy controls (HCs) and investigate the effects of BDNF levels and body mass index (BMI) on brain structures. Sixty-seven bipolar offspring and 45 HCs were included (ages 8-28). Structural images were acquired using 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging. Serum BDNF levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Multivariate and univariate analyses of covariance were conducted. Significantly higher BDNF levels were observed among bipolar offspring, relative to HCs (P > 0.025). Offspring status moderated the association between BDNF and BMI (F 1 =4.636, P = 0.034). After adjustment for relevant covariates, there was a trend for a significant interaction of group and BDNF on neuroimaging parameters (Wilks'λ F 56,94 =1.463, P = 0.052), with significant effects on cerebellar white matter and superior and middle frontal regions. Brain volume and BDNF were positively correlated among HCs and negatively correlated among bipolar offspring. Interactions between BDNF and BMI on brain volumes were non-significant among HCs (Wilks'λ F 28,2 =2.229, P = 0.357), but significant among bipolar offspring (Wilks'λ F 28,12 =2.899, P = 0.028). Offspring status and BMI moderate the association between BDNF levels and brain structures among bipolar offspring, underscoring BDNF regulation and overweight/obesity as key moderators of BD pathogenesis. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Peer relationships in adolescent competitive soccer: associations to perceived motivational climate, achievement goals and perfectionism.

PubMed

Ommundsen, Yngvar; Roberts, Glyn C; Lemyre, Pierre-Nicolas; Miller, Blake W

2005-09-01

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the perceived motivational climate, achievement goals, perfectionism and indices of peer relationships in a sample of young male and female Norwegian soccer players. The sample consisted of 1719 experienced soccer players (1231 males, 488 females) aged 12-19 years (mean = 14.9 years) participating in the Norway Cup international youth soccer competition. The players responded to a questionnaire measuring perceived peer acceptance and quality of friendship in soccer, perceived motivational climate, achievement goals and perfectionism in soccer. Canonical correlation analyses revealed that young female players who perceived the motivational climate as predominantly mastery oriented, and who were moderately task oriented and scored negatively on maladaptive perfectionism, reported better relations with their peers in soccer. Constructive peer relations were evident in that they scored positively on companionship with their best friend in soccer; they perceived this friend as being loyal and allowing of free discussion, and they reported being socially accepted by their peers in soccer. Mirroring these findings, young male players who perceived the motivational climate as predominantly performance oriented, who had a moderately negative score on task orientation but a quite strong positive score on maladaptive perfectionism, reported negative relationships with peers in terms of these aspects. They also reported being in conflict with their best soccer friend. The findings suggest that the qualities of motivation have a systematic relationship with peer acceptance and the quality of friendship in male and female youth soccer.

Measuring what matters: Effectively predicting language and literacy in children with cochlear implants

PubMed Central

Nittrouer, Susan; Caldwell, Amanda; Holloman, Christopher

2012-01-01

Objective To evaluate how well various language measures typically used with very young children after they receive cochlear implants predict language and literacy skills as they enter school. Methods Subjects were 50 children who had just completed kindergarten and were 6 or 7 years of age. All had previously participated in a longitudinal study from 12 to 48 months of age. 27 children had severe-to-profound hearing loss and wore cochlear implants, 8 had moderate hearing loss and wore hearing aids, and 15 had normal hearing. A latent variable of language/literacy skill was constructed from scores on six kinds of measures: (1) language comprehension; (2) expressive vocabulary; (3) phonological awareness; (4) literacy; (5) narrative skill; and (6) processing speed. Five kinds of language measures obtained at six-month intervals from 12 to 48 months of age were used as predictor variables in correlational analyses: (1) language comprehension; (2) expressive vocabulary; (3) syntactic structure of productive speech; (4) form and (5) function of language used in language samples. Results Outcomes quantified how much variance in kindergarten language/literacy performance was explained by each predictor variable, at each earlier age of testing. Comprehension measures consistently predicted roughly 25 to 50 percent of the variance in kindergarten language/literacy performance, and were the only effective predictors before 24 months of age. Vocabulary and syntactic complexity were strong predictors after roughly 36 months of age. Amount of speech produced in language samples and number of answers to parental queries explained moderate amounts of variance in performance after 24 months of age. Number of manual gestures and nonspeech vocalizations produced in language samples explained little to no variance before 24 months of age, and after that were negatively correlated with kindergarten performance. The number of imitations produced in language samples at 24 months of age explained about 10 percent of variance in kindergarten performance, but was otherwise not correlated or negatively correlated with kindergarten outcomes. Conclusions Before 24 months of age, the best predictor of later language success is language comprehension. In general, measures that index a child’s cognitive processing of language are the most sensitive predictors of school-age language abilities. PMID:22648088

Evaluation of sexual function, quality of life, and mental and physical health in pregnant women.

PubMed

Nik-Azin, Amir; Nainian, Mohammad Reza; Zamani, Mahnaz; Bavojdan, Marjan Rabani; Bavojdan, Mozhgan Rabani; Motlagh, Marjan Jamali

2013-12-01

To evaluate sexual function and its relationship with quality of life, and mental and physical health in pregnant women. Obtained results showed that 59 (39/3%) pregnant women were "very dissatisfied", 25 (16/7%) women were "moderately dissatisfied", 64 (42/7%) women were "both satisfied and unsatisfied", only 2 (1/3%) women were relatively satisfied, and no one was "very satisfied". There is a significantly negative weak correlation between female sexual function with anxiety and depression, while there is a significantly positive weak correlation between female sexual function with the general quality of life, psychological health and environment dimensions. Only depression predicts female sexual function significantly. The women more than 10 years passed of their marriage showed more sexual satisfaction compared to those less than 10 years passed of their marriage (p< 0.05). The roles of predictive variables in sexual dissatisfaction, as well as the limitations for the study are discussed in the article. Obtained results showed that 59 (39/3%) pregnant women were "very dissatisfied", 25 (16/7%) women were "moderately dissatisfied", 64 (42/7%) women were "both satisfied and unsatisfied", only 2 (1/3%) women were relatively satisfied, and no one was "very satisfied". There is a significantly negative weak correlation between female sexual function with anxiety and depression, while there is a significantly positive weak correlation between female sexual function with the general quality of life, psychological health and environment dimensions. Only depression predicts female sexual function significantly. The women more than 10 years passed of their marriage showed more sexual satisfaction compared to those less than 10 years passed of their marriage (p< 0.05). The roles of predictive variables in sexual dissatisfaction, as well as the limitations for the study are discussed in the article. Depression as same as environment heath had an important effect on sexual satisfaction in pregnant women and so assessment of depression and environment health in medical program for pregnant women is necessary. Also considering decrease in sexual satisfaction in aging training new methods for sexuality can be useful.

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.

How social context moderates the self-evaluative emotions experienced due to health risk behaviour.

PubMed

Grob, Judith D M; Dijkstra, Arie; de Groot, Carla

2011-10-01

When people are confronted with the potential negative physical outcomes of their own health risk behaviour, they experience a self-threat. This threat is felt as negative self-evaluative emotions. We hypothesise that the threat will lead to more private self-evaluative emotions (e.g. regret) in a private social context, whereas more public self-evaluative emotions (e.g. embarrassment) will be felt in a public social context with negative norms. Consistent with our hypotheses, we show that participants anticipate feeling more private self-evaluative emotions when confronted with the negative consequences of their unhealthy behaviour when alone, and more public self-evaluative emotions when in a group (Study 1). They further anticipate more public self-evaluative emotions in response to a health self-threat when the group norm is negative, and more private self-evaluative emotions when the group norm is lenient (Study 2). Finally, in a cross-sectional study amongst smokers, we show that private but not public negative self-evaluative emotions concerning their own smoking habits are positively correlated with the intent to quit smoking (Study 3). These studies show that a distinction needs to be made between public and private self-evaluative emotions, in terms of their antecedents and effects. Theoretical implications and further lines of research are discussed.

Maternal negative emotional expression and discipline in Beijing, China: The moderating role of educational attainment.

PubMed

Cheng, Feng; Wang, Yifang; Wu, Xixian; Su, Zhuqing

2018-03-01

The current study shows that parental punitive discipline places children at risk of developing internalizing and externalizing problems. Although some studies have analyzed the reasons for the use of discipline methods, little to no research has analyzed the moderating effects. In this study, we examine the relationship between maternal negative emotional expression and mothers' use of disciplinary methods (psychological aggression, corporal punishment and physical maltreatment) and the moderating effects of educational attainment in Chinese societies. Five hundred and sixteen mothers with preschool-aged children were recruited to participate in this research. The Chinese versions of the Self-Expressiveness in the Family Questionnaire (SEFQ) and the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scales (CTSPC) were used to measure the mothers' negative emotional expression and discipline, respectively. The results suggested that the mothers' negative emotional expression was positively related to their disciplinary behaviors. Moreover, maternal educational attainment moderated the association between negative emotional expression and discipline. The findings of the current study highlight the importance of considering how mothers' educational backgrounds may interact with their emotions to influence maternal disciplinary behaviors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anxiety, affect, self-esteem, and stress: mediation and moderation effects on depression.

PubMed

Nima, Ali Al; Rosenberg, Patricia; Archer, Trevor; Garcia, Danilo

2013-01-01

Mediation analysis investigates whether a variable (i.e., mediator) changes in regard to an independent variable, in turn, affecting a dependent variable. Moderation analysis, on the other hand, investigates whether the statistical interaction between independent variables predict a dependent variable. Although this difference between these two types of analysis is explicit in current literature, there is still confusion with regard to the mediating and moderating effects of different variables on depression. The purpose of this study was to assess the mediating and moderating effects of anxiety, stress, positive affect, and negative affect on depression. Two hundred and two university students (males  = 93, females  = 113) completed questionnaires assessing anxiety, stress, self-esteem, positive and negative affect, and depression. Mediation and moderation analyses were conducted using techniques based on standard multiple regression and hierarchical regression analyses. The results indicated that (i) anxiety partially mediated the effects of both stress and self-esteem upon depression, (ii) that stress partially mediated the effects of anxiety and positive affect upon depression, (iii) that stress completely mediated the effects of self-esteem on depression, and (iv) that there was a significant interaction between stress and negative affect, and between positive affect and negative affect upon depression. The study highlights different research questions that can be investigated depending on whether researchers decide to use the same variables as mediators and/or moderators.

Negative Affect as a Moderator of the Relationship between Hookup Motives and Hookup Consequences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montes, Kevin S.; Napper, Lucy E.; Froidevaux, Nicole M.; Kenney, Shannon; LaBrie, Joseph W.

2016-01-01

Objective: The current study examined the extent to which negative affect moderates the relationships between distinct hookup motives and hookup consequences. Participants: Data were collected from 271 heavy-drinking undergraduate college students. Methods: Students from 3 US universities completed online surveys assessing hooking up--related…

The Impacts of Wind Speed Trends and 30-Year Variability in Relation to Hydroelectric Reservoir Inflows on Wind Power in the Pacific Northwest.

PubMed

Cross, Benjamin D; Kohfeld, Karen E; Bailey, Joseph; Cooper, Andrew B

2015-01-01

In hydroelectric dominated systems, the value and benefits of energy are higher during extended dry periods and lower during extended or extreme wet periods. By accounting for regional and temporal differences in the relationship between wind speed and reservoir inflow behavior during wind farm site selection, the benefits of energy diversification can be maximized. The goal of this work was to help maximize the value of wind power by quantifying the long-term (30-year) relationships between wind speed and streamflow behavior, using British Columbia (BC) and the Pacific Northwest (PNW) as a case study. Clean energy and self-sufficiency policies in British BC make the benefits of increased generation during low streamflow periods particularly large. Wind density (WD) estimates from a height of 10m (North American Regional Reanalysis, NARR) were correlated with cumulative usable inflows (CUI) for BC (collected from BC Hydro) for 1979-2010. The strongest WD-CUI correlations were found along the US coast (r ~0.55), whereas generally weaker correlations were found in northern regions, with negative correlations (r ~ -0.25) along BC's North Coast. Furthermore, during the lowest inflow years, WD anomalies increased by up to 40% above average values for the North Coast. Seasonally, high flows during the spring freshet were coincident with widespread negative WD anomalies, with a similar but opposite pattern for low inflow winter months. These poorly or negatively correlated sites could have a moderating influence on climate related variability in provincial electricity supply, by producing greater than average generation in low inflow years and reduced generation in wet years. Wind speed and WD trends were also analyzed for all NARR grid locations, which showed statistically significant positive trends for most of the PNW and the largest increases along the Pacific Coast.

The Impacts of Wind Speed Trends and 30-Year Variability in Relation to Hydroelectric Reservoir Inflows on Wind Power in the Pacific Northwest

PubMed Central

Cross, Benjamin D.; Kohfeld, Karen E.; Bailey, Joseph; Cooper, Andrew B.

2015-01-01

In hydroelectric dominated systems, the value and benefits of energy are higher during extended dry periods and lower during extended or extreme wet periods. By accounting for regional and temporal differences in the relationship between wind speed and reservoir inflow behavior during wind farm site selection, the benefits of energy diversification can be maximized. The goal of this work was to help maximize the value of wind power by quantifying the long-term (30-year) relationships between wind speed and streamflow behavior, using British Columbia (BC) and the Pacific Northwest (PNW) as a case study. Clean energy and self-sufficiency policies in British BC make the benefits of increased generation during low streamflow periods particularly large. Wind density (WD) estimates from a height of 10m (North American Regional Reanalysis, NARR) were correlated with cumulative usable inflows (CUI) for BC (collected from BC Hydro) for 1979–2010. The strongest WD-CUI correlations were found along the US coast (r ~0.55), whereas generally weaker correlations were found in northern regions, with negative correlations (r ~ -0.25) along BC’s North Coast. Furthermore, during the lowest inflow years, WD anomalies increased by up to 40% above average values for the North Coast. Seasonally, high flows during the spring freshet were coincident with widespread negative WD anomalies, with a similar but opposite pattern for low inflow winter months. These poorly or negatively correlated sites could have a moderating influence on climate related variability in provincial electricity supply, by producing greater than average generation in low inflow years and reduced generation in wet years. Wind speed and WD trends were also analyzed for all NARR grid locations, which showed statistically significant positive trends for most of the PNW and the largest increases along the Pacific Coast. PMID:26271035

Inflatable penile prosthesis implant length with baseline characteristic correlations: preliminary analysis of the PROPPER study

PubMed Central

Henry, Gerard; Karpman, Edward; Brant, William; Jones, LeRoy; Khera, Mohit; Kohler, Tobias; Christine, Brian; Rhee, Eugene; Kansas, Bryan; Bella, Anthony J.

2017-01-01

Background “Prospective Registry of Outcomes with Penile Prosthesis for Erectile Restoration” (PROPPER) is a large, multi-institutional, prospective clinical study to collect, analyze, and report real-world outcomes for men implanted with penile prosthetic devices. We prospectively correlated co-morbid conditions and demographic data with implanted penile prosthesis size to enable clinicians to better predict implanted penis size following penile implantation. We present many new data points for the first time in the literature and postulate that radical prostatectomy (RP) is negatively correlated with penile corporal length. Methods Patient demographics, medical history, baseline characteristics and surgical details were compiled prospectively. Pearson correlation coefficient was generated for the correlation between demographic, etiology of ED, duration of ED, co-morbid conditions, pre-operative penile length (flaccid and stretched) and length of implanted penile prosthesis. Multivariate analysis was performed to define predictors of implanted prosthesis length. Results From June 2011 to June 2017, 1,135 men underwent primary implantation of penile prosthesis at a total of 11 study sites. Malleable (Spectra), 2-piece Ambicor, and 3-piece AMS 700 CX/LGX were included in the analysis. The most common patient comorbidities were CV disease (26.1%), DM (11.1%), and PD (12.4%). Primary etiology of ED: RP (27.4%), DM (20.3%), CVD (18.0%), PD (10.3%), and Priapism (1.4%), others (22.6%). Mean duration of ED is 6.2¡À4.1 years. Implant length was weakly negatively correlated with White/Caucasian (r=−0.18; P<0.01), history of RP (r=−0.13; P<0.01), PD as comorbidity (r=−0.16; P<0.01), venous leak (r=−0.08; P<0.01), and presence of stress incontinence (r=−0.13; P<0.01). Analyses showed weak positive correlations with Black/AA (r=0.32; P<0.01), CV disease as primary ED etiology (r=0.08; P<0.01) and pre-operative stretched penile length (r=0.18; P<0.01). There is a moderate correlation with pre-operative flaccid penile length (r=0.30; P<0.01). Conclusions Implanted penile prosthesis length is negatively correlated with some ethnic groups, prostatectomy, and incontinence. Positive correlates include CV disease, preoperative stretched penile length, and flaccid penile length. PMID:29354506

Stressful life events, perceived stress, and 12-month course of geriatric depression: direct effects and moderation by the 5-HTTLPR and COMT Val158Met polymorphisms.

PubMed

Zannas, Anthony S; McQuoid, Douglas R; Steffens, David C; Chrousos, George P; Taylor, Warren D

2012-07-01

Although the relation between stressful life events (SLEs) and risk of major depressive disorder is well established, important questions remain about the effects of stress on the course of geriatric depression. Our objectives were (1) to examine how baseline stress and change in stress is associated with course of geriatric depression and (2) to test whether polymorphisms of serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT Val158Met) genes moderate this relation. Two-hundred and sixteen depressed subjects aged 60 years or older were categorized by remission status (Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale≤6) at 6 and 12 months. At 6 months, greater baseline numbers of self-reported negative and total SLEs and greater baseline perceived stress severity were associated with lower odds of remission. At 12 months, only baseline perceived stress predicted remission. When we examined change in stress, 12-month decrease in negative SLEs and level of perceived stress were associated with improved odds of 12-month remission. When genotype data were included, COMT Val158Met genotype did not influence these relations. However, when compared with 5-HTTLPR L/L homozygotes, S allele carriers with greater baseline numbers of negative SLEs and with greater decrease in negative SLEs were more likely to remit at 12 months. This study demonstrates that baseline SLEs and perceived stress severity may influence the 12-month course of geriatric depression. Moreover, changes in these stress measures over time correlate with depression outcomes. 5-HTTLPR S carriers appear to be more susceptible to both the effects of enduring stress and the benefit of interval stress reduction.

Relationship between physical activity and markers of oxidative stress in independent community-living elderly individuals.

PubMed

Fraile-Bermúdez, A B; Kortajarena, M; Zarrazquin, I; Maquibar, A; Yanguas, J J; Sánchez-Fernández, C E; Gil, J; Irazusta, A; Ruiz-Litago, F

2015-10-01

The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between objective data of physical activity and markers of oxidative stress in older men and women. Participants were old adults, aged≥60years (61 women and 34 men) who were all capable of performing basic daily activities by themselves and lived on their own. To describe physical activity we used objective data measured by accelerometers which record active and sedentary periods during everyday life for five days. Determination of oxidative stress was conducted from three perspectives: determination plasma total antioxidant status (TAS), plasma antioxidant enzyme activities, i.e., glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and membrane lipid peroxidation (TBARS). In the group of women, those who met physical activity recommendations (WR) had lower level of TAS. In addition, the moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was negatively correlated with TAS. Simultaneously, MVPA was correlated with increase in the GPx antioxidant enzyme activity, and the counts per minute were positively correlated with CAT activity. In the group of men, the cpm and the MVPA were negatively correlated with lipid peroxidation while lifestyle physical activity was positively correlated with CAT activity. These findings suggest that MVPA in the elderly although it is related to a decrease in the TAS in women, induces adaptive increase in antioxidant enzyme activity and decreases lipid peroxidation in both women and men. These results suggest that at this time of life, it is not only the amount of physical activity performed that is important but also its intensity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Childhood Trauma Associated with Enhanced High Frequency Band Powers and Induced Subjective Inattention of Adults

PubMed Central

Lee, Seung-Hwan; Park, Yeonsoo; Jin, Min Jin; Lee, Yeon Jeong; Hahn, Sang Woo

2017-01-01

Childhood trauma can lead to various psychological and cognitive symptoms. It has been demonstrated that high frequency electroencephalogram (EEG) powers could be closely correlated with inattention. In this study, we explored the relationship between high frequency EEG powers, inattention, symptoms of adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and childhood traumatic experiences. A total of 157 healthy Korean adult volunteers were included and divided into two groups using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) score. The subjective inattention scores, ADHD scale, and anxiety and depression symptom were evaluated. EEG was recorded and quantitative band powers were analyzed. The results were as follows: (1) the high CTQ group showed significantly increased delta, beta1, beta2, beta3 and gamma, and significantly decreased low alpha power compared to the low CTQ group; (2) the high CTQ group had higher inattention score compared to the low CTQ group; (3) the high CTQ group had higher adult ADHD scores; (4) CTQ scores showed significant positive correlations with inattention scores, and adult ADHD scores; (5) unexpectedly, the inattention scores showed significant positive correlations with beta powers and a negative correlation with low alpha power; and (6) the moderated mediation model was confirmed: the depression fully mediated the path from state anxiety to inattention, and the CTQ significantly moderated the pathway between anxiety and depression. Our results show the possibility that childhood adversity may cause subjective inattention and adult ADHD symptoms. Depressive symptoms fully mediated the path from anxiety to inattention, especially in those who report severe childhood traumatic experiences. PMID:28860979

Well-Being and Diabetes Management in Early Pregnant Women with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

PubMed

Linden, Karolina; Sparud-Lundin, Carina; Adolfsson, Annsofie; Berg, Marie

2016-08-22

This paper explores well-being and diabetes management in women with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) in early pregnancy and investigates associations among perceived well-being, diabetes management, and maternal characteristics. Questionnaires were answered by 168 Swedish women. Correlation analyses were conducted with Spearman's correlation coefficient (rs). The women reported relatively high scores of self-efficacy in diabetes management (SWE-DES-10: 3.91 (0.51)) and self-perceived health (excellent (6.5%), very good (42.3%), good (38.7%), fair (11.3%) and poor (1.2%)). Moderate scores were reported for general well-being (WBQ-12: 22.6 (5.7)) and sense of coherence (SOC-13: 68.9 (9.7), moderate/low scores for hypoglycemia fear (SWE-HFS 26.6 (11.8)) and low scores of diabetes-distress (SWE-PAID-20 27.1 (15.9)). A higher capability of self-efficacy in diabetes management showed positive correlations with self-perceived health (rs = -0.41, p < 0.0001) and well-being (rs = 0.34, p < 0.0001) as well as negative correlations with diabetes distress (rs = -0.51, p < 0.0001) and hypoglycemia worries (rs = -0.27, p = 0.0009). Women with HbA1c levels of ≤48 mmL/mol scored higher in the subscales "goal achievement" in SWE-DES (p = 0.0028) and "comprehensibility" in SOC (p = 0.016). Well-being and diabetes management could be supported by strengthening the women's capability to achieve glycemic goals and their comprehensibility in relation to the treatment. Further studies are needed to test this.

A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Relationship among Adolescents' Perceived Social Support, Psychological State and Future Expectations among Turkish Students.

PubMed

Topaktaş, Berkhan; Dündar, Cihad; Pekşen, Yıldız

2017-01-01

Due to social and emotional changes alongside the cognitive and logical changes in adolescence, alterations occur in the adolescent's communication with family and friends in this period, and social support assumes greater importance. From each of the two middle and high schools in the Ilkadim district of Samsun, a total 688 students were employed by a two-stage sampling method in this cross-sectional study. The data were collected from sociodemographic information, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and Future Expectations Scale for Adolescents (FESA) questionnaires distributed under the supervision of guidance counselors in these schools between December 2014 and February 2015. The Mann- Whitney U test and Spearman's Rank Correlation were used for statistical analysis. The significance level was accepted as p<0.05 for all tests. In the study group, MSPSS Family subscale had a stronger correlational relationship with all the BSI subscales including global indices and also with total score of FESA and subscales with the exception of the Marriage and Family subscale than the other two MSPSS subscales. There were moderate negative correlation between scores of MSPSS and BSI, and a low-moderate positive correlation was observed between total MSPSS and FESA scores of adolescents. The results demonstrated that adolescents who exercise regularly and avoid smoking and alcohol have higher perceptions of social support. Perceived social support from family may be more effective than perceived social support from friends or a significant other in the development of psychological well-being and positive future expectations of Turkish adolescents.

[Cancer related fatigue in patients with breast cancer after chemotherapy and coping style].

PubMed

Jiang, Pinglan; Wang, Shuhong; Jiang, Dongmei; Yu, Lingli

2011-04-01

To study the relevance between cancer related fatigue and coping styles in breast cancer patients after chemotherapy. A survey was conducted in 396 patients with breast cancer after chemotherapy on cancer related fatigue scale and Jalowiec coping scale, and the relation was analyzed. The rate of overall fatigue in breast cancer patients was 96.97%, mostly moderate fatigue. The rate of fatigue dimensions from high to low was physical fatigue, feeling fatigue and cognitive fatigue, respectively. The score of coping styles in patients with breast cancer after chemotherapy from high to low was optimistic coping, facing bravely, support seeking, self-reliance, emotional catharsis, avoidance, fatalism, and conservation. The most widely used coping style was optimistic coping style, and the least was emotional catharisis. There was a positive correlation between coping style of emotional catharsis and cancer related fatigue of all dimensions (P<0.01). There was a negative correlation between emotional fatigue and optimistic,facing bravely, support seeking, self-reliance, or conservation (P<0.05). There was also a negative correlation between physical fatigue and optimistic or support seeking (P<0.05), but there was a positive correlation between avoidance or fatalism and the dimensions of general fatigue, physical fatigue, and cognitive fatigue (P<0.05). There is prevalent cancer related fatigue in patients with breast cancer after chemotherapy. We should guide the patients to more active coping styles, to enhance the ability of psychological adaption in patients, reduce cancer related fatigue, and improve the quality of life.

Relationship between motor skills, participation in leisure activities and quality of life of children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: temporal aspects.

PubMed

Raz-Silbiger, S; Lifshitz, N; Katz, N; Steinhart, S; Cermak, S A; Weintraub, N

2015-03-01

The study examined the relationship between motor skills, participation in leisure activities and quality of life (QOL), within a temporal context (school year vs. summer vacation and school days vs. weekends). Parents of 22 children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) and of 55 typically developing children, aged 6-11, filled out two questionnaires relating to their children's participation in leisure activities (vigorous, moderate and sedentary) and QOL. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2) was administered to their children. Results showed that among the children with DCD, balance scores positively correlated with participation in sedentary activities, and in both groups both balance and aiming and catching were related to the physical and school aspects of QOL. Furthermore, participation in vigorous activities in the summer was positively correlated with social and school QOL. In contrast, among typically developing children, participation in vigorous activities during the school year was negatively correlated with school QOL. Finally, in both groups, participation in sedentary activities during school days was negatively correlated with school QOL. These results suggest that the parents' perceptions of their children's QOL may be related to the level of activeness of the leisure activities but also to temporal aspects. Therefore, it is important that therapists and educators consider the temporal aspects, when consulting with parents and their children regarding participation in leisure activities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlation and path coefficient analysis of quantitative characters in spine gourd (Momordica dioica Roxb.).

PubMed

Aliya, F; Begum, H; Reddy, M T; Sivaraj, N; Pandravada, S R; Narshimulu, G

2014-05-01

Fifty genotypes of spine gourd (Momordica dioica Roxb.) were evaluated in a randomized block design with two replications at the Vegetable Research Station, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India during kharif, 2012. Correlation and path coefficient analysis were carried out to study the character association and contribution, respectively for twelve quantitative characters namely vine length (m), number of stems per plant, days to first female flower appearance, first female flowering node, days to first fruit harvest, days to last fruit harvest, fruiting period (days), fruit length (cm), fruit width (cm), fruit weight (g), number of fruits per plant and fruit yield per plant (kg) for identification of the potential selection indices. Correlation and path coefficient analyses revealed that fruiting period and number of fruits per plant not only had positively significant correlation with fruit yield but also had positively high direct effect on it and are regarded as the main determinants of fruit yield. Days to first fruit harvest had positively moderate direct effect on fruit yield and its association was negatively significant, days to last fruit harvest had negatively high direct effect on fruit yield and its association was significant positively, hence restricted simultaneous selection can be made for days to first fruit harvest and days to last fruit harvest. The improvement in fruit yield can be effective if selection is based on days to first fruit harvest, days to last fruit harvest, fruiting period and number of fruits per plant.

Does emotion and its daily fluctuation correlate with depression? A cross-cultural analysis among six developing countries.

PubMed

Chan, Derwin K C; Zhang, Xin; Fung, Helene H; Hagger, Martin S

2015-03-01

Utilizing a World Health Organization (WHO) multi-national dataset, the present study examined the relationships between emotion, affective variability (i.e., the fluctuation of emotional status), and depression across six developing countries, including China (N=15,050); Ghana (N=5,573); India (N=12,198); Mexico (N=5,448); South Africa (N=4,227); and Russia (N=4,947). Using moderated logistic regression and hierarchical multiple regression, the effects of emotion, affective variability, culture, and their interactions on depression and depressive symptoms were examined when statistically controlling for a number of external factors (i.e., age, gender, marital status, education level, income, smoking, alcohol drinking, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and diet). The results revealed that negative emotion was a statistically significant predictor of depressive symptoms, but the strength of association was smaller in countries with a lower incidence of depression (i.e., China and Ghana). The association between negative affective variability and the risk of depression was higher in India and lower in Ghana. Findings suggested that culture not only was associated with the incidence of depression, but it could also moderate the effects of emotion and affective variability on depression or the experience of depressive symptoms. Copyright © 2014 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cheating following success and failure in heavy and moderate social drinkers.

PubMed

Corcoran, K J; Hankey, J

1989-07-01

Two groups of American undergraduates (moderate and heavy social drinkers) completed a matrix task and received either positive or negative feedback on their performance. Following this they were given a maze task, which was designed so that cheating could be detected. Heavy drinkers cheated more than moderate drinkers under success conditions (positive feedback). Heavy drinkers who received positive feedback also cheated more than heavy drinkers who received negative feedback. The results are interpreted in terms of self-handicapping theory.

Conjunctival impression cytology versus routine tear function tests for dry eye evaluation in contact lens wearers.

PubMed

Kumar, Prachi; Bhargava, Rahul; Arora, Yogesh C; Kaushal, Sidharth; Kumar, Manjushri

2015-01-01

Prolonged contact lens wear is often accompanied by dryness of the eyes. The aim of this study was to compare conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) and tear film tests such as tear film break up time (TBUT) and Schirmer test for dry eye evaluation in contact lens wearers and measure their correlation with dry eye symptoms. A case control study was done at three referral eye centers. The eyes of 230 contact lens users were compared to 250 eyes of age- and sex-matched controls. Participants were recruited based on their response to a questionnaire of dry eye symptoms, (Dry Eye Scoring System, DESS(©)) and measurements of TBUT, Schirmer test, and CIC was done. A correlation analysis between symptom severity and tear film tests was performed. Pearson's coefficient, R(2) > 0.5 was considered significant. As compared to controls (r (2) = 0.010), Nelson grade correlated significantly with dry eye symptoms (r (2) = 0.765), among cases. However, there was moderate correlation between dry eye symptoms, Schirmer test, and TBUT (r (2) = 0.557 and 0.530, respectively) among cases and a weak correlation among controls (r (2) = 0.130 and 0.054, respectively). The sensitivity of TBUT was 86.4%, specificity was 82.4%, positive likelihood ratio (LR) was 4.50 [95% confidence interval (CI) 3.46-5.85)], and negative LR was 0.09. The sensitivity of the Schirmer test was 48.2%, specificity 88%, LR 2.12 (95% CI 1.48-2.96), and negative LR 0.83. CIC correlates better than Schirmer and TBUT with dry eye symptoms. It may be the most appropriate test for dry-eye evaluation in contact lens wearers.

Jugular bulb oxygen saturation correlates with Full Outline of Responsiveness score in severe traumatic brain injury patients

PubMed Central

Senapathi, Tjokorda Gde Agung; Wiryana, Made; Sinardja, Ketut; Nada, Ketut Wibawa; Sutawan, Ida Bagus Krisna Jaya; Ryalino, Christopher; Alphonso, Aloysius

2017-01-01

Background Maintaining brain oxygenation status is the main goal of treatment in severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Jugular venous oxygen saturation (SjvO2) monitoring is a technique to estimate global balance between cerebral oxygen supply and its metabolic requirement. Full Outline of Responsiveness (FOUR) score, a new consciousness measurement scoring, is expected to become an alternative for Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) in evaluating neurologic status of patients with severe traumatic head injury, especially for those under mechanical ventilation. Methods A total of 63 patients with severe TBI admitted to emergency department (ED) were included in this study. SjvO2 sampling was taken every 24 hours, until 72 hours after arrival. The assessment of FOUR score was conducted directly after each blood sample for SjvO2 was taken. Spearman’s rank correlation was used to determine the correlation between SjvO2 and FOUR score. Regression analysis was used to determine mortality predictors. Results From the 63 patients, a weak positive correlation between SjvO2 and FOUR score (r=0.246, p=0.052) was found upon admission. Meanwhile, strong and moderate negative correlation values were found in 48 hours (r=−0.751, p<0.001) and 72 hours (r=−0.49, p=0.002) after admission. Both FOUR score (p<0.001) and SjvO2 (p=0.04) were found to be independent mortality predictors in severe TBI. Conclusion There was a negative correlation between the value of SjvO2 and FOUR score at 48 and 72 hours after admission. Both SjvO2 and FOUR score are independent mortality predictors in severe TBI. PMID:28919828

Effect of Flunarizine on Serum Glutamate Levels and its Correlation with Headache Intensity in Chronic Tension-Type Headache Patients.

PubMed

Surbakti, Khairul Putra; Sjahrir, Hasan; Juwita-Sembiring, Rosita; Mutiara, Erna

2017-10-15

Some of the excitatory neurotransmitters including glutamate have been suggested to be involved in headache pathophysiology. To our knowledge, there is a lack of publication about flunarizine efficacy in chronic tension-type headache (CTTH) treatments and the roles of glutamate in CTTH pathophysiology. This study aimed to investigate the flunarizine effect on serum levels of glutamate and its correlation with headache intensity based on the Numeric Rating Scale for pain (NRS) scores in CTTH patients. In a prospective randomised, double-blind study with pre and post-test design, seventy-three CTTH patients were randomly allocated with flunarizine 5 mg, flunarizine 10 mg and amitriptyline 12.5 mg groups. The serum levels of glutamate and NRS scores were measured before and after 15-day treatment. Flunarizine 5 mg was more effective than flunarizine 10 mg and amitriptyline 12.5 mg in reducing serum glutamate levels, whereas amitriptyline 12.5 mg was the most effective in reducing headache intensity. There was found nonsignificant, but very weak negative correlation between headache intensity and serum glutamate levels after flunarizine 5 mg administration (r = -0.062; P = 0.385), nonsignificant very weak negative correlation after flunarizine 10 mg administration (r = -0.007; P = 0.488) and there was found a significant moderate positive correlation (r = 0.508; P = 0.007) between headache intensity and serum glutamate levels after amitriptyline 12.5 mg administration. Since there was no significant correlation found between serum glutamate and headache intensity after treatment with flunarizine, it is suggested that decreasing of headache intensity after flunarizine treatment occurred not through glutamate pathways in CTTH patients.

Radiographic Evidence of Hip Microinstability in Elite Ballet.

PubMed

Mitchell, Ronald J; Gerrie, Brayden J; McCulloch, Patrick C; Murphy, Andrew J; Varner, Kevin E; Lintner, David M; Harris, Joshua D

2016-06-01

To determine prevalence, magnitude, and predisposing radiographic features of hip subluxation in elite ballet dancers. A cross-sectional investigation of professional male and female ballet dancers was performed using 5 plain radiographs. A "splits" anteroposterior (AP) radiograph was performed with legs abducted parallel to the trunk in the coronal plane (splits position; grand écart facial). Hip center position (HCP) was measured on standing AP pelvis and AP pelvis splits views and the difference calculated (subluxation distance) to determine prevalence and magnitude of femoral head subluxation. Student t test compared HCP on AP pelvis and splits radiographs. Pearson correlations were used to correlate splits HCP with radiographic measures of femoroacetabular impingement and dysplasia. Analyzing 47 dancers (21 men, 26 women; 23.8 ± 5.4 years), mean HCP on standing AP pelvis was 9.39 ± 3.33 mm versus 10.8 ± 2.92 mm on splits radiograph, with mean subluxation distance of 1.41 mm (P = .035). Forty-two dancers' femoral heads translated laterally with splits positioning, and 17 dancers (36%) exhibited a "vacuum sign" (bilateral in 71% of subjects with at least 1 hip vacuum sign). There was strong positive correlation (r = 0.461, P = .001) with splits HCP and alpha angle (Dunn 45°), and moderate negative correlation (r = -0.332, P = .022) with subluxation distance and neck-shaft angle. In men, splits HCP increased as lateral center edge angle (CEA) decreased (r = -0.437, P = .047), as anterior CEA decreased (r = -0.482, P = .027), as Tönnis angle increased (r = 0.656, P = .001), and as femoral head extrusion index increased (r = 0.511, P = .018). In women, there was moderate negative correlation (r = -0.389, P = .049) with subluxation distance and neck-shaft angle. Hip subluxation occurs during splits in most professional ballet dancers, with a significantly greater magnitude of subluxation in women than men. Subluxation magnitude increases with increasing alpha angle and decreasing neck-shaft angle. In men, the magnitude increases with severity of dysplasia. Women had subluxation regardless of acetabular morphology but increased subluxation with decreased neck-shaft angle. This provides radiographic support for hip microinstability in elite ballet. Level IV, diagnostic. Copyright © 2016 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Estimates of genetic parameters, genetic trends, and inbreeding in a crossbred dairy sheep research flock in the United States.

PubMed

Murphy, T W; Berger, Y M; Holman, P W; Baldin, M; Burgett, R L; Thomas, D L

2017-10-01

For the past 2 decades, the Spooner Agriculture Research Station (ARS) of the University of Wisconsin-Madison operated the only dairy sheep research flock in North America. The objectives of the present study were to 1) obtain estimates of genetic parameters for lactation and reproductive traits in dairy ewes, 2) estimate the amount of genetic change in these traits over time, and 3) quantify the level of inbreeding in this flock over the last 20 yr. Multiple-trait repeatability models (MTRM) were used to analyze ewe traits through their first 6 parities. The first MTRM jointly analyzed milk (180-d-adjusted milk yield [180d MY]), fat (180-d-adjusted fat yield [180d FY]), and protein (180-d-adjusted protein yield [180d PY]) yields adjusted to 180 d of lactation; number of lambs born per ewe lambing (NLB); and lactation average test-day somatic cell score (LSCS). A second MTRM analyzed 180d MY, NLB, LSCS, and percentage milk fat (%F) and percentage milk protein (%P). The 3 yield traits were moderately heritable (0.26 to 0.32) and strongly genetically correlated (0.91 to 0.96). Percentage milk fat and %P were highly heritable (0.53 and 0.61, respectively) and moderately genetically correlated (0.61). Milk yield adjusted to 180 d was negatively genetically correlated with %F and %P (-0.31 and -0.34, respectively). Ewe prolificacy was not significantly ( > 0.67) genetically correlated with yield traits, %P, or LSCS but lowly negatively correlated with %F (-0.26). Lactation somatic cell score was unfavorably genetically correlated with yield traits (0.28 to 0.39) but not significantly ( > 0.09) correlated with %F, %P, and NLB. Within-trait multiple-trait models through the first 4 parities revealed that 180d MY, 180d FY, 180d PY, %F, and %P were strongly genetically correlated across parity (0.67 to 1.00). However, the genetic correlations across parity for NLB and LSCS were somewhat lower (0.51 to 0.96). Regressing predicted breeding values for 180d MY, without and with the addition of breed effects, on ewe year of birth revealed a positive genetic gain of 2.30 and 6.24 kg/yr, respectively, over the past 20 yr in this flock. Inbreeding coefficients of ewes with an extended pedigree ranged from 0.0 to 0.29, with an average of 0.07. To optimize genetic gains and avoid excessive inbreeding, the development of a national genetic improvement program should be a top priority for the growing dairy sheep industry.

Correlation between specific immunoglobulin E levels and the severity of reactions in egg allergic patients.

PubMed

Benhamou, Avigael H; Zamora, Samuel A; Eigenmann, Philippe A

2008-03-01

Different studies proposed specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) cut-off levels for the diagnosis of egg allergy. Little is known if IgE titres could be helpful for prediction of the severity of the reaction. The aim of this study was to determine whether IgE titres are associated with the severity of the reaction during a standardized egg challenge. We reviewed data obtained during oral challenge tests to egg performed between 2003 and 2005, and attributed a clinical score to the positive reactions. Serum specific IgE levels were analysed in relation with the severity of the reaction. We analysed data from 51 oral food challenges to egg, raw or cooked. Sixteen challenges (31%) were negative and 35 (69%) were positive of which 13 challenges (37% of positive reactions) elicited a severe reaction. IgE levels in our patients ranged from undetectable to 14.90 kU/l. We could determine a cut-off level of 8.20 kU/l for a 90% probability of clinical reactivity. IgE titres were statistically significantly different between the patients with absent, mild and moderate or severe reaction. Patients with negative challenge had IgE levels between 0.35 and 6.41 kU/l (median 1.17), those with mild and moderate reaction had IgE levels ranging from 0.35 to 14.90 (median 2.47) and patients with severe reactions had IgE between 1.18 and 11.00 (median 3.70) (p = 0.006). Our results show a correlation between IgE titres and the severity of the clinical reaction to egg. IgE titres may help to determine the potential risk of a reaction to eggs.

The relationship between event-related potentials, stress perception and personality type in patients with multiple sclerosis without cognitive impairment: A pilot study.

PubMed

Waliszewska-Prosół, Marta; Nowakowska-Kotas, Marta; Kotas, Roman; Bańkowski, Tomasz; Pokryszko-Dragan, Anna; Podemski, Ryszard

2018-06-08

The clinical course of multiple sclerosis (MS) can vary significantly among patients and is affected by exogenous and endogenous factors. Among these, stress and personality type have been gaining more attention. The aim of this study was to investigate the parameters of event-related potentials (ERPs) with regards to stress perception and personality type, as well as cognitive performance in MS patients. The study group consisted of 30 MS patients and 26 healthy controls. Auditory ERPs were performed in both groups, including an analysis of P300 and N200 response parameters. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was used in the MS group to measure the perception of stress. The D-type Scale (DS14) scale was used to determine the features of Type D personality, characterized by social inhibition and negative affectivity. The score on the PSS corresponded with a moderate or high level of stress perception in 63% of MS patients, while 23% of patients presented with a Type D personality. P300 latencies were significantly longer (p = 0.001), N200 amplitudes were significantly higher (p = 0.004), and N200 latencies were longer in MS patients than in the controls. Strong positive correlations were found between N200 and P300 amplitudes, as well as between the DS14 and PSS results. Most MS patients experience moderate to severe stress. ERP abnormalities were found in MS patients who did not have overt cognitive impairment and showed correlations with stress levels and negative affectivity. Event-related potentials may be useful in assessing the influence of stress and emotions on the course of MS.

Association between duration of reproductive lifespan and Framingham risk score in postmenopausal women.

PubMed

Kim, Soo Hyun; Sim, Mu Yul; Park, Sat Byul

2015-12-01

The benefit of estrogen therapy in postmenopausal women is still uncertain. Based upon extensive observational data, it was believed that estrogen was cardioprotective. The relationship between the period of exposure to endogenous estrogens and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) has not been studied in Korean women. To assess associations between reproductive lifespan and CVD by using the Framingham risk score (FRS) in postmenopausal Korean women. This cross-sectional, population-based study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) for the five years 2008-2012,after adjustment for relevant variables using complex sample analysis and data weighting. Among 25,534 women, 1973 women were enrolled, after excluding those <20 or >80 years of age (n=6194), those with diabetes, CVD or cancer (n=491), those with unrecorded physical measurements (n=7335), those with menarche age ≤8 years or ≥20 years (n=6194), and premenopausal women (n=3347). The FRS tended to show a significant negative correlation with the reproductive lifespan (p<0.001). In multiple linear regression analysis, a negative correlation was observed between the reproductive lifespan and FRS (adjusted relative risk [RR] for <28 reproductive years [shortest lifespan group] compared with 28-33 reproductive years [moderate lifespan group], 1.2, p<0.001 and adjusted RR for >33 reproductive years [longest lifespan group] compared with 28-33 reproductive years [moderate lifespan group], -0.42, p=0.011). A longer reproductive lifespan is associated with a lower estimated risk of CVD in the next 10 years in postmenopausal women. This result suggests that estrogen has a long-term protective effect against CVD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The burden and quality of life of caregivers of sickle cell anemia patients taking hydroxyurea versus those not taking hydroxyurea

PubMed Central

da Silva, Luiz Bernardino Lima; Ivo, Maria Lúcia; de Souza, Albert Schiaveto; Pontes, Elenir Rose Jardim Cury; Pinto, Alexandra Maria Almeida Carvalho; de Araujo, Olinda Maria Rodrigues

2012-01-01

Objective To assess the burden and quality of life of caregivers of patients with sickle cell anemia taking hydroxyurea versus those of patients not taking hydroxyurea. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed of caregivers of outpatients with sickle cell anemia in two public hospitals in Campo Grande, MS, from January through June 2010. The World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF Scale and the Caregiver Burden Scale were used. Results Of the 37 caregivers in this study, 81.1% were women, 73.0% were mothers, 59.5% were married, 54.1%were mulattos, 48.6% were housewives, 54.1% had family incomes of up to one minimum wage and 75.7% had onlycompleted elementary education. The mean duration of care provided (time after diagnosis) was 16.08 ± 9.88 yearsand 89.2% reported that they provided 24-hour care. Regarding health, 27.0% of study participants reported having physical and 13.5% emotional problems. There were no significant relationships between these variables either with the different domains or the total score of the WHOQOL-BREF comparing caregivers of patients taking hydroxyurea versusthose of patients not taking hydroxyurea. There was a moderate negative linear correlation between the WHOQOL-BREF and the Caregiver Burden Scale scores (linear correlation test of Pearson: p-value = 0.003, r = -0.477). The burden of caregivers of patients who did not take hydroxyurea was significantly higher than those of patients who took the medication in terms of general tension, disappointment, environment and total score (student t-test: p-value < 0.05). Conclusion In the perception of the caregiver, looking after sickle cell anemia patients represents a moderate negative burden. PMID:23049439

Implication of alcohol consumption on aggregate wellbeing.

PubMed

Parackal, Mathew; Parackal, Sherly

2017-07-01

The effects of drinking alcohol extend beyond the individuals concerned to the wider community. While there is recognition of such a global implication, currently no study has quantified the impact of alcohol consumption on aggregate wellbeing. This study aims to address this gap and attempts to investigate the impact of various levels of alcohol consumption on aggregate happiness. The study was carried out on a random selection of participants ( n = 1,817) drawn from the 3Di consumer panel, comprising over 170,000 New Zealanders aged 18 and above. Using a subjective happiness scale (SHS) in conjunction with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), investigation was carried out to find whether drinking behaviour affected aggregate happiness. SHS and AUDIT scores were negatively correlated and the strength of the correlation increased with the intensity of problematic drinking. Regression analysis showed that the beta coefficient was positive for the low-risk (.074) and negative for the high-risk (-.081) category, suggesting approaches to intervene with the growing problem of alcohol consumption in modern societies. Measurements of happiness can explain the global implication of alcohol in wellbeing terms. The findings of this study indicated that low-risk drinkers affected aggregate happiness positively, whereas high-risk drinkers affected aggregate happiness negatively. While the latter observation is not new, the former raises the need to promote moderation in drinking alcohol for the common good of everyone.

Instagram #instasad?: exploring associations among instagram use, depressive symptoms, negative social comparison, and strangers followed.

PubMed

Lup, Katerina; Trub, Leora; Rosenthal, Lisa

2015-05-01

As the use and influence of social networking continues to grow, researchers have begun to explore its consequences for psychological well-being. Some research suggests that Facebook use can have negative consequences for well-being. Instagram, a photo-sharing social network created in 2010, has particular characteristics that may make users susceptible to negative consequences. This study tested a theoretically grounded moderated meditation model of the association between Instagram use and depressive symptoms through the mechanism of negative social comparison, and moderation by amount of strangers one follows. One hundred and seventeen 18-29 year olds completed online questionnaires containing demographics, frequency of Instagram use, amount of strangers followed on Instagram, the Center for Epidemiological Resources Scale for Depression, and the Social Comparison Rating Scale. Instagram use was marginally positively associated with depressive symptoms, and positive social comparison was significantly negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Amount of strangers followed moderated the associations of Instagram use with social comparison (significantly) and depressive symptoms (marginally), and further significantly moderated the indirect association of Instagram use with depressive symptoms through social comparison. Findings generally suggest that more frequent Instagram use has negative associations for people who follow more strangers, but positive associations for people who follow fewer strangers, with social comparison and depressive symptoms. Implications of negative associations of social networking for people who follow strangers and the need for more research on Instagram use given its increasing popularity are explored.

Effects of Age and Acute Moderate Alcohol Administration on Electrophysiological Correlates of Working Memory Maintenance.

PubMed

Boissoneault, Jeff; Frazier, Ian; Lewis, Ben; Nixon, Sara Jo

2016-09-01

Previous studies suggest older adults may be differentially susceptible to the acute neurobehavioral effects of moderate alcohol intake. To our knowledge, no studies have addressed acute moderate alcohol effects on the electrophysiological correlates of working memory in younger and older social drinkers. This study characterized alcohol-related effects on frontal theta (FTP) and posterior alpha power (PAP) associated with maintenance of visual information during a working memory task. Older (55 to 70 years of age; n = 51, 29 women) and younger (25 to 35 years of age; n = 70, 39 women) community-dwelling moderate drinkers were recruited for this study. Participants were given either placebo or an active dose targeting breath alcohol concentrations (BrACs) of 0.04 or 0.065 g/dl. Following absorption, participants completed a visual working memory task assessing cue recognition following a 9-s delay. FTP and PAP were determined via Fourier transformation and subjected to 2 (age group) × 3 (dose) × 2 (repeated: working memory task condition) mixed models analysis. In addition to expected age-related reductions in PAP, a significant age group × dose interaction was detected for PAP such that 0.04 g/dl dose level was associated with greater PAP in younger adults but lower PAP in their older counterparts. PAP was lower in older versus younger adults at both active doses. Further mixed models revealed a significant negative association between PAP and working memory efficiency for older adults. No effects of age, dose, or their interaction were noted for FTP. Results bolster the small but growing body of evidence that older adults exhibit differential sensitivity to the neurobehavioral effects of moderate alcohol use. Given the theoretical role of PAP in attentional and working memory function, these findings shed light on the attentional mechanisms underlying effects of acute moderate alcohol on working memory efficiency in older adults. Copyright © 2016 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Contextual moderators of momentary cortisol and negative affect in adolescents' daily lives.

PubMed

Doane, Leah D; Zeiders, Katharine H

2014-05-01

To use an ecological momentary assessment design to examine the links between momentary negative affect and cortisol in a sample of adolescents preparing to transition to college. Guided by a risk and resilience framework, we also explored whether important ecological factors, perceived discrimination and social support, moderated the momentary associations between negative affect and youths' cortisol. Adolescents (N = 77) provided salivary samples and diary reports of affect and experiences five times a day over 3 days. They also completed self-report questionnaires on perceived discrimination and social support from family and friends. Within-person increases in momentary negative affect were associated with increases in cortisol. Perceived discrimination and social support from friends moderated this association. Adolescents who reported average and high levels of perceived discrimination experienced exaggerated cortisol responses to negative affect, whereas adolescents who reported low levels of perceived discrimination did not experience significant reactivity to negative affect. In contrast, adolescents who reported high levels of social support from friends experienced attenuated cortisol responses to negative affect compared with adolescents who reported average or low levels of social support from friends. This study contributes to our understanding of youths' daily socioemotional experiences and physiological reactivity by identifying how perceived discrimination and social support from friends amplified and attenuated, respectively, the effects of negative affect on cortisol reactivity. Examining these processes within adolescents' naturalistic environments advances our understanding of the moderating role of ecological characteristics in adolescents' everyday lives. Copyright © 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Positive and Negative Affect More Concurrent among Blacks than Whites.

PubMed

Lankarani, Maryam Moghani; Assari, Shervin

2017-08-01

While positive and negative affect are inversely linked, people may experience and report both positive and negative emotions simultaneously. However, it is unknown if race alters the magnitude of the association between positive and negative affect. The current study compared Black and White Americans for the association between positive and negative affect. We used data from MIDUS (Midlife in the United States), a national study of Americans with an age range of 25 to 75. A total number of 7108 individuals were followed for 10 years from 1995 to 2004. Positive and negative affect was measured at baseline (1995) and follow-up (2004). Demographic (age and gender), socioeconomic (education and income) as well as health (self-rated health, chronic medical conditions, and body mass index) factors measured at baseline were covariates. A series of linear regressions were used to test the moderating effect of race on the reciprocal association between positive and negative affect at baseline and over time, net of covariates. In the pooled sample, positive and negative affect showed inverse correlation at baseline and over time, net of covariates. Blacks and Whites differed in the magnitude of the association between positive and negative affect, with weaker inverse associations among Blacks compared to Whites, beyond all covariates. Weaker reciprocal association between positive and negative affect in Blacks compared to Whites has implications for cross-racial measurement of affect and mood, including depression. Depression screening programs should be aware that race alters the concordance between positive and negative affect domains and that Blacks endorse higher levels of positive affect compared to Whites in the presence of high negative affect.

Correlation of 18F-FDG uptake on PET/CT with Ki67 immunohistochemistry in pre-treatment epithelial ovarian cancer.

PubMed

Mayoral, M; Paredes, P; Saco, A; Fusté, P; Perlaza, P; Tapias, A; Fernandez-Martinez, A; Vidal, L; Ordi, J; Pavia, J; Martinez-Roman, S; Lomeña, F

Standardised uptake value (SUV) and volumetric parameters such as metabolic tumour volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) from 18 F-FDG PET/CT are useful criteria for disease prognosis in pre-operative and post-treatment epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Ki67 is another prognostic biomarker in EOC, associated with tumour aggressiveness. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between 18 F-FDG PET/CT measurements and Ki67 in pre-treatment EOC to determine if PET/CT parameters could non-invasively predict tumour aggressiveness. A pre-treatment PET/CT was performed on 18 patients with suspected or newly diagnosed EOC. Maximum SUV (SUVmax), mean SUV (SUVmean), whole-body MTV (wbMTV), and whole-body TLG (wbTLG) with a threshold of 30% and 40% of the SUVmax were obtained. Furthermore, Ki67 index (mean and hotspot) was estimated in tumour tissue specimens. Immunohistochemical findings were correlated with PET parameters. The mean age was 57.0 years old (standard deviation 13.6 years). A moderate correlation was observed between mean Ki67 index and SUVmax (r=0.392), SUVmean 30% (r=0.437), and SUVmean 40% (r=0.443), and also between hotspot Ki67 index and SUVmax (r=0.360), SUVmean 30% (r=0.362) and SUVmean 40% (r=0.319). There was a weaker correlation, which was inversely negative, between mean and hotspot Ki67 and volumetric PET parameters. However, no statistical significant differences were found for any correlations. SUVmax and SUVmean were moderately correlated with Ki67 index, whereas volumetric PET parameters overall, showed a weaker correlation. Thus, SUVmax and SUVmean could be used to assess tumour aggressiveness in pre-treatment EOC. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y SEMNIM. All rights reserved.

Why does parental language input style predict child language development? A twin study of gene-environment correlation.

PubMed

Dale, Philip S; Tosto, Maria Grazia; Hayiou-Thomas, Marianna E; Plomin, Robert

2015-01-01

There are well-established correlations between parental input style and child language development, which have typically been interpreted as evidence that the input style causes, or influences the rate of, changes in child language. We present evidence from a large twin study (TEDS; 8395 pairs for this report) that there are also likely to be both child-to-parent effects and shared genetic effects on parent and child. Self-reported parental language style at child age 3 and age 4 was aggregated into an 'informal language stimulation' factor and a 'corrective feedback' factor at each age; the former was positively correlated with child language concurrently and longitudinally at 3, 4, and 4.5 years, whereas the latter was weakly and negatively correlated. Both parental input factors were moderately heritable, as was child language. Longitudinal bivariate analysis showed that the correlation between the language stimulation factor and child language was significantly and moderately due to shared genes. There is some suggestive evidence from longitudinal phenotypic analysis that the prediction from parental language stimulation to child language includes both evocative and passive gene-environment correlation, with the latter playing a larger role. The reader will understand why correlations between parental language and rate of child language are by themselves ambiguous, and how twin studies can clarify the relationship. The reader will also understand that, based on the present study, at least two aspects of parental language style - informal language stimulation and corrective feedback - have substantial genetic influence, and that for informal language stimulation, a substantial portion of the prediction to child language represents the effect of shared genes on both parent and child. It will also be appreciated that these basic research findings do not imply that parental language input style is unimportant or that interventions cannot be effective. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Correlation of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) scores with legacy patient-reported outcome scores in patients undergoing rotator cuff repair.

PubMed

Patterson, Brendan M; Orvets, Nathan D; Aleem, Alexander W; Keener, Jay D; Calfee, Ryan P; Nixon, Devon C; Chamberlain, Aaron M

2018-06-01

The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) is being used to assess outcomes in many patient populations despite limited validation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) and Simple Shoulder Test (SST) scores and PROMIS Physical Function (PF) and Upper Extremity (UE) function scores collected preoperatively in patients undergoing rotator cuff repair. This cross-sectional study analyzed 164 consecutive patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Study inclusion required preoperative completion of the ASES and SST evaluations, as well as the PROMIS PF, UE, and Pain Interference computerized adaptive tests. Descriptive statistics were produced, and Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated between each of the outcome measures. Average PROMIS UE scores indicated greater impairment than PROMIS PF scores (34 vs 44). Three percent of patients reached the PROMIS UE ceiling score of 56. PROMIS PF scores demonstrated a weak correlation with ASES scores (r = 0.43, P < .001) and a moderate correlation with SST scores (r = 0.51, P < .001). PROMIS UE scores demonstrated a moderate correlation with both ASES scores (r = 0.59, P < .001) and SST scores (r = 0.62, P < .001). PROMIS Pain Interference scores demonstrated weak negative correlations with both ASES scores (r = -0.43, P < .001) and SST scores (r = -0.41, P < .001). Patients answered fewer questions on average using the PROMIS PF and UE instruments as compared with the ASES and SST instruments. PROMIS UE scores indicate greater impairment and demonstrate a stronger correlation with the legacy shoulder scores than PROMIS PF scores in patients with symptomatic rotator cuff tears. PROMIS computerized adaptive tests allow for more efficient patient-reported outcome data collection compared with traditional outcome scores. Copyright © 2018 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparing Stream Discharge, Dissolved Organic Carbon, and Selected MODIS Indices in Freshwater Basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaver, W. T.; Wollheim, W. M.

2009-12-01

In a preliminary study of the Ipswich Basin in Massachusetts, a good correlation was found to exist between the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) Enhanced Vegetation Index and stream dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Further study was warranted to determine the utility of MODIS indices in predicting temporal stream DOC. Stream discharge rates and DOC data were obtained from the USGS National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) database. Twelve NAWQA monitoring sites were selected for evaluation based on the criteria of having drainage basin sizes less than 600 km2 with relatively continuous, long-term DOC and discharge data. MODIS indices were selected based on their connections with terrestrial DOC and were obtained for each site's catchment area. These included the Normalized Vegetation Index (NDVI), the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), the Daily Photosynthesis (PSN) and the Leaf Area Index (LAI). Regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationships between DOC, discharge and MODIS products. Data analysis revealed several important trends. Sites with strong positive correlation coefficients (r values ranging from 0.462 to 0.831) between DOC and discharge displayed weak correlations with all of the MODIS indices (r values ranging from 0 to 0.322). For sites where the DOC/discharge correlation was weak or negative, MODIS indices were moderately correlated, with r values ranging from 0.35 to 0.647, all of which were significant at less than 1 percent. Some sites that had weak positive correlations with MODIS indices displayed a lag time, that is, the MODIS index rose and fell shortly before the DOC concentration rose and fell. Shifting the MODIS data forward in time by roughly one month significantly increased the DOC/MODIS r values by about 10%. NDVI and EVI displayed the strongest correlations with temporal DOC variability (r values ranging from 0.471 to 0.647), and therefore these indices are the most promising for being incorporated into a model for remotely sensing terrestrial DOC.

Why does parental language input style predict child language development? A twin study of gene–environment correlation

PubMed Central

Dale, Philip S.; Tosto, Maria Grazia; Hayiou-Thomas, Marianna E.; Plomin, Robert

2015-01-01

There are well-established correlations between parental input style and child language development, which have typically been interpreted as evidence that the input style causes, or influences the rate of, changes in child language. We present evidence from a large twin study (TEDS; 8395 pairs for this report) that there are also likely to be both child-to-parent effects and shared genetic effects on parent and child. Self-reported parental language style at child age 3 and age 4 was aggregated into an ‘informal language stimulation’ factor and a ‘corrective feedback’ factor at each age; the former was positively correlated with child language concurrently and longitudinally at 3, 4, and 4.5 years, whereas the latter was weakly and negatively correlated. Both parental input factors were moderately heritable, as was child language. Longitudinal bivariate analysis showed that the correlation between the language stimulation factor and child language was significantly and moderately due to shared genes. There is some suggestive evidence from longitudinal phenotypic analysis that the prediction from parental language stimulation to child language includes both evocative and passive gene–environment correlation, with the latter playing a larger role. Learning outcomes: The reader will understand why correlations between parental language and rate of child language are by themselves ambiguous, and how twin studies can clarify the relationship. The reader will also understand that, based on the present study, at least two aspects of parental language style – informal language stimulation and corrective feedback – have substantial genetic influence, and that for informal language stimulation, a substantial portion of the prediction to child language represents the effect of shared genes on both parent and child. It will also be appreciated that these basic research findings do not imply that parental language input style is unimportant or that interventions cannot be effective. PMID:26277213

Personal Accomplishment, Mentoring, and Creative Self-Efficacy as Predictors of Creative Work Involvement: The Moderating Role of Positive and Negative Affect.

PubMed

Bang, Hyejin; Reio, Thomas G

2017-02-17

This research explores the relationships among personal accomplish- ment, mentoring, affect, creative self-efficacy, and creative involvement. With a sample of working adults (N = 242), structural equation modeling results revealed that the data fit the theoretical model well in that creative self-efficacy fully mediated the relationships between personal accomplishment and creative work involvement and between mentoring and creative work involvement. Hierarchical regression analyses demonstrated that positive affect moderated the relationship between personal accomplishment and creative self-efficacy but negative affect did not, signifying that positive affect may be a necessary situational factor to optimize the personal accomplishment-creative self-efficacy link. In contrast, negative but not positive affect moderated the link between mentoring experiences and creative self-efficacy, suggesting that mentoring experiences associated with negative affect situationally may have been likely to have a significant consequence in weakening creative self-efficacy. The findings expand upon self-efficacy and mentoring theories by highlighting the importance of employing theoretically relevant moderating and mediating variables in research investigating the etiology of possible variables associated with vital workplace outcomes.

Paraffin immunoreactivity of CD10, CDw75, and Bcl-6 in follicle center cell lymphoma.

PubMed

Dunphy, C H; Polski, J M; Lance Evans, H; Gardner, L J

2001-05-01

Follicle center cell lymphoma(FCCL) has the following immunophenotype(IP): sIg+, Pan B+, CD10+/-, CD5-, CD23-/+, CD43-, CD11c-, CD25-. In addition, reactivities of a malignant lymphoma with CDw75(LN-1) and bcl-6 are considered indicators of FCCL. Bcl-6 expression is common in Grade 1 FCCL (100%) and rare in other indolent B-cell lymphomas(BCL). In contrast, bcl-2 expression is common in FCCL (80%) and in other BCL subtypes. Since no previous study has correlated paraffin immunoreactivity(PIR) of CD10, CDw75, and bcl-6 in FCCL (Grades 1-3), this is this study's purpose. Twenty-nine FCCL's were identified and reviewed (6, Grade 1; 10, Grade 2; 13, Grade 3) from the Division of Hematopathology, St. Louis University. The diagnoses were based on morphology and immunohistochemistry(IH)(21 cases) +/- the flow cytometric IP(14 cases). The paraffin blocks were stained for CD10 (Novacastra, Vector Laboratories, Burlingame, CA), CDw75 and bcl-6 (DAKO Corporation, Carpinteria, CA). Results showed that, CD10 by paraffin IH(PIH) was positive in 23 [18(strong); 3(moderate); 2(weak)] and negative in 6(3, Grade 2; 3, Grade 3). All CD10-cases were CDw75+; 4, bcl-6+. The two CD10-, bcl-6-cases were Grade 2. CDw75 was positive in 28 cases [16(strong); 11(moderate); 1(weak)] and negative in 1 (Grade 3; CD10+, bcl-2+, bcl-6+). Bcl-6 was positive in 26 [16(strong); 6(moderate); 4(weak)] and negative in 3(Grade 2's). Thus, the sensitivity of CD10, CDw75, and bcl-6 by PIH for FCCL was 79%, 97%, and 90%, respectively. Of the three stains evaluated by PIH in FCCL, CDw75 was the most sensitive, closely followed by bcl-6. CD10 was least sensitive-79%. By combining these 3 stains, the sensitivity was 100%; thus, a combined approach is recommended.

The Role of Natural Support Systems in the Post-deployment Adjustment of Active Duty Military Personnel.

PubMed

Welsh, Janet A; Olson, Jonathan; Perkins, Daniel F; Travis, Wendy J; Ormsby, LaJuana

2015-09-01

This study examined the relations among three different types of naturally occurring social support (from romantic partners, friends and neighbors, and unit leaders) and three indices of service member well-being (self reports of depressive symptoms, satisfaction with military life, and perceptions of unit readiness) for service members who did and did not report negative experiences associated with military deployment. Data were drawn from the 2011 Community Assessment completed anonymously by more than 63,000 USAF personnel. Regression analyses revealed that higher levels of social support was associated with better outcomes regardless of negative deployment experiences. Evidence of moderation was also noted, with all forms of social support moderating the impact of negative deployment experiences on depressive symptoms and support from unit leaders moderating the impact of negative deployment experience on satisfaction with military life. No moderation was found for perceptions of unit readiness. Subgroup analyses revealed slightly different patterns for male and female service members, with support providing fewer moderation effects for women. These findings may have value for military leaders and mental health professionals working to harness the power of naturally occurring relationships to maximize the positive adjustment of service members and their families. Implications for practices related to re-integration of post-deployment military personnel are discussed.

A serach for moderate- and high-energy neturino emission correlated with gamma-ray bursts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Becker-Szendy, R.; Bratton, C. B.; Breault, J.; Casper, D.; Dye, S. T.; Gajewski, W.; Goldhaber, M.; Haines, T. J.; Halverson, P. G.; Kielczewska, D.

1995-01-01

A temporal correlation analysis between moderate- (60 Mev less than or equal to E(sub nu)greater than or equal to 2500 MeV) and high-energy (E(sub nu) greater than or equal to 2000 MeV) neutrino interactions consist of two types: the moderate-energy interactions that are contained within the volume of IMB-3 and the upward-going muons produced by high-energy nu(sub mu) interactions in the rock around the detector. No evidence is found for moderate- or high-energy neutrino emission from GRBs nor for any neutrino/neutrino correlation. The nonobservation of nu/GRB correlations allows upper limits to be placed on the neutrino flux associated with GRBs.

Correlation between retinal sensitivity and cystoid space characteristics in diabetic macular edema.

PubMed

Velaga, Swetha B; Nittala, Muneeswar G; Parinitha, B; Sadda, S R; Chhablani, Jay Kumar

2016-06-01

To evaluate the correlation between retinal sensitivity and cystoid space characteristics in eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME). Prospective cross-sectional study of 22 subjects with DME (32 treatment-naïve eyes). All study subjects underwent complete ophthalmic examination, including slit-lamp biomicroscopy and dilated fundus examination. All subjects underwent spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and microperimetry (MP). Intraretinal cystoid space (ICS) volume was generated after manual delineation of cystoid space boundaries using the three-dimensional-OCT software. Various SD-OCT parameters, including retinal thickness, retinal volume, cystoid space volume, cystoid space intensity, and outer retinal structure integrity, were correlated with MP parameters and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Subject's mean age was 57 ± 9 years. The mean logarithm of minimum angle of resolution BCVA was 0.4 ± 0.2. The intraclass correlation coefficient for inter- and intra-grader assessment of cystoid space volume by manual delineation was 0.99 and 0.99, respectively. Mean total ICS volume was 0.4 ± 0.4 mm 3 and for the foveal center, subfield was 0.1 ± 0.1 mm 3 . Mean retinal sensitivity was 12.89 ± 10 dB; however, foveal retinal sensitivity was 12.3 ± 11.1 dB. We found no significant correlation between BCVA and total cystoid space volume (r = 0.33, P = 0.06). Correlation between total retinal sensitivity and total ICS was negative and nonsignificant (r = -0.17, P = 0.36). Correlation between foveal retinal sensitivity and foveal cystoid space intensity was moderate and marginally significant (r = -0.43, P = 0.05). Total cystoid space volume was not significantly correlated with BCVA or total retinal sensitivity in subjects with DME. Foveal cystoid space optical intensity was negatively correlated with foveal retinal sensitivity. These findings suggest further investigation of cystoid space characteristics in the setting of DME may be of value.

Interface healing and its correlation with visual recovery and quality of vision following small incision lenticule extraction

PubMed Central

Ganesh, Sri; Brar, Sheetal; Pandey, Rahul; Pawar, Archana

2018-01-01

Purpose: To study the time course of interface healing and its correlation with visual acuity, modulation transfer function (MTF), and aberrations after myopic small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) correction. Methods: Seventy-eight eyes of 78 patients (1 eye per patient) with a mean age of 25.7 years and mean spherical equivalent (SE) of −3.74D, undergoing bilateral SMILE procedure, were included in this study. On postoperative day 1, 2 weeks, and 3 months, dilated retroillumination photographs were taken and morphology of corneal interface was graded by comparing them with 5 standard templates representing 5 grades of interface roughness (IRG): IRG – 0 (clear), IRG – 1 (mild), IRG – 2 (moderate), IRG – 3 (severe), and IRG – 4 (severe IRG with Bowman's folds in visual axis). Pearson's correlations were computed to study correlation associations, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for intragroup comparison of means. P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: At 3 months, 90.70% eyes were Grade 0 while 9.30% eyes still had Grade 2 interface granularity. Mean IRG significantly improved from 2.47 ± 0.57 at day 1 to 0.62 ± 0.53 at 3 months (P = 0.00). At day 1, pre-SE showed a significant positive correlation with IRG; however, mean postoperative corrected distant visual acuity (CDVA, in decimal), corneal Strehl ratio (SR), and MTF showed weak but significant negative correlation with IRG (r2 = 0.28 for SE, −0.052 for CDVA, −0.017 for SR, and −0.39 for MTF, respectively, P < 0.05 for all correlations). At 2 weeks and 3 months, corneal MTF continued to show a significant negative correlation, whereas other parameters did not show any correlation with IRG. Conclusion: Visual quality and corneal MTF may be significantly affected by the IRG in the immediate postoperative period after SMILE and may take 3 months or more for complete recovery. PMID:29380760

Interface healing and its correlation with visual recovery and quality of vision following small incision lenticule extraction.

PubMed

Ganesh, Sri; Brar, Sheetal; Pandey, Rahul; Pawar, Archana

2018-02-01

To study the time course of interface healing and its correlation with visual acuity, modulation transfer function (MTF), and aberrations after myopic small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) correction. Seventy-eight eyes of 78 patients (1 eye per patient) with a mean age of 25.7 years and mean spherical equivalent (SE) of -3.74D, undergoing bilateral SMILE procedure, were included in this study. On postoperative day 1, 2 weeks, and 3 months, dilated retroillumination photographs were taken and morphology of corneal interface was graded by comparing them with 5 standard templates representing 5 grades of interface roughness (IRG): IRG - 0 (clear), IRG - 1 (mild), IRG - 2 (moderate), IRG - 3 (severe), and IRG - 4 (severe IRG with Bowman's folds in visual axis). Pearson's correlations were computed to study correlation associations, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for intragroup comparison of means. P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. At 3 months, 90.70% eyes were Grade 0 while 9.30% eyes still had Grade 2 interface granularity. Mean IRG significantly improved from 2.47 ± 0.57 at day 1 to 0.62 ± 0.53 at 3 months (P = 0.00). At day 1, pre-SE showed a significant positive correlation with IRG; however, mean postoperative corrected distant visual acuity (CDVA, in decimal), corneal Strehl ratio (SR), and MTF showed weak but significant negative correlation with IRG (r2 = 0.28 for SE, -0.052 for CDVA, -0.017 for SR, and -0.39 for MTF, respectively, P < 0.05 for all correlations). At 2 weeks and 3 months, corneal MTF continued to show a significant negative correlation, whereas other parameters did not show any correlation with IRG. Visual quality and corneal MTF may be significantly affected by the IRG in the immediate postoperative period after SMILE and may take 3 months or more for complete recovery.

Mindfulness during romantic conflict moderates the impact of negative partner behaviors on cortisol responses.

PubMed

Laurent, Heidemarie K; Hertz, Robin; Nelson, Benjamin; Laurent, Sean M

2016-03-01

This study was designed to test whether romantic partners' mindfulness-present moment, nonjudgmental awareness-during a conflict discussion could buffer the effects of negative partner behaviors on neuroendocrine stress responses. Heterosexual couples (n=88 dyads) provided 5 saliva samples for cortisol assay during a laboratory session involving a conflict discussion task. Conflict behaviors were coded by outside observers using the System for Coding Interactions in Dyads, and partners rated their mindfulness during the task using the Toronto Mindfulness Scale. Interactions tested using multilevel modeling revealed that participants with higher levels of mindfulness during the conflict showed either quicker cortisol recovery or an absence of slowed recovery in the presence of more negative partner behaviors. Whereas the attitudinal component of mindfulness (curiosity) moderated effects of negative partner engagement in the conflict (i.e., attempts to control, coerciveness, negativity and conflict), the attentional component of mindfulness (decentering) moderated the effect of partner disengagement (i.e., withdrawal). These findings lend support to the idea that mindfulness during a stressful interaction can mitigate the physiological impacts of negative behaviors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stress and Alcohol Use in Rural Chinese Residents: A Moderated Mediation Model Examining the Roles of Resilience and Negative Emotions

PubMed Central

Wang, Yan; Chen, Xinguang

2015-01-01

Objective Little research has been done on alcohol use and dependence among rural residents in China, a sub-population that might be under increased stress due to the rapid modernization and urbanization processes. We aimed to assess rural residents’ levels of stress, negative emotions, resilience, alcohol use/dependence and the complex relationships among them. Methods Survey data from a large random sample (n = 1145, mean age = 35.9, SD = 7.7, 50.7% male) of rural residents in Wuhan, China were collected using Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interview. Results The sample had high prevalence of frequently perceived stress (47%) and high prevalence of ever (54.4%), past 30-day (40.4%), and binge drinking (13.8%). Approximately 11% met the criterion for intermediate to severe alcohol dependence. Mediation analysis indicated that the association between perceived stress (predictor) and alcohol dependence (outcome) was fully mediated by anxiety (indirect effect = .203, p < .01) and depression (indict effect =.158, p < .05); moderation analysis indicated that association between stress and two negative emotions (mediators) was significantly modified by resilience (moderator); an integrative moderated mediation analysis indicated that the indirect effect from stress to alcohol dependence through negative emotions was also moderated by resilience. Conclusions Negative emotions play a key role in bridging stress and alcohol dependence, while resilience significantly buffers the impact of stress on depression, reducing the risk of alcohol dependence. Resilience training may be an effective component for alcohol intervention in rural China. PMID:26342628

Accuracy of clinical coding from 1210 appendicectomies in a British district general hospital.

PubMed

Bhangu, Aneel; Nepogodiev, Dmitri; Taylor, Caroline; Durkin, Natalie; Patel, Rajan

2012-01-01

The primary aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of clinical coding in identifying negative appendicectomies. The secondary aim was to analyse trends over time in rates of simple, complex (gangrenous or perforated) and negative appendicectomies. Retrospective review of 1210 patients undergoing emergency appendicectomy during a five year period (2006-2010). Histopathology reports were taken as gold standard for diagnosis and compared to clinical coding lists. Clinical coding is the process by which non-medical administrators apply standardised diagnostic codes to patients, based upon clinical notes at discharge. These codes then contribute to national databases. Statistical analysis included correlation studies and regression analyses. Clinical coding had only moderate correlation with histopathology, with an overall kappa of 0.421. Annual kappa values varied between 0.378 and 0.500. Overall 14% of patients were incorrectly coded as having had appendicitis when in fact they had a histopathologically normal appendix (153/1107), whereas 4% were falsely coded as having received a negative appendicectomy when they had appendicitis (48/1107). There was an overall significant fall and then rise in the rate of simple appendicitis (B coefficient -0.239 (95% confidence interval -0.426, -0.051), p = 0.014) but no change in the rate of complex appendicitis (B coefficient 0.008 (-0.015, 0.031), p = 0.476). Clinical coding for negative appendicectomy was unreliable. Negative rates may be higher than suspected. This has implications for the validity of national database analyses. Using this form of data as a quality indictor for appendicitis should be reconsidered until its quality is improved. Copyright © 2012 Surgical Associates Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The relationship between negative life events and suicidal behavior: moderating role of basic psychological needs.

PubMed

Rowe, Catherine A; Walker, Kristin L; Britton, Peter C; Hirsch, Jameson K

2013-01-01

Individuals who experience negative life events may be at increased risk for suicidal behavior. Intrapersonal characteristics, such as basic psychological needs, however, may buffer this association. To assess the potential moderating role of overall basic psychological needs, and the separate components of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, on the association between negative life events and suicidal behavior. Our sample of 439 college students (311 females, 71%) completed the following self-report surveys: Life Events Scale, Basic Psychological Needs Scale, Beck Depression Inventory - II, and the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised. In support of our hypotheses, negative life events were associated with greater levels of suicidal ideation and attempts, and satisfaction of basic psychological needs, including autonomy, relatedness, and competence, significantly moderated this relationship, over and above the effects of the covariates of age, sex, and depressive symptoms. Suicidal behavior associated with the experience of negative life events is not inevitable. Therapeutically bolstering competence, autonomy, and relatedness may be an important suicide prevention strategy for individuals experiencing life stressors.

Depression, caregiver burden and social support among caregivers of retinoblastoma patients in China.

PubMed

Wang, Li-Juan; Zhong, Wen-Xiang; Ji, Xun-Da; Chen, Jiao

2016-10-01

The aim of this study is to examine the burden of family caregivers of patients with retinoblastoma in China and the relationships between depression, caregiver burden and social support. A descriptive and correlational survey was conducted with 117 Chinese family caregivers of outpatient patients with retinoblastoma from the Department of Ophthalmology of a tertiary hospital in Shanghai, China. Family caregivers of outpatient patients with retinoblastoma were asked to respond to four questionnaires including sociodemographic questionnaire, Becker Depression Inventory, Caregiver Burden Inventory and Social Support Rating Scale. The incidence of depression in this study was 51.3%; the average score for social support indicated moderate social support available to the caregivers, although their level of caregiver burden was heavy. Depression scores were significantly positively correlated with caregiver burden scores and significantly negatively correlated with the social support scores. Heavy caregiver burden was associated with lower monthly income, low subjective social support and less use of social support. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Acculturative Stress, Self-Esteem, and Eating Pathology in Latina and Asian American Female College Students.

PubMed

Claudat, Kimberly; White, Emily K; Warren, Cortney S

2016-01-01

The overarching purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among acculturative stress, self-esteem, and eating pathology in Asian American and Latina female college students. Participants (N = 638, mean age = 19.88) completed self-report measures of the variables of interest online. Bivariate correlations indicated that for women of both ethnic groups, acculturative stress was negatively correlated with self-esteem and positively correlated with eating pathology. Multigroup structural equation modeling indicated that for Asian American and Latina women, self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between acculturative stress and eating pathology. However, self-esteem did not serve as a significant moderator of this relationship for either ethnic group. Overall, data suggest that acculturative stress is associated with increased eating pathology and self-esteem may mediate this relationship. These relationships suggest that assessment of eating pathology and self-esteem may be indicated for women presenting clinically with acculturative stress concerns. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The hydraulic connectivity, perennial warming and relationship to seismicity of the Davis-Schrimpf Seep Field, Salton Trough, California from new and recent temperature time-series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao, Amar P.

The Davis-Schrimpf Seep Field is a cluster of about 50 transtension-related geothermal seeps in the Imperial Valley, southeastern California. Five temperature time-series were collected from four features and compared to one another, against prior time-series, and to local seismicity. Loggers placed in separate vents within one seep returned moderate anti-correlation. Vents may selectively clog and unclog. Clogging frequencies explaining the observed level of negative correlation were given. Loggers placed in the same vent produced 87-92% positive correlation. It is therefore likely that the vast majority of temperature data measured with loggers possesses meaningful accuracy. Loggers placed in separate seeps exhibited correlation close to or greater than the statistically significant 60% threshold. I propose two lineaments provide a hydraulic connection between these seeps. Two Mw>3.0 earthquake swarms, including one Mw>4.0 event, within 24 kilometers showed possible linkage with >5 degree Celsius temperature perturbations. Seepage warmed 14.5-36.8 degrees Celsius over 5-7 years.

Incorporation of p-53 mutation status and Ki-67 proliferating index in classifying Her2-neu positive gastric adenocarcinoma.

PubMed

Ahmed, Ayesha; Al-Tamimi, Dalal M

2018-12-01

Her2-neu overexpression has a pathogenetic, therapeutic and a controversial prognostic role in gastric cancer. p-53 mutation status and Ki-67 proliferation index are established prognostic markers in many tumors. In this study we evaluated p-53 and Ki-67 in relation to Her2-neu positive and negative gastric adenocarcinoma (GA). This cross-sectional study was carried out at King Fahd Hospital of Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University. Fifty cases of GA were retrieved from pathology archives. Clinico-pathological parameters were evaluated. Immunohistochemical protein analysis for Her2-neu, Ki-67 and p-53 was carried out. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis was done for Her2-neu positive cases showing 2+ immunoexpression. Frequency of Ki-67 and p-53 positivity in Her2-neu positive cases was calculated and compared with those in Her2-neu negative cases. Correlation of clinicopatological parameters with Her2 positive and negative cases, p-53 mutation status and Ki-67 proliferation index was carried out. Her2-neu overexpression was present in 12% (n = 6) cases. A high Ki-67 was seen predominantly in Her2-neu positive cases (83%, n = 5). Her2-neu negative cases (n = 44) showed moderate (31.88%, n = 14) to low (34%, n = 15) Ki-67. Diffuse p-53 positivity was seen predominantly in Her2-neu positive cases (33.33%, n = 2). Focal p-53 was seen mainly in Her2-neu negative cases 56.8% (n = 25). Negative p-53 was seen to be independent of Her2-neu status. Her2-neu positivity is strongly associated with diffuse p-53 mutation status and high Ki-67 proliferation. Her 2-neu negative status is associated with focal p-53 positivity and low to moderate Ki-67 proliferation index. Such stratifications in prognostic markers could not only be predictive in patient's prognostics but could also form a basis of molecular classification of gastric cancer.

Age doesn’t matter: Memory complaints are related to negative affect throughout adulthood

PubMed Central

Rowell, Shaina F.; Green, Jennifer S.; Teachman, Bethany A.; Salthouse, Timothy A.

2016-01-01

Objectives Memory complaints are present in adults of all ages but are only weakly related to objective memory deficits, raising the question of what their presence may indicate. In older adults, memory complaints are moderately related to negative affect, but there is little research examining this relationship in young and middle-aged adults. This study examined whether memory complaints and negative affect were similarly related across the adult lifespan and in adults with varying levels of objective memory performance. Method The sample included 3,798 healthy adults aged 18 to 99, and was divided into five groups: young, middle-aged, young-old, old-old, and oldest-old adults. Participants completed questionnaire measures of memory complaints and negative affect (neuroticism and depressive and anxiety symptoms), in addition to lab measures of objective memory. Results Using structural equation models, we found that the relationship between memory complaints and negative affect was moderate in all the age groups, and there was no evidence for moderation by objective memory. Conclusion For adults of all ages, perceived memory decline may be distressing and/or negative affect may lead to negative self-evaluations of memory. PMID:26305735

Dangerous Driving in a Chinese Sample: Associations with Morningness-Eveningness Preference and Personality

PubMed Central

Qu, Weina; Ge, Yan; Xiong, Yuexin; Carciofo, Richard; Zhao, Wenguo; Zhang, Kan

2015-01-01

Individual differences in morningness-eveningness preference may influence susceptibility and response to sleepiness. These differences could influence driving performance, but the influence of morningness-eveningness preference on driving behavior and accident risk has not been comprehensively studied. As morningness-eveningness preference is associated with personality characteristics, we also investigated how the interaction between morningness-eveningness preference and personality may be related to dangerous driving behaviors. Two hundred and ninety five drivers completed the reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, the Dula Dangerous Driving Index, and personality scales for agreeableness, conscientiousness and neuroticism, and reported demographic information (gender, age, level of education, driving years and annual average driving mileage) and self-reported traffic violations (accidents, penalty points and fines). The results showed that more Risky Driving, Aggressive Driving, Negative Cognitive/Emotional Driving and Drunk Driving, as measured by the Dula Dangerous Driving Index, were all significantly correlated with more eveningness, corresponding to lower scores on the reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire. Moreover, eveningness was correlated with self-reported traffic accidents, penalty points and fines. Furthermore, a moderation effect was found: eveningness was more strongly associated with risky driving and negative emotional driving in those who scored high for trait agreeableness. PMID:25615447

To Take Risk is to Face Loss: A Tonic Pupillometry Study

PubMed Central

Yechiam, Eldad; Telpaz, Ariel

2011-01-01

The construct of risk taking is studied through the prism of the relation between tonic arousal and risk taking behavior. Several theories have proposed that high aroused individuals tend to exhibit risk aversion. We posit that this arousal–behavior association is activated much more strongly in risks with losses, as losses increase arousal and trigger relevant traits associated with the sensitivity to risk. In three studies we examined risk taking in experience-based decision tasks, with either token losses or relative-losses (in the gain domain). In Study 1 we found a negative correlation between pre-task pupil diameter and risk taking in the loss domain but not in the gain domain. In Study 2 we re-analyzed a previous pupillometry dataset involving symmetric mixed gains and losses. We found that the negative correlation in this mixed condition emerged even while the participants did not show loss aversion. This finding was replicated in Study 3. Thus, the effect of losses on arousal provides sufficient conditions for the moderation of the tonic arousal–behavior association. The findings suggest an important role for losses in the psychological and physiological experience of risk. PMID:22125546

Dangerous driving in a Chinese sample: associations with morningness-eveningness preference and personality.

PubMed

Qu, Weina; Ge, Yan; Xiong, Yuexin; Carciofo, Richard; Zhao, Wenguo; Zhang, Kan

2015-01-01

Individual differences in morningness-eveningness preference may influence susceptibility and response to sleepiness. These differences could influence driving performance, but the influence of morningness-eveningness preference on driving behavior and accident risk has not been comprehensively studied. As morningness-eveningness preference is associated with personality characteristics, we also investigated how the interaction between morningness-eveningness preference and personality may be related to dangerous driving behaviors. Two hundred and ninety five drivers completed the reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, the Dula Dangerous Driving Index, and personality scales for agreeableness, conscientiousness and neuroticism, and reported demographic information (gender, age, level of education, driving years and annual average driving mileage) and self-reported traffic violations (accidents, penalty points and fines). The results showed that more Risky Driving, Aggressive Driving, Negative Cognitive/Emotional Driving and Drunk Driving, as measured by the Dula Dangerous Driving Index, were all significantly correlated with more eveningness, corresponding to lower scores on the reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire. Moreover, eveningness was correlated with self-reported traffic accidents, penalty points and fines. Furthermore, a moderation effect was found: eveningness was more strongly associated with risky driving and negative emotional driving in those who scored high for trait agreeableness.

[Expression of IMP3 in osteosarcoma and its clinical significance].

PubMed

Li, Kang-hua; Huang, Yue-ping; Zhang, Jun; Li, Guo-jun; Li, Si-hong

2009-05-01

To analyze the expressional variability of IMP3 between osteosarcoma and osteochondroma and explore its clinical significance. Paraffin sections from 68 patients with osteosarcoma and 20 patients with osteochondroma were examined for the expression of IMP3 by SP immunohistochemistry. The negative, weak positive, moderate positive and strong positive expression rates of IMP3 in 68 patients with osteosarcoma were 4.41% (3/68), 22.06% (15/68), 22.74% (19/68), 45.59% (31/68), respectively, which were significantly higher than those in 20 cases of osteochondroma tissues (P<0.01). The positive expression of IMP3 in osteosarcoma was negative correlation with the 3-year survival rate of osteosarcoma patients after the operation (P<0.01). The results suggest that IMP3 plays important roles in the tumorigenesis, progress and prognosis of osteosarcoma, and the expression of IMP3 may be an important feature of osteosarcoma.

Replicable Facets of Positive Emotionality and Their Relations to Psychopathology.

PubMed

Stanton, Kasey; Watson, David

2015-12-01

General individual differences in positive emotionality are negatively related to depression, social anxiety, and schizotypy/schizophrenia, and positively related to mania. However, the structure of positive emotionality remains unclear at the facet level, as there are significant disparities in the types of content assessed across emotionality measures. This study analyzed the lower order structure of positive emotionality in two samples, finding evidence for a replicable two-factor structure of Joviality and Experience Seeking. These factors demonstrated a markedly different pattern of relations in both direction and magnitude with internalizing, externalizing, and schizotypal symptoms. Joviality seems to represent an adaptive variant of positive emotionality, as it showed strong positive relations with well-being and moderate negative relations with measures of depression, social anxiety, and social anhedonia. In contrast, Experience Seeking appears to be somewhat maladaptive. It generally related positively to psychopathology, correlating most strongly with indicators of manic and externalizing symptoms. © The Author(s) 2014.

Anxiety, Affect, Self-Esteem, and Stress: Mediation and Moderation Effects on Depression

PubMed Central

Nima, Ali Al; Rosenberg, Patricia; Archer, Trevor; Garcia, Danilo

2013-01-01

Background Mediation analysis investigates whether a variable (i.e., mediator) changes in regard to an independent variable, in turn, affecting a dependent variable. Moderation analysis, on the other hand, investigates whether the statistical interaction between independent variables predict a dependent variable. Although this difference between these two types of analysis is explicit in current literature, there is still confusion with regard to the mediating and moderating effects of different variables on depression. The purpose of this study was to assess the mediating and moderating effects of anxiety, stress, positive affect, and negative affect on depression. Methods Two hundred and two university students (males  = 93, females  = 113) completed questionnaires assessing anxiety, stress, self-esteem, positive and negative affect, and depression. Mediation and moderation analyses were conducted using techniques based on standard multiple regression and hierarchical regression analyses. Main Findings The results indicated that (i) anxiety partially mediated the effects of both stress and self-esteem upon depression, (ii) that stress partially mediated the effects of anxiety and positive affect upon depression, (iii) that stress completely mediated the effects of self-esteem on depression, and (iv) that there was a significant interaction between stress and negative affect, and between positive affect and negative affect upon depression. Conclusion The study highlights different research questions that can be investigated depending on whether researchers decide to use the same variables as mediators and/or moderators. PMID:24039896

Marital conflict and the quality of young children's peer play behavior: the mediating and moderating role of parent-child emotional reciprocity and attachment security.

PubMed

Lindsey, Eric W; Caldera, Yvonne M; Tankersley, Laura

2009-04-01

Parent-child attachment security and dyadic measures of parent-child positive and negative emotional reciprocity were examined as possible mediators and moderators of the connection between marital conflict and children's peer play behavior. Eighty parents were observed in a laboratory play session with their 15- to 18-month-old child. Subsequently, at 36 months children were observed interacting with peers at their child care setting. Connections between marital conflict and children's positive peer interaction were mediated by mother-child attachment security, mother-child positive emotional reciprocity, and father-child negative emotional reciprocity. Connections between marital conflict and children's negative peer interaction were mediated by mother-child positive emotional reciprocity and father-child attachment security. Parent-child attachment security and negative emotional reciprocity emerged as important moderators of the connection between marital conflict and children's peer play behavior.

Mastery moderates the negative effect of stigma on depressive symptoms in people living with HIV.

PubMed

Rueda, Sergio; Gibson, Katherine; Rourke, Sean B; Bekele, Tsegaye; Gardner, Sandra; Cairney, John

2012-04-01

Stigma continues to have a negative effect on the care, treatment, and support of people living with HIV. This study presents baseline data from 825 participants taking part in a cohort study that collects data on the clinical profile and social determinants of health of people with HIV. We performed multivariate regression analysis to evaluate whether mastery and social support moderated the negative effect of stigma on depressive symptoms. Stigma was associated with depressive symptoms after controlling for potential demographic and clinical confounders. In addition, higher levels of mastery and social support were associated with lower levels of depression. However, only mastery moderated the negative effects of stigma on depressive symptoms. For individuals with high levels of mastery, greater exposure to stigma does not translate into greater distress. Interventions targeting the mental health concerns of people with HIV should increase their focus on improving people' sense of personal control.

M128. Quality of Life in Patients With Schizophrenia: Its Associations With Resilience, Self-Esteem, Hopelessness, and Psychopathology

PubMed Central

Wartelsteiner, Fabienne; Mizuno, Yuya; Frajo-Apor, Beatrice; Kemmler, Georg; Pardeller, Silvia; Sondermann, Catherine; Welte, Anna-Sophia; Fleischhacker, W. Wolfgang; Uchida, Hiroyuki; Hofer, Alex

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Considered as an important objective in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia, improving patients’ quality of life (QoL) can predict symptomatic remission and recovery. The aim of this study was to examine to what extent resilience, self-esteem, hopelessness and psychopathology are correlated to QoL. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 52 Patients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to ICD-10 criteria were recruited on an outpatient basis. Furthermore, 77 healthy controls were recruited from the general community. Psychopathology was assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) in schizophrenia patients. The following scales were used in both patients and healthy controls: Berliner Lebensqualitätsprofil to assess QoL, the German versions of the Resilience Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Beck Hopelessness Scale to assess resilience, self-esteem, and hopelessness, respectively. Results: QoL, resilience and self-esteem were lower, and hopelessness higher, in patients compared to healthy controls. In patients, QoL correlated moderately with self-esteem, resilience and hopelessness, and weakly with psychopathology. In regards to the latter, depression and positive symptoms correlated negatively with QoL. Conclusion: Our results suggest that effort should be made to promote self-esteem and resilience and to diminish hopelessness as well as affective and positive symptoms in schizophrenia patients.

Characterization of Psychotic Experiences in Adolescence Using the Specific Psychotic Experiences Questionnaire: Findings From a Study of 5000 16-Year-Old Twins

PubMed Central

Ronald, Angelica; Sieradzka, Dominika; Cardno, Alastair G.; Haworth, Claire M. A.; McGuire, Philip; Freeman, Daniel

2014-01-01

We aimed to characterize multiple psychotic experiences, each assessed on a spectrum of severity (ie, quantitatively), in a general population sample of adolescents. Over five thousand 16-year-old twins and their parents completed the newly devised Specific Psychotic Experiences Questionnaire (SPEQ); a subsample repeated it approximately 9 months later. SPEQ was investigated in terms of factor structure, intersubscale correlations, frequency of endorsement and reported distress, reliability and validity, associations with traits of anxiety, depression and personality, and sex differences. Principal component analysis revealed a 6-component solution: paranoia, hallucinations, cognitive disorganization, grandiosity, anhedonia, and parent-rated negative symptoms. These components formed the basis of 6 subscales. Correlations between different experiences were low to moderate. All SPEQ subscales, except Grandiosity, correlated significantly with traits of anxiety, depression, and neuroticism. Scales showed good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity. Girls endorsed more paranoia, hallucinations, and cognitive disorganization; boys reported more grandiosity and anhedonia and had more parent-rated negative symptoms. As in adults at high risk for psychosis and with psychotic disorders, psychotic experiences in adolescents are characterized by multiple components. The study of psychotic experiences as distinct dimensional quantitative traits is likely to prove an important strategy for future research, and the SPEQ is a self- and parent-report questionnaire battery that embodies this approach. PMID:24062593

Quality of life in stabilized patients with schizophrenia is mainly associated with resilience and self-esteem.

PubMed

Wartelsteiner, F; Mizuno, Y; Frajo-Apor, B; Kemmler, G; Pardeller, S; Sondermann, C; Welte, A; Fleischhacker, W W; Uchida, H; Hofer, A

2016-10-01

Improving quality of life (QoL) is an important objective in the treatment of schizophrenia. The aim of the current study was to examine to what extent resilience, self-esteem, hopelessness, and psychopathology are correlated with QoL. We recruited 52 out-patients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM-IV criteria and 77 healthy control subjects from the general community. In patients, psychopathology was quantified by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. The following scales were used in both patients and control subjects: the Berliner Lebensqualitätsprofil, the Resilience Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Beck Hopelessness Scale to assess QoL, resilience, self-esteem, and hopelessness respectively. Patients with schizophrenia presented with significantly less QoL, resilience, self-esteem, and hope compared to healthy control subjects. In patients, QoL correlated moderately with resilience, self-esteem, and hopelessness and weakly with symptoms. With respect to the latter, particularly depression and positive symptoms were negatively correlated with QoL. Our results highlight the complex nature of QoL in patients suffering from schizophrenia. They underscore that significant efforts are necessary to enhance resilience and self-esteem and to diminish hopelessness as well as affective and positive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Pain, Sleep Disturbance, and Quality of Life Among Palestinian Patients Diagnosed with Cancer.

PubMed

Dreidi, Mu'taz M; Hamdan-Mansour, Ayman M

2016-12-01

The objective of this descriptive study is to explore the relationships between pain, sleep disturbance, and quality of life among Palestinian patients diagnosed with cancer in the West Bank. A cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational design was used to collect data from 184 patients with cancer. The quality of life questionnaire, visual analogue pain scale, and physical health status were used in data collection. The results showed that the mean score for pain was 5, the best functioning was for cognitive scale (M = 75, SD = 29), the worst symptoms experienced by patients was appetite loss (M = 47, SD = 35), a moderate global health status (M = 53, SD = 27), and the mean for sleep disturbance was 43 (SD = 35). Pain and sleep disturbance showed high negative correlations with functional scales of quality of life and positive with symptom scales. The findings showed that the co-occurrence of pain and sleep disturbance was negatively correlated with quality of life (QoL) and positively with symptom scales. The regression analysis revealed that pain and sleep disturbance accounted for a significant proportion of variance in the QoL (p < 0.001), and the highest proportion was in predicting global health status (41.9 %). The findings of this study give evidence about the importance of assessing pain and sleep quality among Palestinian patients with cancer.

Ecology of invasive Melilotus albus on Alaskan glacial river floodplains

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conn, Jeff S.; Werdin-Pfisterer, Nancy R.; Beattie, Katherine L.; Densmore, Roseann V.

2011-01-01

Melilotus albus (white sweetclover) has invaded Alaskan glacial river floodplains. We measured cover and density of plant species and environmental variables along transects perpendicular to the Nenana, Matanuska, and Stikine Rivers to study interactions between M. albus and other plant species and to characterize the environment where it establishes. Melilotus albus was a pioneer species on recently disturbed sites and did not persist into closed canopy forests. The relationships between M. albus cover and density and other species were site-specific.Melilotus albus was negatively correlated with native species Elaeagnus commutata at the Nenana River, but not at the Matanuska River. Melilotus albus was positively correlated with the exotic species Crepis tectorumand Taraxacum officinale at the Matanuska River and T. officinale on the upper Stikine River. However, the high density of M. albus at a lower Stikine River site was negatively correlated with T. officinale and several native species including Lathyrus japonicus var. maritimus and Salix alaxensis. Glacial river floodplains in Alaska are highly disturbed and are corridors for exotic plant species movement. Melilotus albus at moderate to low densities may facilitate establishment of exotic species, but at high densities can reduce the cover and density of both exotic and native species.

Beta-amyloid deposition in patients with major depressive disorder with differing levels of treatment resistance: a pilot study.

PubMed

Li, Peng; Hsiao, Ing-Tsung; Liu, Chia-Yih; Chen, Chia-Hsiang; Huang, She-Yao; Yen, Tzu-Chen; Wu, Kuan-Yi; Lin, Kun-Ju

2017-12-01

Lack of treatment response in patients with late-life depression is common. The role of brain beta-amyloid (Aβ) deposition in treatment outcome in subjects with late-life depression remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate brain Aβ deposition in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) with differing treatment outcomes in vivo using 18 F-florbetapir imaging. This study included 62 MDD patients and 18 healthy control subjects (HCs).We first employed the Maudsley staging method (MSM) to categorize MDD patients into two groups according to treatment response: mild treatment resistance (n = 29) and moderate-to-severe treatment resistance (n = 33).The standard uptake value ratio (SUVR) of each volume of interest was analysed, and voxel-wise comparisons were made between the MDD patients and HCs. Vascular risk factors, serum homocysteine level, and apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotype were also determined. The MDD patients with moderate-to-severe treatment resistance had higher 18 F-florbetapir SUVRs than the HCs in the parietal region (P < 0.01). Voxel-wise comparisons further demonstrated elevated SUVRs in MDD patients with moderate-to-severe treatment resistance in the precuneus, parietal, temporal, and occipital regions. The MDD patients with mild treatment resistance were found to have increased 18 F-florbetapir uptake mainly in the left frontal and parietal regions as compared with the HCs. In addition, voxel-to-voxel correlation analysis showed that brain Aβ deposition was correlated positively with MSM score in the occipital region. 18 F-florbetapir SUVRs were correlated negatively with Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) score in the sample of all MDD patients (r = -0.355, P = 0.005). This study provided preliminary evidence that region-specific Aβ deposition was present in some (but not all) MDD patients, especially in those with moderate-to-severe treatment resistance, and their depressive symptoms may represent prodromal manifestations of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Depressive symptomatology in old age, particularly in subjects with a poor treatment response, may underscore early changes of AD-related pathophysiology.

Media effects of experimental presentation of the ideal physique on eating disorder symptoms: a meta-analysis of laboratory studies.

PubMed

Hausenblas, Heather A; Campbell, Anna; Menzel, Jessie E; Doughty, Jessica; Levine, Michael; Thompson, J Kevin

2013-02-01

Older meta-analyses of the effects of the media's portrayal of the ideal physique have found small effects revealing that exposure to the ideal physique increases body image concerns. These meta-analyses also included correlational, quasi-experimental, and experimental studies, with limited examination of moderators and other relevant outcomes besides body image. We conducted a systematic literature search and identified 33 experimental (i.e., pre and post data for both experimental and control groups) laboratory studies examining the effects of acute exposure to the media's portrayal of the ideal physique on eating disorder symptoms (i.e., body image, positive affect, negative affect, self-esteem, anger, anxiety and depression) and the mechanisms that moderate this effect. Fourteen separate meta-analyses revealed a range of small to moderate effect sizes for change in outcomes from pre to post for both experimental and control groups. Exposure to images of the ideal physique resulted in small effect sizes for increased depression and anger and decreased self-esteem and positive affect. Moderator analyses revealed moderate effect sizes for increased depression and body dissatisfaction among high-risk participants. This meta-analysis makes it clear that media exposure of the ideal physique results in small changes in eating disorder symptoms, particularly with participants at high risk for developing an eating disorder. Further research is needed to examine the longitudinal effects of media exposure of eating disorder symptoms. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychological Flexibility as a Moderator of the Relationships between Job Demands and Resources and Occupational Well-being.

PubMed

Novaes, Vladimir Pinto; Ferreira, Maria Cristina; Valentini, Felipe

2018-05-15

The aim of this study was to identify the relations of job demands (work overload) and job resources (social support and autonomy) with subjective job well-being (job satisfaction, positive affects, negative affects), as well as the moderating role of personal resources (psychological flexibility at work) in such relationships. The sample consisted of 4,867 Brazilian workers, of both sexes, with ages ranging from 18 to 67 years. Structural equation modelling showed that the work overload was negatively associated with job satisfaction (β = -.06; p < .001) and positively with negative affects (β = .24; p < .001); autonomy was positively associated with satisfaction (β = .08; p < .001) and negative affects (β = .08; p < .001); social support was positively associated with satisfaction (β = .17; p < .001) and positive affects (β = .20; p < .001), and negatively with negative affects (β = -.21; p < .001); psychological flexibility moderated the relationships of overload with satisfaction (β = .04; p < .05) and negative affects (β = .08; p < .001); autonomy with positive affects (β = -.06; p < .001) and social support with negative affects (β = .08; p < .001). These results are discussed from perspective of a job demands-resources theory, especially with respect to the relevance of personal resources for the promotion of occupational well-being.

Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and attitudes about social support: Does shame matter?

PubMed

Dodson, Thomas S; Beck, J Gayle

2017-04-01

Considerable research has examined the association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and social support. One facet of this relationship that deserves greater attention concerns trauma survivors' negative expectations towards social support, termed negative network orientation. To expand our understanding of negative network orientation, the current study examined shame as a possible mediator in the relationship between PTSD symptoms and negative network orientation, in a sample of 202 female survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). Additionally, a history of child abuse (CA) was evaluated as a moderator of the association between shame and negative network orientation in this model. Path analyses indicated a significant indirect effect between PTSD symptoms and negative network orientation through shame, indicative of mediation. A history of CA moderated this effect, such that women with a history of CA in addition to IPV showed a significantly stronger relationship between PTSD symptoms and negative network orientation through shame, relative to women who only had a history of IPV. These findings support the relevance of shame in understanding the association between PTSD symptoms and negative beliefs about social support and highlight the role of childhood abuse as a moderator in this process among IPV survivors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Negative Life Events and Adolescent Suicidal Behavior: A Critical Analysis from the Stress Process Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandin, Bonifacio; Chorot, Paloma; Santed, Miguel A.; Valiente, Rosa M.; Joiner, Thomas E., Jr.

1998-01-01

Empirical evidence relating negative life events and adolescent suicidal behavior is reviewed. The contribution of life events tends to be moderate or weak. A stress process model is presented. Past research has not incorporated mediating and moderating variables into pathways that link psychosocial stressors and suicidal outcomes, providing a…

Buffering the Effects of Violence: Communication and Problem-Solving Skills as Protective Factors for Adolescents Exposed to Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeBlanc, Monique; Self-Brown, Shannon; Shepard, Desti; Kelley, Mary Lou

2011-01-01

Although many adolescents exposed to violence evidence negative outcomes, some report few deleterious effects, indicating the presence of moderating variables. This study examined the moderating role of family communication and problem solving on positive and negative outcomes in adolescents exposed to school and neighborhood violence.…

Intergenerational Continuity of Hostile Parenting and Its Consequences: The Moderating Influence of Children's Negative Emotional Reactivity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scaramella, Laura V.; Conger, Rand D.

2003-01-01

Examined intergenerational transmission of hostile parenting, moderating effects of child negative emotional reactivity, and links between second generation (G2) hostile parenting and G3 problem behaviors. Found that G1 mothers' hostile parenting when target participant was an adolescent (G2) predicted G2 hostile parenting toward their young child…

Depressive symptoms and hazardous/harmful alcohol use are prevalent and correlate with stigma among TB-HIV patients in Lesotho.

PubMed

Hayes-Larson, E; Hirsch-Moverman, Y; Saito, S; Frederix, K; Pitt, B; Maama-Maime, L; Howard, A A

2017-11-01

Limited data exist on the prevalence and correlates, including stigma, of mental health conditions, including depressive symptoms and alcohol use, among patients co-infected with tuberculosis (TB) and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in sub-Saharan Africa, despite their negative impact on health outcomes. To assess the prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms and hazardous/harmful alcohol use among TB-HIV patients in the Start TB patients on ART and Retain on Treatment (START) study. START, a mixed-methods cluster-randomized trial, evaluated a combination intervention package vs. standard of care (SOC) to improve treatment outcomes in TB-HIV co-infected patients in Lesotho. Moderate/severe depressive symptoms and hazardous/harmful alcohol use were measured using baseline questionnaire data collected from April 2013 to March 2015. Demographic, psychosocial, and TB- and HIV-related knowledge and attitudes, including stigma, were assessed for association with both conditions using generalized linear mixed models. Among 371 participants, 29.8% reported moderate/severe depressive symptoms, and 24.7% reported hazardous/harmful alcohol use; 7% reported both. Depressive symptoms were significantly associated with less education, more difficulty understanding written medical information, non-disclosure of TB, greater TB stigma, and the SOC study arm. Hazardous/harmful alcohol use was significantly associated with male sex, as well as greater TB and external HIV stigma. Prevalence of depressive symptoms and hazardous/harmful alcohol use were high, suggesting a need for routine screening for, and treatment of, mental health disorders in TB-HIV patients.

Aβ amyloid, cognition, and APOE genotype in healthy older adults.

PubMed

Lim, Yen Ying; Ellis, Kathryn A; Ames, David; Darby, David; Harrington, Karra; Martins, Ralph N; Masters, Colin L; Rowe, Christopher; Savage, Greg; Szoeke, Cassandra; Villemagne, Victor L; Maruff, Paul

2013-09-01

Only one study has investigated the relationship between cerebral β-amyloid (Aβ), apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 genotype, and cognition. Although significant relationships between cerebral Aβ and cognition were observed in ε4 carriers but not noncarriers, the magnitude of this relationship was not reported. Further, when demographic variables were controlled, the influence of APOE ε4 on the relationship between cerebral Aβ and cognition dissipated. In 144 healthy older adults who had undergone amyloid scanning and APOE ε4 genotyping in the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers, and Lifestyle (AIBL) Flagship Study of Ageing, correlations were conducted to determine the magnitude of relationship between cerebral Aβ and cognition in ε4 carriers and noncarriers. Fisher's Z was used to compare these correlations and Cohen's q determined the magnitude of difference between correlations. Cerebral Aβ was significantly associated with tasks of visual and verbal episodic memory in APOE ε4 carriers. This association was not observed in ε4 noncarriers. The relationship between cerebral Aβ and episodic memory in ε4 carriers was significantly different from that in ε4 noncarriers, and the magnitude of this difference was small to moderate. In APOE ε 4 carriers, there is a moderate negative relationship between cerebral Aβ and episodic memory. This suggests that increased cerebral Aβ may signify the onset of preclinical AD, especially in healthy older adults who are genetically at risk for AD. Copyright © 2013 The Alzheimer's Association. All rights reserved.

Cervical cancer screening among university students in South Africa: a theory based study.

PubMed

Hoque, Muhammad Ehsanu; Ghuman, Shanaz; Coopoosmay, Roger; Van Hal, Guido

2014-01-01

Cervical cancer is a serious public health problem in South Africa. Even though the screening is free in health facilities in South Africa, the Pap smear uptake is very low. The objective of the study is to investigate the knowledge and beliefs of female university students in South Africa. A cross sectional study was conducted among university women in South Africa to elicit information about knowledge and beliefs, and screening history. A total of 440 students completed the questionnaire. The average age of the participants was 20.39 years (SD  = 1.71 years). Regarding cervical cancer, 55.2% (n = 243) had ever heard about it. Results indicated that only 15% (22/147) of the students who had ever had sex and had heard about cervical cancer had taken a Pap test. Pearson correlation analysis showed that cervical cancer knowledge had a significantly negative relationship with barriers to cervical cancer screening. Susceptibility and seriousness score were significantly moderately correlated with benefit and motivation score as well as barrier score. Self-efficacy score also had a moderate correlation with benefit and motivation score. Students who had had a Pap test showed a significantly lower score in barriers to being screened compared to students who had not had a Pap test. This study showed that educated women in South Africa lack complete information on cervical cancer. Students who had had a Pap test had significantly lower barriers to cervical cancer screening than those students who had not had a Pap test.

Estimated Nephron Number of the Donor Kidney: Impact on Allograft Kidney Outcomes.

PubMed

Schachtner, T; Reinke, P

Low birth weights have been associated with a reduction in nephron number with compensatory hypertrophy of existing glomeruli. The impact of donor birth weight as an estimate of nephron number on allograft function, however, has not been examined. We collected donor birth weight, kidney weight, and volume from 91 living kidney donor-recipient pairs before nephrectomy and after 12, 36, and 60 months. Nephron number was calculated from donor birth weight and age. Donor birth weight, kidney weight/body surface area (BSA), and kidney volume showed a moderate positive correlation with allograft estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at 12 months (P < .05). Donor age showed a negative moderate correlation with allograft eGFR at 12 months (P = .015). The strongest correlation with allograft eGFR was observed for calculated donor kidney nephron number at 12, 36, and 60 months (R, 0.340, 0.305, and 0.476, respectively; P < .05). No impact was observed on allograft daily proteinuria of any investigated marker (P > .05). Recipients of donors with birth weight <2.5 kg had need of a significantly greater number of antihypertensive drugs (P < .05). Calculated nephron number from donor birth weight and age is suggested to be superior to donor kidney weight/BSA and volume regarding allograft function. Calculated nephron number could estimate expected eGFR and guide decision making in cases of impaired allograft function. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ongoing daytime behavioural problems in university students following childhood mild traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Albicini, Michelle S; Lee, James; McKinlay, Audrey

2016-03-01

Sleep is often disrupted in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and may be related to persistent behaviour problems; however, little is known about this relationship in young adults. This study explored associations between TBI, behavioural problems and sleep disturbances in 247 university students (197 non-TBI, 47 mild TBI, two moderate TBI, one severe TBI) aged 18-25 years, who completed validated measures for behaviour, sleep quality and history of TBI. Because of small group numbers, participants reporting moderate to severe TBI were excluded from the analyses. Results indicated that students with mild TBI reported higher levels of daytime dysfunction, somatic complaints, withdrawal, other behavioural complaints and internalizing behaviours compared with students with no TBI history. A correlational analysis indicated a moderate relationship between the above significant variables. Our results suggest that university students with a history of mild TBI are more likely to experience certain ongoing daytime behavioural problems, which are likely to negatively influence their academic functioning in tertiary education. This study highlights the importance of research on long-term problems following mild TBI in young adults aged 18-25 years--an age group often overlooked within the literature.

Symptom assessment in early psychosis: the use of well-established rating scales in clinical high-risk and recent-onset populations.

PubMed

Fulford, Daniel; Pearson, Rahel; Stuart, Barbara K; Fisher, Melissa; Mathalon, Daniel H; Vinogradov, Sophia; Loewy, Rachel L

2014-12-30

Symptom assessment in early psychosis research typically relies on scales validated in chronic schizophrenia samples. Our goal was to inform investigators who are selecting symptom scales for early psychosis research. We described measure characteristics, baseline scores, and scale inter-relationships in clinical-high-risk (CHR) and recent-onset psychotic disorder (RO) samples using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms, and Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms; for the CHR group only, we included the Scale of Prodromal Symptoms. For investigators selecting symptom measures in intervention or longitudinal studies, we also examined the relationship of symptom scales with psychosocial functioning. In both samples, symptom subscales in the same domain, across measures, were moderately to highly intercorrelated. Within all measures, positive symptoms were not correlated with negative symptoms, but disorganized symptoms overlapped with both positive and negative symptoms. Functioning was significantly related to negative and disorganized, but not positive, symptoms in both samples on most measures. Findings suggest strong overlap in symptom severity ratings among the most common scales. In recent-onset samples, each has strengths and weaknesses. In CHR samples, they appear to add little information above and beyond the SOPS. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oxytocin selectively moderates negative cognitive appraisals in high trait anxious males.

PubMed

Alvares, Gail A; Chen, Nigel T M; Balleine, Bernard W; Hickie, Ian B; Guastella, Adam J

2012-12-01

The mammalian neuropeptide oxytocin has well-characterized effects in facilitating prosocial and affiliative behavior. Additionally, oxytocin decreases physiological and behavioral responses to social stress. In the present study we investigated the effects of oxytocin on cognitive appraisals after a naturalistic social stress task in healthy male students. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 48 participants self-administered either an oxytocin or placebo nasal spray and, following a wait period, completed an impromptu speech task. Eye gaze to a pre-recorded video of an audience displayed during the task was simultaneously collected. After the speech, participants completed questionnaires assessing negative cognitive beliefs about speech performance. Whilst there was no overall effect of oxytocin compared to placebo on either eye gaze or questionnaire measures, there were significant positive correlations between trait levels of anxiety and negative self-appraisals following the speech. Exploratory analyses revealed that whilst higher trait anxiety was associated with increasingly poorer perceptions of speech performance in the placebo group, this relationship was not found in participants administered oxytocin. These results provide preliminary evidence to suggest that oxytocin may reduce negative cognitive self-appraisals in high trait anxious males. It adds to a growing body of evidence that oxytocin seems to attenuate negative cognitive responses to stress in anxious individuals. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distinct Trajectories of Cortisol Response to Prolonged Acute Stress Are Linked to Affective Responses and Hippocampal Gray Matter Volume in Healthy Females

PubMed Central

Treadway, Michael T.; Valeri, Linda; Douglas, Samuel

2017-01-01

The development of robust laboratory procedures for acute stress induction over the last decades has greatly advanced our understanding of stress responses in humans and their underlying neurobiological mechanisms. Nevertheless, attempts to uncover linear relationships among endocrine, neural, and affective responses to stress have generally yielded inconsistent results. Here, 79 healthy females completed a well established laboratory procedure of acute stress induction that was modified to prolong its effect. Endocrinological and subjective affect assessments revealed stress-induced increases in cortisol release and negative affect that persisted 65 and 100 min after stress onset, respectively, confirming a relatively prolonged acute stress induction. Applying latent class linear mixed modeling on individuals' patterns of cortisol responses identified three distinct trajectories of cortisol response: the hyper-response (n = 10), moderate-response (n = 21), and mild-response (n = 48) groups. Notably, whereas all three groups exhibited a significant stress-induced increase in cortisol release and negative affect, the hyper-response and mild-response groups both reported more negative affect relative to the moderate-response group. Structural MRI revealed no group differences in hippocampal and amygdala volumes, yet a continuous measure of cortisol response (area under the curve) showed that high and low levels of stress-induced cortisol release were associated with less hippocampal gray matter volume compared with moderate cortisol release. Together, these results suggest that distinct trajectories of cortisol response to prolonged acute stress among healthy females may not be captured by conventional linear analyses; instead, quadratic relations may better describe links between cortisol response to stress and affective responses, as well as hippocampal structural variability. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Despite substantial research, it is unclear whether and how individual neuroendocrine stress response patterns are linked to affective responses to stress and structural variability in neuroendocrine regulatory brain regions. By applying latent class linear mixed modeling on individuals' patterns of cortisol responses to a prolonged acute stressor, we identified three distinct trajectories of cortisol response. Relative to the group showing a moderate cortisol response, groups characterized by hyper and mild cortisol response were both associated with more negative affect. Moreover, a continuous measure of cortisol response showed that high and low levels of stress-induced cortisol release correlated with reduced hippocampal gray matter volume. Given that neuroendocrine stress responses are conceptualized as biomarkers of stress susceptibility, these insights may have clinical implications. PMID:28739584

Distinct Trajectories of Cortisol Response to Prolonged Acute Stress Are Linked to Affective Responses and Hippocampal Gray Matter Volume in Healthy Females.

PubMed

Admon, Roee; Treadway, Michael T; Valeri, Linda; Mehta, Malavika; Douglas, Samuel; Pizzagalli, Diego A

2017-08-16

The development of robust laboratory procedures for acute stress induction over the last decades has greatly advanced our understanding of stress responses in humans and their underlying neurobiological mechanisms. Nevertheless, attempts to uncover linear relationships among endocrine, neural, and affective responses to stress have generally yielded inconsistent results. Here, 79 healthy females completed a well established laboratory procedure of acute stress induction that was modified to prolong its effect. Endocrinological and subjective affect assessments revealed stress-induced increases in cortisol release and negative affect that persisted 65 and 100 min after stress onset, respectively, confirming a relatively prolonged acute stress induction. Applying latent class linear mixed modeling on individuals' patterns of cortisol responses identified three distinct trajectories of cortisol response: the hyper-response ( n = 10), moderate-response ( n = 21), and mild-response ( n = 48) groups. Notably, whereas all three groups exhibited a significant stress-induced increase in cortisol release and negative affect, the hyper-response and mild-response groups both reported more negative affect relative to the moderate-response group. Structural MRI revealed no group differences in hippocampal and amygdala volumes, yet a continuous measure of cortisol response (area under the curve) showed that high and low levels of stress-induced cortisol release were associated with less hippocampal gray matter volume compared with moderate cortisol release. Together, these results suggest that distinct trajectories of cortisol response to prolonged acute stress among healthy females may not be captured by conventional linear analyses; instead, quadratic relations may better describe links between cortisol response to stress and affective responses, as well as hippocampal structural variability. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Despite substantial research, it is unclear whether and how individual neuroendocrine stress response patterns are linked to affective responses to stress and structural variability in neuroendocrine regulatory brain regions. By applying latent class linear mixed modeling on individuals' patterns of cortisol responses to a prolonged acute stressor, we identified three distinct trajectories of cortisol response. Relative to the group showing a moderate cortisol response, groups characterized by hyper and mild cortisol response were both associated with more negative affect. Moreover, a continuous measure of cortisol response showed that high and low levels of stress-induced cortisol release correlated with reduced hippocampal gray matter volume. Given that neuroendocrine stress responses are conceptualized as biomarkers of stress susceptibility, these insights may have clinical implications. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/377995-09$15.00/0.

Childhood Temperament: Passive Gene-Environment Correlation, Gene-Environment Interaction, and the Hidden Importance of the Family Environment

PubMed Central

Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn; Kao, Karen; Swann, Gregory; Goldsmith, H. Hill

2013-01-01

Biological parents pass on genotypes to their children, as well as provide home environments that correlate with their genotypes; thus, the association between the home environment and children's temperament can be genetically (i.e. passive gene-environment correlation) or environmentally mediated. Furthermore, family environments may suppress or facilitate the heritability of children's temperament (i.e. gene-environment interaction). The sample comprised 807 twin pairs (M age = 7.93 years) from the longitudinal Wisconsin Twin Project. Important passive gene-environment correlations emerged, such that home environments were less chaotic for children with high Effortful Control, and this association was genetically mediated. Children with high Extraversion/Surgency experienced more chaotic home environments, and this correlation was also genetically mediated. In addition, heritability of children's temperament was moderated by home environments, such that Effortful Control and Extraversion/Surgency were more heritable in chaotic homes, and Negative Affectivity was more heritable under crowded or unsafe home conditions. Modeling multiple types of gene-environment interplay uncovered the complex role of genetic factors and the hidden importance of the family environment for children's temperament and development more generally. PMID:23398752

The Relationship between Serum Apelin Levels and the Severity of Calcific Aortic Stenosis

PubMed Central

Duman, Hakan; Bahçeci, Ilkay; Hamur, Hikmet; Demirelli, Selami; Ramazan Dilek, Aziz; Erdogan, Turan; Duman, Handan; Şatıroğlu, Ömer; Emre Durakoğlugil, Murtaza

2018-01-01

Background Apelin, an endogenous peptide, has recently gained attention due to its positive inotropic effects in heart failure physiopathology. We investigated the relationship between serum apelin levels and the severity of calcific aortic stenosis (AS). Methods A total of 68 consecutive patients diagnosed with calcific AS and a control group of 32 subjects were included in the study. The subjects were divided into three group as follows: the control group, the mild-moderate AS group and the severe AS group. Blood samples were obtained from all of the subjects, which were used for biochemical comparisons of apelin 36 and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels. Results Plasma apelin 36 levels were significantly lower in the patients with severe AS [490 (247-1074) pg/ml] compared to both the mild-moderate AS [209 (97-453) pg/ml] and control [660 (378-1200) pg/ml] groups (p < 0.001). Correlation analysis between the left ventricular mass index and apelin concentrations revealed a significant negative correlation between the two parameters (p < 0.001, r = -0.478). Conclusions Our study demonstrated decreased apelin levels and increased hsCRP concentrations in patients with severe calcific AS. Our findings may help to clarify the exact pathophysiologic role of apelin in cardiovascular diseases. PMID:29844647

Reliability and validity of the Korean version of the community balance and mobility scale in patients with hemiplegia after stroke

PubMed Central

Lee, Kyoung-bo; Lee, Paul; Yoo, Sang-won; Kim, Young-dong

2016-01-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to translate and adapt the Community Balance and Mobility Scale (CB&M) into Korean (K-CB&M) and to verify the reliability and validity of scores obtained with Korean patients. [Subjects and Methods] A total of 16 subjects were recruited from St. Vincent’s Hospital in South Korea. At each testing session, subjects completed the K-CB&M, Berg balance scale (BBS), timed up and go test (TUG), and functional reaching test. All tests were administered by a physical therapist, and subjects completed the tests in an identical standardized order during all testing sessions. [Results] The inter- and intra-rater reliability coefficients were high for most subscores, while moderate inter-rater reliability was observed for the items “walking and looking” and “walk, look, and carry”, and moderate intra-rater reliability was observed for “forward to backward walking”. There was a positive correlation between the K-CB&M and BBS and a negative correlation between the K-CB&M and TUG in the convergent validity assessments. [Conclusion] The reliability and validity of the K-CB&M was high, suggesting that clinical practitioners treating Korean patients with hemiplegia can use this material for assessing static and dynamic balance. PMID:27630420

Correlates of Depressive Symptoms After Birth for Latinas Who Are Overweight or Obese

PubMed Central

Records, Kathie; Keller, Colleen; Coonrod, Dean; Ainsworth, Barbara; Todd, Michael; Belyea, Michael; Nagle-Williams, Allison; Permana, Paska; Vega Lopez, Sonia

2015-01-01

Depression symptoms and overweight/obesity are common concerns during childbearing. Both conditions are associated with poor outcomes at birth and can have long-lasting consequences. Predictors of depressive symptoms among overweight and obese low-income and ethnically diverse women are not known. Data are from the Madres para la Salud trial with 139 postpartum Latinas. Depressive symptoms during a prior pregnancy were positively related while social support and moderate intensity physical activity were negatively related to depressive symptoms after birth. Social support and physical activity may be effective interventions, particularly for women who have experienced depressive symptoms in a prior pregnancy. PMID:25383619

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).

Family Function and Self-esteem among Chinese University Students with and without Grandparenting Experience: Moderating Effect of Social Support

PubMed Central

Shi, Jingyu; Wang, Lu; Yao, Yuhong; Su, Na; Zhao, Xudong; Zhan, Chenyu

2017-01-01

This study examines the association between family function and self-esteem of Chinese university students with grandparenting experience, and explores the moderating effects of social support in this link. Two thousand five hundred thirty university students (1372 males and 1158 females) from a Chinese university completed the Perceived Social Support Scale, the Rosenberg’s Self-esteem Scale, and the Family Assessment Device (FAD). Six hundred and forty-five (25.69%) students reported grandparenting experience and they reported lower scores on self-esteem and social support than the students raised only by their parents. The grandparenting group scored higher on such dimensions of family functioning as Communication, Role, Affective Involvement, Affective Responsiveness, and General Family Function (GF) than their counterpart group. For both groups, self-esteem scores were positively correlated with social support scores, while negatively correlated with FAD all sub-scale scores. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that for the students with grandparenting experience the social support moderated the relationship between GF and self-esteem. When students reported a high level of social support, those with low GF score reported higher scores in self-esteem than those with low self-esteem. However, in case of low social support, there were no differences in self-esteem between groups with high and low GF scores. These findings suggest that social support plays a positive role to relieve the adverse impact of poor family function on self-esteem of the adolescents with grandparenting experience. In addition, the significance and limitations of the results will be discussed. PMID:28611720

Family Function and Self-esteem among Chinese University Students with and without Grandparenting Experience: Moderating Effect of Social Support.

PubMed

Shi, Jingyu; Wang, Lu; Yao, Yuhong; Su, Na; Zhao, Xudong; Zhan, Chenyu

2017-01-01

This study examines the association between family function and self-esteem of Chinese university students with grandparenting experience, and explores the moderating effects of social support in this link. Two thousand five hundred thirty university students (1372 males and 1158 females) from a Chinese university completed the Perceived Social Support Scale, the Rosenberg's Self-esteem Scale, and the Family Assessment Device (FAD). Six hundred and forty-five (25.69%) students reported grandparenting experience and they reported lower scores on self-esteem and social support than the students raised only by their parents. The grandparenting group scored higher on such dimensions of family functioning as Communication, Role, Affective Involvement, Affective Responsiveness, and General Family Function (GF) than their counterpart group. For both groups, self-esteem scores were positively correlated with social support scores, while negatively correlated with FAD all sub-scale scores. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that for the students with grandparenting experience the social support moderated the relationship between GF and self-esteem. When students reported a high level of social support, those with low GF score reported higher scores in self-esteem than those with low self-esteem. However, in case of low social support, there were no differences in self-esteem between groups with high and low GF scores. These findings suggest that social support plays a positive role to relieve the adverse impact of poor family function on self-esteem of the adolescents with grandparenting experience. In addition, the significance and limitations of the results will be discussed.

Comparative effect of interval and continuous training programs on serum uric acid in management of hypertension: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Lamina, Sikiru

2011-03-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of interval and continuous training program on blood pressure and serum uric acid (SUA) levels in subjects with hypertension. Three hundred and fifty-seven male patients with mild to moderate systolic blood pressure (SBP) between 140 and 179 and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) between 90 and 109 mm Hg essential hypertension were age-matched and grouped into interval, continuous, and control groups. The interval (work:rest ratio of 1:1) and continuous groups were involved in an 8-week interval and continuous training program of 45-60 minutes, at intensities of 60-79% of heart rate maximum, whereas the control group remained sedentary during this period. SBP, DBP, maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) and SUA concentration were assessed. One-way analysis of variance and Scheffe and Pearson correlation tests were used in data analysis. Findings of the study revealed significant effect of exercise training program on VO2max, SBP, DBP, and SUA. However, there was no significant difference between the interval and continuous groups. Changes in VO2max negatively correlated with changes in SUA (r = -0.220) at p < 0.05. It was concluded that both moderate-intensity interval and continuous training programs are effective and neither seems superior to the other in the nonpharmacological management of hypertension and may prevent cardiovascular events through the downregulation of SUA in hypertension. Findings of the study support the recommendations of moderate-intensity interval and continuous training programs as adjuncts for nonpharmacological management of essential hypertension.

Protein expression patterns of cell cycle regulators in operable breast cancer.

PubMed

Zagouri, Flora; Kotoula, Vassiliki; Kouvatseas, George; Sotiropoulou, Maria; Koletsa, Triantafyllia; Gavressea, Theofani; Valavanis, Christos; Trihia, Helen; Bobos, Mattheos; Lazaridis, Georgios; Koutras, Angelos; Pentheroudakis, George; Skarlos, Pantelis; Bafaloukos, Dimitrios; Arnogiannaki, Niki; Chrisafi, Sofia; Christodoulou, Christos; Papakostas, Pavlos; Aravantinos, Gerasimos; Kosmidis, Paris; Karanikiotis, Charisios; Zografos, George; Papadimitriou, Christos; Fountzilas, George

2017-01-01

To evaluate the prognostic role of elaborate molecular clusters encompassing cyclin D1, cyclin E1, p21, p27 and p53 in the context of various breast cancer subtypes. Cyclin E1, cyclin D1, p53, p21 and p27 were evaluated with immunohistochemistry in 1077 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues from breast cancer patients who had been treated within clinical trials. Jaccard distances were computed for the markers and the resulted matrix was used for conducting unsupervised hierarchical clustering, in order to identify distinct groups correlating with prognosis. Luminal B and triple-negative (TNBC) tumors presented with the highest and lowest levels of cyclin D1 expression, respectively. By contrast, TNBC frequently expressed Cyclin E1, whereas ER-positive tumors did not. Absence of Cyclin D1 predicted for worse OS, while absence of Cyclin E1 for poorer DFS. The expression patterns of all examined proteins yielded 3 distinct clusters; (1) Cyclin D1 and/or E1 positive with moderate p21 expression; (2) Cyclin D1 and/or E1, and p27 positive, p53 protein negative; and, (3) Cyclin D1 or E1 positive, p53 positive, p21 and p27 negative or moderately positive. The 5-year DFS rates for clusters 1, 2 and 3 were 70.0%, 79.1%, 67.4% and OS 88.4%, 90.4%, 78.9%, respectively. It seems that the expression of cell cycle regulators in the absence of p53 protein is associated with favorable prognosis in operable breast cancer.